“Journey Through the Kingdom to God’s Throne” – Part 5

Beyond the Veil: Entering the Most Holy Place

[Study Aired Dec 3, 2024]

In our progressive journey through God’s spiritual temple, we now approach its innermost sanctuary – the Most Holy Place. “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). This truth transforms our understanding from mere physical description to spiritual reality, “For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). God reveals His truth directly: “With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold” (Numbers 12:8). This reference to speaking “mouth to mouth” and beholding the “similitude of the LORD” indicates that God reveals spiritual truth clearly and directly to those He chooses, not through parables or unclear visions, but through direct spiritual understanding and revelation of the parables and visions. “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables” (Mark 4:11).

The Most Holy Place lay behind a thick veil in the temple, representing the ultimate place of God’s presence. However, this physical arrangement served as a pattern revealing spiritual truth, which “serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5), Understanding this spiritual reality requires divine illumination, as Paul explains “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). As we approach this most sacred space, we must first understand what separated man from God’s presence – the veil itself.

The Veil: Barrier and Access

The veil itself holds profound spiritual significance. God specified its construction precisely: “And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made” (Exodus 26:31). Each element carries spiritual meaning that Scripture reveals to us.

The blue represents heaven and God’s throne, as seen when Moses and the elders “saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness” (Exodus 24:10). This heavenly connection is reinforced in Ezekiel’s vision: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone” (Ezekiel 1:26), and further shown when “there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne” (Ezekiel 10:1). God Himself linked blue to heavenly mindedness when He commanded Israel: “bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart” (Numbers 15:38-39). These fringes with blue ribbands represented divine authority, as demonstrated when people sought healing by touching the fringe of Christ’s garment (Matthew 14:36), recognizing the heavenly power of Him who “is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).

The purple speaks of royalty, as seen when Mordecai went out from the king’s presence “in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple” (Esther 8:15). This royal meaning is confirmed when the soldiers mocked Christ’s kingship by putting “on him a purple robe” (John 19:2), unknowingly declaring the truth that He is indeed the one “ordained to be a King” (2 Chronicles 11:22), who has now “on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16).

The scarlet carries dual spiritual meaning – representing both the flesh with its sins and the blood sacrifice that cleanses sin. The negative meaning is shown when God states “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). Yet this same scarlet also points to blood and purifying sacrifice, as demonstrated in the cleansing of leprosy: “And the priest shall command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop” (Leviticus 14:4). This dual nature of scarlet – representing both sin and its cleansing – shows how Christ takes our sins upon Himself to purify us, for He “was made sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This truth is further revealed in the veil of the temple, which contained scarlet and represented Christ’s flesh: “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Through His sacrifice, “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22), our scarlet sins are made white as snow. The rending of the temple veil at Christ’s death demonstrated that through Him, this meeting place with God is now accessible to all believers in their proper order: “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51). The rending came from above, showing God’s action in providing access through Christ’s sacrifice, for “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-23)

The fine twined linen represents righteousness, as directly stated in Revelation: “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” (Revelation 19:8). This righteousness must be pure and without mixture, as pictured in the priests’ garments: “And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen” (Exodus 28:39), for they must be holy as “he that is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26).

The cherubim woven into the veil remind us of those who first guarded the way to God’s presence in Eden: “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24). Their presence on the veil shows that access to God’s presence requires meeting His holy requirements, now fulfilled in Christ who is “made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Before Christ’s death, the veil restricted access to God’s presence. Only the high priest could enter, and that just once yearly, “the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing” (Hebrews 9:8). God commanded Moses: “Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not” (Leviticus 16:2). Even this limited access required extensive preparation, for “thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering” (Leviticus 16:3).

This limitation served a spiritual purpose, teaching the impossibility of approaching God through human effort or righteousness. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). The yearly repetition of sacrifices demonstrated their inadequacy, for “in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3-4). The high priest’s need to offer sacrifices for himself before entering showed human imperfection, which contrasts with the true sacrifice, “ For such an high priest became us, … Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s” (Hebrews 7:26- 27).

The restrictions and repeated sacrifices pointed to humanity’s sinful condition, for “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). The very presence of the veil declared that “your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). This separation required a perfect mediator, for “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). While the veil marked the boundary between holy and most holy, what lay beyond it would reveal the ultimate purpose of God’s dwelling place.

The Most Holy Place: God’s Dwelling

The Most Holy Place formed a perfect cube – twenty cubits in each dimension (1 Kings 6:20), matching the pattern of the heavenly city John saw: “And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth… the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal” (Revelation 21:16). This perfect symmetry speaks to the perfection of God’s presence and the complete provision in Christ. As Paul declares, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him” (Colossians 2:9-10). “What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16). This indwelling fulfills God’s eternal purpose: “Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22).

Within stood the ark of God’s covenant with the mercy seat of pure gold placed above it. The mercy seat with its cherubim was fashioned as one piece: “And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold… And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat… even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof” (Exodus 25:17-19). God also commanded “And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee” (Exodus 25:21).

The ark contained three items as Scripture records: “Wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant” (Hebrews 9:4). Each item testified of Christ: The tables of the covenant served as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). While “the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17), showing that Christ brings us beyond the shadow to fulfill “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). The golden pot of manna pointed to Christ as the true bread, for He declared “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger” (John 6:35). Aaron’s rod that budded, which God used to confirm His chosen priesthood (Numbers 17:5,8), pointed to Christ’s resurrection which confirmed His eternal priesthood, for He is “made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life” (Hebrews 7:16) and is “declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

Above the ark, God established His meeting place: “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims” (Exodus 25:22). This communion required blood atonement: “And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times” (Leviticus 16:14).

The cherubim on the mercy seat, with faces looking toward it (Exodus 25:20), present a striking contrast to Eden’s cherubim. In Eden, they guarded “the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24), blocking access to life after sin entered, for God said, “lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22). While those cherubim with flaming sword kept man from the tree of life, these cherubim on the mercy seat face toward the place of atonement where blood would provide access to life through Christ, who declares “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). This shows how God’s mercy meets His holiness through blood sacrifice, restoring access to life, for “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life” (Revelation 22:14). As the Word reveals, God “hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins” (Romans 3:25).

This mercy seat, where atonement was made through blood, foreshadowed Christ’s sacrifice. The very word ‘propitiation’ (hilasterion – Strong’s G2435) used in Romans 3:25 is the same word used for ‘mercy seat’ in Hebrews 9:5: “And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat [hilasterion].” This same Greek word was used in the Septuagint to translate God’s instructions about the mercy seat in Exodus 25:17: “And thou shalt make a mercy seat [hilasterion] of pure gold” and in Leviticus 16:2: “for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat [hilasterion].” “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself” (Colossians 1:19-20). “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Romans 5:11). Thus Christ became our mercy seat, the place where God’s justice and mercy meet, for “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

Just as the high priest entered with blood once yearly, Christ entered the true holy place: “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12). Unlike the repeated sacrifices of animals, His one offering perfects forever: “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Yet all these patterns and shadows find their fulfillment in One who would provide permanent access to God’s presence.

