THE ONLY GATE

 

Exodus 38:18

 

 

Here are quotes from "Tabernacle Shadows of the better sacrifices", pages 18, 22:

"There was only one gateway to enter the 'Holy Place' or 'Court' area; the type thus testifying that there is only one way off access to God – one 'gate' – Jesus. 'I am the way, ... no man cometh unto the Father but by me' (Jn 14:6); 'I am the door' (Jn 10:9)."

 

"By faith in Christ's ransom-sacrifice, represented in the Brazen Altar, we enter the "Gate" to the "Court" – the veil of unbelief and sin is passed."

 

It follows from the above that our Lord became for the condemned in Adam the way to regain the fellowship with God. He did not become a "way", "gate" and "door" for people until He laid down his life for Adam, and in him for all mankind.

 

 

 

We can find a confirmation for this fundamental truth in the numerical values of God's instruction in Sinai and in the report on the accomplishion of the Gate leading to the Court.

 

 

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"There was only one way to become the true shepherd of God's sheep, to have the right to lead them to green fodder, to the still waters of truth, grace, rest and security, and that was the way of the cross – to give himself as a ransom for all. Our Lord did this and thus became the door to the fold, opening a new way to life."

 

 

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CHRIST – THE SIN-OFFERING

 

 

"The bullock represented Jesus at the age of thirty years – the perfect MAN who gave himself and died on our behalf." CP- 51

"Thus considered, we see that the death of the bullock typified the offering by Jesus of himself, when he consecrated himself. This is in harmony with the Apostle's statement respecting Jesus' consecration or offering of himself. He quotes the Prophet, saying, "Lo I come to do thy will, O God, as in the volume of the Scriptures it is written of me" – to die and redeem many. There, says the inspired writer, "He took away the first [i.e., set aside the typical sacrifices] that he might establish [or fulfil] the second [the antitype, the real sacrifice for sins]." Heb 10:7,9,14." CP-53

The Word of God explains that the body of Christ is the only "better" and real sacrifice for sin: "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me." (Heb 10:5).

 

We can have two points of view on the body that God prepared for our Lord:

 

(1) It is the human body of Jesus, which through the immaculate conception was holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and therefore suitable to become a ransom for the sins of the whole world.

 

(2) It is also true that God prepared a certain greater body, comprised of human beings who are called to membership in that body of Christ which is the Church. This Body shares with the Head in the sin offering.

 

The desire to do God's will, expressed at Ps 40:7-9, is for the Head and Body of Christ. Our Lord offered Himself in Jordan whereas the members of His Body He offered on the day of Pentecost. It was shown by the two sacrifices being offered by Aaron on the Atonement Day, both the bullock and the goat (Heb 10:1-4; 13:11-13).

 

The prophetic words of the above Psalm, therefore, have their fulfillment as the period of sacrifice that began in the fall of A.D. 29 and continues until the end of the Church's sacrifice in the spring of 1981. The precision of the Divine Plan suggests that our Lord's consecration took place on the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), when the calf was sacrificed (Lev 16:29). On the other hand, the time of His death is in line with the time of the killing of the Passover lamb on Nisan 14, 33 A.D. (Ex 12:1-6).

 

 

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The Lord Jesus came to John with the sentiments of heart that were expressed prophetically in Psalm 40:7-9. Perhaps the Lord, being filled with God's Spirit, spoke the words of this prophecy at the Jordan.

 

All his followers – the members of his Body – should have a similar desire to do God's will.

 

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TWO VEILS

 

 

There were two veils in the Tabernacle, the first of which separated the Court from the "Holy," and the second separated the "Holy" from the "Most Holy."

 

 

 

The passing of the first veil represents the death of a justified human will. From now on, the will of God is binding, which the person entering accepts freely. The Holy represents the privileges of the condition of these, who God begat of the Holy Spirit with the Word of Truth (Jas. 1:18).

 

The passing of the second veil represents the death of the human body. The transfer from the condition of justification shown in the Court to the condition of the Divine nature represented in the Most Holy requires passing through both veils.

 

The visible sign of the inner determination to do God's will is baptism. Our Lord voluntarily and with great desire complied with the conditions assigned to Him by the Father. The overcomers of the Gospel age are to follow in His footsteps (Heb 6:19; 10:5-7,20).

 

God's instruction about the Tabernacle was given in the middle of 1615 B.C. (Ex 19: 1). Our Lord consecrated himself in the seventh month of year as the first sacrifice of the Atonement Day – as the Calf (Lev 16:29).

 

 

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THE FIRST VEIL

 

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Our Lord's baptism began a long period of Atonement Day sacrifices lasting the entire Gospel Age, up to the completion members of the Body of Christ, which is the Church.

