7 FINAL WORDS: 3 – WOMAN, BEHOLD YOUR SON

Written by Audrey E. Charles

When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, 

He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 

Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” 

And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

John 19:26-27

It would stand to reason that His mother was Jesus’ greatest earthly treasure. After all, she raised Him and taught Him about His miraculous birth. She sacrificed the pleasure of having her first born Son with her because she knew of His awesome calling.

Jesus’ love for His mother is evident in that, even while He was suffering on the cross He thought about her well-being. He knew she would miss Him terribly and wanted to make provision for her welfare. With that, He placed His mother in the care of His close friend John, and John in turn became Jesus’ substitute as Mary’s son.

This was not the first time that Jesus would leave His mother. In fact, starting at age twelve, He was about His Father’s business, and that entailed being away from her for extended periods of time.

There were times when it even seemed that He was ignoring His family. We read in Matthew 12:46-50 that Jesus’ mother and brothers were standing outside the place where He was ministering, desiring to speak to Him. When Jesus was told that they were there and were asking for Him, His response must have puzzled the onlookers. Instead of excusing Himself and going out to greet His family He posed a question. “Who are My mother and brothers?” He asked. Then He answered His own question. He pointed to His disciples and said essentially, “Look at My mother and brothers right here. Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my mother and brothers.”

Jesus is not insulting His family here, but rather using their visit as an opportunity to teach a principle about the Kingdom of God. Unlike the world system in which family is often limited to those who share the same DNA as you, Jesus removed those limitations. He didn’t deny that those waiting outside were His family, but rather He included those who were grafted in also.

There will be times when you will have to make the choice between your biological family and your wider spiritual family – the Body of Christ. Your biological family may expect certain things from you, especially if they don’t share in your enthusiasm and commitment to the Lord. If you are not careful and discerning, guilt and a sense of obligation can often play a part in your decisions. Please be sure to choose wisely, seeking the Father’s will for you, and then doing it.

Sometimes friends are closer to you than your biological family. Like the people in Jesus’ day, they have become your brothers, sisters, mothers etc. However, there will be those who God places in your life for a season, and you must discern when that season is up and be willing to relinquish that loved one to go on to their next assignment.

It is so important to remember that no one should be held in higher esteem in your life than God Himself. Learning to hold loved ones with an open hand and not a closed fist is no easy feat, but it is absolutely necessary in this journey to freedom. Because of the emotional connections that we have to our loved ones – be they biological or otherwise – our emotions can wreak havoc during those times when we must separate from them in order to usher in a higher good.

Jesus promised, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[a] or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.” – Mark 10: 29, 30

If a beautiful butterfly landed on the palm of your hand and stayed there for a while, you would probably admire it and savor its presence. However, if you noticed that the butterfly was about to fly away you wouldn’t close your fingers around it to trap it in your hand, would you? Doing so would mean certain injury or even death to the innocent creature. We are to treat each of our treasured relationships like that butterfly, holding them close to our hearts, savoring the fellowship, but at the same time allowing them the freedom to move on as God requires.

Who or what are your greatest earthly treasures? Are you willing to take up your cross of walking alone without them? If so, then declare to whoever or whatever that treasure is, “________________________ (insert the name in the blank), I give you over to the Father. Father, here is my greatest treasure.”

7 FINAL WORDS: 2 – YOU WILL BE WITH ME

Written by Audrey E. Charles

“Assuredly, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43

Jesus was hanging between two men that He created, on a cross made from a tree that He created. The men were convicted thieves and both men spoke to Him, but each in a totally different manner. One thief, knowing his guilt but being unrepentant, jeered at the Lord to set them all free from their predicament. To him Jesus was just a way out. The other thief however, recognized Jesus’ innocence and saw the power of His words of forgiveness. He knew he was wrong and deserved death. He desired a way in, so he asked that Jesus remember him when He went into His Kingdom. To this request Jesus responded, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

These two thieves typify the two kinds of people who respond to Jesus…and to you as a Christian. There are those who will see you as a channel for a quick fix out of whatever problem they are facing. They may be willing to share their difficulties with you, but stop short of taking ownership for their own actions. They want you to do the work for them so that they can get on with their lives in the same condition that they are in now.