Christ: Our Access to the Holiest

Christ’s death transformed our approach to God. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20). “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:24-25). This access comes not through our worthiness but through His sacrifice.

The word “boldness” (parrhesia in Greek) means freedom of speech or confidence. This contrasts sharply with the Old Testament high priest’s fearful approach once yearly. Through Christ, we have continuous access with confidence: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Yet this boldness must be balanced with reverence. The high priest’s careful preparation – washing, special garments, blood sacrifice – teaches us to approach God’s presence with holy fear while trusting Christ’s provision. As Isaiah experienced: “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple… Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:1,5). As scripture warns, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). With such privileged access granted, we must understand how to walk worthy of this calling.

Spiritual Reality: Living in His Presence

Understanding these patterns transforms our spiritual experience. The Most Holy Place represents the deepest communion with God available to believers through Christ. Paul reveals this mystery as “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Peter adds to this, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). The physical holy of holies pictured what we now experience spiritually – God dwelling in us through His Spirit.

This indwelling makes us God’s temple: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). The progression from outer court to holy place to most holy place reveals stages of spiritual experience as we “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

These Old Testament patterns find fulfillment through Christ. As Paul declares, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). We press into deeper communion, as David expressed, “I will go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy” (Psalm 43:4), experiencing what John described: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Just as the high priest brought blood into the Most Holy Place, we must always approach through Christ’s blood: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). This blood gives us standing before God, for Christ “by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).

The mercy seat’s position above the law teaches us that just as “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9), His mercy through Christ transcends the law’s limitations. This indwelling transforms us as His spirit works within, for He declared “I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). Yet this present experience is but a foretaste of the glory to be revealed.

 Practical Application

Understanding these patterns should transform our daily walk. Like the high priest maintaining the incense altar before the veil, we must persist in prayer: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). As he needed proper garments, we must “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).

The high priest’s careful approach teaches us to examine ourselves: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3-4). Yet this examination rests on Christ’s work, not our perfection, for “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

The progression aligns perfectly with Christ’s requirement that we “must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). This preparation flows not from our own strength but through His enabling power, for “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

We maintain this communion first through regular prayer and meditation on God’s Word, for David declared “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97). This meditation transforms our minds as we “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).

Walking in obedience to revealed truth must follow, for Jesus taught “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This obedience flows from love, not legalism, as “the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). When we fail, quick confession restores fellowship, for “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Essential to this walk is maintaining the Spirit’s filling, as Paul commands “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). This filling produces fruit, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Above all, we must live in conscious dependence on Christ, acknowledging “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). This dependence manifests in moment-by-moment yielding to His lordship, for “ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Future Glory

While we now experience God’s presence spiritually, we anticipate even fuller communion. Paul describes our current state: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). This present partial knowledge gives way to complete understanding, for “when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Corinthians 13:10). “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

John’s vision reveals this future reality where physical patterns give way to direct presence: “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it” (Revelation 21:22). In this new Jerusalem, “the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:3). The types and shadows dissolve in the perfect reality they foreshadowed.

This hope purifies us: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

The promise of seeing Him face to face surpasses even the high priest’s annual entry into the Most Holy Place. For while he entered with fear and ritual preparation, we shall enter with joy, for “in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). As David anticipated, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

This glory exceeds our current comprehension, for “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” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Yet through His Spirit, we receive glimpses that kindle our anticipation, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19).

Conclusion

The Most Holy Place reveals profound truths about accessing God’s presence through Christ. These patterns find fulfillment as we live in continuous communion with God, transformed by His presence. As Paul declares, “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Let us therefore press into this spiritual reality, remembering that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). Through Christ, we have unlimited access to God’s presence, not just as duty but as delight. May we live daily in this most holy place, being transformed into His image as we behold His glory.

Next Study

Next week, we’ll explore the throne above the Mercy Seat, where God declared, “I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims” (Exodus 25:22). Join us as we discover how this divine presence manifested in the Old Testament patterns reveals our current privilege of communion with God. We’ll examine how Christ, “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person” (Hebrews 1:3), now grants us access to the very throne of God.

“Journey Through the Kingdom to God’s Throne” – Part 4

The Temple

[Study Aired Nov 26, 2024]

As we continue our journey through God’s spiritual temple, we must remember Jesus’s words that “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). This fundamental truth transforms our understanding of the temple from physical structure to spiritual reality. The Apostle Peter confirms this spiritual nature, declaring “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

The temple building consisted of three main sections: the Porch (Ulam), the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Each area represents progressively deeper spiritual experiences as we draw near to God. As Solomon wrote, “In thy light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9), teaching us that spiritual understanding comes through God’s illumination. The prophet Isaiah reinforces this, stating “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). Therefore, we must look beyond the physical structures to understand the spiritual truths they reveal about our relationship with God.

The Porch: Initial Approach

The Porch, or Ulam, served as the entrance to the temple proper. Standing before entering the Holy Place, it represents our initial approach to deeper communion with God. As the Psalmist wrote, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). This entrance speaks to our heart’s attitude as we draw near to God.

Its most striking features were two massive pillars named Jachin (“He shall establish”) and Boaz (“In Him is strength”). These pillars, while physical structures, represent spiritual realities. As Solomon recorded, “He set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz” (1 Kings 7:21).

These pillars speak to essential truths we must embrace as we draw near to God. Jachin (“He shall establish”) reminds us that all spiritual progress depends on God’s work, not our efforts. As David declared, “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands” (Psalm 138:8). Boaz (“In Him is strength”) teaches us that our strength for this spiritual journey comes from God alone. As Isaiah proclaims, “Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4).

The height of these pillars – eighteen cubits each with chapiters of five cubits – reminds us of the majesty of God’s work in us. The ornate decorations of pomegranates and lily work speak to the fruitfulness and beauty that God produces. As Isaiah prophesied, “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35:1).

The position of these pillars at the entrance teaches us that we must pass between them – acknowledging both God’s establishing work and our dependence on His strength – to progress further into His presence. The prophet Jeremiah captures this truth: “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Standing in the Porch also placed one between the outer court and the Holy Place, representing a transition point between initial salvation and deeper communion with God. As Paul writes, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This transition requires leaving behind our self-reliance and fully embracing dependence on God.

The Porch’s measurements – twenty cubits broad and ten deep – created a space of preparation before entering the Holy Place. This reminds us that God prepares us for deeper spiritual experiences. As Isaiah declared, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). We must allow God this preparatory work before pressing further into His presence.

This preparation involves understanding that all spiritual progress comes through Christ, as He declared: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The Porch thus represents our recognition that further progress depends entirely on God’s grace working through Christ.

