A Picture of Heaven
Notes
Transcript
A Child’s Understanding
A Child’s Understanding
There a series of videos that I have watched online where a leading mind I certain topic is asked to explain that topic at five different levels of understanding. What example would be Talia Gershon who is the senior manager of quantum research at IBM explaining to five different people quantum computing at their respective levels. Those levels were Child, Teen, Undergrad, Grad Student and Professional. It has been a couple years since I watched that particular video and so I watched it again and I was pleased that I understood everything that they were talking about all the way up to the professional level. It's a subject that I've been curious about and I have put some personal time in to study for. But I don't really understand quantum computing, or quantum mechanics for that matter. My understanding is mostly based on analogy and how I compare it to things I already have an understanding in. I'm not convinced that IBM is going to hire me anytime soon. They have these videos available for a myriad of different subjects, including: Astrophysicists explaining gravity, computer security experts explaining hacking, and composers explaining harmony.
Regardless of how well of an understanding I have based upon a 15 minute video online it is still going to be an understanding add a 15 minute video level. If you were to ask people to explain their understanding of the kingdom of God you would have very similar results. You would have those that could have new christians who approach God with very little knowledge to build from, or someone that has matured a little bit in the faith, A spiritual teenager if you will, questioning everything in an effort to fill in the gaps of their understanding. This pattern progresses to preachers and theologians — but even at the highest levels human understanding fails.
Our passage in Hebrews touches on the reason why our understanding is lacking. It's because we fall into that old adage seeing is believing. Can we take things at face value. Not appreciating that there is a spiritual reality that the physical illustrates. If you have your Bibles, please follow along with me in Hebrews 8:1-5
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Our message this morning A Picture of Heaven is the first in our series entitled Better Things.
Let’s Pray
Through a Glass Darkly
Through a Glass Darkly
In 1 Corinthians 13:12 Paul says
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
I always been struck by how compelling this statement is by Paul. That Christian is viewing the things of God in a way that is not quite as clear as we would prefer it to be. When Paul says that he sees through a glass darkly what he's talking about as a mirror. For you and I today when we look at a mirror the image that reflects back is very true to reality, but at the time Paul is writing this a mirror would have been something that gave us a distorted image. As Christians we get an understanding of God's truths but often times the image we see is distorted in a way because we are seeing that image from a human perspective. Our entire frame of reference is the physical world, but what does scripture tell us in John 4:24?
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
In order for us to gain a proper frame of reference and to understand God, we are often given descriptions of God that use physical attributes. The Bible tells us about God's faith in God's arms things like that. But God isn't limited by having a face or arms or hand. How can we really understand that? What frame of reference do we have? Well, The bible is full of references for us to better understand the spiritual reality.
Physical Reality
Physical Reality
Look with me again at Verse 5 of Hebrews 8 as it speaks of the Levitical priesthood
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
In Exodus 25 God is explaining to Moses how the tabernacle should be constructed. I know they were tabernacle threw up too much I really just means the tent that Israel setup and tore down when they came to s stop in their wandering. This tent would eventually be made a permanent structure on the temple mount. But he were talking about the tent that God was to be worshiped in. The construction of the tent was an arbitrary God showed Moses a glimpse of heaven and told Moses that the tabernacle should reflect the glimpse he was given. So God gave Moses instruction verse 40 of Exodus 25.
Exodus 25:40 (KJV 1900)
40 .... look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
As we are given a great glimpse into heaven in the book of Revelation we see analogs to the temple of God:
Temple of God in Heaven
Temple of God in Heaven
Look what Rev 11:19 says:
19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
So we see that the true temple, and even the Ark of the Covenant resides in heaven
Brazen Alter
Brazen Alter
In Rev 6:9 we find another analog
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
The true brazen alter resides in heaven.
Laver
Laver
In Rev 4:6 we read
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
a heavenly reality that the Laver, or wash basin, in the temple pictures
Alter of Incense
Alter of Incense
In Rev 8:4 we find the alter of incense
4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Lamp Stands
Lamp Stands
And one of the most repeatedly referenced objects in the book of revelation are the lampstands.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
And of course we also find the great lampstands in temple on earth.
