The Tabernacle of Moses’ twice daily offering known as the continual burnt offering (Heb. olah tamiyd) as commanded by YHVH Elohim was offered on the bronze altar (Exod 29:42) was the central feature and beating heart of the tabernacle. This sacrificial offering has great spiritual implications for the serious disciple of Yeshua and relates to his or her daily life of devotion, praise and worship to YHVH Elohim. Christians now refer to this time in the saint’s life as one’s “daily devotional.” Let’s now discover the amazing and prophetic parallels between the twice daily sacrifices prescribed under the Torah’s Law of Moses and this quotidian activity in the life of the serious believer.
The word continual (Heb. tamiyd) in verse Exodus 29:38 means “continually.” The Hebrew word for burnt offering is olah meaning “ascent, stairway or steps,” and derives from the basic Hebrew verb, alah, meaning “to go up, climb or ascend.” In this sacrificial offering, the fire consumed the entire animal, and the word olah refers to the smoke of this whole burnt offering ascending to heaven, which to YHVH was a “sweet aroma” (verse 41). Why did the Creator of the universe consider such a mundane thing as smoke from cooking meat to be a pleasant aroma? Let’s dig into this idea and discover the rich and significance implications of this curious religious ritual.
The olah was an offering or gift (Lev 1:2, Heb. qorban)to YHVH and had to be a kosher animal such as a bull, goat, ram, turtle dove or a pigeon as long as it was a perfect specimen without defect (Lev 1:10). What was the point of this sacrificial offering? If an Israelite sinned, he could bring this gift-offering to the door of the tabernacle where he would place his hands upon the head of the animal, after which the priests would slaughter it, and sprinkle its blood around the altar of sacrifice just inside the door of the tabernacle (Lev 1:2, 4, 5). The meat was then prepared and arranged on the altar and entirely burnt (Lev 1:6–17). When the sinner laid his hands on the animal, it was as if he were transferring his sins onto the innocent, blemish-free animal, where upon YHVH accepted it as an atonement for the person’s sin (Lev 1:4). In reality, offering was a down payment on a debt that the sinner owed to YHVH, which prophetically pointed to and would ultimately be paid by Yeshua’s death on the cross.
The writer of Hebrews clearly teaches that this offering (along with all the other offerings in the sacrificial system) pointed to Yeshua, our Great High Priest, whose atoning death on the cross fulfilled all the types and shadows of the Levitical, sacrificial system (Heb 4:14–5:7; 7:1–10:18).
Besides the obvious antetypes pointing to Yeshua’s death on the cross, what else can we learn from the olah tamiyd offering rituals? What are the spiritual implications and the lessons to be learned for the redeemed believer living in the twenty-first century? Matthew Henry in his commentary on Numbers 28:1–8 sums up the main relevant object lesson to be learned from the twice daily sacrifices in this concise way:
The particular law of the daily sacrifice, a lamb in the morning and a lamb in the evening, which, for the constancy of it as duly as the day came, is called a continual burnt-offering (v. 3), which intimates that when we are bidden to pray always, and to pray without ceasing, it is intended that at least every morning and every evening we offer up our solemn prayers and praises to [Elohim]. (emphasis added)
Thus this olah tamiyd sacrifice was connected to the rising and setting of the sun as implied by the words of the psalmist (Ps 113:3). At the same time, the priest was to burn incense on the incense altar (Exod 30:7–8) as part of the olah tamiyd sacrifice. This obviously signifies a spirit of repentance, self-deprecation and humility coupled with praise and worshipful adoration on the part of the saint while engaged in prayer to one’s Father in heaven.
The biblical writers foresaw a time coming when either there would be no tabernacle or temple in which to offer the sacrifices and incense, or a designated place of worship would be inaccessible to the Israelite. In this situation, Hosea admonishes sinful Israel to return to YHVH and to offer up the sacrifices (lit. the calves or young bulls) of one’s lips, while expecting Elohim to graciously receive them and take away their iniquity (Hos 14:2). Paul embraced this idea when he admonished the saints to become as “living sacrifices…unto Eohim” (Rom 12:2). In John’s vision of heaven, he sees the prayers of the saints as being like sweet smelling incense before the throne of the Almighty One (Rev 5:8; 8:3). Not only does YHVH view the prayers of the righteous as incense, but their praises of him as a sacrifice or a thanksgiving offering as well (Jer 33:11; Heb 13:15). The psalmist goes on to connect the dots between the olah tamiyd sacrifice, incense, prayer and praise when he writes,
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (Ps 141:2)
But how is the non-Levite priest supposed to offer incense before YHVH? This is done through prayer and worship as the prophet Malachi indicates:
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering, for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith YHVH of Hosts. (Mal 1:11)
The Torah prohibits offering sacrifices anywhere YHVH has not placed his name. What’s more, Yeshua has fulfilled the sacrificial system by his death on the cross once and for all as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews clearly informs us, and has become the saints’ Great High Priest. So how then do the people of the nations offer up sacrifices in every place as Malachi prophesies except but through prayer and praise? The same is true, of course, for redeemed believers who are now part of Yeshua’s royal priesthood as Peter testifies:
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to Elohim by Yeshua the Messiah. (1 Pet 2:5)
However, since there is no longer either a temple or a Levitical priesthood, yet the saints are called priest of Yeshua (Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6), how shall we as the saints of the Most High fulfill our priestly duties if not by serving our Master Yeshua through our twice daily prayer and praise?