The Holy Place: Daily Service

Beyond the Porch lay the Holy Place (in Hebrew “qodesh” – Strong’s H6944, meaning “holy, set apart, sacred”), where priests performed daily service before God. This sacred space represents a deeper level of communion with God, as David yearned: “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).

Only priests could enter this holy chamber, foreshadowing our privileged position in Christ. As Peter reveals, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The physical restriction of access teaches us spiritual truth – drawing nearer to God requires greater consecration. Moses recorded God’s warning: “And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death” (Numbers 3:10). This “stranger” represents our carnal nature, the old man which must die for true spiritual service to occur. As Paul declares, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Romans 6:6). The death sentence on the stranger entering the Holy Place shows us that our fleshly nature cannot approach God: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:6-7).

The Holy Place was completely enclosed, with no natural light penetrating its walls. As Paul teaches, “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” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Just as priests could only see by the light of the golden lampstand, we depend entirely on God’s Spirit for spiritual insight: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

The distinction between the Holy Place and the outer court reminds us of Paul’s words about progressing from milk to meat: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Priestly Service and Spiritual Reality

The activities in the Holy Place were restricted to priests, foreshadowing the elect’s privileged position in Christ. Peter reveals this truth: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). This spiritual priesthood fulfills what God originally declared to Israel: “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:6).

This priesthood carries duties. The priests’ careful attention to daily duties teaches us the need for consistent spiritual service. Paul exhorts, “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” (Romans 12:1). Just as physical priests had to be consecrated before service, we too must be sanctified for spiritual service: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Physical priesthood required specific qualifications and preparations. No priest with blemishes could approach: “For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous” (Leviticus 21:18). This physical restriction teaches us that our spiritual service requires Christ’s perfection worked in us: “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

The priests’ garments also carried spiritual significance. They were told: “And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty” (Exodus 28:2). These holy garments picture the righteousness of Christ that clothes us: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). “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.” (Revelation 19:8).

Within the Holy Place stood three pieces of sacred furniture, each positioned according to God’s precise instructions and each carrying deep spiritual significance. On the north side stood the Table of Showbread, on the south the Golden Lampstand, and before the veil the Altar of Incense. This divine arrangement created a pattern for spiritual service and communion with God.

The Table of Showbread stood on the north side of the Holy Place. God specified its measurements precisely: two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high (Exodus 25:23). The table was overlaid with pure gold and had a crown of gold around the top (Exodus 25:24), speaking of divine nature and Christ’s kingship through whom we have fellowship with God.

The Hebrew name “lechem panim,” literally meaning “bread of faces” or “bread of presence,” emphasizes its placement before God’s presence. God commanded Moses regarding its preparation: “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof… And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD” (Leviticus 24:5-6). Upon these loaves, God commanded: “And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD” (Leviticus 24:7). This pure frankincense, never used with sin offerings (Leviticus 5:11), but only with offerings of fellowship and communion, represents Christ’s righteousness through which our communion with God becomes acceptable. As Paul declares: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Just as the frankincense made the bread a memorial before God, it is Christ’s righteousness that brings us into remembrance before Him.

This bread was to remain before the Lord always: “And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway” (Exodus 25:30), representing Christ’s eternal presence before God on our behalf. The twelve loaves signify God’s complete provision for all His people, as Jesus declared: “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger” (John 6:35). Just as this bread sustained the priests, Christ sustains us spiritually: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever” (John 6:51).

The priests’ eating of this bread in the holy place carried deep significance: “And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute” (Leviticus 24:9). This exclusive eating foreshadows our privileged communion with Christ: “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:17).

Just as the Table of Showbread provided spiritual nourishment, the Golden Lampstand provided spiritual illumination. These two aspects of spiritual life work together – we need both the bread of God’s Word and the light to understand it. As David declared, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130).

The Golden Lampstand, known in Hebrew as the “menorah” (Strong’s H4501), derived from “nur” meaning “light” or “fire,” was fashioned from pure gold according to the pattern shown to Moses: “And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made… And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.” (Exodus 25:31,37). This beaten work speaks to how it was shaped – hammered out of a single piece of gold: “Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels” (Exodus 25:39). No joints or separate pieces were allowed; it was one complete unit.

The lampstand had six branches extending from its central shaft: “And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side” (Exodus 25:32). These, together with the central shaft, made seven lamps total: “And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it” (Exodus 25:37). Each branch was decorated with specific designs: “Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower” (Exodus 25:33).

Its light came from pure olive oil, as God commanded: “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always” (Exodus 27:20). This oil had to be specially prepared: “beaten for the light” – the olives were beaten, not crushed in a mill, to produce the purest oil. The priests maintained this light continually: “Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD” (Exodus 27:21).

The lampstand provided the only light in the Holy Place, as no natural light could enter. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Just as the priests needed the lampstand’s light to perform their service, we need Christ’s light to serve God: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

With nourishment from the bread and illumination from the lampstand, we are prepared to approach the Altar of Incense. This progression teaches us that true prayer (represented by incense) flows from feeding on God’s Word and walking in His light. As John writes, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1 John 1:7).

The Altar of Incense (mizbach haqetoreth – Strong’s H4196, H7004) stood before the veil. Made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, it measured one cubit long, one cubit wide, and two cubits high (Exodus 30:2). The Hebrew term “qetoreth” refers specifically to sacred incense made according to God’s precise formula: “And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy” (Exodus 30:35). This incense represents the prayers of God’s people, as David wrote: “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2). Morning and evening, this incense ascended before God: “And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations” (Exodus 30:7-8). John’s vision confirms this spiritual meaning: “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” (Revelation 8:3). The continuous offering of incense teaches us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

The priests’ daily service included replacing the showbread every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8), trimming the lamps and adding oil morning and evening, and offering incense. These exacting specifications and duties remind us that approaching God must be according to His terms, not our preferences. As He warned through the example of Nadab and Abihu: “And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD” (Numbers 3:4).

Drawing Nearer Still

The arrangement of temple furniture created a progression toward God’s presence. Each item required priestly attention, teaching us that drawing near to God involves active participation in spiritual disciplines while relying on His enabling grace. As James instructs, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8). James adds the requirement: “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8), showing this drawing near requires purification.

Moving from the Table of Showbread to the Lampstand to the Altar of Incense marked stages of deeper communion. David understood this progression: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts” (Psalm 65:4). Each step brought the priest closer to the Most Holy Place, just as our spiritual walk draws us nearer to God: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15)

This progression ultimately leads to the veil, beyond which lay the Most Holy Place. The veil itself represents Christ’s flesh, as scripture reveals: “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Through Christ’s sacrifice, this veil was rent: “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51), giving us direct access to God’s presence: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).

Practical Application

These temple truths must transform our daily walk. Like the priests maintaining the lampstand, we must continually tend our spiritual light through prayer and Scripture meditation. As Jesus warned the church at Ephesus: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place” (Revelation 2:5).