But then there are those who will recognize the Christ in you, and will sincerely seek to follow you, not just for what you have but for who and Whose you are.

Jesus’ mandate to us before He left the earth was that we should make disciples. Many have taken this directive to heart, and have employed various methods to reach this objective.

In telling the dying thief that he would be with Him in Paradise, Jesus was patterning for us the kind of victory we can often achieve in leading souls into the Kingdom. It happens when we give up the plans and purposes that our limited minds construct, and we simply allow our own lives to be the living testimonies of who Christ is in us. This is simple, but it certainly demands more from us personally than does handing out a tract! It requires that you and I become the walking Word 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days each year because you never know when the Holy Spirit will usher a “thief” into your presence!!

Jesus Himself was the power that brought the repentant thief into the Kingdom of God. He hung on that cross, denying Himself the right to call on myriads of angels to rescue Him. He submitted to the persecution and gave His life over completely to the Father. In doing so, He won over not only the thief next to Him, but many others who witnessed His selfless sacrifice, down to the very last second.

When you and I live our lives with transparent sacrifice, others are able to see the manifested power of God happening now, in real time, and not just read it as a historical event. It is then that this wonderful gospel of the Kingdom of God will have its appeal, as the Holy Spirit woos others to experience the freedom in Christ that you demonstrate.

Are you willing to not only take up your cross, but allow yourself to be nailed to it? Are you willing to be one of those whom Jesus talked about – who would be persecuted for righteousness sake? It doesn’t mean necessarily that people will spit in your face, or that you will have to face physical martyrdom. But when you choose not to go according to the tenets of this world system – even the world system that has infiltrated the church – you automatically open yourself up to persecution. You will face two kinds of “thieves” – those who will jeer and criticize you and those who will be drawn to the Christ in you.

When you ignore the criticisms you give the Holy Spirit a powerful weapon that will draw men unto Christ – the weapon of your sacrificed life that says to seekers, “You too, will be with me in the Kingdom of God.”

FRUIT OF THE VINE

 
 “I am the vine, you are the branches. 

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; 

for without Me you can do nothing. 

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; 

so you will be My disciples. – John 15:5, 8

When a branch on a grapevine produces fruit the grapes are harvested and used for various purposes. The fruit is proof of how good the branch on the vine is. If the branch is healthy and well connected to the vine it will yield bountiful healthy fruit. If the branch is not receiving enough sustenance from the vine the fruit will be inferior in quality.

Once the harvesting is done the grapes are either used for eating or for making juice, jelly, jam or wine. In each instance it requires that the grapes be crushed in order for the goodness that is inside to be enjoyed. In other words, a grape has to “give itself in sacrifice” so that others can benefit from its goodness.

The life of a Christian is a life of giving of oneself. It is a life of sacrifice. Jesus said that as long as we abide (remain intimately connected) in Him we will bear fruit, and it is by the fruit that we bear the Father is glorified.

In the same way that grapes are crushed, squeezed, chewed, and subjected to intense heat we are tested to see what the quality of our fruit is. It is by our fruit that men will be able to taste and see that the Lord is good!- Psalm 34:8

 But the fruit of the Spirit is 

love,

 joy, 

peace, 

 kindness, 

goodness, 

faithfulness,  

gentleness, 

self-control. 

– Galatians 5:22

How well do you stand up to the sometimes intense testing? 
What does your fruit taste like? 
Do you yield “sour grapes” or fruit that brings honor to the Father?

