The Color Blue – Part 2

Blue is peculiar to the priesthood

[Study Aired November 23, 2025]

Up to this point we have seen blue only in conjunction with the colors purple and scarlet. In this study we will see blue where it is alone as well as sometimes with other colors.

We concluded our last study in chapter 35 of Exodus with the description of the men whom God uses to build His tabernacle. We saw that those who build God’s tabernacle are the same as those who are the tabernacle.  Those whom God uses in the construction of His Tabernacle are “filled… with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.”

Exo 35:31  And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
Exo 35:32  And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
Exo 35:33  And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

These are gifts which God gives to those He uses to build His spiritual Tabernacle. God is not working only with physical materials these days. All of these materials are now spiritual. We will see today that blue is associated with the things of God’s spirit and is therefore peculiar to God’s priesthood.

Joh 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.

In the shadows of the Old Testament, we were told that those who were selected by God to build His Tabernacle were also gifted in working with ‘blue, purple and scarlet’ and in being capable of weaving these colors into the veil which we are told is Christ’s body:

Exo 35:35  Them hath he [God] filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work

Blue is associated with those who teach others

We saw last week that the men God chose to build His tabernacle were gifted in the ability to teach and to show to others how to do the things that were needed to accomplish the task of building God’s tabernacle:

Exo 35:30  And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;
Exo 35:31  And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
Exo 35:32  And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
Exo 35:33  And in the cutting of stones, to set [them], and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.
Exo 35:34  And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
Exo 35:35  Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.

Here is the anti-type which all these qualities of Bezeleel and Aholiab signify:

1Ti 3:1  This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1Ti 3:2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:3  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of [Build up and edify] the church of God?)
1Ti 3:6  Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
1Ti 3:7  Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

What is the tabernacle?

Those who are building the Lord’s tabernacle today are building with the spiritual words and works of Jesus Christ. Is not Christ the very foundation of God’s temple? Of course, He is:

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
1Co 3:10  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

“We are God’s husbandry” laboring to build for Him a house in which He can dwell. At the same time “ye are God’s building” (1Co 3:9). In the same way Christ, too, is both the foundation of His Father’s Tabernacle, and He is that Tabernacle.

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 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Christ is ‘the pattern, which was shown you in the mount.’

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.

The word translated ‘pattern’ in this verse, quoted out of Exodus, is the Greek word ‘tupos.’

Here is Strong’s definition of this word:

“G5179
τυπος
tupos
too’- pos++++, a model (for imitation) or instance (for warning): – en- (ex-) ample, fashion, figure, form, manner, pattern, print.”

This is what we are told of Christ:

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

What do we do as we follow in His steps? We show these things to others:

Rev 19:9  And he [the angel who is instructing John] saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Who has “the testimony of Jesus Christ?” That would be John himself:

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John:
Rev 1:2  Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Who does John symbolize? Again:

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

John is symbolic of those who comprise God’s “true tabernacle:”

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 [blue] 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.

Blue is peculiar to “the heavenly things”

Christ has entered into the heavens, and yet the world does not know where He is because the world does not know where or what ‘heaven’ is even though the scriptures make both very clear to those who are given eyes that see and ears that hear:

Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20  Saying, This [is] the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves [you and I and “all in Adam”, (1Co 15:22)] with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 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 [“Christ in you”, (Col 1:27)], now to appear in the presence of God for us:

So, where did Christ go when he was resurrected and ascended to His Father? Where is His Father? Where is Christ? Where is “heaven itself?”

Joh 3:13  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Apparently it is possible to both “come down from heaven” and to “be in heaven” at the same time.

Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Act 2:34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

Christ is in “the clouds of the heavens.” So, where is He? This is “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints”:

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Col 1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

That is right! Christ is even now in “the true tabernacle… which is… in you, the hope of glory.”

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

So, the tabernacle must be “according to the pattern” we have been given and according to the instructions we have been given. The words we have been given “are spirit and are life.” Spirit and life are not the words that come out of the hearts of false prophets who prophecy from their own hearts and say that they have matured beyond the words spoken by Christ in His Word, the Bible.

Joh 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.

“The words that I speak” are “that which is written” and anything which contradicts “that which is written” is a lie:

1Co 4:6  Now these things, brothers, I applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us ye might learn not to think above that which is written, so that ye may not be puffed up, one over the one against the other. (ACV)

Rom 3:4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

As we learned in our last study, the tabernacle of God is composed of ten curtains held together by blue loops and gold taches, both symbolizing the function of the spirit which brings us together as God’s church, which is His body:

Exo 36:11  And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of [another] curtain, in the coupling of the second.
Exo 36:12  Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which [was] in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.
Exo 36:13  And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is [the] Christ. [“One tabernacle”]

So what is “the body?” What is “the tabernacle?” What is “the temple of God?” They are all one and the same thing. They are all where Christ and His Father dwell within each of His elect.  What tells us the significance of the color blue is that when we see it in scripture, it is prominent. Blue comes first. When we see where blue is located and what is done by the things that are blue, then we know what its function is. Blue loops and gold taches hold together the tabernacle of God. Where else do we see the color blue?

The bindings of the gold rings of the ephod are with a lace of blue

Exo 28:28  And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
Exo 28:29  And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.
Exo 28:30  And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
Exo 39:21  And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses

The robe of the ephod is all of blue

Exo 28:31  And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
Exo 28:32  And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.
Exo 28:33  And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about:
Exo 28:34  A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.
Exo 28:35  And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy [place] before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

Exo 39:22  And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

The gold plate of the mitre is to be on a blue lace

Exo 28:36  And thou shalt make a plate [of] pure gold, and grave upon it, [like] the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
Exo 28:37  And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
Exo 28:38  And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

Where blue is used, no expense is spared

Look at the details and the expense taken in the construction of the ephod. This ephod is part of the “cloths of service” of those who serve in the temple of God.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Clothing is works. Filthy clothing is filthy works. “Fine linen, clean and white” is the righteousness of Christ in His elect. The intricacies of the priestly “cloths of service” testify to how true is the fact that every hair of our heads is numbered, “specially of those that believe.”

