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Exod 28:4 And these [are] the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
Exod 28:15-24 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; [of] gold, [of] blue, and [of] purple, and [of] scarlet, and [of] fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Foursquare it shall be [being] doubled; a span [shall be] the length thereof, and a span [shall be] the breadth thereof. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, [even] four rows of stones: [the first] row [shall be] a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: [this shall be] the first row. And the second row [shall be] an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, [like] the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends [of] wreathen work [of] pure gold. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. And thou shalt put the two wreathen [chains] of gold in the two rings [which are] on the ends of the breastplate.
Exod 28:28-29 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that [it] may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod. And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy [place], for a memorial before the LORD continually.
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Aaron was the first High Priest of Israel.
Once every year he entered the most holy place in behalf of the people of Israel.
Part of his garments were a breastplate that he wore over his heart.
Twelve precious stones were upon this breastplate each with a different name of the tribes of Israel upon it.
And it is said that Aaron bore the names of the children of Israel upon his heart when he went into the holy place.
He represented the real High priest who was yet to come.... Jesus Christ.
Hebr 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Hebr 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
And we read that we are upon his heart also.
Hebr 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
He is touched by the feelings of our infirmities.
His heart is touched.
He loves us so much.
Now the breastplate that he wore upon his heart was made of gold, blue purple, white linen and precious stones.
And it was said to be foursquare.
Two other things in the Bible were said to be foursquare.
The Most holy place was ten cubits by ten cubits by ten cubits
Reve 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
It is wonderful to see that the breastplate made of gold and precious stones, reminds us so much of the new Jerusalem... a city that is foursquare with street of gold and precious stones.
When the high priest bore on his heart the tribes of Israel in the form of a breastplate of gold and precious stones we see a picture of Jesus Christ bearing a model of the New Jerusalem on His heart.
The breastplate was like a miniature New Jerusalem.
The job of the high priest is to bear the people of God on his heart and to intercede for them.
The reason there is intercession is because God’s people have weaknesses.
John said in his first epistle that God has given us writings of the Bible so that we do not sin.
1Joh 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
We are not supposed to sin, but if we do sin, if we confess those sins we are alright.
We have an advocate to go to the Father for us.
Jesus Christ.
He is also the propitiation for our sins.
The Greek word for propitiation is the same word translated as MERCYSEAT in Hebrews 9.
So Jesus is also our mercy seat.
He is our high priest, our advocate and our mercyseat.
So while we are weak and sin upon occasion we can confess those sins and Jesus Christ INTERCEDES for us.
Hebr 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Roma 8:34 Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
He will save us to the uttermost seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
It is a picture of bearing us on His heart before the Father during our weaknesses, interceding for us, with the GOAL of what is represented on His heart.
The goal is the New Jerusalem.
This church made up of people who have weaknesses and who must confess to God when they slip up is going to be the BRIDE OF CHRIST one day when it is matured and grown up.
When John was told to see the bride, the Lamb’s wife, he saw the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven prepared as a bride.
That is a picture of the Church matured and ready for the wedding.
That is the goal of the High Priest.
That is the reason He intercedes for us.
We are weak now, but the goal of having us take power over sin and mature in the Holy Ghost to become the Bride is on HIs heart.
He is working towards that day.
He will bear us on His heart as many times as He needs to in intercession, in prayer on our behalves, sunlit we are perfected and matured and are the New Jerusalem.
We are weak, but we are growing!
When the Bible calls us the temple of the Holy Ghost, the actual Greek word for temple here, NAHOS, actually means MOST HOLY PLACE.
So the High priest entered into the Most Holy Place with a model of the church on His heart, interceding in love for them.
And the Most Holy Place he entered into also represented the church!
Christ is the High Priest and He enters into our lives and inside our spirits he makes intercession to God for us.
The Bible says the High Priest sprinkled the mercyseat with blood, but we read that Jesus sprinkles our consciences with the blood of sprinkling.
He is in the church sprinkling our consciences.
Cleansing our lives.
We are being purged and growing stronger.
And the tabernacle and the temple are both seen to have most holy places.
Each of these had a room called the "most holy place" in which the ark of the covenant rested.
It was foursquare.
But long before they had the temple, they only had the tabernacle.
The Tabernacle was a crude rugged mobile building that was easily erected and taken down for journeys through the wilderness.
The tabernacle from the outside looked like a rugged, crude structure.
Badger skins surrounded the tabernacle.
This represents our earthly walks.
Presently we are not what we are going to be.
Presently we are mobile and are not home yet.
And we look crude with weaknesses.
But after Israel entered the Promised land and conquered Jerusalem, taking it for its capitol city, they built the Grand Temple.
The temple was not merely covered in crude badger’s skins.
1Kin 6:22 And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that [was] by the oracle he overlaid with gold.
What a difference!
From Tabernacle to Temple.
The temple represents the finished product of the Church.
It represents the goal for having the High Priest carry the people on his heart.
Like the New Jerusalem, it was all gold.
Reve 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was [of] jasper: and the city [was] pure gold, like unto clear glass.
The temple was not mobile, but it was where God wanted the people to live and be at home in.
When the Church is matured and fully grown, she will be the bride.
And when the Groom comes to take the Bride, He will unite with her.
As Adam had his rib removed and formed into his wife, he was missing part of himself, until he and his wife came together in marriage and he was united with his rib again.
Christ laid down his life for the church.
She was taken from his side and the Church was built upon the rock.
And He will reunite with her once she is built and constructed at the wedding.
So down here in this world we are not fully united to Him.
We are the WIFE.
In Israel the engagement was called the ESPOUSAL (2 Cor 11:2).
And before the marriage, the espousal made the two husband and wife, though they were not to live together.