Psalm 77:13 tells us, “Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God?” This may be one of the greatest understatements in the entire Bible, and the Tabernacle of Moses has been one of the most overlooked subjects in the mainstream Christian church for the past 1,900 years. The Tabernacle of Moses contains multiple layers of biblical truth and is a veritable treasure trove relating to YHVH’s glorious plan of salvation or redemption for sinful mankind. It contains the prophetic blueprint of the Christian’s spiritual journey from their initial encounter with Yeshua the Messiah to becoming his resurrected, gloried bride living with him for eternity in the New Jerusalem as this video-teaching explosively reveals.
If you would like to be part of Oasis Elim’s weekly online live Shabbat meeting—an outreach of Hoshana Rabbah, please email Nathan at HoshanaRabbah@earthlink.net for more information.
The Grander Picture of the Tabernacle of Moses and Man’s Ultimate Destiny
Exodus chapter 25 and onward contains YHVH’s instructions to Israel to build a tabernacle or sanctuary so, in his own words, “I may dwell among them” (Exod 25:8). Is the construction of an elaborate tent in the desert merely a quaint, archaic and irrelevant historical event that occurred millennia ago, or is there a larger prophetic picture here that points to something much grander that relates to you and me? The answer to the latter question is a most definite and emphatic, “Yes!”
As a historical, contextual backdrop, let us first step back to the beginning of man’s creation. At that time, YHVH Elohim formed man in his image for the purpose of raising up a family of glorified sons and daughters to become like him, and to live with him forever in a glorified and elevated state of existence. To that end, he placed the first humans in an idyllic garden where he could walk and commune with them in the cool of the day—symbolic of a state of restful or comfortable and relaxed communion. Sadly, this one-on-one relationship did not last long, and man was thrust out of the garden (symbolic of YHVH’s dwelling place on earth) because of sin and the lack of man’s holiness without which no man can enter into much less remain in the presence of the holy (set-apart), perfect and sinless YHVH Elohim.
Moving forward in time, some 3,500 years later in the time of Moses, we arrive at the time where YHVH instructed the children of Israel to build another dwelling place for him that he might abide with his people once more. Instead of a garden, this was a movable tent called the Tabernacle of Moses, which contained a special room called the holy of holies. It was in this one spot where YHVH desired to dwell on earth again with his human children.
But there is one caveat. One cannot merely go blithely, casually or cavalierly waltzing into the holy presence of YHVH in a state of sinful impurity or unholiness. After all, would a person in their right mind deign to march into the presence of the pope, king of England or the Oval Office of the White House unwashed wearing filthy jeans and a holey T-shirt? This would be unthinkable. How much more then the Creator of the universe? No. There is a process of spiritual cleansing that must first occur and the tabernacle (along with the seven biblical feasts) reveals a seven step process, which is YHVH’s plan of redemption or salvation for man, for man to join in holy communion with a holy Elohim.
The tabernacle that YHVH commissioned the Israelites to construct was literally a giant, demonstrative and interactive gospel tract showing man the way to his Father in heaven. It was (and still is) a symbolic and metaphorical picture of the transformational cleansing process required to go from a state of spiritual uncleanliness to purity with the ever-present help of Yeshua the Messiah who came to show man the way to his Father in heaven (John 14:6). Amazingly, the tabernacle is also a picture of each of us, who, if we are willing, can follow Yeshua step-by-step into the presence of our holy (pure and sinless) Father in heaven.
To be sure, YHVH desires a personal relationship not only with corporate Israel, but also with each of us individually. Elohim’s chosen people, the nation of Israel, is comprised of individual entities each with their own unque relationship with the Creator. Coming into the inner sanctum of the holy of holies in the tabernacle (representative of YHVH’s heavenly throne room) should be the ultimate goal of each person, and it is YHVH’s highest desires and plan to lead each of us into his presence by way of Yeshua his Son, who is the way, the truth and the life and the only way to the Father (John 14:6).
