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#288 Kingdom: Build According to the Pattern

Heb 8:1 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, [2] a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. [3] For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. [4] Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all,; for, “SEE,” He says, “ since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; [5] 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 THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN.”

Exo 25: 40] “And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

The reason that Moses was warned by God to make everything EXACTLY according to the PATTERN shown him on Mt. Sinai was because the Tabernacle is a copy and a shadow of spiritual things, heavenly things and of heaven itself.

In other words when we examine the Tabernacle of Moses we are actually seeing a poor reproduction of something in heaven and an understanding of eternity. The real things in heaven have cast a shadow on earth which are seen in this graphic of the Tabernacle. When Moses was “ON THE MOUNTAIN” he saw the shadow of heavenly things and built the Tabernacle exactly according to that pattern. If we just studied the Tabernacle according to its physical parts and sizes and from a historical viewpoint we would see nothing about its eternal realities.

Therefore, we have to begin the study of the Tabernacle in heaven because it is there that the “shadow” originated and where we will find the reality. Studying the shadow without some understanding of the reality will give us a distorted view of the purpose God gave us this picture. In over 40 chapters (and in many other chapters that are related to the Tabernacle and priesthood) God has unfolded His plan and eternal purpose. These spiritual truths give us a revelation of how God recovers man and rebuilds man to sit with Christ and rule over all the works of God’s hands.

The writer of Hebrews starts in heaven and the Throne of God and relates this to our High Priest who has taken His seat at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens. That is the right hand of God, the Father who has established His Throne in the True Tabernacle that He, Himself pitched in heaven. This Tabernacle that man built on earth is just a copy of the True Tabernacle in heaven that God built or is building.

Heb 9: 24] For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

Heb 9:11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; [12] and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Heb 9: 8] 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, [9] which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, [10] since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

The real value in studying the Tabernacle is in understanding the eternal reality that is in heaven. If we just study the “symbol” or earthly tabernacle we will miss the whole reason that God gave us the Tabernacle of Moses in the first place. The “whole Tabernacle”, all the sacrifices, the blood of bulls and goats, the priesthood, the Garments, the various veils, the sprinkled blood, the Incense, the worship, the Lampstand and all the various pieces of furniture and all the Laws, ordinances, statutes and each function of the priests is a copy of some eternal reality.

If we were caught up to the “third heaven” and saw the things that Paul saw we would understand that the Tabernacle of Moses is just a poor copy and symbol of what we saw as the eternal reality in the third heaven. Therefore, when we are looking at this tabernacle we are actually seeing something of the eternal reality in heaven. When we are examining the preparation of the priests for entering into the Holy and Most Holy Places we are really examining the preparation of the New Covenant Priesthood for entering into the reality in heaven. When we get a revelation of the Throne of God and how our High Priest is functioning there now we will have a spiritual understanding of what it means to be a Kingdom of Priests.

If we put so much emphasis upon the physical sizes and the colors, outward appearance and the natural elements we may miss the larger revelation of its value in revealing spiritual reality and the eternal verities to us. In this next restoration we will need a genuine experience of these things if we are to move into the fulfillment of the eternal reality that casts the shadow that appears as the Tabernacle of Moses.

To underestimate the value of the Tabernacle in its future fulfillment may cause us to suffer an eternal loss. It is my opinion that no minister of the next restoration can say he is truly a minister of the New Covenant if he has no understanding of the Tabernacle. Even a casual reading of Hebrews 8 & 9 should reveal how the New Covenant and the Tabernacle are tied together. The Old Covenant had an earthly sanctuary but the New Covenant has a heavenly sanctuary which has cast its shadow as the Tabernacle of Moses.

Every provision has been provided by God in the New Covenant for us to fulfill every requirement assigned to the New Covenant priesthood and demanded by the Kingdom of priests.