 

The whole period of the passing of the first veil by Head and Body, lasting 1,948 years, began with the consecration of Jesus and ended with consecration of the last members of His Body.

 

 

1976,75  –  28,75  =  1948  –  The Atonement Day

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THE SECOND VEIL

 

 

 

The second veil, separating the Holy from the Most Holy, represents the end of the earthly life of those who were regarded to be dead since their consecration and death their will but now took place the actual dead of their human body. The Most Holy of the Tabernacle represents the full realization of all the very great and costly promises given to those who became New Creatures in Christ Jesus by participating in His death and resurrection. The period from the death of Jesus till the death of the last members of the Body, that is time of the passing of the Second Veil by both the Head and His Body, lasted 1948 years.

 

 

1980,25  –  32,25  =  1948  –  The Passover

 

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THE YOUNG CALF

 

 

The first and most important sacrifice of the Atonement Day was a young calf. The young calf represents Christ, a perfect man when He was thirty years old. Our Lord's sacrifice began in the autumn of A.D. 29 when he was baptized in Jordan, and ended in the spring of A.D. 33 at Golgotha.

 

The words for the calf in the two Law accounts of the Atonement Day sacrifices (Leviticus chapters 16 and 9) are different but complementary to one another, pointing to Him who, by God's grace, became the sin-offering of mankind.

 

 

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THE GREATLY EXALTED ALTAR

 

 

The more we know the truth that God is Love, the more we are able to appreciate the sacrifice of Him whom Heavenly Father has made atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world.

 

In the Millennial Kingdom too, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ will become the center of interest, worship and praise for all. Such state of affairs in the future has been illustrated by the central position of the Brazen Altar in the Temple of God which the prophed Ezekiel saw in vision.

In the center of all the land divided among the twelve tribes, in the center of the whole Sanctuary of God, in the center of the priests’ land and of the Inner Court, stood the Brazen Altar. All the gates of the Court, the outer and inner doors of the Temple, pointed to the Altar, which represents humanity of Christ as a sacrifice for sins. It stood at the highest level in all of God's Sanctuary – seven cubits above the level of the Inner Court. This represents the great exaltation of Christ's sacrifice. "Biblical Chronology" pp. 128,129

 

The prophet Ezekiel wrote his prophecy in the year 25 of captivity in Babylon, which he was taken to with king Jehoiachin (Ezek 1:1,2; 40:1,2). This event occurred in 617 B.C., so the twenty-fifth year of captivity falls in 592 B.C.

 

617  –  25  =  592

 

 

In God's instruction at Sinai, Moses was given order that Aaron and his four sons should perform the necessary activities for seven days by which their hands would be consecrated to the priesthood service. The Brazen Altar was also cleansed with the blood of bullocks, being offerred one by one for seven days. Due to these activities, this altar was "holy" "most holy", in Hebrew: Kodesh Kodashim, and only the consecrated hands of Aaron and his sons could touch it (Ex 29:35-37).

 

A similar description of the consecration of an altar is found in Ezekiel's prophecy regarding the arrangement of the Sanctuary of God. The central altar of the Sanctuary was to be consecrated with the blood of a bullock, goat, and ram, being offered for seven days for its cleansing (Ezek 43:18-27).
On the Atonement Day, the Bullock and the Lord’s Goat were offered on the Brazen Altar. In the main sense the Altar represents the Ransom of Jesus Christ, and in the additional sense the sacrifice of His followers, the "Little Flock".

 

Jesus Christ was a sin offering, and His followers are completing the filling up that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ (Col 1:24). Our Lord is the representative of the whole Church until the end of her earthly pilgrimage, and He considers the sufferings inflicted upon His brothers as being inflicted upon Him (Acts 9:4).

 

 

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THE GOLDEN ALTAR OF INCENSE AND SWEET INCENSE

 

 

"The Golden Altar in the 'Holy' would seem to represent the 'little flock,' the consecrated Church in the present sacrificing condition. From this altar ascends the sweet incense, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ – the willing services of the priests: their praises, their willing obedience – all things whatsoever they do to the glory of God.
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Those who thus offer incense acceptable to God (1 Pet 2:5) come very close to their Father – close up to the "Veil" which separates from the "Most Holy"; and if they have requests to make they may be presented with the incense – much incense with the prayers of saints." (Rev 8:3). The prayers of such priests of God are effectual.

