Neal continued our series in Exodus, looking at Chapters 25-31 regarding The Tabernacle, its construction, fixtures and fittings, clothing and rules and regulations.
It seems onerous when first reading through these chapters but they are rich in imagery and everything has its purpose and all leads to one aim which is that God wants his presence to be with his people.
Exodus 25 vs 8 “ Have the people of Israel build me a Holy Sanctuary – So I can live among them” - This is God’s aim – The King is with his people.
This is important for two main reasons
1. It told other nations that Jehovah was with them – The King was in residence!
2. There was “Holy Ground” wherever they went and sins could be forgiven by the shedding of blood and sacrifice – God restoring a relationship with his people that was broken in the Garden of Eden.
We looked at the layout of the temple which showed how far we would have been from God even if we had been Jewish and not a gentile and that any relationship was always through the High Priest.
So what does this mean for us today and what relevance does it have?
John 1 vs 14 “and the word (Jesus) became flesh and blood and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only son from the father, full of grace and truth”
Dwelt among us literally means “pitched his tent” or “tabernacled among us” - He has pitched his tent in your heart if you are a Christian – This is how personal our relationship is now!
Hebrews 9 vs 11-15 – Christ has now become the Great High Priest – he has opened up a new and living way and fulfils the old covenant.
Hebrews 10 vs 1-18 – This outlines the old covenant and its practices and how different the new covenant is under Christ. He is the perfect Lamb that was sacrificed once for all time that we might be saved from our sins.
John 1 vs 29 – When John first sees Jesus he declares “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”
Mark 15 vs 38 – When Jesus died the symbolic tearing of the curtain from top to bottom opens up our access to God – no longer to go through the High Priest – but we have access to the father through Jesus and are encouraged to enter his presence!
No longer is salvation base on Race, tribe, family, circumcision, burnt offerings and sacrifices – but instead on Grace, mercy, free gift, salvation, The Holy Spirit and Forgiveness.
The change between the old and the new is so well illustrated by Paul in Ephesians 2 vs 12-19
Separate - Brought near
Excluded - Included
Strangers - Fellow citizens
No hope - Complete hope (Christ in you!)
Without God - With God through Christ
I used the illustration of an apple that is ¾ apple and ¼ pear to describe a new kind of fruit – I can show it to you, I can talk about it, I can write a poem about it and I can even take a video of it but until you taste it you will not know or fully understand what it tastes like – It’s the same with becoming a Christian – you have to experience it for yourself – Taste and see that the Lord is good says Psalm 34 vs 8 – and that is our cry!
Questions.
1. The temple was lavish and very intricate – why do you think that was? What was God trying to achieve here?
2. We talk about Jesus being the fulfilment of the law – what do you think that means and how does the old covenant compare with the old?
3. Do we take being under the new covenant for granted and does that make us spiritually lazy?
