Coachlight Bible Study – Exodus Lesson 25

Approaching God – Part III – Approach God Through The Rent Vail

 

John 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me….

 

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

 

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

John 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

 

It is God’s eternal plan to tabernacle with man.  But since Adam fell, it has been difficult for sinful man to approach a holy God.  God of course knew this, and planned out His will centered on the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”  Through this slain Lamb, we can approach God, and without Him this approaching is completely impossible.  Many times we twist Scripture by inserting our own preconceived notions into Scripture, instead of extracting out of Scripture God’s meaning.

 

The Messiah, the One the Father sent into the world, dealt with the religious of His day.  Christ healed a man on the Sabbath.  The religious Jews had interpreted this miracle on the Sabbath as being against the law of Moses. When these religious Jews confronted Jesus about this, He answered them, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”  Now the religious hated Him more because they had no conception of Who He Is.  He is the God Man Whom the Father sent into the world.  Although they had “searched the Scriptures”, they had interpreted the Scriptures erroneously.  Christ, after explaining Who He Is, told them they were interpreting the Scripture incorrectly, and taught all of us that the Scriptures actually testify of the very One that they were accusing of breaking Moses’ law!  He then told them:

 

John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

John 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

 

Can we see that the Jews were seeking religious respect from each other, rather than finding eternal life through the One whom the Father sent?

 

We often are guilty of doing the very same act today.  Instead of extracting God’s message from the Scriptures, we often, just like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time, insert into the Scriptures our erroneous religious knowledge instead of seeking what God meant when He wrote it.  That process is not worshipping God, it is worshiping each other.  The Scriptures teach:

 

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

How do we worship God in Spirit and in truth?  The study of the tabernacle in Exodus teaches us that the only way to approach God is by gathering together and opening up Scripture truthfully by seeking God’s meaning not man’s, we are worshiping in Spirit and in Truth:

 

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

Part I – Approach Christ Through The Father’s Draw

 

It is through Scripture that we are drawn by the Father to the Son:

 

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

John 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

 

Part II – Approach The Father Only Through Christ

 

In part two of this series we went a bit further into the concept of approaching God.  While it is true, that the Father draws us to Christ with Scripture, it is also true that no one approaches the Father except through Christ:

 

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

This teaching is taught in Exodus as God had Moses build the Tabernacle.

 

We know that every part of the Tabernacle and its furnishings and priestly works were a type of Christ and His work:

 

Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

 

Part III – Approach God Through The Rent Vail

 

Now in part three, we will investigate the problem that existed.  The veil, which symbolized the Christ’s flesh, actually prevented man from approaching God.  God’s glory could only be seen from the outside.  Christ’s life did not give us access to the Father, rather it gives us condemnation.  When we stand facing the veil of His sinless life, we realize how unworthy we are.  But Glory to God, His death caused that wall of partition to be abolished so that we can approach the throne of God with boldness by a new and living way.

 

Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

 

Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

I. The Book Of Exodus Is Typical Of Christ And His Work

 

Moses – A Type of Christ

Moses

Christ

At Moses birth, the Pharaoh wanted all Hebrew boys killed.  Exodus 1:15-16

At Christ’s birth, Herod wanted all Hebrew children killed.  Matthew 2:16

The common Hebrew was actually a prince and heir to Egypt. Acts 7:21-22;

Hebrews 11:24; Exodus 2:10

Christ, a carpenter’s son, was actually heir of all things. Hebrews 1:2;

Philippians 2:6-2:8

Moses lay down his position on the throne of Egypt, seeing their burdens..

Hebrews 11:24-25

Jesus, seeing His people’s oppression, became a servant in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6-8

Moses was rejected when he came unto his brethren, saying who made you a ruler and a judge over us.   Exodus 2:11-14; Acts 7:23-27

Jesus was rejected as He came unto His people and was accused of using the power of the devil. Matthew 27:22;

Matthew 12:24

After his rejection, Moses took a Gentile Bride.  Exodus 2:15-16; Exodus 2:21-22

Christ is now gathering together His mostly Gentile Bride of Christ. II Corinthians 11:2

Israel didn’t understand why when the king of Egypt died, that their bondage being increased, asked, “Why God?”