Our Lord Jesus kept the incense continually burning, and could say, 'I know that thou hearest me always.' (Jn 11:42). So the under-priests, 'members of his Body,' will be heard always if they continually offer the incense of faith, love and obedience to God: and none should expect to have requests recognized who do not thus keep their covenant – 'If ye abide in me and my words [teachings] abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.'" (Jn 15:7). C.P.-120,121

 

"Alas! how few seem to note the two limitations of this promise:

 

(1) The one asking must be in Christ – abiding in Him. This means that the petitioner has turned from sin, has accepted Christ and the terms of discipleship. It implies that he has made a full consecration of his life to the Lord and become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Such, abiding in Christ, may pray to the Father.

 

2) After having come into membership and fellowship with the Head, the Messiah, these must ask in harmony with God's Word and promises; in order to know what things to ask for they must search the Scriptures, which are sufficient, 'that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished.''' R-4912

 

The above thoughts show that the Golden Altar represents the complete Christ, Head and Body, sending in the Gospel Age the prayers pleasing to God – incense.

 

 

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"It is a most wonderful privilege to draw near the great Creator and Lord of Heaven and earth; and we should come in the spirit of reverence and devotion. Our Lord declared that the Father seeketh such to worship Him as worship Him in spirit and in Truth. We must come only in the name of Christ. He is the only Way of approach. And we must come thoughtfully and earnestly. We should not think of uttering a single word that we do not mean and have not thought upon. We believe a great many have done themselves injury by going through a form of words in a mere formalistic manner. This is not prayer. True prayer is the language of the heart. Therefore the greater our earnestness, the more acceptable the prayer will be, and the greater blessing shall we receive.

 

We are not to come to God without faith and without an earnest desire for His blessing. We are to enter into the spirit of our petition, that the Lord may see the earnestness of our heart in the matter. There seems to be a difference between the thought of prayer and that of thanksgiving. Prayer, as we have said, is the offering of petition. None may come to the Lord with recognition, except those who have come into Christ. Others are strangers and aliens. But any one may express thanks to God or render worship, adoration, homage." R-5835

 

 

 

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THE PRIESTHOOD

 

 

"Looking back at the type in the Law, we find that there were 8,580 Levites appointed in the typical service, while only five priests were appointed for the typical sacrificing. (Num 4:46-48; Ex 28:1). It may be that this, as much as the other features of the 'shadow,' was designed to illustrate the proportion of justified believers to self-sacrificing, consecrated ones. Though now the nominal Church numbers millions, yet, when an allowance is made for hypocrites, and when only one in each seventeen hundred of the remainder is supposed to be a living sacrifice (though few, yet a correct proportion according to the type), it seems quite evident that the Lord did not make a misstatement when he said that those (the 'Royal Priesthood') who would receive the kingdom would be a 'little flock.'" (Lk 12:32)." C.P.-119

 

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Aaron and his sons consecrated according to the Law’s directivs to the priesthood in Israel (Leviticus 8) are the first image of Christ's priesthood. Among this small group, Aaron was the High Priest and pictured Jesus Christ, while his four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, presented prospective "the Little Flock".

 

 

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When we follow farther history of priests we find out that two of them were put to death (Lev 10:1-2).

"Biblical Comments" on Lev 10:1:

Nadab ... Meaning "Self-acting," typifying the class that goes into the Second Death because of self-will..
Abihu ... Meaning "Son of God," typifying the Great Company.

 

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The description of the Atonement Day in Leviticus (chapter 16) shows that the offering of the Bullock preceded the offering of the Lord's Goat.

 

The Bullock represents our Lord, while the Lord's Goat represents the "little flock", that is faithful followers of Jesus in the suffering of the sin offering (Col 1:24; Heb 13:11-13).

 

 

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"The hour must some time come when the sacrifice of the last members of this 'Lord's goat' will be consumed and the sin-offering forever ended. That we are now in the close of the "Day of Atonement," and that the last members of this "Lord's goat" class are now sacrificing, we firmly believe, upon evidences elsewhere given. Soon the last members of this class, the Body of Christ, will pass beyond the second "Veil" – beyond the flesh – into the perfection of the spiritual nature already begun in the new mind or will which now controls their mortal bodies. And not only so, but such faithful ones are promised the very highest of spirit natures – 'the divine nature.’ (2 Pet 1:4)" C.P.-66

 

 

 

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THE CONSECRATING OF AARON AND HIS SONS

 

THE HOLY ANOINTING OIL

 

 

"Under the Law, the anointing was the ceremony by which the priests were installed in their service. They were anointed to their office with a peculiar ointment, called the 'Holy Anointing Oil,' used upon none but the priests, and unlawful for any one else to have or to make. (Ex 30:25-33,38)

