“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the
wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it
according to the fashion that he had seen.” –Acts 7:44
The
book of Hebrews tells us that the first tabernacle was a shadow and example of
heavenly things. A witness to the
children of God that would one day help to lead all people to the true witness,
and the true tabernacle.
Moses
was given the strictest instructions concerning how he should design and build
the tabernacle. He carried out those
instructions with absolute precision and diligence. This was going to be a holy place, a
sanctified sanctuary. The tabernacle of
God built by man, but ordered by God.
The holiness and presence of God would dwell in this place if the people
of God performed the laws and statutes given to them. This is the place where the priest will minister,
this is the place where the ark of the testimony will reside, Exodus 29:43
tells us that “And there I will meet with
the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.” This was to be a place where a holy God could
and interact with sinful man. A place of
witness, literally standing before the people.
A witness to the grace, mercy, holiness, and glory of Almighty God. By it they obtain atonement, and because of
it they had witness to the glory of God.
The evidence, proof, and example of the presence and power of God was
manifested in the tabernacle of witness, the tabernacle of testimony that stood
in the midst of the people of Israel. In
all of this, the first tabernacle was still only a type and a shadow of the
tabernacle to come. A tabernacle of
witness that would stand in the hearts of men and women; sanctified and sanctifying.
So
what does this mean to you and me? While
the first tabernacle witnessed to the people of a God that brought them the
first covenant; which provided atonement of sins committed. It stood only in “meats, drinks, and divers washing to purifying of the flesh.” It could only take away sin committed and not
the very thing that caused men and women to sin. In short, the witness was without, not
within. Jesus Christ was the great
consolidator. He came to bring in. To bring in God’s people (both Jew and
Gentile). To bring in the
priesthood. To bring in the sacrifices. To bring in the statues, laws, and ordinances. To bring in the tabernacle. He consolidated it all and brought it into
himself. Creating within himself a new
covenant, testimony, tabernacle, and witness; given by the Holy Ghost. When before you would have to go to the priest
with your sacrifice to obtain forgiveness, only to go out knowing you would sin
again and be right back where you started.
Now, we can come boldly to the throne
of grace, and obtain forgiveness by the blood of Jesus, victory by the resurrection
of Jesus, and have a witness within through the gift of the Holy Ghost. A witness that gives us the assurance that we
are free from sin, and kept by the power of the same God that raised up Jesus
from the dead and brought victory.
As
the first tabernacle was a witness to the people of God in the wilderness, so
the second tabernacle pitched by Jesus in the hearts of men and women, can be a
witness. A witness against doubt, fear, uncertainty. A witness against the day approaching when Jesus
will call us from this world to face the judgment beyond the grave. A witness of assurance that we have obtained
victory of sin and are walking in the light of life; not by works of
righteousness that we have done but according to his mercy. This is the true tabernacle of witness.