Exo 39:1  And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy [place], and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:2  And he made the ephod [of] gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
Exo 39:3  And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut [it into] wires, to work [it] in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, [with] cunning work.
Exo 39:4  They made shoulder pieces for it, to couple [it] together: by the two edges was it coupled together.
Exo 39:5  And the curious girdle of his ephod, that [was] upon it, [was] of the same, according to the work thereof; [of] gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:6  And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.
Exo 39:7  And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, [that they should be] stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:8  And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; [of] gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
Exo 39:9  It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span [was] the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, [being] doubled.
Exo 39:10  And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this [was] the first row.
Exo 39:11  And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
Exo 39:12  And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
Exo 39:13  And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: [they were] inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.
Exo 39:14  And the stones [were] according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, [like] the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.
Exo 39:15  And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, [of] wreathen work [of] pure gold.
Exo 39:16  And they made two ouches [of] gold, and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.
Exo 39:17  And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.
Exo 39:18  And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.
Exo 39:19  And they made two rings of gold, and put [them] on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which [was] on the side of the ephod inward.
Exo 39:20  And they made two [other] golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the [other] coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
Exo 39:21  And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:22  And he made the robe of the ephod [of] woven work, all [of] blue.

Let’s go back to the blue lace holding the rings of the blue-robed ephod.

Exo 39:21  And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:22  And he made the robe of the ephod [of] woven work, all of blue.
Exo 39:23  And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon [Definition: a coat or corslet of linen], with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.
Exo 39:24  And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, [and] twined [linen].
Exo 39:25  And they made bells [of] pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates;
Exo 39:26  A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister [in]; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:27  And they made coats [of] fine linen [of] woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,
Exo 39:28  And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen,
Exo 39:29  And a girdle [of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, [of] needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:30  And they made the plate of the holy crown [of] pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, [like to] the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
Exo 39:31  And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exo 39:32  Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Everything inside the tabernacle is to be covered with “a cloth of blue”

Num 4:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 4:2  Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
Num 4:3  From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Num 4:4  This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
Num 4:5  And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
Num 4:6  And shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over [it] a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
Num 4:7  And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
Num 4:8  And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
Num 4:9  And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:
Num 4:10  And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put [it] upon a bar.
Num 4:11  And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue , and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
Num 4:12  And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put [them] in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put [them] on a bar:
Num 4:13  And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
Num 4:14  And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, [even] the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers’ skins, and put to the staves of it.
Num 4:15  And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear [it]: but they shall not touch [any] holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Moses and Aaron were both of the family of the Kohathites. So Korah and all of those working closest to Moses and Aaron were to be those of their own family who were closest to them. And yet they were not allowed to even touch the holy things.

This is all concerned with and signifies how close to the truth our brothers in Babylon are and yet how few are given eyes that see and ears that hear and keep the doctrines of Christ:

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein .
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Blue is the color of rulership

Est 8:15  And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

The negative application of blue

The blue of Egypt is not the blue which represents the rulership of the spirit over the flesh. The blue of Egypt is the rulership of the flesh in those who claim to be God’s rulers but are not:

Jer 10:8  But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
Jer 10:9  Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

Eze 27:7  Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee.

So blue has a negative application and is, as with all things pertaining to God and righteousness, counterfeited by the Adversary.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

We have seen that the color blue is used many times in conjunction with the colors purple and scarlet, and this combination of colors covers all of the curtains of the tabernacle. When this is the case, blue is almost always mentioned first, followed by purple and scarlet is last. We have seen that blue signifies the things of the spirit and is peculiar to the tabernacle and to the priestly garments. We saw that it is blue which is used to hold the tabernacle together and to make it “one tabernacle.” We have seen that blue is used time and time again to “bind together” God’s tabernacle, the gold plate on the mitre, the breastplate to the ephod, etc. We have seen that blue is peculiar to the vessels of service and the implements of service of the tabernacle, which are all stored on blue cloths while in transit. We saw that those who work with blue are teachers, and finally we have been shown that blue has to do with the priesthood and rulership.

Knowing what is the true tabernacle and the true priesthood tells those with eyes to see and ears to hear, that when we see the color blue, we are talking about the things of the spirit and of heavenly things, of “the heavens themselves.” Blue signfies what is in the hearts and minds of God’s elect.

[Here is the next study in this series.]

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/numbers-71-89-offerings-at-the-tabernacles-consecration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=numbers-71-89-offerings-at-the-tabernacles-consecration Mon, 12 Jun 2023 17:34:28 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=27757

Numbers 7:1-89  Offerings at the Tabernacle’s Consecration

[Study Aired June 12, 2023]

Introduction

Today’s study focuses on the setting up of the tabernacle of the congregation and the offerings of the people of Israel. Therefore, it continues with the requirements needed to become a strong formidable army of the Lord such that we are victorious in every endeavor. Spiritually, today’s study touches on three key aspects needed as the Lord’s elect – the coming of the Lord to dwell in us, our offerings to the Lord and our communication with the Lord (prayer). Throughout the Old Testament, the habitation of the Lord was not with men, although they have the presence of the Lord in the physical tabernacle of the congregation. It was after the sacrificial offering of Christ’s life that He paved the way for God to dwell in man.

Hag 1:9  You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.
Hag 1:10  Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 
Hag 1:11  And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.” (ESV)

The verses above (Haggai 1:9-11) describe the sorrowful state we found ourselves in, just like the Old Testament period before Christ came to dwell in us. If the headquarters of an army lies in ruin, as the verses in Haggai describe, the army does not have any form of communication to guide those in the frontline of battle to know what to do to defeat the enemy. In addition, they do not have the support from headquarters in terms of food supplies, ammunition, and personnel reinforcement to engage the enemy they are fighting. The army’s ultimate defeat is therefore imminent. The story of the High Priest Eli’s sons who died in battle with several Israelites is a typical example of how we get defeated by the flesh when Christ’s habitation within us is in ruin or defiled.

