Theology in Perspective

Our Lord Jesus referred to the Times of the Gentiles in His Olivet Discourse found in several books. His statement found in Luke chapter 21 is a brief outline of  all major empires in the world.

Luke 21:24

²⁴And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled (KJV).

 The Times of the Gentiles is a long period of time from the Babylonian captivity until the Second Coming of Jesus where the Gentiles have been in control of Jerusalem.  During this time, the Gentiles have had and will have control over the city of Jerusalem.  There have been only a few times of temporary or partial Jewish control over the city:

1. Maccabean Period(164-63 B.C.) The first period the Jews took control was in 164 B.C. which began the Maccabean Period.  Judas Maccabeus, he was written up in the non-canonical books.  His fellow patriots ruled Jerusalem from 154 to 63 B.C.
2. First Jewish Revolt against Rome (A.D. 66-77)This [occupation was short lived] and finally ended up with Titus Vespasian leveling Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and destroying the Temple, just flattening it.  The only thing left to the Temple now is that Western Wailing Wall.  There was a Jewish revolt and for the first four years the Jews had control, but they finally lost it.
3. The second Jewish Revolt (the Bar-Cochba Revolt) against Rome (A.D. 132-135) Simon Bar-Cochba was one of the first false messiahs. Those unbelieving Jews that wouldn’t accept Christ were following him.  The people who were following him were declaring him to be the Messiah because of his teachings and they decided to have a revolt against Rome  and the Romans absolutely crushed them.
4. Since the 1967 Six-Day War. This is still only temporary, because Jerusalem will continue to be trodden down by the Gentiles for at least another 3 1/2 years during the Tribulation (Revelation 11:1-2).  Since 1967 when the Six Day War occurred, the Jews took Jerusalem back – again.  That was prophesied in Ezekiel.

The Lord Jesus referred to the OT book of Daniel on several occasions. In Daniel’s book he cites several experiences he had including some dreams wherein he saw some prophetic development of all world empires leading up to the Lord establishing His Messianic Kingdom on earth wherein He will lead the world’s government from Jerusalem.

In summary, the Times of the Gentiles is a long period of time when four Gentile empires will follow one another in sequence with the Fourth Empire going through several different stages.  But eventually this will give way to God’s setting up His own Kingdom.  While the Gentile empires are of human origin; the Kingdom of the Stone is of divine origin.  While the Gentile empires are all temporary, God’s kingdom is eternal.  This is an outline of the kingdoms.

1. The Babylonian Empire starting in 586 B.C.  They were conquered by the,
2. The Medo-Persian Empire.  Then Alexander conquered and established;
3. The Hellenistic Empire

1.       The united stage
2. The four-division stage

1. The Fourth Empire, which is the Roman Empire and its two stages which is

1. The United Stage which we have already seen.

1. 1. The Ten Division Stage which is still yet future to us and finally,
2. The Messianic Kingdom

The Empires of Daniel

Daniel develops with great detail the Tines of the Gentiles.

The Neo-Babylonian Empire #1

Nabopolassar as the King of Babylon in 626 BC

Nabopolassar was succeeded by his son Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 B.C.).

Neriglissar (r. 560–556 BC)

Nabonidus (r. 556–539 BC),

Belshazzar, Nabonidus’s son

The Medo-Persian Empire #2

Cyrus Founded the Empire by defeating the Medes, Lydians, and Babylonians

Released the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity 559B.C. – 530B.C.

Cambyses II Conquered Egypt and became its Pharaoh Expanded the empire into Cyrene which is modern Libya 530 B.C.-522 B.C.

Bardiya 522 B.C.

Darius I (The Great) Created the Satrapy system, Standardized currency, the gold Daric

522 B.C.-486 B.C.

Artaxerxes I Longimanus, Invaded Greece, completed palaces at Persepolis and Susa Suppressed major revolts in Egypt and Babylon. He sent the Jews back to rebuild their city (Ezra 7:1-8:36) 465 B.C.-424 B.C.

Darius II, Established Persian influence over Ionian Greek cities 424 B.C.-404 B.C.

Artaxerxes II, defeated his brother and signed the King’s peace dictating terms to the Greek City-States.404 B.C.-358 B.C.

Artaxerxes III, Reconquered Egypt, brutally centralized power to stop the satraps revolt. 338 B.C. -336 B.C.[1]

The Hellenistic Empire #3

The United Stage

This was led by Alexander the Great of Macedon. who overthrew the Persian empire, carried Macedonian arms to India, and laid the foundations for the Hellenistic world of territorial kingdoms. 356 B.C.-323 B.C.

There is only one event which connect Alexander with Jewish history, that is after the siege of Tyre, 332 B.C., he marched through Palestine unopposed, except in the case of Gaza, which was razed to the ground. He is mentioned by name only in the Apocryphal I Maccabees (1:1-8, 6:2). And in the Book of Daniel when Daniel refers to a mighty king that “shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion,” whose kingdom shall be destroyed after his death (Daniel. 11:3). The vision of the “third beast, is also a reference (The goat) to Alexander.

