Story:  Personal testimony - I was on a business trip to LA from DFW which is about a three-four hour flight.  As I am waiting to board, I notice a Jewish Rabbi with the black hat, the four tassels, the curls of hair, the unshaved beard...this guy was as close to orthodox as they get. 

I prayed to God and asked if He wanted me to talk to this man about Jesus, that God would need to provide the way.  This plane seated several hundred people.  I got seated right beside the Jewish Rabbi.  I was intimidated.  I did not say a word for the first hour while the Rabbi was reading his old worn out copy of the Torah and rocking back and forth in his seat praying during the flight. 

I had brought along a book about the feasts and it had the Lampstand on the cover.  During that time in my spiritual life I was trying to understand the feasts.  The Rabbi noticed the book and asked about it.  I explained that I was a Christian gentile, but my wife's great grand parents were Russian Jewish immigrants.  Each morning when I am home, I instruct my boys about the Word of God.  I wanted to better describe what the feasts meant.  We had been studying about the tabernacle and we were now getting into the feasts.

This interested the Rabbi since my boys had a Jewish bloodline from their mother.  I asked the Rabbi why they did not sacrifice anymore?  The Torah commands Israel to sacrifice in the morning, in the evening, each week, each month, etc.  He said the temple was destroyed so they can not sacrifice.  Then he told me a story about a childhood friend he grew up with.  His friend was raised a Christian, but later in life renounced his faith in Jesus, moved to Israel, married a Jewish woman and converted to Judaism.  He asked "What would you do if your boys did that?"

Without even thinking, I drew the tabernacle on a piece of paper showing the alter, the water lavern, and the Holy Place divided in two rooms.  I explained that Jesus saves, my job is just to instruct and love my boys.  They must seek God on their own.  Then I went on to describe what his friend did; 

Your friend rejected the Lamb of God given for the sins of all mankind. (I pointed to the Alter.  Jesus was crucified on Passover Day as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world".  John 1:29) 

He rejected his baptism for the remission of his own personal sins.  (I pointed to the Lavern where the priest was required to wash before he could enter the Tabernacle Holy Place.)

He thinks he can walk into the Holy Place of God on his own righteousness.  (I pointed to the first half of the Tabernacle where only the Levites were allowed to enter for God's service.  This is where the Lampstand and Showbread were located.  Jesus said I am the light of the world and bread of life.) 

He thinks he can walk into the Holy of Holies, into God's presence, beyond the veil on his own righteousness.  Not me, I walk behind Jesus and His righteousness.  (I pointed to the back half of the Tabernacle where no one was allowed except the High Priest and that was just once a year on Yon Kippur when the High Priest would offer blood sacrifice of atonement on behalf of the people).

I could not believe what had just come out of my mouth.  Wow, that really sounded good.  I wish I was that smart, but it was the Spirit of God.  So, I just thanked God and went back to reading my book.  The Rabbi looked like he had just got hit between the eyes with a BB gun.  He was speechless.  So was I.  He just sat back and started making small talk with the man sitting on his left.  We did not have anything else to say. I have always wondered if that man came to know Christ. 

Today, we will be discussing one of my favorite subjects in this discipleship program.  The tabernacle continues to teach me month after month and year after year different lessons about God.  The bible has over fifty chapters that discuss the tabernacle.  The references in the bible about the objects associated with the tabernacle go from Genesis to Revelation.  The key to understanding the tabernacle is that it is a shadow, copy and pattern of heavenly things.  At this point in class I like to walk over to the marker board, place my hand on the surface of the markerboard and proceed to make an outline of my hand.  When I remove my hand from the markerboard, I ask the class "What is that?".  The answer always comes back 'Your hand'.  No, that is a shadow, copy and pattern of my hand just like the tabernacle is a shadow, copy and pattern of heavenly things.  One verse always sticks in my mind as I teach and study the tabernacle; work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:12
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling . . . Please turn to the great prophet Ezekiel chapter 40.  Chapters 40-48 to the end of the book describe the Temple of God.  In a vision, God takes the prophet into the land of Israel to a very high mountain to see a city.  This week we will be discussing the 'method of worship' God gave the Israelites called the Tabernacle which was later replaced with the Temple. 

