A bit of a topical joke for you to start with today!
George W Bush is in an airport lobby when he notices a man with a long white beard, a staff in one hand and some stone tablets in the other. "Excuse me," says George, "aren't you Moses?" The man ignores him and stares at the ceiling. George asks him again, this time staring directly into the man's face. Again the man ignores him and stares intently at the ceiling. George asks a third time and the man reluctantly admits that he is indeed Moses.
"So why did you ignore be before?" asks the President.
"Because," says Moses, "the last time I spoke to a bush, I had to spend 40 years in the wilderness."
A couple of weeks ago we began to consider, in our worship series, the topic of Moses and the worship of the people of Israel. Especially we began to look at the Tabernacle and the blueprint God gave to build it as a place primarily in which he would dwell and to which the people could come to worship Him.
The Tabernacle was pitched in the middle of the camp and the Cloud of Glory, symbolising the presence of God would rest inside it, so that at first Moses had to stay outside.
The Tabernacle was a portable sanctuary; it was stationed at Shiloh, at Nob (1 Samuel 21) and at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16 v 39)./ Of course, Solomon eventually brings it to the Temple…more on that at a later time. It was called simply 'dwelling'.. literally meaning Tabernacle because it housed the covenant tables; or it meant tent of meeting, ie the appointed meeting place between God and His people.
The interior of the sewlling was divided in two compartments by a veil. The first compartment was called 'The Holy Place'. The second 'the holy of holies'.
Furniture:
Ark of the Covenant: in the most Holy place stood the Ark.
Of all the furnishings in the Tabernacle of Moses, the Ark was the most important. This was because of the spiritual significance in its wonderful symbolism. The Ark in all its history and symbolism was the key that pointed to Jesus. Al;l that the Ark was to Israel in the Old Testament, Jesus is to His church in the New Testament.
What did it symbolise?
- The Ark represented the Throne of God on earth
- The Ark represented the Presence of God on earth
- The Ark represented the Glory of God
It was a small oblong box, made of acacia wood…incorruptible wood… symbolic of Christ's perfect, sinless humanity.
It was overlaid inside and out with gold. Gold is generally significant of royalty or deity. So with the wood and the gold we have symbolised the humanity and the Godliness of Jesus coming together.
Around the top of the Ark was a crown of gold. The crown symbolises Kingship, Christ was crowned with honour and glory.
The Ark could be transported; (Christ journeys with the church, He is in us, world-wide ministry to and through His people).
A slab, 'mercy seat' of pure gold with a cherub rested on top. The name of this slab was in the Hebrew - kapporet. It does not mean lid, but literally means PROPITIATORY, ie the place where the blood of propitiation was sprinkled. This was the symbolic act of the priest in pouring the blood of the sacrificed animal to symbolise the guilt being removed from the people for their sin. It was here within the veil that the High Priest would come and sprinkle blood upon the mercy seat once a year, on the great Day of Atonement and make atonement for the sins of the whole nation.
Atonement originally meant the condition of being 'at one' after two parties had been estranged from one another. Soon another meaning emerged….atonement denoted the means, an act or a payment, through which harmony is restored….reconciliation. In the Old Testament it frequently occurred in a ceremonial context. It denoted an action by means of which guilt can be removed. So… Day of Atonement, payment, restoration.
Moreover, the Letter to the Hebrews celebrates the better Covenant made through Jesus the Messiah, the Mediator. Those who love Him and enter into relationship with Him can be assured that their sins are forgiven once and for all.
Within the Ark were three articles:
- Tables of the Law; rules for living
- Golden Pot of Manna; reminding the people of trust, God as Provider
- The Rod of Aaron; people grumbled against Aaron, God caused rod to bud
Without the presence of the Ark of the Lord, Israel was defeated in any battle (Numbers 14 v 44).
We need the presence of the Lord always, especially in battles against the enemy.
High Priest:
In the book of Hebrews - the main argument is that the Old Testament priestly institution is a mere shadow of reality and could not deal with sin. Jesus put away sin for all on the cross.
The Old Testament: Aaronic priesthood accomplished nothing in dealing with the real problem, that of purity and true cleansing. It involved the sacrifice of dumb animals and it could not touch the problem of sin. All it could establish was an external ceremonial purity. And the very repetition of the sacrifices served only as a reminder of sin. The Old Testament priests were inadequate because they were just men.
Jesus shared our nature, but without the sin. He did not have to offer sacrifices for Himself. His priesthood is forever.
Key… Jesus is not just the priest, He is also the sacrifice. |
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History of Worship
David and Worship
New Testament Worship
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