MARRIAGE

Thanks to Allison Sylvester-Conliffe

for another powerful article

God instituted Marriage, therefore it is a holy institution and it is sacred … just because it came from God.  He in His Wisdom saw that man should not be alone, and that he should have a help meet, a companion … someone to share himself with, someone to be intimate with, someone who he could love and from whom he could receive love in return.  It should be noted that God made the selection of a wife for Adam.  Adam did not have a choice in the matter at all … and God expected Adam to love her and to be intimate with her … and she with him … regardless.

As I pondered Adam and Eve’s relationship, I realized that God was also included as a part of their relationship.  He was in the midst of it.  The Bible tells us that in the cool of the day God visited them.  Both Adam and Eve were free in God … no secrets, nothing hidden.  You say how do I know that?  The Bible said that they were naked.  That means that all was exposed with nothing hidden. They were free beings in God.  Until … the serpent, our enemy called satan, visited one of them.

We have an enemy folks, and his name is satan.  He is alive today, just as he was alive in the Garden in the day of Adam.  Now whether you choose to believe that or not, would not alter the truth.  Our enemy’s intent and sole purpose is to take us away from close communion with God and from being free in God.

Back in the Book of Genesis Chapter 3 it captures for us, what happens when we refuse to harken unto God’s Word, and when we choose instead to harken unto another voice and so yield to it.  That “other voice”, people, is always the voice of the enemy which is used to entice you to want to please self rather than to be pleasing unto God.  That voice causes you to ignore God’s Word, yield to temptation and do what appeases your flesh. 

In the husband/wife relationship, the enemy just has to whisper into the ear of one of the parties, either the husband or the wife … present a scenario which would appeal to his/or her senses (which is fleshly) and it’s up to the subject to take the bait or not.

It really doesn’t matter to the devil which one accedes to the challenge you know, because he’s looking toward the end result, which is to cause the couple to displease God.  He wants to make a breach in the union which God had sealed.  That is his motive and that is his job … to convince us of his diabolical plan by deceiving us into believing one … just one … of his lies.  Then it would be mission accomplished. All it takes is for him to whisper into the right ear, and so cause that vessel to waiver in his or her faith and he would have his hook firmly set into your jaw and then he yanks it.  This way, you would be totally under his control.

If we take a look at broken marriages, or even divorced couples … you would see a common thread.  In the majority of cases, the reason for the separation was because one of the party’s self dis-satisfaction.  The other person was not doing this right.  It was because the other person was not bringing enough into the relationship to satisfy me.  Not taking me anywhere … not buying me nice things … not making me happy.  But did God’s Word not say that you ought to esteem others more highly than yourself? (Philippians 2:3)  Believing otherwise, or contrary to that Word would tell me that you are disobeying the Word of God. 

It is also recorded in the Word of God as a command, that the husband should love his wife as Christ loved the church … and in return the wife should submit to the husband.  Read Ephesians Chapter 5 again.  The parties who are involved in the covenant of marriage are supposed to concentrate on esteeming the other more highly than their own selves.

Each one should concentrate on loving that other person, cherishing the mate and not looking with expectancy for the mate to esteem and cherish us.  The latter would eventually happen, but it should not be the focus.  The husband’s energies are to be placed in loving the wife and the wife’s energies are to be in loving the husband.  That is the key that we miss as married couples.  In truly loving the other person, we would indeed be pleasing God.

The reason why we were created was to be pleasing unto God.  We were made for God’s pleasure.  We are to please God in our relationships, marital or otherwise.  Loving each other as God wants us to love will bring to each individual the ultimate benefits in God. 

We cannot assume that what we call love is what God calls love.  We have to seek God to know how to love our spouses. Our prayer should be “What should I do Lord, to bring satisfaction to my partner?  Please show me how to love him/her!”  Because what you may call love may not appeal to him or her at all.  Your prayer should never be “Lord, change my partner to be this or to be that so that I could be satisfied”!  Do you see the difference?