The only historical event connecting Alexander the Great with the Jews is his visit to Jerusalem, which is recorded by Josephus in a somewhat fantastic manner. According to “Ant.” xi. 8, §§ 4-6, Alexander went to Jerusalem after having taken Gaza. Jaddua, the high priest, had a warning from God received in a dream, in which he saw himself vested in a purple robe, with his miter—that had the golden plate on which the name of God was engraved—on his head. Accordingly, he went to meet Alexander at Sapha (“View” [of the Temple]). Followed by the priests, all clothed in fine linen, and by a multitude of citizens, Jaddua awaited the coming of the king. When Alexander saw the high priest, he reverenced God (Leviticus R. xiii., end), and saluted Jaddua; while the Jews with one voice greeted Alexander. When Parmenio, the general, gave expression to the army’s surprise at Alexander’s extraordinary act—that one who ought to be adored by all as king should adore the high priest of the Jews—Alexander replied: “I did not adore him, but the God who hath honored him with this high-priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit, when I was at Dios in Macedonia, who, when I was considering with myself how I might obtain dominion of Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass over the sea, promising that he would conduct my army, and would give me the dominion over the Persians.” Alexander then gave the high priest his right hand, and went into the Temple and “offered sacrifice to God according to the high priest’s direction,” treating the whole priesthood magnificently. “And when the Book of Daniel was shown him [see Daniel vii. 6, viii. 5-8, 20-22, xi. 3-4], wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that he was the person intended, and rejoiced thereat. The following day Alexander asked the people what favors he should grant them; and, at the high priest’s request, he accorded them the right to live in full enjoyment of the laws of their forefathers. He, furthermore, exempted them from the payment of tribute in the seventh year of release. To the Jews of Babylonia and Media also he granted like privileges; and to the Jews who were willing to enlist in his army he promised the right to live in accordance with their ancestral laws. Afterward the Samaritans, having learned of the favors granted the Jews by Alexander, asked for similar privileges; but Alexander declined to accede to their request. [2]

Upon his death bed when asked who was his successor he responded with give it to the strong. His four generals fought over this. This led to his empire being divided between four of his generals: Cassander, Ptolemy, Antigonus, and Seleucus.

The Four Division Stage

Ptolemy, who ruled over Egypt, Israel and Arabia Petrea

Seleucus, who ruled over Syria, Babylonia, and as Far East as India

Cassander, who ruled over Macedonia and Greece

Lysimachus, who ruled over Thrace and Bithynia

323 B.C.                      Alexander dies. He says to leave his empire to “the strong.”

312-280 B.C.              Seleucus I Nicator succeeds as ruler over the Israel region.

280-261 B.C.              Antiochus II Soter assumes leadership over Israel.

261-246 B.C.              Antiochus II Theos replaces Soter.

246-226 B.C.              Seleucis II Callinicus assumes control.

226-223 B.C.              Seleucis III Keroneos rises.

222-187 B.C.              Antiochus III The Great took control.

187-175 B.C.              Seleucis IV Philopator plundered the Temple and raised taxes to the Jews.

175-164 B.C.              Antiochus IV Epiphanies is the brother of Philopator and he begins a very severe persecution of the Jews, which causes a revolt led by the Maccabeans, and creates a turning back to God by the Jews for a short while.

Daniel 8 details wars between a “ram” (the Persians) and a “he goat” (the Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, who would defeat the Persians in 330 B.C.). Daniel 11 gives particulars about the Hellenistic (Greek) kingdoms that succeeded Alexander. The “king of the south” (the Ptolemies in Egypt) would war against “the king of the north” (the Seleucids in Syria), with Palestine caught between them. The “vile person” (11:21) who would arise in the north was Antiochus IV (Epiphanes). His hatred of the Jews would lead to the infamous sacrilege at the second temple, December 15, 168 B.C.which led to the Maccabean Revolt of the Jews.

The Fourth Empire – The Empire of Imperialism–from Rome 43 B.C. to end of the Great Tribulation #4

1. 1. The United Stage -The Roman Empire
   2. The Two Division Stage -The East-West Balance of Power
   3. The One-World Government Stage
   4. The Ten-Division Stage -The Ten Kingdoms
   5. The Antichrist Stage – Absolute Imperialism

The Scripture doesn’t teach that this is the Roman Empire.  The Scripture teaches that the Empire, the Fourth Empire, continues until the Messianic Kingdom.  It doesn’t show a break.  In actuality, the Empire that the Bible is talking about is an imperialistic form of government.

Imperialism

Imperialism is simply a policy where one government extends its influence or power through negotiations, diplomacy or military force.  Most of the Western powers are imperialisms – imperialistic governments.  There is nothing wrong with being an imperialistic government, it’s just that is the characteristic of that type of Government.  Rome instituted this.  It was Rome that brought imperialism into the world.

Both Daniel passages make it clear that the Fourth Gentile Empire begins with the end of the Third Empire (Greek) and continues until Messiah comes to set up His Kingdom.  There is no break or gap in the imperialist form of government on the earth from the Roman Empire until Christ returns.  Nowhere in Scripture is this stated.  This Roman Empire, this Fourth Empire, This Empire of Imperialism will go through five successive stages.

Five Stages of the 4^th Empire – The Empire of Imperialism

Age of Imperialism – United Stage

1. The United Stage-Rome is the first stage of the Imperialist Form of government. The first stage or the United Stage started about 63 B.C and lasted until A.D. 364.  Rome had a long history going back into the 700s.  Someone created Rome, perhaps Romulus and Remus. It suffices to say, the empire under Julius Caesar started in about 63 B.C. and lasted until about A.D. 364.  That was the First Stage, [the United Stage, of the Fourth Empire].

Age of Imperialism – Two Division Stage

1. The second stage or the Empire of Imperialism was the Two Division Stage. This stage was foreseen by Daniel chapter 2 (Legs of Iron) but not by Daniel chapter 7.  It began in A.D. 364 when Emperor Valentinian divided the Roman Empire into an east and west division. There was an earlier division in A.D. 285 that was of short duration.  The emperor Constantine in A.D. 312-313 reunited the empire.  The A.D. 364 division was permanent.  The Western Headquarters were in Rome and the Eastern Headquarters in Constantinople.

