Month: August 2016

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The Veil

The VeilBy this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary is not yet opened as long as the outer tent is still standing Heb. 9:8

The dispensationalists, with their carnal minded literal interpretation, see only the functional literal curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. And at the present, they are all excited by the ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel weaving a new curtain.

However, they completely miss the typological meaning that was clearly intended from its very name in Hebrew. The veil, or parokhet in Hebrew, roots from the verb prkh for tearing, pulling apart, or separating. In its very name, there is the knowledge that it existed to be torn!

FYI: Tradition holds that the veil of Herod’s Temple was 60 feet long and 20 or 30 feet wide and the thickness of a man’s hand. (See Also: The Thickness of the Temple Veil)

The Instructions to make the Veil

Although the description here is of a truly magnificent weaving made by people traveling about a desert, the veil typologically represented the fleshly body of our Lord.

31   “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; in skilled work shall it be made, with cherubim;  32 and you shall hang it upon four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, upon four bases of silver.  33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in thither within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you the holy place from the most holy.  34 You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.  35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table; and you shall put the table on the north side. Ex. 26:31-35

The Construction

35   And he made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen; with cherubim skillfully worked he made it.  36 And for it he made four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold; their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver.  37 He also made a screen for the door of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet stuff and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework;  38 and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals, and their fillets were of gold, but their five bases were of bronze. Ex. 36:35-38

Linen

The veil was made of linen. Those who serve God are always represented as wearing linen. It represents righteous deeds.

7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;  8 it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure” — for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Rev. 19:7-8

And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments; Lev. 16:32

When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen garments; they shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within. Ezek. 44:17

And I said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” Dan. 12:6

I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Rev. 7:14

Blue 

The order of the colors in the Tabernacle, Temple or Veil, by importance never change. There is a hierarchy of the blue, purple, and scarlet; the blue always ranking first. Another way to look at the order is the substitutionary death comes first, the authority to pardon, and then the ransom.

In the Hebrew, the blue that binds the curtains is tekelet. It is the same blue that is in the priests garments, and the binding thread of the tzitzi or tassels, and is used to connect or bind the curtains to the gold clasps, and the golden ephod. It is the blue that holds all the holy things together.

“Speak to the people of Israel, and bid them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put upon the tassel of each corner a cord of blue;” Num. 15:38

FYI: It is the shade of blue that is on the flag of the modern state of Israel.

There is much written as to what the blue represents. Lots of speculation points to the sky and heaven. But, the best explanation I found was a few years ago reading an article by a medical doctor explaining all the things that happen to a body during crucifixion. The actual cause of death is asphyxiation. The lungs fill with fluid and the body has no way of coughing it out. In this way the body dies of asphyxiation always presents as blue. Like the binding blue thread the death of our Lord binds us together.

Purple

In ancient times, purple was one of the hardest and therefore the most expensive dyes to obtain. It came from a sea snails (Bolinus brandaris) that only lived in a few areas of the Mediterranean. The dye was prized for its non-fading properties. The more a garment was exposed to sunlight, the darker the purple became.

FYI: Lydia was a seller of purple goods. [Acts 16:14]

And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe; John 19:2

It is by it very expense, the color favored by royalty; and as such, represents Messiah as King of Kings.

Scarlet

The Hebrew word for scarlet is tola’ah and its’ root comes from the word for worm, tola. It is actually a specific scale insect. In the English language it is the Crimson Worm (Latin, Coccus Ilicus), from which red dye is extracted.

The adult lays its eggs on the branch of tree, as a dying act, covering them with red dye to hide them from predators. The crushed Crimson Worm contains an anti-bacterial agent, and was used in the purification compounds of the Law, where there has been plague (Lev 14:52) and in the ashes of the red heifer (Lev 19:6). So, the literal tola represents the spiritual cleansing blood of Messiah.

. . . how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Heb. 9:14 

Cherubim

Cherubim are used extensively to decorate the tabernacle and even more so in Solomon’s temple. (See Also: Eagles and Eagles Wings) As a decoration on the veil, they are said to be made of cunning work. The Hebrew is cheshev, which roots from word “to think, devise or plan.” Much thought was to be given to these decorations.