As the showbread was renewed weekly, we need regular renewal through feeding on God’s Word. Job understood this priority: “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). David likewise declared: “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).

The continual incense reminds us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Daniel exemplified this practice: “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” (Daniel 6:10).

Understanding these patterns helps us fulfill our priestly calling more effectively. Paul urges, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Just as the priests had specific duties at specific times, we too must order our spiritual lives with purpose: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

This study of temple patterns aids our spiritual growth as we see God’s design for drawing near to Him. Every detail teaches us spiritual truth, fulfilling Paul’s words: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

Looking Ahead

As we conclude our examination of the Holy Place, we anticipate studying the Most Holy Place beyond the veil. There we’ll discover even deeper truths about communion with God through Christ. For now, let us apply these Holy Place lessons, remembering that “we have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).

Through understanding and applying these temple truths, we progress in our spiritual journey, always remembering that the physical temple merely foreshadowed Christ and His work in us. For “we are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22).

[Study aired July 22, 2019]

It is inspiring to look back and see how God moved the hearts of men to accomplish the physical wonder of getting the first man to the moon, and then learn how that experience brought those who were involved to have deeper questions about their own existence after they journeyed so far from the earth. 

This short google-doodle video celebrates the fiftieth year since the first man stepped foot on the moon July 20th, 1969 and sets the stage for our study tonight entitled “having done all, stand“, which is something that each one of God’s children will accomplish through Christ knowing that “God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons”. 

https://youtu.be/t6VpHyKXHBM 

I can gain perspective from the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9) of how weak I am and in need of a Saviour (Rom 7:13), and it is only those who are shown this manner of love to be called sons in this age (1Jn 3:1) whom “God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” who can escape the pulls of the earth, and the pulls of the moon, that are more deeply revealed to us by the law for the lawless, because we are carnal and sold under sin (Rom 7:14). Through Christ we can go beyond them both [the earth and the moon] unto mature sons in Christ whom He is maturing in the heavenly realm today where we are gathered, predestined and sealed in the Lord to do just that.

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 
1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

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. 

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 
Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

Gal 4:1  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 
Gal 4:2  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 
Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: [those elements can be typified by the pull of the earth’s gravity that we can only break free from through Christ (Joh 6:63, Joh 8:36)]
Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

At the heart and core of these endeavours to put satellites out in space and to reach the moon there was an agenda that was premised on war, and it’s very easy to lose sight of that in the midst of such exciting events and technology at a time that was called the space race. This race to space was setting the stage for many of our existing technologies we have today, and as all things are for the elect’s sake (2Co 4:15), so these human endeavors were inspired and caused by our great Creator (Eph 1:11) and predestined to happen exactly when they did and for His overall purpose for mankind which is being revealed through the body of Christ (Eph 3:10, Col 1:27).

Knowledge has increased and men are going to and fro, but there still is no stay of bread or water in Babylon (Isa 3:1), and the knowledge and technology fo which we are grateful is a two-edged sword in the hand of Adam who has been caused to “shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end” (Dan 12:4, Jer 18:4).

Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

We can learn great spiritual lessons from the moon landing which yielded great advancement in technology. If we tie these events back to our relationship with Christ as we contemplate the fact we have the mind of Christ (1Co 2:16), that far exceeds in value any physical endeavor we could experience in the flesh (Luk 10:24, Php 3:8). That mind of Christ gives us the ability to be raised in heavenly places where all earthly and lunar endeavors are transcended as He gives us peace that passes all understanding along with the ability to go from glory to glory as the veil of our heavens is ripped and we no longer have to ponder our existence and wonder why are we here on this relatively tiny blue orb called earth. It takes the power of God to rip that veil, which in turn is how we are liberated in our Lord (Eph 2:6-8, Php 4:7, 2Co 3:17-18). That physical knowledge which increases at the end of the age spoken of in Daniel is telling us what will happen spiritually in the body of Christ at the end of each of our ages, and outwardly how this will become more evident before Christ comes back (Joh 3:30, Mat 24:32-39).

1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 

Luk 10:24  For I tell you, that many prophets and kings 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. [Dan_12:4]

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 
Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

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. 

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh [Rev 22:2]:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors [Joh 14:20].
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 
Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 
Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 
Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 
Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Like the astronauts, who were being prepared their whole lives to be lifted into the heavens, God’s elect have this parallel experience but in the spirit, and now having this knowledge of Christ we learn in 2Timothy 3:10-16 how we must “continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them“. We are learning and being assured as we “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2Pe 3:18) through the church, through the body of Christ (Eph 3:10, Col 1:24) that is the vehicle or vessel where we pray he will “grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph 3:17-19) and this is all possible only because “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1Co 2:10-12).

Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 

2Ti 3:14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 
2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

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.

With these verses in mind, let’s consider what the moon represents to us, as well as the earth and the sun, so we can draw some spiritual conclusion as to what our sojourning in this life is all about within the body of Christ and how it is that we must do all and stand.

Above all, as we sojourn in this world, we take the shield of faith (Eph 6:16) believing and being convinced at that day (Joh 14:20) that God will be faithful to finish what he has started in us (Joh 6:28, Php 1:29, Php 1:6), and no one can take us out of His hand (Joh 10:28). We also must be armed with the mind of Christ knowing that our journey in Him has been promised to be fraught with much tribulation and persecution (Act 14:22, 2Ti 3:12), and that these things are happening unto those sons and daughters who are being received and prepared (Heb 12:6) to be kings and priests so “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” (Eph 1:10, 1Co 15:28).

That one small step which has already been taken on the moon by the astronauts, can be likened to the earnest relationship that we have with Christ today (Eph 1:14). We are only seeing the Sun of righteousness in part (1Co 13:9), as His kind of first fruits who are the first to trust in the living God and commit our ways unto him as unto a faithful creator who has raised us up together in this earnest relationship so that we are inspired by the heavenly perspective we have been given through Christ, a perspective that far exceeds the physical beauty and perspective we heard those brave astronauts describe in the video (Eph 1:21). We look to Him now, as the author and finisher of our faith, as we press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in him, keeping our eyes on Him, knowing He is faithful and will be found of those who diligently seek him, and strive for that mark. It is a lofty goal to obtain to say you have reached the physical moon, but that is still a physical race to space that is only a shadow of the high calling or spiritual race to which God has called each of us as the body of Christ.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 

These following verses show us more of the right perspective in regard to how the Lord would have us “run, that you may obtain”.

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

1Co 9:20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 
1Co 9:21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 
1Co 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 
1Co 9:23  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 
1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 
1Co 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 
1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 
1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 

The lack of technology the Apollo 11 mission had by today’s standards did not prevent them from accomplishing the incredible feat of reaching the moon, finding themselves standing where no human had ever stood before. God’s elect are in this blessed position today to be founded upon a rock Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18) so that we can one day explain to all of the world of this blessed and incredible journey we pioneered together by the grace and faith of Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9, 1Co 1:26).

