When I was born again in 1980, God drew me into a church that was simple. It worshipped, gave announcements and a teaching, then church was over. We met in a small college gymnasium on Sunday morning. We met early to set up chairs and pray. On the surface there was nothing “special”; no spectacular programs; not even coffee before of after church. Yet the Presence of the Lord was so palpable that visiting speakers would always comment on the intensity of His Presence. It was what I experienced within minutes of stepping into the building. I was undone by His deep and pervasive Presence. I had a Peter experience: “”Don’t come near me, I am so unworthy.” I was so overwhelmed by His Love that I could not endure it. I withdrew only to return over and over again to that same Presence for several years.
After just a few years, leadership changed, the vision changed, and one could feel the Presence dissipate. The church died a painful death with many people hurt and virtually everyone scattered. I have spent over 30 years seeking the truth and Heart of God on what made Him so welcome; what pleased Him so much that He would reveal Himself to visitors before anyone could even welcome them or pray for them.
We lived in a resort town so strangers would visit. Non-believers, backslidden believers, and carnal Christians would come in and leave weeping with joy; transformed by the power of His Presence. Many moved to make it their home. It was a small town, so between the transformation of believers and the small town environment, community was deep and rich. We were loving God and one another. It felt like Eden.
It was the only church I had known. When I left, I assumed that all churches were like it. Over the next 30 years I have been to dozens and dozens of churches. I can only describe virtually all of my experiences as “getting churched on”. Little Presence and less community; but lots of good music, coffee, donuts, and sometimes entertaining sermons.
Some of these churches were deeply sincere in promoting the Gospel. Yet rarely was Jesus central and pre-eminent. Inadvertently, Jesus became the product and service being promoted for the building of the church, not the central passion for the church’s existence.
I’m so compelled to know the essence of a church that is pleasing to God that I returned to college late in life and received a B.S. in Organizational Psychology. Surely there must be some organizational formula to maximize and fulfill the purpose of the Church. I love organizational psychology and learned much about the proper functioning of an organization to fulfill it’s mission, but It has only been in the last year that I have attained my Holy Grail - the truth that makes church an irresistible attraction to God.
It has been an amazing and painful journey that has taught me many wonderful truths about what church is and isn’t. Several years ago I visited Expressions 58, a church in Los Angeles and had the same experience I had had in my first church. A half an hour before church, I sat down in an almost empty auditorium and was profoundly surprised by a completely unexpected encounter. As is common with encountering the Lord, I wept. I asked, “Why here?” His response, “My Bride is here.” I was all ears, “What makes this place your Bride?”. “She has no agenda but devotion and adoration of Me. They come here to be with Me.”
It was huge. Profound. It was what I had believed, what I had experienced in the beginning, but had never eloquently expressed. Yet my journey continued.
It wasn’t until this year that I saw and understood in the Word what I had experienced and believed. It brought intellectual clarity to the truth in my heart and turned my belief into a conviction. Two sections of Scripture and a revelation of Moses’ Tent of Meeting validated my experience and solidified my conviction on the nature of Church and the amazing purpose and benefits of His earthly tabernacle called the “Church”.
This is what I discovered: After Peter’s response to Jesus’ query about, “Who do they say I am?” (Matt 16: 13-18), Jesus says, “Upon this rock I will build my Church.” This rock referred to the revelation of Jesus Christ that the disciples had received from the Father. Revelation means the supernatural disclosure of something that was previously secret or unknown. The word for ‘church’ in Greek is “ecclesia”, It means a gathering or an assembly. Therefore “church is a gathering of people to experience the divine disclosure of His Nature and His Kingdom.” It’s that simple. The “Ecclesia” exists solely and purely for this purpose.
But what about the ministry of the church? What about the Great Commission? Anyone that studies the Bible knows that Ephesians is the great blueprint for the church. The second great scripture is found in Ephesians 4:12, “equipping the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.”
Ministry is the fruit of church, not the goal or purpose. There should be only one goal of church - knowing Him! The fruit of encounters with God is our transformation. 2 Cor 3:16-18 “but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” This is what happens in a church that has no other agenda then adoration and devotion of Jesus. When we’re changed, God changes our world. To bypass the process of coming before the Lord to know Him is counter to the purpose for which we were created - relationship with Him.
