Tuesday: Jesus as the Sanctuary
Read John 2:19–21. Why is Jesus’ body compared to the temple? See also John 1:14.
Image © Phil McKay from GoodSalt.com
One of the themes in the Gospel of John is that with Jesus, the better “temple” has come. Tabernacle imagery is used as early as in John 1:14. Jesus is the Word who “dwelt” among men, and they saw His “glory.” The Greek word used for “to dwell” (skenoo) is the verbal form of the Greek noun for “tabernacle” (skene); so, one could translate verse 14 as the Word “tabernacled among us.” In this context, the word glory recalls the glory of God that filled both the wilderness tabernacle (Exod. 40:34-35) and Solomon’s temple at its inauguration (2 Chron. 7:1–3). So, when Christ came to earth as a human, He fulfilled God’s temple promise to dwell among His people.
As the texts above show, Jesus declared Himself to be the temple, signifying already the end of the earthly temple’s significance after His death (John 2:19–21, Matt. 27:51). Also, when Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the Light of the World (John 8:12), He might have been pointing beyond the manna on the table to the Bread of the Presence and the lampstand, objects in the earthly sanctuary. A definite reference to the sanctuary is the designation of Jesus as the sacrificial “Lamb of God,” who will bear the sin of the world (John 1:29).
“All who did service in connection with the sanctuary were being educated constantly in regard to the intervention of Christ in behalf of the human race. This service was designed to create in every heart a love for the law of God, which is the law of His kingdom. The sacrificial offering was to be an object lesson of the love of God revealed in Christ—in the suffering, dying victim, who took upon Himself the sin of which man was guilty, the innocent being made sin for us.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 233.
Because of our sinful natures, it’s so easy to think that God is angry with us. How does the revelation of God’s love, as seen in the life and death of Jesus, help each of us to realize on a personal level that God loves us despite our faults? In what ways should this realization encourage us to gain victories over self?
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We can see to Jesus as the Sanctuary, because He is holy, perfect, and His character is the revelation of the character of our Heavenly Father full love, mercy, compassion, patience, forgiveness to us, He was a perfect sacrifice for us, He is the Lamb of God, His job is what is does in the Sanctuary , He is our example of how to be as followers of Him. To archive this goal will be accomplished only when we give day by day ourselves and our willing to Him .
Am happy to know that the earthly sanctuary was just a an object lesson.It was a way of bringing the knowledge of heaven to a human level of understanding.Through the earthly sanctuary,we can now comprehend the Heaavenly santuary where our high priest is finalising on our salvation.
Thank you Jesus for coming to tabernacle with us. How difficult it would e for us to find lambs,doves,rams and other sacrificial animals . He is our ultimate sacrifice. He came to tabernacle with us yet he himself is the true temple . The truth is that we can rest assure that we have a sanctuary in Jesus.
We have a worthwhile goal ahead of us! We can let Jesus do His miraculous work in our hearts as we choose to give up our selfish ways, and we have the joy of being with our God of Love forever! The more I see of Him in truth, the more I am attracted to Him and His Love. His plan for a wonderful future for His family is heartwarming. Why should I let any selfish thing keep me from having a part of that?
Everybody is a temple, that which makes Christ body to be emphasized is because He presented his body as living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1
The tabernacle was the "dwelling place" of God on Earth and when Jesus was here he was effectively the "dwelling place" of God. Rutha Johnson's comment significantly points out that we too are to be temples or "dwelling places" for God. That puts a responsibility and privilege on us because God is relying on us to communicate Him to others. This is one of the great recurring themes through the Bible.
On Tuesday's comment on the bottom the question is asked, how does the revelation of God's love as seen in the life and death of jesus, help us to realize on a personal level that God love's us despite of our faults? What way should this realization encourage us to gain victory over self.
God's love is not temporary it is everlasting. Calvary and the cross is not a landmark, it's a reminder of his great love for us, and a chance of life everlasting. God told us to knock and he will answer seek and we would find, he also said that those that are laboured and heavy burden, he will give rest that does not sound like a God that will be angry. We should pray to God to help us put our selfish ways under a bushel, and allow his light to shine in us. So every time we think, is God angry with us, we should think of his everlasting love at calvary, how powerful the cross is and what it symbolizes in our lives, and the power of his love. If we could only let go of self and receive all of God's love and blessing. What an awesome God we serve, let's keep praying and serving him.Amen.
Oh how refreshing to know that God does not operate like man..Here we are in our finite minds thinking that God will not bless us and therefore makes every situation about ourselves.Here God is saying to us " I understand your challenges as human and I still love you but in all things make me look good ....
When I came to understand that my husband loved me unconditionally ,my mind stretch to God's love for me and what he is willing to do for me if i will only accept his love and 'make him look good'
Jesus is the sanctuary that Moses saw, he is the one n only sanctuary gate, he is the High priest, he is the blameless Lamb, he is the sin offering that was offered outside the gate...he is our Redeemer, he is our everything! Thanks be God for his doing just for us, his creation.