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

We have the highest of all callings in the Lord (1Pe 2:9) and are called to go boldly where no man has gone before (Heb 4:16, Rev 15:8), being raised in heavenly places, where after we have suffered awhile, we can be established and settled in the Lord for the sake of those who will follow the footsteps of Christ in us after we endure unto the end (What was shut up from Daniel that he could not see is described in these verses that God has given the elect to be able to read, hear and keep Mat 24:13-15).

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 
Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 
Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) [Rev 1:3]

To end this study I want to just look at these following scriptures that tell us a little more about the moon, and what God wants us to learn from this dead satellite that does not give off its own light and cannot be considered a planet because it does not orbit the sun. The moon described in the following verses of Genesis are a prophesy of the time when all the creation will one day be subject unto Christ, who is typified by Joseph as a type of the elect as well. 

Gen 37:9  And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 
Gen 37:10  And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? [Rev 21:1-4]
Gen 37:11  And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying [Luk 2:10-12, Luk 2:19]. The moon or mother or church typified by Mary who keeps all these things, and ponders “them in her heart” is blessed [Rev 1:3].

Rev 12:1  And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

Rev 12:2  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

The moon in us is now subject to Christ because we are “clothed with the sun” and not our own righteousness nor our own bread and clothing, and not just the name of Christ (Isa 4:1). We can truly identify with these scriptures talking about the body of Christ in Revelation 12:1-2 and Romans 8:21-23. There are two distinct groups being discussed: one moon which is positive and clothed with the Sun of righteousness “on that day” (Joh 14:20), and the other seven women “in that day” who lay hold of one man (Isa 4:1). The man of perdition who holds onto the idea of free moral agency and all the false doctrines that accompany “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”, keep the world within us being found with our own righteousness, unless and until the Lord burns that out of us (Rev 17:4-5).

As always there is a process of coming out of the earth, earth, earth, or the old moon that had its own glory and was to be far surpassed by the glory that would come through Jesus Christ, and was typified by Moses when he had to cover his face with a veil (Exo 34:33). That veil is also represented by the veil in the temple that must be rent in two from the top to the bottom, representing our going from glory to glory as we go forward in Christ our hope of glory  (Mat 27:51, 2Co 3:18, Col 1:27).

We see through a glass darkly (1Co 13:12) and the veil of Moses typifies how we see through a glass darkly, or in part, with our hope of glory within (Col 1:27) which is hidden from the world (Isa 6:2, Rom 11:32, Joh 12:40). Yet we believe because the spirit searches the deep things of God that one day the resurrection will occur and that glory will no longer be hidden, and we will see Christ face to face (1Co 13:9). All of the types and shadows of these heavenly bodies in discussion will be done away with when God is all in all and this verse in Isaiah and Revelation is fulfilled outwardly for all of His creation which groans together today. There are different glories and an order to how each man will come to know God the Father and Jesus Christ (Isa 60:19-21, Rev 21:23, 1Co 15:23-26).

Isa 6:2  Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. [we are hidden in Christ as these verses declare, and this was also foreshadowed when Moses came down from the mount with a covering on his face which shone. The covering of our face at this stage is a reminder of the blindness that was always ours except for the grace and faith of Christ (Exo 34:29-33)]

Isa 60:19  The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 
Isa 60:20  Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 
Isa 60:21  Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 

Rev 21:23  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 

In order to have done all and stand, we must clearly see the need to put off our flesh, which is the veil that must be ripped if we are going to inherit eternal life that flesh and blood cannot inherit. These last few verses of our study are connected to the veil, and remind us that there is a process and precious judgment upon the body of Christ today so “that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” giving us the ability to stand, and preparing our hearts so that one day we can be those saviours that come up on mount Zion to help others to one day “having done all stand” (Luk 2:35, Oba 1:21).

Son 5:6  I opened to my beloved [Rom 11:28]; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. 
Son 5:7  The watchmen [God’s elect (Eze 33:7)] that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. [the veil or the law can only be taken away with a deadly wound]
Son 5:8  I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love [1Pe 3:15, Col 1:28-29].

It is “within the veil” that we pray the Lord keeps us all under his wing and in His presence, and if we are predestined to be there, nothing shall separate us from our Father as these verses tell us.

Heb 6:19  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

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

Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh [Col 1:24];

2Co 3:10  For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 
2Co 3:11  For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 
2Co 3:12  Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 
2Co 3:13  And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: [1Ti_1:9]
2Co 3:14  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 
2Co 3:15  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 

We can stand in Christ alone who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php 2:13). Now the just will live by faith and not by sight, and so we are encouraged to fight a good fight of faith knowing that we can and will be saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8).

Boasting is excluded by the law of faith God gives to his little flock, and it is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom and to reassure us in our hearts that “having done all stand” is speaking of what God will do through the body of Christ for all of us today!

Rom 3:27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Isa 3:23-26 Burning Instead of Beauty

Isa 3:23  The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
Isa 3:24  And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
Isa 3:25  Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
Isa 3:26  And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground

God has seen fit to let us in on all the wonderful works He is doing to the children of men, and we want to be careful to “sacrifice [to Him] the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.”

Psa 107:21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

It is God’s “wonderful works [which bring us] to [our] wits’ end” and bring us to repentance before God sees fit to bring us “to our desired haven”.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Here is how God shows us “the richness of His goodness”:

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

The next wonderful work He is doing to us is that He is taking away from the kingdom of the beast within us:

Isa 3:23  The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.

We will begin by looking at:

The glasses

The Hebrew word translated ‘the glasses’ is:

H1549
גִּלְיוֹן    גִּלָּיוֹן
gillâyôn    gilyôn
ghil-law-yone’, ghil-yone’
From H1540; a tablet for writing (as bare); by analogy a mirror (as a plate): – glass, roll.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

This word appears only twice, but has a root word which will help us to understand more fully what is being told us by the holy spirit. But first let’s read the only other place in the Old Testament where this word ‘gillayon‘ appears:

H1549
גּליון  /  גּלּיון
gillâyôn/gilyôn
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
glasses, 1
Isa_3:23
roll, 1
Isa_8:1

It is translated as ‘roll’ in Isaiah chapter 8:1 which also mentions ‘the pen of a man’.

Isa 8:1  Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll [H1549: gillayon], and write in it with a man’s pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

So this thing which must be taken from us, this ‘gillayon’, is a ‘roll’ that is written upon by a man’s pen. In other words, it is a scroll which has something written on it. The reason why it must be taken from us it that we actually think we are capable of writing our own book, our own script, and that we are completely capable of determining our own fate.

This is what we all think of our own capabilities:

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Many of us will no doubt say ‘I have never had any such thoughts’, but from God’s perspective we all are guilty of worshipping the dragon and the beast which we are every time we succumb to the pulls of our flesh and commit a sin against Him.

