Good Friday: The Tabernacle, The Cross, The Holy of Holies

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How fitting that our Wednesday night study of the Old Testament Tabernacle ended just a few days before Easter. Sadly, in all my years of church attendance, I’ve read about the tabernacle, but I’ve never studied it. Now, I have such a greater understanding of the tabernacle and its contents: the court, the alter of sacrifice, the wash basin, the holy place, the lampstand, the table of the presence, the alter of incense, and the Ark of the Covenant which resided behind the holy veil – the Holy of Holies where God met personally with the high priests. 

Good Friday:  The Tabernacle, The Cross, and the Holy of Holies

On this Good Friday, everything I learned about the Old Testament Tabernacle becomes more personal for me – and for you. This is the day, the ultimate sacrifice was made on our behalf. At the moment of Jesus’ death, at God’s command, the veil of the temple (tabernacle) was torn revealing the Holy of Holies – the Ark, the mercy seat – where God dwelt and met formerly with only the high priests descended from Aaron.

At that moment, Jesus became our High Priest. 

By His blood, for those who have received Him, we can go past the outer courts, past the alter of sacrifice, past the wash basin, into the Holy Place – past the lampstand, past the Table of the Presence, past the alter of incense – and because the veil was torn, straight into the Holy of Holies. 

I wish everyone a blessed Easter weekend as we reflect on this gift.

And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. – Matthew 27:51  

Mended Hearts – Eternal Ties (Beth Moore Bible Study)

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Mended Hearts - Eternal Ties

Our Final Session in Our Bible Study Series - 

A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place

“Wow” is the best word I can think of at the moment to describe this study.  It has been one of the best Bible studies I’ve ever done.  I’ve never studied the Old Testament Tabernacle before, especially this deep.  I’ve read about it but I’ve never STUDIED it.  Through this study, I’ve learned more about the nature and heart of God than I’ve ever learned in any Bible study I’ve ever done.  The knowledge I’ve gained through this Old Testament study has clarified and solidified all I’ve ever learned and known about Jesus.  The “big picture” makes more sense to me.  This study has nurtured a yearning within me to learn more, grow more, and live more fully in the will of my God.  Please consider the following short summaries of our last lesson in A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place.  Our final lesson was titled Mended Hearts, Eternal Ties.

Day 1 of Mended Hearts, Eternal Ties:  A Peek at the Promised Land

We arrived at the place where the children of Israel were almost ready to enter the Promised Land.  They sent spies into the land to see what the people were like, how big they were, and to scope out the land.  The people were large.  Some of the spies spread negative rumors about the land.  The people were afraid and decided that they should have died back in Egypt or while they were wondering in the wilderness.  Caleb, however, said they should go up and take possession of the land.  The children of Israel were a stubborn people.  They threatened to stone Joshua and Calebto death.  God wanted to smite the Israelites with pestilence but Moses actually changed God’s mind.  However, there would still be consequences.  This generation, except for Caleb, would not enter the promised land.  Not until this entire generation died in the wilderness would God send their descendants into the Promised Land.

Even Moses, due to an episode of disobedience, would not enter the Promised Land.  God had instructed Moses to speak to a rock, but instead he struck the rock with his staff.

I’ve read about Moses so many times during my 46 years of church attendance but never before have I connected with his character.  God loved Moses.  God brought Moses to a place where he could look over and out and see the Promised Land with his eyes, though he would never step onto the soil.  Then Moses passed away and God himself buried Moses’ body.  Of all the times I’ve read this passage, I’ve never mourned Moses’ death until now.

During our time of discussion in class, one lady raised a profound question.  Moses went to the rock as God commanded and the desired result was accomplished but Moses missed out on God’s full blessing due to the fact that he struck the rock instead of speaking to it.  Here is the question that was raised and one we should ask ourselves every day.

How many times have I behaved with only partial obedience, only to miss out on God’s full blessing?

