Another kind of Christ – Part 3 – “THE” Tabernacle

Posted on by kevinjandt

tabernacle

In 2 Samuel we see that David has finally found rest from all his enemies (2 Samuel 7:1), and he has a desire to build a permanent place for the ark of the covenant to reside.  It seems like the logical next step.  David desires to honor God but the LORD is not ready for this.

2 Samuel 7:5-7 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?  For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.  Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ “ ‘

In other words “David, I’ve not told you to do this, why would you do this?”  This was not a stern rebuke from the LORD, but appears to be a simple statement of fact.

John Gill in his commentary writes – they never were bid to do it, or expostulated with why they did not, or ever reproved for not doing it; therefore why should David think of doing it?  John Gill Commentaries

What an interesting thought.  How often do we presuppose that we should do something for the LORD He has not called us to do?  What is our service to God to consist of?  It should include nothing more than obedience to His Word.  Paul says this is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

2 Samuel 7:11b Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house.

The LORD reveals His plan to David.  Can we begin to even grasp the reality of this statement?  From before time began God had a plan to redeem mankind through Christ and David is a recipient of that information and not only that, but it is through his seed that this tabernacle will be built. 

2 Samuel 7:12-13 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 

John Gill again offers great clarity: that is, for a long time. Solomon’s reign was forty years, and the kingdom of Judah continued in his posterity until the Babylonish captivity, and a prince that descended from him was the ruler of the people when they returned: this has its fulfilment more eminently in Christ, who was of his seed, to whom God has given “the throne of his father David”, and who “shall reign over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:32). John Gill Commentaries

We know the temple was built by Solomon; did this end the story?  Was this the only tabernacle being spoken of here?  Was it established forever?   We know Solomon’s temple was destroyed so how is this temple to really be established forever?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: He (Solomon) built a temple and his action was approved by God.  But this temple was not enough to fulfill the promise.  It was built by the hands of men, and so was doomed for destruction.  The prophecy still awaited fulfillment.  Still the People of God look for a temple built by the Son of David whose kingdom shall endure forever.  The temple at Jerusalem was destroyed more than once, a sign that it was not the temple of God’s promise.  Where then was the true temple?  Christ Himself answers that question by applying the prophecy to His Body.  “The Jews therefore said, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?  But He spake of the temple of His body.  When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He spake this: and they believed the word which Jesus had said” (John 2:20). – The Cost of Discipleship

Christ is the true tabernacle, the dwelling place in which sinners must enter to receive redemption and forgiveness.  The whole history and prophecies of the Old Testament point to the glory of this truth.  This is a remarkable narrative of Christ and the whole purpose of His coming to earth, “To seek and save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10).

Hebrews 8:1-2 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at 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 erected, and not man.

But why?

Hebrews 8:12-13 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”  In that He say, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete.  Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another.

These are remarkable statements of truth from the writer of Hebrews; the truth of the gospel in full view with incredible clarity.  Can we see the completeness of Scripture and how it all points to Christ?

Is there a reason for this all?  I ask this question today for those in unbelief? 

Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of man.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

If you don’t understand the depths that Christ has gone to rescue sinful man you can never appreciate what it means to be saved.  If this is foolishness you are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18) and my attempt is to appeal to your heart that it has sinned and has fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  If you are a Believer you should be in awe of God and have a better understanding of how the Bible shows itself to be the source of truth. 

Worship Him today, for He is worthy.

Kevin

1 year ago today…

Posted on by kevinjandt

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I began blogging at Uncommon Faith.  What an incredible joy it has been to interact with many of you over the course of this time.  I’m consistently encouraged by what the Lord is doing in your lives and look forward to the future with much hope and anticipation.

In the past year I’ve had many visitors.  I attempt to share with all the hope that resides within me.  Sometimes those are challenging conversations, sometimes there is like-mindedness, and sometimes I have those that have serious disagreements.

All in all I desire it only to be to the glory of Christ and that the gospel is proclaimed.

1 Corinthians 15:3-6 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.   After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once…

Since many of you are new I thought I’d recycle my very first article.  I called it Pulling Weeds.

In Christ- Kevin

 

Pulling Weeds – from August 22, 2012

Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Its official; July 2012 is the hottest month on record in the 118 years that these records have been kept.  I believe it.  All you need to do is look at my yard and there is no doubt we have had little rain and plenty of hot weather.

I was contemplating after a recent storm how much easier it is to pull weeds when the soil has been softened by a good rain and it occurred to me this is similar to my children’s hearts.  For the record I’m a diehard believer in the doctrines of grace but I know God uses means to reach people and the primary way God desires to reach children is through fathers.

To be obedient to God’s word I’m commanded to bring my children up in the training and admonition of the Lord.  I must, in a sense, pull the weeds of sin out of the hearts of my children. Young children’s hearts represent soft soil.  They have not yet been exposed to as much sin and are much more malleable.  They receive the gospel with all eagerness, whether their soil is good is completely dependent upon God but I’m called to spread the seed and in my analogy to pull the weeds.