The Emperor Constantine managed to pull it back together for a short time. Theodosius two emperors later forced Christianity on everybody in 388 AD.  Everybody in the Roman Empire was required be a Christian.  It ruined orthodox Christianity.  The Eastern Division lasted until 1453 when it collapsed in the Turkish invasion.

The Two legs of Nebuchadnezzar’s vision

The Eastern Leg

When Constantinople fell, the political rulers, scribes, and scholars fled north into Russia and infiltrated the government there, where they set up another imperialist form of government.  The rulers called themselves Czars, which is Russian for “Caesar.” Later Russia began calling itself the Third Roman Empire.  Eventually, the eastern balance of power was centered in the Soviet Union and included the Communist block of nations.  When European communism collapsed the eastern balance of power shifted to Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The power then shifted from there after the quiet revolution they had,  called Glasnos.  It went again back to Russia to the CIS, the Commonwealth of Industrial States.   So, the power transfer shifted, but it stayed on this Eastern Block from Constantinople up into Russia.

There are more power transfers going on right now.  The country of Russia is in great turmoil.  It hasn’t lost its power; it hasn’t lost its military prowess; it hasn’t lost its world status.  It’s still extremely strong.  But the power is starting to shift into the Islamic groups, not necessarily the Arab groups, but the Islamic groups.  They’re starting to get a great deal of power in the Eastern Sphere.  There’s going to be more shifting. The Two Division Stage we have now is ultimately going to give into the One World Government.

The Western Leg

The Western Division of power remained in Rome from 364 until 476 when Rome fell.  Now Rome fell and the people who were controlling went somewhere.   The people that had power and want power and understand it and know how to get it, are not willing to let it go.  It’s not just going to dissipate.  Somebody’s going to grab it.  From there it shifted to France, especially the power gained by Charlemagne in A.D. 800.  He called his domain the Holy Roman Empire of the Frankish Nation.  In 962 Otto I of Germany defeated the Franks and set up the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.  The leaders called themselves Kaiser, which is German for “Caesar.” Since then, especially after World War I, the western balance of power has been centered in the democratic nations of the west.  So, the Two-Division Stage, which began in A. D. 364, continues to this day and there may be some shifting yet to come before the east-west balance becomes the third stage.

The One World Government Stage

The next three stages of the Empire of Imperialism are all future. At some point the East-West Balance of Power will break down, leading to a one-world government. This stage is seen by Daniel seven, but not by Daniel two. Daniel 7:23 clearly states that at some point the Fourth Empire devours the whole earth. This is something that Rome never did. Some attempt to make this expression mean the “then-known world,” but it cannot be said that Rome even conquered the then-known world. As soon as one empire conquers up to a certain point of territory, it is very obvious that there is more to follow beyond that. So, it is inaccurate to say that Rome conquered the then-known world. Rome did not even extend as far east as the empire of Alexander the Great. The Greeks went as far as the Indus River in India, and Alexander would have gone further except for the refusal of his generals who wished to go no further. But even the area beyond the Indus River was part of the then-known world. Rome did not even extend that far. Furthermore, Rome never fully conquered the Parthian Empire, and that, too, was part of the known world. The area of Scotland was also part of the known world that Rome did not conquer. Rome had to build the Hadrian Wall in order to keep the nomads of northern Scotland from overrunning that part of Britain. So, by no means did Rome conquer the whole known world. Furthermore, other usages of the word in the Old Testament clearly teach universality (Genesis 8:9; 9:19; 11:1; Isaiah 6:3; 14:26; 28:22; 54:5; Jeremiah 15:10; Zechariah 4:10, 14). Although in Daniel 2:39 the word is used of the Hellenistic Empire, it only states that such authority was given to it as it was to Babylon in Daniel 2:37–38, and neither of these two empires chose to exercise this authority. In the case of the Fourth Empire, the wording states that it will devour the whole earth. The text demands that the Fourth Empire will at some time control the whole world and will devour it. So, maintaining literal interpretation, the Fourth Empire of Imperialism is yet to control the whole world in the formation of a one-world government, which is something that has not yet been accomplished.

For this reason, Rome must not be seen as the totality of the Fourth Empire, but only as the first stage of the Empire of Imperialism. The third stage, which will be the One World Government Stage, will happen at some point when the Two Division (east-west) Stage collapses.

The Ten Division Stage

This stage was seen in both Daniel two in the ten toes and in Daniel seven in the ten horns. The Ten Division Stage is clearly stated to come out of the One World Government Stage. For some reason not given by the text, the One World Government will divide into ten kingdoms that will cover the whole world—not merely Europe. It has become common today to refer to the ten kingdoms as being in Europe only, especially the Former Common Market, now the European Union. But the text does not allow for this kind of interpretation. At the very best, the European Union might become one of the ten, but it could hardly become all of the ten. A careful reading of the Daniel passage states that once the Fourth Empire rules the whole world, then this One World Government will split into ten kingdoms. This requires the ten kingdoms to cover the entire world, not just the territory known as Europe. It would be a mistake to make too much of the European Union as being the Ten Division Stage. It would be far more consistent with the text to view it as possibly one of the ten, but not the entire ten. More consistent with Daniel’s prophecy is the recommendation of the Club of Rome that the world be divided into ten administrative districts to avoid a world economic collapse.

