Lesson
4
From
the Tabernacle to the Cross
VIII. From the
Tabernacle to the Cross
The Apostle Paul in
all of his writings continually reminds the church of the power of Christ and of
the cross of Christ, as we find written in Galatians 6:14, "But God forbid
that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the
world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." Paul knew the power of
the cross, he has told us in the book of Hebrews 7:19, that the law made
nothing perfect, but the bringing in of the better hope did, by the which we
draw nigh unto God. Again in Galatians 3:24 he says, "Wherefore the law
was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by
faith." The Apostle Paul knew what the mission and the object of the law
was, he knew that the things shown to Moses in the mount were to be his example
by the pattern given unto him by the Lord and all that he built, all that he
did was to point the people of Israel to the one who was to come, even Jesus.
The prophets were able
by the Holy Ghost to look into the future and by the spirit of prophecy see the
suffering of Christ, the cross and the glory that was to follow. I Peter
1:10-12. Isaiah gives us a minute description of his birth, Isaiah 9:6, his
rejection, etc. Isaiah 53, and the preaching of Isaiah had to coincide with
that which the law portrayed in silent picture form, and one of the many
pictures that the tabernacle in the wilderness built by Moses portrays is the
cross.
In the court we find
the brazen altar, the first object approached by the priest as he started in
the holy place. We then see the brazen laver between the altar and the door of
the tabernacle. Upon entering into the holy place note
the golden candlestick with its seven branches on one side of the tabernacle.
Directly opposite the golden candlesticks on the other side of the tabernacle,
is the table of shewbread and back of these in the center of the tabernacle, in
front of the veil, is the golden altar of incense.
Look at the furniture
in the outer court and in the holy place. Every piece of furniture, is a
witness of death. Death at the altar, for at the brazen altar one dies to sin,
at the brazen laver one is baptized into his death and buried with him by
baptism. At the golden candlestick, which was the light of the tabernacle, even
this spells death for it was light on God's Word that killed our tradition and
unbelief. The table with its shewbread which represents the word of God, also
pointed to death. For Paul said, "the letter," (word) killeth,"
and the altar of incense (a type of prayer. Psalm 141:2) also points to death,
for when man approaches God through prayer, he has to die to self and the flesh.
Approach the tabernacle with its ordinances,
furniture, coverings, with the thought in mind, that it is a schoolmaster to
bring man to Christ, and that through the law, which is a figure of things in
heaven (not only on earth through the church dispensation), but a figure of
things in heaven, Hebrews 9:23, 24. The tabernacle and its plan was gven to
teach heavenly things.