SALVATION AND REDEMPTION LESSON 1 SAVED BY A PLAN LESSON TEXT Hebrews 9:1-14 1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: 8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? FOCUS VERSE Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. FOCUS THOUGHT The Tabernacle in the wilderness was God s idea through which Israel demonstrated symbolically the plan of God for the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ and the New Testament plan of salvation.
INTRODUCTION We might be tempted to view the Old Testament law, with its complex rituals and elaborate ceremonies, as archaic and irrelevant to the church in today s postmodern world. We may be tempted to speed-read through the many details of how the priest was to cut and burn the sacrifice, the special arrangement for the Tabernacle furnishings, and the construction plans for the mobile sanctuary in the wilderness. Nevertheless, Paul exhorted the church with these words: Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (I Corinthians 10:11, NKJV). The writer of the Book of Hebrews spent considerable time describing these Old Testament Tabernacle trappings and pointing out their New Testament parallels. Matthew emphasized the Old Testament traditions as being prophetic and significant in his attempt to convince the Jews that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. In studying the Bible, we should remember that the early church had only the Old Testament. Moreover, the New Testament is built on the foundation of Old Testament Scripture. Our lesson today is about the Tabernacle in the wilderness and its significance to the church. Israel s sanctuary in the wilderness was a crude tent-like structure consisting of four layers of curtains, or coverings, made from fine linen, goats hair, rams skin dyed red, and badgers skin. Made for mobility, the Tabernacle was constructed with materials available in their wilderness journey. The Tabernacle is rich with typology exemplifying New Testament truth. The Mosaic law, with all of its complexity, was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24), and the historical traditions were a shadow of heavenly things and future events (Hebrews 8:5; 10:1; Colossians 2:17). I. THE TABERNACLE: A SPECIAL PLACE A. A Place for God God declared to Moses, And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it (Exodus 25:8-9). This tent of meeting became a symbol of God s presence with His people, the visible worship center where He met with Israel s leaders. The Tabernacle was located in the center of the camp, and it was the seat of authority and center of worship for the people of Israel. The location and priority of the Tabernacle harmonized with the first and greatest of the Ten Commandments: Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3). (See Matthew 22:34-38.) Making a place for God in our lives makes all the difference in the world (Matthew 6:33). B. Items of the Outer Court A 75-foot by 150-foot linen, curtain-like fence just high enough to prevent the inward view of a casual onlooker surrounded the Tabernacle. Just as outsiders could not understand what was going on inside the Tabernacle, the same is true today: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost (II Corinthians 4:3). (See II Corinthians 4:4.) There was only one entrance and exit to the Tabernacle, and that was an opening approximately thirty feet wide in the front of the fence facing the Tabernacle s east side. Likewise, there is only one plan of salvation today. Jesus declared, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber (John 10:1). (See Matthew 7:13-14.) After a person entered the outer court of the Tabernacle he encountered several items. 1. Brazen Altar. This large altar was immediately inside the gate, making it the first piece of furniture that one would encounter (Exodus 27). The altar was seven and one-half feet square and four and one-half feet high. Made from acacia (shittim) wood overlaid with brass, the altar had horns at each corner for tying down sacrificial animals. On the sides were rings for the insertion of carrying poles, which also were made of acacia wood overlaid with brass. This altar was a place of sacrifice where coals of fire burned continually. The priests slew and burned numerous animals at this altar. When the priest approached the Tabernacle and entered into the courtyard, the first thing he encountered was this imposing altar. Any approach to God requires humility and sacrifice in order to find His favor. Jesus declared, And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (Matthew 23:12). (See Matthew 18:4; James 4:6, 10.) The brazen altar symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). (See Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:32; Hebrews 10:4; Revelation 5.) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (I Peter 1:19). On the Day of Pentecost, Peter mentioned repentance as the first requirement for salvation (Acts 2:38). Obviously, a person first must exercise faith in God; but second, he must crucify his carnal ambitions at the altar of repentance. Unless a person repents of his sins, he shall perish (Luke 13:3, 5). 2. The Laver. After passing the brazen altar, the next object was the brazen laver of water. It was located before the entrance into the Tabernacle s Holy Place. It was at this laver that the priest washed his hands and feet (Exodus 30). Ceremonial washing was a frequent Old Testament principle. In the New Testament, the Word of God washes us (Ephesians 5:26). In addition, water baptism symbolizing the burial of our old nature is a washing of the new believer for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). C. Items in the Holy Place The Holy Place was a room approximately fifteen feet by thirty feet. It provided objects that symbolize the spiritual relationship that we have with God after being born again. Certainly, communion and fellowship are vital in our relationship with God. 1. The Golden Candlestick. Just inside the entrance of the Holy Place to the left side (south side) was a golden candlestick. Made from one piece of beaten gold and hollow inside, this lampstand provided light inside the Holy Place. The priest trimmed the wicks every morning and evening and filled the entire candelabra by pouring oil into one of the seven lamps. The flames provided continual light in the Tabernacle and symbolized the work of Jesus Christ (John 8:12; 9:5) and the Holy Spirit in the New Testament (II Corinthians 4:6). 2. The Shewbread. On the north side of the Tabernacle was the table of shewbread, which was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. It also had rings and poles for carrying and a
