Sonlight Devotional

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: II Corinthians 6:16

Have you ever thought why God had Moses build a Tabernacle and Solomon a Temple? Could the natural structures have a spiritual meaning? Once we understand God’s word it will bring life to our souls. Let us look into the word so that we can comprehend what God is saying.

Every builder who contrives to construct an edifice first makes a plan to suit the requirements of that which suits the purpose for which he builds. God, the greatest master builder of all, made three distinct plans or patterns of that which He builds in earth.

1. Moses’ Tabernacle in the Wilderness:  The First Temple – Exodus 25:1-9
2. Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem:  The Second Temple – I Chronicles 22:9-11 3
3. Jesus Christ the Man:  The Beginning of the Third Temple – Matthew 24:2

There were some marked differences between Solomon’s Temple and the Tabernacle of Moses in the type of materials used in construction. Skins of animals, which represent the will of flesh, and wood, which represents humanity, though covered with gold (divinity) were used in Moses’ tabernacle. In Solomon’s temple, stones were used for the walls, which, unlike skins, were not produced by the will of the flesh, but by process of God’s own operation. The individual stones were inlaid with golden mortar poured into a pattern of holes drilled into them (more like our cement blocks) and plastered on the outside with pure gold, thus covering the nakedness of their presence in the temple by His own divinity, and at the same time filling them inside also with divine life. God’s promise to man is that He would walk in them and talk in them.

II Corinthians 6:16, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people.”

The work was no more to be just an outward covering up of the nature of man under the nature of God, but even as the GOLDEN MORTAR permeated the inside of the stones, so the Living God would work on the inside of man.

All brass objects, which symbolize judgment and justice against sin, were peculiar to the Outer Court, for the Outer Court is the place where God deals with sin.

Let us first look at the Tabernacle of Moses. God gave Moses a detailed plan of a tent he should build, which was portable, to go along with the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to Canaan. At once we see Egypt as the type of bondage, sin, and our old carnal Adamic nature, and Canaan as the type of the great promise of salvation and a life free from sin.

The outer fence was made of posts of wood covered with brass and set in sockets of brass. This signifies that humanity will be used of God as part of the means of shutting man into God. The fact that the posts were covered with brass and socketed in brass signifies that there is a compulsion in their position and ministry and that there is no latitude for vacillation or change. The whole fence was covered with linen cloth, with hooks and joinings of silver. Linen speaks of righteousness and silver of redemption, that is, their righteousness is held in place by the redemptive power of Christ. Another fact that is pertinent is that they were placed five cubits apart, which means that God Himself would place them in the Body and it would be a ministry. This fence was 100 cubits long and 50 cubits wide, thus making the perimeter 300 cubits, which was the number of Gideon’s overcomer company. This plan or pattern contains in symbolic language every iota of God’s word, from the Holy Spirit working in the life of the sinner outside of the tent, to bring him in through the gate, to the believer being installed into the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies with all the attributes of the risen Christ manifested in him.

This pattern therefore contains the very essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His love. This revelation has now come to the Church so that all of God’s people might participate and be made ready for that mountaintop experience into which we shall soon enter through tribulation or fire.

(Excerpt from The Pattern, pg. 1-3)

Thought for today: Let us sanctify our temple so that we might be a fit habitation for the Almighty God. The choice is ours; let us make the right decision this day and allow God the freedom to walk in us and through us.

Read Full Post »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: II Corinthians 6:16

Have you ever thought why God had Moses build a Tabernacle and Solomon a Temple? Could the natural structures have a spiritual meaning? Once we understand God’s word it will bring life to our souls. Let us look into the word so that we can comprehend what God is saying.

Every builder who contrives to construct an edifice first makes a plan to suit the requirements of that which suits the purpose for which he builds. God, the greatest master builder of all, made three distinct plans or patterns of that which He builds in earth.

1. Moses’ Tabernacle in the Wilderness:  The First Temple – Exodus 25:1-9
2. Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem:  The Second Temple – I Chronicles 22:9-11 3
3. Jesus Christ the Man:  The Beginning of the Third Temple – Matthew 24:2

There were some marked differences between Solomon’s Temple and the Tabernacle of Moses in the type of materials used in construction. Skins of animals, which represent the will of flesh, and wood, which represents humanity, though covered with gold (divinity) were used in Moses’ tabernacle. In Solomon’s temple, stones were used for the walls, which, unlike skins, were not produced by the will of the flesh, but by process of God’s own operation. The individual stones were inlaid with golden mortar poured into a pattern of holes drilled into them (more like our cement blocks) and plastered on the outside with pure gold, thus covering the nakedness of their presence in the temple by His own divinity, and at the same time filling them inside also with divine life. God’s promise to man is that He would walk in them and talk in them.

II Corinthians 6:16, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people.”

The work was no more to be just an outward covering up of the nature of man under the nature of God, but even as the GOLDEN MORTAR permeated the inside of the stones, so the Living God would work on the inside of man.

All brass objects, which symbolize judgment and justice against sin, were peculiar to the Outer Court, for the Outer Court is the place where God deals with sin.

Let us first look at the Tabernacle of Moses. God gave Moses a detailed plan of a tent he should build, which was portable, to go along with the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to Canaan. At once we see Egypt as the type of bondage, sin, and our old carnal Adamic nature, and Canaan as the type of the great promise of salvation and a life free from sin.

The outer fence was made of posts of wood covered with brass and set in sockets of brass. This signifies that humanity will be used of God as part of the means of shutting man into God. The fact that the posts were covered with brass and socketed in brass signifies that there is a compulsion in their position and ministry and that there is no latitude for vacillation or change. The whole fence was covered with linen cloth, with hooks and joinings of silver. Linen speaks of righteousness and silver of redemption, that is, their righteousness is held in place by the redemptive power of Christ. Another fact that is pertinent is that they were placed five cubits apart, which means that God Himself would place them in the Body and it would be a ministry. This fence was 100 cubits long and 50 cubits wide, thus making the perimeter 300 cubits, which was the number of Gideon’s overcomer company. This plan or pattern contains in symbolic language every iota of God’s word, from the Holy Spirit working in the life of the sinner outside of the tent, to bring him in through the gate, to the believer being installed into the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies with all the attributes of the risen Christ manifested in him.

This pattern therefore contains the very essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His love. This revelation has now come to the Church so that all of God’s people might participate and be made ready for that mountaintop experience into which we shall soon enter through tribulation or fire.

(Excerpt from The Pattern, pg. 1-3)

Thought for today: Let us sanctify our temple so that we might be a fit habitation for the Almighty God. The choice is ours; let us make the right decision this day and allow God the freedom to walk in us and through us.

Read Full Post »