Introduction:
A The word “tallit” comes from two words in Hebrew.
1 “Tal” meaning tabernacle or tent; “it” meaning little.
a If there was a big tabernacle for public worship then God is saying I want you to have a private place to worship me too.
b In Matt. 6.6, Jesus told His listeners, “ ... when you pray, go into your inner room (KJV, closet), close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, . . .”
aa “inner room or secret room”
bb They would wrap their tallit around them as a symbolic separation from the world and enter into the spirit.
c Ps. 91.1,4, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
aa If you ever going to have anything in the spirit your going to have to spent some time alone with God in intimacy, private, behind closed doors.
bb Before the Jew would put on the tallit he’d kiss it on it’s crown (which is a blessing).
cc How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. Psalms 36:7
B The Tallit marked a different/change in relationship.
1 At a Jewish wedding the bride/groom are married under a tallit that is held up from four poles (like a canopy).
a This chuppah represents the marriage being under the Word of God and His protection, blessing.
b In Song of Songs 2.4, we see a picture of the love of Christ for His Bride (the Church) as He puts his tallit (garment/banner) of love over us! “She’s mine!”, He says!
2 We see this meaning in vividness in Ruth (wings mentioned 3x’s)
a Ruth’s husband has died, destitute & goes to Bethlehem to find refuge.
aa Ruth 2.12, She’s looking for a place to feel safe.
bb Ruth 3.9, Boaz enters into a marriage relationship with her by covering her w/ his tallit.
cc Ruth 3.12, Boaz fills her tallit with all the resources to get by.
b There is a picture of what Jesus does for us!
aa We find refuge in the arms of Jesus!
bb We find a new relationship (He loves us, bride)
cc We find resources (provision because of relationship)
I God wants to be alone with You.
A Nearly 3,500 years ago God commanded Moses to construct a tabernacle so He could have a “dwelling” place for His presence within the Children of Israel during their wandering in the wilderness.
1 Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell (ve-shakhan-ti) among them. 9 According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it. Ex 25:8-9 (NASB)
a The tabernacle was a portable dwelling place for the presence of God while the Jews wandered in the wilderness of Canaan. (Before Solomon’s Temple)
aa Very fancy, elaborate tent (two tents actually)
bb Outer walls 150 x 75 :The smaller tent was the Holy Place/Sanctuary 18 x 45.
b The tent covering over the Holy of Holies is a huge tallit (the smaller fringes around the border of the tallit are symbolic of the side-tie downs)
2 Every morning at the rising of the sun, the morning sacrifice was being offered @ the tabernacle for sin & every man stood at the front of his tent.
a The tabernacle could not hold 2.5 million people so the tallit would become their own personal tabernacle.
b The 12 tribes of Israel would camp on all four sides of the Tabernacle forming a cross!
aa And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. 3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! Num 24:2-5 (KJV)
bb As the priests offered sacrifice in the brazen alter & the shakinah glory of God was made manifest, a man would wrap his Tallit around his face.
c Acting by faith, as priest of his own household he trusted that what was going on in the Tabernacle (later the Temple) was occurring in him because he became a Temple of God. (If a tzitzit is made properly it would contain some wool from a lamb to remind them of the blood that was shed for covering their sin!)
aa The priests were offering the blood of lambs for daily renewal,
bb Initiated at Passover by covering the door posts, later on day of atonement (Yom Kippur) when the blood of a perfect lamb was poured over/covered the mercy seat.
cc Full revelation was manifested in the sacrifice of Jesus as the Lamb of God . . . one & for all.
B When you enter the secret place you, become intimate with God and things begin to get done in your life.
1 IL. When the boys were smaller we’d keep a cookie jar on the counter filled with cookies and they’d never ask if they could get one, just got it.
a One day, a little boy that I had never laid eyes on came up to my back door and said, “May I have a cookie from your jar? Your son said you’d give me one.
b Because that little boy knew my son he had complete access to everything I had in that jar because he had tapped into the intimate relationship I share my sons. HE FOUND THE KEY TO MY HEART!
2 When you develop your intimacy with God behind close doors your going to see your prayers answered, miracles happen.
a You will experience what it is like to have His banner over you . . . covering you, blessing you, His authority in your life!
b However, it doesn’t happen if your not abiding in the shadow of Most High God.
C The Apostle Paul asks us, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”; 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Cor 3.16, 6:19-20 (NASB)
1 By putting the tallit over your head you identify for yourself as a tabernacle for the The Shekinah Glory of God, the Spirit of God, Holy Ghost!
a (Point to the temple on my head) What do doctors call this part of your head? The TEMPLE! That is not an accident!
2 The greatest things God has ever done for me have been in private!
a I was saved in private, filled with the Holy Spirit in private when it was just God and me in private.
aa My public worship never goes beyond what He has done for me in private!
bb After I’ve been there I can run, jump, clap!
b “Not in my nature.” You’re right, it’s not natural, super natural, it’s not in our nature.
aa Every now & then I remember how lost, lame, wretched I was before I He came to my rescue.
bb I just gotta shout! Raise my hands! Dance! Hallelujah, I love Him so!
cc Sometimes I just gotta tell my daddy how much I love him! (Messy, clumsy, but I don’t think God cares.)
c IL. Ridge after he eats he comes and gives me love...never turn him away!
aa Because of relationship there is a sweetness!
bb Tallit’s don’t mean anything until you’ve spent time in it!
cc Like our faith! It only means something if we use it!
II God wants to remind me of what He has made me in the Tallit.
A One of the strands in the tzitzot (pl. of tzitzit) are blue (represents authority, royality)
1 That’s why the colors of blue & gold run side-by-side on your tallits. Because of Jesus I AM A KING!
a But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
b I may look like a fat boy from Marion County but on the inside there is an ever living, never dying spirit is born again, redeemed, made alive by the blood of Jesus Christ! Under His blood made kings & priests!
c The world may not understand you, look down on you, but when you get into the Kingdom you move into the royal family.
2 When I put my tallit on to pray I am reminded that God has put His covering, authority, power, life in me.
a WARNING: Do not strip somebody else’s glory away from them just to make yourself feel good.
aa David/Saul 1 Sam. 24.5 5, 6And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
bb ONLY THE PROPHET COULD DO THAT!
b When the Lord removes His covering from you, your authority is gone.
aa It’s not personality, talents . . . it’s covering that makes any of us anything.
bb Without Him, we’re nothing.
B Warning: God has put His mantle on some people in this church and you may not like the way it’s displayed, or looks but you lay a hand on them, speak badly about them it will cost you dearly, “Touch not my anointed.”
1 Sometimes it’s just better to shut up.
a You don’t like it, not your style, don’t like that person, not like others do it, etc.
b Every person I know who has done this has lost their mantle or their glory.
2 Why don’t you just every man stand before God for himself.
a Tallit’s are being used more and more by Gentiles like us just to enjoy the spiritual blessing that has been purchased by Jesus Christ.
b In Conservative & Reformed Jewish Congregations even women are wearing them . . . question of personal preference.
Conclusion:
A 37 " Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! Matt 23:37-38 (NASB)
1 If you need salvation/healing you can find it under His wings.
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