Ezekiel 40:4
The man said to me, "Son of man, see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see." 

God told Ezekiel to declare what he had experienced to the nation.  Why?  God wanted them to respond to Him.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.  When Jesus taught in parables, He would say 'he who has ears, let him hear' as in Luke 8:8.  The key concept to learn from the study of the Tabernacle (Temple) is God provides a design or pattern. 

Ezekiel 43:7-8
He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the corpses of their kings when they die, by setting their threshold by My threshold and their door post beside My door post, with only the wall between Me and them. And they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed. So I have consumed them in My anger. 

God does not beat around the bush.  At times, He speaks in hidden phrases and other times He tells it straight.  Here He tells it straight as an arrow.  It appears that the Israelites took a dead body of a king into the Temple.  This might have been done out of respect for the man, but it was disrespectful to God.  God holds His name above all.  Think about this; when you accepted Christ as your savior He gave His name to you.  You have been adopted as His child.  How have you done in this life walking with the holy name of God around in this world?  Maybe this message is as much for you as it is for the nation of Israel.

Ezekiel 43:9
Now let them put away their harlotry and the corpses of their kings far from Me; and I will dwell among them forever. 

Remember what Jesus preached; 'Repent'.  That is what most of the old testament is all about and that is what verse 9 above is all about.  Repent and work out your salvation with fear and trembling.  God wants to dwell with His people.  The Tabernacle was designed so God could go among the people.  Today, the Holy Spirit of God through the blood of Jesus as our Christ allows God not only to be among us, but to be inside His people.  God wants to dwell among and in His people.  Tabernacle means dwelling.  My body is a tabernacle for my spirit.  Based upon my relationship with Christ, my tabernacle is now a dwelling for God.  This takes us to holiness and righteousness which is a study for another day.  Just know this; I am not holy and I am not righteous.  Holiness and righteousness come from Jesus and Jesus alone.  See John 14:6 if you have any questions.

Ezekiel 43:10-11
"As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the plan.  If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the house, its structure, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its whole design and all its statutes and do them. 

Repent and work out your salvation with fear and trembling.  Do them . . . God expects an action to follow an understanding of His design, His statues, and His laws.  The law was given to show man sin.  Grace is a gift of God.  You must be circumcised in the heart to receive grace.  Circumcision of the flesh was God's covenant regarding the seed to Abraham who would redeem the world which we now know that His name is Jesus.

Ezekiel 44:9
'Thus says the Lord God, "No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary.

Scripture References:
Altar - If you were to go to the tabernacle, you would notice that it only had one entrance.  As you entered the court, the fire step toward God is the altar.  Blood must be submitted for atonement.  Why blood?  Atonement for what?  Why sacrifice?  This is a God thing and beyond my understanding, but I always find it amazing all the pagan cultures throughout history that have religious groups making blood sacrifices for atonement.  It is like human beings just know that blood is needed for atonement.  It is also amazing how many passages we have in our bible showing God answering man with fire from heaven.  Remember Moses saw the Lord in the burning bush.  The nation saw God on Mount Sinai with fire and smoke covered the mountain.

1 Chronicles 21:26
Then David built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called to the LORD and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. 

2 Chronicles 7:1
Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 

1 Kings 18: 37-40
Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again."  Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God."  Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape." So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. 

When God calls something Holy, it is Holy unto the Lord.  Judgment awaits those who challenge His authority.  My mom would wear a belt around her neck when me and my brothers were misbehaving as a reminder that if we got out of line, judgment was at her hand.  If you do not remember the story of Korah's rebellion, take some time to review Numbers 16.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Numbers 16:36-40
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Say to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that he shall take up the censers out of the midst of the blaze, for they are holy; and you scatter the burning coals abroad.  "As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the LORD and they are holy; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel."  So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the men who were burned had offered, and they hammered them out as a plating for the altar, as a reminder to the sons of Israel that no layman who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to burn incense before the LORD; so that he will not become like Korah and his company--just as the LORD had spoken to him through Moses. 
 