The transformational of process of spiritual cleansing begins occurring when one comes to faith in Yeshua, repents of one’s sin, and then allows the Holy Spirit to commence a miraculous spiritual work on the inside of each of us. The Tabernacle of Moses is the three-dimensional gospel tract that outlines the progressive steps in this cleansing process that ultimately transforms a person into the higher and ultimate dimensions of a spiritual reality that is beyond that of this physical existence. Moreover, the tabernacle outlines the steps required for the indwelling presence of YHVH’s Spirit which activates our personal spirit that resides deep inside of us thus drawing us upward to our Father in heaven. As such, we literally become a living Tabernacle of Moses or, as Paul characterizes it, a temple of the Holy Spirit. This is a mystery that few humans, including Christians, understand, but that has been hidden in plain sight in our Bibles for thousands of years!
To the degree that we allow YHVH to work in us, to cleanse and refine us, is to the degree that we advance along the progressive steps upward toward our Father in heaven as outlined in the Tabernacle of Moses.
If we will be honest with ourselves, most of us are not as far along in this process as we think. There for YHVH’s grace go each of us! But at least we have the road map of the tabernacle to show us the way onward and upward. There are no shortcuts to Elohim, and this journey will take a lifetime, and even then, each of us will still need the grace of Elohim as well as the imputed righteousness of Yeshua to compensate for our lack of righteousness. Despite our best efforts, each of us will fall short of “the mark for the prize of the high calling of Elohim in Messiah Yeshua” (Phil 3:14). This is because the righteous are scarcely saved (1 Pet 4:18), and all of our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa 64:6). When we finally come to this realization and humble ourselves before YHVH Almighty, and we allow him to begin cleaning us spiritually (a process called “sanctification”) from the inside out, it is then that he can begin his spiritually transformational work deep inside each of us and lift as he raises us up (Jas 4:10) to seat us in heavenly places with Yeshua (Eph 2:6). It is then that we will be fully born again as new, glorified and immortalized children of Elohim and adopted into his eternal family (Rom 8:12, 23; 9:4; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5).
This is the ultimate message of the entire Bible of which the Tabernacle of Moses is an illustrative, symbolic and prophetic depiction, so that even a child can visualize it. Sadly, this is also a truth and message that the mainstream Christian church has largely overlooked, even though, and curiously so, many churches, cathedrals and basilicas the world over are patterned to one degree or another after the Tabernacle of Moses.
Exodus 25:8–9,A sanctuary…tabernacle.
How the Tabernacle of Moses Relates to YOU
Before launching into a study of the Tabernacle of Moses, let’s first ask ourselves a question. When teaching our little children and the things of life, do we hand them the multi-volumed set of Encyclopedia Britannicas? Of course not. They wouldn’t get past page one. We give simple story books with giant print and a plethora of pictures that help them to understand basic concepts like the alphabet, colors, the names of animals and so on. YHVH Elohim, our Father in heaven, did the same thing when teaching his children of Israel—and us too—about his amazing and life transforming plan of salvation. Instead of a storybook, he had the Israelites construct the Tabernacle of Moses, which reads like simple gospel tract. But curiously, the more one dives into and explores its depths, complex and expansive of truth and divine revelation into the mind and heart of YHVH Elohim and the Person of Yeshua the Messiah will progressively reveal themselves layer by layer leading to the heart and soul of our Father in heaven with the end result of abiding forever in his glorious presence.
Yet there is another way to look at the Infinite (Elohim) trying to communicate with the finite (humans). If you were the Creator of the universe, what means would you use to communicate with those that you had created through love in your likeness and image? In a remote and somewhat dissimilar way that nevertheless transmits a certain idea, it is like a human standing over an anthill trying to communicate with the ants. How do you do it? Similarly, how does an all powerful, Spirit Being, loving Father in heaven relate to his mortal children who are but mere specks of dust without vaporizing them into oblivion with his raw power by his presence? The difficulty is compounded when fearful and estranged humans do not want to hear the voice of Elohim, which is what happened when YHVH Elohim’s voice thundered from Mount Sinai. The children of Israel begged him not to talk face-to-face with them lest they die. They asked the Almighty One to speak to them instead through Moses (Exod 20:19).
When man committed his first sin at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden, he was cut off from a spiritual relationship with their holy and sinless Creator. The Garden of Eden pictured this halcyon state between YHVH and man. Because of sin and rebellion on man’s part, this relationship was ruined, and YHVH expelled the first humans from the idyllic Eden, and direct communications between man and his Maker were hampered if not largely cut off. However, Elohim had a plan to restore the loving relationship he had with his earthly children before their rebellion and fall. But if men refuse to hear you when you speak, what are you do?
For certain, the Almighty does not lack for ways to communicate with his human children. Man is without excuse when it comes to hearing Elohim, for even the heavens declare the glory of the Creator and the plans he has for mankind (Ps 19:1ff). The visible things of this creation shout loudly about the spiritual mysteries heaven desires to reveal to its earthly subjects (Rom 1:18–20); therefore, only blind fools refuse to acknowledge YHVH’s existence (Pss 14:1–3; 53:1–3). Furthermore, from time to time over the millennia, Elohim has chosen to speak directly to some of his select servants through dreams, visions, signs, wonders, angels, and once he even spoke through a donkey! But how does he speak to a whole nation, if that nation is plugging its ears and refusing to hear its Master’s voice?