Day 2 of Mended Hearts, Eternal Ties:  Home to Jerusalem 

The Israelites enter the Promised Land.  Beth shared a newspaper passage about the authenticity of the battle for Jericho.  The article appeared in a newspaper and was not part of the religion section.  The article is of great historical value: 

The walls of Jericho did come tumbling down as recounted in the Bible according to an archaeological study.  “When we compare the archaeological evidence at Jericho with the Biblical narrative describing the Israelite destruction of Jericho, we find remarkable agreement.” said archaeologist Bryand G. Wood of the University of Toronto . . . “Scholars by and large have written off the biblical record as so much folklore and religious rhetoric,”  Wood said.  However, he said extensive ceramic remnants and a carbon-14 sample . . . support the Biblical account.  “The correlation between the archaeological evidence and the biblical narrative is substantial.” he said.  As described in Joshua 6, Joshua’s army marched around the city for a week, blowing rams’ horns, and on the seventh day combined shouting with the piercing horns, “and the walls fell down flat.” (Newspaper Quote from A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore)

Day 3 of Mended Hearts, Eternal Ties:  The True Tabernacle

Christ the Son of God, the complete embodiment of God’s Word, came to tabernacle among us.  He looked on humanity’s losing battle with sin and pitched His divine tent in the middle of the camp so that He could dwell among us.  We beheld his glory (John 1:14) ~ Beth Moore 

Day 4 of Mended Hearts, Eternal Ties:  The New Tabernacle

If we have received the gift of salvation, then the Holy Spirit dwells within us.  We are the temple.  God dwelt among the children of Israel, there just above the mercy seat, in the Tabernacle.  God still desires to dwell with His people.  This Easter, we remember the brutal death of Jesus on a cross, but he’s no longer there.  He is risen.  The price he paid on the cross was great, so great that every single person will, at some point in his or her life, receive an invitation to receive Him.  His Spirit dwells amongst us now within those who have received Him as Lord.

Day 5 of Mended Hearts, Eternal Ties:  The Intimacy of the Holy of Holies

God desires fellowship with His children.  Through Jesus, we can go to Him now, right into the Holy of Holies.  Back in the wilderness, during days of the Old Testament tabernacle, only the high priests who descended from Aaron could enter the Holy of Holies and those times were limited.  Today, if we have received Jesus, through Him we can go straight to the Holy of Holies, straight to the throne of God, to make our petitions known.  It came with a high price but oh what a gift!

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If you would like to know more about how to received Jesus as your Lord (how to be saved), read my post here which explains salvation, backed by scripture. 

The Heart of the Testimony (Beth Moore Bible Study)

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We just finished our 9th week of our Beth Moore Bible Study, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place.  It has been quiet a journey.  I’ve never studied the Tabernacle in such depth.  In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever completed a Bible study on just the Tabernacle.  God was so specific about the construction of the Tabernacle.  Every single detail was important.  This week, we took a closer look at the Ark of the Testimony and it’s contents.

The Heart of the Testimony

Day 1 of The Heart of the Testimony:  The Mercy Seat

The mercy seat was made with pure gold.  The Mercy Seat was the place where God appeared in a cloud, just above the seat.  The Mercy Seat is the place where God met with man.  Jesus is our Mercy Seat.

Day 2 of The Heart of the Testimony:  The Gardener’s Shears

A gardener’s job is to prune the branches so that the plant will bear healthy fruit.

God is our Gardener who prunes us to be the persons He created us to be.  God uses two methods to prune us:  His Word and Circumstances (Trials)

We are the staff (referring to Aaron’s rod) our great High Priest left behind to testify to His authority and authenticity in the midst of a perverse generation.  People will know us by our fruit. – Beth Moore

 Day 3 of The Heart of the Testimony:  The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are also known as The Tables of the Covenant.  God wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger.  Jesus came to fulfill the law. 

The manna, the budding staff, the Ten Commandments.  All three were preserved in the Ark – the coffin.  Only through the death of One to come would there be true bread on which to live, a great High Priest to intercede, and glorious liberty through the fulfillment of the law. – Beth Moore

Day 4 of The Heart of the Testimony:  Finished Work

The Tabernacle was complete.  The work was done.  After God inspected all the elements of the Tabernacle, he found that the Tabernacle had been built just as God commanded.  Moses blessed the children of Israel.

Day 5 of The Heart of the Testimony:  A Cross in the Desert

The Tabernacle was finished.  All the contents were properly put in place.  God then, commanded that the Tabernacle be anointed with oil.  The Dwelling Place was ready for God to meet with man. 

I recommend that you complete A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore on your own or in a group.  It is an in depth study of the Tabernacle, it’s representation in Jesus, and life applications for today.  You can get your copy here.

