Audio Links

Awesome Hands - part 100 Discussion

1 file(s) 9.51 MB

Download

Awesome Hands – part 100

“Brass in the outer court”

June 29, 2016

Confirmation is always very important in all aspects of human life and interactions with others. When we are having conversations, confirmations allow us to connect to one another because we are able to relate to each other.

Confirmations also act as a guide post of sorts to allow us to individually gauge where we are with whatever topic or item the confirmation confirms.

For the body of Christ, having confirmations that we are His beloved and He is ours allows is to move through our lives with confidence that no matter what we do or what we go through, we will have Him there with us.

In our study today we are going to continue the awesome hands series with a few more confirmations of why we matter to Jesus Christ and to each other.

It’s all in the details

Isn’t it amazing that the things that tend to bore us as humans are often the most needed yet neglected of all things to which we give our time?

Take for example the verses we will be covering today. There are many repeating and monotonous details in the description of the outer walls of the tabernacle court, yet they hold very instructive details for one of the things most Christians want to know about - namely, our relationship with God and what it means, how it manifests itself and how we can have a better relationship with God.

For brevity's sake, I will not read our verses today from the KJV so that I can help to make these verses more easily understood, but I do not want to skip them either because the Lord is in the details, so I will read them from the CEV translation below.

Exo 27:9  And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
Exo 27:10  And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
Exo 27:11  And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
Exo 27:12  And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
Exo 27:13  And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.
Exo 27:14  The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exo 27:15  And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exo 27:16  And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.
Exo 27:17  All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.
Exo 27:18  The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.
Exo 27:19  All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.
Exo 27:20  And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
Exo 27:21  In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Instead, I will read these same verses from the CEV (Contemporary English Version).

Exo 27:9  Surround the sacred tent with a courtyard one hundred fifty feet long on the south and north and seventy-five feet wide on the east and west. Use twenty bronze posts on bronze stands for the south and north and ten for the west. Then hang a curtain of fine linen on the posts along each of these three sides by using silver hooks and rods. Place three bronze posts on each side of the entrance at the east and hang a curtain seven and a half yards wide on each set of posts.

Exo 27:10  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:11  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:12  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:13  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:14  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:15  (SEE 27:9)

Exo 27:16  Use four more of these posts for the entrance way, then hang on them an embroidered curtain of fine linen ten yards long and woven with blue, purple, and red wool.
Exo 27:17  The curtains that surround the courtyard must be two and a half yards high and are to be hung from the bronze posts with silver hooks and rods.
Exo 27:18  (SEE 27:17)
Exo 27:19  The rest of the equipment for the sacred tent must be made of bronze, including the pegs for the tent and for the curtain surrounding the courtyard.

The first thing to keep in mind when listening to or reading anything about the tabernacle is that it is a foreshadowing of who we are in Christ and how we relate to God the Father via Jesus Christ.

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
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 10:1  The Law of Moses is like a shadow of the good things to come. This shadow isn't the good things themselves, because it cannot free people from sin by the sacrifices that are offered year after year.
Heb 10:2  If there were worshipers who already have their sins washed away and their consciences made clear, there would not be any need to go on offering sacrifices.
Heb 10:3  But the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.
Heb 10:4  (SEE 10:3)
Heb 10:5  When Christ came into the world, he said to God, "Sacrifices and offerings are not what you want, but you have given me my body.

So, as we read about this outer court of the tabernacle what are we being told in all the details of each of the sockets, pillars, curtains, rods and rings?

God wants you to know the details because it is in the details that He reveals Himself. Think about how it is Faith inspires you or hope grasps your heart and mind. You have memories of when God came to you in your darkest times or helped you up when you knew there was no way forward.

It is in these times and the special details of those interactions that you remember God’s presence. Likewise, when we study things like the details in the making of the tabernacle we know that the Lord set in motion all that the Israelites when through, for example, so that He could once again reach out through the vastness of time and touch you with the details He has prepared for His children to know He is and has always been there for them.

