Jesus and the Color Purple

Commentators say that the color purple in the Bible signifies royalty. If you do a search on the word purple in the Bible you will see that the first references are regarding, yes, the tabernacle. Purple was one of the colors of the entrance, the veil, and the tabernacle (proper). It is interesting to note that purple was always mentioned between blue and scarlet, and purple is the color you get if you mix blue and scarlet.

When the Israelite camp was on the move, God gave directions regarding the altar of burnt offering. Aaron was to clean it of ashes and cover it with a purple cloth (Numbers 4:13). Once covered, it was the Kohathites' duty to carry the altar of burnt offering using staves. So when it was on the move one only saw the royal covering (and the four guys carrying it). When camp was established, then the purple covering is removed and the activity of slaughtering and burning burnt offerings resumed. The purple was removed before the offering of sacrifices could start.

Jesus, crowned with thorns, was clothed in purple (in a mocking sort of way but it was still purple (Mark 15:17)). And the purple was taken off when He was led away to be crucified (Mark 15:20). The purple was removed before He offered Himself as the sacrifice that was the fulfillment of every burnt, meat, peace, sin and trespass offerings ever made.

Isn't this what Jesus did figuratively? He was clothed, as it were, in royalty in heaven. He removed His royal robes, laid them aside to take on the form of a man, to walk among His creatures. With His royal garments removed, He took on the form of a bondman (or servant) to do the will of His Father, even if it meant sacrificing Himself on the cross...for you and for me!

For let this mind be in you which [was] also in Christ Jesus; who, subsisting in the form of God, did not esteem it an object of rapine to be on an equality with God; but emptied himself, taking a bondman's form, taking his place in [the] likeness of men; but emptied himself, taking a bondman's form, taking his place in [the] likeness of men; and having been found in figure as a man, humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and [that the] death of [the] cross. Phl 2:5-8

I like how Charles Wesley put it in that great hymn Amazing Love (or And Can it be? depending on your hymnal) -

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

The Movable Corner Stone

And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear; and they shall be joined beneath, and together shall be united at the top thereof to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. And there shall be eight boards, and their bases, of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one board, and two bases under another board. Exodus 26:23-4

God gave instructions regarding the corners of the tabernacle. The corners are where the boards on the western part of the sanctuary met the boards on the North and South. These corners are the corners of the Holiest of Holiest opposite the veil. The two boards seem to reinforce the corners, but it is not specified where exactly they are to be placed or how exactly they are to be attached. I like what James Strong says. He says that the extra 2 boards on the corner are attached to the boards on the west in such a way they overlap the end boards on the outside. This way, the corners inside the Holiest of Holiest maintain square and the inside of the Holiest of Holiest remains a cube.

One of the thing I like about the Darby Bible is that it is printed in paragraph format with the verse numbers in the margin. Yes, it makes sword drills more of a challenge, but I do not have the distraction of verse breaks. I am easily distracted.

Another thing I like about the Darby Bible is his annotations. Like this one that I stumbled across while considering the corners of the tabernacle in 1 Sam 14:38. And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the heads[10] of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been this day. The footnote for this verse says: Lit. 'corners,' 'corner-stones,' as Judges 20:2

And the heads of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the congregation of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. Judges 20:2

I have always thought of a corner stone as being stationary, a corner of a foundation laid, unmovable. But, according to these verses, the corners were all the heads of the people and footmen that drew sword.

This sheds a little different light on Jesus' statement after the parable of the vineyard. ... What then is this that is written, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone? Every one falling on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. Luke 20:17-18

And, of course, Peter links this directly to Jesus:

To whom coming, a living stone, cast away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious, yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame. To you therefore who believe [is] the preciousness; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders cast away as worthless, this is become head of [the] corner, and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; [who] stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed. But ye [are] a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light; who once [were] not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy. 1 Peter 2:4-10

Christ is our Cornerstone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints alone
The courts of heaven are filled;
On His great love our hopes we place
Of present grace and joys above. -- Un­known au­thor

I'm Board....

