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The heart
of the Good News is that Messiah Yeshua died for
our sins. This sounds strange to many people today,
including my Jewish people. You see, two thousand
years ago the Temple (which replaced the original
Mishkan - the Tabernacle) was destroyed and the
sacrifices ceased. Over those long centuries we
lost the understanding of their significance and
great importance. The New Testament would have
much greater impact if more people understood
Temple worship, the sacrifices and the priests
who offered them! Immediately after Israel was
saved from slavery in Egypt, God instructed the
Jewish people to build the Mishkan. "Mishkan"
comes from the Hebrew root Shachan, which means
"to dwell" or "to abide."
We get other Hebrew words from this same root,
like "neighbor" and "neighborhood."
In spite of the Fall of Man, and our resulting
alienation from the Holy God, He still wanted
to dwell among us! He wanted to be a close and
good neighbor! So the Holy God instructed the
Holy People to build a Holy Place where He could
continue to manifest His glorious Dwelling Presence
on Earth. The Mishkan was a Tent with two rooms.
The inner room was the Most Holy Place, where
the Sh'chee-nah - the glorious Dwelling Presence
of God (Sh'chee-nah comes from the same root -
Shachan - to dwell) was manifested in a cloud
that hovered over the Ark. On top of the Ark was
the Ark Cover, adorned with two Cherubim, their
wings touching each other. From above the Ark
Covering the Creator would most fully manifest
His Dwelling Presence on Earth. Inside the Ark
were the Two Tablets of the Ten Commandments,
along with Aaron's Rod that budded, and the Golden
Jar with Manna. The Two Tablets tell us that the
God of Israel is a God of law and justice. His
laws are of central importance to Him. If we are
going to have any kind of genuine relationship
with the Judge of the whole Earth, it will only
happen on the basis of His laws. We must come
to Him on His terms - not ours. His demands must
be met - not bypassed. If you violate God's laws,
ignore them, or attempt to circumvent them, you
will not dwell near God. It's that simple. The
Golden Jar with Manna reminds us that God would
supernaturally provide for His people - even in
a desert wilderness. Aaron's Rod that budded tells
us that we need a God-appointed, God-ordained
mediator to approach God for us. Man in his fallen
state cannot come before the Dwelling Presence
of God directly. Sin has damaged us too deeply.
We may not approach Him directly, and we may not
simply appoint anyone we please. Outside the Most
Holy Place was the Holy Place. In it was a Table
for the Bread of God's Presence. The Table and
Bread speak of God's fellowship and provision.
God will provide for the spiritual and physical
needs of His people. Eating around a table has
always represented sharing and friendship. The
God of Israel wants to be intimate with us, sharing
in our lives, as with the closest of friends!
Also in the Holy Place was the seven-branched
Menorah, which gave light for the priests to serve
the Lord. It tells us that God is the fullness
of truth, wisdom, purity, victory and salvation.
The Golden Altar of Incense was also in the Holy
Place. Every morning and evening fragrant spices
were burned on it, ascending upward to Heaven,
symbolizing God welcoming the prayers and praises
of His people. Outside the Holy Place was the
Court, in which was the Bronze Altar. Israel drew
near to God through the various kinds of sacrifices
that were offered on the Altar. The Bronze Washbasin
was also in the Court. It was used to wash the
priests, so that they would be clean as they served
God and His people.
Limited
Access To God's Presence
The Mishkan
was designed to enable God to manifest His Dwelling
Presence on Earth. However, there were various
levels of access to God for various groups of
people. Israelis could enter the Court, but only
the priests could enter the Holy Place. Only the
High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place (and
only on Yom Kippur). The lesson is that mankind,
in our fallen, sinful state, may not approach
the Dwelling Presence of God directly. We may
only draw near to Him through the work of God-appointed,
God-ordained mediators.
The
Priests
The Holy
God wanted a Holy People. They lived in a Holy
Land, which had a Holy City. Within that Holy
City was a Holy House, in which was a Holy Place
and a Most Holy Place. Serving in the Holy House
were Holy Priests, mediators who brought the Holy
God closer to unholy men and women, and who brought
unholy men and women closer to the Holy God. A
Holy Priesthood needed to be covered with Holy
Garments - special, beautiful clothing. The clothing
of the High Priest included a Breastplate, which
was a square piece of beautiful material, with
twelve precious stones, representing the twelve
tribes of Israel. The Breastplate was placed on
the front of the Ephod, which was a short, close-fitting
jacket. The Ephod also had two onyx stones, which
were placed on its shoulder pieces. The names
of six tribes were carved on each onyx stone.
When the High Priest wore the Ephod and Breastplate
near his heart, the Lord saw the stones, and remembered
His love, His promises and His covenants with
Israel. In the Breastplate were the Ureem and
Tumeem, the "Lights and Perfections."
