Prophetic Patterns to Experience the Glory of God
The Gospel of John appears to be laid out according to the pattern of the Tabernacle. We are led along a pathway that leads us into the very presence of God in the Holy of Holies. The tabernacle was an earthly model portraying the way of salvation as well as the way to have and maintain abundant life in the presence of Almighty God. (Ex. 25:40; 26:30; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:2, 5).
John 1:14 tells us: “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” “Dwelt among us” could be translated as “He tabernacled among us.” Once the Tabernacle was been fully prepared according to the Word of God “the Glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” (Ex. 40:33-34; Col. 2:9). This Journey we are embarking on will bring us into a deeper more profound experience of the Glory of God!
THE OUTER COURTS
I.) THE DOOR:
In order to draw near to God you must first come to the Door of the Tabernacle. Jesus revealed that He is the Door (John 10:7-9). No one comes to the Father but by Jesus (John 14:6).
But you can’t approach God without an offering. You must bring a sacrifice for your sins if you are to draw near to God.
John 1:29 – “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
The Lamb must be without blemish. (Lev. 1:10; 3:7; 4:32; 5:17-19) (Heb. 9:26; 10:10-14; Eph. 5:2). Jesus was the only man who ever lived who was perfectly sinless in thought, word and deed. Thus He alone is the sacrifice that can enable us sinners to come into God’s presence.
As the lamb of God Jesus is presented to all of Israel (priests & people) to be inspected & proved to be without “blemish” or sin. This takes place throughout John’s Gospel (8:46; 18:20, 23, 38, 19:4, 6).
II.) THE BRAZEN ALTAR. Salvation by substitutionary Sacrifice. Reconciliation with God.
From the very beginning of John’s Gospel we are aware that He will die in our place on the Altar. The Lamb of God can only take away our sin by dying in our place on God’s appointed altar. When Jesus was Baptized by John in the River Jordan, He symbolically proclaimed His Death, Burial, & Resurrection on our behalf (John 1:31-34; Rom. 6:3-4).
So get a symbolic vision of the future Cross from the very beginning.
The first thing the sinner sees when he approaches God in the Tabernacle is the penalty of sin. The eternal flaming fires, (they never went out – Lev. 6:12-13), where the innocent Lamb would suffer in place of the guilty sinner. Thus John warned us “to flee from the wrath to come” (Matt. 3:7; Rom. 5:9; I Thess. 1:10)
The sinless Lamb must be offered on the Altar. Jesus finally dies on the Cross where He finishes the Work of Salvation (John 19:17-18, 30). What happened to Jesus would eventually happen to us if we don’t trust Him alone as our Saviour.
III.) THE BRAZEN LAVER Sanctification & cleansing through self-judgment. (John 15:3)
(Eph. 5:26; Ps. 119:9, 17). The Laver is a “he” in Exodus 30:17 (KJV)
All our sin is ultimately cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ shed on the Altar (I John 1:7; Heb. 9:14; Zech. 13:1). But there must be the continuous daily cleansing by “the washing of water with the Word of God” (Eph. 5:26). Jesus told us we are cleansed “through the word which He has spoken to us” (John 15:3; 17:17).
At the Laver the Priests must regularly wash away all the daily defilement that comes from living in a sinful world. Every day we must read God’s Word so it can point out the sins we need to confess to stay right with God (Hebrews 4:12 with I John 1:8-9).
Jesus brought many people to “water” symbolically revealing His power to forgive our sins!
A.) John 4:10, 13, 14 – Woman – Overcoming moral sins in our lives. Cleansed of her misguided thirst for meaningful marriage and companionship
B.) John 5:2 – at the pool of Bethesda. Men – overcoming moral sins in our lives. Some unknown sin that had crippled him. “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (John 5:14).”
ENTERING THE HOLY PLACE
IV.) THE GOLDEN TABLE OF SHOWBREAD (Ex. 25:23-30). Spiritual Nourishment.
The Table is called “he” in Exodus 37:16 (KJV).
A.) John 6:33, 35, 48, 50, 51(2x.’s), 58. – “I Am the bread of life” (6:35)
1.) Every one who eats this supernatural bread of life will never hunger again. (John 6:35)
B.) John 7:37-39. – Pouring out the libation at the table of showbread. “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (7:37). “He that believeth on me shall never thirst” (6:35)
V.) THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK (Ex. 25:31-40). Spiritual Illumination.
The Lampstand is revealed to be a “he” in Exodus 25:31; 37:17 (KJV).
A.) John 8:12 – Jesus said, “I Am the light of the world.”
1.) Jesus is the light of this world but He is not a light from this world (8:23)!
2.) Here Jesus reveals himself as the light of conscience (John 1:4-5, 9)
B.) John 9:5 – Jesus said, “I Am the light of the world”
1.) Here Jesus gives sight to those born blind. Jesus gives us the gift of faith (Eph. 2:8-9) to enable us to see the invisible spiritual realities (Heb. 11:27; 2 Cor. 4:18)
2.) Jesus gives us the light of spiritual understanding that Jesus is “the Son of God” causing us “worship Him (John 9:35-38; with Eph. 1:17-19).
ENTERING THE HOLY OF HOLIES.
VI.) THE GOLDEN ALTAR OF INCENSE. The ministry of prayer. (Rev. 5:8; Ex. 30:1-10)
A.) John 14 – 16 – Jesus leaves his disciples a 7-fold promise of answered prayer when They pray in Jesus name (14:13-14; 15:7, 16; 16:23, 24, 26).
1.) The altar of incense was considered to be part of both the holy place and the Holy of Holies because the golden censer of the altar of incense was taken into the Holy of Holies by the Great High Priest. Incense represents prayer (Ps. 141:1-2)
B.) Jesus could give His disciples these incredible promises of prayer in His name because he was getting ready to “open up a new and living way. . through the vail, that is to say his flesh” (Heb. 10:19-20) “into the holiest by His own blood.”
1.) The vail was rent when Jesus died on the cross (Matt. 27:50-54).
2.) Now we can experience a rich intimate fellowship with the Father and the Son in prayer (I John 1:3-4).
In the Old Testament the Israelite could only go as far as the brazen altar; The Priest could only go as far as the laver; The Sons of Aaron could go as far as the veil; The Great High Priest could only enter the veil once a year. But now for you and me there are no limitations! (read Hebrew 10:19-23)
VII & VIII.) THE ARK OF THE COVENANT AND THE MERCY SEAT.
Where man meets God (Ex. 25:21-22) (Rom. 10:4; Gal. 3:24)
A.) John 18:23, 38; 19:4, 6 – Jesus fulfills the symbolism of the Ark of the covenant because he His the only man that ever perfectly keep the law of God in His heart. (Ps. 40:8; Heb. 10:5-7). Thus there is no other Savior for mankind (Acts 4:12)!
B.) John 19:16-30 – Jesus became our mercy seat when He shed His precious blood on the cross. (The Gk. Word “mercy seat” in Heb. 9:5 is translated “propitiation” in Rom. 3:25)
C.) John 20:1- 21:1 – Jesus’ resurrection fulfilled the prophetic symbolism of Aaron’s rod that budded which had been stored in the ark of the covenant (Heb.9:4; Num. 16 and 17).
Jesus was declared to be the son of God with power by the resurrection (Rom. 1:4)!