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This week in our Beth Moore Bible Study, we discussed the topic The Heart That Intercedes.  As a believer in Jesus, I’ve always known that He intercedes for us, but I never really thought about the truth that He lives to do so.

The Heart That Intercedes

Day 1 of The Heart That Intercedes:  We discussed the holy calling of the priesthood.  In Numbers chapter 8 and in Leviticus chapters 10, 21, and 22, we learn that God is extremely specific about the qualifications of the priesthood.  He was specific about the qualifications so that He will be sanctified among the sons of Israel.  If God’s instructions were not followed, the offender died.

"God never called us to naivete.  He called us to integrity . . . The biblical concept of integrity emphasized mature innocence, not childlike ignorance . . . Sanctification is not about long hair and abstinence.  It is about purity – purity maintained in the midst of an impure world . . . Maintaining purity in ministry is the result of nothing less than deliberate devotion.  For those really fulfilling their calling of evangelism and ministry, purity is neither easy nor accidental.  We must guard our minds and put on our armor.  A war rages out there.  And we are Satan’s favorite prisoners." – Beth Moore

Day 2 of The Heart That Intercedes:  This day’s topic was titled A Peculiar Priest.  On this day, we studied the duties of the priests.  Their job consisted of ministering in the sanctuary, teaching in the temple, offered intercession at the altar of incense, offered sacrifices for the people, and blessed the people.

Day 3 of The Heart That Intercedes:  This day’s topic was titled The Open Door.  We learned about why it was necessary for Christ to become flesh and fulfill His role as our Intercessor (High Priest).  Christ became flesh so that He would be merciful and faithful and to make propitiation for the sins of people – so He could help those who are tempted.

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. – Hebrews 2:17-18 

Day 4 of The Heart That Intercedes:  This day’s topic was titled The Right Hand of God.  Today’s lesson dove deeper into the heart of Jesus, our Intercessor.  We learned that Jesus heals us from the ravages of sin by His scourging.  He predestined us to the conformation of his image.  He is always with us.  He blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. – Ephesians 1:3 

Day 5 of The Heart That Intercedes:  This day’s lesson was titled Heaven, the Blessed Adoption Agency.  This lesson was precious because we read that we are his royal priesthood.  God made us for His own possession.  We are His adopted children.  We can personally call him “Father.”

You are not illegitimate, my beloved sister.  You have been planned and purposed.  Your Father has acknowledged you as His child.  – Beth Moore

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  – Matthew 19:14

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I highly encourage you to complete the entire Bible study, A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore.  You can get your copy here!

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This week in A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place, our topic of study was titled The Heart of a Servant.  Beth wants us to realize the meaning of a holy calling in today’s world.  Each one of us has a purpose.

The Heart of a Servant

Day 1:  The Altar of Incense

As we learned in previous lessons, the altar of incense was a square altar, over-layed with pure gold.  This golden altar was specifically for burning incense.  We learn in Psalm 141:2 that our prayers are line incense to God.

May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. – Psalm 141:2

The burning incense represents the prayers of the saints.

When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. – Revelation 5:8 

Beth teaches in this lesson that prayer to God is like sweet fragrance and prayerlessness is actually sin.

Day 2:  A Hard Lesson in Holiness

We learn in this lesson that two of Aaron’s sons entered the holy place and burned a strange fire.  This was a fire or incense that God had not commanded.  We are not offered a lot of detail about what Aaron’s sons were trying to do, but whatever their intentions were, they were not holy intentions.  As a result, they died.  We serve a righteous and holy God.  He demands holy worship.

“To worship inappropriately will not likely cause our physical deaths because we enjoy the grace of Calvary, but it can indeed cause the momentary death of communication with the Almighty.” – Beth Moore

Day 3:  The Inheritance of a Servant

The priesthood came from the tribe of Levi.  Moses and Aaron were brothers from the tribe of Levi.  God commanded that Aaron and his sons serve as priests.  The rest of the Levites were servants to God.  The Levites did as God commanded so God bestowed a blessing on them.

Day 4:  The Gift of Support

In this lesson, Beth teaches us about the gift of support in ministry.  God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt.  God called Aaron to serve as a helper to Moses and to serve as priest.  God called the Levites to minister as servants to Aaron and his sons who were also priests.  God called the Israelites to support the priests and the Levites.