And she became the Bride when they united in marriage.
We are the wife and are going to a wedding.
We are being changed from Tabernacle to Temple.
We begin and are very weak with many problems.
But we learn and we grow as Christ intercedes for all our problems and weaknesses.
We might look like a crude badger’s skinned tabernacle right now, but the gold is coming forth!
The High Priest has a goal.
Something is on His heart.
He wants to marry this little girl called the Church.
Ephe 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
The temple had many things that make one think of the Garden of Eden.
2Chr 4:2 Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
A molten sea holding much water.
2Chr 4:5 And the thickness of it [was] an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; [and] it received and held three thousand baths.
It looked like a giant water lily.
1Kin 6:29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
Cherubims were all over the walls.
Cherubims and palm trees and open flowers.
Cherubims were seen in the Garden of Eden to keep the way to the tree of life.
There were doors in the temple.
1Kin 6:32 The two doors also [were of] olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid [them] with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.
1Kin 6:34-35 And the two doors [were of] fir tree: the two leaves of the one door [were] folding, and the two leaves of the other door [were] folding. And he carved [thereon] cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered [them] with gold fitted upon the carved work.
There were two giant pillars of solid brass and 400 pomegranates on the top of each of them.
The ark was placed inside the Holiest of holies and notice this:
1Kin 8:9 [There was] nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made [a covenant] with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
Now formerly the ark held three things.
Pot of manna
A dead rod of Aaron that miraculously budded
And the tables of law.
But the ark was taken into captivity by the Philistines, and when brought back and put in the temple, there was no rod of Aaron and no pot of the miracle food called manna.
Obviously the Philistines took out the manna and the rod.
And they left the word there.
There are some people who only want miracles and wonders, but they leave the Word of God alone.
But it is the WORD THAT WILL LAST FOREVER.
Miracles will be over one day.
Prophecies will be gone when that which is perfect is come (1 Cor 13).
That which is perfect is the matured Church.
The Bride.
The WORD is in the temple, and the temple represents the matured Bride of the Church.
Matt 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Everything in the tabernacle was in the temple, but the tabernacle, for example, had one candlestick, whereas the temple had ten candlesticks.
The tabernacle had one laver, but the temple had ten lavers.
The tabernacle had one table of shewbread but the candlestick had ten tables.
Why?
The Temple represents the Church finally at home.
This life of flesh is over and we are clothed upon with our temples of glory.
2Cor 5:2-4 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in [this] tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
It is then that we will be united with the Lord and one again.
Deut 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
This verse shows us that one alone will only put a thousand to flight.
But when two are united, ten times the power is there and ten thousand can be put to flight.
We will be united with Jesus and all will be ten times the amount of what we have now.
Now we taste of the powers of the world to come.
Only a taste.
But then it will be the full meal!
We are not stationary yet.
Don’t plant your stakes in the ground here.
This is not our home.
We’re just passing through.
We are still being led into all truth.
They carried the ark with rods or staves.
But when they placed the ark in the holiest of the temple they pulled out the staves.
No more journeys.
1Kin 8:7-8 For the cherubims spread forth [their] two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy [place] before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
No more travels.
Back in the Garden of Eden.
In the grounds of the territory by the Garden were all the materials we read are built in the New Jerusalem.
Gene 2:11-12 The name of the first [is] Pison: that [is] it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where [there is] gold; And the gold of that land [is] good: there [is] bdellium and the onyx stone.
Gold, precious stones and bdellium, or pearl.
Reve 21:18-19 And the building of the wall of it was [of] jasper: and the city [was] pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city [were] garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation [was] jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
Reve 21:21 And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
We may not be perfect yet and matured totally, but Christ is still in us in the holiest of holies.
Its good to know He is still in us and made His home here.
But we are being changed.
We are being made more like Him.
Ephe 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Ephe 4:11-15 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:
We are growing to the full stature of Jesus Christ.
When we are at that point, the Church is going home!
We are going to the wedding.
So we must see that we are indeed changing into His image.
When John was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, he heard a voice behind him, and he turned to see the voice and saw a candlestick.
And he saw seven churches represented by the candlestick.
And then he saw Jesus made one with the churches.
Jesus was in the candlesticks as if he was one with them.
And then John fell like one dead.
He turned to see the voice.
And He saw Jesus one with the Churches.
He saw a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Since Jesus was ONE with the Churches, and the people of God, John fell dead.
When we get a revelation of being one with Christ we truly realize we DIED with Him.
And then Jesus said, "Fear not, I am he that liveth, and was dead and am alive forevermore."
In other words, "Yes you died with me, but since I am alive forevermore, you are alive forevermore now, too. Fear not."
This same pattern is seen in 2 Cor 3.
2Cor 3:15-18 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.
John was at the WORD, the table of shewbread, if he had to turn around and see the candlesticks.
Anyone that knows anything about the tabernacle knows that if one’s back faced the candlesticks then one must be facing the table of shewbread.
So while at the word, he heard a voice behind Him.
He turned and saw a revelation of Jesus Christ being ONE with the churches.
The Bible says when we TURN our hearts to the Lord, a veil is removed and we see a revelation.
We see Jesus.
And where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
We gaze at Him and are changed into His same image.
We see that we died with Him.
We see that we are risen with Him.
We are changed into HIS IMAGE.
His history is known to be our history!
We are seated with Him in heavenly places.
John turned and saw a revelation, an unveiling.
And it hit Him and he fell as a dead man.
He knew he died with Christ.
This is how we are growing.
The pastors and teachers are ministering the word.
And we hear a voice and our hearts continue turning to Jesus. repeatedly.
We see revelation of Him we never saw before and are changed more and more - from glory to glory.
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