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Sermon #2419 — Miscellaneous Sermons

 

Title:                           LetÕs Go to the Tabernacle!

 

Text:                            Exodus 33:1-11

Subject:                     The Tabernacle as a Type of Christ

Date:                          Sunday Morning — June 17, 2018

Reading:       Exodus 40:1-38

 

(1) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (2) On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation. (3) And thou shalt put therein the Ark of the Testimony, and cover the Ark with the vail. (4) And thou shalt bring in the Table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the Candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. (5) And thou shalt set the Altar of Gold for the incense before the Ark of the Testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle. (6) And thou shalt set the Altar of the Burnt Offering before the door of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation. (7) And thou shalt set the Laver between the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar, and shalt put water therein. (8) And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate. (9) And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the Tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. (10) And thou shalt anoint the Altar of the Burnt Offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the Altar: and it shall be an Altar most holy. (11) And thou shalt anoint the Laver and his foot, and sanctify it. (12) And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and wash them with water. (13) And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. (14) And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: (15) And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. (16) Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.

 

(17) And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the Tabernacle was reared up. (18) And Moses reared up the Tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. (19) And he spread abroad the tent over the Tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

(20) And he took and put the Testimony into the Ark, and set the staves on the Ark, and put the Mercy Seat above upon the Ark: (21) And he brought the Ark into the Tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the Ark of the Testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

(22) And he put the Table in the Tent of the Congregation, upon the side of the Tabernacle northward, without the vail. (23) And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

 

(24) And he put the Candlestick in the Tent of the Congregation, over against the Table, on the side of the Tabernacle southward. (25) And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

(26) And he put the Golden Altar in the Tent of the Congregation before the vail: (27) And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

(28) And he set up the hanging at the door of the Tabernacle. (29) And he put the Altar of Burnt Offering by the door of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the Congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

(30) And he set the Laver between the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar, and put water there, to wash withal. (31) And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: (32) When they went into the Tent of the Congregation, and when they came near unto the Altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. (33) And he reared up the court round about the Tabernacle and the Altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.

 

(34) Then a cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. (35) And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of the Congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. (36) And when the cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: (37) But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. (38) For the cloud of the LORD was upon the Tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

 

Introduction

 

Two weeks ago, after our Tuesday night worship service, one of our boys, Samuel Torsen, asked me, ÒPastor Don, what was the Tabernacle.Ó I briefly explained to him that it was a tent surrounded by a courtyard and a fence, covered with skins. But on the inside it was filled with furnishings of gold. And the whole thing was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and of GodÕs salvation by him.Ó

 

Immediately, I could tell by the puzzled look on his face that my answer raised more questions in his mind. So I promised him that if the Lord would enable me to do so I would preach on the Tabernacle in a week or two. — I believe the Lord has given me the message IÕve been seeking. So, I say to Samuel and to you all, LetÕs go to the Tabernacle. Open your Bibles to the Gospel of Exodus. My text is Exodus 33:1-11. Listen and, as we read the Scriptures together, I will show you GodÕs salvation in and by our Lord Jesus Christ as God himself pictured it in the Tabernacle.

 

(Exodus 33:1-11) ÒAnd the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: (2) And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: (3) Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

 

(4) And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. (5) For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. (6) And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.

 

(7) And Moses took the Tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the Congregation. And it came to pass, that everyone which sought the LORD went out unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which was without the camp.

 

(8) And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the Tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the Tabernacle. (9) And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the Tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the Tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. (10) And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the Tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

 

(11) And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tabernacle.Ó

 

When Moses came down from the mount, after receiving the law God, he saw the children of Israel dancing naked around the calf Aaron had made. He knew the enormity of their sin. Immediately, he destroyed the golden calf. He ground it to powder, scattered it upon the water and made the children of Israel drink it. — ÒThen Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LordÕs side? Let him come unto me.Ó Before the day was over, the sons of Levi had killed 3000 of those idolaters who refused to repent.

 

Then Moses made his great, intercessory prayer for Israel, seeking GodÕs forgiveness for them. The Lord was merciful. He did not destroy the nation; but he said, — ÒI will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people.Ó Broken, humbled, fearing the loss of GodÕs presence, Moses and the children of Israel sought the Lord. — Read Exodus 33:4-7 again.

 

(Exodus 33:4-7) ÒAnd when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. (5) For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. (6) And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. (7) And Moses took the Tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the Congregation. And it came to pass, that everyone which sought the LORD went out unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which was without the camp.Ó

 

With Moses and the children of Israel, LetÕs go to the Tabernacle this morning and seek the Lord our God. You know that there is no physical tabernacle of worship on earth today. We do not want one! We worship God in the Spirit, if we worship him at all. We have no need for carnal ceremonies and fleshly rituals. But I do want us to use the Tabernacle and learn something from it about the worship of God.

