Spoken Unto Us By His Son

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,


sun·dry
[suhn-dree]
1.
various or diverse

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di·vers
[dahy-verz]
1.
several; various; sundry

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God spoke to mankind through prophets.


Prophets-
G4396
prophētēs
prof-ay'-tace
From a compound of G4253 and G5346; a foreteller (“prophet”); by analogy an inspired speaker; by extension a poet: - prophet.


A foreteller-an inspired speaker-a poet.


We live in a day and age where believing in foretellers(fortune tellers), believing in 'inspired' speakers, believing any poet might be receiving messages from God to relate to us is very skeptical, but at the same time quirky enough to be accepted. Do you suppose it was always this way? Believers and non-believers? Skeptics and non-skeptics? Along with those the wavering sort who believe sometimes but not other times? It's factual that God used men to speak to His people, to speak to others, and they were called prophets. Wherever there is a true there is a false but when God needed to get His message across to one and all He did so and usually through miracles. When God sent messages that were meant for His people to take a leap of faith there wouldn't necessarily be any miracle to reveal the power of the one and only God. Messages from God came in different ways and at different times. God did not use just one way, and God did not just give His messages at a certain time. It was accepted without doubt that God used men and women to be His prophets. Here in Hebrews it continues…


Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds


The word continues…. God… spoke through His Son. The equating here between God choosing to use prophets -ordinary men- in the past to reveal His word and now using His Son is remarked upon. The past contained the word of God through ordinary human vessels, the present contained the Word of God through God's own Son. The importance of the words coming from God's Son, not originating from the Son but the Father can't be overlooked. Even Jesus pointed us to the fact He was doing the will of the Father, not His own will.


Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.


His entire life was spent doing the will of the Father. He was the ultimate prophet.


God appointed His Son to be heir of ALL things.
God made the worlds by His Son.


The uniqueness of God's Son can never be overlooked. His words holy. His words God's will.


Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high


God's Son- the brightness of His glory!
God's Son- the express image of His person!
God's Son- upholding ALL things by the word of His power!
God's Son- purged our sins.
God's Son- sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High.


Some people get confused by this part of the verse- 'purged our sins', as if sin no longer exists in us. When we think of purged we think of it with a sense of finality. Gone. God's Son earned the right to do away with sin in us. God's Son paid the price needed to rid the world of sin. God's Son could sit at the right hand of His Father sinless.


This literal translation from Young's Literal Translation of the Bible- says it a different way- 'through Himself having made a cleansing of our sins…'


Heb. 1:3 who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence, bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might--through himself having made a cleansing of our sins, sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest


And this translation is from the International Standard Version of the Bible.


Heb 1:3 He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact likeness of his being, and he holds everything together by his powerful word. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Highest Majesty


'After He had provided a cleansing from sins…'


Jesus provided a way for sin's purging. Jesus provided a way for sin's removal. Up until this time sin was only removed through the sacrificial sanctuary services by the priests, and more decidedly the High Priest once a year cleansed all the sin brought to the temple. A person brought their sin sacrifice and offered it with the assistance of a priest, after the sacrifice was made they left the temple with their sin covered by the blood of that sacrifice, the price had been paid for their sin. Yet, even after that act, once a year there was a full cleansing of the priests, rulers, people, and the temple itself, a day when ALL people had to afflict their souls, all had to fast and keep the day as holy.


No longer would anyone have to bring a sacrifice to the temple.
No longer would anyone have to have the assistance of an earthly priest.


God's Son was the Sacrifice and God's Son sits in the Heavenly Temple having made the sacrifice necessary for sin to be forgiven.


Jesus --


God's Son- the brightness of His glory!
God's Son- the express image of His person!
God's Son- upholding ALL things by the word of His power!
God's Son- purged our sins.
God's Son- sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High.


Studying the book of Hebrews is going to take some time, and I pray God blesses us all as we seek a fuller understanding of His will. Praise God for His amazing love, for the forgiveness He offers to us who deserve nothing. By the grace of our Lord, our Savior, alone are we saved- through faith in Him and all He's done for us.


All glory to God!



Amen.

The Whole Matter

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Exo 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.