As Hebrews 9 opens the first revelation we receive is that the Outer Court preparations are left out of the descriptions of the Tabernacle. He moves right into the Sanctuary which includes the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place and the arrangement of the furniture. This is really curious because no priest could by-pass these experiences. When we study the New Testament we soon learn that each of these Outer Court experiences are requirements and not options. Repentance from dead works, Faith toward God, the forgiveness through the blood, the laying aside or putting off of the old garments,[Passover] the washing in the Laver in baptism [The Red sea experience] and then the Washing of the water by the Word, the being clothed upon with Christ and the other garments, the anointing or baptism of the Holy Spirit,[Pentecost] the Consecration Offering or presenting our bodies to God as living sacrifices are not options.

How could the writer of Hebrews overlook these essential experiences and preparations for the priesthood? It is certain that there can be NO priesthood without these foundations and preparations. Is it possible that now God no longer requires these foundations? Not at all! Even Jesus Christ needed to pass through many of these preparations and be found faithful.

Jesus had no sin so He came to John at the Jordan to be baptized or washed in the Laver. Coming out of the water of baptism the Holy Spirit came upon Him and He was filled with the Holy Spirit or He experienced the Anointing with Oil. Then the Holy Spirit drove Him into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil and it was there that He made His consecration offering. Following these Outer Court preparations He began His ministry and His qualifications to become our High Priest, tempted in all things like us. All these things can be understood by natural light.

Luke 4:16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. [17] And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, [18] “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN, [19] TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”

Luke 4:20 And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and

the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him. [21] And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

At this time Jesus had not preached the gospel to the poor, proclaimed release to the captives, restored sight to the blind, he had not yet freed the downtrodden or preached the Kingdom of God. How could He say this scripture had been fulfilled in their hearing? Because it was certainly true that HE HAD BEEN ANOINTED TO DO THESE THINGS. Even if He had not done them yet the scripture was still fulfilled because it only spoke of the anointing. Later everything in this prophesy was fulfilled in the experience of many. Too many of our false impressions from the scriptures is because we don’t read exactly what it says and then we assume that the prophesy IS the fulfillment.

Then why were the Outer Court experiences omitted from Hebrews 9? Because the Book of Hebrews is about the superiority of everything in the New Covenant being better than anything in the Old Covenant. Jesus Christ is exalted above the angels, above Abraham and above the Old Testament priesthood after the order of Aaron. The Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek is a greater, a kingly priesthood that is eternal. The heavenly sanctuary is greater than the earthly sanctuary. The New Covenant is greater than the Old Covenant. The Blood of Jesus is much greater than all the blood of bulls and goats. The earthly sanctuary is only a copy and shadow of the heavenly Sanctuary.

Hebrews 9 then is not ignoring the Outer Court preparations but the emphasis is upon the superior nature of the ministry of Jesus Christ over the ministry of earthly priests. The Law was only a shadow of the good things to come and could not perfect those who kept the Law. Still, the Law was a pattern of how God would put His Laws in our minds and write them upon our hearts and how God though these Laws would cause us to walk in His ways.

Heb 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 year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

Since the Law of Moses could not perfect those who drew near to God through the Law it was necessary to introduce a reality by which those who seek God can be perfected. The Law of Moses is only a shadow of that reality. Obviously, studying the Law of Moses is not the way to discover God’s provision from our perfection. We must experience the reality that is presently in heaven that cast the shadow that we see as the Law of Moses.

This is the same basis that we study the Tabernacle of Moses. Our goal is to discover the reality in heaven that cast this shadow called the Tabernacle of Moses. Since we relate the Bronze Altar with Calvary and the Cross of Christ as presenting to us the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, we must still look to heaven for the full reality. The cross of Christ has a reality in heaven that cast the shadow that we see as the Altar of Sacrifice. The principle then is that there has to be a cross in heaven that is the reality of the Altar on earth. We believe there really is such an eternal cross in heaven.

Phil 2: 5] Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, [6] who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

While Jesus Christ, the Word of God, was in heaven in past eternity He was in every way equal with God and shared in God’s sovereignty. He and God was one and He was with God.. However, He humbled Himself to become a BONDSERVANT of God. Then He humbled Himself to become a man. Then He humbled Himself further to accept death. Then more than that He humbled Himself to death on the cross.

The principle we are discussing is trying to identify the cross in heaven that cast its shadow as the Altar of Sacrifice. Christ, the Word of God, took up the eternal cross in heaven before coming to earth. This cross in heaven is an eternal principle upon which heaven operates and everyone in heaven must live by the standard of the eternal cross.