 

Actually, the Tabernacle was not finished and set up until we get to Exodus 40. The Lord God showed Moses how the Tabernacle was to be made while he was in the Mt. Sinai (Exodus 25–31). Then, after IsraelÕs terrible act of idolatry, before the Tabernacle could be completed and set up with all its ordinances of worship, Moses pitched this tent and called it ÒThe Tabernacle of the CongregationÓ (v. 7). This temporary Tabernacle was pitched afar off, outside the camp of Israel. The actual Tabernacle was set up in the middle of the camp.

 

MosesÕ Tabernacle here was a temporary model or representation of the Tabernacle he was about to erect for the worship of God. — Moses called this temporary structure — ÒThe Tabernacle of the CongregationÓ (v. 7).

 

The Tabernacle in the wilderness, which this Tabernacle preceded, the Tabernacle Moses made exactly according to the pattern (Christ crucified) God showed him in the Mt. Sinai, is the Tabernacle which shall have our attention this morning.

á      The Outer Court was approximately 75Õ x 150Õ. It contained the brazen altar and the laver.

á      The Holy Place was approximately 15Õ x 45Õ. It contained the Table of Showbread, the Golden Candlestick and the Altar of Incense.

á      The Holy of Holies, the most holy place, was separated from the holy place by a thick veil. In the most holy place stood the Ark of the Covenant with the Mercy Seat.

 

The Tabernacle was the sanctuary of GodÕs presence, the place where God met with his people in the manifestation of his grace and glory (Exodus 25:8, 22; 29:42-43).

 

(Exodus 25:8) ÒAnd let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.Ó

 

(Exodus 25:22) ÒAnd there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.Ó

 

(Exodus 29:42-43) ÒThis shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. (43) And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.Ó

 

In accordance with his promise, when the Tabernacle was finished, — ÒThen a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the TabernacleÓ (Exodus 40:34).

 

What does all of this mean to us? — The Tabernacle and its furnishings were destroyed long ago. Why should we be interested in it? — Everything concerning the Tabernacle in the wilderness was highly symbolical and spiritually instructive.

á      The Tabernacle is certainly a symbol of the church, which is Òan habitation of God through the SpiritÓ (Exodus 25:8; Ephesians 2:19-22).

á      Without question, the Tabernacle represents the believer, who is the Òtemple of the Holy GhostÓ (1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16).

á      And the Tabernacle on earth was a pattern and representation of Òthings in the heavensÓ (Hebrews 9:23-24).

 

Proposition: But, first and foremost, the Tabernacle was a beautiful, instructive picture of Christ, teaching us how sinful man can approach the holy Lord God, find acceptance with him, and worship him.

 

Pictures of Christ

 

All the Òordinances of divine service,Ó all the rites and ceremonies, and Òthe worldly sanctuaryÓ itself, the Tabernacle, were pictures of Christ. You will never understand the laws regarding the Tabernacle and its many services, until you understand that these things are pictures of Christ and of our redemption by him, which is the revelation of the glory of God.

 

LetÕs go to the Tabernacle together. May the Spirit of God be our Teacher. The Tabernacle was a simple tent of earthly material on the outside; but on the inside it was glorious. Everything inside the Tabernacle was overlaid with pure gold. — That is Christ.

á      The meek and lowly Man!

á      The great and glorious God!

 

A Sacrificing Priest

 

1st — As we approach the Tabernacle, the first thing we see, standing by the gate and the brazen altar is a sacrificing high priest. This sacrificing priest represents Christ, our great High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-5).

 

(Hebrews 5:1-5) ÒFor every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: (2) Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. (3) And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. (4) And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. (5) So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.Ó

 

á      Taken from Among Men

á      A Man without Blemish (Leviticus 21:17-18)

á      Merciful and Compassionate

á      Chosen and Ordained of God

 

All the garments of the priest speak of Christ.

á      His mitre with its golden plate — ÒHoliness to the LordÓ – The holiness and perfection of ChristÕs nature.

á      His white linen garments – ChristÕs righteousness — The garments of salvation.

á      His girdle – Christ our Strength.

á      His breastplate, with the names of twelve tribes of Israel engraved upon it, shows Christ as our Representative before God, with our names engraved upon his heart.