Cherubim are very curious creatures. This is the only time they are mentioned in historical narrative. They are usually in poetry or symbolic literature. They are described as having four heads and six wings. Their heads are made up of a lion, an ox, a vulture, and a man.

The cherubim are described as God’s chariot or holding up God’s Throne. [Gen 3:24; 2Sam. 22:11; Psa. 18:10; Psa. 80:1; Psa. 99:1; Is. 37:16; Ezek 1; Ezek 10; Rev. 4:7 ff]

FYI: Cherubim is the plural of cherub.

As a decoration, they were to represent the body of the coming Redeemer. A shadow of the coming Redeemer who by type was not just a man, but Deity. For He too, is symbolically held up by the cherubim.

The Veil, or His Flesh, Conceals His Glory

In the Greek, we are told that his dwelling with us was as temporary as the tent, or tabernacle.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. John 1:14

This glory was the same as seen of old by Moses.

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Ex. 40:34-35

The glory was hid from view by the veil. Just as our Lord’s true nature was hid in a fleshly body. He veiled that glory, taking the form of a man.

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Phil. 2:6-8

But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. Heb. 2:9

After the crucifixion, His friends were rushing to get Messiah’s body into the tomb. The veil having fulfilled its purpose, was torn. Because of the death of Messiah, all can now approach the real, or antitypical, Throne of God.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; Matt. 27:51 

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Mark 15:38

. . . while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Luke 23:45

The old Mosaic Age was passing away as the New Kingdom age was growing out of it. (See Also: Dispensations)

. . . by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, Heb. 10:20

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Types in the Tabernacle/Temple

temple2The Mishkan or Tabernacle also called the Tent of Meeting or Ohel Mo’ad was full of types of Messiah, His life and His work. The Dispensationalist  with their literal carnal minded interpretation lose the greater typological meaning by their insistence in a literal method of interpretation and clearly lose the intended typology. They are actually idolaters exalting Israel and its temple, priesthood, and sacrifices, while missing the mystical spiritual meaning of Messiah.

. . . because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2Cor. 4:18 

Seeking the Literal

The Dispensationalist see in Amos 9 a future rebuilt literal temple, while missing that James at the Jerusalem council, Acts 15 clearly states that the prophecy is fulfilled in the body of the Congregation. (See Also: The Third Temple)

They search for the Ark of the Covenant even though Jeremiah says it is gone forever and not to be remembered.

And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the LORD, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD.” It shall not come to mind, or be remembered, or missed; it shall not be made again.  Jer. 3:16

The Dispensationalist get all excited become some group of Jews have built the lampstand. Forgetting that Messiah is the Light of the World. There is no need for anyone to walk in darkness.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

FYI: The Greek word translated as world here is actually cosmos.

They seek the a red heifer to make ashes of, so the Jews can be cleansed. However all are made clean by the Word of Messiah.

You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. John 15:3

False Foundation

Their dispensations have no foundation in the Bible, but are fabricated from their own imaginations, dependent on the belief that God is not immutable. (See Also: Dispensations and Immutable)

While claiming to be free of the Law themselves (because they live in a dispensation they have named Grace) they seek to impose the laws of sacrifice on a vague future. Somehow they have lost their way in their literal interpretation.

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Rom. 3:31

They have missed that the ceremonial law is fulfilled but has not passed away, the temple is destroyed, and the moral law stands forever.

For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Matt. 5:18

Missing the Mark

What did the Law represent? It represented what was to be accomplished? The redemption of mankind. Which happened at the Cross. Of which the Temple was only a shadow.

While the Messianics study the Temple and its services are accused of being “under the Law” those that never study it, are ready to impose the  Law’s sacrificial system on others. Thereby missing the point.

. . . he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Heb. 9:12

Messianics study the shadow to learn more about the spiritual, not to practice it. (See Also: Why We Keep the Feasts)

FYI: Dispensationalism with its Futurist interpretation of prophecy has infiltrated the Messianic Movement with this “literal” blunder. (See Also: Futurism and what it does to Faith)

Off the Track

All this dispensational nonsense started because they had to come up with some semi logical way of explaining their belief in a Rapture, as the Rapture has no Theological foundation. The Rapture’s true foundation is the ecstatic utterances of Margaret MacDonald and followers of John Darby and Edward Irving in the first half of the 1800s.

