The Sanctuary Pt. 7

Sanctuary Study Continued...
-- The Covenants and the Sanctuaries -- Light from the Throne -- (Continued) --
The sanctuary in type cannot be disassociated from the first or "type" covenant.
In Hebrews Paul stated -
"Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary." (Heb. 9:1)
This text does not say - There was a worldly sanctuary and with it was associated the first covenant.
The primary instrument was the covenant.
The secondary - the "ordnances of divine service" - provided for breaches by those under the covenant.
Neither can the ministry of Christ in the Heavenly Sanctuary be disassociated from the new covenant.
In setting forth Jesus as High Priest forever after the Order of Melchisedec, Paul declares the "sum" or chief point of the whole matter is that Jesus is "a minister of the sanctuary" and that "He is the mediator of a better covenant." (Heb. 8:1-2, 6)
Heb.{8:1} Now of the things which we have spoken this isthe sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on theright hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; {8:2}A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle,which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Heb. {8:6} But now hath he obtained a moreexcellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of abetter covenant, which was established upon betterpromises.
The word translated, "minister" (leitourgos), is a compound word derived from leitos meaning public, and ergon meaning work.
It referred to a person with sufficient means who performed a public duty or rendered a service to the state at his own expense.
How much greater the ministry of Christ who though "rich" rendered a service to the universe at a personal cost difficult for the human mind to grasp.
One who died amid the agonies of Calvary, and who chose to be evermore associated in nature with those for whom He rendered such a service is the "minister of the sanctuary."
But He is also a mediator (mesites), an internuncius, the medium of communication between God and man, and man and God.
Prior to the communication of a single sanctuary ritual, the relationship between the "type" covenant and the earthly sanctuary was established.
The 40-Day Covenant -- Before the proclamation 'of the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai, God sent a message to "the children of Israel." - If they would "obey [His], voice and keep [His] covenant" then they would be a "peculiar treasure" to God, a "kingdom of priests and an holy nation."
Without waiting to hear His voice, the people responded, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." (Ex. 19:3-9)
Exodus {19:3} And Moses went up untoGod, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain,saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tellthe children of Israel; {19:4} Ye have seen what I did untothe Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles' wings, andbrought you unto myself. {19:5} Now therefore, if ye willobey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shallbe a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all theearth [is] mine: {19:6} And ye shall be unto me a kingdomof priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words whichthou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.{19:7} And Moses came and called for the elders of thepeople, and laid before their faces all these words which theLORD commanded him. {19:8} And all the peopleanswered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spokenwe will do. And Moses returned the words of the peopleunto the LORD. {19:9} And the LORD said unto Moses,Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people mayhear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. AndMoses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
But when "the children of Israel" heard God's voice, they had second thoughts.
They said to Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." (Ex. 20:19)
God obliged, and had Moses set before them "judgments." (Ex. 21:1 23:19)
These "judgments" were prefaced with a very specific command - 'Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold." (Ex. 20:23)
After receiving from the people a verbal affirmation, Moses wrote these judgments and the preamble in a book which he read to them in a solemn convocation.
They reaffirmed their commitment and Moses sprinkled the blood of sacrifice on both the altar and the people declaring - "Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord made with you concerning all these words." (Ex. 24:3-8)
[This "altar" was not the altar associated with the sanctuary, but an altar of worship in harmony with the instruction found in Ex. 20:24-26]
Following this service, Moses repaired to the mountain and was there forty days. (Ex. 24:18)
There was a condition in this covenant which needs to be especially noted.
It was a covenant without mercy.
The "Angel" who would go before Israel to the promised land would "not pardon their transgressions." (Ex. 23:20-21)
{23:20} Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep theein the way, and to bring thee into the place which I haveprepared. {23:21} Beware of him, and obey his voice,provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions:for my name is in him.
Further, it was based on human promises.
A - single transgression would annul it and break the covenant relatonship.
Two things happened while Moses was in the mount.
First, God gave to Moses a plan whereby mercy could be extended to a transgressor, and through that mercy, He would dwell among the people whom He had chosen. God said "Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." (Ex. 25:8)
This instruction is recorded in Exodus, Chapters 25-31. God also gave to Moses, the Ten Commandments which He had spoken 40 days prior, but which now He had engraved in stone to be placed in the heart of the sanctuary. (Ex. 32:15-16; 25:16)
This would be fundamental in the covenant God would make with Moses, and the basis of the "new" covenant of which Christ would be the mediator.
The other thing which occurred during the forty days was a continuing experience even as Moses descended the mount.
The people had induced Aaron to make a golden calf in direct violation of the preamble of the covenant to which they had so solemnly committed themselves. Their worship of the calf had turned into a licentious orgy which was in progress as Moses entered the camp. (Ex. 32:1-6, 25)
The enormity of Israel's sin and the fact there was no pardoning provision in the covenant caused Moses to become deeply involved.
He said to them - "Ye have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin." (Ex. 32:30)
He did plead with the Lord that if forgiveness could not be granted, then "blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written." (ver. 32)
The intercession of Moses resulted in a "type" covenant.
After a prolonged interchange between the Lord and Moses, God said - " I make a covenant." (Ex. 34:10)
But it was on a different basis. He instructed Moses - "Write thou these words" - similar to the 40-day Covenant, but much abbreviated - "for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel." (Ex. 34:27)
Moses was to be the "surety" of this covenant and under it, the "worldly sanctuary" functioned.
****If there was one lesson above all others which the 40-day Covenant taught, it was that man is unable to keep his promises, or to do what God commands, no matter how sincere his intentions.***
Centuries later, Jeremiah the prophet would express it in these words - "0 Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (23:10)
However, there was a way, and that way, the way of God, was in the sanctuary. (Ps. 77:13)
**
Pausing here I find it so completely true and worthy of noting again-
****If there was one lesson above all others which the 40-day Covenant taught, it was that man is unable to keep his promises, or to do what God commands, no matter how sincere his intentions.***
Have you ever found yourself making promise after promise to God? Your intention when making the promise is sincere. Then somehow without even knowing quite how you turn around and immediately break that promise? Or maybe it took an hour to break it, or a full day, or a week, a month...a year. Promises, we make them and I can't imagine we don't mean what we're promising God. Of course there are numerous parodies of people in dire straits suddenly promising God to give up this and that and the old other thing, but when things turn around they laugh it off as something not really meant and all. Occasionally we'll get a show with a sincere change of heart, a promise made and then kept.
Promises.
Here are a people that HEARD God. Here are a people that witnessed firsthand MIRACLES of God. Here are a people that had God in a pillar of fire by night guiding them and a cloud by day. These chosen people promised God and in less than 40 days they'd gone back on their promise as if it was of no consequence to do so. They learned otherwise.
I sit here right now and I think about all this and I know that promises do matter and we're accountable for those promises we break. I thank God through Jesus Christ we have a savior, One who was able to keep from all sin and prove that it is possible to live as a human, sinless by the grace of God alone. No human will ever be sinless in and of themselves, never. Any sin we see in our lives and by the grace of God are able to commit to Him to save us from that which would bring us down, well all glory and praise to our mighty Savior and King, because we can't by our own power rid ourselves of it at all.
God made a way for mankind to be saved, we have to grasp hold of that way tightly and never let go, never.
Romans {7:24} O wretched man thatI am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?{7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So thenwith the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with theflesh the law of sin.