á      His ephod (apron that held the breastplate), with the twelve stones bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, shows us that Christ bears all GodÕs elect upon his shoulders in all his priestly functions. The work of our redemption is his work alone.

 

But a priest without a sacrifice is as useless as a bucket without a bottom. Every priest ordained of God was a sacrificing priest. Without a blood sacrifice, no man can come to God. And all the sacrifices offered in the Tabernacle by the priests were typical of Christ our Sacrifice.

á      Strong Beasts – Males of the 1st year.

á      Tame Beasts – Led, not forced, to the slaughter.

á      Beasts without Blemish – Innocent.

 

Brazen Altar

 

2nd — The next thing we see, as we approach the Tabernacle, is the Brazen Altar (Exodus 27:1-8). This Altar and the burnt sacrifices offered upon it represent Christ our Altar (Hebrews 13:10).

 

(Hebrews 13:10) ÒWe have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle.Ó

 

Dying upon the cross, our Lord Jesus was a burnt offering to God. The fire of GodÕs wrath fell upon him there. As all the excrements and filthy inward parts of the slain beasts were burned upon the altar, so all our sins, being laid upon Christ, when he was made sin for us, were purged away, being consumed by the fire of GodÕs wrath.

 

Laver of Brass

 

3rd — Standing between the Brazen Altar and the Holy Place is the Laver of Brass (Exodus 30:18-25). Every priest, before entering the holy place to do any service for the Lord in the sanctuary, had to wash his hands and feet. This represents our sanctification, regeneration by God the Holy Spirit, creating us new creatures in Christ, creating in us that holiness without which no one shall ever see the Lord (Revelation 1:5; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 12:14).

 

(Revelation 1:5) ÒAnd from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.Ó

 

(Titus 3:3-7) ÒFor we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. (4) 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

 

Before you can serve God, you must personally wash and bathe yourself in the laver of ChristÕs blood.

 

There is a fountain filled with blood,

Drawn from ImmanuelÕs veins;

And sinners plunged beneath that flood,

Lose all their guilty stains!

 

This washing involves personal faith in Christ. You must personally appropriate to yourself the merits of ChristÕs finished work. All who wash in this laver are holy before God!

 

As the priests washed in this laver daily, so you and I must bathe daily in the Word of God, applying the blood of Christ to ourselves, asking the Savior to wash us again, that we may be cleansed from the defilements of sin (John 13:2-10).

 

(John 13:2-10) ÒAnd supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, SimonÕs son, to betray him; (3) Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; (4) He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. (5) After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciplesÕ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. (6) Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? (7) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. (8) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. (9) Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. (10) Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.Ó

 

The Holy Place

 

4th — Now, go with the priest into the Holy Place. In MosesÕ day none but the priests could go into that sanctuary. We, you and I who trust Christ, are priests, so letÕs lift up the outer veil and go in. What do you see in the holy place? Three things:

 

1.    On the south side, on your left, you see The Golden Candlestick with its seven lamps burning (Exodus 25:31).

á      This golden candlestick represents Christ, the Light of the world.

á      There were seven lamps in the candlestick – Seven being the number of perfection, shows that Christ is the perfect revelation of God.

á      The only light in the holy place was the candlestick. – The only light any man has into the things of God is the light Christ gives by his Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14-15).

 

These seven golden candlesticks also represent the churches of Christ, holding forth the light of life in this dark world (Revelation 1:20).

 

2.    On the north side of the sanctuary, on your right, is The Table of Showbread (Exodus 25:23-30).

á      This is Christ, the Bread of Life.

á      There were twelve loaves on the Table. – Bread provided for all the tribes of Israel. As GodÕs manna was given to Israel alone, so his grace in Christ is given only to his elect.

á      The Bread was always on the Table.

 

3.    Sitting in the back, against the veil, is The Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1-10).

 

This is Christ our Intercessor (John 17; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2). Our prayers, sacrifices, and services come to God and find acceptance with him, through the sweet incense of Christ our Intercessor and Mediator (1 Peter 2:5; Hebrews 13:15; Revelation 8:3-4). — The incense burned perpetually upon this Altar because ChristÕs intercessions for us, as our Mediator in heaven, are perpetual!

 

The Veil

 

5th — Standing between the holy place and the most holy place is the veil (Exodus 26:31). This heavy, thick veil was typical of ChristÕs humanity (Hebrews 10:20).

 

(Hebrews 10:20) ÒBy a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.Ó

 

This veil was the only way of access to God. — Before man could enter into and have access to God, and be accepted of him, this veil had to come down. – Christ had to die. When Christ died, the veil was rent in two, from top to bottom! — The rent veil means thatÉ.

