9. THE HEART OF THE TESTIMONY

9. THE HEART OF THE TESTIMONY

The Tabernacle’s Inspection (Exodus 39:32-43)

It was so crucial that Moses inspect every article prepared for the tabernacle, because of the tremendous responsibility given to him in Exodus 25:8-9. Moses was the only one who had seen the pattern.

It was a pivotal moment. Man can no longer approach God because of sin; God must approach man.

The Tabernacle’s Completion (Exodus 40:1-33)

Compare Exodus 40:12-16 with Leviticus 8:22-24. The priests’ preparations involved two instructions:

1. The priest had to be anointed with water, blood, and oil (Leviticus 8:22-24).

2. The blood was placed on the right ear, the right thumb, and the right big toe.

● The right ear (2 Chronicles 7:14): God now hears the petitions of His children through our Great High Priest.

We can never use the unredeemed as a reason why there is not revival in our land. It has nothing to do with them. Revival is the responsibility of the people of God, getting on their knees and humbling themselves before God.

● The right thumb (Psalm 139:10): God hold’s us in His right hand. The hand’s grasp is secured by the thumb.

It was, and still is, the security of the hold of God. He will never let you go.

● The right big toe (Ephesians 4:8): our Great High Priest leads us to God. The big toe symbolized the steadfastness and security of Christ’s leadership.

He leads us in triumphal procession (2 Corinthians 2:14). We are to walk in Christ’s shadow. It represents the steady walk. Our Great High Priest leads us to God.

Everything about that high priest was Christ, down to every detail of His anointing. To the blood and water with which He was anointed, that flowed from the side of our Savior; with the oil that then flowed from Him to every believer by way of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit was the anointing that came from the death of Christ. “I’ll walk inside you, and then, we are going to do business with God. Then you’ve got a power that is far beyond your own.”

The Tabernacle’s Glorification (Exodus 40:34-38)

1. The glory of God transfers (2 Chronicles 5:1-14).

The glory of God descends upon the temple in exactly the location he planned –Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1). It was the place of sacrifice, because all worship would be based on sacrifice.

2. The glory of God departs (Ezekiel 10:1-8; 18-19; 11:16-25).

Many years passed, and here is the next movement of the glory of God. God had give them fair warning. He had told them “You turn to other gods and you are in trouble with me, because I will pull my hand off of you, and allow you to go into captivity to other nations. You will only know victory as long as you are obedient. They did exactly what He had warned them of – turned to other gods.

Threshold of the Temple – the glory of God is already moving out from the holy of holies. It stops at the East Gate.

Ezekiel 11:16-22 – God says “I’ll be back, and so will you.”

Ezekiel 11:16:23-25 – the mountain east of the city is the Mount of Olives.

3. The glory of God returns (Haggai 2:3-9).

God says “I am giving you assurance. This is what I covenanted with you. I will come back and fill this house with glory.” He made them a promise.

Acts 1:8-12 – a cloud encases the glory of God, and as Christ was being taken up, a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were standing on the Mount of Olives.

Zechariah 14:1, 3-4 – the glory of God will return to the Mount of Olives. God will do it exactly like He undid it. He will bring Jesus back to the Mount of Olives (Romans 8).

Ezekiel 43:1-5 – this is speaking of the Millennial Temple in the 1,000 year reign of Christ on this earth. It is a literal kingdom. The glory of God comes from the East and fills the Temple.

God’s glory will go in exactly the reverse order, and the King of Kings will reign in righteousness; and the glory of God will be visible to every eye.