This is lesson three in the series of the Tabernacle:
The Tabernacle/ God’s pattern;
Hebrews 8:5 says in the last part of that verse “see that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” NKJV. This of course was God’s instructions to Moses when He told him to build Him a dwelling place. Now tonight we are talking about the contents in the Ark. The first piece of the furnishings that is listed in Ex. Ch. 25. We talked about the Mercy Seat and the Cherubim last week. The lid or covering…tonight… the contents.
The contents contained in the Ark told a story in themselves, for in them we see the provision of God for His people. In the Ark’s contents we see the history of God’s deliverance of His people. As we look at the scripture reading in regards to the two tablets of stone we are made to realize that He had delivered them from bondage. These tablets of stone upon which the finger of God had written the Law that has been referred to as the moral, law were placed inside the Ark and under the Mercy Seat upon which was sprinkled the Blood of the everlasting covenant. Now I know that in it’s beginnings it was the blood of an animal which was a type or representation of Jesus blood that was sprinkled there.
Before I get carried away on the Blood we had best read some scripture. Exodus 20:1-17. These of course are the ten commandments and not the ten suggestions. And they still stand today. This is the law that God gave to Moses, firstly by word of mouth and the reference is found in Ex. 19:19.
When God gave Moses the law initially it was by Word of mouth, the next instance was when God wrote on the first set of stone tablets. Ex.31:18 & 32:16. Moses broke these tablets when he saw Israel in idolatry. Exodus 32:19. And then God told him to prepare two new ones like the first two and bring them up into the mountain. That’s found in Ex. 34:1-4 God wrote the law on these tablets and eventually they were put into the Ark.
These commandments are divided in two parts and they are all to do with relationship. Firstly; relationship with God or Godward and there are four, Have no other gods; Worship no other image, Reverence His name; Honor Him by keeping the Sabbath day.
Secondly, or the second part of these commandments have to do with our relationship toward one another or manward. There are six and they are, Honor your parents, this is the first commandment with a promise. What is the promise? Next, don’t murder anybody, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not tell lies, and don’t covet what belongs to others.
Look at how Jesus equates the two laws regarding the God ward and the Man ward. Matthew 22:37-40….on these two commandments, He said, hang all the law and the prophets. I like what the NLT says “The entire law and all the demands of
The prophets are based on these two commandments.”
The law however good it may have been, could not save anyone because in the first place no one could keep it and secondly because no one could keep it, everybody was condemned. So what good is the law? Look up Romans 3:20. The law condemned everyone, only Christ could keep the law; only the golden lid, the Mercy Seat with the Cherubim and the Blood applied could keep man from the judgment of the law.
Romans 6:14. Christ has fulfilled the demands of the law through the shedding of His own Blood. He becomes the Blood on the lid, as well as the fact that He is the lid (solid gold represents Deity and He is the Deity), and He is the Cherubim that covers and meets the demands of the law.
Look up Matt. 5:17 and then Galatians 3:24 and 25. Remember I said at the beginning of this study that all of these symbolisms and every piece of the furnishings point to Christ and the finished work at Calvary? I did say that didn’t I?
The Law led us to Christ as we fled for refuge and He keeps the demands of the Law under lid and cover. Can you praise His name tonight?
If we sin we have an advocate, we have a mediator, and HE IS OUR Divine substitute. Look up 1 John 2:1
The lid, the Mercy Seat was a perfect fit for the Ark. It completely covered the Ark, not a part of it remained uncovered. When the high priest approached the Ark, he could only see the Mercy Seat, he couldn’t see the law. Between the law and the Shekinah glory was the blood applied and God’s holiness and justice could only see the applied blood. The priest was safe because God could only see the blood and the blood speaks grace…not judgment. Hallelujah! Thank God for the blood! Exodus 25:21, 22. Hebrews 10:19-22
Jesus could not have been our substitute if He had not kept the law in its entirety. Not one jot or tittle did He not keep.
He fulfilled every requirement and became our substitute when He died and shed His blood for you and for me, He became a curse for us and we have our debt paid in full and He has cast all of our sins behind His back. Isa. 38:17 tells us that God has cast all our sins behind His back. Let’s read that portion of scripture…read the whole verse. That is what God does when we repent of our sins…He casts them behind His back, never to be remembered against us any more. I have been trying to find a scripture that talks about the sea of God’s forgetfulness (you know the song) and I have searched but to no avail. Is there such a scripture? Maybe this week you can search and let us know next time we come together.
Gal. 3:13 tells us that He took the curse. Because Jesus kept the law so perfectly and because He met all the demands of the law for each and every one of us, He is fully able to come into our lives and redeem each one of us individually. Sometimes we say that He came to redeem the world, but I am glad tonight that He came to redeem me and He came to redeem you. He writes His law on our hearts and puts it into our minds and He sent us His Holy Spirit to give us power to walk in the Spirit so we won’t have to succumb to the lusts and desires of the flesh, so that we can live a holy life and that we will be that kingdom of pg. 4 priests, that holy nation that has been sealed with the Spirit under the new covenant. Hebrews 8:10.
But you say what if I do succumb to the lust of the flesh? What if I do sin? And every one of us fail in this way from time to time. God doesn’t want us to fail, it is not His will …but it still happens, Amen? 1 John 2:1 says “My 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.”
Read Galatians 5:16 Here is the antidote for continuing in sin. Let us as born again believers, and as Spirit filled believers, walk in the Spirit so that we do not sin. Thank God, Jesus has fulfilled the law to the nth. degree and we do not have to continue in sin.
Read Exodus 16:14,15. Read Numbers 11:7-9 and then Hebrews 9:4a. Anybody know what “manna” means in Hebrew? “What is it?” The children of Israel had never seen anything like it before so they asked the question, “What is it?”
It is a beautiful type of Christ, in fact he declares Himself to be that manna in John 6:32, 33. He came down from heaven to be all that we ever need…the dew fell first and then the manna. The Holy Spirit of God is that dew and He came to present Jesus Christ and not to speak of Himself. He always exalts Christ. John 16:14 they had to rise early in the morning; it was their first priority to gather their daily portion. There is a lesson here and that is to seek His face as our number one priority. The manna they gathered was sufficient for each days need and it was for each and every family member. Young and old alike. The bread from heaven satisfies all of our needs, there is no need for any one to go hungry or without. HE SUPPLIETH EVERY NEED. They all ate of the same bread, the same manna; they did not need something special to satisfy the young people. Jesus satisfies all who seek him; there is no need for a generation gap in God’s economy. When the dew rises and presents the manna and we partake, it is glorious. The dew of heaven who is the Holy Ghost presents Jesus in HIS BEAUTY AND IT TRULY IS GLORIOUS. Can you say amen? Part two tomorrow