"Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.
previous lesson
Discipleship Training Course Come… Follow Me!
Lesson 5a: The Old Testament Pattern for the Saving of Souls
Review
Key Scriptures
1. The earthly sanctuary was a pattern for heavenly things.
(Exodus 25:8) "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them."
(Hebrews 8:4-5) " For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
2. Though there are numerous patterns in the Mosaic Tabernacle, one of them is the pattern of the make up of the human being in whom God dwells by His Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 3:16) "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"
(1 Thessalonians 5:23) "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
3. For each part of the sanctuary, access was gained through the appropriate door.
(John 10:7, 9) "Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
4. There are three doors to be taken in succession;to the Outer Court, the Body; to the Holy Place, the Soul; to the Most Holy Place, the Spirit.
(John 14:6) "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
5. Each door was supported by a number of pillars, each one providing part of the complete ministry of Jesus to the believer. The door to the Outer Court had four pillars showing that Jesus is the Way. The four gospels reveal the ministry of Jesus as King (Matthew), Servant (Mark), Representative Man (Luke) and Source of divine Life (John).
6. The door to the Holy Place had five pillars representing Christ's ministry to bring the Soul to maturity.
(Ephesians 4:11-12) "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,"
7. The door to the Most Holy Place had four pillars representing the full atoning ministry of Jesus that gives the believer direct and bold access to the throne of God.
(Hebrews 10:19) "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,"
(1 Corinthians 1:30) "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;"
8. The Altar of Burnt Offering represents the Cross, the place of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God and for the believer's personal living sacrifice.
(John 1:29) "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
(Romans 12:1) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
9. The Washing Bowl, made from bronze mirrors, represents the ministry of the Word in the believer's life.
(Exodus 38:8) "He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting."
(James 1:23-24) "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was."
(John 12:47-48) "And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him; the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day."
10. The Holy Place had three pieces of
furniture; the Lamp, the Table and the Altar. Similarly the Soul has
three main parts; the Intellect, the Will and the Emotions. The lamp
represents the Intellect, which illuminated by the Word of God, lights
up the Will.
(Psalms 119:130) " The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple."
11. The Table of the Presence represents the Will, the place of the Soul's strength. (Wine = Emotions; Oil = Intellect (Illumination); Bread = Will)
(Psalms 104:15) "And wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart."
12. The third door, or veil, separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place represents the Body of Jesus Christ, the place where the believer meets the Father. It has four pillars each displaying one of the major functions of Jesus' ministry allowing a bold approach the Father.
(Hebrews 10:19-20) "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,"
(1 Corinthians 1:30) "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;"
13. The Ark represents Jesus Christ revealed to the spirit, the place of worship, fellowship and revelation. All the activity of the spirit only has meaning in terms of our union with the Father Himself.
(Hebrews 9:4) "which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;"
(Psalms 40:7-8) "Then I said, "Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart."
(John 6:57) "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me."
Aaron's rod represents supernatural revelation received directly from God. Read Leviticus 17:1-10.
Cornerstone Ministries,
Malcolm Vine.
September 2004
| Go to lesson 6 | Go to Index |