Sacrifice – What goes on the altar is critical.  God had different types of offerings for different reasons, different sacrifices for different circumstances and different times to celebrate different events.  God has a plan.  Man just needs to get in line with God's plan and stop trying to play God.  When you mention sacrifices, most people think about the big events like Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, Feast of Booths, etc.  Sacrifices were offered on those special days, but sacrifices were also offered on a daily basis.  A lamb was used as the Passover sacrifice.  A lamb was used as a sacrifice for daily atonement, redemption at birth, sin offerings, burnt offerings, guilt offerings, wave offerings, etc.  Some sacrificial lambs had to be male and some had to be female based upon the law.  God is very specific about these instructions.

John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 

When John the Baptist made this statement about Jesus, you did not need to explain to the Jewish audience what he was talking about.  They knew all about the lambs being sacrificed each day and the special meaning behind the lamb sacrificed on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.  Gentiles need it explained.  Jesus was a sin offering for you and me.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Hebrews 9:13-14
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

Hebrews 9:22
And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 

Hebrews 10:10-13
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 

Genesis 22:7-8
Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"  Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. 

When Abraham made this statement about the lamb, this was about 500-600 years before the tabernacle and the Passover Lamb was given to the nation.  Abraham understood the concept of the sacrificial Lamb of God.  Remember that in verse 13, we see that Abraham and Isaac find a ram, not a lamb, caught in the ticket to be used as their sacrifice.  God will provide Himself a Lamb which came in the form of Jesus about 2,000 years later.  We live about 2,000 years from the time of Jesus or about 4,000 years after Abraham. 
 

Lavern –  After your sacrifice is given on the alter, the priest would wash in the Lavern prior to him proceeding into the Holy Place.  Studying the Lavern helped me understand baptism.  Baptism is an outward symbol just like a wedding ring is a symbol for marriage.  You can take the wedding ring off your finger, but that does not end your marriage.  You can look at the water and washing in variety of ways.  When Jesus was on the cross blood and water proceeded from his side.  Jesus said He provided man with living water.  Living water is considered to be a running stream.  Jesus said you must be born of water and Spirit to enter His kingdom.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Matthew 3:14-15
But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"  But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. 

John 19:33-34
. . . but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

John 7:37-38
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" 

John 4:10
Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." 

John 3:5-6
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Matthew 3:13-16
Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.  But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"  But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him.  After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." 

1 John 5:6-8
This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.  It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 
 

Priest- We see the tribe of Levi as priests to the nation.  We see a select group of Levites from the family of Aaron who God selects as ministers to Him.  You had to be from the family of Aaron to get a chance of being a High Priest and minister in the Most Holy Place.  John the Baptist was from this line and he turned from his heritage to live in the wilderness as a voice of one crying 'make ready to way of the Lord'.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Exodus 19:22
"Also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, or else the LORD will break out against them."

Exodus 29:44
"I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Me.

Deuteronomy 31:9
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel. 

Malachi 2:47
"Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may continue with Levi," says the LORD of hosts.  "My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.  "True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity.  "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 

1 Samuel 2:35
'But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always. 

Hebrews 2:17
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 

Hebrews 8:1-6
Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.  For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.  Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."  But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
 

Light – We have a couple ways to view the lampstand.  First, the stand typically represents the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament.  In the New Testament, almost all references to light typically represent Jesus.  They go together.  The lamp is suppose to burn 24 hours a day and seven days a week.  Sacrifices were required by the nation each and every day.  These were suppose to be a constant reminder to the nation that they are sinners in need of the light of God.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Leviticus 24:2
"Command the sons of Israel that they bring to you clear oil from beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.

Numbers 8:2
"Speak to Aaron and say to him, 'When you mount the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in the front of the lampstand.'" 

Revelation 4:5
Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 

John 1:4
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

John 8:12
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." 

John 12:35-36
So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.  "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light " These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. 

John 12:46
"I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 
 

Bread (Manna) - God allowed those He loves to go hungry that they might understand that God is our life. 

Deuteronomy 8:3
"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. 

John 6:32-35
Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.  "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."  Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."  Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 

John 6:55-58
"For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.  "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.  "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.  "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." 

Needless to say, when Jesus made these statements about eating flesh and drinking blood people walked away.  What would you have done?  They could not hear the spiritual message.  Just like the world today can not hear God's Word.  God speaks in spiritual phrases and people can not understand that language without God's help.  God must put inside you a translator (Holy Spirit) to understand His spiritual language.  You only receive that translator (Holy Spirit) when you submit to Him. 