This oil typifies the holy Spirit of adoption whereby we, the real 'royal priesthood,' are sealed as sons of God. Only the consecrated ones, the priests, are ever to be thus anointed. Aaron, the typical High Priest, represented Jesus, as the Head, and the Church as members of his Body." C.P.-27

The principal characteristics of the Holy Spirit are shown in the nature and proportion of the ingredients. Christ and his faithful followers received the fullness of the gifts and virtues of this Spirit, as prophesied by Isaiah with the words: "And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah." (Is 11:2)
Oil ingredients:

 

Myrrh – 500 shekels. A fragrant, aromatic gum resin obtained in lumps by congealing the juice flowing from the incisions of the embalmer tree trunks. It is most valuable when it flows out spontaneously, without cutting the twigs. Its characteristics show the capacity of consecrated minds to acquire wisdom and to submit to God's requirements and methods at all times. " Lo, I am come To do thy will, O God.".

 

Cinnamon – 250 shekels. The inner bark (bast) of a cinnamon tree, with a specific smell. In antiquity, it was a symbol of wealth. Ground cinnamon into a powder was used to make perfumes. It presents the gift of analytical thinking, penetrating into difficult truths, sometimes without external charm. Such truths include the thematically collected and explained teachings of God's Word, such as Tabernacle Shadows, covenants, pictorial stories, and prophetic parables. The mind, influenced by this anointing, penetrates and accepts such teachings with gratitude.

 

Sweet calamus – 250 shekels. Probably fragrant reed which grows in swamp near waters. Its pleasantly smelling root was used to make the oil of anointing and incense. It symbolizes very eloquently the skill learned from studying God's Word. It is the capacity of a consecrated mind to comprehend the profound truths adopted by faith. The fragmented state of this ingredient shows the importance of every detail of God's Word.

 

Cassia – 500 shekels. A variety of cinnamon with a similar application. It is a symbol of a costly work, advice and power. The Lord gives no skill except that he has a purpose. He strengthens our faith by giving us the right understanding. He gives us the wisdom to know what God is asking of us and what He expects, and finally He blesses us by giving us the advice and abilities necessary to do our work to fulfill God's purposes.

 

Oil olive – 1 hin. The olive tree is long-lived and some specimens are estimated to be around 1,800 years old. Reaches a height of up to 12 meters. Oil for holy purposes was obtained by special gentle kneading. It was also used for lighting. Oil is a picture of the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

 

THE DEW OF HERMON

 

 

The Holy Anointing Oil coming down on Aaron and the dew coming down on the Zion mountains have similar characteristics. They illustrate the silent but fruitful activity of the Holy Spirit. The oil flow down noiselessly, and the dew falls unnoticed when the night is calm and cloudless. The frequent occurrence of dew is a sign of a good harvest. This connection was discovered in 1954 by Dr. Durderani, a Jewish scientist who devoted his entire life to the study of the meaning of dew. He discovered the phenomenon of the so-called "Dew Horizon". Observing some species of Middle Eastern plants, he noticed that they absorbed large amounts of dew via their leaves. They absorb more of it than the needs require, transferring excess moisture to the soil. It turned out that these strange plants not only have enough desert dew to live, but are also able to feed the plants next to them. The dew horizon is created below the surface of the earth due to the evaporation moisture from deeps and the release of surface dew to the soil. Plants with their roots reaching the dew horizon are distinguished by lush growth and abundant fruiting. Moisture from deeps, and that of dew, is used by the roots to produce life-giving ingredients that are passed on to leaves and fruit.

 

It is the same with the Lord's brothers. "My doctrine shall drop as the rain; My speech shall distil as the dew." (Deut 32:2). "And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it." (Num 11:9). Dew understood in this way strengthens the roots of their faith, causing the branches of knowledge and fruits of the Holy Spirit to grow.

 

The brothers, anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit and refreshed with the dew of truth, live in harmony, and their lot is "the blessing, even life for evermore".

 

 

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"The Psalmist proceeds to compare this unity of the brethren, the Church, with the precious ointment poured upon the head of the king and of the high priest on their induction into office. The significance of the illustration evidently is that the anointing oil typified the Holy Spirit, and that as it ran down the high priest's beard, and even to the skirts of his garment, it anointed the entire body of the priest. That priest typifies Melchizedek, the Royal Priest – Jesus the Head, and the Church His Body. Throughout this Gospel Age the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which came to the Church, the Body of Christ, at Pentecost, has continued, and gives an unction, or anointing, to all of His true members. And by this anointing these members may be recognized as one with Christ, "For by one Spirit ye were all anointed into one Body.' (1 Cor 12:13)" R-5235

 

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BESALEEL AND OHOLIAB AS WELL AS OTHERS

 

The construction of the Tabernacle with its equipment in the primitive desert conditions required great skill and ingenuity. God chose of Besaleel and added to him Oholiab as helper and then with His Spirit gave them abilities to accomplish such difficult task. They both were to instruct other unnamed artisans to whom God also gave abilities to help in this common work (Ex 35:34).