From God’s perspective this is what we all just naturally do:

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Just believing in the false doctrine of man having ‘free will’ is itself blasphemous against God who is at this very moment ruling in the kingdoms of men (Dan 4:17), whether we realize it or not. God doesn’t need us to believe in Him for Him to have His great power. It is only through Him empowering us to do so that we are given the ability to act the fool and say ‘There is no God’. In doing so we corrupt ourselves attempting to make ourselves our own ‘god’:

Psa 14:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

The word ‘glasses’ does not convey the definition of “a tablet for writing”. It is obvious that ‘a tablet for writing’ would be better translated as a “roll” for “writ[ing] with a man’s pen”, as it is better translated in Isaiah 8:1.

The root of this Hebrew word ‘gillayon‘ is:

H1540
גָּלָה
gâlâh
gaw-law’
A primitive root; to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively to reveal: –  + advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, X plainly, publish, remove, reveal, X shamelessly, shew, X surely, tell, uncover.
Total KJV occurrences: 18

This word appears 188 times. Here is the King James Concordance breakdown of the various KJV translations of this word:

H1540
גּלה
gâlâh
Total KJV Occurrences: 188
carried, 34
2Ki_15:29, 2Ki_16:9, 2Ki_17:6, 2Ki_17:11, 2Ki_17:23, 2Ki_17:28, 2Ki_17:33, 2Ki_24:14-15 (2), 2Ki_25:21, 1Ch_5:6, 1Ch_5:26, 1Ch_6:15, 1Ch_9:1, Ezr_2:1 (2), Est_2:6 (4), Jer_13:19 (2), Jer_29:1 (2), Jer_29:4, Jer_29:7, Jer_29:14, Jer_39:9, Jer_40:1, Jer_40:7, Jer_52:15, Jer_52:27-28 (2), Amo_1:6
captive, 24
2Ki_15:29, 2Ki_16:9, 1Ch_5:6, Jer_1:3, Jer_13:19 (2), Jer_20:4, Jer_22:12, Jer_24:1, Jer_27:20, Jer_29:14, Jer_39:9, Jer_40:1, Jer_40:7, Jer_52:15, Jer_52:27-30 (4), Amo_6:6-7 (3), Amo_7:11, Nah_2:7
uncover, 22
Lev_18:6-19 (17), Lev_20:18-19 (2), Rth_3:4, Isa_47:2 (2)
discovered, 18
Exo_20:26, 1Sa_14:11, 2Sa_22:16, Psa_18:15, Isa_57:8 (2), Jer_13:22, Eze_13:14 (2), Eze_16:36, Eze_16:57, Eze_21:24, Eze_23:10 (2), Eze_23:18 (2), Eze_23:29, Hos_7:1
away, 17
2Ki_17:6, 2Ki_17:11, 2Ki_17:23, 2Ki_17:28, 2Ki_17:33, 2Ki_18:11, 2Ki_24:14-15 (2), 2Ki_25:11, 2Ki_25:21, 1Ch_5:6, 1Ch_5:26, 1Ch_6:15, 1Ch_9:1, 2Ch_36:20, Ezr_2:1, Nah_2:7
revealed, 11
Deu_29:29, 1Sa_3:7, 1Sa_3:21, 2Sa_7:27, Isa_22:14, Isa_23:1, Isa_40:5, Isa_56:1 (2), Jer_11:20, Dan_10:1
discover, 10
Deu_22:30, 1Sa_14:8, Job_41:13, Pro_18:2, Pro_25:9, Lam_4:22, Eze_16:37, Hos_2:10, Mic_1:6, Nah_3:5
uncovered, 10
Gen_9:21, Lev_20:11, Lev_20:17-18 (2), Lev_20:20-21 (2), Rth_3:7, 2Sa_6:20, Isa_47:3, Jer_49:10
captivity, 9
Isa_5:13, Lam_1:3, Eze_39:22-23 (2), Amo_5:5 (2), Amo_5:27, Amo_7:17, Mic_1:16
open, 6
Num_24:4, Num_24:16, Psa_119:18, Pro_27:5, Jer_32:11, Jer_32:14
carry, 5
2Ki_25:11 (2), Jer_20:4, Jer_43:3, Lam_4:22
show, 5
1Sa_20:2, 1Sa_20:12-13 (2), 1Sa_22:17, Isa_49:9
captives, 3
2Ki_24:14, Jer_29:7, Jer_43:3
departed, 3
1Sa_4:21-22 (2), Hos_10:5
opened, 3
Num_22:31, Job_38:17, Jer_20:12
openeth, 3
Job_33:16, Job_36:10, Job_36:15
removed, 3
2Ki_17:26, 1Ch_8:6-7 (2)
revealeth, 3
Pro_11:13, Pro_20:19, Amo_3:7
published, 2
Est_3:14, Est_8:13
remove, 2
Eze_12:3 (2)
reveal, 2
Job_20:27, Jer_33:6
showed, 2
Psa_98:2, Pro_26:26
showeth, 2
1Sa_22:8 (2)
told, 2
1Sa_9:15, 1Ch_17:25
uncovereth, 2
Deu_27:20, 2Sa_6:20
advertise, 1
Rth_4:4
appear, 1
1Sa_2:27
appeared, 1
Gen_35:7
appeareth, 1
Pro_27:25
bewray, 1
Isa_16:3
brought, 1
2Ki_17:27
carrying, 1
Jer_1:3
depart, 1
Job_20:28
disclose, 1
Isa_26:21
discovereth, 1
Job_12:21-22 (2)
exile, 1
2Sa_15:19
gone, 1
Isa_24:11
plainly, 1
1Sa_2:27
shamelessly, 1
2Sa_6:20

When we examine all of these entries we see that ‘galah‘, the root for the word ‘gillayon‘, conveys the thought of carrying away for a good reason like becoming a priest, or being carried away as a captive in shame. It is also translated as an uncovering or revealing. This too, can be a revealing of or uncovering of the Truth, or it can be uncovering one’s nakedness.

2Ki 15:29  In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive [H1540, galah] to Assyria.

As that which must be taken from us this word ‘gillayon‘ takes away from us the ability to persecute the Lord’s people, as King Saul persecuted David, and as Saul of Tarsus persecuted the Lord and His Christ. Those who persecute us truly believe they are exposing us in a way that will shame us before this world. In doing so they are, in reality, taking pride in their own shame.

Est 7:10  So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

The next thing Christ wants us to know that He is taking away from us is:

The fine linen

Once again the Hebrew word for “fine linen” really does not mean ‘fine linen’ at all.

Here is this Hebrew word:

H5466
סָדִין
sâdı̂yn
saw-deen’
From an unused root meaning to envelop; a wrapper, that is, shirt: – fine linen, sheet.
Total KJV occurrences: 4

Here are the four entries for this Hebrew word ‘sadiyn‘.

