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Five Essential Bible Truths – Part 5
The Temple of God

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Reason # 3 – The Seat of Christ

Earlier, I wrote that the Ark of the Covenant represents the character, ways and government of God. In effect, this is the essence of God. God designed the Earthy tabernacle to teach men and women about His essence without an overpowering spectacle. Even the tabernacle itself was covered with black sealskins. (Exodus 36:19) In other words, God could have “wowed” the Israelites with a Sinai cathedral dwarfing the all-to-familiar pyramids of Egypt. He could have ensconced Himself in some lofty and glorious grandeur that would have embarrassed Pharaoh and the Philistines. He could have easily intimidated the Israelites into submission by showing great displays of power, miracles, signs and wonders. On several occasions, God did use marvelous miracles on behalf of Israel, but He does not want to be worshiped because He happens to be a great king, who has great authority and owns everything. (Psalms 95:3; Malachi 1:14) Rather, God wants His children to worship Him because of the truth about His essence. (John 4:24) The more they understand about His character, the more they will appreciate His ways and government. God seeks our worship for our good, not His. God will not force the worship pf one creature because He is love. Jesus’ life is an excellent example of this point. He could have chosen any parents He wanted, but He chose to live and look like an ordinary person because the understanding of the character, ways and government of God are of greater value than glory. 

Therefore, here is why I believe the Table of Presence represents the throne of God: During the days of the Earthy tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant was the focus of worship. The Shekinah dwelt in the Most Holy Place because God’s character, ways and government were to be the focus of God’s instruction, for man and His glory rested on that aspect of temple service. However, the evidence indicates that the Table of Presence was a source of blessing, in addition to being physically located on the north side of the temple. Since God is more interested in our worship than His glory, the Ark of the Covenant was hidden from view. The Table of the Presence symbolized His presence and represented the throne of God. If this is true, then the physical location of Jesus makes a great deal of sense. The Bible says that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. (Hebrews 1:3) This places Jesus (the Shekinah) where you would expect a mediator to sit, between the throne of God and the Ark of the Covenant.

Summary – Temple Furniture

We have briefly examined the tabernacle furniture, learned the purpose of each item, how it relates to the Heavenly Temple. Much more could be said, so much more, that it could fill many books. God is thoughtful and deliberate in all He does and the Earthy/Heavenly temple parallel is no exception. Remember that the essential purpose for understanding the Earthy tabernacle today is its parallel operation with Heaven’s Temple. The revelation of law, sin, penalty, grace and the orderly ways of God to redeem man is revealed in His Temple. Now to summarize this section on the temple furniture:

1.      Services at the Alter of Burnt Offering pointed forward to the death of man’s perfect substitute, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

2.      Daily services at the Altar of Incense pointed backward to the intercession of Jesus Christ on behalf of sinful man. Jesus daily stands between the demands of the law and guilty man.

3.      The Ark of the Covenant represents the character, ways and government of God.

4.      The Laver illustrates the daily spiritual cleansing that sinful man needs.

5.      The Lampstand represents the agents of God who are to let their light shine for the glory of God.

6.      The Table of the Presence represents the throne of God.

Temple Feasts

Temple services were augmented with six annual feasts. These feasts also reveal certain aspects of God’s PLAN to save man. God required all males to attend three of the feasts: The Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Ingathering. (Exodus 23: 14-17) Three of the annual feasts were in the Spring, and three were in the Fall. These annual feasts always occurred in the first, third and seventh months. The timing of the appointed feasts introduces a problem to today’s Bible student. What month was considered the first month? When did the year begin? How did ancient people agree on dates and times with very limited long-distance communication? God was very specific in regards to the timing of these annual feasts, so He gave the Hebrews a very cleaver calendar to solve the problem of determining time-periods. God foreknew that the Hebrews would be scattered hundreds of miles apart, so He provided a calendar to be used by everyone so they could know current time without sending a runner to Jerusalem to determine the day and month.

