Intercession in the Holy Place

INTERCESSION 5The Journey of PrayerThrough the Tabernacle

THE HOLY PLACE;THE TABLE OF SHOW BREAD

REVIEW:1. In the past four lessons, we learned the following:

a. The fence of God’s holiness keeps us out of fellowship with God, but there is one gate through the tabernacle and that gate is Jesus Christ

b. We enter through the gate with thanksgiving and praise

c. When we enter from the outside through the gate, we land in the outer court of courtyard of the tabernacle


d. The courtyard is the place of:

d.1. praise

d.2. preparation

d.3. planning (how far we want to go through the tabernacle:

just at the outer court

to the Holy Place

or up to the Holy of Holies)

e. The first article we meet at the courtyard is the brazen altar


f. The brazen altar stands for what God has done for and given to us (He gave His only Son who died for us – sacrificial lamb); it is also the place where we offer our all to Him and “slay” the things of the flesh

g. The brazen altar is followed by the brazen wash laver, where the priests wash their hands and feet with clean water

h. Water represent the Word of God which:

h.1. washes

h.2. reflects

h.3. refreshes us.

ALL THIS, NO MATTER HOW GOOD AND SUBLIME, ARE JUST THE OUTER COURT EXPERIENCE OF PRAYER.

There is a Holy of Place that follows.

Initial Notes:a. The Courtyard, also called the Outer Court, is also

called the Court of the Gentiles – it is for all people in general

b. But the Holy Place is for the PRIESTS alonec. The articles in the Courtyard are all made of

BRONZE, while the articles in the Holy Place are made of GOLD:c.1. the Table of Showbread is made of acacia wood

overlaid with pure goldc.2. the Menorah is entirely made of pure gold

(beaten)c.3. the Altar of Incense is made of acacia wood

overlaid with pure gold

I. THE HOLY PLACE: ITS PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

Lessons and applications:

a. ALL PEOPLE are invited to come to God through Christ

a.1. brazen altar essentially means SALVATION

a.2. wash laver essentially means SANCTIFICATION

b. But the HOLY PLACE is for believers WHO ARE HUNGRIER FOR THE DEEPER CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE; THEY WANT TO KNOW GOD DEEPER, NOT ONLY FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL NEEDS AND DESIRES, BUT ARE WILLING TO PARTNER WITH GOD IN HIS WORK AMONG OTHER PEOPLE (the priesthood posture)


Lessons and applications:

c. The Courtyard represents people who are no longer under judgment

(the bronze of the courtyard), (Romans 5:1, Romans 6:13, John 17:17, Eph. 5:26)

d. But the Holy Place represent a hunger to move on towards “gold” – the richness of KNOWING the Lord deeper


When the priests enter the Holy Place, the article to their right is the Table of Showbread.

II. THE TABLE OF SHOW BREAD

Exodus 25:23-30 23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. 25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. 26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. 27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. 28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. 29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. 30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.


Please notice:

1. The table is made of acacia wood (representing humanity) and overlaid with pure gold (representing divinity)

This represents two important truths:

a. Jesus, who was both God and man the same time

b. It also represents God’s desire to have union (intimacy, fellowship) with man – the meeting of the wood and the gold

2. The table has plates and dishes (made of pure gold), as well as pitchers and bowls for pouring of offerings.

This represents a DINING together (Rev. 3:20)


Every week the priests set the “bread of the Presence” on the table, and every Sabbath, they eat it, and replace them with new bread. This represents that God and man eat at the same table.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE WORD TABLE IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE.

(“Principle of First Mention” – when an important concept, truth or doctrine is first mentioned in the Bible, it is not accidental. It is meant convey a foundational truth. The FIRST TABLE we must all seek in our life is the TABLE OF COMMUNION OR INTIMACY WITH GOD.)


Lev 24:5-9 “And you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it. Two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each cake. You shall set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure gold table before the LORD. And you shall put pure frankincense on each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, an offering made by fire to the LORD. Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy to him from the offerings of the LORD made by fire, by a perpetual statute.”


Notes:

1. This table is called the Table of “showbread” or “shewbread” because its literal meaning is 'bread of the face', i.e. bread set out before the face or presence of God.

2. 12 cakes of bread arranged in two rows representing the twelve tribes of Israel – the priests therefore stand in representation of all the people of Israel


3. The ingredients of the bread are:

• Fine Flour (from the earth) – represents sustenance, food, daily food

• Baked (“burned” – to signify they are being offered; offering)

• Unleavened (nothing artificial)

• Two-tenths of an ephah – one tenth is symbolic of the tithe, the “law”; here, it is two tenths (one who loves the Lord is willing to offer twice more than what is “required”; Jacob who loved Rachel was willing to work a second set of 7 years for the one she loved)

• Sprinkled with pure frankincense


Frankincense is a resin from a frankincense tree, used for incense and perfumes. It gives it best fragrance when burned.