The conclusion of the WHOLE matter. We like conclusions. We like knowing what the whole matter is. We like knowing the end from the beginning especially when it concerns our eternal life. The matter is this… life. Isn't that what the matter is? Seriously. We live. We want to keep living. We want to live in health. We want to live in happiness. We want life as we imagined it was meant to be upon our creation. Life in peace, in wonder, in awe, in love. People will say that love without angst isn't love, but that's our warped minds playing that old tune. We've become so twisted and sin sick that we tell ourselves we need the bad to know what the good is. We are so wretched in our thinking that we can no longer believe that there can be good without evil. We imagine a life of pure boredom without any obstacles to overcome and that's how Satan would have us believe. As long as we continue in our sin sickness we are His.


The whole matter is life. Without life there is nothingness. We've most likely all seen depicted on television a person dying. Some of us may have even witnessed a death in real life. Certainly most of us have read this somewhere or other, that you can see life draining out of a person's eyes. The dead stare remains, the empty look into nothingness. Without life there really is nothing. The whole matter is life and not only life now, but life everlasting.


The absolute conclusion, the end of the whole matter is-- Fear God and keep His commandments. Whether this is reverencing God or actually fearing God it doesn't matter. To reverence God is to believe in His authority, respecting His authority as Creator, as Redeemer. To fear God is to understand that He holds all the power in His hands, power over our eternal life, power over our mortal life. The whole matter concluded is fearing God and keeping His commandments. Understanding that God is ruler over all and His commandments must be kept. God is a ruler, God has commands for us. Has God forever had commands to follow? God existing from everlasting to everlasting is the same from everlasting, right?


Psa 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.


God is God. His ways haven't changed. God isn't going to change from one moment to the next making laws one day that are meaningless the next. In all He's done, God has done so with purpose with love His driving force.


If you had the power to rid the world of evil, would you?


Think about it, seriously. Would you destroy all evil? I'd love to say, of course you would. I'd like to think I would in a heartbeat. I can't see the end from the beginning though, and certainly not all life in between. God can see it all. To destroy sin is a much more complex matter than simply speaking it gone and it's gone. God has done all He can do, God has done everything within His power to save mankind. All that would be saved by a loving God, all that fear Him and keep His commandments which he's not kept secret, will be saved.


This is the WHOLE matter. Fearing God. Keeping God's commandments. God's commandments --


1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.


We imagine them to be so though, don't we? Commands that are just TOO hard to keep. Commands that are IMPOSSIBLE for us to keep. If we are caught up in sin and have no love for God, then yes, His commands will seem impossible to keep. Through His love we can keep His commandments. Through His love we automatically keep His commandments. The question was raised not too long ago about God's commandments in heaven, with sin being this--


1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.


The question was - did God have laws in heaven? If Satan sinned then He had to have transgressed the law of God. In a world where love abounds sin would be foreign to it. God's laws wouldn't have needed to be given like we have been given them.


There are a lot of questions, a lot of things we can't understand. God's love is real. God's love is revealed in His laws- and His laws are only burdensome when we would transgress them and do away with that love. We need to fall on the mercy of God. We need to beg forgiveness. We need to understand the whole matter and in understanding we need to determine through the righteousness of Christ to fear God and keep His commandments now and always.


Psa 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children


By Your Grace!


Amen.

Sanctuary Cleansing

Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;


Christ Jesus- the HIGH PRIEST of our profession.


The High Priest.


What is a High Priest?


High Priest according to Easton's Dictionary--


Aaron was the first who was solemnly set apart to this office (Exo_29:7; Exo_30:23; Lev_8:12). He wore a peculiar dress, which on his death passed to his successor in office (Exo_29:29, Exo_29:30). Besides those garments which he wore in common with all priests, there were four that were peculiar to himself as high priest (see Easton's Dictionary for a more thorough description). http://www2.mf.no/bibelprog/easton?word=high+priest

To the high priest alone it was permitted to enter the holy of holies, which he did only once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, for “the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest” (Heb. 9; 10).

Wearing his gorgeous priestly vestments, he entered the temple before all the people, and then, laying them aside and assuming only his linen garments in secret, he entered the holy of holies alone, and made expiation, sprinkling the blood of the sin offering on the mercy seat, and offering up incense. Then resuming his splendid robes, he reappeared before the people (Lev. 16). Thus the wearing of these robes came to be identified with the Day of Atonement.