We were created for relationship. God sent His Son to restore that relationship. In between were the Law and the Prophets which Jesus summed up as “love God and one another”. Both of them are relational commands. Everything in life is about relationships, not works or service. All life flows from relationship. Marriage is the prophetic picture of this. Life is conceived through intimacy not manufactured from a recipe. In church, life is conceived through communion, not programs.
In examining the Word more closely we see a progression in Eph 4:12. It begins with “equipping the saints” (the nature of leadership is another blog) Equipping is a fascinating word in the Greek. It is so much more than training. It is transformation. The word literally means “preparing”. It’s nuances include “to complete thoroughly”, “repair”, “to fit, frame or mend”, and to “perfectly join together”. It’s root brings the full picture of this missional word:
Mark 1:19 and Matt 4:19 tell the story of Jesus calling James and John while they were “mending their nets”. Mending has the same root as equipping in Eph 4:12. There are two basic aspects: 1. healing, wholeness, and restoration. Each strand must be made complete and strong. 2. It must be brought together with other strands to form the whole net. This process and the fruit is beautifully described in Eph 4:16, “From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” This is the true mission of church.
This leads to performing “works of service”. Works can’t preclude it and shouldn’t even be a concurrent motive. vs 15 says, we are to “…grow every way INTO HIM who is the head - Christ.” Like a tree planted and cared for, it will yield it’s fruit in season. Each one who participates in this process WILL become effective “workers of service” and they WILL build the Body in love so the fullness of the stature of Christ may be seen. Each one will produce the fruit of his/her identity, not simply conformed to support the needs of an organization. God networks us together to reveal the Kingdom of God. It requires each one to be selflessly committed to seek the Lord as a lifestyle; to let Him love us and be in relationship with us in every area of life. (We love because He first loved us). This then motivates us to seek the health and wholeness of each member, rather than being used to fulfill the purpose of a leader or the “vision” of a church. In other words, the church exists to build people, the people don’t exist to build a “church”
This process is also seen in Isaiah 61. It is the section of Scripture Jesus quoted to begin His ministry. Is 61:3-4, “to place those who grieve into God’s Presence
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
a mantle of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
“Then people will call them “Oaks of Righteousness”,
“The Planting of the Lord”,
in order to display his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins;
they will restore the places long devastated;
they will build again the ruined cities,
they will build again the places devastated for many generations.
Once the “why” of church is established the next step is to do the “how”. Many “avant garde” churches today recognize the need of His Presence and the purpose of “equipping”. Many worship songs proclaim His Presence and His transformative power, yet I fail to see this demonstration of His Presence like I did at Expressions 58 and my home church in the 80’s.
I began to realize that these churches were trying to put new wine into old wineskins. If we preach revelation and relationship, it must be reflected in the form and structure of the church. For example, is a pulpit to pew format relational? There is need for teaching, but is teaching the central purpose? The pulpit fosters that perception. Teaching is not inherently transformative. It inspires, edifies, and solidifies a transformed heart. It’s a part, not the whole or even the goal.
What does God’s church look like? Romans 8:14 says, “For those that are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Can a rigid format of worship songs announcements and teaching be led by the Holy Spirit? The answer is yes, but rarely. It takes a great deal of maturity and selflessness by leadership to humble themselves and lay down their agenda as they sense the Spirit of God begin to move.
The American church with it’s teacher driven, pulpit centered format has great difficulty in being responsive to the Holy Spirit. 2 Cor 3:17 includes freedom as a pre-condition of transformation. There is little freedom in the typical leader driven, rigid agenda of today’s churches. Responsible leadership is prepared with an agenda for the service; mature leadership is willing to lay it down as they come to seek and discover His Presence. The best leaders are those most responsive to following the Holy Spirit. It’s the job of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus. It is our job to follow Him (the Holy Spirit). Therefore, Jesus is best revealed through people submitted to the Holy Spirit, not fixed on an agenda for the sake of “order”. Churches where leadership truly honor the Holy Spirit experience more than order, they experience righteousness (closeness to God), peace (shalom), and joy (the inner happiness and contentment that comes from experiencing an intimately loving and Sovereign God).
