Class 5 from this series was used in GCT Episode 310.
00:00:00,160 –> 00:00:07,960
In our previous study, we saw
that faith seeks God and that we
2
00:00:07,960 –> 00:00:13,240
can find Him, we can build a
relationship with Him.
3
00:00:15,160 –> 00:00:19,840
But how do we know that He hears
us?
4
00:00:21,320 –> 00:00:25,840
How do we know that He will
answer and that He does answer
5
00:00:25,880 –> 00:00:29,520
our prayers?
How do we know that He’s even
6
00:00:29,520 –> 00:00:33,880
there?
The answer is always the same.
7
00:00:34,360 –> 00:00:38,960
It’s faith in God’s Word.
Part of the problem that we
8
00:00:38,960 –> 00:00:44,280
have, of course, is that we
can’t see God, and because we
9
00:00:44,280 –> 00:00:52,520
have no physical evidence of
Him, we lose our concentration
10
00:00:52,520 –> 00:00:58,000
or our consciousness of God in
prayer.
11
00:00:58,000 –> 00:01:05,040
Our minds even drift to other
things, and sometimes we go
12
00:01:05,040 –> 00:01:08,840
through with thought on who
we’re speaking with.
13
00:01:09,720 –> 00:01:13,960
It’s a real problem.
If only we could see God.
14
00:01:15,640 –> 00:01:20,880
The Bible categorically states
that no man has seen God at any
15
00:01:20,880 –> 00:01:25,400
time.
No humans can see God and live.
16
00:01:26,560 –> 00:01:31,440
Paul says that Christ dwells in
the light which no man can
17
00:01:31,440 –> 00:01:35,760
approach, unto whom no man hath
seen nor can see.
18
00:01:36,280 –> 00:01:41,160
That’s the Father.
The point is, is that Yahweh is
19
00:01:41,160 –> 00:01:47,880
so holy, sinful flesh cannot
look upon Him and live.
20
00:01:49,240 –> 00:01:56,920
There is none like Him.
Our relationship with God then
21
00:01:58,360 –> 00:02:03,160
cannot be like any other
relationship now.
22
00:02:03,160 –> 00:02:05,960
God wants us to come to know
Him.
23
00:02:06,920 –> 00:02:10,680
He says that in His Word.
He wants us to come to know Him
24
00:02:10,680 –> 00:02:18,920
in another way, to see His
character from what He has told
25
00:02:18,920 –> 00:02:24,360
us in His Word.
He wants us to have an awareness
26
00:02:24,720 –> 00:02:33,840
of Him in faith.
He wants us in faith to seek His
27
00:02:33,840 –> 00:02:38,640
presence.
How then do we come before Him?
28
00:02:38,800 –> 00:02:41,920
How do we come into His
presence?
29
00:02:42,680 –> 00:02:48,800
It’s not a feeling that we get
apart from emotion.
30
00:02:50,160 –> 00:02:52,360
He doesn’t come and warm our
hearts.
31
00:02:52,640 –> 00:02:59,840
It’s all in faith in His word.
I’d like you to come with me to
32
00:03:00,040 –> 00:03:05,240
Exodus chapter 29.
The Tabernacle helps us to
33
00:03:05,400 –> 00:03:08,840
understand how we come into His
presence.
34
00:03:11,400 –> 00:03:15,600
It’s all there.
God teaches us through His law
35
00:03:16,160 –> 00:03:20,120
and through the the Tabernacle.
He taught the Israelites in
36
00:03:20,120 –> 00:03:29,920
Exodus chapter 29, and we read
in verse 42, This shall be a
37
00:03:29,960 –> 00:03:35,600
continual burnt offering through
your generations at the door of
38
00:03:35,600 –> 00:03:39,640
the Tabernacle of the
congregation, or the tent of
39
00:03:39,640 –> 00:03:49,000
meeting before Yahweh, where I
will meet with you to speak
40
00:03:49,160 –> 00:03:54,400
there unto thee.
And there will I meet with the
41
00:03:54,400 –> 00:03:59,600
children of Israel, and the
Tabernacle shall be sanctified
42
00:03:59,600 –> 00:04:05,240
by my glory, verse 45 And I will
dwell among the children of
43
00:04:05,240 –> 00:04:10,400
Israel, and will be their God.
Now notice the strong ideas that
44
00:04:10,400 –> 00:04:17,160
come from this God dwells among
His covenant people.
45
00:04:17,760 –> 00:04:23,360
Secondly, they would worship at
the door of the tent of Meeting,
46
00:04:23,520 –> 00:04:27,400
which is described as being
before Yahweh.
47
00:04:28,600 –> 00:04:33,960
And thirdly, God would meet them
there to commune with them.
48
00:04:35,240 –> 00:04:39,760
Now Paul says the same about us
in Second of Corinthians 6 verse
49
00:04:39,760 –> 00:04:42,960
16.
You are the temple of the living
50
00:04:42,960 –> 00:04:46,000
God.