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The High Priest-


It's very important for us to understand our Lord's role as a High Priest. This was an office held for many, many years through the line of the family of Aaron- of the tribe of Levi. An office that was held by a man and this man had special duties to perform as High Priest.


From the Jewish Encyclopedia-

Sanctity and Functions.

The distinguished rank of the high priest is apparent from the fact that his sins are regarded as belonging also to the people (Lev. iv. 3, 22). He was entrusted with the stewardship of the Urim and Thummim (Num. xxvii. 20 et seq.). On the Day of Atonement he alone entered the Holy of Holies, to make atonement for his house and for the people (Lev. xvi.); on that occasion he wore white linen garments instead of his ordinary and more costly vestments. He alone could offer the sacrifices for the sins of the priests, or of the people, or of himself (Lev. iv.); and only he could officiate at the sacrifices following his own or another priest's consecration (Lev. ix.). He also offered a meal- offering every morning and evening for himself and the whole body of the priesthood (Lev. vi. 14-15, though the wording of the law is not altogether definite). Other information concerning his functions is not given. He was privileged, probably, to take part at his own pleasure in any of the priestly rites. Josephus ("B. J." v. 5, § 7) contends that the high priest almost invariably participated in the ceremonies on the Sabbath, the New Moon, and the festivals. This may also be inferred from the glowing description given in Ecclus. (Sirach) i. of the high priest's appearance at the altar.

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Jesus is our High Priest in heaven. It's no coincidence that there would be High Priests performing many sacred duties connected to God's Holy Temple. The pattern of the heavenly recreated in the earthly. No, they are not the same in many ways because the difference between something heavenly and something earthly is greater than we can fathom. We were given an example to follow, an example of something greater. I can give you an example of something but it's not the something, only an example. I can give you a pattern and you can follow that completely but if I'm telling you to use materials that are indigenous to where you live it won't be the exact replica in the material sense as the one you are using the pattern for. I might have soft yarn to use in a crochet pattern for a shawl, but you might only have coarse yarn available. The coarse shawl won't be exact in material but it will be a exact duplicate of my shawl in construction. The heavenly sanctuary was the pattern for the earthly, the service to be perform was that which would bring man in communion with God. The heavenly sanctuary depicts that until sin is completely eradicated we have a need of a heavenly intercessor between us and God.


Let's read more about our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary-


Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus


Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.


Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens


Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.


Perhaps a more thorough study of the book of Hebrews is called for. We need to learn about our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. We talk about the end of the world and see so many signs of this growing closer and closer. Think about it… once every year the earthly sanctuary was to be cleansed on the Day of Atonement. There was a whole service that day dedicated to removing all the sin from the temple that had been placed there throughout the year, it wasn't something done with a few words. There were several sacrifices made to do this, several cleansing on that day of cleansing.


Lev 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:


Lev 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat


Lev 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.


Lev 16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.


Lev 16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat


This all took place on the day of atonement- reconciling of the holy place, of the tabernacle, of the congregation, of the altar- reconciliation for the high priest himself and his family, reconciliation for the people.


Christ our High Priest in a heavenly sanctuary is doing this work of reconciliation, this work of cleansing, full cleansing. Christ is ministering in the heavenly sanctuary for you and I and there will come a day when that work will be done. We don't know the day nor the hour, but we can read the signs of the times given to us.


Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.


A time will come when Christ will finish His work in the heavenly sanctuary, make no mistake about it, no mistake at all.


Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.


This day will come.


Right now our High Priest, Jesus Christ is ministering in the Heavenly Sanctuary, a Sanctuary that will not be found in the New Jerusalem when it comes down out of heaven to earth. The sanctuary that reveals the fact that God wants to be reconciled to us and has done all He could to make this happen. There will be a day when the reconciliation is complete, but that day is not yet. We are still here on this sin-filled earth filled with it's loathsome evil, ruled by the prince of darkness. When the cleansing is complete and the very last individual that will be cleansed is cleansed by the sacrifice of our Savior's holy blood, then Christ will stand up, Christ will cease His mediation between God and man. A lot of people like to believe that it will NEVER cease. I've even written a lot of times- God's unending grace, but in truth, once all has been done that can be done, once all that would be saved are cleansed, there is no more hope, no more grace. The end will come. The end for many who are caught up in sin and refused the grace of their one and only Savior. No, this isn't what people want to hear, they'd rather be lulled by nice cushiony, soft words filled with nothing but hope without any possibility of losing the opportunity of grace. Grace should be unending, grace should be forever and ever, but for grace to be forever and ever that would mean sin remaining forever and ever. Continuous, unending grace, bringing forgiveness for sins needs sins to be forgiven to remain unending and I don't know about you but I want sin to end!!! Sin will end. Sin will be no more! Christ paid the highest price, a price we can't truly begin to fathom, so that sin could be finished, wiped out completely never to return. We are saved by grace.


Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God


Saved. Given the gift of God.


There will come a day when we are just and holy, no longer sinners all through the grace of our Savior. In that day we will no longer sin, and if we are no longer sinning, we don’t need to be forgiven any longer, we will have been forgiven completely!


Right now, right this moment as a write this, Christ, my Lord, my Savior, my High Priest in the Heavenly Sanctuary is still ministering for me. It is my prayer, my fervent prayer that when He finishes His work that I am covered in His grace, by His righteousness, that I am His, fully, wholly His doing His commandments, loving as He would love, loving Him first and foremost and others as He would have us love others. Is this your prayer too?


In His amazing love!


Amen.

Sanctuary Services

Psa 77:13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?


We know that the earthly sanctuary was based on the heavenly sanctuary, an example was shown and used to created the earthly sanctuary.


The sanctuary wasn't given to God's people as a dwelling place for them to enter and commune with God as we enter churches today. Things were much different back then than they are today, much different. Let's read a little about the tabernacle- the portable sanctuary- Moses had constructed by God's command.


Exo 40:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 40:2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
Exo 40:3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.
Exo 40:4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
Exo 40:5 And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.
Exo 40:6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
Exo 40:7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
Exo 40:8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.
Exo 40:9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.
Exo 40:10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.
Exo 40:11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.
Exo 40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
Exo 40:13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
Exo 40:14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:
Exo 40:15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
Exo 40:16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Exo 40:17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
Exo 40:18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.
Exo 40:19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:
Exo 40:21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 40:22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.
Exo 40:23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Exo 40:24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
Exo 40:25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 40:26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:
Exo 40:27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 40:28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.
Exo 40:29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 40:30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.
Exo 40:31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat:
Exo 40:32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 40:33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
Exo 40:37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
Exo 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.


Amazing.


Now, let's take a look at a bit of the sanctuary services.


Lev 4:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 4:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
Lev 4:3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.
Lev 4:4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.
Lev 4:5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
Lev 4:6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.
Lev 4:7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
Lev 4:9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
Lev 4:10 As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
Lev 4:11 And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,
Lev 4:12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
Lev 4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
Lev 4:14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.
Lev 4:16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:
Lev 4:17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.
Lev 4:18 And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 4:19 And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.
Lev 4:20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
Lev 4:21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.
Lev 4:22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
Lev 4:23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
Lev 4:24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.
Lev 4:25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
Lev 4:26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
Lev 4:28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
Lev 4:29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
Lev 4:30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
Lev 4:31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 4:32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
Lev 4:33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
Lev 4:34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
Lev 4:35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.


Here we read just a bit about the offerings for various sinners- priests, the whole congregation, rulers, and the common people.


There is extensive reading to do on the sanctuary and all the various offerings commanded of sinners to offer to receive forgiveness. So many people today believe all that means nothing, it's not even worth reading because all this was done away with when the Lamb of God offered Himself on Calvary ending the need of the sanctuary and all it's services. Yes, our Savior was the ultimate sacrificial offering. Every single sacrifice made in the tabernacle, in the temples, all of them going way back to the offerings of Abel were made to God, blood offerings signifying the ultimate blood, our Savior's blood. None of those sacrifices could begin to compare to the sacrifice of the innocent Son of God. Those sacrifices were inferior yet necessary. Those sacrifices proved the people of God understood that blood had to be spilled, a living sacrifice had to be made because sin separates us from God and the sinner is worthy of death. A death in place of a death. Jesus' death in place of our eternal death. The wages of sin is…death.


