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Sermon #116 Exodus Series Title: Entering the
LordÕs Courts Text: Exodus
38:1-31 Subject: Worshipping
God Date: Tuesday
Evening — January 26, 2009 Tape: Exodus
#116 Readings: Bobbie
Estes and Allen Kibby Introduction: Do you hope to
dwell in the courts of the LordÕs house forever? Is it your joy to sing with
David, ÒSurely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord foreverÓ? I want to talk to you tonight about Entering the LordÕs Courts. á
I want to talk to you, personally. á
I want to talk to you from the Word of God. á
I want to talk to you from the Word of God about
entering the courts of the Lord, about worshipping God in sweet communion,
both while you live in this world and forever in the world to come. (Psalms
96:8-9) ÒGive unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and
come into his courts. 9 O
worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.Ó (Psalms
100:1-5) ÒMake a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come
before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we
ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with
thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.Ó (Psalms
65:4) ÒBlessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we
shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.Ó Throughout the Scriptures faith is portrayed as a matter of coming to
Christ. To believe on the Son of God
is to come to him. To come to him is to believe on him. We come to him by
following after him, as disciples follow after their Master. Our all glorious
Christ says, ÒWhosoever will come after me, let him deny himselfÓ
(v. 34). — To worship God is to come to Christ. Coming to Christ is the result of a deliberate, purposeful choice. It is an act of the will. Our Master says, Òwhosoever
willÓ. Let us never alter his Word. I know that faith is a gift of
God. I know that none will ever come to Christ, no one will ever worship God,
unless God the Holy Spirit graciously, effectually causes them to come and
worship. Yet, it is certain that any who come to him, come to him because
they want him and choose him. God does not save sinners by knocking them in
the head and dragging them to Christ. He saves sinners by causing them to
want Christ more than life itself. Faith in Christ is not a matter of conscription, but a voluntary act. The soldiers in ChristÕs army are not drafted,
forced soldiers, but volunteers. It is written, — ÒThy people
shall be willing in the day of thy powerÓ
(Psalm 65:40). — ÒBlessed
is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy
courtsÓ (Psalm 65:4). Coming to Christ is an act of the heart, a spiritual, not a carnal
thing. No one has ever come to
Christ by walking a church aisle, kneeling at an altar, saying a prayer
someone taught him to repeat, or signing a decision card. If you would come
to Christ, you must do so without moving a muscle. You must come to him in
your heart. Faith is a heart work (Romans 10:8-10). (Romans
10:8-13) ÒBut what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in
thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 ¦ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved.Ó True faith is the willful,
deliberate, voluntary confidence of my heart in the power and grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ. It is trusting the merits of his blood and righteousness
as my only acceptance before God. Faith in Christ involves the willing
surrender of my heart to him as my Lord. It is the bowing and submission of
my heart to him as my Lord (Luke 14:25-33). Coming to Christ is a continual thing. Our Savior does not speak of coming to him as a one time thing, as
a single act, but as a constant, continual, lifelong thing. If I worship God,
I do not worship him one day in seven. I worship him with my life! If I do
not worship the Lord Jesus with my life, I do not worship at all! — Faith in Christ is not an event in life, but a
way of life. — ÒIf so be ye
have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but
chosen of God, and preciousÓ (1 Peter 2:3-4). (1 Peter
2:1-7) ÒWherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies,
and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that
ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be
ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 ¦ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed
of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,
an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also
it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone,
elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he
is precious: but
unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the
same is made the head of the corner.Ó Not only are sinners bidden to come to Christ, we are commanded to
come (1 John 3:23). The warrant of
faith is not my feeling, my emotion, my meeting certain prescribed
conditions, but GodÕs Word. If the Son of God says for me to come to him,
then I may come to him! Any sinner in all the world who
will come to Christ may come to Christ. Our
Master uses that blessed word of universal application and uses it frequently — ÒWhosoeverÓ.
I am so thankful he said, ÒWhosoever will,Ó rather than, Òif Don Fortner will.Ó Had he said
that, I would have concluded he must have meant some other Don Fortner. But I
cannot doubt that ÒwhosoeverÓ includes
me! (Matthew 11:28-30) ÒCome unto
me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light.Ó (John 3:36) ÒHe that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not
see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.Ó (Revelation
22:17) ÒAnd the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say,
Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely.Ó Salvation is coming to Christ, worshipping God in Spirit
and in truth. It is to dwell in the courts of our God. — ÒA day in thy courts
is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my
God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.Ó (Psalms 84:10) — ÒThose that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the
courts of our God.Ó (Psalm
92:13). But how can I
enter into the courts of the Lord? What is required? By what means can a
poor, vile sinner enter into and dwell in the courts of the Lord? Turn with
me to Exodus 38, and I will show you. The Tabernacle in the Wilderness was made
up of three sections, three courts:É á
The Outer Court — Representing the Church and
People God on Earth. á
The Inner Court, the Holy Place — Representing Heaven
Itself, the Place of Divine Worship. á
The Holy of Holies — Representing the Very
Throne of God. The only Gate
by which we can enter these courts of our God, the only Door of access to God
is the Lord Jesus Christ, our Mediator, who is represented by all the
curtains hanging between the courts. Here, in Exodus 38, we see in vivid type
and picture how it is that sinners like you and me may enter into and dwell
in the courts of our God. — Here are five things essential to the
worship of God, five things that are always involved in and essential to the
everlasting salvation of GodÕs elect. 1.
