To Encourage You

Hebrews 9:1-6 “Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. . .These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties”

There are many shadows and types provided for us in the Old Testament that point to the reality of Christ.  One such type is the tabernacle that God told Moses to build when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.  Every part of the tabernacle pointed to Christ, and as we look at these parts our minds can be lifted to the glory of what those parts represent. 

The tabernacle had an outer court that anyone from the nation could enter.  Then there was a tent, within which were two rooms. The first room was called “the Holy Place.”  Only the priests, whose role it was to serve as intermediaries between God and the people, could enter. Next there was the innermost room, the “Most Holy Place” into which only the high priest could enter, and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement.  The verses above concern the roles of the priests as they served in the Holy Place. As such, they are a picture of Jesus Who is the greatest prophet, priest, and king.  It was the priest’s responsibility to continually maintain the lampstand so that its light would never go out. Also, they continually prepared and replaced the “bread of the Presence” on the table.  With these symbols we are pointed to Christ who is “the Light of the World” (John 8:12), and “the Bread of Life” (John 6:35).  It is Christ that illumines our hearts and minds with His precious Word by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and it is Christ that sustains us physically, by providing everything we need for physical life, as well as every spiritual need by way of His Word, for “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (John 4:4). 

But of particular note here is that the Old Testament priests “regularly,” i.e., continually, did their work.  As such it is good for us to realize that no matter how Jesus has taught us and sustained us in the past, He will continue to do so today, tomorrow, and continually during our lives on earth and throughout all eternity.  Aren’t you glad for this? Isn’t it wonderful that we have a great High Priest that continually is at work to give us understanding of all that is most necessary to know in life and to provide for our needs each and every day?  It’s as the wonderful 121^st Psalm says, “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”  How wonderful to know that this is true for this very day, and it will continue to be true for all our tomorrows. 

Praise be to God for His continual work in our lives. Praise God for Immanuel, God with us, Who is continually sustaining us every moment of every day.