The Antichrist Stage

It is during the Ten Kingdom Stage that the Antichrist will begin his rise to power. Eventually, he will be strong enough to uproot three of the ten kings, and the other seven will simply submit to his authority. Once the other seven submit their authority to the Antichrist, this will begin the fifth and final stage of the Fourth Gentile Empire, the Antichrist Stage, which is the stage of Absolute Imperialism. In this sense he is diverse from the other ten.

The Messianic Kingdom #5

The Millennial Mountain of the Messianic Kingdom

Isaiah 2:1-5

¹The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. ²And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. ³And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. ⁴And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. ⁵O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah (ASV, 1901).

Immediately after the Lord gave a strong rebuke to Israel, even promising them foreign invasions, He offers comfort. He now begins to tell them that Jerusalem will have a premier position in the world of the future messianic kingdom. (The Messianic kingdom is also called the Millennial kingdom.) The passage clearly states seven characteristics:

1. The mountain will be formed in the “latter days” (verse 2).
2. It will be the mountain of mountains, in other words, the highest in the world (verse 2).
3. “Jehovah’s house” will sit on the top of this mountain. This is where the Lord Jesus will rule the government of the world. The government will finally be upon His shoulders (verses 2-3; Isaiah 9:6).
4. The population of the world will move toward it in pilgrimage in order to learn God’s Law. This where the Lawgiver will live (verse 3).
5. The Law that emanates from the mountain will cause all nations of the world to be at peace (verse 3).
6. The Word of the Lord will come from the mountain, which all nations will respond to in obedience (verse 3).
7. Warfare at the beginning of the Messianic Kingdom will be obsolete (verse 4).

The prophet Micah was also given prophecies of the coming mountain:

Micah 4:1–2

¹But in the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it. ²And many nations shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem (ASV, 1901).

In other chapters of Isaiah God also points out that the mountain will be a center of Jewish and Gentile worship and prayer:

Isaiah 27:13; 56:6–8

27 ¹³And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great trumpet shall be blown; and they shall come that were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and they that were outcasts in the land of Egypt; and they shall worship Jehovah in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.

56 ⁶Also the foreigners that join themselves to Jehovah, to minister unto him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast my covenant; ⁷even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. ⁸The Lord Jehovah, who gathereth the outcasts of Israel, saith, Yet will I gather others to him, besides his own that are gathered (ASV, 1901).

The Sabbath first makes its appearance in Exodus 6:23 as a commandment within the conditional Mosaic Covenant. The text also tells us that the Sabbath will be re-instituted, for it is not commanded during the church age because it is not part of the New Covenant. In the Messianic kingdom, the sacrifices will be reinstituted for the purpose of remembrance and honoring what Jesus the Messiah did for the world, not for atonement.

In Isaiah chapter 66, we learn the Jews will be brought to the mountain of Jehovah’s house by the gentile nations:

Isaiah 66:20

²⁰And they shall bring all your brethren out of all the nations for an oblation unto Jehovah, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith Jehovah, as the children of Israel bring their oblation in a clean vessel into the house of Jehovah. ²¹And of them also will I take for priests and for Levites, saith Jehovah (ASV, 1901).

The effects of the Great Tribulation will have removed all the mountains of the earth, leaving only the Millennial Mountain,

Absolute Righteousness

Isaiah 11:4-5

^4abut with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked, ⁵And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins (ASV, 1901).

Jesus will rule the earth with absolute righteousness, equity and justice (Psalm 72:2). He will judge the poor with absolute fairness. He will not be like judges who take bribes and oppress the poor. He will not be as others who take advantage of them because they do not have adequate funding to defend themselves. The needy and the poor will not be oppressed by Him as they often are by human leaders (Isaiah 10:1–2). The oppressed will be the beneficiaries of His justice, and the wicked will be slain. His reign will be characterized by righteousness (Isaiah11:5; 9:7; 16:5), and faithfulness as if they were necessary parts of His clothing, such as a belt and sash.

He Will Bring Peace on The Earth

Isaiah 11:6–9

 ⁶And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. ⁷And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. ⁸And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. ⁹They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea (ASV, 1901).

In this passage, Isaiah describes one of the major characteristics of the Messianic Kingdom, which is universal peace. Earlier in chapter two the Lord gave Isaiah another prophecy regarding a different aspect of peace on their earth:

Isaiah 2:4

⁴And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (ASV, 1901).

While conflicts between nations will arise, such differences will no longer be settled by armed responses, but only by the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. The practices of warfare will no longer be studied or carried out, and war colleges will cease to exist.

Prior to the flood all the animals coexisted with humans in relative peace. After the flood, God put the fear of man within animal nature (Genesis 9:2). He includes “every beast of the earth.” “Every bird of the air,” “all wherewith the ground teemeth” (crawls on the ground), and “all the fishes of the sea.” The cattle and the domesticated animals were excluded. They would not have an inner fear of mankind, because this aspect of the Noahic covenant was necessary since they became a food source for man, but are not to be needlessly slaughtered. God gives man dominion over the animal kingdom, and man is required to provide responsible stewardship over the creatures of the earth. This relationship with the animal kingdom will continue until the Great Tribulation, when the animal kingdom will turn on mankind in an adversarial relationship. They will assist the Lord in the destruction of twenty-five percent of the world’s human population:

So, in Summary, the Kingdoms given in prophetic form in the book of Daniel are:

1. The Babylonian Empire
2. The Medo-Persian Empire
3. The Hellenistic Empire
4. The United Stage
5. The Four Division Stage
6. The Fourth Empire—The Empire of Imperialism
7. The United Stage—The Roman Empire
8. The Two Division Stage—The East-West Balance of Power
9. The One World Government Stage
10. The Ten Division Stage—The Ten Kingdoms
11. The Antichrist Stage—Absolute Imperialism
12. The Messianic Kingdom

[1] https://www.thecollector.com/achaemenid-kings-of-persia/

[2] Josephus, The Works of Josephus The Antiquities of the Jews, Published by Hendrickson Peabody MA01961-3473

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday it is important that we have a biblical understanding of what this concept means to the Lord Jesus who we serve as Christians. Today we will examine the grammatical nature of the word, what it means, and how the Devil, Satan has corrupted its meaning to defer the proper praise to God that He, the Lord demands. Additionally, we will look at many relevant verses discussing this topic.