Frankincense on the bread, an offering made by fire, suggests that this fellowship and intimacy with God is experienced in the context or posture of PRAYER. There is communion with Jesus (the Bread) when we pray.

4. The Bread of the Presence is to be set before Him AT ALL TIMES. (Exodus 25:30) 30 Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.


1. Praying at “Holy Place” level is like having a DINNER DATE with God: we hope to meet with Him at the table of intimacy

2. We go prepared for a dinner:

a. We have obtained the right to meet him (by the blood of Jesus: brazen altar)

b. We have “cleansed” ourselves before coming (the “washing” of the Word at the wash laver)

c. We put on the right garments or clothes (the garment of praise and thanksgiving when we entered through the gate, Psalm 100:4) 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.


d. We are not in a hurry, agitated, or distracted; dinner is LINGERING in the presence of the gracious host (“Be still and know God” Psalm 46:10 – the “that I am” is not in the original text; it is not “Be still and I know that I am God”, but “be still and know God”)

e. Our food is HIS PRESENCE; (Remember always the name of the Bread: it is called “THE BREAD OF HIS PRESENCE” (Exodus 25:30)


John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

John 6:51-58 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven-- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever."

John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."


f. This food is “cooked” by holy fire with frankincense: meaning, THIS BREAD OF THE PRESENCE is “cooked” BY PRAYER (the spirit, posture, attitude, mood of prayer)

g. THE KEY TO ANY GREAT DINNER DATE IS THE CONVERSATION AND THE INTER-ACTION:

f.1. we must know how to listen

f.2. we must be on the same “wave length” (ex., if the host is sharing joy, we share the joy; if grief, then grief; if great concern, then great concern)


f.3. we must interested in the topics of the host

f.4. WE ALSO ARE OPEN WITH OUR NEEDS (Matthew 6:9-11. The prayer to “give us our daily bread” came only AFTER discussion of “hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done”.)

HOW IS THIS ACHIEVED?

STILLNESS in the presence of God. Psalm 46:10, “BE STILL AND KNOW GOD…”


The word “still” in the Bible and in the Dead Sea Scroll Hebrew is the interesting Hebrew word “hmmd”. Its real meaning has been debated through the centuries. It suggests a complete stillness whereby the ONLY ACTIVITY LEFT is breathing (“hmmd”) and nothing else.

Hebrew language also associates the word with “mourning”, as if someone has died.

The over-all meaning has therefore come to a STILLNESS whereby we have become SO ENAMORED OR FOCUSSED on the one we are listening to or looking at where we are as if “dead” to ourselves, fully fixated on the one we are talking to, and the only activity we can do is to breathe. (Example: when we are talking with a crush or object of affection that we “forget” ourselves.)


The word “still” in the Bible and in the Dead Sea Scroll Hebrew is the interesting Hebrew word “hmmd”. Its real meaning has been debated through the centuries. It suggests a complete stillness whereby the ONLY ACTIVITY LEFT is breathing (“hmmd”) and nothing else.

Hebrew language also associates the word with “mourning”, as if someone has died.


The over-all meaning has therefore come to a STILLNESS whereby we have become SO ENAMORED OR FOCUSSED on the one we are listening to or looking at where we are as if “dead” to ourselves, fully fixated on the one we are talking to, and the only activity we can do is to breathe. (Example: when we are talking with a crush or object of affection that we “forget” ourselves.)

Meaning, stillness is being in love with the Lord.


They are made of pure gold:

1. Dishes (breadplates)

2. Pans or Spoons (to sprinkle frankincense)

3. Pitchers (for liquid offerings)

4. Bowls (vessels containing the frankincense)

III. THE FOUR VESSELS IN THE TABLE OF SHOWBREAD:

Procedure:

-Every seventh (Sabbath) day, fresh hot loaves were provided by Aaron. The priests were entitled to eat the old loaves while standing in the Holy Place.

-The frankincense that was removed each week was as a special oblation (offering) to God.

-12 loaves were the same material, size, and weight (no partiality).


Procedure:

-According to Lev 22, if a priest was unclean he couldn't eat of the shewbread. No layman, or daughter married to a layman, or a hired servant could eat of the shewbread. But a purchased slave or those born in his house could.

-According to tradition 8 priests held hands as they changed the bread, and passed it for fellowship.

-They were to be holy because of the bread


Lev 21:6 `They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.

INTERESTING NOTE: In the Old Testament, the priests could not sit down!

