Fine Linen

When we think of fine linen we think of table cloths, bedding, napkins, etc. At one time most table cloths were made of fine linen. Linen is used in the Tabernacle to for the walls. All the linen used was pure white and kept very clean. The linen walls of the courtyard were made of pure white linen which speaks of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some may ask why the courtyard was necessary but it showed that the Holy God was separated from sinful man. God demanded righteousness to approach Him and that righteousness was found only in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gold and Wood

The two main materials used in the construction of the Tabernacle were wood and gold. The wood was acacia wood. The gold speaks to us of the Deity of Christ while the wood speaks of His humanity. Isaiah wrote that He would grow up as a root out of dry ground. The acacia wood grows in more dry conditions.

The Cross

Someone pointed out to me that when the Israelites set up camp around the Tabernacle the camps of the tribes branched out from the Tabernacle in the form of a cross. This could only be seen from above and it certainly could be true. It would not be exactly like the diagram shown here but the tribes would have camped on the east, north, west and south as we see listed. True or not true we are still reminded of the cross when we think of the Tabernacle.

It's not all about me

Today I attended the Truth Project seminar which we observed and watched and participated in by satellite. I want to add more about this later but for now I just want to say that in contrast to what I see in today's culture the Tabernacle really showed that it was not about me but about God. God was central not only in the camp but even in the Tabernacle itself. The whole design was to bring glory to God and not to man.

Ray Boltz and Clay Aiken

One of the reasons why I wanted to teach about the Tabernacle was to remind people of the Gospel. In the past couple of weeks both Ray Boltz and Clay Aiken have revealed that they were gay. Both of them talked about living a lie as if that was the worst sin that one could commit. However, my main concern is that there is a lack of understanding of the Gospel. One of the reasons that we do not get victory over sin is that we love the sin but hate ourselves when we get caught in the sin. If we would see sin as God sees sin and learn to hate the sin as God hates the sin then we could get victory over the sin.

Giving generously

When Moses called for the people to bring materials they brought so much that he finally had to tell them to stop. Everyone wanted to contribute to the materials for the Tabernacle. When we built the squatter church in Manila one man, who did most of the work on the church, had nothing to give other than his time. He wanted to contribute something other than his labour so he gave the land in front of his squatter house to put in the septic tank. The picture shows one of the other volunteers digging the hole in front of his door. What a lesson that is for us who have so much.

Thank you son

This past Sunday evening I had the joy of teaching on the purpose of the Tabernacle but it was a joy to be joined by my son who showed God's pattern for the Tabernacle is the pattern He laid out in the Garden of Eden and it is the same pattern for the church today. We have two responsibilities. The first is to tend the flock and the second is to proclaim His glory to the nations. Thank you for sharing that with us son.

Construction

Here is a short video of the construction of the Tabernacle.

Garden of Eden

When Adam and Eve were placed in the garden they were a most holy place. There they met with God. Adam was given two tasks. In Genesis 2:15 he was told to tend and keep the garden. In Genesis 1:28 he was told to have dominion over the garden. This was a priestly role while the former task was the kingly role. However, when Adam sinned he was sent out of the garden. In a way that is a picture of the Tabernacle. There were two tasks that were given. One was the priestly role of making an atonement for the sins of the people while the other was a kingly role of being a light to the nations. When some one sinned they were put outside the camp. In the church we have the dual role, priestly which is to tend and keep the flock and the kingly role which is to be a light to the nations so that the earth may be filled with the knowledge of God. Similarly when some one sinned they were to be put outside the fellowship. Whenever someone came into the Tabernacle they had to come by way of the altar. Similarly when someone comes to God we have to come by the cross.

Happy Birthday Papa

My father-in-law turned 80 years old today. During those 80 years he has done many things, many for the kingdom of God. However, the one thing that will have a lasting impact is that he taught his daughters well and that is passed on to the next generation. His influence on our children, his grandchildren has been significant. He has encouraged them and supported them with prayer and resources and I know that he is proud that his God is their God and they are serving Him faithfully. Thank you for your support and your love and may God bless you on this significant day.