The word “thanksgiving”, or simply “giving thanks”, is an action word that is a verb, and shows movement from a subject propelled by an action to a direct object. We see various signs or people telling us to “give thanks” or similarly “believe”.  When we use these words without any direct object, it is the work of Satan actively trying to convince us that it is sufficient to use these verbs alone with no destination or direct object.  This does not make sense, and is left open to meaning whatever a person wants it to mean.

Jesus had this to say to Satan when debating with him in the wilderness after He had fasted for 40 days:

Matthew 4:8-10

⁸ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; ⁹ And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. ¹⁰ Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve (KJV).

In another set of verses from the book of Matthew, Jesus gave us the reasons for our mission in the world, which is to glorify our Father who is in heaven:

Matthew 5:13-16

¹³ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (KJV).

The Lord God told the nation Israel that there is a time coming when they will know that God is the only one Who is to be worshipped and praised:

Isaiah 43:20–21

²⁰The beasts of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen, ²¹the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise (ASV, 1901)

Any deviation from a direct worship of God and specifically giving thanksgiving to Him for all He has done is nothing short of idolatry. Idolatry represents the level of degradation into which cultures have sink when people’s overindulgence in mind-altering experiences, occultic, practices, and sexual immorality. Through these practices, self-worth of the individual becomes eroded to the point of rendering idolators incapable of seeing the image of God in the spirit of man. This leads to murder, and is not too difficult to commit when one does not recognize the divine origin of a human being. Christ said a time is again coming on this earth when, because of increased wickedness, people’s love for one another will grow cold:

Matthew 24:12-14

¹² And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. ¹³ But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come (KJV).

The evolutionary model of human origin prevalent today, for which there is no evidence, promotes the belief that the human body and spirit are not at all related to divine origin. This is the opposite of God’s view that sin of idolatry defiles the divine in us, and in our souls. God wants us ourselves to be undefiled by idol worship:

Proverbs 4:23

²³Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. (ASV, 1901)

“Keep thy heart with all diligence” in the verse above means it is important for a believer to keep a strict guard upon our souls, to keep our hearts from doing harm to others, and to keep ourselves from getting hurt. God commands this for a good reason because out of our heart comes the source, or “issues of life”. As additional preparation to guard ourselves, we should continually seek the Lord Jesus, our living water, our sanctifying Spirit, and the only One who will issue us forth into everlasting life. It is to Him we give our heartfelt thanks and worship.

Not guarding our hearts is exactly what the Satan and his fallen angels continually look for so they can deceive an uncareful person. The pollution of our souls that causes us to turn from God, and seek after inordinate pleasure will lead to bloodshed, which is their desired goal. One can say the same about the direction of modern “worship” songs in most churches that focus on the people instead of the Lord. It is entertainment that does not acknowledge God’s greatness. This is in direct contrast with God’s plan for Christianity to be the ambassadors for Christ on the earth for Him. This is also part of Satan’s plan to deter our worship and thanksgiving away from God. All worship is to be directed to God and nowhere else:

Deuteronomy 28:10

¹⁰And all the peoples of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of Jehovah; and they shall be afraid of thee. (ASV, 1901)

Instead of the gentile nations seeing the God-fearing and God-blessed Israelites and respecting them, God says in Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 22:5

⁵Those that are near [to God], and those that are far from thee, shall mock thee (KJV, brackets added).

When this was written, the nation Israel had lost all respect on the world scene. This is true of any nation that knows the Lord, departs from His laws, and who chooses to not recognize Him in all that they say and do. The United States has sunk to this level, and some nations of the world despise us.

What are the Reasons that We Should Thank Him?

Giving thanksgiving to God is a command. The Bible provides us with a lot of commands to give thanks to God. For example:

Psalm 106:1

          ¹Praise ye the Lord.

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:

For his mercy endureth for ever (KJV).

1 Thessalonians 5:18

¹⁸ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (KJV).

Most verses go on to list reasons why we should thank Him, such as “His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:3), “He is good” (Psalm 118:29), and “His mercy is everlasting” (Psalm 100:5). Thanksgiving and praise always go together. We cannot adequately praise and worship God without also being thankful.
Feeling and expressing appreciation is appropriate us. Like any wise father, God wants us to learn to be thankful for all the gifts He has given us:

James 1:17

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (KJV).

It is in our best interest to be reminded that everything we have is a gift from Him. Without gratitude, we become self-centered and believe that what we have was acquired by ourselves. We think that we have achieved everything on our own, but thankfulness keeps our hearts in right relationship to the Giver of all good gifts.