Love is selfless, it is a giving of yourself to another, unconditionally.  Just as God loved us so much, even in our wretched state, that He gave the Son that He loved to die in order that we should live.  True love, is really a dying to self.  It is a deep expression towards another.  Love is never selfish, nor does it seek its own.  Love pours outward unto another.

That other thing which caters to self satisfaction, and fulfills me is called some other thing, but don’t call it love at all.  Love is a sacrificial giving of oneself to another.  The pleasure is the joy in seeing the other person happy and fulfilled. Think what would happen if we all approach our marriage relationships in this manner.  In this way, when your spouse feels hurt you will feel hurt too.  Love would seek the welfare of the spouse and this will spill out unto the children too, and they will follow the same pattern in their own married lives.  God will indeed be pleased.

We have to get back to loving God first as He has commanded, before we even attempt to get ourselves a husband or wife and committing to marriage.  Pleasing God should be our motive and this would be reflected in our relationships.  What I have seen is that we go after the physical attraction and breach God’s laws by hitting the sack, then maybe we will get married and because we go after pleasure for our individual selves, there are all sorts of friction and head butting being experienced in the marriage.  This arises because God is not our focus.  We instead, make ourselves the focus and this is wrong.

For those of us who are experiencing turbulence in the marriage, stop for a while and purpose to do things differently.  Instead of wanting to get “whatever” out of the relationship, try putting something in.  Try treating your spouse differently.  Now I did not say that the spouse was deserving of anything.  We are going beyond that. Ask God to show you exactly how to go about it.

Let your creativity loose and start by giving the spouse maybe a granola bar, a box of chocolates, some flowers, a new shirt or a pair of socks.  It may be that you would give of yourself by watching a movie with your spouse, especially if that is not what you would normally do. Be creative and give, because you want to please God.  Remember, that you even have to love the unlovely! Therefore you are without excuse.

Daily, purpose to do some good act in order to bring pleasure to your spouse … no, not to you … to your spouse!! Try this method for the first month.  God in His Wisdom will break down barriers and heal wounds and cultivate a newness in your marriage that cannot go unnoticed.  It is supernatural because it will be all God’s doing.

Visit Romans 13:10 which says –

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law!”

I summarize by saying that just by expressing love as God wants you to love, will cause you to keep all of the Commandments … in which case you will then be pleasing God … you will also be pleasing your spouse and your spouse will in turn be pleasing you.

God Bless You!

FOR THE SAKE OF CONVENIENCE

Most of us have been to a convenience store. It is so named because the store is within easy reach, and has a variety of items that you might need on a regular basis. You can buy anything from gas to toiletries to newspapers to breakfast sandwiches. It is a one stop shop, not specializing in any one particular item but offering a mixture of many things – for your convenience.

In the world we see mixtures in different arenas of life, and most of the time it is accepted as the norm.  However, even in the world system there is a kind of mixture that can actually get you into trouble. It is called commingling.

Commingling literally means “mixing together”. If, for example, a friend puts you in care of his funds, and if you decide to place his funds in your own account then the money is mixed together. This creates a breach of trust, because eventually it would be difficult to determine which funds belong to whom. His funds must be set apart in an account dedicated for him only.

You yourself might own something that is set apart for a specific use. For example, you may have dinnerware that is used only for special occasions and special guests. If someone in your household takes those fine plates and stemware and uses them for a casual backyard barbecue, you would be upset wouldn’t you?

God does not tolerate commingling either, even if it seems to be convenient. Anything used in the service of God must be consecrated – set apart for Him only. When Moses was instructed to make the Tabernacle in the wilderness God told him to consecrate everything in it. Thus, these items could not be used for any other purpose.

“And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy. You shall anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar. The altar shall be most holy.” – Exodus 40:9, 10

Even the priests were to be set apart – dedicated solely to service of the Lord.

And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests. – Exodus 30:30

God has not changed His mind about His house of worship. It is to be a place set apart – consecrated – for worship and service to Him only. However, today many churches have taken the world’s practice of commingling into their sanctuaries…for the sake of convenience. The sanctuaries themselves are often used for gatherings other than worship. This creates a mixture. God will not share His glory with any other!