Squatter Church 2

When they built the squatter church you would think that they were building a cathedral. The man in the picture took time to make sure every board was perfect. Though the building was simple they offered to God the very best that they had. The squatter church was unlike the Tabernacle which was so ornate but it was a meeting place for the people and a witness to their community.

The Squatter Church

When we lived in the Philippines we helped to build a little squatter church. The first time we visited the church it looked like this

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The church consisted of one wall with a tin roof and a mud floor. We were able to raise some money and they built a new church which looked like this:

Tabernacle of witness

The Tabernacle is also a picture of the believer and we are called to be witnesses. Acts 1:8 says that we are to be witnesses. The Christian should be a witness to the presence of God to the world. The Christian should also be a witness to the purity of God. However, there is a movement today among Christians to be more like the world. When you are like the world you cannot be a witness of God's purity to the world. The Christian is also a witness to God's protection. It is not that God keeps Christians from disaster, though He can, but rather that Christians know that whatever happens to them they are under the care of the Almighty God. Finally, the Christian is a witness to the provision of God. They have need of nothing more than God. It is sad that many Christians want more here and now. As one preacher put it, we should be health and wealth but have a focus far greater than this world. We will have perfect bodies and we will have riches untold but not here but when we go to be with Him.

A place of witness

The Tabernacle is called the Tabernacle of Witness in Numbers 17. It was a witness to the presence of God, the purity of God, the protection of God and the provision of God. As a Christian we have the presence of the Risen Lord with us. He said that He would be with us even unto the end of the age. We also have His purity. Our righteousness is nothing but dirty rags but He hath clothed us in His righteousness just as He clothed Joshua, the High Priest, in Zechariah 3. He is our protection. We are called to put on the armor of God that we may be able to stand against the devil's attacks. Finally, He is our provision. There is nothing we need apart from Him. He doesn't give us the victory, He is our victory. He doesn't give us patience, He is our patience. He doesn't give us holiness, He is our holiness. When Jesus became flesh and tabernacled amongst us He became a witness to the fact that we are children of God.

A place of worship

One of the lessons of the Tabernacle is that no one can worship God without an established relationship and an experienced revelation. That is why Jesus told the woman of Samaria that we must worship God in spirit and in truth. As we have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ we can worship Him in spirit. We can never worship until God dwells in us by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. But we must not forget the truth. We can only worship God as He meets with us through the revelation of His Word. God's Word must be central in our worship. As we gather together we must read the Word, hear the Word, and have the Word opened to us.

The Tabernacle Lesson 1

Tonight we started our series on the Tabernacle. It is such a rich study. If the number of chapters the Bible dedicates to the subject is any indication then it must be important. Two chapters describe creation, 50 chapters describe the Tabernacle. Mike reminded us that when the Israelites set up camp the first and central was the Tabernacle so he challenged us to make Christ first and central in our lives this week.

In the wilderness

The Tabernacle was not constructed in Egypt where the people of Israel were under the influence of an ungodly ruler. Nor was it constructed in Canaan but it was constructed in the wilderness. The Tabernacle lasted for 500 years but it was still a temporary structure. It was to remind them that they were pilgrims. As the Tabernacle represents Jesus' ministry on earth we are reminded that it too is temporary. There is coming a day when the temporary will give way to the permanent. Now we see dimly through the glass but there is coming a time when we will see clearly. Eventually the Tabernacle gave way to the Temple; the temporary to the permanent.

What about the floor?

In the description of the Tabernacle there is no mention of any covering for the floor. The sand under the feet of the priests were to remind them, and the people, that they were on a journey. This was not their permanent home, they had Canaan before them.

Shadow Again

When you look at a shadow such as in the following picture you are conscious of two things. First, the source of the shadow. In this case it is Curtis and his friend Ron. Second, the light source that causes the Shadow. In this case it is the light at the end of the tunnel.


If the Tabernacle is a was it says in Hebrews then the source is Jesus Christ. When Jesus came then we could understand the Tabernacle just as we could understand the shadow when we knew who was making the shadow. However, the shadow did tell us a great deal about the source. The question is: Should we be concerned about the shadow when we can look at the source?

Shadow

What can you tell me about the two people in this picture?