As God hath said, I will dwell
51
00:04:46,000 –> 00:04:49,160
in them and walk in them, and I
will be their God, and they
52
00:04:49,160 –> 00:04:53,360
shall be my people.
So He applies the same words and
53
00:04:53,360 –> 00:04:57,600
the same ideas to us in the
pleasure of God.
54
00:04:59,200 –> 00:05:05,080
The Tabernacle was God’s abode
among His covenant people.
55
00:05:07,400 –> 00:05:11,080
Of course, this is not just any
next door neighbour.
56
00:05:12,840 –> 00:05:19,040
This was the abode, as it is
described, of the power of the
57
00:05:19,120 –> 00:05:22,480
Innovins, the Holy One of
Israel.
58
00:05:24,080 –> 00:05:30,640
How can he be in their midst?
Is this actually possible?
59
00:05:32,960 –> 00:05:38,480
How could he be there?
Well, let’s see.
60
00:05:38,480 –> 00:05:43,880
Verse 42 says, and it’s there as
the second point on this slide,
61
00:05:44,720 –> 00:05:48,320
that they met at the door of the
Tabernacle.
62
00:05:49,200 –> 00:05:57,600
This door is before Yahweh.
It literally means before the
63
00:05:57,600 –> 00:06:07,360
face oh Yahweh and it can be
translated as in the presence of
64
00:06:07,360 –> 00:06:10,480
Yahweh.
It has the same idea.
65
00:06:13,600 –> 00:06:20,040
Israel was commanded to present
themselves 3 * a year before
66
00:06:20,200 –> 00:06:24,720
Yahweh.
In actual fact, everything to do
67
00:06:24,720 –> 00:06:30,240
with the Tabernacle was before
Yahweh, even those things that
68
00:06:30,240 –> 00:06:34,240
were not just at the door, but
through the door in the holy
69
00:06:34,640 –> 00:06:37,640
place and in the holiest of all
everything.
70
00:06:37,640 –> 00:06:41,720
Here’s a, a, a list of the, the
things that I could find the
71
00:06:41,720 –> 00:06:43,840
door of the tabernacles before
Yahweh.
72
00:06:43,840 –> 00:06:46,800
So were the priests, the priests
garments, the Levites, the
73
00:06:46,800 –> 00:06:51,280
people, the brazen altar, the
way, and even the offerings.
74
00:06:52,160 –> 00:06:56,560
The lampstand within the holy
place that’s beyond the door,
75
00:06:58,360 –> 00:07:01,680
the altar of incense and the
incense are described before
76
00:07:01,680 –> 00:07:04,280
Yahweh.
The holy place as a whole is
77
00:07:04,280 –> 00:07:08,560
described as before Yahweh, and
even the manner which was in the
78
00:07:08,560 –> 00:07:11,760
ark in the holiest was before
Yahweh.
79
00:07:11,960 –> 00:07:16,760
Everything about that Tabernacle
is described as being in His
80
00:07:16,760 –> 00:07:25,080
presence.
So then to come before it says
81
00:07:25,080 –> 00:07:31,040
concerning the ark, God says,
verse 22 There will I meet with
82
00:07:31,040 –> 00:07:36,440
thee, and I will commune with
thee from above the mercy seat
83
00:07:36,720 –> 00:07:41,480
from between the two Caribbean
which are which are upon the ark
84
00:07:41,480 –> 00:07:47,600
of the testimony of all things
which I give thee in the
85
00:07:47,600 –> 00:07:49,640
commandment unto the children of
Israel.
86
00:07:51,560 –> 00:07:58,080
In what way did the Creator, the
Sustainer of the Universe,
87
00:07:59,280 –> 00:08:06,120
reside among His people,
apparently above the mercy seat
88
00:08:07,840 –> 00:08:12,520
between the two care of them?
Well, we know, brothers and
89
00:08:12,520 –> 00:08:19,240
sisters, from Exodus 40, that a
glory which was enshrouded with
90
00:08:19,240 –> 00:08:25,560
a cloud filled that place.
And that that that cloud the
91
00:08:25,720 –> 00:08:30,880
Israelites could see, because it
was like a column that rose up
92
00:08:30,880 –> 00:08:35,640
into heaven, and when it rose up
from above, that that holiest
93
00:08:35,880 –> 00:08:39,840
place it and moved off.
They packed up and they followed
94
00:08:39,840 –> 00:08:46,240
that that cloud which at night
glowed like fire was real.
95
00:08:46,520 –> 00:08:51,440
But was it God himself?
It was representative of God.
96
00:08:52,680 –> 00:08:59,000
He was not actually his person,
but when the people came and
97
00:08:59,000 –> 00:09:06,800
worshipped God, they came to
that place to worship him.
98
00:09:07,120 –> 00:09:11,000
And that’s considered to be
before Yahweh.
99
00:09:12,120 –> 00:09:16,520
Now prior to the building of the
temple, there had been many
100
00:09:16,520 –> 00:09:23,400
altars and legitimately used.