Enter into the picture the Tabernacle of Moses or mishkan, which YHVH commissioned the children of Israel toconstruct in circa 1450 b.c. at the foot of Mount Sinai. It took the Israelites about a year to build. It was the first job assignment that YHVH gave to the children of Israel after their Exodus from Egypt. The tabernacle was literally a three-dimensional gospel message tract. It was the visual demonstration of the whole salvation message of the Bible in a building—the blueprint of the plan of the redemption of wayward, sinful man. It was a functioning masterpiece of artwork demonstrating the Father’s love for his people, and of his desire to commune and to communicate with Israel—his treasured possession, those he had hand picked and called out from the 70 nations of the world. Not only did the tabernacle involve the sense of sight, but the other four senses as well: sound, smell, touch, and taste. It also engaged and even challenged the heart, emotions, mind and the spirit of man to focus on one’s need to be spiritually reconciled to his Creator. The Tabernacle of Moses was a vehicle for the Creator of the universe to communicate with man using a panoramic, multidimensional, panoply of communication devices all of which pointed to the coming Messiah, the Redeemer of mankind, who would die for the sins of the world in order to restore man into a loving relationship with his ever-loving, gracious and longsuffering Father in heaven.
This is the story of the tabernacle in which theatrical plays are present through the props of pageantry with containing costumed actors each performing his carefully choreographed role on cue. Even a child can comprehend the message of this play, yet it contains mysteries and truths so deep that only in eternity itself will they be revealed to their fullest extent to those who have been initiated into higher spiritual levels of divine revelation through the tabernacle’s symbolic and metaphorical rites and ceremonies, which were illustrative prophetic shadows of future momentous events relating to the redemption of mankind. To understand it, is to understand the message of the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Let’s now enter into the world of the Tabernacle of Moses. Welcome aboard!
The Steps of Redemption Within the Tabernacle
Contained in Tabernacle of Moses are seven (the biblical number signifying perfection of completion) and eight (the biblical number signifying new beginnings) progressive steps that reveal the Creator’s plan of redemption or salvation for mankind from the first step of initial salvation to becoming a glorified resurrected, immortal and forever child of Elohim.
First Step of Eight. Each of us is born in a state of separation from his Creator because all humans were cut off from Elohim due to man’s original sin. Before being reconciled to YHVH, each of us is lost and wandering about in our own personal wilderness of sin. Along the way, we suddenly come upon a beautiful site. We see the good news or gospel message, the light of YHVH’s divinely reveled Truth, the message of the cross, which is symbolized by the multi-colored door and the luminescent walls of the Tabernacle of Moses in the bleak, desolate and monochromatic desert wilderness. As one takes his first steps to become separated or set-apart from the confusion, darkness, chaos, emptiness, lostness and death of the surrounding wilderness of this world, one first encounters the altar of the red heifer located outside the tabernacle (in later years located on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Mishnah Parah 1:1ff). There the red heifer was slaughtered and burned and its ashes were used as a sin offering to bring about purification for uncleanness (Num 19:1ff). Yeshua was likewise crucified outside of the camp of Israel and the gates of Jerusalem (Heb 13:10–13). This altar represents the work of Yeshua at the cross. One cannot enter the tabernacle until one has been redeemed and purified by the blood of Yeshua. Even the Israelites killed the Passover lamb outside their homes on the afternoon of the fourteenth of the month of the Abib. The blood was then smeared on the doors of their homes. Once they entered the blood-smeared doors and were inside their homes, they were safe from the destroyer of YHVH, who simply passed over them. Likewise, when we enter through the gates of the tabernacle (which are crimson in color, as well as blue, white and purple—colors which point to the four Gospels and the four aspects of Yeshua’s mission as Redeemer), we do so saved and purified. This first step in YHVH’s plan of redemption is symbolized by the Passover (Pesach), which is the first of YHVH’s seven annual appointed times (or moedim).
Second Step of Eight/First Step of Seven. Upon entering the tabernacle one immediately comes to the altar of sacrifice. After the lamb was sacrificed on the afternoon of the Passover, that evening (the beginning of the fifteenth day of the first month, which was also the first day or a high Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread/Chag HaMatzot), the Israelites ate the Passover lamb. Similarly, at the altar of sacrifice the Levites would eat those animals sacrificed there. This pictures the fact that the saved believer must continue to “eat the flesh” and “drink the blood” of Yeshua to stay in communion with him (John 6:35–58), and that when one sins after one is saved they must continue in a state of repentance and overcoming through the blood of Yeshua the Lamb of Elohim (1 John 1:7–9). On that evening, one not only ate lamb, but unleavened bread after having put all leavened food out of one’s home. This pictures the believer walking forward spiritually as they are putting sin out of their life. To the degree that one eliminates sin from one’s life is the degree to which one has communion with our Father in heaven. Therefore, the altar of sacrifice in the tabernacle is a metaphorical picture of both the Passover meal and the first high Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Third Step of Eight/Second Step of Seven. At the bronze laver one ritually washed in preparation for entering into service in the tabernacle sanctuary itself. This represents being baptized for the remission of sins, being washed in the water of the Word of Elohim and receiving the Set-Apart or Holy Spirit of Elohim. This corresponds with the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea and being baptized unto Moses, who was a prophetic type of Yeshua (1 Cor 10:2). This occurred during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and most likely on the last high Sabbath of that week-long festival.