rim about three and one-half inches high to keep things from falling off. Each Sabbath, the priest would place twelve loaves of shewbread on this table (Leviticus 24:5-9). He then ate the bread, which illustrated spiritual fellowship with God. In the New Testament, Jesus declared Himself to be the Bread of Life (Matthew 26:26; John 6:33, 48). 3. The Altar of Incense. In the center of the Holy Place just before the veil was the small altar of incense. It was approximately eighteen inches square and three feet high, and it was made of acacia wood that was overlaid with gold. It had a horn at each corner, just like the brazen altar, and rings and poles for carrying. The priests burned aromatic spices every morning and evening on this altar, which emitted a sweet aroma both inside and outside the Tabernacle. In the New Testament, the sweet incense represented prayer and worship (Revelation 8:3-4). Paul declared that Jesus gave His life as a sweet-smelling savor (Ephesians 5:2). 4. The Veil. This inner curtain of separation was made of fine linen and adorned with cherubim embroidered in brilliantly colored yarn. Hung on gold hooks on four posts overlaid with gold and in silver bases, the veil provided a wall between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies (Exodus 26:31-33). The veil symbolized a barrier between God and mankind. When the priests and Levites moved the Tabernacle, they wrapped the ark of the covenant with the veil so that the Israelites would never look upon it. In the New Testament, the veil of the Temple in Jerusalem was ripped from top to bottom at the death of Jesus (Matthew 27:50-51). This miraculous event symbolized the permanent removal of the barrier between God and mankind. The ripping of Jesus flesh and the ultimate giving of His life for the sins of the world permanently removed the barrier of separation (Hebrews 10:20). D. Items in the Holy of Holies 1. Ark of the Covenant. Symbolizing the presence of God among the people of Israel, this chest was the most sacred object on the face of the earth. It was made from acacia wood overlaid with gold inside and out. It also had rings and poles for carrying and was about fifty-two inches long, thirty-one inches wide, and thirty-one inches deep. The ark of the covenant contained the stone plates upon which were written the Ten Commandments, a bowl of manna, and Aaron s rod that budded (Exodus 16:33; 25:16, 21; Numbers 17:10; Hebrews 9:4). Only the high priest could go beyond the veil, and he did so only once a year on the Day of Atonement. In the New Testament, Jesus has become our perpetual High Priest making intercession for us (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14-15; 7:25; 9:11). We are a generation of priests with Jesus Christ serving as our High Priest (I Peter 2:9), and we now have access to the throne of God where we can come boldly into His presence (Hebrews 4:16). 2. Mercy Seat. Made from pure gold and decorated with two cherubim with their wings overshadowing it and facing each other, the lid of the ark of the covenant was called the mercy seat. It was crucially important that on the Day of Atonement God met with His people above the mercy seat between the two cherubim (Leviticus 16:1-20). To atone for Israel s sins, the high priest sprinkled blood on this lid of the ark of the covenant, and God s wrath turned to mercy because of the blood. In the New Testament, the shed blood of Jesus accomplished this critical achievement for mankind. (See John 1:29; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:11-14; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18-19.) II. THE TABERNACLE: A SPECIAL SACRIFICE
A. The People Brought a Willing Sacrifice For the people of Israel to have a house of God in the wilderness, personal sacrifice was necessary. God instructed Moses to collect an offering of gold, silver, jewels, brass, and other building materials for the construction. The people responded so liberally that Moses had to ask them to stop giving (Exodus 25; 36:5-7). To the Corinthians, Paul wrote, Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver (II Corinthians 9:7). B. The Priest Brought a Spotless Offering Throughout the Mosaic law God reminded the Hebrews that each animal sacrifice was to be without blemish. The sacrifice could not be sick, injured, or deformed in any way. Jesus Christ became that spotless, perfect Lamb in the New Testament: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (I Peter 1:18-19). This is the beauty of redemption Jesus was without sin and willing to give Himself as a ransom for all mankind. C. The Perfume (Incense) Burned by an Eternal Flame The priest took to the altar of incense fire from the perpetual fire of the brazen altar. God had ignited the fire initially and it was the priest s responsibility never to let the fire go out (Leviticus 6:9-13). Further, they were never to bring foreign fire into the Tabernacle (Numbers 26:61). Likewise, we should willingly offer our prayer and praise to God with perpetual devotion (I Thessalonians 5:17). Our lifestyle of discipleship and perpetual worship becomes a sweetsmelling savor to God. D. The Shekinah Presence Revealed by Sovereign Mercy Shekinah is not a biblical word, but it is a Jewish word that was adopted to describe the manifestation of the glory of God in the Holy of Holies and on other occasions. God sometimes manifested Himself in visible or audible forms such as a cloud, a fire, or a voice (Exodus 24:16; 40:35; Numbers 9:16-18). The Day of Atonement was a day of consecration and repentance a day of judgment for the Hebrew people. When the priests performed the rituals and sacrifices accurately and applied the blood to the mercy seat, God s wrath turned to mercy and He rolled Israel s sins ahead for another year. In the New Testament, the blood of Jesus was the sacrifice that satisfied God s wrath against sinners who repent and allow His blood to wash them (Romans 3:25; 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14). Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:12). III. THE TABERNACLE: A PATTERN FOR GOD S NEW TESTAMENT PLAN The use of Old Testament typology for New Testament truth is a method that requires careful analysis. The use of types requires diligent study so that we avoid drifting into error. Before a type can be valid, it must be established upon strong New Testament truth. Types should only supplement fundamental truth, and we should never use them to create new doctrines. Types are only tools to help a person better understand spiritual truth.
