Lesson 74 - Senior
Memory Verse
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience" (Hebrews 10:22).
Cross References
I "The Holiest of All," in the Tabernacle
1. The veil was a division between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, [EXO:26:31-33].
2. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies, [EXO:37:1-5]; [EXO:40:20-21].
3. The Mercy Seat, a solid plate of pure gold, was a covering for the Ark, [EXO:26:34]; [EXO:37:6].
4. Two cherubims were over and above the Mercy Seat, [EXO:37:7-9].
5. All natural or artificial light was excluded from the Holiest of All, [1KG:8:12]; [REV:21:23]; [REV:22:5].
6. God's approval was manifested by the presence of the cloud above, and His glory within the Tabernacle, [EXO:40:34-38]; [EXO:25:22]; [NUM:7:89]; [LEV:9:22-24]; [PS:99:1]; [IS:37:16].
7. God told Moses to warn Aaron of the danger of entering the Holy of Holies except as directed, [LEV:16:2].
II "The Holiest of All" in the Christian Dispensation
1. The Holiest of All, or the Holy of Holies, pointed to a promised experience which was not given in the dispensation of the Law, [HEB:9:1-9].
2. The new experience, typified by the Holy of Holies, is to be given only to the sanctified, and this wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost is for us today, [HEB:10:14-19], [HEB:10:22].
3. The way into the spiritual Holy of Holies was opened by the death of Christ, [HEB:10:20-22]; [MAT:27:50-51].
4. Christ promised a Comforter and prayed for His people that they might be sanctified, so they could receive this third experience, [JHN:14:16-18], [JHN:14:26]; [JHN:16:7-14]; [JHN:17:6], [JHN:17:16-23].
5. The original outpouring of the mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost experience is for all who will seek it, not excluding us who live in the last days, [JOE:2:21-32]; [ACT:2:16-21]; [ACT:8:17]; [ACT:10:44-46]; [ACT:15:8]; [ACT:19:6]; [1CO:12:13]; [1JN:2:20].
Notes
God Leads His People Along
A man, rejoicing in the first experience of the redeeming grace of God, may feel as if Heaven itself had come down to him, or as if no power of death or hell could shake his faith or cast a suspicion on his love. But man in his natural state is nothing but a poor, frail child of the dust. He needs a voice from Heaven, the voice of the Holy Spirit, to lead him to God; and he also needs to hear that voice continually to lead him in the true worship of God.
It is said that man naturally feels an instinct within him to worship something. But man must be led by God; he must be shown just what constitutes true worship, or he will go astray. God knew this innate character of man; and to help those who turned their hearts toward Heaven He devised a plan of redemption whereby man could be saved from his sins, cleansed from his inbred depravity; and, finally, empowered for service by the mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.
The Offerings and Their Significance
The trespass offering was for the pardon of sins wilfully committed and those committed through neglect or lack of diligence in observing all God's revealed will. The pardoned sinner was then able to bring his individual burnt offering and his meat offerings for personal consecration as he felt his need of drawing nearer to God. He could also bring his peace offerings for the establishment of a deeper communion with Heaven. But to all this he must add still another offering. He had deep in his heart an inbred nature of sin requiring the shed blood for its destruction. The sin offering was given to aid man in his approach to God when seeking this second great experience of grace, entire sanctification.
We have seen how portions of the Tabernacle worship typified these experiences and how the blood of various animals pointed to "the innocent blood" that was to be shed in God's time. We have seen that the shedding of blood was vitally important in all these different offerings for sin and transgressions. We have seen how the blood was sometimes placed on the brazen altar and further study has shown us how atonement was made through the sprinkling of some of that blood before the Lord. We then saw how certain other offerings required that the blood be sprinkled in the Holy Place instead, before the veil itself, and a portion of it placed on the horns of the golden altar. We have seen that there was no part of the worship where blood was not an important factor. And even in the Holy of Holies it was necessary that blood be sprinkled as a reminder to the people that their only hope of salvation from the judgments of God was in and through blood shed in their stead. The symbolism of the Tabernacle worship all pointed to the coming Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, the great Anointed One.
God's Dwelling Place
The Tabernacle itself was divided into two parts. The Holy of Holies was separated from the Holy Place by a veil hung to shield the priest " who came into the Holy Place in his daily ministrations " from the consuming presence of God, which was over the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. The Ark, with its cover called the Mercy Seat, and the cherubims of beaten gold, which stood on each end, was the only article in the Holy of Holies. It was the centre, around which all the worship of the Israelites revolved. When God's presence was manifest, they knew He was there as their Leader, Guide, and Protector.
The only time anyone entered the Holy of Holies, except when it was necessary to move the Tabernacle was on the Day of Atonement. On this day the high priest went into that room and offered incense and blood for the sins of the people as a general symbol of the all-inclusive atonement of Christ ([LEV:16:12], [LEV:16:14]; [HEB:9:7]; [HEB:10:19-20]). This did not remove any individual obligation from a person who had sinned. That person had to bring a trespass offering to make a personal atonement for his own sins.