Day 5:  The Garments of the Priests

The purpose of this lesson was to teach us what the priests garments were made of and what they looked like.  We learned the meanings of the garment pieces.  We learned that God is in the details.  Just like he had a purpose of the details of those garments, he has a purpose for the details of our lives today.

If you would like to complete the entire Bible study, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place, you can get your copy here.  Beth goes into so much more detail.  I highly recommend this study.

Read all posts in this series here.

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Whew!  This week has been busy!  I failed to summarize each Bible study for this week day-by-day, so I’m going to summarize the entire week.  This past week in A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore, we studied the topic of Hearts in Fellowship. Each day’s topic reflected the different ways God encouraged hearts in fellowship with Him.

Hearts in Fellowship

Day One:  The Holy Place

We studied the tabernacle proper, the holy place, and the holy of holies.  Only priests were allowed to enter the holy place.  To apply this scripture passage to our lives today, we are reminded that if we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we have the privilege of entering the holy place in prayer.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. – 1 Peter 2:9

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood  ^_ and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. – Revelation 1:5-6

On this day of the study of the tabernacle holy place, Beth led us through the study of the fine linen ceiling, with cherubim woven in.

Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. -Psalm 61:4

Let me quote a powerful passage from this day’s study:

How perfectly Christ portrays the nurturing wings of El Shaddai, the Caregiver.  God’s wings covered His children with safety, security, joy, and affection.  In His perfect parenting, God is both paternal and maternal, both the loving disciplinarian and the nurturing protector who covers His children with His life.” – Beth Moore

He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. – Psalm 91:4  

 Day Two:  The Golden Lampstand

The lampstand was the only source of light in the tabernacle.  It was made of pure gold and its design emulated almond blossoms.  It had one middle shaft and three branches on each side.  The branches symbolized fear, knowledge, might, the Spirit of the Lord, counsel, understanding, and wisdom.

Day Three:  Filling the Lamps

You are the light of the world. – Matthew 5:14

The lamps were fueled with olive oil.  God commanded that the lampstand burn continuously.

If we have Jesus in our hearts and if He is our Lord and Savior, then we are a light to the world, much like the lampstand illuminated the holy place of the tabernacle.  Our light is to burn continuously.

We are the heavenly lampstands of this age to show Jesus to a dark world. – Beth Moore

How often we wear ourselves out by praying for more patience, faith, joy, or peace.  All of these are the supernatural response of a Spirit-filled believer!  A more appropriate prayer is “Lord, purify me and make me a fit vessel for Your presence.  Then, fill me to overflowing with Your precious Holy Spirit.”  The fruit will supernaturally and automatically be produced. – Beth Moore

One of the things that stood out to me most on this day as far as applying this study to my life was at the bottom of page 104 of this study:

Hear Him whisper those same words to you every morning when you open your eyes:  “Today, My precious child, let there be light.”  And at the end of the day, when He tucks you tenderly into your bed, may He delight to say, “There was light.” – Beth Moore

Day 4:  A Table Set Before Him

In the tabernacle, opposite the lampstand, was a table.  The table was made of acacia wood.  On the table was placed dishes, pans, jars, and bowls.  Also on the table was placed the Bread of the Presence.  The Bread of the Presence was to be on the table all the time.  The table was a place of communion and fellowship.

Day 5:  The Bread of the Presence

The Bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world. – John 6:33

The Bread of the Presence that was to be placed on the table inside the tabernacle holy place was made with 2 tenths of an ephah of flour.  When God provided manna for the Israelites, they were to take an omer daily.  An omer was one tenth of an ephah.  On the sabbath, they were to take twice as much which was 2 tenths of an ephah.  According to God’s command, the Bread of the Presence was to be replaced with fresh loaves every Sabbath day.  God is consistent.

If you would like to complete this entire study in depth, you can get your copy here.  I highly recommend that you go through it.  In order to protect Beth Moore’s copyright and protect her ministry, I only summarize and highlight key points.  Her studies are much more in-depth.

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 The Altar of Sacrifice: A Closer Look

In today’s lesson in A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore, we took a closer look at the altar of sacrifice.  In ancient times, when a person entered the tabernacle court, the first thing they saw was the altar of sacrifice.  The altar was a place where God dwelt with the children of Israel.

It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory. I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Me. I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. They shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God. – Exodus 29:42-46

In this study, Beth wanted us to realize 4 points about the altar of sacrifice.