The Tabernacle is a type of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. The gospel and Jesus are so intertwined that one is incomplete without the other. The gospel is what Jesus did for us (I Corinthians 15:1-6), and the new birth is what Jesus does in us (Romans 6:1-6). If the Tabernacle is a type of Jesus Christ, then it is also a type of the new-birth experience. A. An Altar of Repentance On the day that the New Testament church was born, Peter preached that every person should repent (Acts 2:38). Repentance is a death to selfish desires and involves total submission to God. We do not die literally, as Jesus did, but we die to our self-will. It is logical that if we are born again, we must first die to the old nature. (See John 3; Acts 17:30.) Just as the brazen altar was the first imposing object encountered in one s approach into the Tabernacle, so is repentance first in our approach to God in this age of grace. Both the spatial arrangement of the altar and the purpose of the altar provide rich typology of the repentance experience. B. A Laver for Washing The laver of water was situated just before the entrance into the Tabernacle. It would be difficult for a person to avoid it in his approach into the wilderness sanctuary. Water baptism is also difficult to miss in the New Testament. It was a consistent practice to baptize converts into the Christian faith in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 8:12, 16; 9:18; 10:48; 19:5; 22:16). Water baptism is our way of associating ourselves with Jesus burial (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27), and it symbolizes and effects the washing away of our sins (Acts 22:16; Titus 3:5). C. A Holy Place for Light, Bread, and Worship The first room of the Tabernacle was called the Holy Place. The three pieces of furniture inside this room can be likened to the Holy Spirit baptism and the devotional life of the person who is born again. The golden lampstand typifies the oil and fire of the Holy Ghost (Exodus 25:6; Matthew 25:1-13; Acts 2:3). The lampstand burned continually and provided light inside the room. Likewise, the Spirit provides illumination for us to understand the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 2:10-16; II Corinthians 3:3). In ancient times, bread was the staple food product. The priest ate the shewbread and received nourishment from its contents. In the New Testament, Jesus declared that He was the Bread of Life (Matthew 26:26; John 6). After being born again we are able to eat the Word of God and from it receive spiritual nourishment (Romans 10:17; I Corinthians 2:13; 10:1-4; Colossians 3:16). The bread was also unleavened and sprinkled with bitter herbs, which symbolizes the unadulterated, uncompromising Word of God and the difficulty of its challenge. The altar of incense could be a type of prayer and worship. God designed the sacred recipe for the spices, and the priest burned incense both morning and evening, emanating a sweet smell throughout the Tabernacle and courtyard. A daily routine of prayer and worship is an important habit for creating a strong Christian life. Working for God is good, but we cannot neglect daily communion with Him (John 4:23; I Thessalonians 5:17; II Timothy 1:3). D. The Holy of Holies for Atonement The Holy of Holies was a square room of approximately fifteen feet, three sides of which consisted of slabs of wood overlaid with gold, and the fourth side was the veil. The ark of the
covenant covered with the mercy seat was situated in the center of this room, which had a dirt floor and a ceiling of embroidered tapestry. It must have been beautiful! The room sat in complete silence until the Day of Atonement. On this day the high priest pushed the veil aside from one side of the Holy Place, and he placed the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat. On this momentous occasion, the innocent blood of the goat atoned for the sins of the people of Israel (Leviticus 16). In the New Testament, the blood of Jesus Christ has become our propitiation (substitute) for sin (Romans 3:25; I John 2:2; 4:10). The veil has now been removed, giving each believer free access to the presence of God (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 6:19-20) where he can receive forgiveness of sins for himself. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:19-22). CONCLUSION Today we are experiencing the fulfillment of the typology of the Tabernacle plan described in the Old Testament. Our approach to God will entail obeying the gospel (II Thessalonians 1:8) the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:1-4). Our obedience will require our own death to our fleshly will in repentance, burial with Christ by water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and being resurrected with Jesus when the Holy Spirit fills us, evidenced by speaking with other tongues (Acts 2:4, 38). Some may say that the Tabernacle is not a shadow of the plan of salvation since the priest went to the laver of water before going to the brazen altar (i.e., baptism before repentance). However, this is the nature of typologies. It is the spatial arrangement and the function of the Tabernacle and its furniture that forms a typology. Types will always have limits of application. An example is the new-birth analogy used by Jesus, which also has limitations. Indeed, we cannot spiritualize all of the physiology of the birthing experience. We should not try to stretch the analogy beyond reasonable limits, nor should we throw it away because not every detail fits perfectly.