Exodus 2:23

His disciples didn’t understand why their Messiah had to go to the cross. The church age a mystery.  Matthew 16:21-23; John 19:10-11; Acts 1:3-7

God heard their groaning, and remembered His covenant with Abraham.  Exodus 2:24-25

God will hear the cry of Israel, and remember His covenant with Abraham in the Tribulation.  Romans 11:27

The Lord Comes down Himself to deliver Israel out of bondage, Moses will lead them out.  Exodus 3:7-10

The Lord will send Himself, to deliver Israel after the Tribulation.

Romans 11:26-28

The Lord sent judgment upon Egypt, Moses, the only one worthy, “broke the seals” of judgment on Egypt

Exodus 7:1-5

Christ will be the only One worthy to open the seals of judgment on the antichrist.

Revelation 5:6-9

The Pharaoh’s heart was hardened with the judgments of God on Egypt

Exodus 7:10-13

The world’s heart will be hardened with the judgments of God on the world.  Revelation 16:9-11

Through judgment, Israel is delivered out of Egypt.

Exodus 14:8-14

Through judgment, Israel will be delivered out of the Tribulation

Romans 11:25-29

 

 

III. Tabernacle Furniture - A Type Of Christ And His Work

 

Tabernacle Furniture – Typical Of Christ And His Work

Earthly Tabernacle

Christ And His Work

Purpose – For God To Dwell With His People – Exodus 25:8

Revelation 21:3  …the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, …

Patterned After Heavenly Tabernacle – Exodus 25:8-9; Acts 7:44

Christ Presented His Blood – Hebrews 8:2; Hebrews 9:23-24

Ark of the Covenant Made Of Shittim Wood Overlaid With Gold

1. Indestructible Wood Symbols Of Christ’s Humanity - 1 Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9

2. Gold Symbolic Of His Deity - Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23

Mercy Seat – 1. Where The Meeting Took Place.

2. Between The Cherubs Where Communion Took Place – Exodus 25:22

1. God Often Pictured As Between The Cherubs. – Psalm 80:1; 99:1

2. In This Age God Dwells Within Those Who Are in Christ – John 14:23

Contents Of The Ark: - Exodus 25:10-22

1; Table Of The Covenant

2. Golden Pot Of Manna

3. Aaron’s Rod That Budded

Type Of Christ

1. Christ As King – Fulfilling God’s Plan

2. Christ As Prophet, Spoke For God; He Is The Bread Of Life – John 6:32

3. Christ As Priest, symbolizing His Resurrection: - Hebrews 7:25, 9:1-28, 10:19-24; I Peter 1:18-19

Table Of Shewbread – Exodus 25:23-30

1. Eaten By Priests Every Sabbath

2. His Sinless Life – Hebrews 9:28

3. Always Present – Priestly Duties – Hebrews 7:21-27

Type Of Christ

1. Christ Is Sustenance For Eternal Life – To Worship Must Feed On Him John 6:35, 48, 51; Matthew 22:1-14

2. Unleavened Bread (Leaven symbol Of Sin)

3. Christ Our Eternal Priest – Hebrews 7:25

Golden Candlestick – Exodus 25:31-40

 

1. Made Of Gold

2. Looked Like Almond Branch

3. Contained Oil Lamps

4. Only Light In Tabernacle

5. The Only Light In The Tabernacle

6. Light Revealed Beauty Of The Candlestick

Type Of Christ

1. Symbol Of Christ As God – Colossians 2:9

2. Symbolic Of Aaron’s Rod– Christ’s Resurrection Confirmed Christ’s Priesthood, As Aaron’s Rod Did

3. Oil Is Symbol Of The Holy Spirit

4. Christ Is The Only Light – John 1:2-4; 9

5. To Worship Must Walk In The Light  -I John 1

6. Holy Spirit Testifies Of Christ – John 15:26

 

III. Curtains Of The Tabernacle – Typical Of Christ’s Beauty

 

Curtains – Typical Of Christ’s Beauty

Curtains Of The Tabernacle

Christ And His Work

Four Curtains – Exodus 26:1-14

1. Beautiful Fine Twined Linen Not Allowed To Touch Ground

2. With blue

3. Scarlet,

4. Purple

5. Cherubim

1. Beautiful white linen symbolizes righteousness – Revelation 19:8; And Christ’s Beauty – Isaiah 28:5; We will behold His beauty at the Rapture - II Thessalonians 4:18

