Audio Links

Awesome Hands – part 90

“Watchmen”

October 28, 2015

Exodus 25 is the first chapter in scripture that gives commandments to the children of Israel to build a sanctuary for the Lord to dwell in. This is also the first chapter that goes into great detail about the design and creation of all the objects that will go into and be a part of the sanctuary.
All of these descriptive items are physical symbols of what we know to be spiritual items. If this is doubtful to you, then we can see that the sanctuary itself is spiritual as described in the New Testament.

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

2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2Co 5:3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Mar 14:58  We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Heb 9:9  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
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;

Act 7:48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
Act 7:49  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Act 7:50  Hath not my hand made all these things?

Act 17:23  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

I mention all of these familiar verses because they lay the foundation for all of the scripture we are going to cover in Exodus moving forward while also allowing us to connect the Lord’s working of His awesome hands in our lives.

The last few studies we covered who it is that gives a willing offering and what that means, so now we are going to connect how the Lord Himself views those whom He is at present working with in His temple.

If Jesus Christ can and is described as the lamb of God and the lion of the tribe of Judah, then His body and church can also be referred to as the “pillars of the temple of God”, “the temple of God” and yes, they can and are referred to spiritually with the items that make up the temple.

Symbols

All throughout human history, we associate things with symbols. We have symbols for everything. This symbol means this or that and by identifying the symbol and what it means, we are able to communicate the idea of thought behind the symbol.

Even today, we use company logos to identify one company from another so that we know what brand is being represented. We have country flags, organizational flags, medical symbols, street signs, restroom signs, on and on and on. We as humans NEED symbols to be able to communicate and our creator knows this VERY WELL. However, just having a symbol isn’t enough. We must know what that symbol represents.

The entire book of the revelation of Jesus Christ, the most important person to ever walk this earth, is told to us in signs and symbols.

Therefore, when we are told by Jesus that Moses, the prophets and Psalms all speak of Him, then what is He really telling us?

Luk 24:44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

“All things must be fulfilled,” are written in the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms are all concerning Christ. So, adding line upon line, precept upon precept we can also conclude that anything in the temple concerns Christ, and Christ Jesus is a head and body.

Someone human recorded all the writings we have today concerning all of scripture. Someone sinful, lustful, and full of pride was used by God to eventually be brought to the point of being a vessel of God’s message, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to pin down the scriptures we have today.

I say this to connect this thought with the idea of who we are to God and how our verses in Exodus today connect to that temple we are to God.

Exo 25:8  And let THEM make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exo 25:9  According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
Exo 25:10  And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
Exo 25:11  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
Exo 25:12  And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
Exo 25:13  And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exo 25:14  And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
Exo 25:15  The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

The pattern that we are going to see all of these items made out of is the SAME pattern the Jesus Christ IS!

“After the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it,” is told to us to be:

Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

So, we have just been told that the tabernacle that was about to be made by Moses, the patterns being shown to Moses in the mount, are an example and SHADOW of the heavenly things, and those shadows now lead us to a MORE EXCELLENT MINISTRY / SERVICE.

How do those things shadowed, of which we just read a few of in Exodus 25:8-15, and will continue to read as we move through Exodus, lead us to a more excellent ministry?

Well, sometimes words are used to hide the meaning of what they are saying. In this case, there is a particular word connected OVER and OVER with a very precious metal in scripture, gold.

Mike is fond of saying, and I’ve found it to be very applicable to scripture, that words in the bible “mean what they mean” J

Gold is used all through the sanctuary because it is by far the most precious metal physically speaking. It is very rare and very valuable. Spiritually speaking this is no different for our spiritual understanding of the symbols we are being shown in Exodus 25.

Mike has written a great series on “Metals in scripture” and I encourage you all to review that study if you have not listened to it before.

What I noticed for the first time ever while preparing for the sanctuary and its items as described in Exodus is that everything is covered with gold.

You might be thinking, “well duh”, but what I am referring to is that everything is COVERED with gold.

Immediately my mind thought of Christ being our covering but most of the time I think of His blood and being washed in it as well as being white as snow such as a garment would cover our naked body, among other things.

The connecting thought that came to me is that we are OVERLAYED with gold, but my mind always wants to know why the Lord repeats a word or phrase to us.

After all, He is speaking to us via His Holy Spirit when we sup with Him via the Word.

Being inspired to search, I honed in on the English word “overlay” and looked at it in its Hebrew origin.

H6823

צָפָה
tsâphâh
tsaw-faw’
A primitive root (probably rather identical with H6822 through the idea of expansion in outlook transformed to act); to sheet over (especially with metal): – cover, overlay.
Total KJV occurrences: 46

H6823
צפה
tsâphâh
BDB Definition:
1) to lay out, lay over, overlay, cover
1a) (Piel) to overlay, plate, stud
1b) (Pual) to be laid over
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root [probably identical with H6822 through the idea of expansion in outlook, transferring to action]
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1951

H6823
צפה
tsâphâh
Total KJV Occurrences: 46
overlaid, 28
Exo_26:32, Exo_36:34 (2), Exo_36:36, Exo_36:38, Exo_37:2, Exo_37:4, Exo_37:11, Exo_37:15, Exo_37:26, Exo_37:28, Exo_38:2, Exo_38:6, Exo_38:28, 1Ki_6:20-22 (5), 1Ki_6:28, 1Ki_6:30, 1Ki_6:32, 1Ki_10:18, 2Ki_18:16, 2Ch_3:4, 2Ch_3:10, 2Ch_4:9, 2Ch_9:17
overlay, 12
Exo_25:11 (2), Exo_25:13, Exo_25:24, Exo_26:28-29 (3), Exo_26:37, Exo_27:2, Exo_27:6, Exo_30:3, Exo_30:5
covered, 5
1Ki_6:15 (2), 1Ki_6:20, 1Ki_6:35, Pro_26:23
garnished, 1
2Ch_3:6

So, H6823 means essentially what it sounds like and that is to sheet over “especially with metal”. However, what does it mean to be sheeted over “especially with Spirit” since this gold is a symbol of something?

