This Sunday School Notes, "God's Sanctuary", 11/24/2013

GOD'S SANCTUARY

 

A TYPE OF THE REDEMPTIVE PLAN FOR MAN

 

Exodus 40:16-21, 29,30,34,38

 

FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

V:16. " Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did."

 A. God requires our complete obedience.

     1. Moses did all that God told him to do.

     2. We cannot select which commandments we want to follow and please God.

 B. We have been uniquely selected for the job God wants done.

     1. It is God's will and not ours.

     2. God knows best.

     3. Spiritual growth is the process of learning to hear God's Word and responding to

         it.

 

GOD'S THRONE

V:17. "Now in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. "

 A. God must be first in our plans.

     1. God waited until the second year of Israel's freedom to teach them how to

         worship.

     2. They were familiar with the worship of  idol gods

 B. God commanded Moses to build a tabernacle to teach the people how to worship.

    1. The tabernacle was the place where the Israelites would get to know God.

    2. The tabernacle was a constant reminder that their salvation was from the Lord.

    3. The tabernacle was the place where the Israelites would be reminded that a

        sacrifice was required for the atonement of sin.

    4. The tabernacle was the place where the Israelites would learn to honor God

         with their substance.

    5. The tabernacle was the place where the Israelite learned to worship God.

 

THE HOLY AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES

V:18. " Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and inserted its bars and erected its pillars."

 A. God gave Moses a complete design of the Tabernacle with a specific command

      to construct it as He designed it.

     1. The word Tabernacle is derived from the Hebrew word "Mishkan which means

         dwelling place.

     2. The wall post of the Tabernacle were to be made of acacia wood plated with

         gold.

     3. All furniture, attachments and utensils were  plated with gold.

     4. Gold represents the purity of God.

     5. The Tabernacle was the sanctuary of God and it was designed to show the

         holiness, the purity and the completeness of God.

 B. God indwells every believer.

    1. Every believer is the Tabernacle of God.

    2. From the heart, every believer should see himself/ herself as the Tabernacle of the

        Lord.

 C. The Tabernacle was  divided into two rooms separated by a veil.

     1. The Veil was made of blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

     2. The Veil was hung across 5 acacia wood post overlaid with gold.

     3. The Tabernacle was constructed in a east/west direction.

  D. The first room was 15'x30' with a 15 foot wall.

         1. Entry into the Tabernacle was through a screen made of blue, purple and

             scarlet  material hung across 5 acacia wood post overlaid with gold.

         2. This room was call The Holy Place.  

         3. Only selected and sanctified priest could enter this room.

         4. Inside this first room was the golden Manorah (7 seven candle stand)

             which represent the Holy Spirit. It was located on south wall.

            a. The only light in the room was from the seven candles.

            b. Jesus is the light of the world.

            c. The Holy Spirit enlighten us to an understanding of Word.

         5.  A gold plated Table of Showbread was located on the north wall.

               a. This represented Jesus Christ.

               b. Christ is the bread of life.

          6. The Golden Altar of Incense was located in this room.

            a.  It was located in the center of the room in front of the Veil separating the

                 Holy of Holiness.

            b. The Altar of Incense represents  the prayers of the saints going up to God.

                Rev. 5:8

    E. The second room was 15'x15' with 15' walls. This room was The Holy of

         Holiness.

        1. This was the inter most room.

        2. Only the High priest could enter this room once a year though a Veil.

            a. The Veil was made of fine twisted linen of three colors.

            b. The blue represents the heavens.

            c. The purple represents the royalty of Christ Jesus.

            d. The scarlet (red) represents the blood of Christ that is the atonement of

                our sins. 

       3. The Veil was hung across 5 acacia wood post overlaid with gold.

       4. This room housed the Ark of the covenant with the mercy seat.

       5. This is the place that God would make His presence known to the

            High Priest once a year.

            

THE COVERING OF BLOOD

V:19. " He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. "

A. Tent that covered  the Tabernacle was  made of four layers of different material

     with different colors.