2. Blue symbolizes heaven

3. Scarlet symbolizes Christ’s humanity and the shedding of His blood.

4. Purple represents royalty – (Heaven touching earth as King)

5. Cherubim Are Pictures Of Guardians of God’s throne - Genesis 3:24; Great place to hide Psalm 17:8

2. Goat’s Hair Did Touch Ground

A Symbol Of Sin – Leviticus 16:9; A Type Of Christ Touching Down Thus Taking On Himself The Sin Of The World – Isaiah 53:6; Contains The Message Of The Gospel – Hebrews 9:24-26

3. Ram’s Skin Dyed Red

Red Ram Skin A Symbol Of Christ As Our Substitute – It Was A Ram On Mount Moriah Genesis 22:13; A Symbol Of Consecration – Exodus 29:19-22

4. Badger’s Skin (Seal Skin) – Dull Blue Grey Color With No Definite Measurement Or Form Given. 

The Protective Cover Having No Form, Comeliness, Or Beauty That We Should Desire Him. Isaiah 52:13-14; 53:1-6.

His Beauty Can Not Be Seen From The Outside.  The World Does Not Know Him – John 1:10.  Only His Own See His Beauty. 

1. Table Of Shewbred Demonstrates That To Worship Him We Must Feed On Christ

2. Candlestick Shows To Worship Him We Must Be Illuminated By The Holy Spirit

3. Coverings Teach We Must Worship Him Beholding His Beauty:

Psalm 96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Psalm 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: ….

 

 

 

IV. Boards And Sockets Of The Tabernacle

 

Exodus 26:15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.

Exodus 26:16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.

Exodus 26:17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

Exodus 26:18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.

Exodus 26:19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

Exodus 26:20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:

Exodus 26:21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

Exodus 26:22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.

Exodus 26:23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

Exodus 26:24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.

Exodus 26:25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

Exodus 26:26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

Exodus 26:27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.

Exodus 26:28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end.

Exodus 26:29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.

Exodus 26:30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

 

A. Boards Made Of Shittim Wood – Symbolic Of Christ’s Humanity

1. Resists The Affects Of Termites, etc.

2. Called Indestructible Wood Of The Desert

3. Christ Was A Root Out Of Dry Ground –

 

Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: …

 

 

B. Boards Overlayed With Pure Gold – Symbolic Of Christ’s Deity

1. They could not be called boards Of Wood because they contained gold

2. They could not be called boards of gold because they contained wood

3. Two Materials make up one board – Two Natures One Body

4. A mystery depicted and prophesied by God in the building of the Tabernacle

 

a. The wise of this world do not seem to get it:

 

I Corinthians 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

 

b. The elite intelligentsia do not seem to get it – After rejection Christ prayed:

 

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

 

C. The Boards Seated In Sockets Of Silver – Symbolizes Redemption

1. The boards rested on a foundation of redemption

2. We are delivered from the world

 

Galatians 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

 

D. The Boards Held Together By Bars – Typical Of Christ Holding All Things Together:

 

Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Colossians 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

 

V. The Vails

 

Exodus 26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

Exodus 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

Exodus 26:33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

Exodus 26:34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

Exodus 26:35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

Exodus 26:36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.

Exodus 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them

 

A. The Vail Was Hung On Four Pillars – Typifies Christ

1. The pillars were made of shittim wood overlayed with gold with silver sockets

2. Pictures Deity taking hold of earth by redemption

3. These pillars were cut off to hang the vail – different from other boards

 

Isaiah 53: 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

 

B. The Vail – Typifies Christ’s Body

 

1. Made Of Fine Twined linen with blue, scarlet, purple, and cherubim

 

2. The vail was rent in two at Christ’s death

 

Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

 

Mark 15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

 

Luke 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

 

3. The vail represents Christ’s body

 

Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

 

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Ephesians 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

 

 

C. The Vail Was The Only Entrance To The Holy Of Holies

 

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

1. We can not approach god by Christ’s life – His sinless body (Vail) condemns us.

2. But when Christ died, the partition separating us from God was rent

 

Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Hebrews 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.