Uncovering Your True Identity In Christ – A Visual Study Of The Tabernacle’s Golden Boards

First Service of 27 January 2008 preached by Pastor Joseph Prince (typed) – The Golden Boards of the Tabernacle

2 Cr 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men

2 Cr 3:3     [Forasmuch as ye are] manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

People do not read the bible, they read us – the living – epistles.

Goel – Kinsmen redeemer. The Cross is the love of God paying ransom to the justice or righteousness of God.

Everything about us is Glorious

Ps 29:9 (NASB)  The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

2 Cr 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Outside the camp of Israel, the gentiles only saw the linen of the Tabernacle. That is how the people of the world see us – Holy – until you open your mouth. Therefore be careful. If somebody attacks you, do not retaliate. Simply say that the Lord is my defence.

Some promises of GOD are clear cut  e.g. healing – but not everybody gets a pay rise. Lesson: Some failures are closes doors of the Lord as God wants to perfect you. The disappointment sometimes are God’s appointments.

The Cross shape of the Camp of Israel

When encamped, the tabernacle is in the centre and Judah being the largest tribe, stretches the eastern side of the encampment longer. Therefore forming a cross shape when viewed from a bird’s eye view aerial perspective.

That is why Balaam when he tried to curse Israel, he could not. Because of the Cross shape. [Num 22 and 23]

Golden Pillars on Silver Sockets

1 wooden board encased in Gold standing on 1 silver socket worth USD1,000. 1 wooden pillar is worth USD1. In modern architecture, you don’t bury the most expensive part of the building. But this was the case, when silver socket – the foundation of the pillar – is buried. This is another proof that Bible is Truth and not put together fraudulently!

Wood is shittim word or acacia – found in very dusty environments. Dust is the devil’s food. The World makes Christians ‘dusty’.  Yet we the are on foundations of silver – typical of Redemption.  Half shekel collected to built silver sockets. (Exo 30:13)

Exodus 26

1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning ^F79 work shalt thou make them. 2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent ^F80 together, that it may be one. 12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. 14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.

15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. 17 Two tenons ^F81 shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: 21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 24 And they shall be coupled ^F82 together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. 28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. 34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. 36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. 37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

GOLD is the emblem of divine righteousness.

First the natural, then the spiritual. That is why gold, the metal, sees its price continue to spike upwards. Soon Christ Righteousness will be re-emphasised in this age.

2 Cr 5:21    For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The gold bar / staff goes throgh all the boards and binds them together. Jesus in us unites us all in one body.

We as Christians should love one another and see the Gold and not the Wood.

5 golden bars that connect one board with other boards. You can see only 4 bars outside. One is hidden. That is a type of Christ.

LARGENESS OF HEART

1Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that [is] on the sea shore.

Why? GOD gave Solomon largeness of heart so that he would not abuse his wisdom. We too should desire this lest we call others ’stupid’ when they cannot acknowledge Jesus as Lord or if they cannot see the reality of a situation.

WHAT you do with GOD’s Son

What you do with God’s son, God does to you. Favour Jesus and He favours you.

Everyone wants Jesus as their hero whether they declare it openly or not. That is why the hero worship individuals. They see something in that individual that reminds them of Jesus, whether consciously or sub-consciously.

CHILD REARING

Happy parents teach children best and most effectively.  Children learn best not from what they hear from you but what they see.

Children learn best by means of joy or in a state of joy. Children learn least through law or regulations.

THE ENVELOPE

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.  [NIV 2 Cr 3:3]

A postman deliver envelopes not letters.

Why is letter put in envelope?

- To keep it clean

- To keep it hidden

- So that it reaches its final destination (address is on envelope)

Jesus Christ is our envelope.

HE keeps us clean and hidden from the World and makes sure we reach our destination.

GOOD MARRIAGE

In a good marriage, it is always changing and new mysteries.

OVERALL LESSON: WE ARE STANDING ON CHRIST (Silver sockets), OVERLAID IN CHRIST (Gold) and In Christ (Gold bar).

Do not care what World thinks. They only see the badger skin of the Tabernacle. Whereas we the boards in the Tabernacle reflect the Ark. Jesus sees us in GOLD.

Sometimes, we see Wood because we focus on the timber in our eyes. If this happens, we reflect the worst of the world – distrust, jealousy etc.

Don’t look outside. The world is dessert and cannot reflect anything!

The Ark is within! The golden boards reflect the Ark! Behold the Gold of the Ark as they are encased in Gold (reflective material) , we reflect Him!

2 Cr 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We must be in the same room to reflect Jesus. That is why boards in Holy of Holies where Ark is. Therefore spend time in Jesus presence.