Patterns

The title of this week's Sabbath reading, Va-yakheil/l'kudei, from Exodus chapters 35 through 40, and additional readings from the First and Second Books of Kings. This reading portion is a combination of two usually individual portions. The titles mean "and he assembled" and "accounting of". The reading portions cover the building of the items needed for the tabernacle, and then its assembly, and the building and assembly of Solomon's temple, which was established centuries later. Not only are the houses of God assembled, but there is an accounting for every item, and for every donation to the work. In Ex. 38:21, 24-31, a detailed accounting and inventory was made for all of the furnishings of the tabernacle by Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest, and for every talent weight (kikar/karar - a round weight or coin/a circular dance or leap of exultation) and shekel of gold, silver, and bronze used in the tabernacle, and for every item made from those metals, down to the smallest hooks, sockets and pegs. Nothing of the giving of God's people was overlooked or considered unimportant before the LORD. Nothing went unaccounted for. Jesus also told a parable of a returning master requiring his servants to make a strict accounting for the talents that had been given to them. Those who were found faithful with the talents given to them were rewarded with rulership and greater responsibility. Those who made a poor accounting of the talents given to them were removed from the presence of the master, and cast into outer darkness. Jesus said that there will be a similar accounting required when "the Son of man comes in His glory..." (Mt. 25:14-30). To me, the strict accounting not only recognizes the precious giving of God's people, but also applies to financial integrity in the house of God, and to the spiritual fruit that God expects to come from each of our lives, according to the opportunities that He places before us. There are some other things that we should keep in mind as we see the houses of God established: There was not a house of God, nor will there ever be, that is not based upon the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Secondly, each house of God carries a prophetic message or promise as a revelation for God's people. Thirdly, each prophetic revelation is more glorious than the previous as spoken by Haggai the prophet: "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine', says the LORD of hosts. 'The glory of this latter temple/house shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place, I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts." (Hag. 2:8-9). Three times in these two verses, the LORD repeats His name as "the LORD of hosts" (Yehovah sabaot), meaning the LORD of the heavenly armies that go to war and do battle at His command. Repeating this name three times here means that the LORD is placing special emphasis on the fact that He will go to war to secure this promise regarding His latter house. The word "hosts" (sabaot) also refers to those who serve the LORD in His sacred tent. This is the priesthood, to which we are also called (Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 1 Pet. 2:9-10). The apostle Paul also wrote of the increasing glory of each believer (2 Cor. 4:18). The LORD's reference in the above verse to the silver and gold belonging to Him is part of the "accounting" that God demands, as we will see later. Let's see some examples of the revelation of Jesus Christ as the foundational principle for the tabernacle of Moses. His presence is in a sacrificial form in every piece of furniture, and in every offering to be brought. This pattern of the heavenly things, and the all-important prophetic promise of the Son of God to come, was revealed to us centuries before the tabernacle of Moses when Abraham offered his own son, Isaac, the inheriting son of promise, to God on Mt. Moriah (Gen. 22:1-18). The promise of the Son of sacrifice, Jesus, is in the acacia/shittim wood from which most of the furnishings of the tabernacle are made. A friend reminded me the other day of the depth of meaning of "acacia/shittim" wood: shittem/sotet - "hard ebony wood having bark covered with dark thorns, scourging thorns/to flog, a whip, to pierce". We can see the sacrifice of Christ in the meaning of the Hebrew words, as He was scourged with whips, and pierced with thorns for our spiritual and physical healing Isa. 53:5, 1 Pet. 2:24). In regard to the tabernacle, those who were harvesting and preparing the shittim wood for use there were no doubt pierced and bloody from the thorns on its bark also. The acacia or shittim wood was also used to construct both the uprights and the cross pieces to support the sides of the tabernacle. There were five uprights on each of the two sides. (Ex. 36:31-34). Even though these acacia/shittim bars were just used for supports, God commanded them to be covered with gold. They were precious in His sight for a reason: these supports for the tabernacle formed the pattern of three complete crosses on one side of the tabernacle, and three crosses on the other side. Jesus was crucified with two other men, so there were three crosses erected on Calvary/Golgotha. The pattern becomes very clear for us to see. Future Sabbath readings will show that once the tribes of Israel were encamped around the completed tabernacle, a cross was formed, with the bottom leg longer. The water of the laver constructed from shittim wood, was used to wash the hands and feet of the priests before they served God in the tabernacle (Ex. 30:18-21, 40:30-32): "...for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it...lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them...throughout