Samuel built altars apart from
101
00:09:23,400 –> 00:09:29,720
the one at the Tabernacle.
But God always intended there to
102
00:09:29,720 –> 00:09:34,760
be one place where He would be
worshipped, where His name would
103
00:09:34,760 –> 00:09:40,800
be placed there, and that they
would work in Sigma Chronicles 7
104
00:09:40,800 –> 00:09:44,720
verse 12.
I have chosen this place for
105
00:09:44,720 –> 00:09:48,440
myself, for an House of
sacrifice.
106
00:09:49,040 –> 00:09:52,920
So did that require all worship
to be at the temple?
107
00:09:52,920 –> 00:09:58,360
Well, to offer animals the
sacrifices, they must go to that
108
00:09:58,400 –> 00:10:01,800
one place.
But what about prayer?
109
00:10:04,600 –> 00:10:07,440
Would they have to go there for
prayer?
110
00:10:09,240 –> 00:10:12,000
That that’s like saying that
prayer could only be at the
111
00:10:12,000 –> 00:10:15,720
ecclesial hall.
Obviously that’s not right.
112
00:10:17,200 –> 00:10:23,920
So how does this all work?
Come with me to Solomon’s
113
00:10:23,920 –> 00:10:25,280
prayer.
But we’re going to take it up
114
00:10:25,280 –> 00:10:29,800
and where we did our reading and
1st of Kings and chapter 8.
115
00:10:35,120 –> 00:10:38,640
Here’s Solomon’s prayer of
dedication of the temple.
116
00:10:40,280 –> 00:10:43,200
And here we’re going to learn
something very important about
117
00:10:43,200 –> 00:10:47,880
the presence of Yahweh.
First of Kings eight and and
118
00:10:47,880 –> 00:10:54,920
here’s some of Solomon’s
examples of people praying in
119
00:10:54,920 –> 00:11:03,720
the presence of God in verse 31.
If any man trespass against his
120
00:11:03,720 –> 00:11:07,600
neighbour, and an oath be laid
upon him to cause him to swear,
121
00:11:07,760 –> 00:11:14,560
and the oath come before thine
altar in this house.
122
00:11:16,120 –> 00:11:21,600
Verse 33 When thy people Israel,
be smitten down before the
123
00:11:21,600 –> 00:11:24,840
enemy, because they have sinned
against thee, and shall turn
124
00:11:24,840 –> 00:11:28,600
again to thee, and confess thy
name, and pray, and make
125
00:11:28,600 –> 00:11:33,440
supplication unto thee in this
house.
126
00:11:33,600 –> 00:11:43,720
So Solomon refers to those who
pray in this house in the
127
00:11:43,720 –> 00:11:50,720
temple, but he follows this with
five requests that God would
128
00:11:50,720 –> 00:11:55,160
hear the prayer of those that
were unable to come to the
129
00:11:55,160 –> 00:12:00,760
temple.
For example, verse 35, when
130
00:12:00,760 –> 00:12:03,680
heaven is shut up and there is
no rain, because they have
131
00:12:03,680 –> 00:12:09,920
sinned against thee, if they
pray toward this place and
132
00:12:09,920 –> 00:12:14,440
confess thy name and turn from
their sin when thou afflictest
133
00:12:14,440 –> 00:12:21,560
them, so it’s toward this place
or this house.
134
00:12:22,840 –> 00:12:30,160
So all they needed to do was to
pray toward that place.
135
00:12:30,880 –> 00:12:35,520
It’s the same in verse 384244
and 48.
136
00:12:35,600 –> 00:12:43,720
But notice the further away a
person was from the temple, the
137
00:12:43,720 –> 00:12:49,040
more definitive Solomon is in
his description.
138
00:12:49,440 –> 00:12:56,400
Verse 44 If thy people go out to
battle against their enemy
139
00:12:58,280 –> 00:13:03,520
whithersoever thou sent them,
and so pray unto Yahweh, toward
140
00:13:03,800 –> 00:13:11,080
the city which thou hast chosen,
and toward the house that I have
141
00:13:11,080 –> 00:13:22,280
built for thy name.
Notice he’s added the city in
142
00:13:22,280 –> 00:13:28,040
which the temple was situated.
But look at this when he speaks
143
00:13:28,040 –> 00:13:33,480
of Israel, Israelites that have
gone into captivity, who if they
144
00:13:33,480 –> 00:13:39,320
repent in verse 48, he says, And
so return unto thee with all
145
00:13:39,320 –> 00:13:42,120
their heart and with all their
soul, in the land of their
146
00:13:42,120 –> 00:13:46,840
enemies, which led them away
captive, and pray unto thee
147
00:13:48,120 –> 00:13:53,960
toward their land which thou
gave us unto their fathers.
148
00:13:54,160 –> 00:14:01,600
The city which thou hast chosen,
and the house which I have built
149
00:14:01,680 –> 00:14:11,200
for thy name.