Fourth Step of Eight/Third Step of Seven. One now enters the tabernacle itself and next finds oneself at the menorah, where the light of the Spirit of Elohim shines in the hearts and minds of men. Here as one is growing in spiritual maturity, one begins becoming fruitful as they learn to walk in the fruit of the Spirit, and become empowered with the gifts of the Spirit to reach a lost world. Once separated, redeemed, washed and transformed by the Word and Spirit of Elohim, one becomes a spiritual light that is shining into this dark, lost world. Humans are the lesser light (like the moon) reflecting the greater light of the Yeshua, who is the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2). This occurred for the first-century believers on the Feast of Pentecost (or Chag haShavuot).
Fifth Step of Eight/Fourth Step of Seven. Now we come to the table of show bread containing twelve loaves of unleavened bread neatly arranged in two stacks of six each. This step portends a future time when Yeshua’s people prepare themselves to meet him at his second coming. It is at this time that the awakening and reunion or regathering of the twelve tribes of Israel occur untied around Yeshua, the Bread of Life occurs. This is all pictured prophetically by the Day of Trumpets (or the Shouting or the Shofar Blast).
Sixth Step of Eight/Fifth Step of Seven. The next step of progression in the tabernacle is the altar of incense in front of the curtain that leads to another room called the holy of holies. At this step the focus is on intimacy and intercession, purity of heart, oneness and relationship with the Father through prayer, praise and worship. This speaks of thefinal redemption (jubilee) where YHVH’s people will be regathered to worship him in total freedom without the distractions of the world, flesh and the devil (who have been judged). The altar of incense and Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) are pictures of this.
Seventh Step of Eight/Sixth Step of Seven. We have now entered the inner sanctum of the tabernacle called the holy of holies which represents the heavenly throne room of YHVH Elohim. This step speaks of total peace (shalom) and Sabbath rest during the Millennium between YHVH and his beloved saints, the bride of Yeshua. It is a time of feasting and rejoicing; a time of Torah-teaching and learning, of spiritual bread and fruitfulness. The ark of the covenant and the Feast of Tabernacles (Chag haSukkot) picture this step.
Eighth Step of Eight (Eternity Begins)/Seventh Step of Seven (perfection or completion has occurred in YHVH’s plan of salvation for man). This step pictures being totally set-apart to YHVH for eternity. This is the ultimate goal, or summum bonum of YHVH for his redeemed children. At this point the saints experience the ultimate deliverance from spiritual darkness as they are bathed in the divine and eternal light of New Jerusalem, which is the Sun of Righteousness who is the Lamb of YHVH in whom there is total light and no shadows. The shekinah glory of YHVH Elohim above the ark of the covenant signifies this glorious time of which the seventh feast, The Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret) is a prophetic picture.
Thus, there are seven appointed times or feasts and seven steps in the mishkan, but eight steps in all picturing perfection and completion and new beginning in the New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem.
Exodus 25:8, That I may dwell with them. It is the heart of Elohim—to dwell with his people that he has created in his own image. Imagine that! He wanted to dwell with Adam and Eve in the garden until their sin and rebellion cut them off from fellowship with him. In the process of time, YHVH instructed his special people to construct the Tabernacle of Moses, which contains the ways and means by which sinful humans could have their sins atoned for and come back into a right relationship with their holy Creator, so that he might again dwell with them forever. Everything in the tabernacle pointed forward to Yeshua the Messiah through whose atoning death repentant and believing humans reverse the curse of a broken relationship that Adam and Eve left in the wake of their sin. The tabernacle showed man the way back to the Father through a relationship with Yeshua, so that relationship with Elohim might once again be restored and heaven and earth might dwell together in love, harmony and peace. Those people who have made this spiritual transaction and made peace with their Creator are now the spiritual temple or dwelling place of Elohim, who lives in them by means of his Holy Spirit as both Paul and Yeshua inform us (1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:16; John 14:16–18, 26; 15:26; 16:13–14).
Exodus 25:10–22, Ark. The ark of the covenant was a small box of acacia wood overlaid in gold, which contained the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the two tablets of stone containing the ten statements (or the Ten Commandments) of Elohim. Against the ark was leaned a scroll with the complete Torah written on it (Deut 31:26).