Atonement The very first
thing required, if we would come to God, if we would enter into his courts,
if we would be saved, is atonement, blood atonement. We must come to God by
an Altar of Sacrifice he has made, with the sacrifice he has given (Exodus
38:1-7). ÒAnd he
made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five
cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height
thereof. 2 And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the
same: and he overlaid it with brass. 3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the
shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof
made he of
brass. 4 And he made for the
altar a brasen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the
midst of it. 5 And he cast four
rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves. 6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them
with brass. 7 And he put the
staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made
the altar hollow with boards.Ó (Exodus 38:1-7) Christ is our Altar. Clearly this altar s a picture of our Lord Jesus
(Hebrews 13:7-13; Psalm 118:1, 14-29). (Hebrews
13:7-13) ÒRemember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto
you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and
to day, and for ever. 9 Be not
carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be
established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that
have been occupied therein. 10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which
serve the tabernacle. 11 For the
bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high
priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with
his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp,
bearing his reproach.Ó But we must
never separate the Altar from the Sacrifice. Christ is both our Altar and our
Sacrifice. (Psalms
118:1) ÒO give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.Ó (Psalms
118:14-29) ÒThe LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. 15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the
righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. 16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted:
the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the
LORD. 18 The LORD hath chastened
me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. 19 ¦ Open
to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and
I will praise the LORD: 20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous
shall enter. 21
I will praise thee: for thou
hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This
is the LORDÕS doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25
Save now, I beseech thee, O
LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the
LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 27 God
is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the
sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the
altar. 28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou
art my God, I
will exalt thee. 29 O give
thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.Ó The horns of the altar upon which the sacrifice
must be boundÉ á
Speak of the strength and efficacy of the sacrifice. á
There were four of them, pointing to the four corners
of the earth from which the ransomed of the Lord must be fetched. á
The sacrifice was bound to the altar by the hand of
God as a matter of justice and grace, as a matter of mercy and truth
(Galatians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). ÒChrist
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:Ó (Galatians 3:13) ÒWho his
own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to
sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.Ó (1
Peter 2:24) ÒFor
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
Spirit:Ó (1 Peter 3:18) ÒTherefore
if any man be
in Christ, he is
a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to
himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in ChristÕs stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that
we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Ó (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) Question: If I were to ask
you were the first use of the word ÒsinÓ is in the Bible, what would you say?
What is the context in which we find the word sin, for the first time? What
is the first thing that is specifically called sin in the Book of God? —
If you will turn once more to Genesis 4, you will see that the first thing
named sin in this Book is the attempt of proud man to do away with GodÕs
sacrifice (Genesis 4:7). Everything about
this matter of salvation begins with and hinges upon GodÕs Sacrifice for sin.
Yet,
that which men most despise and most viciously trample under their feet is
the precious blood of Christ! (Genesis
4:1-7) ÒAnd Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and
said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper
of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 ¦ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought
of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the
firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto
Abel and to his offering: 5 But
unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth,
and his countenance fell. 6 ¦ And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is
thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?
and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule
over him.Ó 2.
Cleansing The first thing
is atonement. We cannot come to God, we cannot be accepted of God, we cannot
worship God, we cannot enter the courts of his house without blood atonement
by the sacrifice of GodÕs darling Son. The second thing required is the
cleansing portrayed in the laver of brass (Exodus 38:8). ÒAnd he
made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.Ó (Exodus 38:8) This laver of
brass and the ceremonial cleansing performed at the laver typified the Gospel
of Christ as it is applied to the hearts of chosen sinners by God the Holy
Spirit (Titus 3:3-7), purging our consciences from the dead works of dead men
in dead religion to serve the living God. ÒFor we
ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers
lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after
that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Saviour; 7 That being justified
by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.Ó
(Titus 3:3-7) The laver was
made from the brass Òlookingglasses of the women assembling.Ó Why is that stated? I know the word
ÒlookingglassÓ refers to a mirror. And I know that James compares the gospel
to a mirror in which we behold ourselves (James 1:23). Yet, in that same
context James speaks of the gospel, not only as a mirror in which to behold
ourselves, but also as a ÒlookingglassÓ through which to Òbehold the perfect law of libertyÓ (James 1:25). Perhaps, the
Holy Spirit used this word ÒlookingglassÓ
because the gospel is the ÒlookingglassÓ in which and by which we behold our Lord Jesus, looking unto him
unto life everlasting (Isaiah 45:22; Zechariah 12:10; John 1:29; Hebrews
11:3; 1 John 3:3). 3.