The land, the city and the house
150
00:14:12,440 –> 00:14:18,720
from the largest to the smallest
and the most specific.
151
00:14:20,360 –> 00:14:27,000
The further away a person was
the large of the area for his or
152
00:14:27,000 –> 00:14:34,280
her focus, so that they could
come from out towards the most
153
00:14:34,280 –> 00:14:43,000
specific.
But as always, Jonah and chapter
154
00:14:43,000 –> 00:14:49,640
2 verse one.
Then Jonah prayed unto Yahweh
155
00:14:49,640 –> 00:14:57,200
his God out of the fish’s belly,
and said, I cried by reason of
156
00:14:57,200 –> 00:15:03,920
mine affliction unto Yahweh.
And he heard me out of the belly
157
00:15:04,120 –> 00:15:08,640
of hell cried I, And thou
heardest my voice, for thou
158
00:15:08,640 –> 00:15:13,440
hadst cast me into the deep in
the midst of the Seas, and the
159
00:15:13,440 –> 00:15:17,960
floods compassed me about all
Thy billows and thy waves passed
160
00:15:17,960 –> 00:15:21,040
over me.
Then I said, I’m cast out of thy
161
00:15:21,040 –> 00:15:25,880
sight, yet will I look again
toward Thy holy temple.
162
00:15:27,040 –> 00:15:30,240
The waters compassed me about
even to the soul.
163
00:15:30,480 –> 00:15:33,840
The death closed, closed me
round about.
164
00:15:34,000 –> 00:15:36,240
The weeds were wrapped about my
head.
165
00:15:36,400 –> 00:15:38,880
I went down to the bottoms of
the mountains.
166
00:15:39,040 –> 00:15:42,120
The earth with her bars was
about me forever.
167
00:15:43,200 –> 00:15:47,640
Yet hast thou brought up my life
from corruption, O Yahweh, my
168
00:15:47,640 –> 00:15:53,040
God, when my soul fainted within
me, I remembered Yahweh, and my
169
00:15:53,040 –> 00:15:59,160
prayer came in unto thee into
thine holy temple.
170
00:16:00,800 –> 00:16:07,760
And so Jonah’s prayer went into
that place, and God heard it
171
00:16:07,840 –> 00:16:12,120
there.
Jonah was not only outside of
172
00:16:12,120 –> 00:16:18,840
Israel, he was being tossed
about under the ocean.
173
00:16:21,960 –> 00:16:27,800
How could he look again towards
this holy temple, let alone unto
174
00:16:27,800 –> 00:16:36,080
him in that holy house, unless
it was in his mind this time?
175
00:16:36,440 –> 00:16:41,440
Now when Daniel knew that the
writing was signed, he went into
176
00:16:41,440 –> 00:16:47,120
his house, and his windows being
open in his chamber toward
177
00:16:47,160 –> 00:16:52,160
Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his
knees three times a day and
178
00:16:52,160 –> 00:16:56,560
prayed and gave thanks before
his God.
179
00:16:56,840 –> 00:17:02,920
In the presence of his God, as
he did before time, so Daniel
180
00:17:02,920 –> 00:17:09,480
embraced the spirit of Solomon’s
words, and so he prayed towards
181
00:17:09,480 –> 00:17:16,319
that place as a focus for his
mind before he’s gone.
182
00:17:16,920 –> 00:17:19,680
Now he does it again in Chapter
9.
183
00:17:19,839 –> 00:17:28,200
Have a look at this in Daniel 9
and in verse 20, verse 20 and
184
00:17:28,200 –> 00:17:32,240
whilst I was speaking and
praying and confessing my sin
185
00:17:32,400 –> 00:17:36,360
and the sin of my people Israel,
and presenting my supplication
186
00:17:36,720 –> 00:17:42,040
before Yahweh, my God, for the
holy mountain of my God.
187
00:17:44,560 –> 00:17:51,400
There is the point brothers and
sisters, there was no temple at
188
00:17:51,400 –> 00:17:55,280
this time.
That was what he was praying
189
00:17:55,280 –> 00:18:00,760
for.
It had been destroyed.
190
00:18:01,720 –> 00:18:05,440
And here is opening the windows
towards Jerusalem to a non
191
00:18:05,440 –> 00:18:12,480
existent temple.
So there’s a lot more involved
192
00:18:12,520 –> 00:18:18,520
with what what what what Solomon
had said in his prayer unto God.
193
00:18:18,520 –> 00:18:21,440
There’s clearly something more
going on here.
194
00:18:22,200 –> 00:18:27,480
So to pray towards a non
existent temple yet be
195
00:18:27,480 –> 00:18:33,000
considered to be praying in the
presence of Yahweh means that
196
00:18:33,000 –> 00:18:36,800
the temple purely was in his
mind.
197
00:18:37,960 –> 00:18:45,040
The temple is therefore symbolic
of something and Solomon
198
00:18:45,040 –> 00:18:49,000
indicates that also.