1Sa 4:1  And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 
1Sa 4:2  The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 
1Sa 4:3  And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 
1Sa 4:4  So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 
1Sa 4:5  As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 
1Sa 4:6  And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp, 
1Sa 4:7  the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.
1Sa 4:8  Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 
1Sa 4:9  Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.” 
1Sa 4:10  So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 
1Sa 4:11  And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. 

The defeat of the Israelites was long overdue as a result of the sons of Eli’s sons who defiled the habitation of the Lord. 

1Sa 2:22  Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

The Philistines here refer to our flesh. Our lives in Babylon were characterized by defeat upon defeat as a result of the defilement of the Lord’s habitation within us.

1Co 3:16  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 
1Co 3:17  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. (ESV)

It is when Christ comes to us to make our bodies His dwelling place, that is when we can offer a sacrifice pleasing to Him.  As indicated, today’s study focuses on the setting up of the tabernacle of the congregation and the subsequent offerings by the people of Israel. The sacrifices were offered by the twelve tribes of Israel in twelve days. Since the sacrifice for each day is the same, today’s study will highlight the sacrifice for only the first day. 

Num 7:1  And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; 

The setting up of the tabernacle typifies Christ coming to us to set up His dwelling place within us – our bodies. This is not a one-time event in our lives, but a process that takes place during our stay here on earth beginning from Christ coming to us. 

1Co 3:16  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 
1Co 3:17  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. (ESV)

1Co 6:19  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 
1Co 6:20  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

The setting up of the tabernacle or the temple of God within us is the beginning of the process of the Lord gathering together in one all things in Christ, both that which are in heaven and on earth.

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

It is significant to note that it was Moses who set up the tabernacle. What this implies is that it is only within the elect, signified by Moses, that the Lord is setting up His dwelling place in this age. 

Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 

In another perspective, Moses represents the Lord Jesus Christ. In this regard, we can say that it is the Lord alone who can set up our bodies as the temple of God. It is not of man’s will or what we can do, but it is God’s election. In other words, coming to serve the Lord does not originate from man. 

Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Moses anointing the tabernacle in verse 1 is the sending of the Holy Spirit within us as a deposit guarantee. As we are aware, the promise of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into the truth of the word of the Lord. In other words, the Holy Spirit helps us to understand the manual (the word of the Lord) for maintaining the tabernacle or the temple of the Lord within us. 

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 
Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 
Joh 16:15  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

In verse 1, Moses also sanctified the tabernacle and all the instruments and vessels within it. Sanctification means to be set apart for special use or purpose. It also means declaring something holy, and being holy implies the process of being freed from sin or purified. What this means is that those in whom Christ is setting up the temple of God within are being purified or freed from sin. As we have learned in all our studies, being purified or freed from sin is through the judgment of our old man by the Lord.  Christ coming to us to set up His tabernacle within us is through judgment so that we can learn righteousness.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

Isa 26:8  In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. 
Isa 26:9  My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Num 7:2  That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:

The princes of Israel and the heads of the house of their fathers, who were princes of the tribes, represent the elect. Remember that we are a royal priesthood and therefore princes of the Lord our King.

1Pe 2:9  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (ESV) 

It is after the Lord comes to us to establish His tabernacle within us that we are judged, and it is by the judgment process that we become sanctified for the Lord. It is through this process of sanctification that we can offer sacrifice pleasing to the Lord. The sequence of events ordered by the Lord is as follows: First the Lord comes to us to set up His temple. This is followed by the process of sanctification, which involves judgment of our old man. It is then that we can offer ourselves as a sacrifice pleasing to the Lord. This is demonstrated clearly in the following verses of Malachi.

Mal 3:1  “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:2  But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 
Mal 3:3  He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. 
Mal 3:4  Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. 
Mal 3:5  “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

Num 7:3  And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. 

The offering the leaders of Israel brought included six covered wagons and the twelve oxen were for the transportation of the tabernacle and the altar in the wilderness.  Spiritually, the six covered wagons represent the Lord’s elect, as the number six signifies mankind. As His elect, we are the ones carrying Christ with us wherever we go here on earth. We can therefore see that without the tabernacle or Christ dwelling in us, we do not have anything to carry as wagons to others. The wagons being covered means that many people will not recognize that we are carrying Christ with us unless the wagons are uncovered. This is because we do not carry ourselves as ordained ministers of Christ as our brothers and sisters in Babylon do. We shall be revealed or uncovered in the fullness of time when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. This is Paul’s view of the Lord’s messengers in this age who are covered:

1Co 4:9  For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 
1Co 4:10  We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 
1Co 4:11  To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 
1Co 4:12  and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 
1Co 4:13  when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.(ESV) 

The fact that every two princes donated a wagon is to show us that we are to serve as witnesses of Christ wherever we go. 

Act 1:8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

The twelve oxen which were offered by each leader represent Christ, who was offered for our sake and for the whole of mankind to serve as the foundation for the building of the temple of God within us.  

1Co 3:10  According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 
1Co 3:11  For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

Num 7:4  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 7:5  Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service. 
Num 7:6  And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. 
Num 7:7  Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service: 
Num 7:8  And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 
Num 7:9  But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders. 
Num 7:10  And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar. 

The fact that the Lord told Moses to accept the offering is to let us know that as we offer our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord, it is acceptable and pleasing to Him. 

Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 
Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

The giving of the offerings to the Levites is to show us the Lord’s intent in taking care of us who work in His vineyard to make our work easier. It is significant to note that the Kohath were not given any of the offerings for the simple reason that they were charged with the service of the holy things that had to be carried on their shoulders. The Holy things cannot be borne by oxen-driven wagons as shown by the Lord in the example of David bringing the ark to Jerusalem. 