their generations." As another student of scripture mentioned to me, the bronze that covered the shittim wood of the laver was made of bronze mirrors owned by the women (Ex. 38:8). These mirrors, or looking glasses, have a very deep meaning in the Hebrew. It is the word mara/mare/ra'a, meaning "vision, mode of revelation, visions sent by God/look upon, countenance, pattern, supernatural vision/behold, look upon, consider, appear, seer, discern, to look on another". What revelation did God want His priests to "see" every time they washed their hands and feet in the mirrored laver? The prophet Zechariah wrote: "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look upon Me whom they pierced. Yes they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn...In that day a fountain shall be opened...for sin and for uncleanness." (Zech. 12:10, 13:1). After the Passover meal on the night He was arrested, Jesus poured water into a basin and washed His disciples' feet (Jn. 13:3-5). The apostle Paul wrote about a "mirror" revelation also: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding, as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. 3:18). Even the Shroud of Turin carries the tabernacle revelation of the mirror, because the image of Christ that it carries is a mirror, or reversed, image. The solid gold lamp of the tabernacle also represents Jesus, Who said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (Jn. 8:12). In order for the lamp in the tabernacle to give light, it was kept filled with the oil of olives that would have been crushed and bruised for their oil. Isaiah 53:5 says that the Servant of God who would offer His innocent life for our sins and transgressions was "...bruised (daka - break, crush (down), bruise) for our iniquities...". These are just a few examples of the essential prophetic revelation and promise of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ given to God's people through this tabernacle. There isn't room enough here to go into all of the many powerful representations of the sacrificed Christ that were revealed in the tabernacle. This revelation of the tabernacle was given to us in the Book of Exodus, which means "the way or road out of", and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest exodus ever provided to God's people - the only exodus available from the destructive power of sin, death, and eternal darkness (see Jn. 14:6, 1 Pet. 2:9-10). I am so very thankful that the mercy of God provided this exodus for me, and for all who will see and take it. After the tabernacle was established, the cloud of the LORD descended and the tabernacle was filled with the glory of the LORD so that Moses could not enter it (Ex. 40:34-35). Moses had been in the presence of the LORD many times, until his face shone with the glory of it, but Moses could not be in the glory that filled the tabernacle, so great was this glory. The children of Israel would camp when that cloud stood still over the tabernacle, and move on, following the cloud, when it lifted from the tabernacle - the cloud by day, and the fire by night "in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys." (v. 36-38). In the Book of Revelation, it is revealed that there are those who are noted as special, with "His Father's name written on their foreheads": "...These are the ones who follow the Lamb (Jesus) wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." (Rev. 14:4). Israel followed the glory of God. Now let us go from the tabernacle to the temple built by King Solomon, which is also included in this week's Sabbath reading. This temple brought the first-time revelation of a connection of both a King and kingdom with the house of God. King David designed the temple (see 1 Chron. 28:5-21), and his son, Solomon, completed the work his father commanded him to do . This temple also had a new purpose as a house of prayer for all who come to it, and as a place where the judgments of God could be alleviated with repentance and prayer. This new purpose was prayed, led and consecrated by the king, based on visitations of the LORD to him (2 Chron. 6:19-42, 7:7, 12-16). However, with kingly privilege also came kingly responsibility. The LORD warned Solomon that if he turned to other gods, the LORD would reject this imposing temple, and its resulting desolation would become a sign to all people (2 Chron. 19-22). A temple is worthless without the presence and glory of God. The LORD wants His people to see the patterns established by His house, and if we have ignored the revelation of the pattern, we can repent and go back. The house is supposed to speak something important to us (Ezek. 43:10-11). This temple of Solomon's was different from the pattern of the tabernacle. The tabernacle had one golden lamp, but the temple had ten. The tabernacle had one bronze laver, but the temple had ten. The temple of Solomon also had a new item, not seen before. It had a huge, round bronze basin resting on twelve bronze oxen, and it held an estimated 12,000-17,000 gallons of water, based upon the described volume of "two thousand baths". This large bronze basin was called "the Sea" (1 Kings 7:23-26, 38, 49). Jewish rabbis write that they believe that this huge bronze basin represented the whole world, and the twelve oxen were the twelve tribes of Israel. To us, the twelve oxen could also represent the twelve apostles who were commanded to take the Gospel of Christ to the whole world, as we are also commanded by Christ to do (Mt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:15-18, Lk. 24:46-49). In addition, Solomon had the whole interior of the temple overlaid with