So come back with me to 1st of
199
00:18:49,000 –> 00:18:56,800
Kings chapter 8, first of Kings
chapter 8, and we go to verse
200
00:18:56,800 –> 00:19:01,040
39.
I’m sorry, I should have
201
00:19:01,120 –> 00:19:10,000
mentioned to put a marker there.
Each time that he made a request
202
00:19:10,000 –> 00:19:13,640
that God would hear the prayer
of people in various situations,
203
00:19:13,800 –> 00:19:16,200
that they would pray towards
that temple.
204
00:19:16,480 –> 00:19:25,120
He says this verse 39 then hear
thou in heaven thy dwelling
205
00:19:25,120 –> 00:19:30,200
place.
And he says something like that
206
00:19:30,480 –> 00:19:41,080
in verse 3234364345 and 49.
He constantly adds that now
207
00:19:41,080 –> 00:19:45,800
Solomon didn’t see Yahweh as
being literally upon the earth.
208
00:19:47,720 –> 00:19:51,920
He was in heaven.
And while prayer was to be made
209
00:19:52,040 –> 00:19:59,880
towards this place, God was
listening in heaven, His
210
00:19:59,880 –> 00:20:03,120
dwelling place towards that
place.
211
00:20:04,200 –> 00:20:08,760
Hear thou that prayer in that
place, in heaven, thy dwelling
212
00:20:08,760 –> 00:20:14,000
place.
Now Solomon says this in his
213
00:20:14,000 –> 00:20:17,240
opening words.
Come back to verse 27.
214
00:20:20,400 –> 00:20:23,960
But will God indeed dwell on the
earth?
215
00:20:24,560 –> 00:20:30,040
Behold, the heaven and heaven of
heavens cannot contain thee.
216
00:20:30,600 –> 00:20:33,640
How much less this house that I
have built.
217
00:20:34,360 –> 00:20:39,920
Yet have thou respect unto the
prayer of Thy servant, and to
218
00:20:39,920 –> 00:20:45,600
his supplication, O Yahweh my
God, to hearken unto the cry,
219
00:20:45,840 –> 00:20:51,480
and to the prayer which Thy
servant prayeth before Thee
220
00:20:51,560 –> 00:21:01,400
today, that thine eyes may be
open to ward this house night
221
00:21:01,440 –> 00:21:07,000
and day, even toward the place
of which thou has said My name,
222
00:21:07,000 –> 00:21:12,160
shall be there, that thou mayest
hearken unto the prayer which
223
00:21:12,160 –> 00:21:16,400
Thy servant shall make toward
this place.
224
00:21:16,800 –> 00:21:22,240
See the point.
So all prayers are toward.
225
00:21:22,240 –> 00:21:27,240
In fact, brothers and sisters,
most prayers were toward that
226
00:21:27,240 –> 00:21:30,400
place.
Most were in a person’s mind
227
00:21:31,840 –> 00:21:35,560
toward that place.
No one was able apart from the
228
00:21:35,560 –> 00:21:39,680
high priest once a year could go
into the holiest of all, where
229
00:21:39,680 –> 00:21:45,280
God’s presence was symbolically
out there between those two
230
00:21:45,280 –> 00:21:51,240
Caribbean.
And so no one saw that glory.
231
00:21:54,480 –> 00:22:02,280
So everyone’s prayers were in
faith toward that place, and God
232
00:22:02,280 –> 00:22:09,440
in heaven, his ear and his eyes
work constantly toward that
233
00:22:09,440 –> 00:22:11,560
place.
So what does that mean?
234
00:22:12,760 –> 00:22:20,760
If it’s a place of faith, a
place in the mind, where is this
235
00:22:20,760 –> 00:22:25,600
place that we go to?
Well, the answer lies in what
236
00:22:25,600 –> 00:22:30,760
the Tabernacle represents.
The Tabernacle primarily
237
00:22:30,760 –> 00:22:36,080
represented God dwelling among
His covenant people.
238
00:22:37,960 –> 00:22:41,480
In Exodus 25, verse eight, it
says there because of this, the
239
00:22:41,480 –> 00:22:45,280
Tabernacle represented the
people themselves.
240
00:22:46,560 –> 00:22:50,240
They were the ones that had to
provide all the materials that
241
00:22:50,240 –> 00:22:53,640
made-up that Tabernacle, so it
represented them.
242
00:22:56,200 –> 00:23:00,080
They also supplied the oil, the
incense, the priest, the
243
00:23:00,080 –> 00:23:03,520
Levites, and all the offerings.
They provided everything that
244
00:23:03,520 –> 00:23:08,120
went into that place.
And it’s the same with us.
245
00:23:08,320 –> 00:23:12,880
Because the apostle Paul says
this, Ye are the temple of the
246
00:23:12,880 –> 00:23:16,360
living God.
As God had said, I will dwell in
247
00:23:16,360 –> 00:23:19,960
them and walk in them, and I
will be their God and they shall
248
00:23:19,960 –> 00:23:27,480
be my people.