2Sa 6:1  David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 
2Sa 6:2  And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 
2Sa 6:3  And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 
2Sa 6:4  with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
2Sa 6:5  And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.
2Sa 6:6  And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 
2Sa 6:7  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.

We know that oxen are beasts. What the Lord is teaching us is that as long as the beast within us is dominating or driving us, there is no way that we can carry Christ and His words. It is when Christ comes to us that the beast in us is dealt with and therefore, we can bear the Holy things of God. 

Ecc 3:18  I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.

It is insightful to note that all the Levites except the Kohath were given wagons to transport the tabernacle. The things that are transported by the wagons are not the Holy things. These Levites who are given wagons and oxen represent Babylon who carry Christ (the gospel) on beast-dominated bodies. Since they do not carry the Holy things, there is no way that what they preach will make one holy. We, the elect, in this case represent the Kohath who bear the Holy things on our shoulders – not on oxen-driven wagons.

Part 2

The rest of the chapter deals with the offering by the twelve leaders – an offering by a leader each day. The offering by each leader is the same. The only difference is the day on which it was offered. The different days of offerings by the leaders of Israel show us that some of us become mature early, while others mature later to offer their sacrifice. It also shows us how each generation of elect is offering their bodies as a sacrifice to the Lord. Although the Lord has given us various talents or gifts, what we all offer to the Lord, in view of His mercies towards us, is our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord. Offering our bodies as living sacrifices entails not conforming to the standards of this world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds to know what the Lord requires of us. Since our offerings are the same, the reward by the Lord is also the same for every elect. 

Num 7:11  And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar. 
Num 7:12  And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah: 
Num 7:13  And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:14  One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense: 
Num 7:15  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 
Num 7:16  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:17  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

The first two items offered were a silver plate weighing 130 shekels and a silver sprinkling bowl weighing 70 shekels. These silver vessels were filled full of the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering. Silver is a desired precious commodity. Since these vessels are to be used in the house of God, they represent the elect whom the Lord has redeemed with His precious blood. These vessels must be filled full of fine flour mingled with oil. This means that as the Lord’s chosen vessels, we must be filled full of His words which are spirit. In other words, we must understand the spiritual interpretation of the word of the Lord. 

Joh 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.

Gen 45:22  To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

The fact that the silver plate weighs 130 shekels signifies that we must pass through the process of judgment to mature (significance of the number 3) as vessels worthy to be used in the house of God. As the Lord’s redeemed vessels, we must all be united with one in mind and speaking the same thing (significance the number 1).

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The second item offered was a gold dish weighing 10 shekels which was filled with incense. The 10 shekels means that it is the fullness of our flesh that brings the Lord to drag us to judgment so we can become vessels of gold in the house of the Lord. That is when we can offer prayers as incense to the Lord. 

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

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.

The third items offered were a young bull, one ram and one male lamb for a burnt offering. Jesus is the young bull, the ram and the male lamb who was offered for the sins of the elect and the rest of the world. 

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

The fourth item was one male goat for a sin offering. We, His elect, are the male goat that was set free in the wilderness as part of our sin offering.

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
Lev 16:22  And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

The last set of items mentioned were the two oxen, five male goats and five male lambs of the first year. These are to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering to the Lord. As the Lord has sacrificed His life for us, we must also be prepared to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice to the Lord. The number five of the goats and lambs is to suggest that it is with grace through faith that we can offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord. The two oxen imply that we are witnesses of Christ in this world.

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.

The rest of the chapter narrates the offerings from the second day to the end of the twelfth day. Since the offerings are the same each day, and we have explained the significance of the various items offered, we shall only provide the Bible verses here.

Num 7:18  On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer: 
Num 7:19  He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:20  One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:21  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:22  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:23  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
Num 7:24  On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer: 
Num 7:25  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:26  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:27  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:28  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:29  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
Num 7:30  On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer: 
Num 7:31  His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
Num 7:32  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:33  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:34  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:35  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
Num 7:36  On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer:
Num 7:37  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:38  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:39  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:40  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:41  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
Num 7:42  On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:
Num 7:43  His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
Num 7:44  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:45  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:46  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:47  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
Num 7:48  On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
Num 7:49  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
Num 7:50  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:51  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:52  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:53  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud. 
Num 7:54  On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh: 
Num 7:55  His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:56  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:57  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:58  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:59  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
Num 7:60  On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered:
Num 7:61  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:62  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:63  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:64  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:65  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
Num 7:66  On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered:
Num 7:67  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:68  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:69  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 
Num 7:70  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:71  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 
Num 7:72  On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered:
Num 7:73  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:74  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:75  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:76  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:77  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.
Num 7:78  On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered:
Num 7:79  His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 
Num 7:80  One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 
Num 7:81  One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
Num 7:82  One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 
Num 7:83  And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
Num 7:84  This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold: 
Num 7:85  Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
Num 7:86  The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels.
Num 7:87  All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve. 
Num 7:88  And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.  
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. 

Verse 89 says that Moses heard the voice of the Lord within the veil, specifically, between the two cherubims. As we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord, we shall hear the voice of the Lord clearly as we walk with Him. Amen!!

[Study Aired May 15, 2023]

Num 4:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 4:2  Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 
Num 4:3  From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 4:4  This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
Num 4:5  And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: 
Num 4:6  And shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
Num 4:7  And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: 
Num 4:8  And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put in the staves thereof. 
Num 4:9  And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuff dishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 
Num 4:10  And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put it upon a bar. 
Num 4:11  And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: 
Num 4:12  And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar: 
Num 4:13  And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 
Num 4:14  And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers’ skins, and put to the staves of it. 
Num 4:15  And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 4:16  And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof. 
Num 4:17  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 4:18  Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: 
Num 4:19  But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: 
Num 4:20  But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. 