Well, it happens that H6822 is mentioned as “probably rather identical with” H6822 overlay or “tsaw-faw”.

H6822

צָפָה
tsâphâh
tsaw-faw’
A primitive root; properly to lean forward, that is, to peer into the distance; by implication to observe, await: – behold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the) watch (-man).
Total KJV occurrences: 36

It’s hard to tell, but if you look at the Hebrew writing used in Strong’s, it is identical. The BDB writes it the same as well for both H6822 and H6823 though BDB and Strong’s write them different than one another between the versions. For example, Strong’s writes both words the same and BDB write them the same but the way that BDB and Strong’s writes them is slightly different, but they are consistent within their own individual standards.

H6822
צפה
tsâphâh
BDB Definition:
1) to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch
1a) (Qal) to keep watch, spy
1b) (Piel) to watch, watch closely
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1950

H6822
צפה
tsâphâh
Total KJV Occurrences: 38
watchman, 14
2Sa_18:24-27 (5), 2Ki_9:17-18 (2), 2Ki_9:20, Isa_21:6, Eze_3:17, Eze_33:2, Hos_9:6-8 (3)
watch, 5
Gen_31:49, 2Sa_13:34, Isa_21:5, Hab_2:1 (2)
watchmen, 5
1Sa_14:16, Isa_52:8, Isa_56:10, Jer_6:17, Mic_7:4
look, 2
Psa_5:3, Mic_7:7
looketh, 2
Pro_31:27, Son_7:4
watching, 2
1Sa_4:13, Lam_4:17
behold, 1
Psa_66:7
beholding, 1
Pro_15:3
espy, 1
Jer_48:19
waited, 1
Job_15:22
watched, 1
Lam_4:17
watcheth, 1
Psa_37:32
watchman’s, 1
Eze_33:6
well, 1
Pro_31:27

What does “overlaying” with gold and “watchmen” have in common? Rather, what is identical about these words? Here is why the BDB concludes these words are the same, “probably identical with H6822 through the idea of expansion in outlook, transferring to action”.

That itself can be a little hard to understand, so thinking about what overlaying does, it COVERS whatever is being overlayed.

A watchmen COVERS the thing he is watching with the concept of “I am covering your back” or I am “looking out for the city”. The watchmen covers the city with his ability and the safety net of covering the city with a watchful attendance to said safety.

I could spend another hour giving examples of how gold and being a watchmen have very similar qualities, but we should be getting the idea that our Lord wants us to understand that we are COVERED with His gold and the COVERING itself is ….. wait for it ….. Jesus the Christ.

Jesus Christ is Head and body.

If this all seems like a bit of a stretch, no pun intended, then let us consider what overlaying represents in the context of the next verses in Exodus.

Exo 25:16  And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
Exo 25:17  And thou shalt make a mercy seat of PURE GOLD: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
Exo 25:18  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exo 25:19  And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
Exo 25:21  And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Isn’t that something! We have items which are overlaid with gold, but then the items mentioned here are made out of pure gold and not just covered with it.

The mercy seat and cherubim are made of gold, but the cherubim are specifically mentioned in these verses as being BEATEN into shape.

When I see two cherubim being mentioned I immediately think of the two witnesses fallen in that great city. As I read these verses, focus your spiritual discernment on what it is these witness’ witness and prophecy about.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Rev 11:11  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Connecting these witnesses to their actions with the cherubim in Exodus, let us focus on the power they have been given.

The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev 19:10) and Jesus Christ is the Word of God (John 1:1).

The cherubim stare at each other and have their wings extended over the mercy seat. Where is the mercy seat at? Is it not the throne of God?

Num 7:89  And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

We are spoken to from where God dwells. We are spoken to from within heaven and the kingdom of God is within us.

The cherubim cover the mercy seat and have God commune BETWEEN and ABOVE THEM.

Jesus told us, as Christians, that He has given us all things. We have the power of God residing in us.

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Behold, we have the power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy.

What then does this power look like in our lives? After all, I am NOTHING. I have no strength of my own, no power of my own to resist the false prophet and the devil, I have no power to make myself an inch taller or to keep the hair on my head. I cannot change my spots nor can I change the color of my skin.  Lord knows I would love to be able to stay in the sun longer than a few hours without getting totally and utterly burned to the point of skin and sun poisoning.

So with all of this being true, what power DO I HAVE?

I have the Word of God. I have the power to “do greater things than these”. I have power to do WONDERFUL miracles in the lives of those who are the walking dead, always naked, always hungry, never full no matter how much they eat, ever wondering, never given peace.

But with this power comes the witness of it. Jesus Christ gave instant miracles when He walked this earth. He fed people instantly for their physical bellies.

He healed them of their physical health problems and diseases.

However, He left the spiritual healing up to His BODY whom He DWELLS in. We, as cherubim having the THRONE OF GOD in our CENTER, must WITNESS the work of God as he sits on His throne.

We often times wait very long periods of time to see the manifestation of God’s will in our lives. Sometimes, we see it instantly as well as miracles that happen instantly.

However, if we are really looking toward the cherubim in our midst than we would see none stop miracles. Lord gives us eyes that see and ears that hear.

In the next study, we are going to continue to build upon who we are as the cherubim, and how all the other items in the sanctuary represent an aspect of who we are to and for God’s will.

We have His mind SITTING upon us, ABOVE us and IN us, so we will continue to dig in the field to see what that beauty of our pearl of great price really is.