III. How does the tabernacle show how to change human behavior?
Finally we ask, “How does the tabernacle show how to change human behavior?” The tabernacle per se is not concerned with changing human behavior. The tabernacle is concerned with standing in the presence of God to hear the voice of Christ. However, when one takes the spiritual walk through the tabernacle to stand in the presence of God, one’s behavior will change. Hebrews addresses this change in behavior by recognizing four biblical concepts. These concepts are: the lordship of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ as High Priest, the voice of Christ, and the faith of the Christian.
Since Hebrews addresses this change in behavior in this manner, the tabernacle can be used as a model for developing a biblical psychology for counseling. This new approach to changing human behavior is because of the changes made in the old covenant. The verses in Hebrews will not be cited in this reading. The four biblical concepts are:
1. Recognizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Heb 1-2). Jesus is Lord due to being the Creator. He has made two creations. The first creation is recorded in Genesis 1-2. The second creation began on the cross and the Day of Pentecost.
To recognize the Lordship of Jesus is to recognize the presence of Christ in one’s life. The presence of Christ in the Christian life is the grace of God (Exo 33:12-23). It is the impact of this grace that changes the behavior of the Christian
How does the tabernacle show the concept of the Lordship of Jesus? There are several ways. One, each piece of furniture addresses Christ and the Christian. Another is the voice of Christ spoken in the holy of holies. And, another is the combination of gold/wood suggesting divinity and humanness.
2. Recognizing Jesus Christ as the mediator in the new covenant in the role of the High Priest (Heb 3:1). As the High Priest, Jesus is waiting to assist the Christian in obeying the words of God (Heb 4:16; 6:19-20; 9:24; 10:19). To recognize Jesus as the High Priest is to recognize how God designed you to care for and maintain a spiritual balance with Him through the living resurrected Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the written word of God.
How does the tabernacle show this concept? Through the role and ministry of the high priest in the tabernacle. The church has not paid much attention to this role, thinking that it is just an Old Testament concept. Yet, this concept opens the door to understanding the union of the divine/human.
3. Recognizing the voice of Christ. In order for Jesus to be Lord and High Priest, He must speak to us. We must learn to recognize His voice. Voice indicates presence, and presence indicates intimacy. One aspect of the voice of the Lord as shown by the author of Hebrews is that the word of God is living, energizing, discerning, and all knowing (Heb 4:12). The living voice of the Lord encourages the Christian to come to Him at the throne of grace to receive help with all questions, situations, desires, and needs (Heb 4:16).
How does the tabernacle show this concept? The voice of the high priest symbolizes the voice of Christ the High Priest. The voice of Christ is the manifestation of Christ’s lordship. The voice is the means whereby Christ the High Priest operates in the heart of the Christian.
The voice of God to Israel at Mt. Sinai was recorded. It was placed in the ark. It is the same written record that the church has today with the exception that the New Testament (new covenant) is included. The voice of Christ now comes to the Christian on a personal basis addressing the issues of that Christian. This message is transmitted to the heart.
4. Obediently responding to the voice of Christ by faith. The author of Hebrews draws from the experience of the prophet Habakkuk to identify this response of faith, “The just shall live by faith” (Hab 2:4; Heb 10:38; Gal 3:11; Rom 1:17). Without faith the Lord cannot bless the Christian. (Heb 11:6).
How does the tabernacle show this concept? The spiritual walk through the tabernacle requires that we trust God to bless us in this walk. When we hear the voice of Christ speaking to us, it requires that we listen and obey Him in faith.
These four biblical concepts show that the relationship and union between the divine/human is built upon the Christian recognizing God’s requirements. When these concepts are acted upon, they change human behavior.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these three biblical patterns in Hebrews point to the tabernacle as being used by the author of Hebrews as a model. With these biblical patterns the author provides us with a biblical model for understanding the spiritual and psychological dynamics of the Christian. These three biblical patterns are:
1. The relationship to God has changed because of the new covenant in Christ.
2. The furnishings in the tabernacle show the spiritual walk necessary for coming into a right relationship with God to stand in His presence.
3. And three, that union with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit is based upon the recognition of the biblical concepts of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ as the High Priest, the voice of Christ to the Christian, and that faith is the proper response of the Christian to the voice of Christ. These concepts have their source in the tabernacle.
When these three biblical patterns, which are demonstrated by the tabernacle, are acted upon, they modify human behavior.
For further study
For those interested I have listed other topics related to the tabernacle and Hebrews as a suggestion for further study:
1. Compare the relationship of the structure of the tabernacle with the structure of being and the personality of being as found in the creation account.
2. Determine the new order of a high priest as revealed in the life and writings of David as a possible basis for the message in Hebrews relating to the tabernacle.
3. Examine the spiritual applications of the tabernacle of David as a further descriptive explanation of the relationship of the believer with God.
4. Show the tabernacle as a model of the divine/human intimacy with God through Christ, which intimacy is essential to our existence and behavior.
5. Show the ministry in the tabernacle (step by step) as a model by giving each station or furniture a divine/human spiritual application to explain spiritual and psychological realities. These could be used in a “problem oriented counseling technique” as the author of Hebrews has done.
6. Show the human side of the divine/human relationship as presented in Hebrews by the concepts of faith, partakers, and presence, as being grounded in the tabernacle.
7. Show the psychological dynamics of motivation, perception, and cogitation, as presented in Hebrews, as being grounded in the tabernacle.
8. Develop a fuller understanding of the Christian having access to God in Christ as presented in Hebrews and revealed by the tabernacle.
9. Develop the teachings of “abiding in Christ,” “walking in the Spirit,” and “resting in the promises of God,” in the light of the threefold structure of the tabernacle in light of the message in Hebrews.
10. Develop the same for the teachings of “sanctification, justification, and glorification.”
11. Using the tabernacle as a model, develop Jesus’ concept of “oneness,” Paul’s concept of “in Christ/Christ in us,” and Hebrews concept of “partakers of Christ and the Holy Spirit.”