Covering the ark was a golden cap called the mercy seat or kapporet, which is related to the word kippur as in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Both words share a common Hebrew linguistic root, which is the word kapar, and which according to TheTheological Wordbook of the Old Testament (The TWOT)means “to make an atonement, make reconciliation or purge.” Thus the mercy seat or the golden “lid” covering the ark of the covenant located in the holy of holies or d’veer (i.e., the inner shrine of the Tabernacle of Moses) in Hebrew is the word kapporet. This was “the place of atonement or the place where atonement was made.” TheTWOT defines what happened at the kapporet as follows:
“It was from the…mercy seat that [YHVH] promised to meet with the men [of Israel] (Num 7:89). The word, however, is not related to mercy and of course was not a seat. The word is derived from the root ‘to atone.’ The Greek equivalent in the LXX is usually hilasterion, “place or object of propitiation,” a word which is applied to [Messiah] in Rom 3:25. The translation ‘mercy seat’ does not sufficiently express the fact that the lid of the ark was the place where the blood was sprinkled on the day of atonement. ‘Place of atonement’ would perhaps be more expressive.”
The mercy seat covering the ark that contained the Torah is a vivid symbolic picture of YHVH’s mercy triumphing over his judgment against man’s sin (Jas 2:13). Each of us deserves death for violating YHVH’s commandments, for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23), and sin is the violation of YHVH’s Torah commands (1 John 3:4). Yet when we repent of our sins and place our faith in Yeshua’s atoning death on the cross as payment for those sins, YHVH forgives us and grants us his merciful grace.
Everything in, on and around the ark pointed to Yeshua, who is man’s Savior and Redeemer. Inside the ark was the golden pot of manna, which points to Yeshua who the bread of life—the Word of Elohim made flesh. Aaron’s rod that budded speaks of Yeshua’s role as man’s ultimate heavenly High Priest thanks to his atoning and life-giving work at the cross. The two stone tablets and the Torah scroll prophetically point to Yeshua, who was the Word of Elohim from the foundation of the world (John 1:1, 14), and whose words or instructions in righteousness the saints are instructed to follow (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–6; Rev 12:17; 14:12).
Overshadowing the mercy seat were two golden cherubim with outstretched wings. This is a prophetic picture of YHVH’s throne in heaven, which is surrounded by cherubim and other living creatures that sing his praises and minister to him non-stop (Rev 4).
The ark of the covenant is the gold-covered acacia wood box with the pure gold crown or mercy seat upon which are the two gold cherubim that represented the very throne and glorious presence of YHVH himself. Inside the box were the tables of the Torah, Aaron’s rod that budded (Num 16) and the golden pot of manna (Exod 16:32–34). Against the ark was leaned a scroll of the complete Torah (Deut 31:26).
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered this innermost room of the tabernacle to make atonement for his sins and those of the nation of Israel (Lev 16:14–19). The most set-apart place was also called the oracle (Heb. dveer), for it was here that YHVH often met with and talked to Moses giving him instructions on how to govern the Israelites (e.g., Exod 25:21–22).
The gold-covered wooden ark of the covenant box prophetically symbolizes resurrected and glorified humanity raised to that place of holy perfection and purity by the work of Yeshua and the mercy of YHVH. Two spiritual realities characterize the resurrected and glorified saints of Yeshua. They are spirit and truth (John 4:23); namely, the truth of Torah of the Written Torah (the box contained the two stone tablets) and that of Yeshua the Living Torah who is the Manna or Bread of Life. In addition, Aaron’s rod that budded (also in the ark of the covenant box) pictures the authority and fruitfulness of the royal priesthood of believers (2 Pet 2:5-9) through the work of Yeshua on the cross (see also Rev 11:17; 12:14). Additionally, the Torah scroll leaning up against the ark illustrates to us that without total dependence on Yeshua (i.e., his work at the cross and partaking of the spiritual manna of Yeshua’s broken body) we cannot properly obey YHVH’s Torah.Only with Yeshua living in the heart of a regenerated believer by the power of his Spirit can one keep YHVH’s Torah-word. Without the Torah leaning on Yeshua, the Torah becomes the dead letter of the law(2 Cor 3:6)!
Furthermore, as the high priest sprinkled the mercy seat with blood seven times on Yom Kippur even so Yeshua when redeeming man bled seven times: once at Gethsemane, once from the scourging, then from the crown of thorns, from the nail in the left hand, the nail in the right hand, the nail in the feet and finally from the spear in his side.
