The True Tabernacle (The Altar: Part 1)
TEXT: Hebrews 13:9-16 (NKJV)
"We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
INTRODUCTION:
For the next several weeks we will open the Bible and explore what the Scriptures say about the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the tent that was central to the worship of the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt. This tent, its rooms, furniture, and surrounding fence were symbolic of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We will see a pattern in the way the furniture was set up that is repeated from Genesis to Revelation. When we see repeated patterns in Scripture it is because there is something God wants us to understand.
Before we dive in, it may be appropriate to recall the conversation between Jesus and one of his disciples when they were leaving the temple one day. The temple followed the pattern of the tabernacle but on a larger and more permanent scale. The disciple exclaimed, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" (Mark 1:13 ESV). History tells us that the temple had been beautified and expanded by Herod to the point that it was beyond spectacular. Jesus replied that the temple would be destroyed and not even one stone would be left on another. He wanted his disciples to know that the temple (and the tabernacle, and every other instance of their pattern) did not get their significance from their physical structure, but from the reality that God is present in the pattern inviting humanity into a relationship with him.
That temple would become little more than a pile of stones without the Presence of God, just as Solomon's temple before had, and the tent that Israel worshipped in during their wilderness journey. As we walk through the tabernacle we want to remember this. What makes our sacred spaces and times special are our encounters with God's holiness and grace in them.
J. Daniel Hays, "The Temple and the Tabernacle: A Study of God's Dwelling Places from Genesis to Revelation (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2016), ch. 1.
The writer of Hebrews says:
Hebrews 8:1-7 (ESV)
"Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in The True Tent [Tabernacle] that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant He mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second."
The OT is filled with what has been termed types and shadows. We encounter shadows as we move toward a source of light that has something in front of it. As the OT writers moved towards the coming of Messiah, they encountered His Shadow. Shadows are imperfect representations of the real.
In the opening chapters of Genesis, we read about the garden which Yahweh planted in the east of Eden. It was a place where God and humanity shared a relationship. That's important. Later in Exodus when the LORD gave Israel the pattern to build the tabernacle he gave them a three-fold formula for their relationship with him: "I will be your God; you will be my people; I will dwell in your midst" (Exod 22:31; 25:8; 29:45-46; Lev 26:11-12). Most of the second half of the entire book of Exodus is a description of God's pattern and plan for the tabernacle, the portable temple where they would worship and commune with him, and the account of Israel building it. God used a few words in Genesis 1 to describe his act of creating the billions of stars, yet when He talks about the place that symbolizes His relationship with us, He slows down and takes His time detailing every little thing. God is interested in a relationship with us.
Since Israel was on the move and constantly moving from place to place, they lived in tents, so God said that he would live in a tent with them. Later when Israel had a permanent home in Canaan, they would build a permanent home for God to place his name in as well. God is willing to live among us and experience what we do.
Eventually, each of these places was destroyed after God's Presence left them when Israel's disobedience came to a head. The tabernacle wore out and fell into disuse. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon's temple taking Israel into captivity in Babylon. The second temple that Herod beautified and expanded was destroyed in 70 AD and the Jewish people were scattered among the nations.
The Gospel of John speaks of Christ coming into the world and pitching his tent among us (John 1:14). The Message Bible reads, "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood." It literally says, "he pitched his tent among us" echoing the Exodus tabernacle. Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, priest, and tabernacle. As we will see, every shadow and pattern point to him. It is in Christ that God has decided to permanently reside among human beings. For in him, the fullness of God's Divine nature and attributes continues to dwell (Col 2:9).
As the biblical story wraps up in Revelation we read once again of the glorious Presence of God dwelling among humanity in the New Jerusalem where there is no need for a temple. The Lord God and the Lamb are the Temple. The final scene of the Bible takes place in a garden (Revelation 21:1-4). Holiness and grace are there and a pattern.
In the OT imagery, God is always stretching out tents (or tabernacles):
Psalm 104:2-3 (ESV)
"Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire."
Isaiah 40:22-23 (ESV)
"It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness."
Isaiah 42:5 (ESV)
"Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens mand stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it..."
Isaiah 51:13 (ESV)
"...and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor?"
While the LORD stretched out the heavens to be a place for Him to dwell when it came to dwelling with ancient Israel he wanted their participation. God wants a relationship with us, and while He initiates that relationship, He desires us to reciprocate. Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden. God wants us to walk with Him through life.
The LORD put into the hearts of the people what He wanted to be done and how to do it. The Bible says that He actually anointed the people and gifted them with skills so that they could build the tabernacle according to the pattern that he had given them. Have you ever thought about the natural gifts and talents that you have as gifts from God for the purpose of building a relationship with him?