Remember, Jesus had thousands and thousands of people following Him at this time.  Scripture tells us that Jesus healed them all which could mean thousands and thousands.  But this statement about eating My flesh and drinking My blood just freaked the thousands of people out.  I understand.  Jesus got them out of their comfort zone.  Does Jesus have you out of your comfort zone?  These people were not following Jesus because they were looking for the Lamb of God, but because He feed them.  Jesus called them out and they left.  They could not spiritually understand because they did not spiritually see themselves as lost.  They were Jews.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 
 

Altar of Incense - The nation was required to keep the lampstand burning 24-7.  They were also required to sacrifice every day and burn this daily fragrant incense throughout the generations.  Atonement was also made with the blood of the sin offering for the High Priest to enter the Most Holy Place once a year.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Exodus 30:6-10
"You shall put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you.  "Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps.  "When Aaron trims the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.  "You shall not offer any strange incense on this altar, or burnt offering or meal offering; and you shall not pour out a drink offering on it.  "Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD."
 

Veil – Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Leviticus 16:2
The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. 

Numbers 4:5
"When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and they shall take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it; 

Isaiah 25:6-8
The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine. And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.  He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

Matthew 27:51
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 

2 Corinthians 3:14-17
But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.  But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 

Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 
 

Ark - The ark of the testimony held the law, the staff and the manna.  On top of the ark rested the mercy seat of God.  On the mercy seat were two cherubim just like in Genesis 3:24 where God stationed cherubim at the entrance to the garden.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Law –
Hebrews 10:1
For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

Staff –
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" 

Manna - 
John 6:48-51
"I am the bread of life.  "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." 

Mercy Seat -
Exodus 25:22
"There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.
 

Other Passages:
1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 

Hebrews 9:8-9
The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time.  Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 

Hebrews 10:26-31
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.  Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY " And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

John 2:16-19
. . . and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business."  His disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."  The Jews then said to Him, "What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?"  Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 

John 4:23-24
"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." 
 

Personal lessons gained from my study of the tabernacle;
1) Tithing - I do not like the passing of the plates in church service for tithes.  God always wants your first fruits as a tithe.  Digging change from your pocket as a tithe offering, to me is an insult.  God only wants our first fruits which shows our trust in Him for all things.  God does not need our money.  God wants our obedience so He can bless us.  This first fruits concept goes all the way back to Cain and Able.  One gave his first fruits and the other did not.  Several times in the old testament God gets really mad at the nation because they were offering sick animals instead of first fruits.  It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. 

2) Prayer - I do not like it when some people think it is OK to be moving around during group prayer.  If you are an unbeliever or a small child and you do not know any better, then let's extend some grace.  But what about worship leaders who want to move around during prayer?  That is just wrong and it burns me up.  A worship leader should understand that we are standing in the presence of the Living God when we pray as a body.  We are in the Most Holy Place where the High Priest was only allowed to venture once a year at the moment when we bow our heads in prayer.  Are we really so short of time that we can not wait until after prayer to move around?  My God can move the hands of time back and forth as He likes.  Be still and know GOD! 

3)  Light - I keep a black and white picture of the moon shining over a building with a light in the window on a cold winter night.  In the picture, you could almost mistake the moon for the sun just like some Christians think they are the light of the world.  Christians are not the light, but a reflection of the light.  All Christians should ask themselves; are you a full moon, half moon, quarter moon or no moon?  Jesus is the light of the world.  How are we reflecting His light to a dark world?  Something which goes hand-in-hand with this concept is when I hear Christians talking about how they need to go save people.  I can not even save myself much less save another human being, but I know who does save; Jesus.  My job is to point people toward the Savior.  The correct statement would be that Christians need to go introduce people to the Savior, not going out to save people.

How does the tabernacle differ from the temple?  The tabernacle was a tent type structure designed to be moved as the nation journeyed in the desert.  The temple was a permanent building for the nation in Jerusalem.  The overall outline of the two structures is similar, but the structures did have some differences that I think demand our attention. 