Now commingling has come to the pulpit…for the sake of convenience. Several ministers now use laptops or electronic tablets to deliver their messages to the congregation. This seems innocent enough. After all, on the same device you can reference your notes and the Scriptures. But think about it….these are the same devices that are used to read the news, play video games, send and receive emails, visit social media sites and shop online! An electronic Bible has simply been added to the mix! Is God pleased with this? Are these devices – as convenient as they may be – set apart and consecrated to God only?

Your tangible, handheld Bible could not be used for anything else but what it was intended. When you pick it up you can’t play Solitaire or look for bargains in it. It is the written Word of God set apart for one purpose only .

When something is mixed its potency becomes diluted. Is it any wonder that in so many assemblies the power of God is not evident? This is exactly what satan wants.

Jesus warned the Laodicean church of this mixture.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. – Revelation 3: 15,16

When one’s heart is neither hot nor cold toward the Lord it is easy to fall into a trap of commingling….for convenience sake. The reality is that nothing in the walk of a Christian is convenient or trendy. It is a life of discipline, obedience and sacrifice. 

Now don’t get me wrong….technology can be used very effectively in the church to enhance the worship experience.  But for the most part the instruments (sound systems, musical instruments etc) are used in the service of the Lord only.

In these final days satan’s devises are more and more subtle, and therefore more difficult to discern. A laptop or Ipad in and of itself is not a bad thing. However, when it is used, for the sake of convenience, in a position that God has ordained as holy, it becomes a profane thing.

God warned of this mixture through the prophet Ezekiel and we are seeing it today.

“… priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” – Ezekiel 22:26

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: PT. 10

THE HOLY OF HOLIES

God often works in three’s, and your journey of intimacy through Moses’ Tabernacle reflects this.

You enter through three portals

1. The Gate to the Tabernacle shows that Jesus is the only Way to the Father
2. The Door to the Holy Place leads you into the Truth of who Jesus is and who you are in Him
3. The Veil that once separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies is now open for you to have true divine Life in Christ.

You have three different experiences

1. In the outer court you present your body as a living sacrifice
2. In the Holy Place your soul communes with Christ, and you learn of Him and grow in intimacy with Him.
3. In the Holy of Holies it is no longer you who live, but your spirit is alive in Christ.

Three Lights

1. In the outer court there was the light of the sun – signifying the emphasis on things that are natural
2. In the Holy Place there is the light from the Lampstand – here your inner light is ignited by Jesus who is the Light of the world
3. In the Holy of Holies the only light is the glory of the Father Himself

Your journey through Moses’ Tabernacle also symbolizes

1. Death to self – outer court
2. Burial in Christ. Your life, your thoughts exchanged for His – Holy Place
3. Resurrection to new life in Christ– Holy of Holies

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

The Ark was the only piece of furniture in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle. It was made of that now familiar acacia wood and overlaid with gold – signifying humanity overshadowed with Divinity.

Today many search for the Ark of old, not realizing that we are now the spiritual Ark of the Lord, carrying His presence and power in us as we rest, remain and abide in that secret place in Him.

Inside the Ark of old were three items. Each is symbolic of your life of intimacy with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and each shows an attribute of Jesus the Christ.

1. The Ten Commandments. The law is now written on your heart.

– For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death – Romans 8:2
– And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us – John 1:14a

2. The Pot of Manna. God is your ever present Source and Supply

– “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you – Matthew 6:31, 33
– Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world – John 6:32

3. Aaron’s rod that budded. In a place of intimacy with Him the Father can resurrect the dead areas of your life.

– Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life – Romans 6:4
– Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” – John 11:25

The Mercy Seat
The Mercy Seat formed the cover of the Ark. Two cherubim of gold stood on each end, wings outstretched and touching and faces looking down toward the Mercy Seat.