Puerto Rico is an island of micro-climates. Driving from San Juan (PR's largest city, on the northern shore) to Ponce (PR's second largest city, a bit west on the southern shore) you pass though mountains lush and green. Rise up through a cloud layer and then back down. More often than not, you would drive through a torrential down pour somewhere between the northern and southern shores. When you get to the southern portion of the island, the lush green mountains fade into flat drab dessert. The vegetation appears to be stressed and you see lots of bare ground, cacti and acacia trees. This southern part of the island is a dessert that gets less than 3 inches of rain per year. If you turn north at Ponce and drive 20 minutes to Ajuntas coffee growing mountains it rains every day, especially during the wet season. All this without mentioning the rain forest or the dry forest, which are only 20 minutes apart.

The acacia trees in dessert area of Puerto Rico are short, stubby and spiny. Acacia was the type of wood used throughout the tabernacle. The altar of burnt offering was made of acacia wood and plated with copper. The ark, the table, the altar of incense, and the boards of the tabernacle were made of acacia wood and plated with gold. In a previous post I suggested that the boards in the tabernacle were a type of believer...made of wood, but when people see us, they should see Christ (gold). I also mentioned that each board stood upright on two sockets of silver that represent the ransom paid by Jesus.

No one knows exactly what these boards actually were. Some believe that the boards were solid. Others think they were hollowed out boards. While others believe that they were not boards at all, but wooden frames or lattices. We do know that two of the three dimensions of the boards are given: each board was a cubit and a half wide and ten cubits long (Ex. 26:13). No thickness specified.

So, how do you get a 17 foot long board (about 10 cubits) 30 inches (about 1 1/2 cubits) wide from end to end, from a short, stubby, spiny tree? In order to cut a board of that size, one would have start with a bigger piece and cut it to the correct size. Maybe acacia trees are bigger in that area of the globe. Maybe they grew much larger 3,000 years ago. I don't know. I asked a carpenter friend of mine how do you get a large wide board from a short narrow tree, he said that they would notch smaller boards and peg them together until they got the desire length and width. When finished, the sides would be smooth and you can get many boards the same size. To sum it up, to get about 45 solid boards/ hollow boards/ lattice or frames, it takes work, a lot of work.

Before the tree is cut down, it is rooted and grounded in the ground. When cut, it is separated from its roots. It either needs to be cut down to size, or built up to size. Then each were plated with gold. Fitted and framed together by poles, made from acacia wood overlaid with gold. How is a board like a believer?

Before believers believe, they are rooted and grounded in the the world. When we believe, were a cut off and separated from the world (in the world not of the world) . Then God has to work with us to perfect us (or make us complete), either cutting and grinding away the excess or piecing together, building up. We call this process sanctification. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Standing upright with both feet resting on the redemptive work of Christ, no longer grounded and rooted in the world, but grounded and rooted in love (Eph. 3:17).

How's the process going? Still rooted in the world? Are you letting the Master Carpenter hack and shape you? Are you resting solely on the redemptive work of Christ? Are you fitted together with fellow believers? Are you board? Are you standing? Or teetering, about to fall?

Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. -- Prov. 16:18


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Where Are You Walking?

So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he did eat continually at the king's table. And he was lame on both his feet. - 2 Sam. 9:13

In 2 Sam. chapter 9, we are provided one of the greatest pictures of grace in the Old Testament. David the king, seeks out Mephibosheth, who was lame on both his feet. He wasn't born that way, when Mephibosheth was 5 years old, King Saul, Mephibosheth's grandfather, was killed in battle. Jonathan, Mephibosheth's dad, next in line for the throne, was killed in the same battle. When news of the deaths got to Mephibosheth's nurse's ears, she feared for Mephibosheth's life, since the boy was next in line for the throne (and in those days they liked to totally wipe out the king's entire family), she did what any good nurse would do, she picked up a 5 year old Mephibosheth and ran. Have you ever tried to run carrying a 5 year old boy? Yeah, she had a hard time and dropped him. And that is how Mephibosheth became lame on both his feet (2 Sam 4:4).