1. The altar of sacrifice was a place of awe.
2. The altar was a place of relief.
3. The altar was a place of refuge
4. The altar was a place of joy.

This has been one of the most in-depth studies I’ve ever done on an Old Testament topic.  I’ve never studied the tabernacle more closely.  Beth Moore is a talented Bible teacher.  If you would like to go through the entire study, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place, you can get your own copy here.

Beth has also authored many more devotionals and Bible Studies.  I look forward to going through another one as soon as we finish this one.

Read all posts in this series here.

 

Contentment in God's Calling (Bible Study by Beth Moore)

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Contentment in God's Calling

Today in A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place, we studied the subject of contentment in God’s calling.  The scripture reference is in the book of Numbers.  In Numbers chapter 4, God warned the Kohathites who were descended from the tribe of Levi, that they were not to go in to see the holy objects in the tabernacle.  After moving on to Numbers chapter 16, we learn that the Kohathites rebelled against Moses.  They thought Moses and Aaron were exalting themselves above everyone else.  The Kohathites argued that all the congregation was holy and that God was in the midst of all of them.  The Kohathites wanted to enter the tabernacle’s holy place.  They resented that they were not allowed. The Kohathites had not experienced contentment in God’s calling.

Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action, ² and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

When Moses heard this, he fell on his face; and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, “Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; even the one whom He will choose, He will bring near to Himself. ⁶ Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company, and put fire in them, and lay incense upon them in the presence of the Lord tomorrow; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi!”

Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi, is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also? Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord; but as for Aaron, who is he that you grumble against him?”

Then Moses sent a summons to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come up. Is it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us? Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!”

Then Moses became very angry and said to the Lord, “Do not regard their offering! I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I done harm to any of them.”Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company be present before the Lord tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. Each of you take his firepan and put incense on  it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan.”So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.” But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

 Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.” So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. Moses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the Lord.”

As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

God had a specific plan for Moses and Aaron.  He had a specific plan for each of the 12 tribes of Israel.  He had a specific plan and purpose for the Kohathites.  When the Kohathites questioned God’s calling for them, He destroyed them.

God had a specific plan for Moses and Aaron.  He had a specific plan for each of the 12 tribes of Israel.  He had a specific plan and purpose for the Kohathites.  When the Kohathites questioned God’s calling for them, He destroyed them.

If you would like to complete the entire Beth Moore Bible study, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place, you can get your copy here.

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Washing Hands and Feet (Study of the Tabernacle)

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 Washing Hands and Feet

In today’s lesson in A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore, we studied the significance of washing hands and feet before entering the tabernacle.  Inside the tabernacle court, between the altar of sacrifice and the tabernacle, was a bronze basin for washing hands and feet.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they will not die; and it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.” – Exodus 30:17-21

 God’s demanded cleanliness upon entering the tent of meeting.  The basin was made from mirrors.  Beth suggests that the women offered the mirrors as something that represented vanity.  It was an expression of dying to self.  This contributes to a beautiful picture of true repentance.  The washing of hands and feet cleansed the body, but God is also delighted by a clean heart.

Godly repentance is always accompanied by godly sorrow . . . we must begin by asking Him to give us godly sorrow for our sin so that we can know true repentance, which guarantees forgiveness. – Beth Moore, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place.

Beth Moore is a gifted Bible study teacher.  She goes into so much more detail in her Bible studies.  I recommend that you complete the entire Bible study, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place.  You can get your copy here.

Read all posts in this series here.

The leader kit which includes the videos is available here.

This item is available here.

 

Different Kinds of Offerings (Bible Study by Beth Moore)

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Today, in A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore, we studied the different kinds of offerings.  We have learned that God was very specific about how the tabernacle would be constructed.  He was also very specific about the different kinds of offerings that would right the relationship between God and the Israelites.

Different Kinds of Offerings

There were five different kinds of offerings for the tabernacle altar of sacrifice.