It was there that God manifested Himself to Moses.
– And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony – Exodus 25:22

When the high priest came into the Holy of Holies he would cover the Mercy Seat with a cloud of incense. Incense, as we discussed earlier, represents your prayer and praise. So when you come into that secret place in the Lord, when you offer praise and worship to Him in spirit and in truth, He manifests Himself!

What a glorious picture of intimacy Moses’ Tabernacle is!

I pray that you will go deeper and higher as you continue on this exciting journey,

and that you will be determined to remain one with 

The Father, Jesus the Son and The Precious Holy Spirit.

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: PART 9

THE ALTAR OF INCENSE

Just in front of the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies stands the Altar of Incense. Like the Table of Showbread it is made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold, symbolizing Jesus – all man yet all God.

In Moses’ time the high priest had to tend to this Altar twice per day – morning and evening. As with everything else in the Tabernacle, God was very specific with His instructions concerning the Altar.

Hot coals had to be taken from the Brazen Altar and used as a catalyst to burn the incense on the Altar. Anything else would be considered by God to be strange fire. The incense had to burn continually as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. There is much symbolism here that relates to us and our intimate walk with Christ today.

This Altar of Incense is a picture of your prayers as they rise to the Lord.

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelation 5:8

Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Revelation 8:3-4

The coals had to come from the Brazen Altar which is symbolic of Christ’s sacrificial death on Calvary. This shows the connection between prayer and the finished work of Christ on the Cross. Many today pray to God without acknowledging His completed work. That is like the strange fire that Aaron’s two sons offered up to the Lord.

Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. Leviticus 10:1

These two men had the right incense – the correct ingredients – but the wrong agent. It is only because of Jesus’ shed Blood on the Cross that we can come to the Father in prayer.

Jesus is our Great High Priest, and He intercedes for you and me continuously.

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Romans 8:34

Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

Your communion with God in prayer is to be ongoing. It builds intimacy.

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1

Pray truthfully. Be brutally honest with the Lord as you would with your best friend. After all He is your Best Friend. Are you His?

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven. Luke 11:2

Pray believing that He has heard and has answered.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. …The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:15, 16b

Dear friend, pray without ceasing. 

1 Timothy 5:17

Please visit this previous article which also details prayer: Abiding in Him – Continuous Communion

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: PART 6

ENTER THE HOLY PLACE

There are three portals in the Tabernacle of Moses. The first is the Gate – the only entrance into the enclosure. We have already discussed how beautifully the Gate portrays Jesus Himself. He is the only way in – the only way to the Father.

You have presented your body as a living sacrifice at the Brazen Altar. You have washed your hands and feet at the Brazen Laver, ridding yourself of the impurities and influences of the world. Now you stand before another portal – the door that separates the open-air Outer Court from the covered Tent of Meeting.

Note that only priests could enter through the Door of the Tabernacle and into the Holy Place – the first section of the Tent. The same is true today. It is a place reserved for those who have committed their lives to drawing ever closer to God by meeting with Him regularly and often, and by living a life of prayer, worship and service to Him and to others.

THE ENTRANCE

“You shall make a screen for the door of the tabernacle, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.” Exodus 26:36,37

This door, like the Gate, is another encounter with the Lord Jesus Himself. Whereas in the first encounter at the Gate, you experienced Him as Saviour, now you are about to interact with Him in a more intimate manner.

This new transition is seen even in the materials used in the pillars that hold up the screen of the Door. Notice that they are made of acacia and overlaid with gold, and that they sit in bronze sockets. You have seen acacia before in the Bronze Altar. It is that durable wood that reminds us of Jesus’ indestructible body which was scourged, pierced and flogged for you and me. You have also seen the bronze fence posts, Bronze Altar and Bronze Laver. Bronze represents judgment.