But I struggle with this often.  It’s easier to watch the TV than tell them it’s time for us to have our family devotions.  It’s easier to let the weeds grow saying “I’ll get that done tomorrow”.  It’s easier to allow them the subtle sins such as a lack of obedience than correct it immediately.  In effect; I also struggle with pulling my own weeds.

Father’s today pull the weeds of sin from your heart so you can pull the weeds from your children’s hearts, to the glory of God and for love and obedience to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down stronghold, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

 

Kevin

He who does the will of of My Father…

Posted on by kevinjandt

narrow-gate

How can we have confidence in our claims to Christianity?  Have you ever been challenged in your own mind about your claims to know Christ.  Not just know of Him or intellectually “believe” in Him.  I mean know that you are His and your sins are forgiven.  Most Christians know what the Lord said in Matthew chapter 7 how many will claim to know Him yet many will be cast into hell.

Can we truly know?

Before I came to knowledge of my sin I would have claimed Christianity yet it didn’t exhibit change in my life to the glory of God.  I could shine myself up a bit but there was still the hidden and secret sin residing inside of me that very few knew was there.  My life was content in my self-righteousness; even though I claimed the promise.

How can we be certain?

God’s Word is the standard by which we must examine our life so today I’ll look at a couple passages that are an excellent way to see if we hit the mark.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.  For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.  Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

Sexual sin is a big problem in the “church” world today.  The ease at which anyone has access to that which is displeasing to God has never been more readily available.  And it also comes right into your living room via the television.  As this society slips further into decline sexual sin is before our eyes daily if not hourly.

We must also consider the commonality of fornication; living in sexuality outside of marriage.  This is not even looked on as a sin anymore by the populace.  If you call yourself a “Believer” do not be deceived.  If you practice this you will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

If you are a Pastor and you are reading this today, I will ask if you are preaching this in your church.  Does your congregation know this is sin?  Do they wrap themselves in their own “goodness” and righteous acts?  Or does the Sword of God thunder from your pulpit forcing people to look into the sinfulness of their hearts?

Have we compared our lives to the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18?

Luke 18:13 “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Are the Lord’s words not crystal clear?

Have mercy Oh Lord!  This man knew where to turn.

I’m a sinner!  This man knew his wretched condition.

Was justified!  This man was saved because he understood his sin and his need for a Savior.

1 Thessalonians 4:8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has given us His Holy Spirit.

If you bristle at these words you reject God and you need to turn from your sin because you are a slave to sin (Romans 6).  If you struggle and you can’t overcome your sin you are correct.  You need to confess your sin to God and you need to seek help from a faithful person in your church.  If you believe you are saved you need to examine yourself and you need to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).

So how can we be assured of our salvation?

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Those that “do” the will of God will enter heaven.  Not just those that go to church, wrap themselves in religiosity, try to be a good person, etc…, etc…, etc…

I’m not talking about righteousness through works, but a life that has been radically transformed and only desires to please God by following His commands.  Do your old friends cringe at who you are now?  Do they see a disturbing difference in you?  Most likely they enjoyed you when you were religious.  Your religion did them no harm, but when you sought holiness and sanctification it really shakes the gates of hell and most won’t like it.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.

This is how we know!

See you next week with my final installment of “Another kind of Christ”

 

Kevin

Another kind of Christ – Part 2 “Serpent in the wilderness”

Posted on by kevinjandt

SerpentStick

And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?  For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” – Numbers 21:5

The children of Israel have been in the wilderness wandering around for a very long time.  This term term “wilderness” refers to land that contains little vegetation or trees, and because of a sparsity of rainfall, it cannot be cultivated. This land is best used for tending flocks of animals. (MacArthur Study Bible)

In fact they’ve now been there nearly 40 years?  The newness and excitement of escaping bondage had long ago worn off.  They are a complaining bunch.  They have contentment issues.

“Moses, a steak sure would be nice…”  “We are so tired of this manna…”  “And we have no water… why would you do this to us?”  Never mind that in chapter 20 God brought forth fresh water out of a rock.

But before we are too harsh with them in our self-righteous minds let’s take a brief moment to consider our own contentment issues; the times when we don’t like this or that.  “Pastor, I sure think it would have been better if we eliminated that 30 minute prayer time.”   “I think you really missed the point, or why didn’t you include this verse…”  If we are honest with ourselves we complain as much as the children of Israel and we must stop or risk perishing.

So the LORD sent fiery serpents (translated poisonous serpents) among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. – Numbers 22:6

So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. – Number 22:9

I want to point out three important points for us to consider today.

Israel is sinful

Brothers and sisters, we are sinful.  We reject God’s goodness and His provision even in our times of testing.  Do we really want to despise what God tells us is good for us?