Everyone, especially “leaders” are responsible for living lives devoted to God during the week so they are soft and pliable enough to facilitate the move of the Holy Spirit to those they are called to cover and shepherd. The plurality of fivefold ministry is a critical component in the healthy operation of the Holy Spirit in a church, but that’s for a leadership blog, not here.
One last thing about the nature of Church. In the Old Testament, it was a temple. In the New Testament it became a relationship. More than that, God is revealed as Abba; not a stern authoritarian, but a familial father who calls us to His lap of intimate companionship. Church is not an organization, it is family. Any and all decisions must be based on a goal of building family, not growing an organization. It is this heart and order where God abides and reveals Himself. It is this atmosphere where we come to relax (rest) in His Presence. In an organization, there’s work to be done and requirements to meet. In family, there’s love, care, compassion, understanding and friendship. These are the foods that grow the spirit and strengthen us to love others.
The Tent of Meeting
Everything I’ve discussed is not new truth. The blueprint for a Kingdom church is revealed in Moses’ Tent of Meeting.
Above all, Moses’ Tent of Meeting was where God lived with people. It was the “place of His Presence” and He deserved the honor as head of his home. It was called the tent of assembly (at an appointed time and for an appointed purpose). It was a simple structure with few furnishings. Yet each aspect was of immense importance in revealing the true nature of His Church and its purpose.
It was a fenced enclosure, a sanctuary. It was a place that separated the holy from the profane. It was a safe place, guided, guarded, and governed by a life giving God. Only priests entered the gate. Today we are called a royal priesthood, a holy nation. We all have access to His Presence. This is confirmed in Hebrews 4 where we are encouraged to come boldly, just as we are, into His Presence to receive mercy and grace.
Boldly does not mean arrogantly. Upon entering, our first encounter is with the alter of sacrifice. It is here we come to the cross. It was Jesus sacrifice that gave us access. It is now our responsibility to lay ourselves at the foot of the cross, giving up everything to gain Him. The next point of access was the laver of cleansing. It is here where we receive the forgiveness of sins and a clean conscience. It is beyond difficult to open our hearts to God since the Fall. We are filled with guilt shame, and condemnation. Subtly, unknowingly, we hide from Him. It is part of our fallen nature and no one is free from it. Cleansing frees us from fear so we can enter the tent and fully receive all He has for us.
The tent was divided into two sections; the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. It was divided by a veil. It was this veil that was torn asunder to grant access to all who would turn to Jesus. There were no more requirements than to turn to Him and enter. In the Holy of Holies there was only the Ark of His Presence. Nothing else. On the ark was the Mercy Seat. It meant just that. Mercy triumphs over judgement. Jesus became sin on the Cross to set us free from the law of sin and death. In His Presence we discover His Mercy and compassion, not His Judgment.
Above the mercy seat were two cherubim. Without going into detail, cherubim represent worship. It is through worship (not just the singing of songs, but heartfelt adoration and devotion) that brings His Presence. The cherubim were constantly before the throne giving Him praise and honor and glory. It is here that God inhabits their praises (Ps 22:3) and He is revealed. More than that, cherubim were placed at the entrance to the Garden after the Fall to prevent Adam and Eve from re-entering.
The flesh cannot abide in worship. It must flee. With our flesh disarmed, we experience Him face to face by the spirit in deep, meaningful, and transformative ways. The Holy of Holies is where God ministers to us. He goes beyond our cares and concerns, deeper than our prayers and goes to the core of our being. In that place we experience complete fulfillment; we have need of nothing else. It was what Joshua experienced before the angel of the Lord prior to entering the Promised Land. When He realized it was God, He fell at His Feet and worshipped. In the Presence of the Promise Giver, the Promised Land was a distant desire. We have all we want in Him. Romans 8:32, “….how shall He not with Him graciously give us all things.” He never intended us to have all things independently from Him, but graciously gives us all things when our heart is to commune with Him in all things.