First, the tabernacle was a 'tent of meeting' where God walked among His people.  The temple was God's foot rest.  All the key elements such as the lamp stand, alter, ark, lavern, table, etc. are the same, but access is different between the tabernacle and temple.  How do you approach God as a new testament Christian?  That approach is different than how an old testament believer approached God because we not only have the redemption by Jesus, but we also have full access to the Holy Spirit who will lead us on our walk with God. 

Remember the tabernacle is how God told Moses to approach Him.  The temple is how God told David to approach Him.  The temple referenced in Hebrews and Revelations is different, but the key elements are all the same.  Jesus has always been the way and the truth and the life.  Old testament believers were looking forward to His redemption on the cross and new testament believers are looking back at His redemption.  All men must be redeemed.  The access for man's redemption is modified based upon if you lived before the cross or after the cross, but all men need redemption by His cross.  You still need blood and washing to gain access into the Holy Place to see the light and bread.  Old testamant believers still had a veil between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place until after Jesus' resurrection when it was torn in two from top to bottom. 

Exodus 25:8-9
"Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.  "According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it. 

1 Chronicles 28:2
Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brethren and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. 

Second, the tabernacle was constructed by the nation of Israel.  The temple was built by Gentiles under the direction of the nation.  This reminds me how Jesus moved from the nation to the world in His ministry.  Another difference is the location.  As mentioned earlier, the tabernacle was a moveable tent.  The temple was constructed on Mount Moriah.  It was built on the place were God showed mercy for David's sin.  What sits on the ark?  The mercy seat.  It is believed this is the same location where Abraham offered Isaac.  The shadows of future events can be seen in the stories from the old testament.

1 Chronicles 21:15-16
And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw and was sorry over the calamity, and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough; now relax your hand." And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  Then David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces. 

2 Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 

Genesis 22:2
He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." 

The shadow, copy and pattern of the tabernacle was shown to Moses.  The shadow, copy and pattern of the temple was shown to David.  Moses was promised the Prophet.  David was promised the King.  Abraham was promised the seed who would bless the world and he was given the covenant of circumcision.  Adam and Eve were promised that her seed would bruise (crush) Satan's head.  In Revelations 12 we see a dragon trying to kill the male child and the war in heaven. 

Revelation 12:10-11
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.  And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

Abraham gave tithes to a priest called Melchizedek who is described in Hebrews as a type of Jesus prior to being born in the form of man.  In Genesis, you can see shadows of future events.  Abraham offering his only son was a shadow of God offering Jesus.  The ark saving mankind when Noah endured the flood was a shadow of the ark saving the nation when Moses was given law.  It was the grace of God to save Noah and the grace of God to save Israel.  Joseph is rejected by his brothers and goes to the Gentiles to be a blessing which is a shadow of Jesus being rejected by the nation and going to the Gentiles to be a blessing.  Egypt was a refuge for His nation until the time God called them out.  Exodus 12:41 says the nation was brought out of Egypt on the very day of God's plan.  Is this earth a refuge for God's people until it is time for Him to call His people out again?  Are you ready?

1 Chronicles 28:19
"All this," said David, "the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern." 

Hebrews 7:1-3
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.  Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

Hebrews 8:4-6
Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."  But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 

David had it in his heart to build a building for the ark of God, but Solomon actually constructed the facility.  Moses had it in his heart to lead the people into the promised land, but Joshua actually led the people into the promised land.  These transitions are just too obvious to ignore.  The old ways differ from the new ways.  The old ways take you to the edge, but the new ways lead you inside.  The old ways show you the physical side of man, but the new ways show man his spiritual relationship to God.  The old ways showed God moving about His people, but the new way is where God moves inside His people.  Was God trying to show the nation a transition between the tabernacle and the temple which they did not understand?  How about you?  Do you understand that you are the adopted child of the Creator of heaven and earth, the Redeemer of all mankind and that you have been purchased with His blood?  This life is just the first steps to an eternal existance with Him.  This life is just a few short breaths and then you will be in the presence of GOD.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.  Understand who you are in Christ and walk in this world as redeemed.

Revelation 7:15
"For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. 

Revelation 15:4-6
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?  For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."  After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. 

Revelation 21:1-5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."  And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new " And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."