Observable Calendar

Before the Exodus, the Egyptians (and consequently, the Hebrew) observed a Summer-to-Summer calendar of 365 days. However, two weeks before the Exodus, God initiated a new calendar. God established the first day, first month and first year by divine decree. (Exodus 12: 1-12; 40:17) The importance and accuracy of this calendar are demonstrated by the fact that God, Himself, said: “This is day one, month one, year one.” A year in God’s calendar is a solar year. The fulfillment of the 70 weeks of prophecy of Daniel 9 proves this point. The decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. extends to 34 A. D. – a period of 490 solar years. God’s calendar reaches from Spring equinox to Spring equinox. The equinox offers precise astronomical positioning twice a year – once in the Spring and once in the Fall. The Fall equinox is exactly halfway through the solar year. (A solar year is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds in length.) Further, each equinox is easy to observe because the sun crosses the celestial equator at the equinox and shadows begin to move in the opposite direction.

The Julian/Gregorian calendar (named after Julius Caesar who implemented it in 45 B.C. and Pope Gregory XIII who corrected Caesar’s calendar in 1582) is still uses today. It is also a solar calendar, but it reaches from Winter-to-Winter and a new year always begins every 365 (or 366) days with January 1, regardless of the phase of the moon. God’s calendar, however, is a solar calendar. A new year begins with the first sight of a new moon after the Spring equinox. For example, in 1994 the Spring equinox occurred on March 20. The first new moon after March 20 was April 11. (A new moon is totally dark and a full moon is fully illuminated.) If a tiny crescent of the new moon could be seen during the night of April 12, then a new year began on April 12 and the timing of religious feast (Passover, ect.) for that year would be established accordingly.  Incidentally, this method of reckoning always places Passover (the first feast) and the Feast of Ingathering (the last feast of the year) on a full moon. The chart below shows how the new year began in 1994 according to God’s calendar.



After reviewing the chart, you might ask, “How were the 22 days between the equinox on March 20 and the beginning of the new year on April 12 reckoned?” Answer: They were considered as part of the previous year. In other words, a new year does not begin at the Spring equinox unless the tiny crescent of the new moon is observed during the night of the Spring equinox. Therefore, the last month of the old year continues until the crescent of the new moon is seen – even if it goes past the Spring equinox. This means that it is possible under God’s calendar, depending upon the position of the Sun and Moon, to have a year longer or shorter than 365.24 days.

Incidentally, God’s solar-lunar method of reckoning time always places the Passover between April 3 and May 2. This timeframe insured the availability of ripe barley that was waved before the Lord at the time of Passover. (Leviticus 23: 5-14)  Today, orthodox Jews claim that God’s calendar is not a solar-lunar calendar, but rather a lunar calendar. If this were true, it would mean that a year is 10 or 11 days short of a solar year. For example, if a lunar calendar were used, the 70 weeks of years (Daniel 9) would be 14 years short of the required 490 solar years or 475.39 years. History does not confirm a prophetic fulfillment of Daniel 9 during this time frame. In addition, barley begins to ripen around the first April in Canaan. A lunar calendar would place the Passover too early in the growing season for ancients Jews to offer a sheaf of ripe barley before the Lord.

Another point should be mentioned. After the Babylonian captivity, the Jews incorporated a Fall-to-Fall calendar. This was done to synchronize their civil records with the dating scheme used throughout the kingdom of the Persians. However, the Fall-to-Fall civil calendar of the Medes and Persians and the Spring-to-Spring calendar of God were never confused, merged or used interchangeably by the Jews. In fact, Bible writers sometimes juxtaposed both calendars to secure a specific date. For example, notice these two passages:


Kislev 9th       Nissan 9th

  • “The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa…” (Nehemiah 1:1)
  • “In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before…” (Nehemiah 2:1)

In the first text, Nehemiah associates the month of Kislev (ninth month of God’s Spring-to-Spring year) with the 20th year [of Artaxerxes], according to the Fall-to-Fall Persian calendar. Later, Nehemiah dates another event in the month of Nissan (first month of God’s year) as though it were still the 20th year of Artaxerxes. Scholars have asked, “Why didn’t Nehemiah increment the year of Artaxerxes to 21?” Simply this – the year was not incremented to 21 because the king was still in his 20th year. Consider the chart above and see the harmony of this reckoning.