gold, which differed from the pattern of the tabernacle before it (1 Kings 6:20-22). There were also two bronze pillars installed and given the names of "Jachin" (meaning "it will be established", and also the name of two priests), which stood on the right side, and the other pillar was named "Boaz" (the kinsman-redeemer, and the founding father of the eternally royal House of David), which stood on the left side of the entrance hall. These two pillars represented a house of priests and kings joined together. Revelation 1:6, and 5:10 describe believers as priests and kings, or a kingdom of priests, to God. Peter described "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). This same prophetic promise was given to Moses also regarding the people of God (Ex. 19:5-6). Jesus is our priest, as well as King, ever making intercession for us at the right hand of God (Heb. 7:24-27, Mk. 16:19). In another connection between this temple and kings, another portion from this week's Sabbath reading tells us about a son of a king who was hidden in the temple of God to prevent a usurper of the throne from killing him (2 Kings 12). This was the boy king Jehoash (meaning "Jehovah gave"). During his reign, the temple of Solomon was repaired of its damages/breeches (aleph-tav bedaq - fissure, rent, gap, leak, breech) and dilapidation/breech (badaq - to mend, repair breeches, restore ruins) (v. 5) after long years of neglect from idol worship. Isaiah wrote of these "restorers", like King Jehoash, also: "Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of the Paths to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:12). This restoration and repair occurs because God's people have returned to a righteous path (v. 9-11). The King, Jehoash, was restoring more than a temple building. Again we see a prophetic connection between a king and the house of God. Jesus, the King of kings, also spoke of repairing and restoring, as we will see later. When the glory of God filled the temple built by Solomon, the priests were not able to stand and continue ministering (1 Kings 8:10-13). Again an inventory of furnishings was done for the temple established by Solomon. The accounting of the gold used was 100,000 talents, or 4,000 tons, the silver used was 1 million talents, or 40,000 tons, and so much bronze was used that it could not be weighed. All of this was pre-supplied by the father, David (see 1 Chron. 22:14, 1 Kings 7:47). To me, this incredible wealth represented the riches and glory, both materially and spiritually, of the Kingdom of God. Jesus, the Son of the Most High King, like Solomon, also finished the work that His Father in heaven had given Him to do, saying: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." (Jn. 4:34, 17:4, Jn. 19:30). The kingship represented as being joined to this temple was not in the form of a temporary, earthly king, but an eternal King and Kingdom, as prophesied to David (1 Chron. 28:4, 7). In a few weeks, we will commemorate Jesus' triuphant entry into Jerusalem on what is now called Palm Sunday. Palm branches were waved by the whole population of Jerusalem. The palm branches were a symbol of victory, and were generally reserved for royalty. As Jesus rode into the city, the crowd shouted: "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Lk. 19:38). Immediately upon His arrival in the city, Jesus, the proclaimed King, entered the temple and drove out those who were misusing it by buying and selling there, and He taught in the temple daily (Lk. 19:45-48). Jesus had also announced the establishment of a temple built upon a new revelation or vision given to Peter in a moment, recognizing and declaring Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God". Again, this would be a different kind of temple, a new kind of temple, a living temple, and it would have a new purpose, and a new glory: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build (oikodomeo - build up from foundation, restore, repair, establish) My church (ekklesia - called out gathering or assembly of people), and the gates (pyle - large gate in a wall or a prison) of Hades (realm of the dead; the grave, death, hell) shall not prevail (katischyo - overcome, overpower, be superior in strength) against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Mt. 16:17-19). This is the spiritual house of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Each one of us who belong to Christ is this temple, and each one is being built together into an even greater temple, a temple made of living stones, with Christ as the chief cornerstone of the foundation (1 Peter 2:5-7). When this house is filled with glory, it is the same glory that the Son had with the Father from the beginning, from before the world was. The Son said to His Father: "...I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." (Jn. 17:4-5, 22). If you would like to know more about the tabernacle and temples of God, and His glory that fills them, you can pray with me as I pray: "Heavenly Father, You have given Your people a prophetic picture of Your increasing glory, as You revealed more and more about Your obedient Son, Jesus, Who finished all that You gave Him to do. You are building a spiritual house filled with the glory of Christ, a glory that He had with You from before the world was. You are building a house that cannot be overpowered by the grave, death, and hell, and You are building this living house from the called out assembly of Your people. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that I can be like Jehoash and Jesus, a Repairer of the Breach, and a Restorer of the Paths to Dwell In. I ask this in the name of Your Son and King, Jesus. AMEN."