Giving thanks also reminds us of how much we do have. Human beings are prone to covetousness, and we tend to focus on what we do not have. By continually giving thanks for what we do have, we are reminded of how He has blessed us. When we focus on blessings rather than wants, we are happier. Our perspective changes when we start thanking God for what we usually take for granted, and realize that we could not even exist without the merciful blessings of God:

I Thessalonians 5:18

¹⁸ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (KJV).

When we purposely thank God regardless of what comes into our lives, we keep also keep bitterness away. We cannot be both thankful and bitter at the same time. It is not that we are grateful for tragedy, but we can be thankful for who God is, even in the midst of tragedy. He sustains us and gives us strength to endure.

II Corinthians 12:9

⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (KJV).

We thank Him for His promise from the book of Romans:

Romans 8:28

²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (KJV).

This verse develops the thought where Paul emphasizes that the Spirit’s efforts to bring us to maturity are carried out in full agreement with God’s will. This is also expressed in the book of Ephesians:

Ephesians 1:4

⁴even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love (ASV, 1901).

Everything that happens to us in this life is directed toward that goal. What happens may not be “good,” but God will make it work to our ultimate good, to meet His ultimate goal for our life. God works all things for good, and this is not anything like saying “all things will work out.” Suffering will still bring pain, loss, and sorrow, and sin will bring shame. But under God’s control, the eventual outcome will be for our good. This does not mean all that happens to us is good, for evil is still prevalent in our fallen world. But God is able to turn it around for our long-range good. God is not working to make us happy, but to fulfill His purpose. God works behind the scenes, ensuring that even in the middle of mistakes and tragedies, good will result for “those who love him” (Romans 8:28). At times this will happen quickly, often enough to help us trust in this principle. But there will also be events whose results are for good, but we will not know that until we are in eternity. Paul knew this from his own experience:

Philippians 1:12

¹²Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel (NASB).

II Corinthians 12:9–10

⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (KJV).

This promise can be claimed only by those who love God and are “called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Those who are called are those the Holy Spirit convinces and enables to receive Christ. Such people have a new perspective on life. We trust in God, not life’s treasures, we look to our security in heaven, not on earth, and we learn to accept, not resent, pain and persecution because God is with us.

We can have thankful hearts toward God even when we do not feel thankful for the circumstance. We can grieve and still be thankful. We can hurt and still be thankful. We can be angry at sin and still be thankful toward God. That is what the Bible calls a “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15). Giving thanks to God keeps our hearts in right relationship with Him and saves us from a host of harmful emotions and attitudes that will rob us of the peace God wants us to experience (Philippians 4:6–7). God is a loving Father who continually pours blessings into our lives. But sometimes we forget to thank God for who He is and what He does for us. It is essential to express our gratitude to God regularly, as the Bible makes it clear that giving thanks is a powerful practice in our relationship with God. When we develop an attitude of gratitude we can see God’s goodness, celebrate God’s faithfulness, and recognize the countless blessings God gives us. This transforms our perspective, so instead of focusing on what we lack, we can focus on our loving God, who is always working to give us the best.

Generosity Results in Thanksgiving

II Corinthians 9:11

¹¹ Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God (KJV)

This verse connects God’s provision and our generosity directly to the thanksgiving of others. God blesses us richly, not just so we can be comfortable, but so we can be generous. Our generosity, in turn, causes those who receive it to give thanks to God.

Finally, praying with gratitude leads to peace:

Philippians 4:6-7

⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (KJV). 

This verse highlights how thankfulness is the cure for worry. When we ask our requests with gratitude, we demonstrate our faith in God. We let God know that because He has been faithful to us in the past, we trust that He will help us with what we need right now. We can pray about everything with a constant mindset of prayer and gratitude, and God will respond by giving us a peace so strong that it even surpasses our ability to understand it.

By Bobby Hayes, M.A.

Faculty member in Scofield Biblical Institute and Theological Seminary

This is  a study concerning the Tabernacle and its shadow of Jesus Christ and the Christian walk. This study was presented to me by one of the most spiritually mature men I have ever met, Cecil Gossett. I do not know if Cecil himself wrote this, compiled this, or went through the study himself and brought it to us. This is an updated transcription of the study booklet he utilized. All images were found on Google images. I do not take the credit for them or for the majority of the writing (though here and there I made some adjustments and additions). All footnotes are from the Ryrie Study Bible and are included to give further insights on Scripture that is quoted throughout the study.

Bobby Hayes

The Furniture of the Tabernacle

An Introduction to the Tabernacle

Exodus 25:1-2, 8-9

[1]25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

² “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution

⁸ Let them construct a sanctuary[2] for Me, that I may dwell among them. ⁹ According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.

Introduction:

Suppose you were planning the building of a beautiful new home, and your architect or contractor should say, “The house we shall build for you shall be absolutely perfect- It will never need extra attention, additions, or repair.” What would be your thoughts? “Impossible” you would say. “There has never been such a structure.” You would be correct in saying “impossible” as to such a building today, but incorrect in saying “there has never been such a structure.”

For the earth has had one building constructed that was perfect in every detail from its very beginning. It never again needed attention, additions, alteration, or repair in nearly 520 years.

The blueprint, the pattern, plan, design and all of its specifications were minutely made in Heaven and given to Moses for the children of Israel while he was in Mt. Sinai:

Exodus 24:12, 15-18

¹² Now the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.”

¹⁵ Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.

¹⁶ The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.

¹⁷ And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.

¹⁸ Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

God Himself was the architect of every single detail, and every detail points to some phase of the character and work of His Son Jesus Christ.

