Christ in the Old Testament 2

Life Of Christ Teachers Guide

Review - We are studying the greatest picture of Christ in the Old Testament; The Tabernacle. God gave designed the tabernacle as a place where men could meet with God. It was portable and durable, while they wandered in the wilderness, and in fact up until the time of Solomon ( about 480 years.) What we have so far is a structure made of wood 15 feet high the sides are 45 feet long and a 15 foot rear wall with an open front. Over the top of this was placed four coverings.

1. Fine twined linen (White with blue, purple, scarlet, with cheribums)

2. Goats hair

3. Rams skins dyed red

4. Badgers skin

We covered, no pun intended, the veil which seperated the holy place from the most holy place. The colors are about the same as the ceiling, Its symbolism - baisically the same as the ceiling. The wooden pillars (Four of them) covered in gold, Christ deity and humanity, The colors, Sockets of silver- the blood of Christ our foundation,

And the most important one I did not mention last time the Veil represents Christ himself

Heb 10:19-20

(19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

(20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

The screen would cover the East opening. It was made of Blue purple and scarlet and fine twined linen, wrought with needle work. (probably something like stripes or checks.) On Five wooden pillars covered with gold, on brass sockets.

I studied a little more indepth about this brass. Here is what the ISBE says-

"The use of the word brass has always been more or less indefinite in its application. At the present time the term brass is applied to an alloy of copper and zinc or of copper, zinc and tin. The word translated “brass” in the King James Version would be more correctly rendered bronze, since the alloy used was copper and tin (Exo_27:4). In some passages however copper is meant (Deu_8:9), as bronze is an artificial product. This alloy was known in Egypt in at least 1600 bc. It was probably known in Europe still earlier (2000 bc), which helps to answer the question as to the source of the tin. Bronze was probably of European origin and was carried to Egypt. At a later period the Egyptians made the alloy themselves, bringing their copper from Sinai, Cyprus or northern Syria (see COPPER), and their tin from the Balkan regions or from Spain or the British Isles (see TIN). When the Children of Israel came into the promised land, they found the Canaanites already skilled in the making and use of bronze instruments. This period marked the transition from the bronze age to the iron age in Palestine Museums possessing antiquities from Bible lands have among their collections many and varied bronze objects. Among the most common are nails, lamps, hand mirrors, locks, cutting instruments, etc."

We also covered the candle stick and the table of shewbread.

The candlestick was one peice of beaten gold it had six branches (3 in sets of two) with the seventh on the shaft. Each branch had 3 bowls made like almonds with a knop and a flower. (Might be better to picture a bud bursting into bloom making bowls made of flower petals,) Was placed on the south side Only light in the tabernacle

Gold symbolises the deity of Christ, Light of the World, And purity of Christ

The Table of shewbread was a wooden table covered in gold three feet long, 1& 1/2 feet wide and 2&1/4 feet high borders of gold, rings and staves, and dishes .

This was placed on the North side in the holy place directly across from the Candle Stick

Any questions on last lesson?

Today we want to finish up the furniture if we can.

C. The Golden censor Altar of Incense (Ex. 30:1-10)Fig D

1. Made of wood 21 inches wide and 3 feet 6 inches high covered in gold

A. The tallest peice of furniture in the holy place according to MR Dehann.

2. It had horns (on which blood was placed on day of Atonement) and a border

3. Rings and staves

4. Had a censer (pan in which the incense would be burned)

A. Incense ONLY was burned on this altar

B. Was to be burning continually

5. Placed directly in front of the veil.

A. By the Ark means they would have been facing each other except for the veil inbetween.

1. We haven't covered the ark yet but they would work together in a unique way as we'll see later.

B. Would have been the first thing you seen when you walked into the holy place. Was in the center of the veil. With the Candlestick on the south side and the table of shewbread on the north side.

6. Was the last peice of furntiture placed in the holy place

Symbolic of Christ in many ways. This incense represented the prayers of the people ascending to heaven. So in like manner it would symbolise Christ praying for us. His incense rising constantly before God.

Heb 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.

“The nature of the apostle’s arguments,” says Dr. Macknight, “requires that, by Christ’s always living, we understand his always living in the body; for it is thus that he is an affectionate and sympathizing High Priest, who, in his intercession, pleads the merit of his death to procure the salvation of all who come unto God through him. Agreeably to this account of Christ’s intercession, the apostle, in Heb_7:27, mentions the sacrifice of himself, which Christ offered for the sins of the people as the foundation of his intercession. Now, as he offered that sacrifice in heaven, Heb_8:2, Heb_8:3, by presenting his crucified body there, (See Heb_8:5), and as he continually resides there in the body, some of the ancients were of opinion that his continual intercession consists in the continual presentation of his humanity before his Father, because it is a continual declaration of his earnest desire of the salvation of men, and of his having, in obedience to his Father’s will, made himself flesh, and suffered death to accomplish it. See Rom_8:34 (note), note 3. This opinion is confirmed by the manner in which the Jewish high priest made intercession for the people on the day of atonement, and which was a type of Christ’s intercession in heaven. He made it, not by offering of prayers for them in the most holy place, but by sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices on the mercy-seat, in token of their death. And as, by that action, he opened the earthly holy places to the prayers and worship of the Israelites during the ensuing year; so Jesus, by presenting his humanity continually before the presence of his Father, opens heaven to the prayers of his people in the present life, and to their persons after the resurrection.”