There was no natural or artificial light in the Holy of Holies. The glory which emanated from God's very Presence between the cherubims was the light thereof, even as is said of the New Jerusalem: "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it:-for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof:" (Revelation 21:23). The Shekinah was God's very Presence in manifesting Himself to Moses and the high priest, for Moses also was one of God's priests ([PS:99:6]).
So intense was the glory of God in the Tabernacle, when it was set up for the first time, that, even Moses could not enter ([EXO:40:35]). Moses had talked intimately with God, perhaps more so than any man who ever lived on earth. He had seen God's presence manifested in an outstanding way on Mt. Sinai when all of the Children of Israel, with the exception of the few who accompanied him up the mountain, fled away. He had stood before the burning bush and heard the voice of God speak from out of the flame. But we are told that God manifested Himself in so much greater degree in the Tabernacle, at its dedication, that even Moses could not enter.
The Ark, Mercy Seat, and Cherubims
The ark was remarkable in itself. Built of choice wood, overlaid with gold, it was to be used to hold different sacred treasures as directed by God. Its main function was to hold the tables of stone upon which the Law of God was written.
We have spoken of the Mercy Seat as the cover for the Ark. It was made of pure gold. At each of its ends was placed a cherubim, figures beaten out of pure gold whose faces were toward each other and downward toward the tables of the Law in the Ark. It has been said that the artistry necessary to make, by beaten work, these two figures out of solid gold is a feat that few, if any, artisans of the present day could accomplish.
Christ, the Mercy Seat
We are told in Scripture ([ROM:3:24-25]) that we are justified by the redemption that is in Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation for us. Greek scholars tell us that the more literal rendering of the word propitiation is mercy seat. The symbolism of the Mercy Seat in the Tabernacle is very plain to us through this New Testament Scripture. The Mercy Seat represented Christ.
The cherubims are understood to represent the carrying out of God's judgments, since such heavenly creatures have been associated with missions of that nature in Scripture. A beautiful picture is given to us here. The Law of God, contained in the Art, demanded that judgment be pronounced upon each one who violated its precepts. Over that Law was poised these cherubims, which were representative of the execution of that judgment. But the execution of judgment was tempered by the interposition of Christ, the Mercy Seat. How beautifully God brought the picture of His love for mankind to the Israelites, and to us also, in these symbols found in the Holy of Holies.
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire
But the Holy of Holies brings us a more specific picture, interpreted by the writer of the book of Hebrews. He shows us that as the brazen altar in the outer court of the Tabernacle typified justification, and the golden altar in the Holy Place typified sanctification, the Holy of Holies with its constantly abiding Spirit and presence of God typified the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.
This wonderful experience, first given to mankind on the Day of Pentecost immediately following Christ's death on Calvary, is the distinguishing mark or feature of the Gospel dispensation " the Church age. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is attended with the "glory" that was prophesied should come after Christ's death, which the prophets themselves earnestly desired to possess and the angels in Heaven desired to look into ([1PE:1:9-12]). The Holy Ghost is the Comforter that Jesus said He would send after He had ascended to the Father ([JHN:16:7]). He was not yet given to those in Old Testament times, because the way into the Holiest of All was not yet opened ([HEB:9:8]). However, when Jesus died and the veil of the Temple was rent, the way was made for all who came thereafter to enter boldly into the spiritual Holy of Holies: the third, distinct Christian experience in God's plan of salvation ([HEB:10:19-22]).
We are also shown conclusively that it is necessary that we be sanctified before the Holy Ghost can come into our hearts to abide in His fullness ([HEB:10:12-22]; [HEB:2:11] compared with [ACT:2:1]). The prophets of Old Testament times were sanctified men ([ISA:6:1-7]) but they did not have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, for we have seen that they prophesied of it and desired it but could not receive that experience because it was not yet given ([1PE:1:9-12]; [HEB:9:8]).
We are exhorted to enter this Holy of Holies without delay ([HEB:10:22]); so we can say that it is not a type of Heaven, as some teach, but a type of an experience that can be given to us in our present lifetime. It is apparent, then, that here is but another of the great finger posts in Scripture placed to lead men into the fullness of God's truth. Here, in one of the first and earliest steps in God's plan, are symbolised all the three Christian experiences that we who live in the Church dispensation can receive.
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." Let us be sure that we "hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering." Let us take heed that we forsake not "the assembling of ourselves together," but exhort one another daily to a closer walk and a more intimate relationship with God as we see the day of Christ's coming fast approaching.
Questions
1. What furnishings were placed in the Holy of Holies? Describe each item.
2. What did each of these items typify and represent?
3. What separated the two compartments of the Tabernacle? Describe it.
4. What was typified by the Holy Place?
5. What does the Holy of Holies as a whole typify?
6. What was the source of light in the Holiest of All?
7. When was the type shown in the Holy of Holies fulfilled for the first time?
8. Tell of other times when it was fulfilled, up to the present day.
9. How do the Scriptures tell us that one must be sanctified prior to receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost?
10. What great event gave us all entrance into our spiritual Holy of Holies?