JESUS AND MOSES COMPARED "Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later" (3:5, NRSV). A WAY TO UNDERSTAND CHRIST'S MINISTRY Those that labor under a system of Law, attempting to work their way into God's favor, know nothing of a heavenly Minister. They are looking for salvation to be effected upon earth. Actually, it is made effectual in heaven. Thus the Spirit says, "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (8:1-2). The real message God wanted to get across to humanity was NOT the manner in which they were to live, but the living heavenly Minister, His only begotten Son! He knew that the knowledge of that Minister impacts upon human conduct. Moses oversaw the construction of the tabernacle. That portable sanctuary was "pitched" by man! They built it, and they set it up. That was, however, a figure of a heavenly residence, wherein an effective High Priest ministers. PRECISION REQUIRED Legalists are fond of pointing to the commission to Moses as an example of punctilious obedience. Make no mistake about it, his ministry is, indeed, an example of such obedience. Further, any other kind of obedience is unacceptable. Having said all of that, it is refreshing to read WHY Moses was ordered to be precise in the construction of the tabernacle. " . . .seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow OF HEAVENLY THINGS, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount" (8:4b-5b). -- Tomorrow:
"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all His house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Heb 3:1-6)
Devotion 7 of 12
The ministry of Moses involved infinitely more than leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and delivering the Law. There was an eternal perspective to his work that will challenge our thinking. The point of the text is this: the PURPOSE for Moses' faithfulness involves a preparation for what God would say at a later time. Like John the Baptist, yet in a slightly different way, he was preparing the way for the coming of the Son, Christ Jesus the Lord.
Think of Moses' faithfulness! God said of him, "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all Mine house" (Num 12:7). The benefits of that faithfulness are not limited to his generation, or even to his nation. By faithfully conveying the Law and its attending ordinances, he provided a series of types and a nomenclature that would be employed to expound God's great salvation! God was not merely giving the Israelites information and direction in the Law and its associated service, He was preparing the world to understand coming redemption!
Moses was actually in charge of developing a spiritual vocabulary. He did not do it with a dictionary, but with type, symbols, and shadows. God used Moses to introduce and elaborate upon the concepts of sacrifice, blood, altar, holy place, holiest place, high priest, intercession, etc. I want to say this as strongly as I can, yet without deprecating the disciplined study of language. It is not possible to arrive at the meaning of key Scriptural words [particularly relating to eternal salvation] by a study of language alone. Regardless of the thoroughness of lexical aids, words like "lamb, "sacrifice," "blood," "atonement," "holy," "mediator," "salvation," and "intercessor" cannot be properly understood without the ministry of Moses. He was charged with providing a framework for the development of these concepts – unique to the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. With this in mind, several verses in Hebrews come to life.
The PURPOSE for Moses' ministry involved preparing people to understand the idea of a heavenly High Priest, Intercessor, and Mediator. Just as heaven is superior to earth, so the ministry and Person of Jesus are superior to that of Moses! Were it not for the Person and ministry of Jesus, there would have been no need for Moses and his ministry – none at all!
The instructions for building the tabernacle were remarkably precise in every way. Length, height, and width were specified. The exact measurements of every article of furniture were given. The types of material to be used in the making of the furniture, as well as the tabernacle itself and its veil, were outlined. Nothing was general. Everything was specific. The material of the altar of sacrifice differed from that of the altar of incense. A precise schematic was given for constructing the golden lamp stand that was to be in the holy place. Precision marked every aspect of the ark of the covenant: i.e., the material used to construct it, what was to overlay the material, and what was to be inside the ark. Precision, precision, precision (Ex 25-27)!
God warned Moses to be precise in making the tabernacle – to carefully follow the detailed pattern provided to him in the holy mountain. "And see that you make them according to the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain . . . Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain" (Ex 25:40; 26:30, NRSV).
The Son of God and His redemptive ministry are what sanctified the tabernacle! Without Him, the entire tabernacle service would have been meaningless. That is why Moses had to be precise! If the shadow is distorted, the ability to discern the real Minister and the real tabernacle will be effected! God was not showing the necessity of rules, but providing a way to comprehend the height and depth and length and breadth of salvation. The real secret to faithfulness is not detailed commands, but fellowship with the Son. We are "called" to such a fellowship (1 Cor 1:9).
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I thank You for providing an outline of our approach to You in the tabernacle.