So we are that temple in which
249
00:23:27,480 –> 00:23:32,280
God dwells.
Now Paul is citing Leviticus and
250
00:23:32,280 –> 00:23:34,800
chapter 26.
When he says this, I want you to
251
00:23:34,800 –> 00:23:37,840
notice something specific that
he says here.
252
00:23:38,080 –> 00:23:42,440
And I will set my Tabernacle
among you, and my soul shall not
253
00:23:42,440 –> 00:23:45,160
abhor you.
And I will walk among you, and
254
00:23:45,160 –> 00:23:48,200
will be your God, and you shall
be my people.
255
00:23:49,160 –> 00:23:53,200
So the whole idea of the
Tabernacle was that God would
256
00:23:53,200 –> 00:24:00,480
dwell among his covenant people
without abhorrence.
257
00:24:02,840 –> 00:24:13,880
So how can the all glorious, all
powerful, absolutely holy power
258
00:24:13,880 –> 00:24:19,360
of the universe dwell among
humans?
259
00:24:21,680 –> 00:24:25,720
How can he do that without
abhorrence?
260
00:24:28,760 –> 00:24:33,040
Well, a covenant was made, and
the blood of the covenant
261
00:24:34,640 –> 00:24:39,840
enabled two parties to come
together in a covenant
262
00:24:39,960 –> 00:24:46,320
relationship.
This is why the Ark is called
263
00:24:46,840 –> 00:24:56,160
the Ark of the Covenant and the
the Caribbean, which grew out of
264
00:24:56,280 –> 00:25:04,280
the mercy seat, was above the
testimony, the witness of the
265
00:25:04,280 –> 00:25:09,240
Covenant.
That’s why the Tabernacle itself
266
00:25:09,520 –> 00:25:15,800
is called the Tabernacle of
Testimony or witness, because
267
00:25:15,800 –> 00:25:21,600
central to it was that art
containing the witness of the
268
00:25:21,600 –> 00:25:27,440
covenant.
It’s the covenant that enables
269
00:25:27,440 –> 00:25:31,320
two parties to enjoy covenant
relationship.
270
00:25:32,840 –> 00:25:36,800
So every Israelite praying
towards the Oracle as it’s
271
00:25:36,800 –> 00:25:41,480
described, or the inner
sanctuary, was praying towards
272
00:25:41,480 –> 00:25:47,160
the place of the covenant by
faith.
273
00:25:49,720 –> 00:25:54,160
Now just think about this.
It’s only by faith that
274
00:25:54,160 –> 00:25:58,640
Israelites knew what was in that
holy place.
275
00:25:58,760 –> 00:26:05,080
Everything was in their minds.
Isaiah 66 verse one.
276
00:26:05,600 –> 00:26:10,720
Thus saith Yahweh.
The heaven is my throne, and the
277
00:26:10,840 –> 00:26:14,800
earth is my footstool.
Where is the house that ye build
278
00:26:14,800 –> 00:26:17,200
unto me?
And where is the place of my
279
00:26:17,200 –> 00:26:19,960
rest?
For all those things have my
280
00:26:19,960 –> 00:26:23,520
hand made, and all those things
have been saith Yahweh.
281
00:26:23,520 –> 00:26:30,280
But to this man will I look even
to him that is poor and of a
282
00:26:30,280 –> 00:26:33,480
contrite spirit, and trembles at
my Word.
283
00:26:33,680 –> 00:26:37,800
There it is again.
The Tabernacle represents
284
00:26:37,880 –> 00:26:44,760
people, and God wants to dwell
in people, the humble and
285
00:26:44,760 –> 00:26:47,760
contrite one who trembles at His
word.
286
00:26:47,920 –> 00:26:49,920
But here’s the point, brothers
and sisters.
287
00:26:50,080 –> 00:26:53,080
It’s the word of the testimony
of the covenant.
288
00:26:54,040 –> 00:27:02,120
So says Psalm 105, verse eight.
It’s described that way in
289
00:27:02,120 –> 00:27:13,200
reality where God could dwell in
him without abhorrence because
290
00:27:14,960 –> 00:27:25,960
in deep humility he trembled at
God’s word in faith and he
291
00:27:25,960 –> 00:27:35,480
becomes our representative.
Christ is the embodiment of the
292
00:27:35,480 –> 00:27:39,160
covenant.
He was the covenant of the
293
00:27:39,160 –> 00:27:42,920
people as it’s described in
Isaiah 42 and 49.
294
00:27:44,280 –> 00:27:49,960
And isn’t it interesting that
whilst the Tabernacle is
295
00:27:49,960 –> 00:27:54,960
symbolic of God’s covenant
ecclesia, his covenant people,
296
00:27:56,120 –> 00:28:00,840
every single item represents
Christ.
297
00:28:03,640 –> 00:28:08,960
The linen walls, the altars, the
veils, everything.
