Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)

The Tabernacle of Moses from its entrance to its innermost room symbolically represents one’s progression in their spiritual journey starting with initial salvation progressing to the glorification of the physical body and eternal life in YHVH’s eternal spiritual kingdom. Understanding the pattern and steps to him that our Father in heaven has  laid out in the tabernacle will give us deep revelation about where we have come from, where we are and where we must go to transcend this earthly existence while aiming at the heavenly goal that has been laid out before us.

Let’s now review the progressive steps in chronological order that YHVH has laid out in the tabernacle of Moses that is the blueprint of our journey toward him. 

Entering through the front door of the tabernacle and progressing toward the holy of holies is from the human perspective represents the path one takes in their journey upward toward Elohim; it is the perspective of moving from the human to the spiritual plane of existence or that of the earthbound looking heavenward, and from a child gazing upward and longingly toward his father. However, from YHVH Elohim’s view from the glory cloud that has hovering over the holy of holies just above the ark of the covenant, the perspective would be different. It was from the inside looking out, or from heaven looking downward. From a father looking downward toward his beloved children. We will discus the contrasting viewpoints between the human and divine in a moment.

In the outer courtyard of the tabernacle, all the rituals and furnishings therein pointed to death and judgment, as well as to washing or cleansing. These prophetically foreshadowed salvation through Yeshua’s atoning death on the cross, with Yeshua being the door to salvation, and one’s need to accept his death on the cross for one’s sins followed by the need of baptism for the remission of sins. 

In the set-apart (kadosh or holy) place inside the tabernacle, everything pointed to life, light, food, fragrant incense, the fruits and gifts of the Set-Apart or Holy Spirit, or, in other words, life in a spiritual relationship with Elohim subsequent to one’s taking the beginning steps in the salvation process. 

In summary, the outer court symbolically represents the basic salvation requirements that heaven stipulates for the redeemed believer in Yeshua, while the holy place speaks of spiritual growth and maturity, and of moving upward from spiritual babyhood and then growing into spiritual adulthood or maturity. 

To understand this process of growing in spiritual maturity, it is necessary to comprehend the tripartite composition of the human being. Paul speaks of man being subdivided into three parts—spirit and soul and body (1 Thess 5:23). The Tabernacle of Moses represents the tripartite nature of man in symbolic form. The tabernacle’s outer court relates more to the physical or bodily realm of the person, while the holy place represents the soul or intellectual, volitional and emotional aspects of one’s inner or psychological makeup. Finally, the holy of holies portrays man approaching YHVH through the realm of a person’s inner or personal spirit. 

As one progresses into the tabernacle, it is as if YHVH is drawing a person into an ever deeper relational walk with him starting at the most basic level progressing upward until one is finally communing with YHVH on a Spirit-to-(human personal)-spirit level (in the most holy place). It is the Father’s desire that his children progressively grow until each of us is communing with him at the highest spiritual level (see John 4:23–24; 1 Cor 2:10–12; Prov 20:27). 

This forward progression in one’s spiritual journey toward our Father in heaven from the tabernacle’s entrance to its innermost room is but one way to view a person’s spiritual progression into the realm of the Spirit of Elohim. From YHVH’s perspective, looking from the inside of the tabernacle outward, the view changes. Although one must enter the tabernacle through the outer gate and then go through various rites and rituals relating to a cleansing process before being allowed into the tabernacle itself, at the same time, we see YHVH starting to work with the person from the inside out. That is to say, when a person initially comes into a spiritual relationship with his Creator, YHVH first regenerates the person spiritually by putting his Set-Apart Spirit into one’s personal spirit. In a sense, if the tabernacle is a picture of the tripartite subdivision of a person’s life (spirit and soul and body), then YHVH starts working from the inside out  beginning in one’s personal spirit, which is one’s personal holy of holies that is inside of them. From there, the Set-Apart Spirit goes to work on the person’s soul (mind, will and emotions) to transform it spiritually into the mind or image of Yeshua (Rom 8:28–29; Rom 12:2 cp. Rom 7:13–8:17). This process will last a person’s lifetime. Finally, at the resurrection of the righteous saints at Yeshua’s second coming, the children of Elohim will receive their redeemed and glorified or god-like body (1 John 3:1–2) and be adopted into the family of Elohim (Rom 8:15, 23; Eph 1:5). At this time, they will become full-fledged, immortal spirit-children of Elohim (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1–3). Though the Bible teaches that humans can become sons of Elohim and be like him as part of his divine family, man can never be equivalent to Elohim in the fullest sense (Isa 45:5, 6, 12, 18–19, 21–23). Only Elohim is the Creator, is without a beginning, and is all powerful, all knowing and all present. Man will never attain to this level.

The miraculous and transformational process of man metamorphosing from being a physical and human creature to becoming an immortal and glorified child of the Most High, in theological terms, is called theosis, a Greek word meaning “deification or the act of becoming like deity.” This is an ancient Christian concept that is still held by many in the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church and refers to the spiritual process that occurs resulting in the deification of man. The goal of theosis is to become “like” (though not equal to) Elohim and to become eventually united with our Father in heaven in a deep familial way. Theosis is the biblical concept of a redeemed or spiritually regenerated individual “becoming a partaker YHVH’s divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4), and being adopted into the family of Elohim (see the verses below). It is about man becoming like Elohim and becoming part of the family of Elohim as a child of Elohim (John 10:34; Ps 82:1; 1 John 3:1–3).

A person’s theosis process is an internal work of the Ruach haKodesh (the Set-Apart or Holy Spirit) and begins  with repentance of sin, and then identification with Yeshua as the Son of Elohim at one’s baptism for the remission of sins. As one takes these initial first steps of becoming a son of Elohim at one’s baptism, it is then that one becomes a new creation through Yeshua and the work of his Set-Apart Spirit (Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17). At that time, one is begotten or conceived as an embryonic child in the womb of the Holy Spirit. Later one, when one receives one’s glorified body at the resurrection of the righteous dead, one will be fully born or born again and adopted into the family of Elohim as a full-fledged son of Elohim, for, as the Scripture says, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is as John informs us in this first epistle:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of Elohim: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of Elohim, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1–30

Paul refers to theosis in several places when he uses the term adoption.

For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Rom 8:15)

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Rom 8:23; also 9:4)

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Gal 4:5)

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Yeshua the Messiah to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will… (Eph 1:5)

The apostolic writers make further reference to theosis in several other places as well.

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