The Lampstand

Exodus 25:36
"Make a lampstand of pure gold. Make the entire lampstand and its decorations of one piece - the base, center stem, lamp cups, buds and petals.

The lampstand was pure, hammered gold. Being only gold denotes Jesus' deity. It was hammered showing that he took on our punishment. Since there are no dimensions, we are reminded that God has no boundaries or limitations.

According to Hershberger there were three stages of maturity represented in the almond blossoms. This suggests "everbearing and perpetual fruitfulness, possible only in Christ."*

The one central stem represents Christ, while the six (number of man) branches represent the church. We are completely dependent on Jesus.

John 5:15

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Of course, the oil that was used in the lampstand represents the Holy Spirit. It was made from beaten olives. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we don't follow his leading.

Lord, thank you for this reminder of my dependence on you! Help me not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Help me to be always willing to follow your leading! In Jesus' name, amen.

*Hersberger, Ervin N. (2010) Seeing Christ in the Tabernacle. Harrisonburg, VA: Vision Publishers.

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned

The Table and the Bread

Exodus 25:23-25 & 30
"Then make a table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.* Overlay it with pure gold and run a gold molding around the edge. Decorate it with a 3-inch border all around, and run a gold molding along the border."

"Place the Bread of the Presence on the table to remain before me at all times."

*Hebrew 2 cubits long, 1 cubit wide, and 1.5 cubits high.

This graphic was borrowed from http://www.templebuildersministry.com

The table is made of both wood and gold which again reminds us of both Christ's deity and humanity. "He became fully Man to be made Living Bread for us, but He retained His deity that He might be our Eternal Life." *

Colossians 3:3-4

For you tied to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Dimensions:

1 cubit wide = unity

2 cubits long = fellowship, union with Christ

1 1/2 cubits high =  3 half-cubits = the Trinity

As Christians, we have fellowship with our High Priest at the communion table.

There is a border all around the table which is topped with a crown. This reminds us that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Revelation 19:16

Strong's Concordance translates the Hebrew word border as "something enclosing, a stronghold". This stronghold encloses the 12 loaves (12 Tribes) showing that he protects his people. The crown shows that he has the authority and power to protect us. 

Isaiah 49:15-16

"Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?

Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?

But even if that were possible,

I would not forget you!

See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands."

According to Leviticus 24:5-9 the bread was made of fine flour baked into cakes. The fine flour suggest complete perfection seen in Jesus Christ. No one eats just flour so it was baked. We cannot be saved by Jesus' life. Salvation comes from his death. Jesus indeed is our true bread from heaven.

"Cakes (Lev. 24:5), translated from the Hebrew word challah (#2471 in Strong's Concordance), is 'a cake (as usually punctured).' Young's Concordance defines it as 'a perforated cake.' The body of Christ was punctured fivefold on the cross."*

Thank you, Jesus for all these reminders of the sacrifice you made for me! I'm so glad that you are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! You have absolute power and authority to protect and keep me. And you will never forget me! In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned

The Carrying Poles of the Ark

Exodus 25:13-15
"Make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it. These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them."

Cool!! I just saw something that wasn't mentioned in the book I'm using to enhance my study of Exodus 25, (See yesterday's post: Symbolism in the Ark of the Covenant). The carrying poles were made of acacia wood and gold, signifying both Christ's deity and humanity. They were never to be removed from their rings.

It's the combination of Jesus' deity and humanity that carries salvation to us. Without both Jesus' deity and his humanity, we cannot be saved. This cannot be removed from the equation.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me to see this! I love how this part of the scripture, which has always been so dry for me before, has now come alive. It's like I've entered a hidden cave that is sparkling with precious jewels just waiting for me to mine them!

Lord, your ways are so wonderful! I love and praise you! In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned

Symbolism In the Ark of the Covenant

Exodus 25:10-11
"Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood - a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it.

I'm using the book, "Seeing Christ in the Tabernacle" by Ervin N. Hershberger to deepen and compliment my study of this section of scripture.

According to Hershberger, the gold represents the deity and glory of Jesus Christ and the Shittim Wood (acacia wood) represents the incorruptible humanity of Christ.* So the fact that both were used in the making of the Ark of the Covenant points to the reality that Jesus was both fully God and fully human. If he was not fully God, then the cross would not have been sufficient to cover our sins. If he was not fully human, then the sacrifice would not have applied to us.