Fast forward. David has been king for a couple decades and Mephibosheth is old enough to have a children. Mephibosheth apparently has been in hiding this whole time. King David sought Mephibosheth out and showed kindness to him. Mephibosheth realizes his own unworthiness and David gives him a place at the king's table and he did eat continually at the king's table. Mephibosheth was provided a place at the table based on some pact David made decades earlier with Jonathan, Mephibosheth's dad, probably before Mephibosheth was born. There was nothing Mephibosheth could have done to earn a place at the king's table. He was lame. Thus, grace.

Did you know that the first mention of the word table in the Bible is in reference to the tabernacle? The table of shewbread (or table of presence or table of face) held twelve loaves of bread, each one represented a tribe of Israel. On each Sabbath, the priest would replace the existing loaves with freshly baked ones. The old loaves they were to be eaten by the priest before the Lord. Unlike Mephibosheth, who could not stand on his own, the priests had to eat standing up. There were no chairs in the tabernacle, no place to sit.

Tables are for fellowship. Who do you have fellowship with? If you think about it, you have fellowship with those that you have something in common with. The priest that ate the shewbread in the presence of the Lord were all blood related--Aaron and his sons. They entered the Holy Place and walked to the table to place the bread on it. They walked to break and pass the bread. And, if they were anything like me, they walked around while eating the bread. They were having fellowship with each other and with God, since they were to eat before the Lord.

Opposite the table of shewbread stood the golden lamp-stand. The golden lamp-stand provided light in the Holy Place. So the priest, who typified the believer, had fellowship with other priest (other believers) and with God while walking in the light.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another... 1 John 1:3-7

Mephibosheth had fellowship with King David at the king's table. The priests in the wilderness had fellowship with other priest and with God at the table of shewbread, while walking in the light. We have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and with fellow believers, as long as we are walking in the light. Where are you walking?

While we walk with God in light,
God our hearts doth still unite;
Dearest fellowship we prove,
Fellowship in Jesus’ love.-- Charles Wesley

Feet Defiled

And during supper... [Jesus,] ... pours water into the washhand basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the linen towel with which he was girded. He comes therefore to Simon Peter; and *he* says to him, Lord, dost thou wash *my* feet? Jesus answered and said to him, What I do thou dost not know now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter says to him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, Unless I wash thee, thou hast not part with me. Simon Peter says to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus says to him, He that is washed all over needs not to wash save his feet, but is wholly clean... John 13:2-10

Peter apparently took a bath (or shower) so he was already washed all over. His feet, however, were dirty. They wore open toe sandals. He walked on dirt. The dirt dust defiled his feet. His feet were dirty, but he was clean.

And this is the thing which thou shalt do to them to hallow them, that they may serve me as priests:...Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring near the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shalt bathe them with water. -- Ex. 29:1,4

Aaron and his sons, the first high priest and the first priests, had to be bathed as a part of their consecration ritual after they were selected by God but before they were to serve. At the door of the tabernacle, Moses bathed Aaron and his four sons. They were wholly clean one time.

Thou shalt also make a laver of copper, and its stand of copper, for washing; and thou shalt put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water in it. And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet out of it. When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they may not die; or when they come near to the altar to serve, to burn an offering by fire to Jehovah. And they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they may not die... Ex. 20:18-20

Once in service, the priests had to wash their feet that they may not die. While performing the duties of the priesthood, their feet got dirty. They wore open toe sandals. The tabernacle had no floor. The tabernacle had no chair. They walked on dirt. The dirt dust defiled their feet. Their feet were dirty, but they were wholly clean.