For the first time, however, you see a new metal – gold. Gold represents divinity. Not only is Jesus represented in the blue, scarlet and purple screen, but in the supporting pillars we also see Him – perfectly human (acacia) yet perfectly Divine (gold), and taking upon Himself the judgment (bronze) that was due us all. Once more you are reminded that in order to get close to the Father, you must come through the Son.

From this point on all the furniture you will encounter will be made of gold. No bronze is allowed in the Holy Place or beyond. You see, there is no such thing as pure bronze. Bronze is an alloy – a mixture of copper, tin and other trace metals. As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual. There can be no mixture in you as you enter the inner enclosure of your spiritual Holy Place. Do you see why it was important to wash first at the Brazen Laver?

As you look around you notice that the Holy Place is encased by several coverings. Let us examine them.

LINEN

The innermost coverings are linen curtains interwoven with cherubim. Linen represents rest. You may remember that the first time cherubim were mentioned in Scripture was in Genesis 3:23, 24.

“…therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Cherubim are guardians. They kept Adam and Eve from returning to the idyllic Garden of Eden where they had enjoyed sweet intimate fellowship with the Lord. I believe that these cherubim, being on the inside of the Holy Place where you are, symbolize how God wants you to guard the treasures that you receive in your spirit during your communion with Him; treasures that enable you to come into a deeper state of rest in Him.

GOATS’ HAIR

“You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair, to be a tent over the tabernacle.” Exodus 26:7

In Moses’ day the goat was a sacrificial animal, used on the Day of Atonement. The High Priest would lay his hands on the goat’s head, after which it was led away out of the camp and into the wilderness. This scapegoat signified God’s taking away the sins of the Israelites. What a wonderful symbol of Jesus who is our Sacrificial Scapegoat!

RAM’S SKINS

“You shall also make a covering of ram skins dyed red for the tent, and a covering of badger skins above that.” Exodus 26:14

The ram reminds us of a substitute sacrifice. After Abraham willingly took Isaac up to the mountain to sacrifice him as God ordered, the Lord provided Himself a ram caught in the thicket.

The red ram skins are a reminder that Jesus’ Blood was the Perfect Substitute given in sacrifice for our sin.

BADGER SKINS

Badger skins are tough and coarse, shielding the precious items in the Tabernacle from the onslaught of rain, wind and sand. Jesus is our Covering, shielding us from the onslaught of the enemy.

These badger skins were also unattractive. Again we see a picture of our Saviour whom Isaiah describes this way…
“He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” Isaiah 53:2

Jesus commands you to come often to this secret place, The Holy Place, in Him – away from the noise and clatter of daily routine. It is here in this glorious seclusion that He meets with you and imparts His precious treasures into you.

Don’t rush. Stay a while, and walk with me to the first piece of furniture in the Holy Place – the Golden Lampstand.

….to be continued.

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: PT. 3

THE BRAZEN ALTAR

The first piece of furniture that you encounter once you have entered through the Gate is the Brazen Altar. You cannot get around it, ignore it or bypass it.

The Brazen Altar in Moses’ day was made of shittim wood overlaid with bronze. Acacia or shittim wood is known for its durability, and wood represents humanity. “Shittim” means to scourge, to flog or to pierce. Bronze, as we discussed earlier, represents judgment. In this we can see a type of Christ whose indestructible body was scourged, pierced and sacrificed for the judgment of your sin and mine.

After Aaron and his sons were anointed by Moses as priests they offered the first sacrifices upon this altar, and God’s fire descended from heaven and consumed it. In that day an animal was sacrificed after the priest laid his hands on its head, symbolically transferring the sins of the people onto the animal. The altar was always burning and was in daily use.

The meat offerings of that day foreshadowed Christ’s sinless body that would be the only acceptable substitute for our sins. Oil that was poured on the altar symbolizes Jesus’ anointing by the Holy Spirit. The burning of the animal also represents Jesus’ obedience, even unto death, that was a sweet smelling aroma to the Father. Some of the meat offered as burnt offerings was used as food for the priests. What a wonderful reminder that Christ is our Daily Bread!