This session covers the work of Moses, Aaron and his sons as priests, when they were to set out from one place to another in the wilderness. The priests had the privilege of packing the vessels within the tabernacle of the congregation. In everyday life, it is those who are very close to you who can pack your belongings. He who packs another person’s belongings sees all his mysteries and secrets. We are therefore privileged to become part of the Lord’s royal priesthood to be able to know the mysteries of His kingdom!!

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Num 4:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 
Num 4:2  Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 
Num 4:3  From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Num 4:4  This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:

We can see from these verses that there is an age requirement for one to do the work of the Lord regarding the tabernacle of the Congregation. To serve as a Kohath or a Levite, one has to be between the ages of thirty and fifty. In other words, one has to be spiritually mature to do the work of the Lord as the ages specified refer to the “golden years” of our lives where we are mature and have the necessary strength to do all kinds of work. The number 30 signifies the time we are spiritually mature, as we have our senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Our spiritual maturity involves going through fiery trials as we see Joseph go through trials to become Prime Minister of Egypt at the age 30. The number fifty refers to the liberty we have in Christ as we become spiritually mature. This liberty is about our freedom from bondage to sin.

Gen 41:46  And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

As we recall from the Bible, our Lord Jesus Christ waited until He was thirty years old before He began His ministry or work of service to God. Although He was a son, He learned obedience by the things He suffered and became the author of salvation, to the elect first and then to the rest of the world.

Luk 3:23  And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 

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.

What we need to understand is that becoming a servant of Christ is not a job for babies or children in Christ. We need to be spiritually thirty years old and above to serve the Lord. The Bible has a lot to warn us about children who try to serve as they assume leadership of the Lord’s people. This is what happens:

Isa 3:4  And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. 
Isa 3:5  And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

Isa 3:12  As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

In Isaiah 3:12, it is insightful to note that children ruling is equivalent to women ruling. In the physical churches of this world, or Babylon, it is children who are ruling, and it is the same as the church (the harlot woman) dominating the lives of the Lord’s people instead of Christ.

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Num 4:5  And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: 
Num 4:6  And shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.

The services slated for Aaron and his sons relate to when the camp is setting out, that is, when the Israelites were moving from one place to another. The first item to be moved was the ark of the testimony. As we indicated in the studies in Exodus, the ark represents Christ or the word of the Lord.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Numbers 4:5-6 spiritually refer to the duties of the elect (represented by Aaron and his sons) as it relates to the spreading or the movement of the gospel of Christ. What we need to realize is that the ark, or the word of the Lord, must be covered with a veil, a badgers’ skin and a cloth of blue color when Israel was on the move. The veil that is taken from the tabernacle to cover the ark signifies the flesh of Christ as shown in the following: 

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

The badger skin refers to the skin of an animal, probably a goat or sheep or dolphin, etc. It symbolizes the sacrificial death of Christ while the cloth with the color blue refers to the resurrected Lord in our hearts and mind or heavens.

In summary, all the coverings represent Christ, and as long as we see Christ in the flesh in terms of His life and death, the word of the Lord (the ark) is veiled. It is when we begin to see Christ in the spirit that the veil is taken away. That is when we begin to know Christ or His words (the ark). This is what Paul said about knowing Christ after the spirit:

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2Co 3:16  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Verses 5 and 6 refer to the duties of the elect as they relate to the way the gospel of Christ must be sent. The gospel we are carrying is veiled or shrouded in a mystery. It is only those who know Christ in the spirit who can understand the Christ whom we present.

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 
1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 
1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 
1Co 2:11  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 
1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The staves, or the poles, in verse 6 are the elect who carry the veiled message of the gospel. It is the Levites (Babylonians) who carry us on their shoulders as we propagate our veiled message. In other words, our brothers and sisters in Babylon are the ones who do the heavy work of using the law as our schoolmaster to lead people to Christ. It is when they come to Christ that we take over by unwrapping the word of the Lord for them to see the ark clearly as priests.

Joh 4:37  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 
Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Num 4:7  And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
Num 4:8  And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.

The table of showbread together with the bread and its accessories symbolize the altar where the elect share the word of the Lord. The covering of the table of the showbread and its accessories means that our brothers and sisters in Babylon, representing the Levites, are not allowed to partake with us the word of truth, which is Christ. The reason they cannot partake with us the truth of the word of the Lord is that they have been swept away by divers and strange doctrines.

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

It is very instructive to note that the cloth used to initially cover the table of the showbread was scarlet, which is red and refers to Adam whose name means red, that is earthy. What we are being told therefore is that we, the Lord’s elect, are the treasure in earthen vessels. After the table and its accessories were covered with the scarlet cloth, they are again wrapped in badgers’ skin. This signifies that being given to eat in the presence of the Lord is associated with the process of dying to the old man through suffering as our Lord Jesus Christ took the lead to offer His life for our sake. This is what the word of the Lord has to say about this:

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 
2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11  For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Num 4:9  And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuff dishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 
Num 4:10  And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put it upon a bar.

The candlesticks symbolize the church of the firstborn or the elect. The lamps refer to the word of the Lord and the oil stands for the Holy Spirit. The church of the elect is not visible to the world. It is hidden from the sight of Babylon and the people of the world. It is only when the veil is taken away that the church becomes visible. In this age, it is only those whose names have been written before the foundations of the world who become part of the elect who are those from whom the Lord is removing the veil to see the church of the elect. The rest of the world, including our brothers and sisters in Babylon, will see this glorious church when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. The veil being removed means we are given to understand or know Christ in the spirit and not in the flesh. It is when we understand His words in the spirit that we can know the church of the elect or Jerusalem which is above. 

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Num 4:11  And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:

The golden altar is a symbol of the sacrificial death of Christ for the sake of all humanity. The elect represent the staves which are used to carry the golden altar. We are therefore always carrying in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus so that the life of Christ might be made manifest in our lives. The fact that the world, or our brothers and sisters in Babylon, do not see us bearing in our body the dying of Christ means that the golden altar is hidden from the Levites (Babylonians) as it is covered by a cloth of blue and the badgers’ skin. 