God ministers to us, individually in the Holy of Holies. In The Holy Place we minister to God (and His people). It is the place of anointing, gifts, and service. As we will see it is also a place of His Presence where ministry is done with Him, not apart from Him.
There were three furnishings in the Holy Place; the Table of Showbread, the Alter of Incense, and the Lampstand. These represent the three ministries of the Church. They have a duality of symbolism. Each represent Christ, but each also represent the ministries of the Church.
The Table of Showbread is the table of fellowship. Jesus is the bread of Life. It is through Him that we have fellowship with God. There were twelve loaves, one for each tribe. It represents fellowship with one another as well as fellowship with God. It is fellowship in God with one another.
The Alter of Incense represents prayer. Jesus is a fragrance to God and He constantly, with the Holy Spirit, makes intercession for us. The Alter of Incense also represents the prayers of the saints that is a sweet fragrance to the Lord.
The Lampstand also represents both Christ and His Body. He is the Light of the World and we are also called to be the light of the world. We feed the poor, pray for the sick, heal the brokenhearted, and set the captive free. All the Spirit inspired gifts and ministries of the Church reveal Christ to a needy and dying world.
These are the three purposes of church ministry: prayer, fellowship, and revealing Christ to the world. God intended this blueprint to reveal God’s desire to minister with Him and through Him. We are not commissioned to go out in the world to make disciples without Him. It’s not our job. Our job is to commune with Him and respond to His leading. This picture is revealed in Acts 13:2 where leaders were “worshipping the Lord and fasting”. It was during this time that the Holy Spirit spoke “set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” It was through worship and prayer that they were led by the Spirit for works of service. This same blueprint is seen before Pentecost. The disciples were in the upper room in one accord, praying and waiting upon the Lord. When the lord moved, the ministry began, not before.
Many churches live in the Holy place, the place of ministry in gifts, anointing, and service and never take the time to truly abide and wait on the Lord to transform us as His instruments of ministry. This time is of pre-eminent importance and it’s deeply personal. Only the high priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies. We are each high priests being called into one on one intimate communion where we are transformed by His Presence. It is where we are given our instructions on how to minister. We minister in our flesh if we are not led by His Presence. It’s soulish and may look good, but doesn’t bring sustained life.
In summary, the Tent of Meeting teaches us to come to church and surrender ourselves to God, receive His forgiveness and the cleansing of our sins (there is no condemnation) and enter into the Holy of Holies to receive mercy, grace, transformation and instructions for ministry. We then enter the Holy Place (church) as life givers with the gifts and grace God gave us in the throne room. That’s the church of His Presence that I remember and the church I still long for.
After just a few years, leadership changed, the vision changed, and one could feel the Presence dissipate. The church died a painful death with many people hurt and virtually everyone scattered. I have spent over 30 years seeking the truth and Heart of God on what made Him so welcome; what pleased Him so much that He would reveal Himself to visitors before anyone could even welcome them or pray for them.
We lived in a resort town so strangers would visit. Non-believers, backslidden believers, and carnal Christians would come in and leave weeping with joy; transformed by the power of His Presence. Many moved to make it their home. It was a small town, so between the transformation of believers and the small town environment, community was deep and rich. We were loving God and one another. It felt like Eden.
It was the only church I had known. When I left, I assumed that all churches were like it. Over the next 30 years I have been to dozens and dozens of churches. I can only describe virtually all of my experiences as “getting churched on”. Little Presence and less community; but lots of good music, coffee, donuts, and sometimes entertaining sermons.
Some of these churches were deeply sincere in promoting the Gospel. Yet rarely was Jesus central and pre-eminent. Inadvertently, Jesus became the product and service being promoted for the building of the church, not the central passion for the church’s existence.
I’m so compelled to know the essence of a church that is pleasing to God that I returned to college late in life and received a B.S. in Organizational Psychology. Surely there must be some organizational formula to maximize and fulfill the purpose of the Church. I love organizational psychology and learned much about the proper functioning of an organization to fulfill it’s mission, but It has only been in the last year that I have attained my Holy Grail - the truth that makes church an irresistible attraction to God.
