Free to Roam

In the beginning, God created the Earth.

In the beginning, the earth had two parts: Eden and the rest of the planet.

In the beginning, in the place called Eden, God planted a garden.

So, in the beginning, the geography of the earth had 3 parts, the garden, Eden, and the rest of the the planet.

In the beginning, man was placed into the garden and was free to roam about the garden. In the beginning he was free to leave the garden and roam the rest of Eden. In the beginning, he could roam past the border of Eden and roam about the rest of the planet.

In the beginning, when man met with God, he went into the garden, the only recorded place we have, where God and man met. I venture to say that the most intimate relationship ever between man and God, was in the garden. I venture to say that the most intimate fellowship ever between man and God, was in the garden. Before sin there was no separation.

Sin changed everything. Man was no longer free to roam about the garden. Man was ejected from the garden and was prevented from ever going back in by a flipping flaming sword and Cherubim that were placed in the East of the garden, toward the rising of the sun. He could not enter the garden, where he used to meet with God. The intimate relationship was lost. The intimate fellowship was lost. In fact Adam lived to be 930 years old...and we do not have recorded any further dialog between Adam and God.

Like the geography of the earth in the beginning, the tabernacle had three areas: the court, the holy place and the 'holiest of holiest'. Like the garden, God dwelt in the Holiest of Holiest. After the sin of Adam, Cherubim separated man from God in the garden. Cherubim separated man from God in the tabernacle. Cherubim (no mention of flaming sword) were embroidered on the veil that separated the holiest of holiest from the the holy place. Like the garden, the Cherubim on veil faced east, toward the rising of the sun. Man, no longer free to roam into the presence of God, could only enter on God's terms; one man, of God's choosing, once a year, not without blood. Cherubim on the veil served as a reminder to the priests of God's judgement in the original sin.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom... Matt 27:50-1

The veil was rent. No more reminder of God's judgement of the original sin. No more Cherubim separating man from God. Because of the death of Jesus, we can, once again, have an intimate relationship with God. We can, once again, have intimate fellowship with God.

We are free to roam.

I am the door: if any one enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture.

Da Lamb

When one opens the Old Testament and start reading, the first mention of the word lamb is in reference to a 'burnt offering'. The second mention (in the same dialog) is a prophetic statement about the Lord Jesus Christ:

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here [am] I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where [is] the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. Gen. 22:7-8 KJV

When one opens the door of the tabernacle and enters, the first time one would see a lamb is by the time he got to the altar of burnt offering, the first piece of furniture.

And this is what thou shalt offer upon the altar -- two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer between the two evenings. And with the one lamb a tenth part of wheaten flour mingled with beaten oil, a fourth part of a hin; and a drink-offering, a fourth part of a hin of wine. nd the second lamb shalt thou offer between the two evenings; as the oblation in the morning, and as its drink-offering shalt thou offer with this, for a sweet odour, an offering by fire to Jehovah. It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before Jehovah, where I will meet with you, to speak there with thee. Exodus 29:38-42

Lamb was also use for the trespass offering, the sin offering and the peace offering. In each of these offerings, the lamb provided atonement for sins.

When one opens the New Testament and start reading, the first mention of the word lamb is the fulfilment of the prophecy in Genesis 22 as well as the anti-type of each and every lamb that was ever offered as a burnt, peace, sin, or trespass offering:

On the morrow he sees Jesus coming to him, and says, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. John 1:36

The lamb in the offerings covered sin, with the sacrifice of Jesus, sins are actually taken away.

And every priest stands daily ministering, and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But he, having offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down in perpetuity at [the] right hand of God, waiting from henceforth until his enemies be set [for the] footstool of his feet. For by one offering he has perfected in perpetuity the sanctified. Heb. 10:11-14

The Calf Offering

The calf offering?

If you look through the list of animals that could be offered for a sin offering, you won't find a calf. In fact, if you look through the instructions for each of the other blood offerings (burnt, peace, sin and trespass) you will not find a calf list amongst the animals to be offered. Nothing. Nadda. There were absolutely no provisions in any of the offerings for a calf.