Exodus 25:21, The testimony. This is the Torah in written or codified form or what became known biblically as “the Book of the Law of Moses” (Josh 8:31) or simply “the Law of Moses” (Josh 8:31; 1 Kgs 2:3; Ezra 3:2; Neh 8:1; Dan 9:11; Mal 4:4; Luke 2:22; John 7:23; Acts 13:39; 1 Cor 9:9). In the eyes of Yeshua and Luke, the author of the Books of Acts, the terms “the Law of Moses” is synonymous with the first with the first five books of Moses (Luke 24:44; Acts 28:23) which is synonymous with the Torah. Thus terms the Torah, the Book of the Law of Moses and the Law of Moses are different ways of saying the same thing.
Though containing seemingly unrelated instructions, in reality Leviticus chapter 24 is one complete thought starting with the details on caring for the tabernacle’s menorah, instructions on making the showbread and then concluding with the stoning of the rebellious and blasphemous son. This is yet another example of the Torah teaching us important spiritual lessons using every day examples of life by juxta posing them with specific instructions without overtly connecting all the parts and pieces. The connective implication of these disparate subjects are astounding with regard to how parents should raise their children as we are about to discover.
Our western mentality has been conditioned in our educational system to the teaching method where principles are explicitly connected chronologically like a mathematical equation. An example of this mathematical step-logic is that two plus two plus five minus one times two equals 16. This pedagogic or teaching style is referred to as syllogistic or step logic, where one idea is laid atop another in a linear or a progressive manner. By contrast, Western thinking is unaccustomed to the Hebraic teaching method called block logic where various ideas and concepts are laid out side-by-side like pieces of a puzzle on a table leaving the reader to assemble the random pieces. Thus, through this process a holistic picture begins to emerge. It is about learning through engagement and discovery. Leviticus chapter 24 is an example of Hebraic block logic. In reality, the whole is like a giant puzzle containing numerous puzzle pieces that must be assembled little-by-little one piece at a time. Isaiah explained it this way, “But the word of YHVH was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little…” (Isa 28:13).
Thus, Leviticus chapter 24 is one continuous thought that is separated from the chapters that come before and after. This is clear because each chapter begins with the phrase, “And YHVH spoke to Moses….” What this means is that upon closer analysis while Leviticus chapter 24 that contains instructions about caring for the tabernacle’s menorah, baking the 12 loaves of showbread, and ends with discussing the rebellious blaspheming son these are not three separate and unrelated subjects, but are a continuum of the same thought. In fact, this chapter is not only teachings us about child rearing but is also a remez or hint about the current state of the modern, mainstream church and how it raises its young converts. Let’s now explore the this chapter to discover these insights that are examples that were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Cor 10:11).
Leviticus 24 is divided into three subsections, which include caring for the menorah, baking and placing the show bread, and punishing a young blaspheming son. Each new section begins with the Hebrew grammatical connective conjunction vav meaning “and,” which expresses a new thought. At the same time, each though is also a continuation of the previous thought. So what do these three sections have to do with each other?
First, the menorah is a symbolic picture of Yeshua and the redeemed believer. It is also a prophetic picture of Yeshua who is the tree of life to which each redeemed Israelite is attached and draws his spiritual sustenance through the Spirit of Elohim. The menorah was literally a series of hollow tubes filled with olive oil not unlike the vascular system of a tree which translocates sustenance from its trunk to its branches. When John tells us that Yeshua is the vine and the saints are his branches (John 15:1), this can be likened to the menorah—a picture of Yeshua, who is the saint’s tree of life from which we derive our spiritual sustenance and power. Moreover, the gold in the menorah symbolizes pure, godly character or the righteousness of the saints. Moreover, a menorah produces heat and light through its flame. Light represents the fruit of the Spirit of Elohim (Gal 5:22–25), and heat of the flame symbolizes the power or the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12). Therefore, the flame is a spiritual picture of how the saints are to evangelizes the world by being like a light on a hill (Matt 5:14) in the spiritual darkness around them to those around him who are lost in spiritual darkness. The menorah also represents the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot, when YHVH gave the children of Israel his Torah-instructions in righteousness, and then later wrote his Torah on their hearts by his Spirit as recorded in the book of Acts chapter two on the day of Pentecost (Act 2:37).
Next, the showbread of Leviticus chapter 24 symbolizes the saints or redeemed Israel (i.e., the twelve tribes of Israel) uniting to bring the bread of life, the Word of Elohim, to the world. The bread was covered in frankincense symbolizing the prayers of the saints not only praising YHVH, but interceding for those who are spiritually lost (see Rev 5:8; 8:3). Yeshua is the bread of life on which the saints are to feed in order to grow up in spiritual maturity and unity.
Finally, the death of the young blasphemer in Leviticus 24 is what happens when parents do not raise their children correctly by teaching them the truth of YHVH’s Torah when they are young. If parents fail to lay the right spiritual foundation under their children by being a spiritual light to them, when they grow up they will likely turn away from Elohim in rebellion, and sometimes even end up blaspheming him via their words and actions. The end result? If they fail to repent and return to YHVH, what will happen? The Bible tells that the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Eventually eternal death is the end result of rebellion against YHVH.