It has been an amazing and painful journey that has taught me many wonderful truths about what church is and isn’t. Several years ago I visited Expressions 58, a church in Los Angeles and had the same experience I had had in my first church. A half an hour before church, I sat down in an almost empty auditorium and was profoundly surprised by a completely unexpected encounter. As is common with encountering the Lord, I wept. I asked, “Why here?” His response, “My Bride is here.” I was all ears, “What makes this place your Bride?”. “She has no agenda but devotion and adoration of Me. They come here to be with Me.”
It was huge. Profound. It was what I had believed, what I had experienced in the beginning, but had never eloquently expressed. Yet my journey continued.
It wasn’t until this year that I saw and understood in the Word what I had experienced and believed. It brought intellectual clarity to the truth in my heart and turned my belief into a conviction. Two sections of Scripture and a revelation of Moses’ Tent of Meeting validated my experience and solidified my conviction on the nature of Church and the amazing purpose and benefits of His earthly tabernacle called the “Church”.
This is what I discovered: After Peter’s response to Jesus’ query about, “Who do they say I am?” (Matt 16: 13-18), Jesus says, “Upon this rock I will build my Church.” This rock referred to the revelation of Jesus Christ that the disciples had received from the Father. Revelation means the supernatural disclosure of something that was previously secret or unknown. The word for ‘church’ in Greek is “ecclesia”, It means a gathering or an assembly. Therefore “church is a gathering of people to experience the divine disclosure of His Nature and His Kingdom.” It’s that simple. The “Ecclesia” exists solely and purely for this purpose.
But what about the ministry of the church? What about the Great Commission? Anyone that studies the Bible knows that Ephesians is the great blueprint for the church. The second great scripture is found in Ephesians 4:12, “equipping the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.”
Ministry is the fruit of church, not the goal or purpose. There should be only one goal of church - knowing Him! The fruit of encounters with God is our transformation. 2 Cor 3:16-18 “but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” This is what happens in a church that has no other agenda then adoration and devotion of Jesus. When we’re changed, God changes our world. To bypass the process of coming before the Lord to know Him is counter to the purpose for which we were created - relationship with Him.
We were created for relationship. God sent His Son to restore that relationship. In between were the Law and the Prophets which Jesus summed up as “love God and one another”. Both of them are relational commands. Everything in life is about relationships, not works or service. All life flows from relationship. Marriage is the prophetic picture of this. Life is conceived through intimacy not manufactured from a recipe. In church, life is conceived through communion, not programs.
In examining the Word more closely we see a progression in Eph 4:12. It begins with “equipping the saints” (the nature of leadership is another blog) Equipping is a fascinating word in the Greek. It is so much more than training. It is transformation. The word literally means “preparing”. It’s nuances include “to complete thoroughly”, “repair”, “to fit, frame or mend”, and to “perfectly join together”. It’s root brings the full picture of this missional word:
Mark 1:19 and Matt 4:19 tell the story of Jesus calling James and John while they were “mending their nets”. Mending has the same root as equipping in Eph 4:12. There are two basic aspects: 1. healing, wholeness, and restoration. Each strand must be made complete and strong. 2. It must be brought together with other strands to form the whole net. This process and the fruit is beautifully described in Eph 4:16, “From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.” This is the true mission of church.
This leads to performing “works of service”. Works can’t preclude it and shouldn’t even be a concurrent motive. vs 15 says, we are to “…grow every way INTO HIM who is the head - Christ.” Like a tree planted and cared for, it will yield it’s fruit in season. Each one who participates in this process WILL become effective “workers of service” and they WILL build the Body in love so the fullness of the stature of Christ may be seen. Each one will produce the fruit of his/her identity, not simply conformed to support the needs of an organization. God networks us together to reveal the Kingdom of God. It requires each one to be selflessly committed to seek the Lord as a lifestyle; to let Him love us and be in relationship with us in every area of life. (We love because He first loved us). This then motivates us to seek the health and wholeness of each member, rather than being used to fulfill the purpose of a leader or the “vision” of a church. In other words, the church exists to build people, the people don’t exist to build a “church”
This process is also seen in Isaiah 61. It is the section of Scripture Jesus quoted to begin His ministry. Is 61:3-4, “to place those who grieve into God’s Presence
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
a mantle of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
“Then people will call them “Oaks of Righteousness”,
“The Planting of the Lord”,
in order to display his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins;
they will restore the places long devastated;
they will build again the ruined cities,
they will build again the places devastated for many generations.