In Leviticus 8 and 9 there is the consecration of the first priests of Israel. As part of their consecration ritual, they were to be separated from the people and not leave the tabernacle for seven days. On the eighth day, the high priest had to take a young calf for a sin-offering...and present it before the Lord (along with a ram for a burnt offering). This is the only time a calf was to be used for a blood offering, specifically, a sin offering.

Well, the high priest was Aaron. The same Aaron, that while Moses was on the mountain seeing the pattern and getting the instructions for the tabernacle, took up a collection of gold and built the golden calf. The same Aaron that called the golden calf Jehovah and led worship of it. The same Aaron that, when confronted by Moses, excused by saying "I don't know what happened! The people threw their gold into the fire and poof! Out popped a golden calf! Don't really know how it happened, it just did!" The same Aaron that, after watching Moses ground up the golden calf into dust and contaminate their drinking water supply, probably drank the water.

Maybe God required the calf for an offering this one time, just to bring to mind Aaron's sin. The sin had to be atoned before Aaron could serve. I almost find it amusing that after all Aaron's sin with the golden calf, that God would have him slaughter a calf to cover (or atone for) is sin.

I am sure that it was also a stark reminder to Aaron how he failed to keep the first commandments:

I am Jehovah thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make thyself any graven image, or any form of what is in the heavens above, or what is in the earth beneath, or what is in the waters under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, Jehovah thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons to the third and to the fourth [generation] of them that hate me, and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not idly utter the name of Jehovah thy God; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that idly uttereth his name.

Aaron was selected to serve as Jehovah's one and only high priest. But before he could take his position, Aaron had to deal with his sin. This was part of God's sanctification process.

Has God put anything to your mind lately?

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us [our] sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

If God has brought a sin to mind, confess it so God can use you in His service.

Afar Off

The children of Israel shall encamp every one by his standard, with the ensign of their father's house; round about the tent of meeting, afar off, opposite to it shall they encamp. Number 2:2

When the ancient Israelites pitched their tent in the wilderness, they were in groups according to family or tribe. Each had their place. But according to this verse, they could not pitch the tent anywhere near the tabernacle (or the tent of meeting). The Levites and the priest, who had to serve in the tabernacle, were permitted to pitch tents closer.

The only reason for a non-Levite/priest to come to the tabernacle was with an offering. Since his tent was pitched afar off, the offerer had to travel with his offering (or gift) to the entrance of the tabernacle. In plain sight. In the sight of everyone.

Offerings were brought for several reasons including:

• for a known sin: trespass offering
• for a sin that was not known, but brought to light later: sin offering
• for thanksgiving
• for a vow
• for praising Jehovah
• for fellowship
• and there was the offering just to please Jehovah, the continual burnt offering (as far as I can tell, there was no other reason for this offering).

The sinner had to come from afar off. I suppose that some that were more conscience of the power of the Most Holy and their own unworthiness, probably made more frequent trips.

They could approach Jehovah, but since Jehovah dwelt in the Holiest of Holiest, the offerer could not really get too close. He had no business going any further than the altar of burnt offering. There was nothing for him beyond that point.

Just like the ancient Israelite, we approach Jehovah. We approach Him in prayer. The offerer had to enter the tabernacle gate. When we enter into prayer, we are told to enter into thy chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, shutting ourselves in separated from the cares of this world . The ancient Israelite had no reason to come without a gift, an offering. We have no reason to bring an offering. We come to God in prayer empty-handed. Each and every offering brought to the tabernacle (or later, temple) and offered on the altar of burnt offering (for whatever reason) was merely a foreshadowing looking forward to a day when Jesus Christ was to be made the offering for us. The author of the book of Hebrews spent a lot of ink to demonstrate this.

This reminds me of the parable of the lost son (you may call him a prodigal if you like). After the son spent and lost everything, he came to his father empty-handed and his father spotted him while he was yet afar off.

And he rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses. Luke 15:2

So, when you have to confess sin, give thanks, vow a vow, offer praise, desire fellowship or just want to please God, come empty-handed in prayer. Shut the door behind you. Pray to the Father who is in secret. See if He is not moved with compassion.

And remember why your hands are empty.