 

The one who according to God's purposes was to build the true Church in all its beauty was our Lord Jesus Christ, called by the Heavenly Father (Mt 16:18). In him, God hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2: 3). Helpers in this great work of the Gospel age are first of all the Apostles and then the variously gifted servants of the Church referred to in the New Testament.

"Biblical Comments" to Ex 31:2-5:

 

By name Bezaleel .... Meaning "Shadow of the Almighty," type of Christ
The son of Uri ..  ...... Meaning "Light"; "The light of the world" of
The son of Hur ......... Meaning "Grave"; As a man, Christ "humbled himself even unto death"
The tribe of Judah ... Meaning "Praised"; Christ was praised in his pre-human estate
Cutting of stones .... The polishing of the Lord's jewels
To set them ............. As the Father pleases
Carving of timber ....The fallen human race
Of workmanship ..... As restitution will produce for the race
                                   Here is the meaning of the names in verse six

                                   according to the Bible Concordance:
Oholiab .................... My father's tent
Achisamak .............. Support brother; strong brother

 

It follows from the foregoing that Oholiab represents the greatest servants of the Lord, chosen by name apostles of Jesus.

 

Here are the compilations of the biblical numerology confirming the quoted thoughts:

 

 

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THE TWELVE SOURCES AND SEVENTY PALMS

 

 

The mighty hand of God accomplished the great deliverance of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage. In a joyful mood, the Israelites left Egypt and, still guided by the cloudy pillar, began their journey for te Promised Land. God led them by a a roundabout way. The object of the long delay was their instruction in righteousness, especially in faith. This would have been profitable for any people, but especially for a subject people born in a state of serfdom, and hence unused to liberty and initiative. But, more than this, natural Israel was intended of the Lord to constitute a type, or shadow of spiritual Israel, and the lessons of the former were to be illustrative of the rich lessons for the people of God in the Gospel age.

 

Our lesson begins with the declaration that the Israelites came to Elim: "And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters." (Ex 15:27). It was the perfect place to rest. It may symbolically represent the blessings of spiritual rest that follow after experiences on the Christian journey.

 

The twelve springs point us to the twelve Apostles, a special gift, or blessing to the Church. Through the twelve Apostles, the refreshment of the water of life came to us. Apostles are to be prominent also, according to the Lord's promise, in the Kingdom – in the work of blessing Israel and all the nations.

 

The seventy palm trees under which Israel rested remind us of the seventy disciples whom our Lord commissioned subsequently to the twelve apostles, and whose ministries typified the public services of this Gospel Age down to its harvest, or close. "Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.." (Lk 10:1,2)

 

It signified that our mission is to all nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues, wherever we may find a hearing ear, with the assurance that we shall not have more than accomplished the work of declaring the good tidings to every nation until the second coming of the Son of man in the power and great glory of his Kingdom. R-4010,4011

 

 

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THE MYSTERY HIDDEN FOR AGES AND GENERATIONS

Colossians 1:26

 

 

The Tabernacle around which Israel's religious life was organized was made according to God's precise instruction given to Moses. In the details of its construction and operation, God comprised deep symbolism, the meaning of which was to be understood in the future by the Church in the Gospel Age (Rom 15: 4).

 

"It has been a matter of surprise to some that the glory and beauty of the Tabernacle – its golden walls, its golden and beautifully engraved furniture, and its veils of curious work – were so completely covered and hidden from view of the people; even the sunlight from without being excluded – its only light being the Lamp in the Holy and the Shekinah glory in the Most Holy. But this is perfectly in keeping with the lessons we have received from its services. As God covered the type and hid its beauty under curtains and rough, unsightly skins, so the glories and beauties of spiritual things are seen only by those who enter the consecrated condition – the 'Royal Priesthood.' These enter a hidden but glorious state which the world and all outside fail to appreciate. Their glorious hopes and also their standing as new creatures are hidden from their fellowmen." C.P.-127

Only Aaron and his sons had the right to enter the Holy and the Most Holy. Two of Aaron's sons were put to death for disobedience. The rest of them, Eleazar and Ithamar, represent those who, with the Lord, will eventually become overcomers (Rev 17:14).

 

The Lord Jesus passed the first veil and found himself in the Holy when he was baptized in Jordan and was begotten of the Holy Spirit. It was the year 29.

 

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