They were used to receive guidance from the Lord.
We are not exactly sure what they were - whether
they were the same as the Breastplate with the
twelve precious stones, or something distinct
from them. Under the Ephod, the High Priest wore
a beautiful Blue Robe. The Robe had a hem of golden
bells interspersed with woven pomegranates of
blue, scarlet and purple material. When the High
Priest served in the Holy Place, the bells made
their sounds; nothing secret or strange would
take place, and the Lord would not kill the High
Priest. As the bells made their delightful sounds,
the Lord heard what the High Priest was doing,
and was pleased with his service. The High Priest
wore a turban with a gold plate on it. The gold
plate was inscribed with the words, "Kodesh
l'Adonai - Holy to the Lord." The meaning
is that the head of the priest and, by implication,
the whole priest - was set apart to accomplish
God's purposes. Since the High Priest was holy
to the Lord, God would accept him; and since the
High Priest represented the nation, the Lord therefore
accepted all Israel as well. Ordinary priests
were clothed with tunics, sashes, caps, and linen
undergarments. Under the New Covenant, Messiah
Yeshua is our High Priest. He is a perfect priest
in every way. He was and is perfectly holy to
the Lord. He always received perfect guidance
from His Father. He is clothed with the garments
of salvation, and the robes of righteousness.
He is our ultimate Representative and Mediator.
He carries us on His heart into the presence of
God. If we are joined to Messiah, the Father sees
the Son, and love and accepts Him; and because
we are joined to Messiah, and are bone of His
bone, and flesh of His flesh, God sees us and
accepts us and remembers us with love and mercy!
Under the New Covenant, every Messianic Believer
is a priest. We are mediators who bring human
beings closer to God, and bring God closer to
human beings. A priest needs to be prepared for
this great task. He needs to wear the right clothing.
Are you clothed with the beautiful garments of
salvation, and the robes of righteousness? Is
the way you conduct yourself worthy of that high
calling? Does it reflect something of the glory
of the Messiah, something of the beauty of God?
Priests needed to be made holy before they began
their life of service, and there were several
ways to make them holy. They had to be washed
with water, clothed with their beautiful clothes,
their heads anointed with oil (a symbol of the
presence of God), so that they were serving with
God's blessing and the power of the Holy Spirit.
In addition to the oil, the blood of a ram was
put on the priests' right earlobes, so that their
ears would be dedicated to the Lord, so they could
hear God and obey. Are your ears dedicated to
God? Can you hear Him communicating to you? The
blood was put on their right thumbs, so that their
hands might be dedicated to serving God. Are you
serving Him? Are you doing something, anything,
for Him? The blood was put on the big toes of
their right feet, that they might walk with God,
and live according to His ways. Are you walking
with God, living according to His ways? Blood
and anointing oil was also sprinkled on the priests,
because blood and oil cleansed, sanctified, and
enabled them to fulfill God's purposes. Are you
sprinkled with the blood of Messiah? Have you
experienced the atonement He provided? Are you
indwelt by the Holy Spirit, empowered to serve
the Living God? Have you been washed by the waters
of baptism? Do you continue to be washed by the
cleansing that comes from exposure to the Word
of God? The Mishkan (and the Temple which replaced
it), no longer exists. Everything that was once
in it is missing or destroyed. The priests are
no longer serving there. But both the Mishkan
and its various items were designed to point to
and be fulfilled in a greater way through the
Messiah. The Son of God is the Substance to which
these Shadows pointed, and He remains! Messiah
is our Temple, where God most fully manifests
His Dwelling Presence among human beings. He enables
us to become part of the Temple of God! Messiah
is our Ark, the place where God and man meet.
Aaron's Rod that budded points to Yeshua, the
one and only God-appointed Mediator between God
and man. The Two Tablets point to Yeshua, who
kept the Law, and enables us to fulfill it. The
Jar of Manna tells us that Messiah can miraculously
provide for all the needs of His followers. The
Veil represents Messiah's body. When Yeshua died,
the Veil was torn in two from top to bottom, making
the way into God's presence accessible for all
mankind. The Son of God is like the Table: He
will meet all of our needs, and have fellowship
and intimate friendship with us. He is our Golden
Altar, enabling our prayers to rise up and ascend
into the presence of God, and be accepted by Him.
He is our Golden Menorah, who gives us blazing
light, total victory, the fullness of salvation,
and the knowledge of God! He is our Bronze Altar,
where the Ultimate Sacrifice - He Himself, was
offered, drawing us close to God. Like the Bronze
Washbasin, Messiah cleanses us so that we may
serve God with purity. He is our High Priest,
who makes us into a kingdom of priests, giving
each one of us skills and abilities that bring
God closer to men and women, and bring men and
women closer to God! |