298
00:28:09,040 –> 00:28:12,120
Even those things that were put,
placed on those altars,
299
00:28:12,160 –> 00:28:17,280
Everything, every single item
represents Christ because he’s
300
00:28:17,280 –> 00:28:25,040
the one representative human
whereby God could dwell or
301
00:28:25,040 –> 00:28:29,760
Tabernacle among us, and we
beheld His glory, the glory of
302
00:28:29,760 –> 00:28:36,920
the only begotten of the Father,
full of his head and truth,
303
00:28:37,200 –> 00:28:43,720
covenant mercy and truth.
The Tabernacle was a shadow of
304
00:28:43,720 –> 00:28:48,960
Christ, and just as the
Tabernacle also taught concepts
305
00:28:49,480 –> 00:28:55,640
of God’s plan and His precepts,
so Christ is more than a person.
306
00:28:56,240 –> 00:29:00,920
He is all of those things.
He is the Word made flesh.
307
00:29:02,640 –> 00:29:09,440
It’s all there in him, in his
Son and, and, and in his Son is
308
00:29:09,440 –> 00:29:20,440
where we meet God.
He’s the place in him that’s the
309
00:29:20,440 –> 00:29:25,560
place in our minds that we can
go to, where we know that God is
310
00:29:25,560 –> 00:29:33,440
always listening to Him and His
focus is on Him, and where is
311
00:29:33,440 –> 00:29:38,400
He?
For Christ is not entered into
312
00:29:38,400 –> 00:29:42,320
the holy places made with hands,
which are the figures of the
313
00:29:42,320 –> 00:29:49,400
truth, but into heaven itself
now to appear in the presence of
314
00:29:49,400 –> 00:29:56,960
God for us, on behalf of us.
So we have a place to go to,
315
00:29:56,960 –> 00:29:59,520
brothers and sisters, in our
prayers.
316
00:30:00,400 –> 00:30:03,560
I’ve heard all sorts of
suggestions of how we can
317
00:30:03,560 –> 00:30:06,640
concentrate it and feel we’re in
the presence of God.
318
00:30:06,880 –> 00:30:13,840
We’ve got a place, it’s Christ,
we’ve got to focus, and it’s by
319
00:30:13,840 –> 00:30:19,520
faith.
I, I find that personally very,
320
00:30:19,560 –> 00:30:25,080
very helpful that our minds can
go to that place.
321
00:30:26,520 –> 00:30:30,440
Now to come before God is one
thing, but how do we become
322
00:30:30,840 –> 00:30:38,280
conscious of God’s presence?
And it helps us to understand
323
00:30:38,800 –> 00:30:44,640
the difference between God’s
awareness of us and our
324
00:30:44,640 –> 00:30:49,680
awareness of Him.
We know that all things are
325
00:30:49,680 –> 00:30:52,640
under God’s surveillance.
He sees everything.
326
00:30:52,640 –> 00:30:57,040
He knows everything at all
times, something that’s
327
00:30:57,040 –> 00:31:04,520
impossible for us to comprehend.
Now look at these things that
328
00:31:04,520 –> 00:31:08,960
happen in God’s presence.
And I want you to notice these
329
00:31:08,960 –> 00:31:14,080
are things that happen before
God in that expression.
330
00:31:14,880 –> 00:31:18,600
I’m just going to look at one of
them and I’ll put up three
331
00:31:19,240 –> 00:31:21,840
examples and you can have a look
through, but I’m just going to
332
00:31:21,840 –> 00:31:24,720
read out the first.
Genesis 6, verse 11.
333
00:31:25,040 –> 00:31:30,280
The earth also was corrupt
before God and the earth was
334
00:31:30,280 –> 00:31:38,320
filled with violence.
Notice that that which is before
335
00:31:38,320 –> 00:31:44,080
God is used in a continuous, all
embracing sense.
336
00:31:46,560 –> 00:31:50,120
He’s seeing it all the time.
Not a Sparrow falls without him
337
00:31:50,120 –> 00:31:52,840
knowing.
He’s always aware.
338
00:31:55,960 –> 00:32:00,120
In each of those examples, God
is constantly aware of the
339
00:32:00,120 –> 00:32:04,240
matters in His presence, but the
same is not true of ours.
340
00:32:07,440 –> 00:32:12,400
I’ll read the 1st concerning
David and Jonathan and they too
341
00:32:12,400 –> 00:32:17,720
made a covenant before Yahweh
and David abode in the wood and
342
00:32:17,720 –> 00:32:27,920
Jonathan went his to his house.
In each of these cases, each
343
00:32:27,920 –> 00:32:33,120
person had to bring God into
focus.
344
00:32:35,320 –> 00:32:41,520
They had to come and think of
God and being in his presence to
345
00:32:41,520 –> 00:32:45,040
make the covenant.
So it’s not a constant
346
00:32:45,200 –> 00:32:49,920
awareness, it’s for a specific
purpose.
