Worship

Notes From The Tabernacle

by Terry Barlow
12/31/15
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   Just as there was only one gate into the outer court of the Old Testament Tabernacle, so there is only one way into the presence of the Heavenly Father and that is through His Son Jesus Christ who referred to Himself as the door in John 10 and as the way, the truth and the life in John 14.   The three sections of the tabernacle (outer court, holy place and most holy place ) correspond to the three parts or dimensions of human being mentioned in 1Thessalonians 5 v23,  as body or outer court, soul or holy place and spirit or holy of holies where we commune with God. The priests would proceed westward returning toward the manifest presence of God (from which Adam and Eve had been banished eastward) and pass by the brazen altar (represents cross of Christ) daily,  as we acknowledge and thank him for his work on the cross daily asking specific forgiveness and cleansing (bronze laver) before entering His presence. The first veil into holy place represents the resurrection of Christ after cross sacrifice and the holy place represents his earthly ministry in the fullness of the Holy Spirit preaching, teaching, healing and administering deliverance. The veil into the holy of holies represents his ascension to the right hand of the Father where he carries out his heavenly ministry of intercession. The high priest would return from holy of holies on the day of atonement after sprinkling blood on the mercy seat. His return from holy of holies indicated that the sacrifice was accepted but also foreshadows the second coming or "return" of our High Priest and Heavenly Bridegroom Jesus Christ for His bride, which we are;  and we are to call out for his return from our heart's and long for that return thereby "hastening" the day or bringing it nearer. (2Peter 3 v12, 2Timothy4 v8)  It is a good discipline to do this daily as the Our Father prayer suggests "your kingdom come." 

  The three dimensions of the human soul: will, mind and emotion correspond as Derek Prince has suggested to the three furnishings in the holy place: table of showbread put out fresh daily as the human will is newly surrendered, golden lampstand representing human mind illuminated by Spirit of God to understand the things of God and golden altar of incense which represents human emotions channeled, sanctified and employed for prayer, worship and the purposes of God. The light in the outer court was natural, (human reason may be signified here) the light in the holy place was artificial in the sense of the burning of olive oil, (revelation), the light in the holy of holies was Yahweh God Himself.  Note that materials are more precious and costly as we approach the presence of God in holy of holies,  as true worship costs us something and is the most valuable of all human experiences. This includes the placement of skins from top to bottom,  where on the roof of the tabernacle the badger skins were uppermost and roughest and those underneath progressively finer or softer.  Even the acacia wood chosen for the arc of His presence in the holy of holies and for other furnishings is perfect material for representing human nature,  indwelt and overlaid with divine nature (gold for agape love) because acacia wood was twisted and thorny like fallen human nature but also very durable to survive the desert and lasting (eternal life) when God fills it with Himself.

  Finally, Watchmen Nee has described three functions of the human spirit as communion, intuition(knowing that surpasses reason) and conscience which may be seen to relate to manna, the rod that budded, and the ten commandments, the three elements within the arc of the covenant or also called arc of the testimony. These tabernacle types are not dogmatic but suggestive of many other or additional possibilities of interpretation and provide a way of visualizing and understanding our times and processes of prayer so that we can spend more conscious time in His presence,  even as Jesus desired when he asked his disciples in Matthew 26 if they could not even spend one hour watching with Him. The holy place gives us a place of liberty since there are so many promising alternatives any given day,  whether it be His word, His gifts, prayer or quiet listening and worship, depending on what the Holy Spirit is emphasizing that particular day or hour.

  It is always significant in scripture where and how something is first mentioned and it is noteworthy that the first mention of being "filled with God's Spirit" is in Exodus chapter 35 in regard to Bezalel,  who was appointed craftsman of the precious materials of the Tabernacle.  Verses 31 to 34 of that chapter go on to say that he (Bezalel) was filled with"wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft to design artistic works in gold, silver and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft.  So the fullness of the Spirit of God had very tangible results in the preparing of an environment and an atmosphere for the worship of the true and living God, then, now and forever.  Praise God!