2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11  For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

As indicated earlier, the blue cloth represents Christ in our heavens, and the badger skin represents the dying of Christ. What this means is that it is when we begin to know or worship Christ in the spirit and in truth that the veil is taken away to see the dying of Christ in our bodies. This dying of Christ in our bodies symbolizes the suffering we must endure to manifest Christ in our lives.

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 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.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Num 4:12  And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar: 
Num 4:13  And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 
Num 4:14  And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers’ skins, and put to the staves of it. 

All the instruments of ministry are covered with cloth of blue and the badger skin. We, the Lord’s elect, are the instruments of ministry. In other words, we are used for honorable purposes. 

2Ti 2:20  Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 
2Ti 2:21  Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

What verses 12 to 14 imply is that as vessels of ministry, we the elect, are not visible to the world. including our brothers and sisters in Babylon. We are covered with a cloth of blue and a badger skin. We are only visible when the Lord removes the veil covering us. That is why our Lord Jesus, when He was getting to the end of His life, told the Pharisees that all those in Jerusalem (Babylon) will not see Him again until the time comes they acknowledge the elect by saying that blessed is he (the elect) who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Luk 13:34  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 
Luk 13:35  Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ 

It is when the veil is taken away that we see who the Lord’s children really are. Since the Lord’s children represent Jesus of Nazareth, being given the power to see the Lord’s elect means seeing our Lord Jesus Christ!! As the Lord said, it is a blessing to see those who come in the name of the Lord!!

Act 9:4  And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 
Act 9:5  And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

Num 4:15  And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

The sons of Kohath who were part of the Levites were required to bear all the vessels of the sanctuary as the people of Israel journeyed through the desert. It must have been a very difficult task to carry all the vessels in the heat of the desert. That is what is happening today as we see our brothers and sisters from Babylon do all the taxing duties to make it easier for the Lord’s elect to reap the harvest. The parable of the hired laborers illustrates this point clearly.

Mat 20:1  “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
Mat 20:2  After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Mat 20:3  And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 
Mat 20:4  and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 
Mat 20:5  So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 
Mat 20:6  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
Mat 20:7  They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 
Mat 20:8  And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 
Mat 20:9  And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 
Mat 20:10  Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 
Mat 20:11  And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,
Mat 20:12  saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’
Mat 20:13  But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 
Mat 20:14  Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.
Mat 20:15  Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’
Mat 20:16  So the last will be first, and the first last.”

All the earlier laborers had worked more hours than the laborers who came in last, and these laborers who came in last were the first to receive the prize. It is indeed a privilege to be called and chosen in this age!!

Joh 4:37  For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’
Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.

It is also important to note that the sons of Kohath were forbidden to touch any holy thing lest they die. As we are aware, you can only give what you have. If you are not required to touch holy things, there is no way that you can make someone holy, since you are not holy. Being forbidden to touch holy things is another way of saying that in spite of the hard work of our brothers and sisters in Babylon, the fruits of their labors do not result in people becoming holy. As a matter of fact, they become worse off or twice the children of hell. That is where we all came from. Before we exited Babylon, we were all twice the children of hell before we received the mercies of the Lord. 

Mat 23:13  “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 

Mat 23:15  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” 

The Kohathites, or the Babylonians, being forbidden to touch any holy thing is the same as what our Lord Jesus said about the multitude who came to listen to Him.

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them (the multitude) in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

Num 4:16  And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.

As priests of the Lord, the elect are the only ones who are anointed by the Lord to offer sweet incense (prayers), meat offering (offering their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord) and oil for the light (are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God).

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you (the priests) to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (the Levites or Babylonians) it is not given.

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.

Num 4:17  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 4:18  Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
Num 4:19  But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
Num 4:20  But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

The Lord’s admonition to Moses and Aaron was very appropriate. Because the Kohathites’ work in carrying the important vessels of the temple was extremely significant compared with the other Levites, who were to carry superficial things like boards, sockets, pillars, etc., there was the tendency on the part of Moses and Aaron to regard them as more important than the other Levites and therefore cut them off from the Levites. However, since the Kohathites were restricted from touching the holy things, they were not different from the other Levites. In other words, they represent Babylon.

As we are aware, there are many brothers and sisters whose work is so important and sometimes what they say borders on the truth of the Lord’s words. There is therefore this tendency to regard them as different from Babylon. However, since they have not left Babylon, they are still part of Babylon and share in their sins. What we are to do is not to disregard the role our brothers and sisters in Babylon (Kohathites) play in the grand scheme of the Lord in bringing people to Christ. Inasmuch as we are to appreciate the work our brothers and sisters do in Babylon, we are not to cast our pearls before them.

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Luk 9:49  And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
Luk 9:50  And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

We thank God for His mercies towards us by calling and choosing us to be part of His priesthood in this life. What a blessing our Lord has bestowed on us!! May His name be praised forever, Amen!!!

Isa 35:1-10 Your God Will Come With Vengeance...He Will Come and Save You - Discussion

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Isa 35:1-10  Your God Will Come With Vengeance... He Will Come and Save You

Isa 35:1  The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Isa 35:2  It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
Isa 35:3  Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Isa 35:4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Isa 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isa 35:6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isa 35:7  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
Isa 35:8  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Isa 35:9  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
Isa 35:10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Let's remember that there were no chapter breaks in the original Hebrew or Greek. The subject here, as we saw in the last couple of studies, is God's judgment and vengeance upon Idumea/Mount Seir within us, "for the controversy of Zion":

Isa 34:5  For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
Isa 34:6  The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.
Isa 34:7  And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.
Isa 34:8  For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.

This is the wonderful day of judgment upon the kingdom of Babylon, 'the chief of sinners' within you and me. Earlier Isaiah rejoiced with these words of exhortation for us:

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Do we want to "learn righteousness"? I hope we all want to learn righteousness and learn how to think as Christ and His Father think. If we are given to do so, then we will "desire [with our] soul... the way of [His] judgments".