The many, many sacrificial services talked about in Leviticus reveals truly just how abhorrent our sins are to God. We make light of our sins. We don't consider a lot of things sin that God obviously does. We look at all those restrictions enacted by GOD and feel relief that it was the OLD system, not something God wants us to even consider today. But why? Did God change? Did sin change? Did He suddenly approve of things He didn't before? We don't want all those restrictions, the silly bits about washing, and eating clean or unclean foods, natural bodily functions setting us apart, there is so much that seems offensive to us. We breathe a sigh of relief imagining that all that stuff was done away with along with the need for us to offer sacrifices. We are happy that we are gentiles and not Jewish, gentiles have their own ways yet they can worship God and accept Jesus as their Savior. The old ways are done away, the new ways have replaced them. This is how we like to think, it just makes life a whole heck of a lot easier, right? But we really need to consider sin. Sin is sin is sin. We can't make a sin- not sin. We can't wish sin away. We can pretend all we want that things aren't sin, we're pretty good at doing that aren't we? But all pretense is washed away when it comes to God, He sees through all pretense, nothing is hidden from His sight, nothing.


Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!


The sanctuary services- God's requirements of us to worship Him, to sacrifice to Him, to find forgiveness in Him making us one with Him so He may dwell among us and we can be with Him. The separation between God and man is a far as any separation can ever be. That separation can be breached and it's only breached through Christ. All the sacrifices ever offered imitated the offering of God's only son. Jesus offered Himself to repair the breach between God and man.


We can all understand this, right? Sin equals death. Sacrifice equals escaping death.


We can't pretend our lives are sin free. We can't pretend that we are worthy to stand before God. All our righteousness's are as filthy rags, worthless in their filthy state. We can only kneel before God pleading for mercy, claiming the grace that His Son offers. We can only pray that God looks upon the righteousness of our Savior and our Savior claims redemption for us.


There were sin offerings for so much- for priests, for whole congregations, for rulers, for common people. If we're to look at the sanctuary to find God's ways we need to understand the sanctuary was set up as a place of sacrifice. It's no wonder that in the new earth after new Jerusalem comes down from heaven that there will be NO temple in that new heavenly city. The separation between God and man will be forever gone! The temple was set up to show the way to God, the sacrifice necessary to do away with the separation. The heavenly Sanctuary contains our heavenly Mediator. When all mediation is finished the temple is no longer necessary. The heavenly Sanctuary is where the greatest Sacrifice of all dwells for now, but not forever. Our Savior will one day, on His Father's command, finish His work in the heavenly sanctuary and then all mediation will be over once and for all. Those that are holy will be holy still and those that are evil will be evil still. By the mercy and grace of our all loving Savior may we be among those that will be holy in Christ, through Christ, for Christ.



Amen!

The Heavenly, the Earthly

The heavenly sanctuary.
The earthly sanctuary.


Man is made in the image of God.


One thing reflecting another.


We know how inferior we are to God in reflecting His image. Sin has destroyed so much of what we were originally supposed to be. God's sanctuary on earth was in place for a long, long time before Christ came and revealed that salvation is found in Him- all the symbolic elements of the earthly sanctuary pointing towards that end. So if the Messiah's life and death took over the purpose of the earthly sanctuary why is it important for us to know more about the sanctuary? Because even though the earthly sanctuary culminated in our Savior, our Savior's death and return to life and to the heavenly sanctuary only makes it that much more important for us to understand. The heavenly sanctuary exists and will exist until…


Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.


Out of heaven God's city descends- until what is in heaven comes down to earth, a new earth, a sin free earth- the need to understand the sanctuary, to understand God's temple, to understand and learn all we can of our Lord and Savior is paramount.


The temple - the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of the New Jerusalem on earth- but that new Jerusalem isn't here yet and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are in heaven. The Lamb - the great sacrifice- the great redeemer- is in the heavenly sanctuary ministering there.


Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.


Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.


Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.


Do you see? Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. The earthly sanctuary and all its implements and services were based upon the example of the heavenly. By studying the sanctuary and all we know of it on earth we can learn so much.


Remember- Psa 77:13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?


May God continue to bless us and open our hearts to all His truths. Through the mercy of our Lord and Savior, by His grace, His love, His righteousness, His all in all.

Enslaved Freed

Exo 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Exo 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
Exo 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
Exo 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Exo 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Exo 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
Exo 15:8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
Exo 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
Exo 15:10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
Exo 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Exo 15:12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
Exo 15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
Exo 15:14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
Exo 15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
Exo 15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
Exo 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.