FYI: The oldest rule of hermeneutics is so old it is in Latin, “Quod non set Biblicum, non est Theologicum” translation, “If is ain’t in the Bible, it ain’t Theology.”

In their attempt to make sense of nonsense, the Dispensationalists make the make God too small. He is literally not omnipresent. They teach, that God lives in heaven, followed by a teaching that we will also live in heaven when we die, when the Bible says nothing of the kind. The creator God cannot be contain in any place whether it is called heaven or not, He fills all of creation. (See Also: Omnipresent and What Happens when We Die)

If you find that you have been taught by these Dispensationalist, and have no idea what is true and what is error. Please read our post on Hermeneutics, it is a short concise look at how prophecy is interpreted by protestants in general.

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David’s Victory a Type of Messiah’s Victory

headNow then bring it about; for the LORD has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’” 2Sam. 3:18

The Philistines stand in typology as the enemies of David and the Israelites representing the antitype of the spirit enemies of Messiah and the Congregation.

For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph. 6:12  (c.f. Rom. 8:38; Eph. 3:10; Col. 1:16; Col. 2:15)

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Rev. 12:10

Messiah’s authority to win this battle is a given.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Luke 10:19

. . . then the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Rom. 16:20

. . . to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Eph. 1:6

7  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 which he lavished upon us. Eph. 1:7

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor. 15:57

Although Satan was defeated at the cross, he still afflicts God’s people, just as David defeated the Philistines, yet they continued from time to time to afflict God’s people. It was not until Hezekiah that the Philistines were finally defeated. (See Also: Philistia Who?)

He smote the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city. 2Kings 18:8

So Satan will not be defeated till he is thrown into the lake of fire.

. . . and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev. 20:10

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Typologies in the Scriptures

Typological prophecy is one of the hardest literary devices to recognize. Once recognized, it is difficult to comprehend and explain.

FYI: Once the principles of typology are understood, there is a great danger in seeing typologies everywhere, even where it is unwarranted.

Typology in the Old Testament shadows, prefigures, or elucidates something in the New Testament. In theological discussions of typology, this is called a type (Old Testament) and antitype (New Testament).

The type is in the Old Testament as a historical event or instruction that prefigures the antitype. The New Testament finds the fulfillment of the type, hence it is the antitype. As such, it demonstrates the unity of both Old and New Testaments.

To the Dispensationalist or literal interpreter of the Bible, the natural reality of the earthly is all important;  the natural works great in the historical narratives in the Bible. However, it often misses the spiritual and typological meanings that were clearly intended.

Dispensationalists, with their literal interpretation claims, are so taken up with the earthly reality that they are missing the great spiritual meanings.

They place ever more significance on Israel and its temple, priesthood, and sacrifices. They declare that God will bring about an earthly Jewish type millennium and establish Israelite rule over world. However, the Bible clearly states that the tribulation saints will rule (Rev. 20:4.) They teach that all nations will be forced to perform those ancient rituals of the Temple in Jerusalem. These are among the Jewish myths Paul warned us about.

. . . instead of giving heed to Jewish myths or to commands of men who reject the truth. Titus 1:14

These teachers indeed have the”spirit of error,”

We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1John 4:6

These Dispensationalists see an earthly throne in an earthly city. This literal interpretation disregards the plainly presented typology of David’s Throne and Solomon’s Temple. They wish to re-enslave themselves to the shadow/type, instead of enjoying the freedom of the antitype which is a spiritual Kingdom.

21   Tell me, you who desire to be under law, do you not hear the law?  22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman.  23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise.  24 Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.  25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.  26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.  27 For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and shout, you who are not in travail; for the children of the desolate one are many more than the children of her that is married.”  28 Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.  29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now.  30 But what does the scripture say? “Cast out the slave and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”  31 So, brethren, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. Gal. 4:21-31

13   These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.  14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.  15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.  16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. Heb. 11:13-16

The Kingdom is clearly a spiritual one, it cannot be shaken by either wars or earthquakes.

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel. Heb. 12:22-24

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; Heb. 12:28

The present unseen spiritual Kingdom is the eternal and only Kingdom.