1. THE VALUE OF THE TABERNACLE

Note: There is no portion of Scripture richer in meaning and more perfect in its teaching than this concerning the tabernacle. In I Corinthians 10:1-15 Paul writes of today’s spiritual application of the years of wilderness wanderings of Israel where this tabernacle was the center of their worship. Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 10:11

¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

And so the tabernacle is given for believer’s study in our day. God means to teach us marvelous truths about His Son, so again and again He emphasized perfection in its building:

Exodus 25:8, 40

  8 “And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them,”

40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

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; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern (see Exodus 25:40) which was shown you on the mountain.”

Hebrews 8:5

If you have a spiritual nature, i.e., if you are a child of God, and born again, you have an ever-present desire to know Jesus in a better way, to have a deeper experience with Him, and to know the abiding presence of Christ. Then you will want to follow these Tabernacle studies.

Not only will you find a perfect and complete presentation of the matchless, adorable, loving Person of Christ in the tabernacle, but you will find in the tabernacle a type of the believer.

The believer is “in Christ” and thus is the dwelling place of God. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit.

Further, the tabernacle is a complete picture of the plan of salvation (one of the most beautiful in the Bible). You will thrill to see the furniture paced in the form of a cross.

Indeed, the subject of the tabernacle is inexhaustible, and a “must” in the growth of a Christian.

1. THE PEOPLE TO WHOM GOD GAVE THE TABERNACLE

Note: In chapters 19-24 of Exodus we have a detailed account of the commandments and table of law that God gave Moses at Sinai. The law was given to show Israel their utter inability to keep God’s commandments or to save themselves:

Exodus 24:4-7

⁴ Moses wrote down[3] all the words of the Lord. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.

⁵ He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord.

⁶ Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

⁷ Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”

Poor, blinded Israel.  They stood before God’s holy law and boasted repeatedly, “We can keep at law- ALL THE WORDS WHICH THE LORD HATH SAID WE WILL DO.” How little they knew their hearts and their inability to keep the law. It was as though they were saying, “We do not need a Savior.”

Exodus 24:8

In v. 8, God’s response through Moses was “BEHOLD THE BLOOD”:

So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold, the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Exodus 24:12

   In v. 12, Moses turned and was in the Mount 40 days and 40 nights:

Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.”

And when Moses came down from the mountain, what do you suppose he brought back with him? The law? No, something far better than the Law- it was the pattern of the Tabernacle, the picture of grace, the plan of salvation in Jesus Christ (see Exodus 25-31).

Had Moses not returned into the Mount and were the story to have ended with their boast to keep the law, the whole record would have ended there in judgment. But Moses went back and returned to Israel bearing two things from God:

The Law- To show the exceeding sinfulness of sin and man’s awful failure and God’s judgment.

The Tabernacle- To show God’s way of escape, mercy, pardon and salvation.

Romans 8:3-4

³ For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh[4] and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

⁴ so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.[5]

III. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE

         Note: The way God used to build His Tabernacle of worship is quite interesting. We read in Exodus:

Exodus 25:2, 8

² “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution.

⁸ Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 35:4-5, 21

⁴ Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying,

⁵ ‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart,[6] let him bring it as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze,

²¹ Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.

This should be a model to God’s people of all ages, whether tabernacle, temple, church, synagogue, of how God’s people should be in their giving.  Notice the phrases, “heart moves him,” “willing heart.” Not a requirement but a heart motive. This is repeated later in the chapter and in the next chapter:

Exodus 35:29 (Bold mine)

²⁹ The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the Lord.

Exodus 36:3 (Bold mine)

³ They received from Moses all the contributions which the sons of Israel had brought to perform the work in the construction of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning.

   And then the delightful and wonderous giving of the people:

Exodus 36:5-7

⁵ and they said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the construction work which the Lord commanded us to perform.”

⁶ So Moses issued a command, and a proclamation was circulated throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman any longer perform work for the contributions of the sanctuary.” Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more.

⁷ For the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it.

Can you imagine your pastor standing in the pulpit on Sunday and announcing, “We have more than enough money for the church. Keep your tithes and offerings until we need it.”

1. The giving of God’s people and their worship is directly related. There is a spiritual relationship between man’s possessions and God. In the Bible duty is based on doctrine, behavior of belief, and character is determined by creed. There is perfect harmony between teaching and living, position and practice, doctrine and department.
2. Giving is a matter of faith in God’s Word. How big do you believe God to be? Your answer to that is determined by the degree of faith and obedience to Him in the realm of Christian stewardship. Mark this truth: the Christian takes money that he can never keep and exchanges it for that which he can never lose. We give in obedience to God’s Word to the end that God may bless us.
3. God’s plan for church and the church’s work is as old as the Book, and it will always work. His plan of His people giving will care adequately for all of God’s causes.

God-Appointed Workmen

Exodus 35:30-36:2

³⁰ Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

³¹ And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship;

³² to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze,

 ³³ and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work.

³⁴ He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

³⁵ He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs.

36 “Now Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skillful person in whom the Lord has put skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work in the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.”

² Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every skillful person in whom the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it.

The man Bezalel is one of the many unheralded personalities of the Bible and his attitude and actions should be a continuing example for us to follow.

Bezalel was naturally gifted with much talent which he gave to the work of the Lord. From Bezalel we learn that we can do even better work when we are filled (controlled) with the Spirit.

The OUTER COURT, the INNER COURT, and the HOLY PLACE

Introduction: The supreme question of all ages is this: how can a sinful man approach a Holy God? How can he be made acceptable before God? How can he know forgiveness and be at peace with God? The teaching in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness gives us the answer:

Simply defined: The Tabernacle is the place where Old Testament man met with God in reconciliation and fellowship.