For although the bread was on a table, no priest could ever be seated at that table or anywhere else in the tabernacle. Priests always stood while they carried out their duties. There was no place to be seated, no provision for rest in this pattern of worship and no suggestion that their task was ever completed.


HOWEVER, after Christ’s death:

Heb 10:11-14 "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified."


AND RIGHT NOW, WE:

Ephesians 2:6 – And God RAISED US UP WITH CHRIST, and SEATED US WITH HIM IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS IN CHREIST JESUS…

This is all BY HIS GRACE!!! (Eph. 2:8) 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—


MEANING, WE ARE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION NOW THAN EVEN THE PRIESTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, because at the Table of the Bread of His Presence, WE CAN ALREADY SIT DOWN AND RELAX!

Thus, our prayer time today after the resurrection of Christ is supposed to be better than that of the Old Testament saints. (Note: read the book of Hebrews. Its theme is that we have FAR BETER AND SUPERIOR SYSTEM than what the Old Testament saints had…)


I. THE MENORAH (The Seven Golden Lampstand)

EXODUS 27:31-40

31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. 34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.


EXODUS 27:31-40

35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. 39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. 40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.


A. WHY SEVEN LAMPSTAND?

Some very interesting things about the number 7 in the Bible:

1. This number is used more than all other numbers in the Word of God, save the number ONE.

2. The heavens and the earth is 7:

Earth is 4 – land, sea, air, and under the earth; north south, east, west (four corners)

Heaven is 3 – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd heaven

Total &, picture of completeness and perfection


3. In the Book of Revelation the number SEVEN is used throughout. There are SEVEN churches, SEVEN Spirits, SEVEN stars, SEVEN seals, SEVEN trumpets, SEVEN vials, SEVEN personages, SEVEN dooms, and SEVEN new things. SEVEN symbolizes Spiritual Perfection. All of life revolves around this number. SEVEN is used over 700 times in the Bible. It is used 54 times in the Book of Revelation.

4. In Leviticus 23:15-16, the number SEVEN and the Sabbath, which was the SEVENTH day, is connected with the word COMPLETE. The word COMPLETE follows after the words “SEVEN SABBATH” (Seventh day). The day following the SEVENTH sabbath there was something NEW that took place.


5. The word FINISHED is also connected with the number SEVEN. In Revelation 10:7 we read,

“In the days of the voice of the SEVENTH angel, when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God should be FINISHED.”

6. “It is DONE” is another expression found in connection with the number Seven.

“And the SEVENTH angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne saying, It is DONE.” (Revelation 16:17)


7. The word CREATED is used SEVEN times in connection with God’s creative work. (Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:21; 1:27 (three times); 2:3; and 2:4). God created all things in the beginning and then took six days of restoring His creation and then rested on the SEVENTH day. (Genesis 2:1-3). He appointed SEVEN days for the week, and most, if not all advanced nations reckon time in that way: SEVEN days to the week. Few ever stop to think of why there are SEVEN days in a week. Do atheists and infidels give God and the Bible credit for it?


8. There are SEVEN notes in the musical scale. All other pitches are only variations of these. When the musician uses the eighth note he goes back to “do” and starts over. Man named the notes but God fixed the sounds, even as God fixed the days of the week, and man named them.

9. Noah took the clean beasts into the ark by SEVENS (Genesis 7:2) SEVEN days after Noah went into the ark the flood came. (Genesis 7:-10) Peter tells about the long-suffering of God waiting in the days of Noah. (I Peter 3:21) Those SEVEN days COMPLETED God’s time of waiting.


10. Before Aaron and his sons entered their priestly work they were consecrated SEVEN days. (Leviticus 8:31-36) Here is a picture of a life COMPLETELY or WHOLLY consecrated or dedicated to the Lord for service.

11. On the day of atonement the high priest sprinkled the blood upon the mercy seat SEVEN times. (Leviticus 16:14) This is a picture of the COMPLETENESS of the redemptive work of Christ.


“By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Hebrews 9:12)

When Christ offered Himself that FINISHED the sacrificial offerings. They were ended. No longer must we place sacrifices upon an altar for our salvation. It is finished.

12. When Israel took the city of Jericho God told them to march around the city SEVEN times. Thus, on the SEVENTH day, when they marched around the city SEVEN times, they COMPLETED their marching. (Joshua 6:1-16)


13. There were SEVEN FEAST days of our Lord. (Passover, Unleavened, First-fruits, Pentecost, Atonement, Trumpets and Tabernacle). (Leviticus 23:1-44)

14. There were SEVEN branches on the CANDLESTICK in the Holy Place in the Tabernacle and this pictures the COMPLETE light of God for the souls of man.