   1. The outer layer was a dark, leathery sea cow skin symbolizing the firmament of

       the sky.

   2. The second layer was ram skin dyed red symbolizing the blood of Jesus Christ, the

         mediator between man and God.

   3. The third layer was made of goat hair , representing the vast space separating us

       from the holy residence of the Father in the third heaven.

   4. The innermost layer was blue linen representing heaven.

       

ETERNAL FELLOWSHIP

V:20. " Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark."

 A. The Ark of The Covenant had 4 gold rings attached to the sides. Two rings on

      each side.

      1. Poles were inserted into the rings, one on each side to carry the Ark. 

      2. The Ark, once constructed and covered with gold was not to be touch by

          hands of the priest.

       a. The Ark of the Covenant was a wooden chest overlaid with gold.

       b.  On top of the Ark was the mercy seat made of solid gold with two

            cherubims made of gold on each end with their wings spread out touching

            each other. 

       c. Inside the Ark was the stone tablets with the 10 commandment etched in them,

            Aaron's rod and  bowl of manna.

      3. Ark with the solid gold mercy seat on top with the cherubim was the place

          where God would descend and consider sacred.

         a. God met with the High Priest at the mercy seat once a year.  Ex 25:22

         b. The mercy seat or atonement cover represented God's throne.

  

V: 21. " He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded Moses."  

 A. The Veil was made of blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

     1. The Veil was hung across 5 acacia wood post overlaid with gold.

     2. The room housing the Ark Of the Testimony was 15'x15'x15'

     3. This room was called the Holy of Holiness.

     4. In this room the High priest would intercede for the Israelites once a year.

 B. The Veil was torn from top to bottom at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

     1. Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father making intercessions for us.

     2. Jesus is our High priest.

 

 

THE SACRIFICE FOR ATONEMENT

V:29. " He set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses."

A. The altar  was 7.5'x 7.5'  made of acacia wood overlaid with bronze.

     1. The altar stood 4.5' high.

     2. Bronze represents judgment.

     3. A horn was attached to each corner.  Ex 27:1-2

     4. The priest tied animals  to the four horns of the altar and burnt them at the altar                 

         daily.

        a. The priest sacrificed animals daily for the atonement of the sins of the people.

 B. Christ sacrificed His life on the cross ending animal sacrifices for the atonement

      of sins.

    1. Christ is the one final sacrifice for all time for the sins of all believers.

    2. Christ died once for our sins.

 

V:30. " He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. "

A. The Laver was made of bronze and placed in front of the tabernacle for the priest to

     cleanse themselves before entering the Holy place.

   1. The bronze was polish with a mirror like refection.

       a.  Once filled with water the priest could see a reflection of themselves and the

           reflection of the sky.

       b. It was a reminder of the sinfulness of man and the holiness of the Father.

       c. It was a reminder the low state of man and the high honor due the Father.

  2. Aaron and his sons wash themselves, their hands and feet  before entering the

      Tabernacle.

B. Believers are washed with the blood of Jesus and rendered clean before the Father.

 

THE ENTRY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

 C. The tabernacle constructed inside a fenced area 75'x150 '

      1. There was only one way into the courtyard.

      2. The entry way was through the gate East end.

     3. There is only one way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ.

 

GLORY WITH THE FATHER

V: 34. " Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

 A. Once the tabernacle was completed according to God's command and specific

      instructions, He gave His approval with a visible sign of His presence.

    1. The cloud covered the tent.

    2. A cloud covered the Israelites during their crossing of the Red sea.

B. In addition to the cloud, He showed His approval by filling the tabernacle with His

     Glory.

   1. His glory may have been a bright light, too bright to look at.

   2. We see the glory of God in His creation daily.

      a. The sun, the stars and moon are evidences of His glory.

 

V:38. " For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel."

 A. God showed His presence to the Israelites by cloud which gave them shade

     during the day.

    1. God showed His glory by giving them the light of a fire by night.

 B. God will never leave us or forsake us.

    1. The Holy Spirit Indwells the believer from the moment of belief.

    2. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercessions for us.