Thank you, Jesus for being both totally God and totally human for my sake!

Even the dimensions of the Ark have symbolic significance: 

Length: 2 1/2 cubits = 5 half-cubits or units of measure: 5 = Grace

Breadth and height: 1 1/2 cubits = 3 half-cubits: 3 = Trinity

Vertical girth: 4 x 1 1/2 = 6 cubits: 6 = the number of man

Horizontal girth: 2 x 2 1/2 + 2 x 1/2 = 5 + 3 = 8 cubits: 8 = New Beginning*

"Maybe that's manipulating numbers, but it simply illustrates what the Bible plainly teaches: the Trinity (3), by Grace (5), offers Man (6) a New Beginning (8). 'If any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; all things are become NEW' (2 Cor. 5:17)." *

Lord, Jesus! I want to remain in you! I praise you for the symbolism found in the Ark and for the new beginning you gave me.

Lord, God, you are so awesome and mighty! Only YOU could have worked out all these details hundreds of years before Christ was even born. I praise your great and Holy name! In Jesus' name, amen.

*Hersberger, Ervin N. (2010) Seeing Christ in the Tabernacle. Harrisonburg, VA: Vision Publishers.

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned

The Place of Atonement

Exodus 25:17
Then make the Ark's cover - the place of atonement - from pure gold. It must be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.

Romans 3:25

For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

Precious Jesus, you are now our place of atonement. We are made right with God, (our sins are atoned for), when we believe that you sacrificed your life by shedding your blood on the cross.

Atone, Atones:  to supply satisfaction for, to make amends, to reconcile.

Atonement:  reconciliation, reparation for an offence or injury, cleansing.

1 John 2:2-6

He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins - and not only our sins but the sins of the world. And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

Thank you, Jesus! I praise you for being my atonement! Help me to obey your commands I want to know you so that I can live as you did. In Jesus' name, amen

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned

I Am Your Temple

Exodus 25:8-9
Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.

Lord, I am now your sanctuary with your Holy Spirit living in me. Your Holy Spirit shows me exactly how to build up this temple that is me. Help me to build according to your plan for my life. I want to hear your voice and follow your instructions because I know that they lead to eternal life.

I know that there is an actual Tabernacle in heaven which the earthly one was based on. I can't wait to worship you there! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned

Keep Your Derriere in the Chair

Exodus 24:12; 15-16; 18
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people."

Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. And the glory of the LORD settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from inside the cloud.

Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

Lord, it seems obvious that there are times when you make us wait to hear from you. Moses had to wait for six days. He had clear direction from you to go up the mountain and stay there. I can only imagine the doubts Moses must have had during those six days of waiting. I have some of those same doubts when I sit down to read your word and don't immediately get something from it.

I wonder if you are training me to be disciplined enough to stay there until I hear from you. Perhaps I need that discipline so that eventually I can climb higher up the mountain with you.

You also want me to show you and myself that I am fully committed and place my highest priority on hearing from you. Being willing to take that time to stay there and ignore all the other activities and entertainments that call to me takes a sacrifice on my part. It's yet another way I must die to myself so I can live for you.

Proverbs 3-5

Cry out for insight,

and ask for understanding.

Search for them as you would for silver;

seek them like hidden treasures.

Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD,

and you will gain knowledge of God.

Keep your derriere in the chair,

until the Lord meets you there!

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned

Justice for All

Exodus 23:1-13
You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand. You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor. If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner. If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has collapsed under its load, do not walk by. Instead, stop and help. In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor. Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent. Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth. You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. Plant and harvest your crops for six years, but let the land be renewed and lie uncultivated during the seventh year. Then let the poor among you harvest whatever grows on its own. Leave the rest for wild animals to eat. The same applies to your vineyards and olive groves. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed. Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names."

Lord, this is a section of scripture where one aspect of your character really shines through. You are just so you insist that we give justice to others. You even made it a law that we are to treat our enemies and those who hate us with kindness.

You commanded us not to follow the crowd in doing wrong. Lord, this is not a command that I can obey on my own. I need your Holy Spirit to help me. It's far too easy to get caught up in the dynamics of the crowd. When I am tempted to do this, will you please remind me? In Jesus' name, amen.

MEMORY VERSES

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:23

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.

Romans 3:23

All Have Sinned

All Have Sinned

Isaiah 53:6

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.

Isaiah 53:6
All Have Sinned