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

God judges sin

Numbers 22:6 …and many of the people of Israel died.  God demands our complete trust in Him.  No less than full submission to the Lordship of Christ will do.  I realize how challenging this seems to some, but the alternative is death and judgment as represented by the serpent.  Unless you look to Him you will likewise perish.

God is merciful

Numbers 22:9 “…and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”

God understands the predicament of our willful disobedience and our sinful nature.  Because of His love He offered a way to live.  He has some requirements that accompany this way out.

We must look to Christ

Isaiah 45:22 “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other.”

Acts 4:12 “Nor is there any salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

We must repent and turn from sin 

Acts 2:37-38 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”  Then Peter said to them, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Can we see the foreshadowing of Christ as God used this lesson to teach His people that man is sinful, God is holy, God judges and will pour out His wrath on sin and then lastly He has provided a way out in Jesus Christ?

John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Are we beginning to see the authority and the truth of scripture?  Does this give us a new appreciation that God had a plan and His plan is perfect?  I realize for those in disbelief this is foolishness.  The message of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

If you were snake-bit in the wilderness would you look to the serpent lifted up and be saved?  Why would you not look to the resurrected Christ to deliver you from your sin?  Look to Him and be saved if you are in disbelief.

If you are a Christian stand in awe of His amazing sacrifice.

Kevin

Another kind of Christ – Part 1

Posted on by kevinjandt

shepherd-sheep-12Author note: This will be a three part series that I will intermingle with my regular posts over the next few weeks.  I will do my best to give some parallels and hopefully an application for life as Christians.

Do you read the Old Testament with an eye on Christ?  It’s important that Believers study the Old Testament and look with a broader view of how it all points to the Lord and His coming.  He was promised to the Jews as their King yet most missed Him.

Most still miss Him today.

It’s important to see how the entire Bible is consistent and how God has purpose in every word that is written and more importantly it all points to Christ.  It’s this lack of understanding and this denial of the truth that leads people to deny the authority of Scripture.  It allows atheist’s to misunderstand, misapply and take things out of context, so they can deny God.

Most Christians know and understand the prophecies of Christ in passages such as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 these are very clear but have you seen Christ revealed in pages of the Old Testament at nearly every turn of the page?  Today I want to look at a foreshadowing of Christ as contained in the pages of Exodus chapter 3.

Moses had fled from the glories of Egypt where he had been a prince of the people.  He had a life of great responsibility and pleasure.  He was a ruler and authority over a great kingdom where he had spent the first forty years of his life being groomed to rule over all of Egypt.  Now Moses is a simple shepherd tending to a small flock.  Do you see the similarities that Christ left His heavenly throne to come to earth and live among man?

What was the purpose of God having Moses as a shepherd for forty years?  That’s a long time.  Think of the trials you’ve faced and the times you thought they’d never end but forty years is a long time to be trained by God.

Spurgeon commenting on this time in the wilderness:

It must have been a great change for Moses, after forty years in the court of Pharaoh, to be spending another forty years in the wilderness. But it was not waste time; it required the first two periods to make Moses fit for the grand life of the last forty. He must be a prince, and he must be a shepherd, that he might be both a ruler and a shepherd to God’s people, Israel. He must be much alone; he must have many solitary communings with his own heart; he must be led to feel his own weakness. And this will be no loss of time to him; he will do more in the last forty years because of the two forties thus spent in preparation. And it is not lost time that a man takes in putting on his harness before he goes to the battle, or that the reaper spends in sharpening his scythe before he cuts down the corn.
There is nothing dishonourable about common trade, and matters of business at all. Here is a shepherd, who keeps his flock, and God keeps him and reveals himself to him. When God wants a man to lead his people he seeks for him not among idlers, but busy, active men, and God was pleased to show himself more to Moses as a shepherd, than he had ever shown himself to him as a prince in Egypt. I find no glowing Deity in the halls of Pharaoh, but I find the consuming fire manifested in the lone wastes of the desert of Sinai.

Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 

Can we clearly see the relation God has with Moses and His people?

Can we see the relation between Moses and Christ?

God’s people are oppressed by sin and their inability to break the bonds of slavery.  God’s people need to be delivered.  They need a Savior.  The children of Israel and those that will be redeemed today still need a Savior.

Are you in bondage to your sin today?  If you are a Believer do you need to be delivered from a nagging sin you just can’t shake?  If you’ve never seen the ugliness of your sin and you don’t even know you are a slave do you realize there is a solution?

Jesus Christ is a High Priest and was tempted in all the same ways as is common to man.

Hebrews 7:26-27 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

The only solution is turning to Christ.  Turn to Him and be delivered just as the children of Israel followed Moses out of the bondage of slavery to Egypt there is a solution for the sins that are keeping you from the Promised Land.  Christ is that solution.  Turn to Him and live or die in the wilderness of your sin.

Kevin