1. The Burnt Offering:  The burnt offering was offered in the morning and evening, on the Sabbath, and special days.
2. The Grain Offering:  The grain offering was the only offering that did not involve the shedding of blood.
3. The Peace Offering:  The peace offering was similar to the burnt offering, except that only certain organs would be burned.  Then, the priests would be given the breast and right thigh.  The giver of the offering would keep some meat for a meal in celebration of thanks.
4. The Sin Offering:  The sin offering was offered to make atonement for sin that had been committed.
5. The Guilt Offering:  The guild offering was so similar to the sin offering that it is difficult to know the difference.  Beth teaches that the main difference is that the guilt offering involves restitution.  In addition of the offering on the altar of sacrifice, the giver of the offering would also offer something to the person he offended to make restitution for the wrong done to him.

I am so thankful we no longer must sacrifice by shedding of blood today.

God’s purpose was clearly stated in living, crimson color:  an innocent victim lost its life because of the sin of its killer.  God desired that humans comprehend to some degree what price would later be paid on a wooden altar mounted at Golgotha. – Beth Moore, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place

Beth goes into greater detail about the different kinds of offerings in her complete Bible study.  I recommend you complete the entire study either by yourself or with a group.  You can get your copy here.

Read all posts in this series here.

You can get the leader's kit which contains the videos here.

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The Alter of the Tabernacle (Bible Study by Beth Moore)

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 The Alter of the Tabernacle

Today, in our Beth Moore Bible study, A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place, we are studying the Altar of Sacrifice.  If we were entering the tabernacle court through the eastern gate, the first thing we would see is the altar of sacrifice.  It was made of acacia wood.  Acacia wood was well know for its resistance to decay.  It is also said to have born heavy, sharp thorns.  Sound familiar?  Jesus, our supreme sacrifice also bore heavy, sharp thorns as He was beaten and traveled the road to Golgotha.

To understand the significance of the altar, Beth directs us to the book of Matthew.

You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? – Matthew 23:19

I never thought of the altar as being more important that the offering, but we learn in the scriptures that the altar is more important than the offering itself because the altar sanctifies the offering.  Thus the altar had to be built as God commanded.  We learn in Leviticus that God was pleased with the altar.

So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the Lord. Moses said, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” – Leviticus 9:5-6

Beth then directs us to the importance of obedience.

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. – John 15:10-11

“Our obedience does not make God bigger or better than He already is.  His essence is unchanged by our obedience or lack of it.  Anything God commands of us is so that our joy may be full – the joy of seeing His glory revealed to us and in us!  Two major reasons for obedience are that we may become targets of blessing and that He may have the pleasure of bestowing it.” – Beth Moore

A Woman’s Heart:  God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore is overflowing with knowledge and wisdom.  What I share with you here is just a brief summary of the things I learn and the things that stand out to me.  If you would like to complete this study on your own or with a group, you can get your copy here.

Read all posts in this series here.

The leader's kit which contains materials for a group Bible Study including the videos is available here.

This item is available here.

 

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This week in our Beth Moore Bible study, we are looking at approaching the alter as we study the topic of constructing the tabernacle.  We will be studying the construction of the tabernacle, the altar of sacrifice, acceptable offerings, clean hands and pure hearts, and contentment in the calling.

Constructing the Tabernacle

As we cover the topic of constructing the tabernacle, we learn that the first piece of furniture God instructed Moses to make was the Ark of the Covenant.  We learned that the tabernacle court was 100 cubits long on the North and South walls.  It was 50 cubits long on the East and West walls.  The entrance was at the eastern gate.  We briefly compared the tabernacle court with The Garden of Eden which also had an eastern entrance.

Beth teaches us that in the Hebrew translation of these scriptures, God refers to the court as a camp, a camp much like that of a military camp.  The Israelites were the army of God and God, their Commander-in-Chief.  What comes to mind at this point?  For me, the term “Spiritual Warfare.”  The children of Israel were most definitely in a position to experience spiritual warfare then.  We are certainly in a position to experience spiritual warfare in our lives today.  The flesh is our enemy.  The mind is our battlefield.  Where is the safest place to be in battle?  Close to the commander.

Since the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you. – Deuteronomy 23:14

If we choose to “camp” and walk with God, he will walk in our midst, deliver us, and defeat our enemies. 

The weapons of your warfare are mighty as long as you camp beside your Commander. – Beth Moore

If you would like to complete the entire Bible study, A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place, you can get your copy here.  I highly recommend you complete this study.  It is a powerful study.  I’ve never before studied the Old Testament Exodus, the wondering in the wilderness, and the significance of the tabernacle until this study.

Read all posts in this series here.

If you need the leader's kit, you can get that here.

This item is available here.