Partaking of the bread and wine which represent the body
and blood of Jesus Christ as the medium by which the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses
and forgives us from all sin in order that we can have fellowship with the Father
and with one another is also the reason why the apostle Paul admonished us by
saying; “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge
for your-selves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion (fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it
not the communion (fellowship) of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are
one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread” (1Corinthians 10:14-17).
Therefore, what was taking place in the earthly
tabernacle was simply a copy and shadow of what is taking place in the heavenly
tabernacle. And so, the inner Court is indicative of, “coming to Mount Zion and
to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the first born, whose
names are written in heaven.’ When in the inner Court, “we have come to God,
the Judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus
the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better
word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24).
There are laws and protocol which govern those who are admitted in the
temple. The law with regards to those who should enter the new Temple in the
inner court was disclosed to the prophet Ezekiel by the Lord saying; “Son of
man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to
everything I tell you concerning all the regulations regarding the temple of
the Lord. Mark well who may enter the house and all who go out from the
sanctuary.’
“Now say to the rebellious, to the house of Israel, ‘thus says the Lord
God: “O house of Israel let us have no more of all your abominations. When you
brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be
in My sanctuary to defile it – My house – and when you offered My food, the fat
and the blood, then they broke My covenant because of all your abominations.’
“And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but you have set others
to keep charge of My sanctuary for you. Thus says the Lord God: “No foreigner,
uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the
children of Israel” (Ezekiel 44: 5-9).
Allowing the uncircumcised in heart, and spiritually unclean to enter the
temple, not the one made with hands, but the true tabernacle in heaven, is a
violation of the laws of the temple, and profanes the holy things of God. For
thus says the Lord to Ezekiel concerning the leaders of Israel; “Her priests have violated My law and
profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and un-holy, nor have they made known the
difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes
from my Sabbaths, so I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26).
One should also note that, the principal objective for observing the
Sabbaths is to offer the Lord His food for His offerings. For thus it is
written; “These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy
convocations, to offer an offering
made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice
and drink offerings, everything on its day.”
Now, please note carefully that this offering “is besides (or in addition
to) the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and
besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:37-38).
The earthy tabernacle like the shadow of the reality we are told that,
“into the second part (the inner court) the high priest went alone once a year,
not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins
committed in ignorance” (Hebrews 9:7).
Today, we have a High Priest who does not need to offer any sacrifice for
Himself: But He offered Himself once and for all for all peoples so that, we
can come boldly daily to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of need, but not without the blood of the new covenant.
As clearly stated by the apostle Paul saying’
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil,
that is His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews
10:19-22).
It is only when those prerequisites are in place should we “…consider one
another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner
of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day
approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Anything contrary to this we are told, “When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense (prayer) is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies – I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting: Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:12-15).
My prayer is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory will give us the spirit of wisdom, and revelation in the
knowledge of Him, and that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened, so
that we may know how to have access to His throne of grace with confidence, in
order to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, and not spending
our time only in the outer court of the tabernacle, or profaning the inner
court with abominable things.
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With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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