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Teaching And Research By: M. E. Arbaugh
Overcoming
the
Enemies
of
Health
Inner Image
THE TABERNACLE
INTRODUCTION
Lesson
1
Everything must have a foundation. If we want to build a building, the
foundation must first be dug and cement poured. Then the building begins
to rise on the foundation. Without a firm foundation, a building
will not last.
If we are to understand the New Testament, we must understand the firm
foundation laid by the Old Testament. Ages ago the Holy Spirit moved
on men to write the Old Testament for our enlightenment. Romans 15:4 tells
us that things written in former days were written for our instruction,
so we might draw encouragement from them and thus hold fast to our hope.
When we understand what the Holy Spirit is saying in the Old Testament, it cements and holds together our trust and faith in the New Testament. Then, we realize that Jesus and salvation were not after thoughts. Before the foundation of the world was laid, the plan was there, waiting for the perfect timing of God. "And when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman ...", Galatians 4:4.
The best news ever announced on the earth was, "Jesus, the Savior is born." But the angel's announcement was not the first time the good news of salvation was proclaimed. Centuries before, Moses wrote about the same good news. Jesus, God's grace toward mankind was foreshadowed in the tabernacle. The pieces and parts of the tabernacle, it's furnishings and the services performed there, all foreshadowed the coming of the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. A plan that was established and set in motion before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that all scripture is profitable, for doctrine, reproof and training, so that the man or woman of God, may be equipped for every good work. All scripture includes the Old Testament, the old is the foundation of the new.
Hebrews 9:1-8 NKJV. Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lamp stand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.We sometimes think that the people of the Old Testament were able to enter into the presence of God, because of the sacrifices that were offered, but that is wrong. Salvation has always been by faith. Of Abraham it is said, "He believed God and it was accounted unto him as righteousness."
Romans 4:22.
the Enemies
of Health A Perfect
Inner Image
In the Old Testament, people were to have faith in that which was to come, so God gave them symbols that explained the things to come. A symbol, also called a shadow or a type, is defined as: that which is drawn up along side of something to explain, or represent it.
Example: If we see a cent mark, we know it means money and that it means less than $1.00. We also know that a dollar sign($) means one dollar or more.
Where faith is concerned, we must always keep our attention on what the symbols represent. The Hebrews lost sight of that and began to worship the symbols, the shadows and the types. When Jesus the Messiah came, they clung to the symbols, shadows and types, and missed the substance. They failed to realize that when the substance of that which is hoped for comes, then that which points to it is obsolete, Hebrews 8:13. Always remember that God never asks you to let go of something without offering something better in return. The importance of the tabernacle is made clear when we notice that God used six days to create the earth and nearly forty days giving instructions to Moses on how to build the tabernacle.
Of course, it is possible that the time difference is because He was working through man. From the beginning we have been slow learners when it comes to understanding the Father. However, even the Holy Spirit, as He prompted Moses to write, used only two Chapters to describe creation, while ten are used to describe the building, furnishing and arrangement of the service in the tabernacle. GOD'S WORK OF REDEMPTIVE GRACE, which is prefigured in Jehovah's earthly dwelling place, was and is, MORE GLORIOUS THAN THE WORK OF CREATION. Selah. (Meaning, pause and calmly think of that.)
God's redemptive grace, revealed to mankind, is more glorious, more spectacular, than the work of creating the earth.
In the New Testament, the theme of the book of Hebrews is the better way. Jesus is shown to be better than the Angels, better than the prophets, better than Moses, better than Aaron, better than Joshua. Not only is He shown to be a better high priest, after the order of Melchizedek, He is also shown to have a better tabernacle in which to minister, Hebrews 8:1-6.
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Teaching And
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