H5466
סדין
sâdı̂yn
Total KJV Occurrences: 4
linen, 2
Pro_31:24, Isa_3:23
sheets, 2
Jdg_14:12-13 (2)

Twice ‘sadiyn‘ is translated as ‘linen’, one of those two being here in Isa 3:23, and the other being:

Pro 31:24  She maketh fine linen [H5466: sadiyn], and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

The other two times this word appears it simply cannot be translated as ‘linen’:

Jdg 14:12  And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets [H5466: sadiyn] and thirty change of garments:
Jdg 14:13  But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets [H5466: sadiyn] and thirty changes of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

It is obvious the Lord is not telling us that He is taking ‘linen’ from us, because this is not the Hebrew word used and translated as ‘linen’ when describing the priests’ clothing. This is an entirely different word. The priests were commanded to wear linen clothes which would not cause them to sweat.

Here is that Hebrew word which is correctly translated as ‘linen’:

Eze 44:18  They shall have linen [H6593: pishteh] bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen [H6593: pishteh] breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.

This Hebrew word ‘pishteh‘ appears 16 times in the Old Testament, and it is consistently translated as ‘linen’ and ‘flax’. It is never called ‘sadiyn‘. Therefore ‘sadiyn‘ is better translated as ‘sheets’ instead of ‘fine linen’. ‘Sadiyn‘ is to be understood as a part of our garments which covers our nakedness, inasmuch as the ‘sheets’ are not even mentioned when telling us how Samson went about paying off his debt to his Philistine guests:

Jdg 14:19  And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house.

God is taking away our filthy garments, exposing the shame of our filthy garments and replacing them with garments of “fine linen… pure and white”. Remember what we read about Joshua the high priest in the days of Zechariah:

Zec 3:3  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4  And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

All we are reading about which the Lord is taking from us here in Isaiah 3, whether it is jewels or clothing, both typify our own false doctrines. That is the meaning behind the “tak[ing] away [of] the filthy garments from [us]”.

Notice how the “clothing, the… garments” of the saints are described:

Rev 15:6  And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

What is the spiritual meaning of being ‘clothed in pure and white linen’?

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.

The next thing to be taken from the kingdom of our rebellious, adulterous, sinful old man is:

The hoods,

The Hebrew word for ‘the hoods’ is:

H6797
צָנִיפָה    צָנוֹף    צָנִיףo
tsânı̂yph    tsânôph    tsânı̂yphâh
tsaw-neef’, tsaw-nofe’, tsaw-nee-faw’
From H6801; a head dress (that is, piece of cloth wrapped around): – diadem, hood, mitre.
Total KJV occurrences: 5

This word ‘tsânı̂yph’ appears in the Old Testament 5 times:

H6797
צניפה  /  צנוף  /  צניף
tsânı̂yph  /  tsânôph  /  tsânı̂yphâh
Total KJV Occurrences: 5
diadem, 2
Job_29:13-14 (2), Isa_62:3
mitre, 2
Zec_3:5 (2)
hoods, 1
Isa 3:23

Twice it is translated as ‘diadem’:

Job 29:13  The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Job 29:14  I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem [H6797: tsaniyph].
Job 29:15  I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

Job’s self-righteousness “was as a robe and a diadem” for which God told Job:

Job 40:1  Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
Job 40:2  Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5  Once have I spoken [Job 29]; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

What God is telling us is that this is what we do, and that self-righteous ‘diadem’ will be taken away from us and destroyed before a new man with a broken and contrite heart will begin to be birthed out of that destruction.

The next verse where this word is translated as ‘diadem’ is:

Isa 62:3  Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

Now we know what this ‘hood’, this ‘tsânı̂yph‘, is. Now we know what it is which must be taken from our rebellious, adulterous, sinful old man. It is his crown. He must be dethroned and taken and destroyed, and his crown must be given to the new man, Christ in us.

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 4:4  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats [Greek: thronos – thrones] : and upon the seats [thrones] I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The two times this word ‘tsaniyph‘ is translated as ‘mitre’ takes us back to Zechariah 3:

Zec 3:3  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4  And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Zec 3:5  And I said, Let them set a fair mitre [H6796: tsaniyph – a crown] upon his head. So they set a fair mitre [H6796: tsaniyph – a crown] upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

Joshua was the high priest in Zechariah’s day, and the high priest typified Christ and His Christ, who will all be both “kings and priests” as we just saw in Revelation 4 and 5. It is we, as the Christ of our Lord, who will be given a crown, a fair mitre, a diadem, only after the ‘hood’, the ‘tsaniyph‘, the crown is taken from our old man within us.

The last thing to be taken from us in this study is:

The veils

“The veils” are the English words translated from the Hebrew word:

H7289
רָדִיד
râdı̂yd
raw-deed’
From H7286 in the sense of spreading; a veil (as expanded): – vail, veil.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

No doubt ‘raw-deed‘ is exactly how our old man feels about his whole experience!

The only other entry for this Hebrew word in the Old Testament is:

H7289
רדיד
râdı̂yd
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
veil, 1
Son_5:7
veils, 1
Isa_3:23

Son 5:6  I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
Son 5:7  The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil [radiyd] from me.

In the scriptures the two women who wear veils are both wives and harlots. When Rebekah first saw Isaac she got off her camel and put on her veil:

Gen 24:64  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
Gen 24:65  For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.

But many years later, Isaac’s grandson Judah lied to his daughter-in-law, promising her to give her his only son as a husband, and when his daughter-in-law, Tamar, realized that Judah did not intend to give her his son Shelah as a husband, she made herself appear as a harlot by covering herself with a vail:

Gen 38:14  And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
Gen 38:15  When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

So the veils which must be taken from us are the veils of a harlot, and we must be made to become the bride of Christ.

Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
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.
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.

Everything is being taken from our adulterous old man and given to the faithful, virtuous bride of Christ which is who we are spiritually:

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

But Christ’s ‘chaste virgin… bride’ is also called “the new man”:

Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

This is who this new man is, as he is described in the next chapter of Ephesians:

Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

The new man is the bride of Christ. As Paul tells us:

1Co 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

And the revelation of Jesus Christ tells us the same thing:

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The veils of a harlot will be taken from us, and we will, in God’s own time, become the “bride [of Christ] adorned for her husband”.

Our last three verses are the fruit of having all of these things taken from us while in the rebellious, adulterous, sinful kingdom of our old man:

Isa 3:24  And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

Here is this same event as it is revealed to us in greater detail in the revelation of Jesus Christ within us.

This is “burning instead of beauty”:

Rev 18:1  And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Rev 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Rev 18:6  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Rev 18:9  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Rev 18:10  Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

Rev 18:24  And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

How similar is all that is said in those verses to our last two verses in today’s study of the things that must be taken from us:

Isa 3:25  Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
Isa 3:26  And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

“Her gates shall lament and mourn” because we are first the daughters of this harlot, and all of this is who we are when the seven vials of the seven angels are poured out upon us.