Brazen Altar

In Awesome Hands Part 99 the bronze/brazen altar was mentioned. Here in this study we are covering the entrance/gate to the outer court which eventually leads to the tabernacle.

In order to enter the tabernacle, the Israelites had to come through the fine linen gate which was supported by 4 bronze pillars and hanging from silver hooks.

Immediately upon entering the outer court they were presented with the brazen altar which was an immediate reminder that in order to approach the God of Israel at all you need to have a sacrifice prepared.

Of course, there were many Israelites entering into the tabernacle so there would have been blood everywhere in the vicinity of the altar.

Next, is the laver where all the washing would take place with the laver being between the bronze alter and the tabernacle tent. In these two items we can see that Israel was given a glimpse of having privilege with God of being His people yet unless you were a priest you could not enter into the holies nor holy of holies.

Heb 10:6  No, you are not pleased with animal sacrifices and offerings for sin."
Heb 10:7  Then Christ said, "And so, my God, I have come to do what you want, as the Scriptures say."
Heb 10:8  The Law teaches that offerings and sacrifices must be made because of sin. But why did Christ mention these things and say that God did not want them?
Heb 10:9  Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and to replace them. That is what he meant by saying to God, "I have come to do what you want."
Heb 10:10  So we are made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all.
Heb 10:11  The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins.
Heb 10:12  But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God's right side,
Heb 10:13  and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power.

Being the Jesus Christ is our offering for sin, and that He is the last sacrifice ever needed, what then is our part in the tabernacle as it relates to all the brass/bronze that we initially are confronted with when entering into the outer court?

Heb 10:14  By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.
Heb 10:15  The Holy Spirit also speaks of this by telling us that the Lord said,
Heb 10:16  "When the time comes, I will make an agreement with them. I will write my laws on their minds and hearts.
Heb 10:17  Then I will forget about their sins and no longer remember their evil deeds."
Heb 10:18  When sins are forgiven, there is no more need to offer sacrifices.

God does not care about our sacrifices to and for Him which come out of our own carnal reasoning. What He does care immensely for is that our covenant is recognized for what it is and that our hearts and minds are renewed towards Him.

How then are our minds renewed?

Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
2Co 4:13  We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
2Co 4:14  Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

It is inevitable that we look on the things that are able to be seen, but we must remind ourselves not to dwell on them.

Life in this aion with wear us down to the point that we would perish if we did not think on the LORD, but we will be raised up when all is said and done.

Just like the laver which sits between the brazen alter and the tent of the tabernacle, we must be renewed by the washing of water by the Word so that we do not concentrate on the blood of the cross always but that we move past it into the very presence of God.

I cannot help to quote the Word and go to the scriptures for comfort. I cannot help but read them and present them to you all to show you how it is we all approach the Lord. Do you put these things into practice? If not, then you are robbing your own heart and mind of the peace of God.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

With all that being said, there is a price that we will pay for being able to approach and eat at the table of the Lord while in this flesh.

That price is the fiery trials that we must all endure and overcome to the end. There is a reason that the Son of God has brass feet. His feet and His walk are who we ARE to the Lord. We are crucified with Him and it looks something like this. Do you see yourself in Daniel?

Dan 10:4  And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;
Dan 10:5  Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
Dan 10:6  His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
Dan 10:7  And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
Dan 10:8  Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

Even though we of ourselves are just corruption, the Lord still speaks to us.

Dan 10:9  Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
Dan 10:10  And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
Dan 10:11  And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
Dan 10:12  Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

The Lord has the answers we need if we’d only trust in Him to provide them in His timing. Yes, even this is all of the Lord yet we are told to desire the heavenly things and to write His words upon our hearts and minds.

For me, one of the strongest examples in scripture of renewing our minds to what the Lord is doing in our lives is found in Psalm 103.

Psa 103:1  A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psa 103:6  The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
Psa 103:7  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

The tabernacle is the shadow of His ways and His acts being made know to US!