You can see that Kislev, God’s ninth month, and Nissan, the first month of God’s new year, fell within the 20th year of Artaxerxes reign, even when the king’s 20th year is reckoned from Fall-to-Fall. Today, Americans reckon time in a similar way without confusion. When producing new cars, auto manufacturers observe a Fall-to-Fall calendar for each model year. New cars appear in auto dealer’s showrooms in September, even though the calendar year begins on January 1.

One last point needs to be made before leaving the matter of calendation behind. Notice this text: “Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. Celebrate the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.” (Exodus 23:16) Some people have questioned how the feast of Ingathering (also known as the Feast of Tabernacles) could be “at the end of the year” since the feast itself begins on the 15th day of the seventh month. (Leviticus 23:34) The context of this language has to do with agriculture. The Feast of Ingathering marked the end of the year’s growing season. Some have claimed that this text proves that the Jews observed a Fall-to-Fall calendar prior to the Babylonian captivity. However, No Biblical or archeological evidence has been found to support this claim. Think about the specifics of this text. How could one celebrate the Feast of Ingathering and the end of the year if the feast occurs on the 15th day of the seventh month! (Leviticus 23: 34) The seventh month is not near the end of the year! If the feast were celebrated near the end of the year, then the Lord would have placed the feast during the 12th month.

I have introduced the subject of solar-lunar calendation so you can appreciate how God enabled the Hebrews to mark the passage of time, especially the timing of the feasts. In addition to the six annual feasts, God required a feast to coincide with the observance of each new moon. How thoughtful of God! By placing a “monthly party” on the arrival of new moons, the Jews unwittingly documented the passage of time for those of us who would live thousands of years later.

The Passover

The story of Israel’s miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt has significant meaning. Remember that god not only designed the deliverance process, He also required Israel to perpetually commemorate the events surrounding the Exodus each Spring, beginning the 14th day of the first month. (Exodus 12: 10-14) There are four lessons surrounding the Exodus that are particularly noteworthy, so pay close attention to the parallels as they relate to end-time events:

1.      God tested the loyalty of the Hebrews through a Sabbath Rest Test before He delivered them.

2.      God tested the faith of Hebrews and Egyptians by demanding, “blood be posted on the door posts” the night He passed over the nation.

3.      God punished Egypt with ten plagues because of rebellion.

4.      God destroyed Pharaoh and his army because of defiant rebellion.

Exodus/End-Time Parallels

1. A test of loyalty: First, most Bible students understand that a time is coming when no one will be able to buy or sell unless he receives the mark of the beast. The mark belongs to a “beast” that will appear in the near future. This beast is none other than that great fallen angel, Lucifer. He is symbolized as a “beast” in Revelation 13:11 because he will come with great deceptive power. John describes Jesus as the lamb in Revelation 5:6. Interestingly, John describes Lucifer as having “lamblike” appearance to the people of Earth, but speaking like the great red dragon of Revelation 12. Lucifer is the great imposter who will physically appear in the form of a man-god with his fallen angels. He will have a mark that represents evil. The widely known number “666” will be tattooed on the right hand of those who submit to him and his mark will also be his assumed name which will be tattooed on the foreheads of his lieutenants. Those people who choose to worship or submit to the demands of the devil will openly display these marks. This ancient Antichrist (the devil) will demand that all people who oppose his laws and authority be executed. (Revelation 13:15) In this setting, God will test the loyalty of all people on earth through a Sabbath Rest Test just before deliverance comes – just like He tested the Hebrews before they entered the Promised Land. The prophet John states very clearly that the remnant that remain loyal to God during Earth’s last days will obey God’s commandments. (Revelation 12:17), even to the point of forfeiting their lives. (Revelation 6:9) God’s fourth commandment will become the focus of this worldwide contest. God requires the human race to rest on the seventh day of the week. (Exodus 20:8-11) The devil, imposter that he is, will exalt the sacredness of a counterfeit day of worship and demand that everyone render homage to him on that day. The contest will be simple to understand, just like the Sabbath contest was easy to understand in Pharaoh’s day.

