It is my goal to stay with the Word of God and help it make sense to you. And it's my purpose for you to make sense out of your life, to understand that God does love and care about you, and to know that he has an answer to life's questions.

LAMBS, LAVERS, AND LAMPSTANDS

One summer, my brother and I are old enough to canoe on the Big Rapids River. The water is so clear, we can see the fish. My dad and brother, in a rowboat, maneuver toward the left riverbank. In a canoe with Uncle Jim, I paddle along the right shore. Spotting a tree with a low limb, I duck down. But the limb whacks Uncle Jim right in the chest. The canoe flips over, landing us in the river.

Uncle Jim and I, unhurt by the mishap, are chilly in our wet clothes. Dad, building a campfire on the shore, instructs me to dry all my clothes.

"Dad...," I protest.

"The deer don't care and the squirrels only look for a minute," he joked.

Suddenly, the air is filled with giggling. It is neither Dad, my brother, nor Uncle Jim. Behind me are nine canoes filled with laughing Girl Scouts. They look at me standing by the campfire in my underwear. I feel embarrassed. I want a cover.

Do you know that the Lord has made a way to "cover" you?

The story starts in the book of Hebrews: Paul asserts that Jesus is better than anything on the earth. That includes the sanctuary (tabernacle)--the classroom that points to the time when the Lamb of God will die for our sins after which He is "caught up" into heaven to be seated on a throne.

"And her Child was caught up to God and His throne." Revelation 12:5b NKJV

In the nation of Israel, the first High Priest, Aaron, holds the office until he dies. The next High Priest, his son, Eleazer, serves until his death. Not by God's design, the High Priests in Jesus' day buy the holy position like a political office. The true High Priest, Jesus, ministers in the authentic tabernacle in heaven. It is so wonderful that we can understand what Jesus now does and that we have a picture of the inner workings of heaven!

"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." Hebrews 8:1-2 NKJV

The word tabernacle means "dwelling place of God." The tabernacle that Moses assembles on earth, rich in Christ- symbology, reflects the true tabernacle constructed by God in heaven.

"Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the shewbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant: and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail." Hebrews 9:1-5 NKJV

The sanctuary contains the inner court of two sections-- described above--and the outer court.

In the outer court, there is a large structure, the altar of burnt offering. The Christ-symbol is the cross: when you bring a lamb to sacrifice, you confess your sin while laying your hands on the lamb's head; then, slitting its throat with a knife, you take the life of the innocent animal. Christ, the innocent Lamb of God, was sacrificed on the cross for mans' sins. The priest, catching the blood in a basin and walking toward the inner court, steps to the left to wash in a laver before appearing in the presence of God. The laver depicts Christ's stab wound on the cross from which water and blood flow out of His left side. The symbols are so detailed!

The inner court of the sanctuary contains two sections: the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The Holy Place (the first part), contains a seven-branched candelabra along the left wall depicting Jesus, the Light of the World. Across the room, a table of shewbread portrays Jesus, the Bread of Life. At the room's end is a veil, not as high as the tabernacle, separating the Holy and the Most Holy Place (the room behind the veil). In the temple in Jerusalem, that veil was so thick that, when annually replaced, the combined efforts of seventy priests was required.

Directly in front of the veil is the altar of incense. The priests sprinkle the blood of the lambs, goats, and bulls on the altar, symbolically transferring the confessed sin to be recorded in the sanctuary. The incense burned there illustrated the prayers of God's people. The blood, mingled with the incense smoke, rises over the veil into the Holy of Holies, or Most Holy Place.

Also in the inner court, the second room, called the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place, contains the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat, both made of pure gold. Inside the ark of the covenant are three remembrances: a bowl of manna; Aaron's rod that budded; and, the Ten Commandments.

The bowl of manna remembers the children of Israel wandering on the desert for forty years. Each morning, manna--called "the food of angels" and the healthiest food on earth--covers the ground like frost. The people gather it to bake, boil, or just eat. There is a double portion on Friday and none on Sabbath. The ungrateful desert sojourners, however, complain about God's miraculous provisions.

Not coveting leadership, Moses and Aaron are God's appointed leaders. After being challenged by other men, God asks that one man from each of Israel's tribes to lay his staff at the door of the tabernacle. The staff (rod) of the leader God has chosen will be alive the next day. In the morning, the rod of Aaron had buds, flowers, and almonds. The unthankful men who want to control complain about God's leaders.

Disobedient human nature, chaffs against the Ten Commandments. Written by God's very own hand, the law depicts His personal character. But, ungrateful humankind rebels over God's guidance and what He has described for our own good.

The ark of the covenant contains the bowl of manna, the rod, and the Ten Commandments. The lid is called the "mercy seat." Golden cherubim (angels), both with a wing swept upward and the other spread downward, stare at the mercy seat. They see the manna (man defying God's provisions), the rod of Aaron (man challenging God's appointed leaders), and the Ten Commandments (humankind disobeying God's law). The blood of innocent animals, carried into the Holy Place by the priest, sprinkled on the altar of incense, mingles with the smoke rising over the veil and condenses on the top of the mercy seat. Then the cherubim no longer view the rebellion illustrated by the manna, rod, and law, but see instead the covering of the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat.

Heaven can see that I have all of the problems of His people on the desert--and you do, too! But the sanctuary on earth is a type of the true sanctuary in heaven. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, God no longer sees your sin. Instead He sees, on the mercy seat, the sacrificial blood of Jesus! That's what it means to be covered by the blood!

The most important Jewish date is the Yom Kippur--the Day of Atonement. Then, in the Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies, the High Priest makes an offering both for himself and for the people. In behalf of the people, does the High Priest offer his "good works?" Or, does he make an offering for himself of the "good works" of the people? No, neither had works good enough. As both the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary and the Lamb slain for the sins of the people, Jesus offers His own sacrificial blood.

"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.

"For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer." Hebrews 8:1-3 NKJV

People have never met a loving God like this: when you accept Jesus as your Savior, God no longer sees your sin but the blood of Christ. Jesus meets the condition of eternal life--a life time of perfect obedience--and God sees in you the likeness of His Son in whom you believe. That is good news!

In a Bible story, a woman, caught in adultery, is publicly brought to Jesus. At that time, it was a crime punished by stoning. Jesus charges the men who brought her, "You, without sin, cast the first stone."

But, all the men depart. Jesus says to her, "Where are your accusers. . . Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more!"

Brothers and sisters, God has made a way to cover you--a way to see no sin when He looks at you. Instead, He sees the likeness of His Son in Whom you believe. Won't you ask Jesus to come into your heart and be your Savior tonight?

Back in the woods, on the canoe trip when the Girl Scouts laughed at me, I wanted to be covered by a blanket. Now I am covered by a "blanket"--Jesus Christ.

"Father in Heaven, Thank You for Jesus, the High Priest in Heaven Who offers Himself in my behalf. Tonight I ask Him into my heart. In Jesus' name, Amen."