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What lessons are there for us in Exodus 29:20?
- Thread starter Hol
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What's important is to know to which of the three sacrifices listed in this chapter this is referring. There was the sin offering and then the whole burnt offering and then this one. Each speaks of a different aspect of Christ's sacrifice for us.
The one in Exodus 29:19 is the sacrifice of consecration, foreshadowed in Aaron and his sons, perfected in Christ, and intended for us who are in Christ. The sanctifying blood is applied to the right ear, right thumb, and right toe. Right represents many positive attributes in the Bible, from favor to power to authority. The right side was the one that held power in action. It was one's predominant part. This is why the consecration was placed on these three key body parts: the ear representing hearing, the hand representing service, the foot representing one's walk. Therefore this spoke of consecration of one's hearing, consecration of one's service, and consecration of the path of one's life. In other words, altogether they refer to a complete consecration of our life to the sacrifice of the Son.
After this moment of consecration the remainder of the blood was poured around the base of the altar on which the sacrifice had been placed. I believe this was to remind us always that we are consecrated by that sacrifice alone and that all we do should be tied to the one Lamb who was slain for us.
I hope this helps.
The one in Exodus 29:19 is the sacrifice of consecration, foreshadowed in Aaron and his sons, perfected in Christ, and intended for us who are in Christ. The sanctifying blood is applied to the right ear, right thumb, and right toe. Right represents many positive attributes in the Bible, from favor to power to authority. The right side was the one that held power in action. It was one's predominant part. This is why the consecration was placed on these three key body parts: the ear representing hearing, the hand representing service, the foot representing one's walk. Therefore this spoke of consecration of one's hearing, consecration of one's service, and consecration of the path of one's life. In other words, altogether they refer to a complete consecration of our life to the sacrifice of the Son.
After this moment of consecration the remainder of the blood was poured around the base of the altar on which the sacrifice had been placed. I believe this was to remind us always that we are consecrated by that sacrifice alone and that all we do should be tied to the one Lamb who was slain for us.
I hope this helps.
Yes, I am constantly amazed at the level of deep theological knowledge and insight of members here. It tells me that not only has God brought a sound spiritual core to this site which He created, but that in whatever areas our members live others are being blessed by their presence. Glory to God!!!
Spartan Sprinter
Well-known
So was the tabernacle an exact replica of how it looks like in heaven ?
The Tabernacle was a physical representation of the story of God's salvation. Everything in it pictures some aspect of that plan. From a study of the tabernacle alone you can actually discover the plan of salvation. Even more so, if you add to that the sacrifices which picture various aspects of Christ's substitutionary sacrifice. God made sure that when the gospel was finally revealed it would be seen that this was always His plan.
Many people read scripture and believe that it is telling them the tabernacle on earth is a copy of some tabernacle in heaven. But I don't think that is correct. If you'd like a full Bible study on it I'll write one, but basically all that Scripture says in Exodus is that Moses must ensure the tabernacle is built EXACTLY to God's plan. Then 1500 years or so later the writer of Hebrews said that the Jewish priests of his day "serve at a copy and shadow of the heavenly, as Moses was divinely instructed, being about to complete the tabernacle. For He says "See that you shall make all according to the pattern having been shown you in the mountain.' " That is the literal translation of the Greek (οἵτινες ὑποδείγματι καὶ σκιᾷ λατρεύουσι τῶν ἐπουρανίων, καθὼς κεχρημάτισται Μωϋσῆς μέλλων ἐπιτελεῖν τὴν σκηνήν· ὅρα, γάρ φησι, ποιήσεις πάντα κατὰ τὸν τύπον τὸν δειχθέντα σοι ἐν τῷ ὄρει.)
Unfortunately, rather than translating the Greek literally, most translations put an interpretation on it, making it say that the early tabernacle is a copy of the heavenly one. But that's not what it says. It simply says: "a copy of the heavenly." The word "copy" is ὑπόδειγμα (hupodeigma) which refers to "a pattern to be followed" or " an example to be imitated." It is used through the Greek New Testament in places such as James 5:10 where the brother of Christ says “Brothers, as an example (ὑπόδειγμα) of patience in affliction, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.” Or in 2 Peter 2:6 where the apostle speaks of God destroying Sodom and Gomorrah as "an example (ὑπόδειγμα) to those who afterward would live ungodly." In John 13:15 Jesus told his disciples that when he washed their feet it was as an "example (ὑπόδειγμα) that you should do what I have done to you " Therefore I believe that what God is communicating in Hebrews 8:5 and 9:23 is not that there is necessarily a physical tabernacle in heaven but that the tabernacle displayed on earth was a representation of the spiritual truth existing in heaven-- namely God's plan of salvation, which it must be understood was never a fallback for when man sinned but was, indeed, at the very center of man's creation.
God KNEW man would sin BEFORE He created him. It was an inevitable result of giving him free will. But because He knew that would occur, then He knew He would also have to have a means to rescue man from his faults and restore him to his Creator. This was all part of Creation's plan. The plan of salvation was not an afterthought or an incidental to God's plan of creation, but a key part of the plan itself. This glorious plan is engraved somehow in the heavenly realm and is the magnificent centerpiece of God's creative work. And as we who are saved live our lives, this truth is being revealed to the angels themselves who are thereby glorifying God for the greatness and wisdom of His plan!
This is a truth revealed in Scripture. In Ephesians 3:10-11 the Creator reveals through Paul that "God's purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." Don't miss that phrase " through the Church." The Church is a teaching example to the powers of Heaven of the abundant, diverse, and limitless wisdom of God! In other words, our lives as Christians are actually teaching the rulers and authorities in heavenly realms of things that Peter said angels have longed to look into! (1 Peter 1:12) How incredible is that!!!
Anyway, let me return to my topic in this post-- my belief that the earthly tabernacle is simply a physical representation of the plan of salvation ... a physical copy here on earth of the spiritual truth centered in heaven. An interesting word study I came across supports this. It says that “Hebrews 8:5 observes that Levitical priests 'serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven,' and Hebrews 9:23 adds, 'Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.' In these cultic contexts ὑπόδειγμα denotes the tabernacle and its rites as provisional replicas. The earthly sanctuary mirrors a transcendent original, pointing beyond itself to the high-priestly ministry of Jesus Christ" ... in other words to His role as Messiah, Advocate, and Husband of God's people.
As I said earlier, I could do an indepth study on this, but I think what I have given here is sufficient to understand my point and also to get a person started in their own study. And I guarantee that if you begin exploring this topic that I have touched on above, you will wind up filled with awe and finding it hard to contain your worship at the awesomely glorious plan of God for all creation.
I hope this helps someone.
Spartan Sprinter
Well-known
Thanks for taking the time to clarify the spiritual truth behind this.
It was a curious thought i had as i'm currently in the book of Exodus and at face value i took it to mean a heavenly replica but the way you explained it makes sense just like the deeper meaning behind the blood on the doorposts in Egypt.
Supertonman20
Well-known
Well I kept in touch with the members of the forum,the book of Exodus is worthy book that I will look at eventually, I'm currently reading Psalms my friend.
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