We believers, are now priest (1 Pet. 2:9, Rev. 1:6)

as priest, we are wholly clean: the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Since we are still walking in the world, we sin. Our feet get defiled by walking on the dirt of this world: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8

Like the ancient Israel priest, we need to wash our defiled feet. We need to wash frequently. How do we get cleansed? By confessing. 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. 1 John 1:9-10

Clean Peter needed his feet washed...the consecrated priests needed their feet washed, often...the forgiven believer needs to confess sins, as often as he sins, which is often...

What is it?

And the children of Israel saw [it], and said one to another, What is it? for they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which Jehovah has given you to eat. Ex. 16:15

When they first saw it they did not know what it was but we are told that it was like coriander seed and taste like wafers made with honey...and honey is sweet. Ex. 16:31

For five days a week, they were to gather a certain amount each morning, but if they wanted more, they were free to gather and consume more. Or, if they wanted less, they were free to gather and consume less (Ex. 16:18) and on the sixth day, they were to gather a double portion.

In John chapter 6 Jesus tells us that the manna symbolized Himself. The day after He fed bread to the five thousand, Jesus explains the sign of the manna that was given from heaven. The manna was a type of Christ. Let's consider: Jesus is sweet. The best time to gather and consume Christ is in the morning. If you want to gather and consume more of Him, you are free to. And, conversely, if you want less, you are free to gather and consume less. Just like the wilderness wanderers, you are free to take as much or as little of the sweet stuff as you desire.

Some manna was put away and kept for future generations (Ex. 16:33). A typical person's day's portion was to be place into a golden pot. That golden pot was to be put into the ark of the testimony (which was a gold-plated wooden box). The ark of the testimony was to be covered with a slab of gold (the mercy seat). The ark was to be place in the holiest of holiest (that, incidentally, had gold-plated wooden walls). And the holiest of holiest was off limits to all but the high priest, once a year, not without blood. So, there was manna in the pot, and the pot in the ark, and the ark in the holiest of holiest, and the holiest of holiest in the sanctuary, and the sanctuary in the tabernacle, and the tabernacle in the wilderness, and the green grass grew all around and around, the green grass grew all around (sorry). Along with Aaron's rod that budded, the stone tablet and (I don't know why everyone forgets this one) a copy of the law (Deut. 31:26), this manna was hidden in the ark.

Not much more is said about this hidden manna.

Jesus tells the church at Pergamos: He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him that overcomes, to him will I give of the hidden manna... Rev. 2:17

What is it? What is this hidden manna? Could this be the same manna that was hidden in the gold pot, in the gold chest, in the gold room that was off limits? Could this be the same manna that was a type of Christ? If so, there is something really special in store for him that overcomes!

Let us love our God supremely, let us love each other, too;
Let us love and pray for sinners, till our God makes all things new.
Then He’ll call us home to Heaven, at His table we’ll sit down;
Christ will gird Himself and serve us with sweet manna all around. -- William Moore

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Both Feet

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? Every one that comes to me, and hears my words and does them, I will shew you to whom he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock; but a great rain coming, the stream broke upon that house, and could not shake it, for it had been founded on the rock. (Luke 6:46-48)

…and that Rock was Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). I know that this is a misapplication of the rockin this verse...but stay with me.

Everyone that comes...hears...and does is like a house-building man that dug...went deep...and laid the foundation on rock. A foundation on rock is built to be permanent. But what if it was to be temporary house? A house that was to be moved? A house that was at rest for a while, but then had to be picked up and moved? Is the foundation any less important? Is it necessary to dig deep?

The tabernacle in the wilderness was the dwelling place (or house) of God. The tabernacle was mobile. The tabernacle was built up when camp was made and taken down when the camp was on the move.