Satan rejected that eternal cross and he was rejected and disqualified from heaven. Since the eternal cross is a requirement of heaven Jesus spoke this fact to His followers. Unless you take up your cross daily and follow me you can’t be my disciple. The cross is not optional in heaven because everything and everybody in heaven operates by that standard. If everybody in heaven just did their own thing heaven would be in anarchy. Without the eternal cross in heaven there could be NO Kingdom of heaven. The cross is an essential attribute and qualification for heaven. Anybody who cannot humble themselves and submit to the plan and purpose of God for the ultimate good of all others in heaven cannot be there. Christ IS our example.

My theory is that whatever we see in the Tabernacle has its counterpart in heaven which is the ultimate reality. Whatever we see in the graphic in the Tabernacle is just a shadow of the reality in heaven. If there is a veil in the earthly Tabernacle there must be a reality in heaven that has cast that shadow. If there is a Cherubim in the Tabernacle of Moses there must be something in heaven that has cast that shadow.

If this is accurate then when we look at the pure gold Lampstand in the Tabernacle of Moses there must be a reality in heaven that has cast that shadow. Now we don’t have to guess because John was caught up to that heavenly realm and saw THE LAMPSTAND which is identified as the church.

He also saw the New Jerusalem or the Most Holy Place and identified it as the bride, the wife of the Lamb. The bride of Christ IS the reality that has cast this shadow that appears as the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle of Moses. Therefore, it is the reality in heaven that permits us to interpret the shadow on earth. The Throne of God in heaven has cast its shadow that we see as the Ark of the Covenant. It is easy to get confused when we interpret the things in heaven by looking at the shadow on earth. While they both speak of the same thing it is a matter of cause (the reality in heaven) and the effect (the shadow on earth). All the details are in the reality in heaven and we only see the shadow (without details) in the Tabernacle on earth.

For that reason Paul was caught up to the third heaven and saw things too wonderful to speak of. He was shown the reality so he is qualified to speak about the shadow. The book of Hebrews reveals heavenly things and things that cannot be known in this earth realm except by revelation. This is a great problem when we examine the Book of Revelation which is a vision of the heavenly reality. Now if we try to interpret the Book of Revelation from the earth viewpoint we get all the weird interpretations that are presented today. Some may even be close to correct but who can trust the earthly viewpoint and build our life around that. Ideally each of us should be caught up to the third heaven and see these things for ourselves and then the shadow we see in scripture would be clear to us.

That may be very close to what God has in mind for the next restoration except we will get our revelation from the reality of the “shadow” seen in the “Showbread.” Remember that the “Showbread” is just a copy and shadow of the reality in heaven. Whatever has cast its shadow from heaven is seen as the Showbread in the Tabernacle of Moses. That means that the reality of the Showbread IS “spirit and truth and Life.” The type is still true and the understanding we get from the shadow is that this is the food that comes down from heaven but it arrives as “spirit, truth and Life” that must be eaten or ingested by the priests of God who are the sons of the High Priest.

If we understood that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an eternal reality in heaven we wouldn’t be so casual about receiving that dimension of the Holy Spirit and then continue to seek for the fullness of the Spirit. From the heavenly realm we can discern the difference between the “down-payment” and “the fulness” or having the Holy Spirit without measure. {seven Spirits]

Moses was instructed to build exactly according to the pattern because the pattern reflects the reality in heaven and gives us precious insight into God’s plan and purpose and into the perfecting process for the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem. Since the Tabernacle of Moses has three places with veils in between it indicates that the reality in heaven has three places with veils in between. That true Sanctuary in heaven has cast its shadow as three places in the Tabernacle of Moses.

The teaching that every child of God will be in the same place in eternity is refuted by the pattern and is not supported by any scripture. Therefore, we can conclude that there really are three places in heaven and the third heaven is the highest heaven. Only those who have come to His measure and stature and character will be with Him in the highest heaven.[Mt. Zion] For that reason there really is an eternal reason to sanctify our lives in total surrender to Him and to give Him free reign in our lives to transform us into His image and likeness.