The word “altar” comes from a root word meaning “a place of sacrifice”. Today you and I don’t need to bring an animal. But God tells us in Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Just as in Moses’ time when sacrifices were given to God daily, we must bring ourselves to the Father daily, offering our lives up to Him.

Our sacrifice is our flesh – the carnality that we still must deal with on a daily basis. When we offer our fleshly desires, emotions, thoughts, attitudes and actions up to the Lord He consumes them. This is a vital part of the process of growing in intimacy with Him because, “no flesh should glory in His presence.” – 1 Corinthians 1:29.

Only the fire from the Brazen Altar was used to ignite the altar of incense in the Holy Place. Anything else would be strange fire, and not acceptable to God. What does this mean for you and me? It means that we cannot offer true worship or true intercession until and unless we first offer ourselves as sacrifices. This requires brutal honesty, laying aside all pretenses and excuses, and agreeing with God that we have fallen short of His glory. In other words we have sinned. It is the place of total surrender.

Sacrifice is always painful and messy, and it is tempting to fore-go it. I believe that this is why so many of the altars in today’s churches have become places of entertainment, self-promotion and empty ritual. Flesh has not died. But when you and I willingly give everything over to the Lord, when we deny ourselves as Christ did, then the Father is pleased to accept our sacrifice and He Himself resurrects us into a newer level of intimacy with Him. He then prepares us for the next step in the process – washing at the Bronze Laver.

To be continued….

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: Part 2

THE GATE

The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. The hangings on one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. And on the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. “For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets. 
 Ex. 27:13-16

Three entrances are associated with the Tabernacle of Moses – the Gate to the Outer Court, the door to the Holy Place and the Veil at the Holy of Holies.

There was only one way to enter into the Tabernacle’s enclosure – through the Gate which was clearly marked and distinguishable from all the other hangings that made up the fence of the outer court. The gate was made of fine linen interwoven with blue, purple and scarlet thread.

Ten pillars formed the foundation for the eastern and western parts of the fence. Ten is God’s number symbolizing the perfection of divine order. We have the Ten Commandments; God created man with ten fingers and ten toes. Additionally, Jesus’ model prayer is completed in ten clauses, and God requires the first one-tenth of our increase to be returned to Him.

The Tabernacle gate was located on the east end, and stood in the middle of the fence. There were three pillars on one side and three on the other while the gate itself hung on four pillars. The number three, as we discussed previously, is symbolic of God’s divine order. When I look at this I see an absolutely beautiful picture of redemption. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit on the one hand were separated from man, who is spirit, soul and body. But Jesus was stretched and suspended on that Cross forming the Bridge that gave us access again to the presence of God! Hallelujah!!

Each color in the gate was significant.

BLUE

Blue signifies the commandments of the Lord.

“Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them. – Numbers 15:38, 39

It also speaks of the priesthood.
 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it does not tear. – Exodus 28: 31, 32

Blue is symbolic of the revelation of God, and of heaven itself.
…and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. – Ex 24:10

Therefore the blue in the gate tells us of Jesus, our Great High Priest who fulfilled all the Law, and who came to earth to reveal who the Father is and what heaven is like.

PURPLE

Purple speaks of royalty, authority and rulership. Kings and nobles of that day were dressed in robes of purple.

Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks. – Judges 8:26

The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” – Daniel 5:7b

And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. – John 19:2

Jesus the Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!! – Revelation 19:16

SCARLET

Scarlet speaks of sin…
Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. – Isaiah 1:18

…and Jesus’ sacrifice
Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. – Hebrews 13:12

It also denotes cleansing from sin…
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. – 1 John 1:7

… of Jesus redeeming us through His Blood
…you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. – 1 Peter 1:18, 19

…and of life in Christ
Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. – John 6:53

What a glorious picture of Jesus that Gate is!!

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”
John 10:9

Next: The Brazen Altar