15. Solomon was SEVEN years in building the Temple and kept the Feast for SEVEN days. Job had SEVEN sons. When his friends came to visit him they sat SEVEN days and SEVEN nights in silence, and afterward they were required to offer a Burnt Offering of SEVEN bullocks and SEVEN rams. Naaaman washed SEVEN times in the Jordan. The Saviourspoke SEVEN words from the Cross. SEVEN men of honest report were chosen to administer the alms of the church in Acts 6:1-7. There were SEVEN years of plenty and SEVEN years of famine in Egypt during the days of Joseph.


16. SEVEN times in the Book of Revelation blessing of the Lord are promised to His people. These are called the “BEATITUDES” of Revelation. These are found in Chapters 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14.

17. SEVEN times the Book of Life is mentioned in the Bible. The Book of Revelation is a Book of SEVENS. We have SEVEN churches, SEVEN seals, SEVEN Trumpets, SEVEN Personages, SEVEN vails (sic), SEVEN dooms, SEVEN new things. SEVEN SEVENS make up this Book . It is the COMPLETENESS of all things.


18. Jesus said to “forgive SEVENTY times SEVEN“ In other words, He is saying, “Keep on forgiving until you are complete.” Even the duration of Israel’s great punishments was based upon this law of SEVENS. Their captivity in Babylon was for SEVENTY years, ten periods of SEVENS. (Jeremiah 25:11-12; Daniel l9:2)


19. Life operates in a cycle of SEVENS. Changes take place in the body every SEVEN years. There are SEVEN bones in the neck, SEVEN bones in the face, SEVEN bones in the ankle, and SEVEN holes in the head. Most births are multiple of SEVENS. The hen sits three weeks (21 days); the pigeon two weeks (14 days); after having laid eggs for two weeks. Of 129 species of Mammalia (sic) the majority have a period from conception to birth of an exact number of weeks, a multiple of SEVEN.


20. Human physiology is constructed on a law of SEVENS. Children are born to mothers in a certain number of weeks usually 280 days, a multiple of SEVENS. Fevers and intermittent attacks of gout, ague, and similar complaints have a period of operation of SEVEN, FOURTEEN or TWENTY-ONE days knows as critical days.

21. The SEVENTH time Noah’s name occurs is where it is said,

“Noah was a just man, and PERFECT in his generations.” (Genesis 6:9)


B. WHAT THE SEVEN LAMPSTAND SIGNIFIES:

1. First, it represents THE FULL WORKS OF THE SEVEN-FOLD SPIRIT OF GOD IN OUR LIVES

ISAIAH 11:1-3 1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:


B. WHAT THE SEVEN LAMPSTAND SIGNIFIES:

The seven-lampstand, therefore, signifies the COMPLETE, FULL WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN A CHRISTIAN’S LIFE.

A Christian must be FULLY OPEN TO THE FULL WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. We must not limit or quench the Spirit of God.


2. Second, IT REPRESENTS CONTINOUS, SPIRIT-LED or directed PRAYER of ROYAL-PRIESTS.

The lampstand is fueled by OIL. Oil represents the Holy Spirit. In EXODUS 27:21, the Lord commanded Moses to instruct the priests to KEEP THE LAMPS BURNING. NON-STOP, CONTINOUS, DAY IN DAY OUT. (This is the basis for the 24-7 House of Prayer movement.)


Note also: the lampstand is made of BEATEN GOLD representing the shaped or formed CHARACTER of ROYAL (king) PRIESTHOOD of the Christian.

WHEN WE PRAY AND INTERECEDE, we do so in the posture as SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE KING. I Pet 2:9, Rev. 1:6, Rev. 5:10 (KJV please). We must never forget that we are royal-priests.

Rev. 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.


3. Third, VERY IMPORTANT: the LAMPSTAND REPRESENTS THE STANDING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST (CHURCH) before the DIVINE (OR HEAVENLY) COUNCIL.

REVELATIONS 1:19-20

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.


A LAMPSTAND CAN BE REMOVED IN THE DIVINE COUNCIL, when the body of Christ has lost her passion or “first love” for Christ.

Summary Menorah:

The MENORAH represents the full works, in-filling, control, shaping, directing of the Holy Spirit in our lives, resulting to deeper passion and love for Christ, intimacy with Him, WHICH PUTS US IN A POSITION TO SPEAK IN BEHALF OF OTHERS.

That is why, WHAT FOLLOWS next after the Table of Shewbread and the Menorah IS THE LATER OF INCENSE, THE ALTAR OF INTERCESSION…


Education

Intercession in the Holy Place