Religion
Religion
Israel
Israel
It’s not surprising that the temple would be a source of national pride for Israel. The historian Philo said that the temple was “beautiful beyond description” at that travelers to the Holy City would be astonish at how much more beautiful the Jewish temple was in comparison to that of the pagan temples in their home lands.
The temple was a part of daily life for anyone that lived in Jerusalem, towering high above everything else. I remember years ago when Kate and I visited Washington D.C. and we joked that in every picture we took it seemed like off in the distance somewhere would be the Washington Monument. The temple would have been like that. No matter where you were in the city, the presence of the temple would have been unmistakable.
When Jesus and his disciples had left the temple, one of Jesus’ disciples exclaims
Mark 13:1 (KJV 1900)
..... Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
This would have been a scandalous and puzzling statement for any Jewish person to hear.
Priesthood
Priesthood
To have all that framework established we can look at verses 1 and 2 of Hebrews 8.
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Christ is the High Priest not of the copy, but of the true tabernacle.
Miraculous
Miraculous
There are a lot of people in liberal Christian circles who subscribe to what is known as the Moral Influence theory of atonement. What they believe that Christ’s death was primarily to communicate God’s love. That it was put on as a show.
They have part of what they believe right. It was to create a picture for mankind to understand. Just as true as the temple and the sacrifices in the temple were mere pictures of the heavenly reality, so too was the cross.
We looked in Revelation at example after example of the true tabernacle. But one we have yet to mention stands out. Revelation 5 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I guess that probably isn’t saying much, I have a lot of favorite chapters in the Bible. But in Revelation 5 it starts out like this:
1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
There is a lot of figurative language, in this. The book of Revelation is a lot like picture of the tabernacle. We are getting glimpses into a heavenly reality that are beyond our comprehension, and we have to settle for a picture, an interpretation of that reality that fits within our ability to understand.
But when we read the beginning of Revelation 5 we get a real sense of the sorrow and despair John felt at there being none worthy.
But Revelation continues in v5
5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
But look what John see’s when he looks at the Lion of the tirbe of Juda
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
He see’s a lamb as it had been slain. And the angels and the beasts and the elders all sang out:
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
Did you catch that last part? About this lamb as it had been slain who is Him that liveth for ever and ever.
In chapter 7 we were talking about a Christ our Priest after the order of Melchisedec and in vs23-24 of chapter 7 we read
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
It is our priest and the sacrifice made by our priest which is one and the same. The lamb of God who lives for ever and ever and the priest who continues forever because he is not limited by death.
And to understand 1 John 3:16, which you are likely familiar with, is to understand this: When it reads
1 John 3:16 (KJV 1900)
... he laid down his life ...
It doesn’t mean that he was sacrificed by the Jewish people, or by the Roman government. Christ’s death on the cross wasn’t just the agony of a brutal 1st century execution. It was nothing less than the High Priest of the true temple, taking the true lamb and placing it upon the true alter of God in heaven.
In this sacrifice the wrath of God the Father was poured out upon the lamb, the wrath of God owned to you and I was placed upon the sacrifice by the priest. And when the smoke cleared, the lamb stood, victorious over the alter of sacrifice. A worthy atonement.
Truth
Truth
A lot of us live our lives like this, is it. No thought that there is a spiritual reality beyond the existence that we can see with our eyes. I hope that this morning you haven’t fallen for that lie. See, some day you are going to die, and you can take the sum of your life and put it upon the alter of God. You can put your self-righteousness on the alter, you can put your charity work on the alter, you can put your kindness on the alter, you can put your success and your friendships on the alter and you can even put your religion on the alter. But all of those things will burn up just like every sacrifice that was ever burned to picture what would someday come.
Your trust needs to be in the sacrifice of the lamb who was slain but stands still.
If you have any question as to where you have put your trust. I ask today that you don’t let that question go unanswered. If you are watching from home you can send me a message on the churches page and I will get back to you quickly and privately and if you are here today, you can grab right after we close the service.
I’d love to see you commit your life to Christ, or make a decision to join the church, but if you just have questions and you want to know more I would love to talk to you as well.
Let’s Pray