Remember:

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

It is in the very next chapter we are told that the pouring out of the seven vials is the judgment of Babylon within us spiritually, and the physical destruction of the religions of this world outwardly.

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Revelation 16:19 lets us know that Revelation 17 and 18 are the same event which is described in Revelation 16 . “The dream [vision] is one… and for that the dream [is] doubled unto [us] twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.”

Gen 41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

Gen 41:32  And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

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:

Notice the similarity between Isaiah 3 and Revelation 18:

Isa 3:18  In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 

Isaiah 3:26 and 1Co 3:15 are telling us one and the same thing. These two verses are another example of “the dream is one”:

Isa 3:26  And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground [“yet [she her]self “shall be saved; yet so as by fire”].

1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss [He shall suffer “burning instead of beauty” Isa 3:24]: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

God obviously wants us to know what are “all the things… the Lord will take away [and will be] no more at all”. He has hidden from the masses what are these things which He is taking away from us, but “blessed are your eyes for [you] see, and your ears for [you] hear… [these] mysteries of the kingdom of God”.

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 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Colors in Scripture – Blue, Part 1

If the color red or scarlet, symbolizes Adam being of the earth, blue symbolizes  the last Adam, “the Christ,” coming to be in the heavens.

Our study today will deal with the spiritual significance of the process of spiritually going from scarlet to blue.

Exo 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exo 25:3  And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
Exo 25:4  And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
Exo 25:8  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exo 25:9  According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Christ is hated in this world. He is hated and dead in the streets of Babylon. Nevertheless, He has a “sanctuary” where He can dwell in peace in the hearts and minds of His elect.

The phrase “blue and purple and scarlet” is found 19 times in scripture. All 19 are in the book of Exodus dealing with the tabernacle and the priesthood which operated within the tabernacle. In this context the color blue is mentioned as part of eight different facets of the temple and the priesthood.

1) The Tabernacle is Blue, Purple, and Scarlet

Exo 26:1  Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: [with] cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Look at what holds the curtains of the tabernacle together:

Exo 26:4  And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of [another] curtain, in the coupling of the second.

There were ten curtains that surrounded the tabernacle:

Exo 26:2  The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.
Exo 26:3  The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and [other] five curtains [shall be] coupled one to another.

2) Blue and Gold are What Connect the Curtains of the Tabernacle

If a cubit is 18 inches, then 28 cubits is 42 feet in length and four cubits would be six feet in breadth. So we have ten curtains 42 feet long which surround the tabernacle. These curtains are held together with blue loops connected one to the other with fifty “taches of gold.“

Exo 26:4  And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
Exo 26:5  Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.
Exo 26:6  And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

What is this telling those with eyes to see and ears to hear?

King James Version

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] Christ.
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Rotherham’s Emphasized Version

1Co 12:11 But, all these, energiseth the one and the same Spirit, distributing unto each one, peculiarly, even as it is disposed.
1Co 12:12 For, just as, the body, is one, and yet hath many members, but, all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so, also, the Christ;
1Co 12:13 For, even to one Spirit, we all, into one body, have been immersed, – whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, – and, all, of one Spirit, have been caused to drink.
1Co 12:14 For, the body also, is not one member, but many:

3) The Vail Between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was Also Blue, and Purple, and Scarlet.

Exo 26:30  And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.
Exo 26:31  And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

Exo 26:32  And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks [shall be of] gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
Exo 26:33  And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 

4) The “Door of the Tent” was Blue, and Purple, and Scarlet

The door is to be of “blue and purple and scarlet.” All three colors and the significance of all three colors are part of the process of entering through the veil into the presence of God.

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

Now just as the spirit does in the book of Revelation, notice how the spirit begins in the holy of holies and “looks behind” to see what it took to get there:

Exo 26:34  And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
Exo 26:35  And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
Exo 26:36  And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
Exo 26:37  And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, [and] their hooks [shall be of] gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

Rev 1:10 I came to be, in Spirit, in the Lord’s Day, and heard, behind me, a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
Rev 1:11 saying – What thou seest, write in a scroll, and send unto the Seven Assemblies, – unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum,- and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Rev 1:12 And I turned round, to see the Voice which was speaking with me, and, having turned, I saw Seven Lamps of gold;

5) The Vail into the Holy of Holies Hangs on Four Pillars, the Door of the Tent Hangs on Five Pillars

Exo 26:31  And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
Exo 26:32  And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks [shall be of] gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
Exo 26:36  And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
Exo 26:37  And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, [and] their hooks [shall be of] gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

The cherubim in the blue and purple and scarlet veil are hanging on four pillars through which all who come into the holy of holies must pass. The cherubim in blue, purple and scarlet, hang on five pillars at the entry of the holy place. What, or rather, who are these pillars through which we come to our Creator?

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name.
Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Doesn’t Paul tell us that we are the temple of God?

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

How are we the temple and yet pillars in the temple? Here is how that is accomplished:

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

We are in Christ and Christ is in us. Even so we are in the temple, and the temple is in us.

Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

6) “The Gate of the Court” of the Temple Has a Curtain of Blue, Purple and Scarlet Hanging on Four Pillars.

All who come into the holy place must first come through the “gate of the court.” This, too, is blue purple and scarlet.

Exo 27:16  And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.

7) The Garments of the Priesthood are Gold, Blue, Purple, and Scarlet

Exo 28:1  And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
Exo 28:2  And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.
Exo 28:3  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
Exo 28:4  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
Exo 28:5  And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.
Exo 28:6  And they shall make the ephod [of] gold, [of] blue, and [of] purple, [of] scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
Exo 28:7  It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and [so] it shall be joined together.
Exo 28:8  And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

8) Gold, Blue, Purple, and Scarlet are Used by Those Who Teach Others

“Cunning workmen…[who] devise curious works… in gold and silver and brass…  blue, and purple, and scarlet… and any manner of cunning work,” are those whom God is using to teach others to help in the building of the temple of God:

Exo 35:29  The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.
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.

Those they teach and the materials with which they work are both the result of God’s work in the heart’s of His people to build up His house. It is the unveiling of Jesus Christ which is “the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

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.

1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

How does he edify the church? He does so by working with “gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet” among other things which are used to build up and edify the temple of God by those who God has “filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work…”

Conclusion of the Significance of Blue and Purple and Scarlet

Blue, and purple and scarlet signify those in whom God’s Spirit is working the process of Going from scarlet to blue, from the first to the last Adam:

Exo 36:8  And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam [red – earthy – of the ground] was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit [blue – heavenly – of the spirit].

Purple is just the combining of the blue and the scarlet that is experienced in going from scarlet to blue.

[Here is the link to the next study in this series.]