Lesson 440 - Junior

Memory Verse

"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

Notes

The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle, which was the place of worship for the Children of Israel through the years that they wandered in the wilderness, was a tent, which could be taken down and moved whenever the Israelites moved. When it was set up, the pillar of cloud rested over it by day, and at night the pillar of fire, showing the people that the presence of God was with them.

The Tabernacle was forty-five feet long and fifteen feet wide, and was divided into two compartments. The first part, called the Holy Place, was thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide. In there were the golden altar, the table of shewbread, and the golden lamp. The priests took turns performing their priestly duties in this part of the Tabernacle.

A heavy curtain divided the Holy Place from the Holiest of All (also called the Holy of Holies). The Holiest of All was fifteen feet square and fifteen feet high. In it was the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was a chest of wood overlaid with gold, in which were the tables of stone upon which the commandments were written. Also in the chest was a pot of manna, a sample of that which the Israelites had eaten during the forty years in the wilderness; and Aaron's rod that budded and blossomed and even bore fruit. God had performed that miracle to show the people that He had chosen Aaron, not the leaders of the twelve tribes, to be the priest in the Tabernacle. Two golden cherubims looked down upon the Mercy Seat which were the cover for the Ark. Into this part of the Tabernacle only the high priest could go, and then only on the Day of Atonement.

The Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement was a very special Jewish holiday. God instituted it back in the Old Testament times when the Law was given. It was to be observed once a year, in the fall of the year. It was to be a day when the people repented of everything they had done wrong during the past year. They were to be sorry for their sins. "It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls" [LEV:16:31]). They were to offer many animal sacrifices that day in addition to the regular burnt offerings. Even the priests had to offer sacrifices for themselves first, to be sure they were clean and worthy to do their duties.

"Without shedding of blood is no remission" [HEB:9:22]). From the beginning of time, blood was shed to remit (or forgive) sin. Jesus came eventually to shed His Blood so that all men could be saved; but in the meantime, while the world was waiting for His coming, many animals were killed to satisfy the Law. All the blood that was shed throughout those centuries was a type of Jesus' Blood and pointed forward to Jesus.

So on the Day of Atonement, while the people were feeling very sorry for their sins, blood had to be shed to first cleanse the priests and then for all the people. Just feeling sorry was not enough. The blood was taken by the high priest into the Holy Place and sprinkled on the Golden Altar, then into the Holiest of All and sprinkled on the Mercy Seat for all the people. This was also an illustration of something better that would come when Jesus would come to earth and be the "better sacrifice," and He would enter into Heaven, the "better" Tabernacle.

There were some sacrifices, which were eaten at the Tabernacle and some were drink offerings, which were drunk as before the Lord. All these things fulfilled the Law, "until the time of reformation" when Jesus would come, but did not "purge the conscience" unless the people who offered the sacrifices could look ahead in faith and see Jesus in them.

When Jesus came, He not only became the High Priest, but offered His own Blood. His Blood could do more than that of the bulls and goats had done. When we repent, feel sorry for our sins and pray to Jesus for forgiveness, His Blood washes away our sins. By His Blood we have power to overcome sin -- which means we can keep from committing sin again. Paul tells us that the Blood of Jesus purged from "dead works," meaning that the people did not have to offer sacrifices of animals any more.

Worshipping in Spirit

Jesus told the woman at the well: "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" [JHN:4:23]). That is the way we must worship Jesus: we pray to Him, giving Him our lives, yielding our wills to Him, believing in Him. When He answers our prayers, "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" [ROM:8:16]). We know when we are born again. We know when we are sanctified, and when we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Many other times God gives us a definite witness as an answer to our prayers. We worship a living Saviour who wants to do good things for His children.

The Mediator

When God gave the Law to Moses for the Children of Israel, Moses was a mediator -- he was the go-between for God and man. God told Moses what to tell the Children of Israel; and the Children of Israel told Moses what to tell God. But Moses told them that some day they would have another mediator: "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken" [DEU:18:15]). The Jews in Christ's time still wanted to "listen" to Moses, but Moses himself had said they were to listen to Jesus. Our duty today is to live according to the rules Jesus gave.

The word "testament," as used in this lesson, means a will. When a person makes a will, leaving his possessions to his family or others, it does not take effect until he dies. Jesus made His "will," His plan of salvation, and then died to make it effective. Because Jesus died and rose again, we can inherit eternal life. And the Blood He shed in dying cleanses our heart from sin and makes us ready for Heaven.

As a type of this cleansing, Moses killed animals and sprinkled the books of the "first testament," or the Law, with blood, too. He also sprinkled the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and even the people. It was all a type that we would some day be cleansed by the Blood of Jesus.

The Tabernacle in the wilderness was patterned after the heavenly Tabernacle. The earthly Tabernacle could be cleansed with the blood of bulls and goats, but the heavenly Tabernacle where Jesus entered required better Blood -- so Jesus took His own Blood when He entered into the heavenly Tabernacle to make intercession for us before God. And one time was enough -- He did not have to do it every year as the high priest did. He did it once "in the end of the world," which means at the time He was supposed to come; or, as it is stated in another place, in "the fullness of the time" [GAL:4:4]). He fulfilled the Scriptures as the prophets had foretold.

Death Sure

There is one text of Scripture that everyone believes: "It is appointed unto men once to die" [HEB:9:27]). No matter how strong and powerful kings and dictators become, sooner or later they die and someone else takes their place. Scientists may become ever so brilliant, but they, too, must die when their time comes. Musicians and entertainers may make others happy through a long lifetime, but their life, too, must end.

To the Christian, death is merely a passing into a Better Land. But the sinner will suffer eternal punishment. Everyone, good or bad, will be judged after he departs this life. "After this the judgment," is just as much God's Word as the statement that all must die. It is of utmost importance that we be prepared for the Judgment.

Jesus paid the price for our redemption, and we all have the opportunity to live with Him forever. If we are prepared, we are looking forward eagerly to seeing Him. He will give us glorified bodies which will never more be tempted to sin, nor ever again feel pain or sorrow.

Questions

1. How big was the Tabernacle in the wilderness?

2. What divided the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies?

3. What was in the Ark of the Covenant?

4. What was the Day of Atonement?

5. What blood did Jesus take into Heaven when He took the office of Priest?

6. What can the Blood of Jesus do?

7. What did Jesus tell the woman at the well?

8. What is a mediator? Who did Moses say would come as mediator?

9. What is a testament?

10. What happens after death?