At the moment I am going through the Bible - straight through, from Genesis - Revelation (eventually). I realised a while back how I've been a Christian for almost 25 years and I haven't read all the way through the Bible. This morning I was reading about the construction of the Tabernacle, and this was what I gleaned from it (copied from my Facebook profile, so not sure if the formatting will be OK):
Excursion through Exodus - the construction of the tabernacle was so precise, but it didn't save! The blood of many animals was shed on the altar but it wasn't forever because animals had to be sacrificed continually! Once a year the holy of holies was entered and only by the priest! The 10 commandments were in the ark of the covenant and the show bread was always there.
All born again believers are now the Church, instead of the Shekinah glory being in the Holy of Holies, each of us is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The many cloths covered the tabernacle, but now our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, covered in the Robe of Righteousness and Garment of Salvation, the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat is needed no more, because Christ's blood was shed at Calvary and we are now covered by it. We approach the High Priest daily, Jesus being that High Priest, making Himself an offering of atonement and the Scapegoat on the altar which is the Cross! He is the Show Bread, He provides manna for us daily! Give us this day our daily bread - spiritual food as well as physical food! Naked on the cross He hung, covered only in His wounds and blood - these were His High Priestly robes, no ephod, no breastplate, no headcovering - only thorns for a crown! The fire on the altar, for Christ, was God's wrath and judgement! This wrath was burned up on Christ! Our sins were laid on Him, our Scapegoat, as He entered the wilderness of God's forsaking of Him! He endured the pain and suffering alone, no one to comfort Him, no one to help Him, the wilderness of our sins was endured by Him and Him alone! Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
As the animal would have backslidden, pulling away from that altar, smelling and fearing death, the Lord Jesus Christ, willingly went to that altar! Would the animals have been making noise and clamour? Would the priests have said prayers over the beasts? Jesus went silently and instead of prayers, He heard mocking and jeering. The stench of burned flesh would have surrounded the tabernacle, the stench of our sin would have been with Christ as He bore it! The Sinless One, bearing the weight of our sins! Trillions upon trillions of sins! Such a weight, such a heavy burden!
Excursion through Exodus - the construction of the tabernacle was so precise, but it didn't save! The blood of many animals was shed on the altar but it wasn't forever because animals had to be sacrificed continually! Once a year the holy of holies was entered and only by the priest! The 10 commandments were in the ark of the covenant and the show bread was always there.
All born again believers are now the Church, instead of the Shekinah glory being in the Holy of Holies, each of us is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The many cloths covered the tabernacle, but now our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, covered in the Robe of Righteousness and Garment of Salvation, the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat is needed no more, because Christ's blood was shed at Calvary and we are now covered by it. We approach the High Priest daily, Jesus being that High Priest, making Himself an offering of atonement and the Scapegoat on the altar which is the Cross! He is the Show Bread, He provides manna for us daily! Give us this day our daily bread - spiritual food as well as physical food! Naked on the cross He hung, covered only in His wounds and blood - these were His High Priestly robes, no ephod, no breastplate, no headcovering - only thorns for a crown! The fire on the altar, for Christ, was God's wrath and judgement! This wrath was burned up on Christ! Our sins were laid on Him, our Scapegoat, as He entered the wilderness of God's forsaking of Him! He endured the pain and suffering alone, no one to comfort Him, no one to help Him, the wilderness of our sins was endured by Him and Him alone! Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
As the animal would have backslidden, pulling away from that altar, smelling and fearing death, the Lord Jesus Christ, willingly went to that altar! Would the animals have been making noise and clamour? Would the priests have said prayers over the beasts? Jesus went silently and instead of prayers, He heard mocking and jeering. The stench of burned flesh would have surrounded the tabernacle, the stench of our sin would have been with Christ as He bore it! The Sinless One, bearing the weight of our sins! Trillions upon trillions of sins! Such a weight, such a heavy burden!