In Hebrews 8 we are told that the tabernacle is a copy and a shadow of what is in heaven. Right now we have to be satisfied with the shadow but some day the shadow will no longer be important.

You Don't Understand God.

A friend of mind was told this when she was pointing out the errors in the book, The Shack. That really bothered my friend but it really shows the arrogance of some people. She was basically told that if you don't agree with me then you are wrong. None of us can claim to really understand God. We get to know more about His character as we study his word not some novel. As we study the Tabernacle we begin to understand how God deals with man with regards to redemption. I don't agree with everything Rick Warren says but I do agree with him when he told his congregation that some places his theology is wrong. After a few moments of stunned silence he added that it would be arrogant to think otherwise. Then he said that when he knew where he was wrong he would change. Do you understand God by reading the Shack? No! Do you begin to understand God by studying His Word? Yes! Why do people think that the writings of man are more instructive than the writings of God?

Temple or the Tabernacle

I have been asked why we should study the Tabernacle and not the Temple. Don't they both represent the same thing? Don't they both speak of Christ? They both speak of Christ but the Temple speaks of His heavenly glory while the Tabernacle speaks of His earthly ministry. His early ministry was a ministry of grace and redemption. It was about Christ dwelling with and among His people.

Gospel in the Old Testament

I was reading in Hebrews 4 and verse 2 we are told, "For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." So the question is, How was the Gospel preached to those in the Old Testament? One way the Gospel was preached was through the Tabernacle. The walls, the courtyard, the coverings, the curtains, the furniture all spoke of the Redeemer. As we work through the Tabernacle over the next few weeks we will spend time looking at the way each aspect of the Tabernacle spoke of Jesus Christ.

Rest

In Hebrews 4:1 we read, "Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it." Just as the inheritance of the Israelites in Joshua's day was the land which was to them rest. They still had war but they were in the land and they were free. Our rest is found in Jesus Christ. He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 We are told that we are to rest from our own work yet we are to make every effort to enter that rest. God had given the Israelites the land but they still had to fight for it. We too are given a rest in Jesus Christ but we still have to make the effort. So what is the effort? It certainly isn't to earn that rest as it has been paid for already. Our effort is not to sacrifice that rest by disobedience. It is not that we are giving up our salvation but we are giving up the rest we have in Him. Does this sound confusing? It is one of the paradoxes of the Christian life. The rest is ours. We do not have to earn it. We must make every effort to enter into it.

My Uncle Bill

I was reading in Joshua about the dividing of the land and I came to chapter 14 and the story of Caleb. In his old age, he was 85, he still wanted to have his possession. As I read about Caleb I thought about my mother's brother, Bill. Uncle Bill was a farmer but he loved his God. He taught his children well and though he has gone to glory his two daughters and his 6 grandchildren have served the Lord faithfully as missionaries. Uncle Bill claimed his possessions in Christ and passed that on to his children. This was not something that happened when he was an old man, he died at 93, but it was his whole life. Caleb had lived his whole life with all out devotion to his God. He didn't get his possession until he was 85 but he got it.
Someone said, what type of old man do you want to be? You have to start being that person while you are young.

Possess our Possessions.

Alan Redpath said, "What the land was to Israel, Christ is to us. Mapped out in the pages of God's Word is all the territory which we are to possess: the mountains of heavenly vision; the valleys, at first seeming to be valleys of despair but which turn out to be valleys of infinite blessing; the pasture lands of rest and quiet, the cities which must be conquered, the foes which must be overthrown. ... Our inheritance in Christ is not part of Christ, but all of Christ."

How to stop the blessing.

When the Israelites were comfortably in the land then they became complacent and the blessings stopped. The blessing stopped for two reasons. First, they wanted peace at any cost. They had been at war for seven years. Sometimes the church loses out because they are more interested in peace than to continue the fight. However, we are called to be counter culture and that will mean being at war with the status quo. The second reason was that they wanted wealth. How often the church has lost its blessing because they wanted wealth more than blessing. Sometimes we even equate material blessing with spiritual blessing. We are called to possess our possessions and that means not desiring peace at any cost or materialism.