The story of the Ten Commandments, who doesn't know about it? Most do even if it's from the movie that is played on television every year around Easter time. The Exodus, Moses delivering the slaves of Egypt- God's chosen people the Hebrews, the Jewish people, the Israelites. People enslaved by a ruler who resisted so many entreaties to free his slaves that many suffered, many of Pharoah's own people died because of his resistance to God's commands. The journey from enslavement to freedom was intense. Bogged down, feeling forever enslaved yet longing for a deliverer God's people were finally sent a deliverer but the deliverance didn't come instantaneously. The deliverance didn't happen overnight. Suffering increased for all. There he was, the deliverer- Moses. But deliverance was kept out of reach. The promise was there, the hope was there, the disappointment was there, the pain, the heartache, the trying of the soul, it was all there. Picture it, picture the pain, feel it…imagine it…


More currently we've had the enslavement of the African people, I'm not saying the African Americans just the Africans because from the start they were a people brought from Africa- they were African's displaced and enslaved and forced to live in a land they didn't want to live in, torn from their homeland, ripped from their families, suffering conditions unimaginable. We can relate to this slavery because our history here in the United States is entwined with it. Our land holds many marks of that slavery. Did deliverance come to the African's easily? No. Quickly? No. They suffered horrifically. Was there a deliverer- like Moses delivered God's people? No, one man did not lead the enslaved Africans to freedom- many had a hand in the fight for freedom.


Enslavement and freedom. We can all relate to it, can't we? In some way we can. We are slaves to sin made free in Christ.


Reading the above verses from Exodus the related story tells us of God's power on behalf of His chosen people. This part below tells us something more...


Exo 15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
Exo 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.


God has purchased them. God brought them in. God planted them in the mountain of their inheritance. God put them in the place HE would dwell- IN THE SANCTUARY- which He established.


The Sanctuary- a place made for God to dwell in and yet…


1Ki 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?


The earthly sanctuary was symbolic in so many ways. God didn't need a place to dwell on earth, we needed and need to understand God's ways- which are in the Sanctuary- the heavenly, the earthly. We will continue to study this, we will keep on studying it and praying for understanding. God delivered people enslaved and gave them freedom, freedom to worship Him, to learn of Him, to be God's. We all need this lesson. We all need this freedom that is only found in Christ.


By the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, in His amazing love may we be free, all in Christ and through His righteousness now and forever!



Amen.

Sanctuary - God With Us

The function of the sanctuary.


Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.


God said-- let them make me a sanctuary and then He told them why… that I may dwell among them.


Catching the whole picture we have to put this into perspective a bit.

The people of Israel were enslaved to the Pharoah of Egypt for hundreds of years. These were God's chosen people descendents of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob…Joseph and they were slaves. God didn't want them to remain slaves, being slaves kept them from freely being able to worship Him. The people of Egypt worshipped false gods not the one true God. God's chosen people were being contaminated by association with the Egyptians and after hundreds of years it was time to separate them so that God's people would have a chance to worship their one true God, their deliverer, their redeemer. The power of God was fully realized in all He did for them to free them from the tyrannical gripe of their captor.


After their miraculous deliverance they were led out of Egypt and God wasn't going to leave them to their own devices. These were His people, He'd saved them, He loved them and He wanted them to live for Him because He knew this would be best for them. Intent on helping them as never before, God wanted to dwell among them in a very visible manner.


God wanted His people to have a hand in building Him a Sanctuary, a place where He could dwell among them. This was going to be a portable Sanctuary because God's people were going to be traveling to the land promised to them by God and every step of the way God wanted them to realize He was with them, guiding them.


God with us. This brings us to another reference to that particular idea--


Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.


'God with us'


Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.


Dwell among them- God with us.


The connection is undeniable. God reconciling man to Himself. God offering a chance to restore the lost connection between Himself and mankind.


The amazing love God has for us is something we cannot comprehend. We can go into the Sanctuary, God wants us to go into the Sanctuary so we can understand. God wants to be with us.


May our hearts and eyes be opened to understand the unique relationship God offers to mankind, to all of us. By His grace we can be with Him, through His love and unending mercy. All in Christ's righteousness.


Amen.