Psa 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psa 103:9  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Psa 103:10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psa 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
Psa 103:15  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
Psa 103:16  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
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;
Psa 103:18  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
Psa 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Psa 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Psa 103:21  Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Psa 103:22  Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Brass or bronze is the best that the flesh has to offer and a positive application of bronze is that while we still have to contend with the flesh it is WHILE we are in the flesh that we are able to first approach God.

That simply happens because our old man, the carnal mind and the flesh which produces death that pulls on our hearts and minds, is being destroyed daily has He increase and we decrease. Washing of water by the Word is always needed by those who desire to go into the holy and holy of holies with Christ Jesus.

Fear of the Lord isn’t something that is negative, and spiritual fear of the Lord is not what your carnal reasoning tells you it is. Fear of the Lord is the acknowledgement that you have someone higher up the spiritual food scale than you.

Fear of the Lord is acknowledging that the Lord is, was and will be Lord of all and in all. Fear of the Lord is what CAUSES you and me and anyone else who calls himself a Christian to be able to LOVE!

Keeping His great commandments hinges on our fear of the Lord and fear and respect of whom the Lord our God is, was and will be is the key to understanding how to endure and overcome to the end.

Being that we are being trained up as kings and priests, we must obey the Lord and always have ready the oil that is needed to keep the lights on in the tabernacle.

Exo 27:20  Command the people of Israel to supply you with the purest olive oil. Do this so the lamp will keep burning
Exo 27:21  in front of the curtain that separates the holy place from the most holy place, where the sacred chest is kept. Aaron and his sons are responsible for keeping the lamp burning every night in the sacred tent. The Israelites must always obey this command.

In the next study, we will continue to look at how the Lord works His spiritual hands in our lives to present Himself to us even more with the pattern given to us in all that made up the physical tabernacle of the Jews. In the meantime, keep the Lights on by using the power of the Lord in your lives to present the Lord to others who are in your influence.

Audio Links

Awesome Hands – part 99

“Brass Altar”

March 30, 2016

Being a part of the body of Christ is a very special calling. With all that we are called to endure it can seem like a burden at times.

Like Joseph, we are called to our Father at a young age to be told we will be rulers, kings and priests, who must put a coat of many colors on which represents all of the different stages we will endure as we are trained up. This coat always ends up covered in blood.

In our study today, we are going to attempt to identify, Lord willing, just how the Lord uses the bronze altar of the tabernacle to forgive the sins of His people and to draw them one step closer to His tabernacle and mercy seat within.

Brass

If we hearken back to the beginning of the mentioning of the tabernacle within this awesome hands series, we will notice that the first offering that the Lord required of His people includes brass/copper.

Exo 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exo 25:3  And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

Here in Exodus 27 we now see one of the uses of the brass that was collected of the Israelites to make the tabernacle. Here are the verses for consideration today.

Exo 27:1  And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
Exo 27:2  And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
Exo 27:3  And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
Exo 27:4  And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.
Exo 27:5  And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.
Exo 27:6  And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.
Exo 27:7  And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.
Exo 27:8  Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

We see a lot of the mentioning of brass in these verses and we see that brass is overlaid on various objects representing the watchmen that are being talked about.

So, what do watchmen and brass have in common and how is brass used to show us the way to the mercy seat of God?

The pattern shown in the mount is Jesus Christ and we must follow this same pattern.

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Heb 5:10  Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Joh 17:5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

As we all strive to move toward the mercy seat of His glory, we must first come to the brass altar to make a sacrifice.

During the time of the Israelites, the first thing they saw when they came from outside to tabernacle and passed through the fine linen gate to the outer court, was a brass altar.

On this altar there must be shedding of blood to receive a pardon and forgiveness. The sinner would bring a sacrifice which would be killed and offered by placing your hand on the head of the animal being sacrificed.

Lev 1:3  If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.
Lev 1:4  And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Lev 1:7  And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:
Lev 1:8  And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
Lev 1:9  But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Often times it is hard to understand why the Lord would require such a brutal sacrifice for the atonement of sin. As a priest, and we are all kings and priests in the Lord, it is our job to do as the priests do and set fire to the altar after putting the wood in the proper place to be consumed.