Exodus 31:1-11 (NKJV)
"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle— 8 the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base— 10 the garments of ministry, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”
God has gifted you with a purpose and that purpose can only be fully realized in a relationship with Him! A note that I wanted to make here is that there were some aspects of the tabernacle that the LORD left up to the creativity of those He chose and gifted. Don't get lost in the paralysis of analysis. When God gives you instructions, go with them as far as you can and trust that He put the right things in you to fill in the details! That is the work of the Holy Spirit. We build according to God's pattern, but there are things that are not written down for us. He left some details to them.
The purpose of the Tabernacle was so that the people could be priests. God called Isreal to be a nation of priests (Exod 19:5-6). Peter repeats this principle for NT believers when he writes: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet 2:9 NKJV).
What is a priest? One dictionary says a priest is "someone who is authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God."
Priests represent people to God and God to people. When we think of a priest, we think of someone who knows God and can pray on our behalf. Someone who is holy, or set apart for a special purpose.
Priests have special clothing that they wear and the ways that they live. God has chosen each of us as priests. We all have a special vocation to fulfill in life and in the church. When God initially called Israel He welcomed them all into the priesthood, but they feared to enter it (Exod 19-20). When God met Moses at the burning bush, he told him that once he brought Israel out of Egypt that he would bring them to the mountain where they would collectively serve God (Exod 3-4). When they arrived at the mountain after the ten plagues, the Passover, and coming through the Red Sea they approached a mountain that was burning with fire (Hebrews 12:18). God welcomed them all to come up upon the mountain at a certain point, but out of fear, they refused (Exod 19-20). There is great responsibility in serving God in the ways He desires for us too. So, God chose one tribe to serve as priests for the entire nation, the tribe of Levi. Since they refused to live in a relationship with Him as He also gave them Laws that were to safeguard them until they could grow up and have the relationship with Him that He desired (Galatians 3-4). God's plan has always been for all of humanity to represent Him in the priestly role. It is a part of what it means to be human.
It was around this time that God gave them the plan for the tabernacle. Priests are worshippers. The NT ministry is that of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Their job is to help everyone else move into the ministry. They are there to help everyone grow up. God wants each of us to grow up into mature adult human beings. And part of that is having a relationship with Him. There is a place in our lives where we are like infants spiritually, but God desires for us to grow and become more and more like Him.
The pattern for the life of a mature Christian is found when we take a birdseye view of the tabernacle. The pagan prophet Balaam did this when he was hired by Balak to curse Israel in the wilderness. Standing high above the camp he looked down and as he attempted to curse Israel the Spirit of the LORD came upon him and out of his mouth came to a blessing! You cannot curse what God has blessed (See Numbers 23:9-10; 23:21-24; 24:5-9; 24:17). Balaam looked down and this is what he would have seen. Israel was given specific instructions on the placement of their tents by the tribe around the tabernacle. The way they placed their camp formed a cross! The gospel was preached by the symbol of the camp of Israel! By placing the tabernacle in the center of their camp they became a symbol of God's Provision for all humanity! They became a symbol of God's Love and desire for a relationship with us.
Jesus became a curse for us on the cross so that we might receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit! (Gal 3).
The Tabernacle court was surrounded by a white fence made of bright linen. It surrounded the courtyard 75 feet wide and 150 long. It was It represented the purity and holiness of God. It had a gate through which one could enter. There was one entrance. Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life no man comes to the Father except through Him! (John 14). He also said that He was the gate through which one enters to find eternal life. God has made provision for each of us to have a relationship with Him! He wants us to know Him on a personal level, on a first-name basis.
Blue – The color of the skies or the heavens – Jesus Christ, the Son of God or the Divine One.
Purple – The color of royalty – Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, or the Royal One.
Scarlet – The color of blood – Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, the One who purchased us by His precious blood.
Fine Linen – The color of purity – The sinless Lamb of God, the One who is the righteous faithful Servant of God
The gate had four pillars which may represent the four Gospels. God has given us the story of Christ from four different perspectives. He is willing to meet us where we are and become what we are to bring us into fellowship with Himself!
If you approached the tabernacle itself, you would find that the pieces of furniture were arranged in the shape of a cross. The cross was not an afterthought with God. Before He created the world He had in mind that He would reveal Himself as a fellow sufferer with us in the struggle of life. Before the foundation of the world God determined that He would make a way for humanity, that He would dwell among them and be their God. He had a heavenly pattern, a True Tabernacle that everything else is built on! Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Everything exists only because of the principle of the cross!
The first piece of furniture that the priest approached was the altar.
The altar was seven and one-half feet wide and four and one-half feet high, As you can see it was large. It was big enough that you could not miss it.
It was the place where atonement was made. The people brought their sacrifices to the priest and it was there that they were offered.
The altar that the writer of Hebrews refers to is the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
When we come to the altar in prayer, we come, realizing that there is nothing that we can add to the all-sufficient Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. We have an Altar!