Communion When the sinner
comes to God trusting Christ, when we come to God through faith in his blood,
beholding Christ in the gospel, we enter into his courts and dwell with him
in sweet communion. — We walk with God in sweet fellowship and intimate
communion. That is the picture set before us in the courts of the LordÕs
house (Exodus 38:9-18). ÒAnd he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred
cubits: 10 Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 11 And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of
brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver. 12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their
pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their
fillets of
silver. 13 And for the east side
eastward fifty cubits. 14 The
hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars
three, and their sockets three. 15 And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and
that hand, were
hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16 All the hangings of the court round
about were of
fine twined linen. 17 And the
sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of
their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. 18 And the
hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and
twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.Ó (Exodus 38:9-18) á
Everything in Perfect Symmetry á
Everything Reflecting Christ á
Everything in Harmony 4.
Security The fourth
thing that is absolutely essential to this matter of worship, that without
which we cannot worship, is security, the absolute security of our souls in
Chris and with Christ. That security is pictured in the pillars and pins, the
posts and nails that held everything together, securing all the pieces of the
Tabernacle (Exodus 38:19-20). ÒAnd their
pillars were
four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of
their chapiters and their fillets of silver. 20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round
about, were of
brass.Ó (Exodus 38:19-20) The word ÒpinÓ is the same word that is translated ÒnailÓ in
the Book of Judges (4:21, 22; 5:26). You will remember that HeberÕs wife,
Jael, drove a tent pin, an iron nail, through SiseraÕs temples, firmly
attaching his head to the ground. In Isaiah 33:20 and 54:2, the same word is
translated Òstake.Ó I point
this out simply so that you will not think of these tabernacle pins as small
things. They were large, brass stakes, driven deep into the ground. They were used to securely
attach and fasten the tabernacle and its court to the earth. So securely was
it fastened that we never read that it was even slightly disturbed by all the
strong winds it must have endured during all the years of IsraelÕs sojourn
through the wilderness. Many of the things inside the tabernacle (the
showbread, the candlestick, the censer) might have been easily swept away
with high winds or a flood of waters. But that never happened. These brass nails were typical of our Lord Jesus Christ. The nails were made of brass, a material that
could not be corrupted though the nails were driven deep into the ground.
They withstood all the elements of the earth. Clearly, they typified our
blessed Savior, who is described by Isaiah as One fastened as a Nail in a
sure place (Isaiah 22:20-24). He is the security of our souls. 5.
Sacrifice Yet, there is
another thing that is always involved in the worship of our God and Savior
— Sacrifice. I mean personal sacrifice. We cannot come to God without
Christ our Sacrifice, trusting his blood and righteousness. And we cannot
come to God, we cannot and do not trust Christ, without the surrender and
sacrifice of ourselves to him in the totality of our being (Exodus 38:21-31). ÒThis is the sum of the tabernacle, even
of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the
commandment of Moses, for the service of the
Levites, by
the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest. 22 And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe
of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses. 23 And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the
tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue,
and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen. 24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work
of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and
seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 25 And the silver of them that were
numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and
threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 26 A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel
of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years
old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred
and fifty men.
27 And of the hundred talents of
silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail;
an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. 28 And of the thousand seven hundred
seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their
chapiters, and filleted them. 29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand
and four hundred shekels. 30 And
therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the
vessels of the altar, 31 And the
sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all
the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.Ó
(Exodus 38:21-31) I do not know
for certain, because I have no way of knowing the precise value of the items
listed here, but I am told that the sum of the cost, the total cost of the
Tabernacle exceeded ten million dollars. If you go back
to chapter 35 and read about the gifts the children of Israel brought to the
Lord with willing hearts, you will see that there was not a niggardly person
among them. They all seemed to speak as David did many years later, when he
sought a place to build the house of God, — ÒI will not offer to God that which doth cost me nothing!Ó O Holy Spirit,
so let us worship our God in the beauty of holiness, in the beauty of my
SaviorÕs holiness, which you alone can convey to mortals upon the earth. Read these last
verses again, and you will see that everything connected with worship of God
is built upon, arises from, is held together and kept secure for the glory of
God by atonement — The atonement money paid in the numbering of Israel (Exodus
30:11-16). ÒAnd the
LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after
their number, then shall they give every
man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. 13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall
be the offering
of the LORD. 14 Every one that
passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall
give an offering unto the LORD. 15 The rich shall not give
more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. 16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of
Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service
of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of
Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.Ó (Exodus
30:11-16) This numbering of the children
of Israel and the atonement money they paid, so that no plague come upon
them, was typical of our ransom by Christ.
(Proverbs
12:21) ÒThere shall no evil
happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.Ó (Psalms
91:10) ÒThere shall no evil
befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.Ó Illustration: A. J. Gordon and The Black Birds Amen. Don Fortner Listen to sermons
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