Most, but not all, of the materials used to build the tabernacle was collected as a part of a free will offering. The silver that was used in the tabernacle came from a tax, and, as you know, there is absolutely nothing 'free will' about a tax. Every man of fighting age, whether rich or poor, had to cough up one half silver shekel. If you take the weight of a half a shekel and multiply it by the number of fighting-aged men, you realize that literally tons of silver were collected. This tax was called a ransom for his soul to Jehovah. The ancient Israelite warrior had to pay a ransom for his soul; in other words, he redeemed himself with silver. Peter probably had this on his brain when he penned: …knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible [things, as] silver or gold, from your vain conversation handed down from [your] fathers, but by precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, [the blood] of Christ… 1Pe 1:18-9 . Then, redemption costs money; now, redemption is by the blood of Christ.

Most, but not all, of the silver were made into sockets. Each socket weighed about 100 pounds. Two silver sockets held up each board in the tabernacle. The sockets provided the foundation of the boards.

The boards were gold-plated incorruptible wood -- a type of the believer. The wood represents humanity and when one looked at the boards he saw gold...when one looks at a believer he should see Christ. The boards were 'fitly framed together' by 5 bars. Four bars going through rings on each board and the middle bar was 'shot through' all of the boards (just how they drilled so many holes so they all lined up is a mystery to me). The boards were locked in place with bars, but their foundation was the sockets that was made from the silver that was collected as the redemption tax.

Each board had two socket, each believer has two feet. Just like the boards rested on the redemption money which was a picture of Christ, each of our feet ought to be resting on the redeeming blood of Christ. Both feet grounded...not one foot on the work of Christ and one foot on our own works...not one foot on Christ's redemption and one foot in the world...not one foot on Christ, and one foot on a creed. Both feet need to be resting on the redemption provided by the blood of Christ.

Come, hear, and do by digging deep and build your foundation on the redemption provided by the blood.

The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died. -- Samuel J. Stone

How's Your Feet?

I often wonder what was Cain's rejected offering. We are only told that it was of the "fruit of the ground". I'm sure it was a very pretty offering with all the fruit in a very attractive arrangement. I'm sure he labored laboriously to till, sow, water, weed, prune and harvest. Once harvested, I'm sure he picked the best fruits in the land, put it in a beautiful arrangement, and made his offering. I do realize that his offering represent works and that there was no remission of sin because there was no shedding of blood. But what was in the basket? Maybe a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds? I wonder what made up the "fruit of the ground".

Much has been said about Joseph being a type of Christ. Less has been said about Joseph's older brother, Judah, being a type of Christ.

In Genesis 43 we have the story of Judah offering himself as surety for Benjamin (thus, Judah was a type of Christ being a surety for us.) Judah persuaded his dad to let Benjamin travel with them and Jacob sent his sons back to Egypt with Benjamin, double money, and a gift: a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds...the best fruits in the land. Gen 43:11. I'm sure it was a very beautiful arrangement, the best he had to offer.

When they got to Joseph's house, they entered with their gift, the best fruits of the land. Joseph doesn't seem to even acknowledge the gift and he commanded his men to slaughter cattle. I wonder what was going through their minds when they heard the command to have an animal slaughtered. I wonder if they thought of an earlier day when they slaughtered an animal just to dip Joseph coat into the blood, to deceive their father.

The brothers then had their feet washed, and they sat at the table to eat in the presence of Joseph. Eat what? The animal that was slain? No. To eat bread.

What does all this have to do with the tabernacle? They entered the house, like one would enter the tabernacle. Cattle were slaughtered like  animals that were slaughtered at the door of the tabernacle, at the altar of burnt offering. The priest frequently washed their feet at the laver while in service. And once a week, in the Holy Place, the priest were to eat the bread of presence in the presence of the Lord (standing at the table of shewbread).

Shedding of blood was for the atonement of sins, foot washing was a type of sanctification, and eating bread at a table means fellowship.

Have you come to God with the best you can offer? Is it pretty? Neatly arranged? The best fruits of your labor? Or are you trusting solely in the shed blood of Jesus? If you are trusting Jesus and Jesus alone, how's your fellowship? How's your feet?

Wash me, and make me thus Thine own,

Wash me, and mine Thou art,

Wash me, but not my feet alone,

My hands, my head, my heart. -- Charles Wesley

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.