I often tell others, "The worse day of my life was the very best day of my life." I certainly didn't realize it was so at the time. I came to realize that to be the case only by "look[ing] behind me" (Rev: 1:10-12). Like Job I, too, felt the loss of all things, the disdain of the whole world, and the desire just to get it over with. Peter had this same experience when the cock crowed the second time as he was denying his Lord for the third time (Mar 14:72). Paul had this experience when all he had ever worked for was taken away from him in a flash of bright light, when he was struck down to the ground on his way to Damascus to persecute Christ's Christ (Act 9:3-6).

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

These verses here is Isaiah concerning the Lord's wrath being poured out upon Idumea within us are just one of many accounts of the destruction of Babylon within us. Inwardly these verses are describing the destruction of the man of sin. That destruction does not take place at the snap of a finger. Even the trial and crucifixion of Christ, "who knew no sin" (2Co5:21), lasted many long hours during which He endured being ridiculed, slapped in the face, being beaten within an inch of His life, culminating in being publicly crucified "without the city" where societies criminals were crucified.

Isa 50:6  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Isa 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
Isa 52:15  So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

"As [Christ] is so are we in this world" (1Jn 4:17). We are specifically promised:

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

There are no exceptions to this promise:

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Few appear to realize that our Lord promises to take revenge upon the enemies of His children. If we simply consider the torment of our own judgment, then the Lord's vengeance should become crystal clear.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

The Lord gives no quarter to our own old man of sin. It is our new man himself who cries out for the Lord's vengeance against the rebellious carnal mind within and without:

Rev 6:9  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

All of this takes what seems to uslike an eternity while it is working within us. One does not find himself "under the altar" without first "falling into the earth and dying" to his own carnal-minded old man who "dwells on the earth". When that day does arrive it comes through the excruciatingly painful judgment of our old man. But when we are finally given to appreciate the judgment and the destruction of the kingdom of our old man, and we are given to see what the Lord is doing, then the things of this life will have all lost their attraction, and only then will:

Isa 35:1  The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Isa 35:2  It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.

Another way of expressing this message is with these words:

Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

It is through our being judged in this age that "The wilderness and the solitary place" within us will begin to "rejoice even with joy and singing" and will begin to be changed into a fruitful garden and "bloom as the rose". It is in this changed "wilderness and solitary place" that the dying of our old man within begins to take place, and then it is the new man within us possessing the mind of Christ which will again "be glad... and rejoice even with joy and singing" for the wonderful fruit produced through this destruction because we now understand this Truth about the just character of our Lord:

Isa 35:3  Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Isa 35:4  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Here is the message of these verses in the New Testament:

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

It is only through "the power of God" that any of us "strengthen [our] weak hands, and confirm [our] feeble knees". These words are so very true, but when we are staring death in the eyes, when the Egyptian army is on one side and the Red Sea on the other side, it is difficult for any of us to rest in these truthful words. When "[we] are in heaviness through manifold temptations", Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace and Darius's lion's den are an imminent danger to our flesh, and when the cross itself is staring any of us in the face, then even our Lord Himself cried out:

Mat 26:38  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
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.

The Truth remains that the cross is the only way because it will always be true:

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

When our old man begins dying and our new man comes to life:

Isa 35:5  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Only when our spiritual eyes are opened and our spiritual ears are unstopped:

Isa 35:6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isa 35:7  And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

The glorious message of these verses is repeated in:

Isa 44:3  For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Isa 44:4  And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
Isa 44:5  One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

"The grass [and] willows by the water courses", are once again the "much fruit" of these words of our Lord:

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

"One shall... surname himself by the name of Israel" because Israel means '[we] have power with God', and while it seems impossible in this age for anyone to even aspire to wanting the Lord's name, yet we will all see the time when Christ will be glorified even of men:

Gen 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Joh 12:23  And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

Christ here is referring to His impending death on the cross, but He refers to that event as "being glorified". That is the mindset we must have toward the death of our own flesh. "Dying daily" (1Co 15:31) with Christ is how we say, "I am the Lord's" and we "surname [ourselves] by the name of... the Israel of God":

Gal 6:15  Certainly, it doesn't matter whether a person is circumcised or not. Rather, what matters is being a new creation.
Gal 6:16  Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God. (GWV)

As "the Israel of God" we cannot, and we do not, travel on the same roads upon which this world travels. Just as we have an altar at which they that serve the tabernacle have no right to eat, so we have our own "highway":

Isa 35:8  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

We have one and all be the "fools" of this verse because we have all "in time past" been "chief... of ... sinners":

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 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [in the "highway... of holiness"]

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.

We learn in the book of Hebrews that the Lord, through His death and resurrection, is "purifying [our] heavens":

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves [you and I] with better sacrifices than these.

These 'purified... heavens' begin to be revealed to us in the laws governing the keeping of the Passover:

Exo 12:43  And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
Exo 12:44  But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
Exo 12:45  A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.

This "highway... of holiness" is not some future thousand-year reign event. If we are not walking on this "highway of holiness" in this age, then we will certainly not be in the "blessed and holy... first resurrection" and will not "inherit the blessing" of being in that kingdom. "The unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."

These words accord with all the rest of the Lord's words:

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Esau's birthright meant nothing to him. In type and shadow, being in the first resurrection meant nothing at all to Esau. It was not his fault that he so little valued his own birthright. That is what was written in his book 'while in his mothers womb, having done neither good nor evil'.

Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Rom 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Rom 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Those who today are doing the same thing also had it written in their book "being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of their works, but of Him that calls us to do what He has already written in our books "being not yet born":

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

But it was also written in Esau's book to later realize just how much he had forfeited as will all who will be cast into the lake of fire. Only then will they realize how foolish it is to have believed that their inheritance had any real value, or that it is not common to all.

