Jesus in the Old Testament 018: The Tent and the Turban

Jesus in the OT 018:

The Tent and the Turban

Exodus 25-40

Thesis: The Tabernacle was meant to conceal a glory.  The Priest was meant to reveal it.  Both, in their own way, represent an aspect of Christ. 

1. Nutshell with Kids (<5min)
1. Has anyone here ever been to heaven? Of course not.  But God lives in heaven.  How, then, do we know anything about God?
1. Bible.
2. Jesus.
2. Jesus came to teach us about God and how to get to heaven, a place none of us have ever been.
3. Here’s a picture of the tabernacle that God told the Israelites to build in the wilderness.  It is where God met with Moses.  How do you think it helped people know about God?
4. This is a picture of what the High Priest looked like wearing the clothes that God told him to wear.
1. His clothes looked like the way that the inside of the tabernacle was decorated.
2. His job was to tell people about God and help the people sacrifice to God. 
3. Why do you think Jesus is like the High Priest?

2. Deeper with Adults
1. The Tabernacle
1. Ordinary on the outside, Glory within.

a)    Bronze & Silver used in the courtyard: valuable, but more common.

(1)  Ch 27:9-19

(2)  Curtains white.  Only the gateway colored.

b)    Altar & Laver in the courtyard

(1)  Altar, Sacrifices: 27:1-8

(2)  Laver, Washings: 30:17-21

c)     Tabernacle itself outer layers of Goat Skins, Ram skins, and Goat Hair.  Then twisted colored linen: 26:7-14

2. As you get closer in to the middle, the refinement of the appointments increases.

a)    Inner-most layer of the tabernacle is finely twisted red, blue, and purple linen: 26:1-6

b)    Everything inside is either covered in or made of pure gold 26:26-30

c)    Furniture for Worship, Presence:      

(1)  Show Bread Table: Wood overlaid with gold to hold the food offering to God 25:25-30

(2)  Altar of incense: Wood overlaid with gold: 30:1-10

(3)  Candelabra: Solid gold, presence of the Lord 30:1-10

3. Holy of Holies: Ark of Wood overlaid with Gold, Solid gold lid, Red, purple, and blue linen.

a)    Unapproachable but by 1 priest once a year.

b)    Ark of the covenant cannot be touched.

c)    The holiest and most ornate and decorative location in the Jewish world.

4. The tabernacle looked, on the outside, like a larger version of a normal Jewish tent.  Square frames draped in goatskins. 

a)    As you approach the tent from the outside, you must first deal with your sinfulness through sacrifice and washing.

b)    The tabernacle hides the glory of God from the eyes of the average person.  Only priests enter through the first veil.  Only the High Priest enters through the second.

5. Jesus looked, externally, like a normal man.

a)    Prophetic expectation: Isa 53:2-3

b)    Actual fulfillment: Matt 13:54-56

c)    He looked normal, but he provided for us the means by which to atone for our sins.  1Jn 1:7-9

d)    The glory that he had as the son of God he concealed from most

(1)  Statements not to tell: Mark 1:34; Matt 8:4; Matt 9:29-31

(2)  Taught in Parables because it concealed and revealed. Matt 13:10-15

e)    His glory was only shown to a select few on the Mt. of Transfiguration. Matt 17:1-9

2. The Priestly garments
1. The High Priest is a regular man. There is nothing special about him apart from the fact that he:

a)    Is a Jew (of the covenant, those whom God Chose, Gen 12:1-3),

b)    Of the tribe fo Levi (those who chose to stand with God, Ex 32:25-27), and

c)    Of the family of Aaron (Consecrated by God for this service, Ex 28:1).

2. On his own, this man would have no chance of standing in the presence of God.

a)    Washed (29:4)

b)    Dressed (29:5-6)

c)    Anointed (29:7)

d)    Atoned (29:10-25)

e)    Provided (29:26-34)

f)     Declared Holy (29:44)

g)    Used as a vehicle for relationship (29:45-46)

3. The priest looks, on the outside, like the tabernacle looks on the inside (28:2-5).

a)    Gold breastplate (28:15-30)

b)    Gold Crown (28:36-38)

c)    Ephod and robe of Blue, gold, red, and purple fine twisted linen (29:6-14,31-35)

d)    Robe and sash embroidered with needlework (29:39)

3. The High Priest goes where nobody else can and represents on his person what nobody else can see.  He is a picture of the hidden glory of the Holy of Holies.
4. Christ is also a picture of what we cannot see and a representation of the Glory that is unapproachable for fallen men (John 1:14-18; 14:9)
2. Application:
1. We are called to carry on the ministry of representing God to the world.
2. 2 Cor 4
1. Two problems being overcome:

a)    The wickedness of the outside, fallen, world (vs 1-2)

b)    The blindness of fallen man to the gospel (vs 4)

2. Paul is saying that God has worked in their lives to overcome the eternal, spiritual, effects of the sinful fallen world in their lives (vs 7-10)
3. Paul says that he (and we, by extension), are sustained by God so that he (we) can make known the glory of God to a fallen world (5-7, 12-15).
4. We are normal, fleshy people, but when we are washed, dressed, anointed, atoned, and spiritually provided for by God, we can be holy vessels that are used to extend a relationship with God to a broken world.
2. Ephesians 3
1. Paul has received a revelation of hidden mysteries (vs 1-6).

a)    The hidden truth in the past now made clear to the watching world (like the priest’s garments).

b)    The mystery is that those estranged are estranged no longer, a view into the unapproachable.

2. Jesus provided this access as high priest (vs 11-12).  We follow in this access and proclaim it to everyone else.
3. So we, the church are to display to the outside the glories of God which are available inside the kingdom. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What kinds of things could the Israelites know about God because of the tabernacle in the camp?
2. What did they know about God because of the priest?
3. How was Jesus like the tabernacle?  Like the priest?
4. Are you showing on the outside what is true inside the kingdom of God? 
5. Are you spending your time with God (inside the tabernacle) so that you have what it takes to show others what is inside?