We also must wash the INSIDE of the sacrifice and the LEGS of the sacrifice with water.

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Anyone who is being worked with by the Lord will be brought to the priests of God. The first thing they are going to be told about, Lord willing, is the sacrifice that Jesus made for the sins of the entire world.

That is what this brass altar is all about. It is the power of God to bring all to salvation. The blood had to be spread on the horns of the altar, and the horns represent the power of the Lord.

Psa 89:15  Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Psa 89:16  In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Psa 89:17  For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

The horns are on 4 corners of this square altar and 4 is the whole of whatever is being talked about. So, the power of God covers the whole of humanity.

All of this sounds good and well, but what do we say or explain to someone who is suffering the wrath of God in their lives even if they do not understand it as such?

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Eph 5:4  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Eph 5:7  Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Eph 5:8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

The difference the “you who were dead in trespasses and sins” are form the words is the KNOELWEDGE of the WHY this these things happen to us. This is what BUILDS the obedience through suffering.

The Truth is that we would all much rather avoid the suffering part altogether if there was any other way that the Lord could work it out for us. Even Jesus Christ’s flesh reacted the same way!

Mat 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Mat 26:40  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

The first thing you see as you go into the tabernacle, as a general Israelite, is the brazen alter so that SACRIFICE can take place. Jesus is our altar always. The altar is the cross.

This is the FIRST thing a sinner would see going into the tabernacle. The tabernacle is surrounded by linen walls so that there is only one entrance into the tabernacle outer court and then into the inner court. Death at the brass feet of Jesus is the requirement for sin, but that is as far as a sinner can be taken until they are moving into the spiritual understanding of the Word. This represents  the Christ and Him crucified that Paul speaks about in 1 Corinthians.

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

However, there is a golden altar of incense in the “holies area” which was between the “holy of holies” and the “holies” area. This altar is different in that there was still blood placed on the horns of this GOLDEN altar, but this is where incense is offered day and night. Why is that significant compared to the brazen altar made of brass?

Psa 141:1  A Psalm of David. LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
Psa 141:2  Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psa 141:3  Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Rev 8:2  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
Rev 8:5  And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

Our connection is significant to the Lord when we move beyond the first altar, which brings us to the feet of Christ, to where we have a direct connection to Him via the golden altar and the incense of our prayers. That is why the incense burns day and night and the prayers of the saints happen without ceasing.

Once an atonement for sin has been made by telling others why they have been dragged to the feet of Christ, the altar, then we can move on to telling and showing them the next parts of the tabernacle which are closer to the mercy seat.

Num 21:8  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Num 21:9  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Joh 3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

Joh 8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak THESE THINGS.

Joh 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Why and how is Jesus the altar?

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:

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Connecting the sacrifice on the altar, with the cross where the ultimate sacrifice of the spotless Lamb took place, what does this altar represent to those who KNOW what the altar is? It is all about renewing our minds to the KNOWLEDGE of what our lives NOW represent to God.

All of the world suffers in so many ways. The days of all of our lives are filled with suffering or the knowledge of the suffering of others and we all ask ourselves why this is and how the Lord could “allow” this to happen, but we have knowledge of the “why” because the Lord has brought us to the Light out of darkness.

This knowledge, of knowing Jesus Christ and God the Father, is ETERNAL LIFE!

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Joh 17:1  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
Joh 17:2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

We are given the knowledge that this flesh is NOTHING and though we will all die due to the wages of sin, we will be with our Lord. Because we die daily NOW, we also live our lives NOW with a renewed mind to make our sufferings count for something and not just suffer as the world suffers. We desire to suffer for righteousness sake!

1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14  But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

In our suffering we have something to give to others and that is the SERVICE to them of showing them what the mind of Christ is.

Php 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Php 2:3  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Php 2:4  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We have also been given His name and when we represent Jesus Christ as ambassadors we will be able to share His love and the rest of the fruits of the Spirit which we have been given to share WITH OTHERS.

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.