Those who place great value on their birthright and their blessings in Christ in this age are required to keep pure that heavenly inheritance and not permit it to become polluted by the "profane" 'Esaus' who would pollute our highway of holiness and our heavenly altar/table:

Isa 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

1Co 10:21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
1Co 10:22  Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

Let none of us be so foolish, as Esau was, to think we can just toy with the things of the spirit and with the doctrines of Christ. Christ has no intention of playing second fiddle to anyone. He will have wholehearted service from us in this age or there will be no marriage relationship.

Luk 16:13  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

An early revelation of just how special this sacred relationship is to Christ is the fact that only the priests, the sons of Aaron, were permitted to handle the holy things of the tabernacle. If any other Levite saw or touched the holy things of the tabernacle that Levite would die. That is just how special it is to be in that "blessed and holy... first resurrection" which is diminished and made so common and is despised by so many:

Num 4:4  This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
Num 4:5  And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
Num 4:6  And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
Num 4:7  And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
Num 4:8  And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
Num 4:9  And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:
Num 4:10  And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.
Num 4:11  And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
Num 4:12  And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar:

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Notice closely that only Aaron and his sons were permitted to handle the holy things. This is just how important it is to the Lord to keep any profane person from coming into His house and discussing His Truths and His doctrines as if that profane person were a chosen priest:

Num 4:15  And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they ["the sons of Kohath"] shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Num 4:16  And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.

The urgency of keeping the Lord's temple clean and undefiled from the lies of Babylon is so vital to our relationship with Christ, that He destroys any and all who attempt to defile His dwelling place within His elect:

Num 4:17  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 4:18  Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
Num 4:19  But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
Num 4:20  But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

The sons of Kohath are told they "shall not touch any holy thing [vs 15, nor] go in to see when the holy things are covered [vs 20], lest they die". God's elect are His "nation of kings and priests" who are very special to their husband, and He will not let them share Him with anyone who is not He Himself, in His elect.

Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Look at another example of how exclusive this calling of ours is. The patriarch Levi had three sons whose names were:

Gen 46:11  And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

The tribe of Levi was taken from among Israel as servants to Aaron and his sons who were exclusively the priests of the Lord. Each of these three families was assigned certain services to Aaron and his sons as they ministered to the nation of Israel as the Lord's priests. So all priests are Levites, but not all Levites are priests. Aaron and his sons were Kohathites, but they alone of the entire house of Kohath, were priests to the Lord.

The family of Kohath was commissioned to help the priests transport all the holy things of the tabernacle. They could not touch or even look upon those holy things, but they were commissioned to do all the  heavy lifting and transporting of the holy things.

Korah was also of the house of Kohath, but Korah was not a son of Aaron and therefore could not be a priest. Moses informs us that Korah was seeking the priesthood when he led the rebellion against Moses and Aaron:

Num 16:1  Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
Num 16:4  And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
Num 16:5  And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
Num 16:6  This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
Num 16:7  And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
Num 16:8  And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
Num 16:9  Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
Num 16:10  And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

I will say the same thing, "Tomorrow [on the Lord's schedule] the Lord will show who are His", and once again it will not be those who are saying "the congregation [in the lake of fire] are holy every one of them", when Christ Himself pronounces them as "cursed":

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Because Korah was not a priest he was jealous of those the Lord had called to be priests. It is natural to envy others and to want the gifts the Lord has given others. It happened to Joseph whose brothers hated him and could not speak peaceably to him because Joseph's father had chosen Joseph above his brothers (Gen 37:1-4). It happened to King David whose own son attempted to destroy his father (2Sa 15:12). And it also happened to Christ because He told the religious leaders of His day that He was Lord of the Sabbath (Mat 12:1-8) and that He was also the son of God:

Joh 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

It is only natural for us to resent the Lord's form of government and those He chooses to lead His church. That is especially true concerning the fact the Lord has always chosen the least esteemed of this world to serve his body in this age and to rule and reign with Him a thousand years. This is what was said about the apostle Paul by those who forsook and rejected him:

2Co 10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

Hey, I know that guy! I see him every morning in the mirror.

But Korah, and all who rebel against the Lord and His Word and His ways, are sons of their father the devil and therefore are themselves ravenous beasts who will not be permitted to look on or touch the holy doctrines of Christ. Neither will they be permitted to  walk upon the 'highway of holiness' which is nothing other than Christ Himself and His Words and doctrines.

Isa 35:9  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

This "highway of holiness" is the same as the indwelling of the holy spirit within the lives of the Lord's elect. This 'highway' is but another symbol of those who do the things Christ tells us to do:

Luk 6:44  For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Neither the "roaring lion", who is the adversary, nor the wild beast, who is the son of his father the devil, will be able to walk in this highway because everyone on this highway will know when they are hearing the voice of a stranger. "The voice of a stranger" is the exact same thing as a lion and a ravenous beast. Only "the redeemed shall walk there", because the adversary and his lying doctrines are not welcome and will not be tolerated on this 'highway'.

'Digging deep, and laying a foundation on a Rock' is another way  of telling us to dig into the Lord's Word and know it well enough to know the Lord's voice and to be able to distinguish it from the voice of a stranger:

Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Isa 35:10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

The "everlasting joy" of this last verse of Isaiah 10 brings us to these words of our Lord:

Mat 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the [everlasting] joy of thy lord.

Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

"Rejoicing, being glad [and] partaking of Christ's sufferings" is the essence of being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, as we read in these verses:

1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

That concludes our study for today. The next few chapters of Isaiah are the story of the invasion of Judah by Sennecharib, the king of Assyria, and how the Lord delivered Judah from that invasion. Here is the first half of this 36th chapter of Isaiah. We will learn about how to wage spiritual warfare as we read about this historic event concerning one of the few 'good kings' of Judah.

Isa 36:1  Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.
Isa 36:2  And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
Isa 36:3  Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.
Isa 36:4  And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
Isa 36:5  I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
Isa 36:6  Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
Isa 36:7  But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
Isa 36:8  Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
Isa 36:9  How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
Isa 36:10  And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
Isa 36:11  Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.