2. A test of faith: The events surrounding the ‘Passover” contain three important parallels: First, God Himself, passed over the land and examined each household for Himself to see if blood was properly applied over the doorposts. (Exodus 12:13) This close scrutiny parallels the final judgment of mankind when each heart will be examined to see if the blood of Jesus has been applied. The great question asked of every person in the judgment is this: “Did you live by faith?” (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 8:1) Second, the Bible is plain about the human condition – everyone has sinned against God and deserves to die. The wages of sin is death by execution. (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23) The parallel is this: The guilt that rested upon the Hebrews before the Exodus is the same guilt that rests upon all sinners today. Yes, God allows for the transfer of guilt, but the application of blood (from the Lamb of God) still must be placed on the doorsteps of the heart (submission to the will of God), in order to be saved. The blood on the doorstep in Egypt revealed the faith of those people who believed that (1) God would pass over, and (2) God would accept the blood of the Lamb. The people that believed the Word of God acted accordingly were saved. (James 2:17) In days to come, the will of God will be fully proclaimed to every nation as a testimony. (Matthew 24:14) Then, the actions of people will reveal their faith or their great rebellion! The question that will confront the inhabitants of Earth will be: “Who will receive Jesus as their Passover Lamb? Who will depend upon His shed blood for salvation?”

Finally, God did not execute the first born in Egypt that night, whether man or

Beast, Hebrew or Egyptian, without warning. The object lesson here is twofold. First, God will warn the world of His actions. Second, He wants the world to understand a profound point: His law cannot be changed. In fact, when Jesus offered to be man’s substitute, the Father had no alternative but to execute the firstborn over all creation! (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15) Jesus is called the Firstborn of creation because of His preeminence over all created beings. This title firstborn is often used by men to indicate the first-born child. However, in the United States, we also use the term “First Lady” to represent a preeminent position (the wife of the President of the U.S.). The second context is how Paul used the term “Firstborn” to represent Christ, for Jesus has always been an eternal member of the Godhead. By killing (or threatening to kill) the firstborn of Egypt, God revealed the sacrifice He would have to make for the salvation of man. This drama also reveals that God would someday kill His firstborn Son because the PLAN of salvation requires the substitute to die according to the demands of the law. Jesus became sin for us, so He had to be executed as a sinner. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Revelation 20:9) The killing of the firstborn becomes significant when we realize how the first-born male was regarded in ancient times. First-born males were viewed as “much more special” than the other offspring because the first-born was heir to the family name and blessing.

3. Ten plagues – result of rebellion: The ten plagues that fell on Egypt reveal two important truths First, we have to marvel at the rebellion of Pharaoh after reading the narrative in the Bible. His kingdom was decimated by the plagues and yet, he continued to rebel against the authority of the Most High God. What does Pharaoh’s mindset say about man? Paul wrote: “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (Romans 8:7) When we consider the end-time parallel, remember that a time is coming when the authority and the will of God will be just as plainly presented to the inhabitants of the Earth as it was to Pharaoh. Unfortunately, many people will respond the same way Pharaoh did. (Revelation 11:8) Second, the Bible is very clear that God is going to punish the inhabitants of Earth with a series of 14 plagues will be real, painful and deadly. However, the good news is this: The seven last plagues (Revelation 16) will not affect the children of God, just as the last eight plagues in Egypt did not affect the Hebrews.

4.      Destroyed because of defiant rebellion: This parallel should not be hard to grasp. At the end of time, Satan is going to lead the armies of the world into conflict with the Almighty. God will completely destroy His enemies just as He destroyed Pharaoh and his army. (Revelation 19:11-21)

God carefully designed these four object lessons so the Passover’s perpetual observance would continuously keep the issues that actually concern man’s salvation before the minds of the Hebrews. Did the Hebrews appreciate these lessons? If they did, it was never for very long. In fact, history indicates that the celebration of Passover became an outward religious ritual having little or no transforming effect upon those who commemorated the event. How sad that the true significance of the Passover was largely lost by those who observed it because they failed to search beneath the surface of this ceremonial law.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.” (Exodus 12: 17-20)


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