It is most likely that the Israelite woman in the story married an Egyptian man who was not a believer in Elohim and the Torah, and thus she was unequally yoked with a heathen unbeliever. Or perhaps they were both followers of Elohim, but they raised their child incorrectly by not being a spiritual light to him (as represented by the menorah) by teaching their son to love, fear and obey Elohim by giving him the spiritual bread of life (represented by the table of show bread). Likely the former situation was the case. That is, the Israelite woman married an unbelieving Egyptian man. How can we deduce this? Verse 22 of the same chapter that tells us there is to be one law for both the Israelite and the alien who chooses to live among the Israelites. This is an implied indication that the Egyptian man had not accepted YHVH’s Torah-law and that the Israelite woman was unequally yoked in marriage to an unbeliever. That being the case, the rebellious son did not receive the proper upbringing since his parents were not united in the faith. Perhaps the woman did her best to teach her son YHVH’s ways, but without the support of her heathen husband, her efforts would have largely been in vain.
Our modern prisons are filled with children from Christian families who were not taught about YHVH, and who grew up and became criminals. Similarly, our universities are filled with agnostic and atheist professors who mock and even blaspheme Elohim and the Bible because their parents failed to teach them the love and fear of YHVH Elohim.
Whether the Israelite woman was unequally yoked in marriage or failed to raise her son properly either way this illustratively points to a problem in the modern Christian church. As the parents of the blasphemer failed to properly disciple their son, so the Christian church is failing to disciple its spiritual children in the word of Elohim. Does a serious disciple of our Messiah really think that an hour or two on Sunday morning with a dab of Sunday school tossed into the mix plus a week’s worth of vacation Bible school each summer is sufficient to counter the onslaught of the secularistic spirit of antichrist that continuously inundates our children 24/7 via the satanic educational system, entertainment, the media, popular culture, the influence of their peers? Add to this the electronic devices that are continuously feeding our children a study diet of ungodly filth, and what chance do they really have of growing up to be God-loving and fearing people? Yes, the church has largely failed to be a spiritual light to those Yeshua instructed them to disciple (as represented by the menorah and the showbread), and thus the church has lost many of her children to the influences of the world, the flesh and the devil because of it. How many saints (along with church leaders) spiritually abort their children because they failed to properly disciple or raise them in the Torah-Word of Elohim? Too many churches to their shame are more focused on making coverts, filling parking lots, pews and offering plates than on making true disciples of Yeshua.
To be sure, the church is spiritually aborting its own children because of its failure to assiduously follow Yeshua’s great commission instructions to “make disciples.” Because of this, is it any wonder that the infanticidal abortion rates in America and the rest of the West are so high? We have failed to inculcate our children with the fear of YHVH, the love of his Word—the Bible, and the high, sacred value that our Creator places on life. The natural result of this is high abortion rates, and the spiritual seeds of this horrific genocidal holocaust against our children started in the Christian church who regularly spiritually aborts its young converts for the love of money and power!
As we can see, the example of the menorah, the showbread and the rebellious son of Leviticus chapter 24 is a graphic allegorical and prophetic picture of the modern Christian church that fails to disciple its people. Again, a couple of hours a week in Sunday church is a woefully inadequate amount of time to disciple and to inoculate a Christian with the means to resist the strong, downward pulls of the world, the flesh and devil that they will face all week long after they exit the church’s doors on Sunday morning. If we fail to learn the lessons from the mistakes of those who have gone before us, then it is likely we will repeat the same mistakes and suffer the same sad consequences as the young Israelite blasphemer did in Leviticus chapter 24.
Leviticus chapter 24 describes caring for theTabernacle of Moses menorah, plus the baking of the showbread, then jumps to the blaspheming son and the death by stoning that was imposed on him. As curious and counterintuitive as it may seem, all three issues are connected.When the puzzle pieces are assembled, an amazing picture emerges. What is the lesson from this for all time? If you don’t raise your children by discipling them, they will become spiritual casualties. Scrolling forward to our day, the modern Christian church has been more focused on making converts (because of the love of money and power!) than on making disciples, and, as a result, has been inadvertantly aborting its young spiritual converts. So what is the societal outcome of this misguided focus? In this video, we connect the dots. Make no mistake, as goes the church, so goes the nation!
This and other videos by Nathan are available as podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast under “Hoshana Rabbah.”
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This is a quick overview of the amazing Tabernacle of Moses that reads like a gospel tract and chronicles the steps a person must take from initial salvation be becoming a glorified child of Elohim. Where are you in the process?
This and other videos by Nathan are available as podcasts on Spotify and Apple podcast under “Hoshana Rabbah.”
If this message has been a blessing to you, please consider showing your appreciation by making a donation to Hoshana Rabbah at https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=Y…. Thank you!