á      Justice is satisfied!

á      Righteousness is established!

á      Sin is gone! — No cause for separation!

á      The law is fulfilled!

á      Reconciliation is made!

á      The way to God is open!

á      Sinners are welcome!

á      Me too! — (Hebrews 4:16)

 

Come to God. The way is open. Coming to God by faith in Christ, you may come with full assurance of acceptance!

 

(Hebrews 10:18-22) ÒNow where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (21) And having an high priest over the house of God; (22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.Ó

 

The Ark

 

6th — Entering into the Holy of Holies, we see one glorious, magnificent piece of furniture – The Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10-22).

 

(Hebrews 9:1-5) ÒThen verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. (2) For there was a Tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the Candlestick, and the Table, and the Showbread; which is called the sanctuary. (3) And after the second veil, the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All; (4) Which had the Golden Censer, and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and AaronÕs rod that budded, and the Tables of the Covenant; (5) And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the Mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.Ó

 

The Ark was a beautiful type of Christ. It was made of shittim wood, overlaid with gold, representing both the humanity and the deity of our Savior. The Ark was the symbol of GodÕs holiness, power, and glory. It was carried about from place to place upon the shoulders of the priests, by staves. Even so, Christ is carried through the world upon the shoulders of chosen men by the preaching of the gospel. — There are three things in the arkÉ

 

1.    The Golden Pot that had MannaThis is GodÕs provision for sinners in Christ with life and grace (Exodus 16:33-34).

á      It was a golden pot.

á      It was a big pot, holding an omer of manna.

á      It had manna – The Bread of Heaven.

 

2.    AaronÕs Rod that Budded This rod represents GodÕs power, the gospel of Christ.

á      Christ was smitten by MosesÕ rod – The Law.

á      The water of life flows out to sinners by AaronÕs rod – The Gospel.

á      The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16-17). No wonder Dagon (1 Samuel 5) fell before the ark!

 

3.    The Two Tables of the LawThis represents GodÕs purpose.

á      The law was written upon tables of stone, representing both the hardness of our hearts and the inflexibility of GodÕs justice.

á      The law represents our curse and condemnation by reason of sin.

á      The law was always kept in the ark, under the Mercy Seat, under the blood (Exodus 25:16, 21).

á      That represents perfect redemption by Christ. And that is the purpose of God (Romans 8:28-31).

 

The Mercy-seat

 

7th — Sitting on top of the ark, completely covering it, is the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:17, 21-22).

 

(Exodus 25:17) ÒAnd thou shalt make a Mercy Seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.Ó

 

(Exodus 25:21-22) ÒAnd thou shalt put the Mercyseat above upon the Ark; and in the Ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee. (22) And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercyseat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.Ó

 

Illustration: The High Priest on the Day

of Atonement.

 

The Word ÒMercyseatÓ means Òa propitiatory covering.Ó That is what Christ is to us (1 John 2:2; Romans 3:24-26).

 

(1 John 2:1-2) ÒMy little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.Ó

 

(Romans 3:24-26) ÒBeing justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.Ó

 

The Mercy Seat representedÉ

á      Sovereignty

á      Substitution

á      Sacrifice

á      Satisfaction

 

(Hebrews 9:12) ÒNeither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.Ó

 

á      The Publican saw this!

á      Isaiah saw it! — (Isaiah 6).

 

The Mercy Seat was the symbol of GodÕs presence. With the blood upon the Mercy Seat, covering the tables of the broken law, we see the glory of God in the pardon of sin by the sacrifice of Christ (Leviticus 9:23-24).

 

(Leviticus 9:23-24) ÒAnd Moses and Aaron (The Law and Christ) went into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. (24) And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.Ó

 

á      So we see the glory of God in redemption (Psalm 85:9-11).

 

(Psalms 85:9-11) ÒSurely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. (10) Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (11) Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.Ó

 

á      God meets sinners upon the Mercy-seat (Exodus 25:22) – Only in Christ.

 

We have taken very brief a tour of the Tabernacle this morning. But I want more for you than simply for you to understand the typical meaning of those Mosaic ordinances. I want you to come to Christ.

1.    Christ is the Priest you need.

2.    Christ is the Altar upon which you must do business with God.

3.    Christ is the Sacrifice by which you must come to God.

4.    Christ is the Laver in which you must wash.

5.    Christ is the Light in which you must walk.

6.    Christ is the Bread you must eat.

7.    Christ is the Mercy Seat of Propitiation upon which God will meet you!

 

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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