Charles Wesley Wrote -

2. He ever lives above,

For me to intercede,

His all redeeming love

His precious blood to plead;

His blood atoned for all our race,

And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

3. Five bleeding wounds he bears,

Received on Calvary

They pour effectual prayers,

They strongly speak for me;

"Forgive him, O Forgive" they cry

"Nor let that ransomed sinner die!"

4. The Father hears him pray,

His dear Annointed One;

He cannot turn away

The presence of his Son;

His Spirit answeres to the blood,

And tells me I am born of God

D. The Ark of the Covenant and Mercy Seat Ex 25:10-22

1. Was the first article in the plans, and only peice of furniture taken into the temple made by Solomon from the tabernacle.

2.Made of wood

A. An oblong chest 3 3/4 feet long , 2 1/4 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high

3. Overlaid with gold inside and outside

4. Crown of gold on top similar to table of shewbread

5. Rings and staves

A. The Ark was never to be touched because

6. Tables of the covenant, placed inside

A. Symbol of the law which the children of Isreal had broken.

7. Placed on top of this was the Mercy Seat A. A slab of pure gold covering the chest.

B. On this stood two cheribum.

1. One on each side facing down.

A. Guarding the law but yet looking away from the glory of God.

B. The Shekina rested between the chribums. (This probably gave light in the Holy of holies)

C. This is where the priest every year would place the blood from the sacrifice which was burnt in the courtyard.

1. So the law which brought death was covered by the mercy seat and the blood.

D. Was placed in the Holy of Holies. Behind the Veil

The symbolisim -

· Gold and wood - Deity and Humanity

· Crown of Gold - The ark had a golden crown crowns are for kings. Showed Christ as king, As the Sovering, and the Absolute Potentate

The Mercy Seat. Is symbolic of Christ in his Atonement.

Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The Word PROPITIATION - Latin and brings into its English use the atmosphere of heathen rites for winning the favor, or averting the anger, of the gods.In Septuagint hilastḗrion is the term for the “mercy-seat” or “lid of the ark” of the covenant which was sprinkled with blood on the Day of Atonement. It is employed in exactly this sense in Heb_9:5, where later versions have in the margin “the propitiatory.”

Elsewhere in the New Testament this form is found only in Rom_3:25,

So we see Christ our Propitaiton is Our MERCY SEAT, standing between us and the law. Covering us by the blood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Num 7:89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

Compare with

Joh 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

Joh 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

B. The Laver - Directly in view from the door of the tabernacle . The circle in the diagram. (Point out) You will find the description Ex 20:17-21

A. The Bible doesn't give alot of the specifics of what this looked like. Probably a circular vase or basin.

B. It had two parts the foot or pedestal and the actual basin(Which could have been a spout which let the water flow out of the basin. It was customary to wash their hands or feet by pouring water upon them.

C. It was for washing purposes only, and only for the priests.

1. That they die not. (be struck dead for impurity)

D. Was placed between the entrance of the tabernacle and the Altar.

E. Was made of brass or bronze.

Here we see Christ as the Fountain opened in the house of David, for sin and for uncleanness.

2 The Brazen Altar - Exodus 27:1-8

Would bee the first article the sinner passing thru the eastern gate of the courtyard would see.

A. Made of wood covered with brass (bronze)

B. 7 1/2 feet wide and 4 1/2 feet tall Square

C. Horns were actually part of the altar not just added to it.

D. Had pans (pots) for the ashes, Basins, for the blood, Flesh hooks, for adjusting the pieces, fire pans or snuff dishes.

E. Would have been hallow.

1. It has been thought that when they stopped to camp it would be filled with earth and then the sacrifice place on top.

F. Rings and Staves

The word altar signifies "to lift up" this points to the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ of which He himself declared , "And I, If I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32)

It stood in the way of the tabernacle, you must go by the altar go by the blood to enter into God, so it is you must go by the Cross of Christ to get to God.

The Horns made of brass on the altar are symbolic of power again and again they are used in this sense. We see the Cross of Christ of great power. Paul says in Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth...

One last interesting note. Take your diagram of the tabernacle and hold it so that it looks like this (hold yours up) Show the cross.

Now lets take a look at the courtyard - Exodus 27:9-18

· A rectangle 150 feet long and 75 wide

· Sides (North & South )were to have twenty pillars made with sockets of brass (bronze) West side had 10 sockets

· Between pillars were fillets {FILLETED “fillay“ - to be attached to} of silver most likely bars between pillars on which to hang the curtains with hooks made of silver

· White curtains most likely of fine twined linen hung about the North and South and West walls.

· The East side had 6 pillars 3 on each side of the gate

· The gate was in the center of the East side was 30 feet wide

· Made of a curtain of blue, and purple, and scarlet, as well as fine twined linen.

· Was placed on four pillars with sockets

· One commentator thought that you would enter the gate by pulling on ropes to pull up the curtain. It was not a gate that swung on hinges. That would be nearly impossible with the type of set up.

· It encircled the tabernacle and the camp of the Isrealites would surround this.

The Twelve Tribes were to camp each one by their standard

A standard was like a banner or flag.

According to Rabbinical tradition,

Judah- Lion

Reuben - Likeness of a man

Ephraim - Ox

Dan - Eagle

1. This represented 4 creatures described by Ezekiel.

Opposite to the tabernacle and some distance away

Three tribes camped side by side and united under one banner

This formed four large camps or divisions

1. Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon on the East side (Num 2)

2. Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the South side

3. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin on the West side

4. Dan Asher, and Naphtali on the North Side

Between the Courtyard and the camps the Levites and Aaron and Moses camped.

The Levites on 3 sides North, South , & West.

Moses and Aaron on the East.