Let us get a “bird’s eye” view of the Tabernacle. It was composed of three parts- the Outer Court, the Inner Court, and the Holy Place.

The Outer Court

The Inner Court and the Tent were enclosed by a uniquely structured fence that was about 150’ long and 75’ wide, or half as wide as long. The pure white linen hung from 60 pillars, 20 on each side and 10 on each end.

In this linen fence two things are to be noted: the top and the bottom of the pillars. The top was silver, standing for atonement. The bottom was of brass, standing for judgment.

The curtain of pure white linen pictures the righteousness and holiness of God. The people of Israel always camped by tribes around the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling place. The pure linen curtain always excluded man, keeping him on the outside. It kept all that was defiled way from God’s presence.

But in pure grace God provided a way whereby the guilty sinner on the outside could approach Him on the inside for forgiveness and salvation. Not through the linen curtain, but through the doorway at the east end of the court. There was only one doorway and it always faced toward the sun rising. This speaks of Jesus as the Son of Righteousness.

No man dares enter the court of the tabernacle in any other way than by this one way of entry. It was the door of grace- the door is Christ. It is interesting that there are no cherubim (angels who are guardians of God’s holiness) here are they are in the Holy Place. No guards are needed at this doorway. Rather, there is the invitation, “Whosoever will may come.”

The entry to the Tabernacle is 30’ wide- wide enough for everyone to enter but narrow enough that only those who come God’s way may enter. It is just as broad and narrow as Jesus’ own words:

“Enter[7] by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.

         Matthew 7:13

“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

         John 10:9

“All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me, I will certainly not cast out.

         John 6:37

The Inner Court

The man on the outside represents the sinner. From the one entrance, looking inside the court he would see to pieces of furniture in the court. First was the brazen altar and then the brazen laver for ceremonial washing. Beyond that was the Tabernacle of the Lord’s Presence.

He looked at the pure white linen curtain and realized that his sin cut him off from God. He longed for forgiveness and fellowship with God.

Through his mediatory, the priest, he approached the one entrance bearing his sacrifice. In God’s economy there is only one covering for sin and that is the blood of an innocent sacrifice.

Until the sinner comes by the way of the door of faith in Jesus, he never beholds the glories of Christ and His wonderful salvation.

The Holy Place

While the outer and inner courts were parts of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle was the small structure inside the courtyard. Hebrews 9 calls it:

For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place

                  Hebrews 9:2

For its size (45’ by 15’) it was very costly; an estimate from 2015 placed the gold and silver cost of the entire Tabernacle at approximately 38 Billion dollars. It had two rooms, on the size of an ordinary living room, the other bedroom size. The framework was 48 upright boards of acacia wood, each 2’wide and 15’ long, all covered with pure gold. The larger room in Scripture is called the “Holy Place,” the smaller the “Holy of Holies.”

This little building rested upon a foundation that seemed wholly out of proportion to the building itself. The foundation alone weighed five tons, of solid silver. Each of the 48 upright boards rested on a 100 lb. block of solid silver (remember, silver is a type of salvation).

As we study the furnishings, we shall learn the meaning in type of the gold, silver, and brass in Scripture, and of the acacia wood. Your will rejoice when you see Jesus in it all.

The Tabernacle also had a most remarkable covering consisting of four layers of different materials. In the following lessons will we look not only at the articles in the Tabernacle, but also the roof covering.

         Remember two important things when we study the Tabernacle:

1. Everything about the Tabernacle speaks of our Lord Jesus in type and shadow. It also pictures the walk and worship of the saved man, the believer.
2. The Tabernacle was a portable structure (just as believers are today since we are constantly on the move). When the shekinah glory lifted and moved, it signaled the 2-3 million Israelites that this meeting place with God was to be disassembled and set up again at the next place appointed by Him in the shekinah (just as God leads believers today). The Tabernacle was portable, constructed without nails, screws, hinges, or glue (just as we are fitted by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ). It withstood the howling storms of the wilderness for 40 long years (just as we withstand the storms of life).

We will begin our study with the Altar of Burnt-Offering in our next installment.

[1] Fifty chapters in the Bible report instructions concerning the tabernacle:

1. 13 in Exodus
2. 18 in Leviticus
3. 13 in Numbers
4. 2 in Deuteronomy
5. 4 in Hebrew

It served as the place where God met with His people and it prefigured the perfect approach to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, who “tabernacled” among men (John 1:14; Hebrews 10:19-20).

[2] Sanctuary. Literally, holy place. Also called the tabernacle (v. 9 from a word meaning “to settle down, to abide”); the tent (26:36); the tent of meeting (29:42); and the tent of the testimony (Numbers 17:7).

[3] The covenant was publicly ratified, written down, and ratified again. Various forms of ritual ratification included blood sacrifice (as here), passing through the pieces of the slaughtered sacrifice (cf. Genesis 15:10, 17), partaking of a meal (cf. Genesis 31:54), and eating salt together (cf. Numbers 18:19).

[4] In the likeness of sinful flesh. The word “likeness” is crucial, for it indicates that Jesus was a true man but not a sinful man. Flesh=body.

[5] The contrast here is between a life dominated by the flesh (=sinful nature within) and one controlled by the Holy Spirit.

[6] All were invited to contribute materials for the tabernacle, but only from a willing heart (Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7).

[7] In vv. 13-29 of Mathew 7 notice the two ways (13-14), two trees (18-20), two professions (21-23), and two builders (24-29). The “two ways” was a common teaching method in Judaism and Greco-Roman philosophy.