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Patterns of the Heavens |
Dear Brethren,
The question came up recently about the “truth of
God.” The Bible speaks often about the truth. Jesus said, “You
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
(John 8:32) “Truth” is such a big and all encompassing
concept as to be beyond the grasp of mere mortal man.
Thankfully, God has a people whom He is selecting and leading
for His own very special purpose – namely, that of bringing
many sons unto glory in the eternal Family of God (Hebrews
2:10). Speaking to His Father, Jesus prayed, "Sanctify
[set apart for spiritual purposes] them through your
truth: your Word is truth... And for their sakes
I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through
the truth." (John 17:17, 19) What is the absolute truth of
God?
God exists eternally. God is Spirit. God is
unchangeable. The attributes and characteristics of God are
beyond our human comprehension – and yet, Jesus said, “You
shall know the truth.” Therefore, it is incumbent upon us
to hold the truth in righteousness. It is
possible to know the truth correctly. Let’s notice how Paul
addressed these questions about the spiritual truth of God being
available:
“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the
truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be
known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it
unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are
without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20) There we have it! We
can know all about the truth of God – it is revealed for those
who have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. It is in the
Bible and it is evident in God’s creation.
Jesus Christ came to this earth to accomplish His
Father’s Will. Jesus came to reveal the Father. Writing about
Jesus, Paul said, “...Who is the image of the invisible God
[the Father], the firstborn of every creature: For by Him
were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created
by Him [Jesus], and for Him [God the Father].”
(Colossians 1:15-16)
Everything that we know of – except for God the
Father and Jesus Christ, Himself – were created by Jesus Christ
for the Father. How can we know about the invisible things in
heaven? The answer is that God’s holy things on earth are
representations of the reality of heaven. We know that Jesus
sits on His Father’s throne in heaven. We know about the
twenty-four elders. There is a lot more that we can know by
putting the Scriptures together.
The tabernacle in the wilderness was a facsimile
of the actual heavenly court of God. “The Lord spoke
unto Moses, saying… And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may
dwell among them. According to all that I show thee, after
the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the
instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” (Exodus
25:1, 8-9)
Later, the Temple at Jerusalem was also a type of
the actual heavenly court of God. “David gave to
Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the
houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper
chambers thereof, and of the inner parlors thereof, and of the
place of the mercy seat, and the pattern of all that
he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the
Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of
the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated
things.” (1Chronicles 28:1-12)
The High Priest of the Old Testament was also a
type of the actual heavenly High Priest – Jesus Christ.
“For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and
sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have
somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not
be a priest, 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, says He,
that thou make all things according to the pattern shown to thee
in the mount.” (Hebrews 8:3-5)
The Old Testament animal sacrifices were a
pattern of the invisible things in the heavens.
“For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the
people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of
goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled
both the book, and all the people…It was therefore necessary
that the patterns of things in the heavens should be
purified with these; but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these.” (Hebrews
9:19, 23)
Only the sacrifice of Christ could suffice. “For
Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are the figures of the true; but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us”
(Hebrews 9:24)
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"Patterns of the Heavens"
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