Spiritual Pattern Part 3

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

INTRODUCTION

Good evening, Southpointe we are in to this study on The Wilderness Tabernacle. (show the picture for tabernacle)

We have talked about the sockets: (show the picture of the sockets)

We know that the sockets are the foundation of the gospel, being that are represents the blood of Jesus Christ.

(show the picture of the boards)

And how the boards represents man who are to be used in the ministry. And those boards are cut down, dried up, cleansed, clothed and that fit firmly together.

(show the picture of cross bars)

These strong bars encircled the golden boards like the arms of the Almighty God.

These bars keep them straight on the foundation and close to one another.

Every board had three rings, through which the bars ran thru. Like each believer has a threefold connection with the keeping power of God: Faith, Hope, and Love.

Now let’s get started on the setting up of the tabernacle.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

So if I understand this right: The tabernacle was set up on New Year’s day.

It was a new beginning for them, because there was now to be a new order of things.

You see, everything had to be set up and put in order before the God of Glory could come and make His abode with them.

And it is still the same today!!

All we are and have must be set up before God if we would want to have the mighty filling of His Holy Spirit.

And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.

You see, not one vessel could go away and not be holy and it would hinder the divine indwelling.

But when all is given up to God and everything is set in order before Him, He will fulfill His Word and manifest His Presence.

It is always a new start when God comes by His Spirit and possesses the Temple of our body.

When the glory of His Presence filled the Tabernacle every vessel, curtain, board, and pin were sanctified and make holy.

Can we see the need to set things up, get things in order for His Holy Spirit to dwell in us.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him.

Look at this:

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.

Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!

Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.

Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

So this bring forward some very important things about setting up, In the tabernacle, every vessels, altar, furniture, garments, had to be cleanse, so the Presence of God should live in the tabernacle.

Again let me say this: Everything had to be set up and put in order before the God of Glory could come and make His abode with them.

Now let’s at the main purpose of the Tabernacle was not set up as beautiful temple for people to just look at. But as a sanctuary, a holy place for God.

You see, one vessel unconsecrated would hinder the divine indwelling.

This tabernacle was God’s House. And this is what every Christian is to be God’s House.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

We as Christian have been set up upon the sure foundation, not that we might be saved only, but that we might become the habitation of God.

This is what I want you to see tonight, There’s three parts in man. the body, soul, and spirit.

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

You can see, Spirit, soul and body, We are made in the imagine of God and these is the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

So let’s look at the Tabernacle has three courts, the outer, the holy, and the most holy.

Just as there are three parts in man, the body, soul, and spirit.

It is in the inmost court that the Spirit of God dwells. If God has possession of our spirit, then all else will be committed to Him.

Now listen to this this tent in the wilderness was to be a witness, just like the Church of God, it was a witness in the wilderness to the reality, power, mercy, and holiness of God.

But the question must be asked, What constituted it a witness?

The presence of God!!

Until God possessed it, it was no witness for Him. So I think that we have the secret of true witness bearing. We can only be witnesses for God in the proportion as we are filled with God.

You see, it is not you the world needs, it is the God that’s in you.

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

If the Holy Ghost is not filling us our testimony is nothing but empty foolish talk.

But if the Holy Ghost is living in us than:

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

Now let’s move on to the coverings on the tabernacle.

Show the picture of the tabernacle coverings

"Make the Tabernacle from ten curtains of finely woven linen. Decorate the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.

These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide.

The coverings of the Tabernacle were four in number, each one different from the other.

Many say that this represent four different views or aspects of the character and work of Jesus Christ, like the four gospels, each one recording about Jesus but in a different view.

For instance: In the badger’s skin covering we see in Matthew’s gospel Christ as the King in disguise.

In the covering of rams’ skin dyed red we have in Mark’s gospel Christ as the suffering Servant.

In the third covering of goats’ hair (white) we see the gospel of Luke Christ as the Son of Man, pure and holy, obedient and pleasing to God.

And then in the fourth covering of fine-twined linen, we recognize in the gospel of John Christ the Son of God, and the image of the Invisible one.

So we are going to break a couple of them down separately tonight:

The covering of Fine-twined Lined

Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

This covering was blue, scarlet, and purple with cherubim interwoven. It was in ten pieces, this is a reference to the ten commandments.

This covering was laid over the golden boards and formed the roof of the house, and it was called the covering of the Tabernacle.

Christ is exhibited in all the perfection of His glorious character.

Let’s look at the color and cherubim

a. Blue

This points our eyes to the heavens. Blue remind us of Christ’s divinity.

b. Scarlet

Scarlet color put us to looking down and thinking about red earth, which man was made from. So this point out that Christ is the Son of God but He is also the Son of Man. He got hungry, tired, and He cried tears, Christ was truly a human.

c. Purple

This was a new color where they mixed together blue and the scarlet. The union of these two colors forms a third and distinct one.

Christ is divine, Christ is human, and Christ is both in one distinct Person.

So in that we see Christ as the Mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

d. Cherubim

This signify that He is Lord over the angels.

2. The covering of Goats’ Hair

And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

This covering was pure white and was laid over and rested on the first one of fine-twined linen.

Many believe that this represents the spotless holiness of the man Christ Jesus. Who else would be fit to come into contact with and even to rest on the holiness and righteousness of God.

But this curtain may suggest to us the character and privilege of the believer.

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Because we are made white through the blood of the Lamb!

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Purity only can have communion with divinity:

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Or who shall ascend into this holy hill of privilege?

Who shall stand in this holy place?

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

We know that the divinity of Christ is a holy, devouring fire. Who shall dwell with it?

And I said to him, "Sir, you are the one who knows." Then he said to me, "These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

"That is why they stand in front of God's throne and serve Him day and night in His Temple. And He who sits on the throne will give them shelter.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.