God Resides

Foreshadow – A person or thing in the Old Testament that points to a person or thing in the New Testament. The tabernacle and its fixtures were foreshadowing of Jesus the Messiah.

Exodus 25:8-9 (ESV) And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
• Sanctuary “means holy or sacred place”.
• Tabernacle means to “pitch a tent among, dwelling place”.
The tabernacle was important for several reasons.
• It was to be the dwelling place of God where He resided with His people.
• It gave instructions for proper worship of God.
• It was a copy and foreshadow of the heavenly things. (Hebrews 8:5)

THE TABERNACLE AND ITS COMPONENTS. Exodus 25-27

The altar – Made of bronze, symbolizes fire, sin and God’s judgement, the place for sacrifice.
The laver – A large bowl made of bronze for the priests to wash their hands and feet before entering.
The golden lamp stand – represented life, provided the only source of light for the priests to see in the tabernacle.
The Veil – Temporary separation between the people and God. Priests were the only one to enter.
Ark and Mercy Seat – The most important part – modeled after the throne of God in Heaven. Contained the stone tablets and symbolized where God would reside.

JESUS IS THE TRUE TABERNACLE.
John 1:14 (ESV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• Dwell – tent among, tabernacle
God wants a relationship with us so much that He gave up His rights as God to become a man. He give His life for us. John 3:16, Philippians 2:5-11

JESUS IS THE PERFECT AND FINAL SACRIFICE.
The tabernacle had an altar where the sins of the people were offered up by the High Priest.
The altar is foreshadowing the true altar to come. Jesus Himself is the sacrifice and the cross was the ultimate altar. We can now come before God because of the blood of Jesus.
Hebrews 10:10-14 (ESV) And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
• Sacrifices of animals could not take away sin – they were only a temporary covering of sin.
• Only through the body and blood of Jesus can our sins be removed.

JESUS’ BODY IS THE CURTAIN OR VEIL TORN IN TWO THAT BRINGS US INTO THE PRESENCE OF HOLY GOD.

Matthew 27:50-51 (NIV) And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split
The separation between God and man was finally reconciled through Jesus’ body to give us relationship with the Father. Hebrews 4:16

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV) Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
• Jesus satisfied the entire Old Testament sacrificial system on the cross, no longer needed.

John 14:6 (NIV) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

JESUS IS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD.
• The only priest without sin became sin and offered Himself as our sin-atoning sacrifice.
Hebrews 10:21-22 (ESV) and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
• Jesus became our high priest and now through faith we have access to God any time!

APPLICATION
God has the same specificity for His church today as He did with the tabernacle and temple.
• We are to worship Him with the lives He has given us.
• By faith, our relationship with God starts in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-10
• We are saved for a purpose, to be a relational people set apart to declare His praises.
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
• As His priests, we are to intercede for those separated from God.
2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NIV) that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
• God wants to use our lives to represent Him to a lost a dying world.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
• We are to be disciples of Christ who make disciples of Christ in each of the spheres of our lives.

QUESTIONS

• How are you living a life set apart for God?
• What is your spiritual act of worship?
• How are you living out your calling as a disciple?
• Who are you discipling?

LIFE GROUP QUESTIONS

Passages: Exodus 25-31
Sermon Reflection – What was significant to you from the sermon?
1. Look at Exodus 25:1-9. What do you notice about God? What do you notice about his people?
2. What is significant about God wanting to dwell (tabernacle) with his people? A) Read Ephesians 1:13-14 & 2:19-22. How does the idea of God dwelling with his people happen with us today? B)How do you abide with Christ and let the Holy Spirit be a part of your relationship with God and others?