347
00:32:50,280 –> 00:32:53,800
It’s the same with our minds,
brothers and sisters, isn’t it?
348
00:32:53,960 –> 00:33:00,200
With our consciousness of God,
we must specifically come before
349
00:33:00,200 –> 00:33:05,040
God.
We must turn God on, as it were,
350
00:33:06,120 –> 00:33:09,960
in our minds.
And just as we can turn our
351
00:33:09,960 –> 00:33:15,400
minds to focus on God, we can
switch him off.
352
00:33:17,520 –> 00:33:22,760
It’s true.
We can turn our minds off from
353
00:33:22,760 –> 00:33:27,560
being conscious of Him.
Was David conscious of God
354
00:33:27,640 –> 00:33:30,960
during that process of his sin
with Bathsheba?
355
00:33:32,040 –> 00:33:39,120
Was he conscious of God when
when he he attempted to coerce
356
00:33:39,120 –> 00:33:44,320
Uriah into going back home to
his wife and then sending him
357
00:33:44,320 –> 00:33:49,040
off with a letter to Joab with
his death sentence?
358
00:33:52,840 –> 00:33:54,920
Was it all done in God’s
presence?
359
00:33:54,920 –> 00:34:00,640
Yes, but only God was aware of
it and if David was aware, it
360
00:34:00,640 –> 00:34:04,400
would have been in his
subconscious and he pushed that
361
00:34:04,400 –> 00:34:08,880
aside.
So here’s a key to our
362
00:34:08,880 –> 00:34:12,400
understanding of being conscious
of God.
363
00:34:14,320 –> 00:34:22,040
If we can turn God off, that is
block our minds from being aware
364
00:34:22,040 –> 00:34:25,880
of him.
It explains what it means to be
365
00:34:26,199 –> 00:34:34,800
and in verse 27 and brother Tim
really made the same point or a
366
00:34:34,800 –> 00:34:38,159
similar point to that which I
wish to consider.
367
00:34:38,159 –> 00:34:43,239
He is hold of the prophetess.
And she says to Josiah after the
368
00:34:43,239 –> 00:34:47,840
discovery of the book of the law
in verse 27, Because thine heart
369
00:34:47,840 –> 00:34:55,239
was tender, and thou didst
humble thyself before God in his
370
00:34:55,239 –> 00:35:01,640
presence, when thou heard the
his word against this place and
371
00:35:01,640 –> 00:35:06,920
against the inhabitants thereof,
and humblest thyself before me,
372
00:35:07,120 –> 00:35:11,520
and is rend thy clothes and weep
before me.
373
00:35:12,160 –> 00:35:19,480
I even I have heard thee also,
because you’ve heard my words,
374
00:35:20,640 –> 00:35:23,880
and it caused on you to humble
yourself.
375
00:35:24,960 –> 00:35:27,360
Why did he do that, Brothers and
sisters?
376
00:35:29,200 –> 00:35:33,400
All he heard was the Word.
He heard it read to him and it
377
00:35:33,520 –> 00:35:37,000
caused him to humble himself.
What caused that?
378
00:35:37,840 –> 00:35:41,040
Well, he understood how God
felt.
379
00:35:41,760 –> 00:35:46,720
He understood what God thought
and how he felt.
380
00:35:47,680 –> 00:35:52,160
It moved him.
That’s his understanding of
381
00:35:52,160 –> 00:35:55,600
God’s presence.
He knew how God felt.
382
00:35:55,800 –> 00:36:06,760
It’s from the Word by faith.
There was no feeling apart from
383
00:36:06,760 –> 00:36:09,360
that which that word produced in
him.
384
00:36:14,940 –> 00:36:21,020
Being conscious of God is not
just knowing that God exists and
385
00:36:21,020 –> 00:36:27,500
that he’s watching, but is
primarily a conscience about His
386
00:36:27,620 –> 00:36:39,080
will and his feelings, how God
feels because he’s a person,
387
00:36:39,080 –> 00:36:43,640
He’s a he’s a reality.
It’s not just a doctrine in a
388
00:36:43,640 –> 00:36:50,120
book, a textbook.
And those feelings are expressed
389
00:36:50,120 –> 00:36:55,240
in his word.
But it’s all very too easy for
390
00:36:55,240 –> 00:36:58,720
us to forget, isn’t it?
Brothers and sisters, we, we
391
00:36:58,800 –> 00:37:02,200
like David, we can turn them
off.
392
00:37:04,960 –> 00:37:07,120
And most of the time we’re not
conscious of God.
393
00:37:07,120 –> 00:37:09,680
We’re talking to each other,
we’re doing this or that, and
394
00:37:09,880 –> 00:37:13,280
our focus is on the things that
we do and we have to
395
00:37:13,280 –> 00:37:23,200
specifically remember.
But our conscience will only
396
00:37:23,200 –> 00:37:29,000
work if we’ve let it affect our
conscience.
397
00:37:34,680 –> 00:37:34,800
None.
Leave a Reply