The Tabernacle, before the Temple was built, was the place of worship. To understand the Tabernacle, you have to understand what life was like before it was built. God's original plan was to exist with humanity and walk with man on a day to day basis. But the first man sinned and cause a separation between God and man. God can not be around sin for he is holy. But, man without God is hopeless. There is nothing left for man if God was not around. God did not want man to be lost so He allowed a way for man to get the relationship back, worship.
Sin is when we worship our own will (desires) instead of God's. This is what separates us from God. We need a way to bridge the gap. Worship is when we have a relationship with God. To be able to get back that perfect relationship, sin had to be taken away. Sin kills this relationship. Worship helps bring it back. But there is still a separation. Only total atonement for sin can do that. In the OT, it was through sacrifice. But the New Covenant makes Jesus Christ the atonement, or sacrifice.
Eden was God's place on Earth. It was the place that God put His most prized possession, man. It was a place where God went to man to speak with him, to be with him. But Adam sinned. Sin cause man to be thrown out of God's place.
When Adam sinned, he tried to hide his sin by "covering" himself with a fig leaf. This was not good enough. God gave him a new covering; one made with skin of an animal. An animal had to die and the shedding of blood had to happen to cover us completely. Christ died and His blood now covers us. (Genesis 2:25-3:24)
Why blood? Because as in Hebrews 9:22, blood is a life force. When we died through Adam our blood line to God was cut. To get that blood line back, blood (innocent) has to be shed. In the Tabernacle days, it was through a spotless lamb; one without blemish. If they sacrificed an animal that was already dying or defective, what good would it have done? What would it have proven? Sacrificing a pure lamb showed that they could give up something so valuable in order to show their feelings to God. Do not worry, the animal is God's. Rest assured that the lamb was taken cared of. In the New Tabernacle, which is you, we do not have to sacrifice anymore. Christ is the lamb.
Worship involves sacrifice. It costs. When Cain sacrificed his offerings to the Lord he only gave some of it. When Abel sacrificed he gave the first fruits of his labor. He gave the best portions of what he had. Cain did not really sacrifice anything. Abel did. (Genesis 4:1-5) True sacrifice also means we have to be obedient. Obedience sometimes cause us to give up things we desire in order to get the things He desires for us. The bigger the sacrifice the larger act of worship it is. King David said in 1 Chronicles 21:24
- 24 I will not sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.
David knew the real meaning behind worship. Is it any wonder why God had David write all of his Psalms? Worship is the connection that keeps us near to God. It allows us to be close to Him. It brings us back to "Eden", paradise. The Tabernacle was the place for worship. It was ordained by God with specific instructions and emblems. Each emblem had its own purpose and foreshadowed what the Christ would be for us. The Tabernacle was a physical place that was built so that God could exist with man again. But it had to be made holy. Even within the Tabernacle itself there were parts that God would not be present for not all of it was holy.
5 comments:
Wouldn't it be nice if all believers felt the same way?
That's what worship is all about. Sacrifice. Sacrifice of one's self to the creator.
I guess had the lamb not been given to God, it might have been eaten. I like thinking of it your way -- your way it gets to be safe with God. I always wondered why it had to be blood. It seems so cruel, but a lot about this world seems cruel to me. I don't understand why God let evil into the world if he could have prevented it. Why did he put that stupid tree into the garden in the first place? So much goes on that makes no sense to me. This world has so much suffering that could be stopped. Too many bad things happen to good people. Why does it continue? What good can come of letting it continue? Why doens't God just end it if He still cares about us?
I wasn't quite for sure what you were saying at first ANON but now I do. Yes, the lamb's life was not going to end up being anything spectacular anyway. Animals are God's just like we are. Anything that is His...He takes care of.
You ask questions that stupify the smartest of people. The word "why" has to be the largest word in history. One sentence will not answer your heart felt questions. It may take a life time to just begin to understand. But maybe you can take a piece of peace with you each lesson, such as the one with the lamb. For this lesson, remember that God does love us so much that He chose to come here and go through the same things we have gone through. We wonder why there is death and sickness. And ask even sometimes scream at God at why this goes on. We are flesh. Flesh can not enter heaven. The only way to get from here in the flesh to heaven is by shedding the flesh. And since Adam sinned death will not be pleasant. But Christ died too. He went through a painful death to show that even He knows that feeling. Even Jesus on the cross cried out. He Jesus in the Garden pleaded with the Father not to do this. But in reality death is very short. Those in Christ will pass from this life and shed the flesh and become a perfect being. So instead of looking at it as though death is the end, look at it as though death is the beginning.
Letting things continue is giving those who are not accepting Christ time. It may be an act of mercy. Scripture says there is an appointed time for the end. Until that time we must hold on with hope, in all things.
Gozreht said:
Letting things continue is giving those who are not accepting Christ time. It may be an act of mercy. Scripture says there is an appointed time for the end. Until that time we must hold on with hope, in all things.
Are you saying that He does not already know who in the future will or will not accept Jesus , will be saved ? If God was to end things today, He could easily manifest the future souls that would have lived and just usher them on into heaven. Is there an altimate plan or date that He says that not one more person shall be born?
I know, it is so heaven will be fuller , while hell / lake of fire will tripple or more in size. Honestly I don’t think this logic has anything to do with it. Life goes on and on , the sun rises each day and will continue. Although for sure this earth will stop one day.
What keeps things going? …His Love.
Personally I’m not sure it is about you and I as individuals as much as it is about mankind. We are more like exspendable pawns, in a marvelouis chess game between good and evil. This is about what happen in the garden , with Adam, about His number one advisory the devil. He just keeps messing with him. Perhaps mankind will just continue on, it just does not matter. The philosophy of the Blessed Hope is the only one that makes sense to me. It answers all the why questions,
Colossians 1:19-20:
19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Passage Romans 11:32-36:
32For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Passage 1 Corinthians 15:28:
28And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Romans 5:18:
18Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Passage Romans 5:18-19:
18Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Timothy 1:9:
9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
1 Timothy 4:10:
10For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
I like what you said about the word “why”. Keeping things as simple as possible would be nice but really only goes so far. My opinion is this: by trying to answer the why questions theology paints itself into a corner. But it is instinctive, it is natural and very logical to ask the why question. I was brought up to never question God for what happens in one's life. I realize that is not entirely what you are talking about. Although Adam was mentioned some of my why questions are things like, if Adam would have been fully informed of his future and the rest of mankind would he still have chosen to sin?
In some respect it is almost though it was part of God’s predestined view (plan) to make sure Adam failed. If Adam had not failed what story would be told today? Well I guess there would be none! It seems to make sure that failure would be for sure, He even allows the devil to move it along. I think Adam would have screwed up on his own. It probably wasn't even needed, but it makes a better story, doesn’t it? The best human in the world could not stand that test against someone like the devil. (except Jesus) So what is behind it all? Why? What is the real story behind the scene?
Well I think I have a few suggestions.
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