Once the “why” of church is established the next step is to do the “how”. Many “avant garde” churches today recognize the need of His Presence and the purpose of “equipping”. Many worship songs proclaim His Presence and His transformative power, yet I fail to see this demonstration of His Presence like I did at Expressions 58 and my home church in the 80’s.
I began to realize that these churches were trying to put new wine into old wineskins. If we preach revelation and relationship, it must be reflected in the form and structure of the church. For example, is a pulpit to pew format relational? There is need for teaching, but is teaching the central purpose? The pulpit fosters that perception. Teaching is not inherently transformative. It inspires, edifies, and solidifies a transformed heart. It’s a part, not the whole or even the goal.
What does God’s church look like? Romans 8:14 says, “For those that are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Can a rigid format of worship songs announcements and teaching be led by the Holy Spirit? The answer is yes, but rarely. It takes a great deal of maturity and selflessness by leadership to humble themselves and lay down their agenda as they sense the Spirit of God begin to move.
The American church with it’s teacher driven, pulpit centered format has great difficulty in being responsive to the Holy Spirit. 2 Cor 3:17 includes freedom as a pre-condition of transformation. There is little freedom in the typical leader driven, rigid agenda of today’s churches. Responsible leadership is prepared with an agenda for the service; mature leadership is willing to lay it down as they come to seek and discover His Presence. The best leaders are those most responsive to following the Holy Spirit. It’s the job of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus. It is our job to follow Him (the Holy Spirit). Therefore, Jesus is best revealed through people submitted to the Holy Spirit, not fixed on an agenda for the sake of “order”. Churches where leadership truly honor the Holy Spirit experience more than order, they experience righteousness (closeness to God), peace (shalom), and joy (the inner happiness and contentment that comes from experiencing an intimately loving and Sovereign God).
Everyone, especially “leaders” are responsible for living lives devoted to God during the week so they are soft and pliable enough to facilitate the move of the Holy Spirit to those they are called to cover and shepherd. The plurality of fivefold ministry is a critical component in the healthy operation of the Holy Spirit in a church, but that’s for a leadership blog, not here.
One last thing about the nature of Church. In the Old Testament, it was a temple. In the New Testament it became a relationship. More than that, God is revealed as Abba; not a stern authoritarian, but a familial father who calls us to His lap of intimate companionship. Church is not an organization, it is family. Any and all decisions must be based on a goal of building family, not growing an organization. It is this heart and order where God abides and reveals Himself. It is this atmosphere where we come to relax (rest) in His Presence. In an organization, there’s work to be done and requirements to meet. In family, there’s love, care, compassion, understanding and friendship. These are the foods that grow the spirit and strengthen us to love others.
The Tent of Meeting
Everything I’ve discussed is not new truth. The blueprint for a Kingdom church is revealed in Moses’ Tent of Meeting.
Above all, Moses’ Tent of Meeting was where God lived with people. It was the “place of His Presence” and He deserved the honor as head of his home. It was called the tent of assembly (at an appointed time and for an appointed purpose). It was a simple structure with few furnishings. Yet each aspect was of immense importance in revealing the true nature of His Church and its purpose.
It was a fenced enclosure, a sanctuary. It was a place that separated the holy from the profane. It was a safe place, guided, guarded, and governed by a life giving God. Only priests entered the gate. Today we are called a royal priesthood, a holy nation. We all have access to His Presence. This is confirmed in Hebrews 4 where we are encouraged to come boldly, just as we are, into His Presence to receive mercy and grace.
Boldly does not mean arrogantly. Upon entering, our first encounter is with the alter of sacrifice. It is here we come to the cross. It was Jesus sacrifice that gave us access. It is now our responsibility to lay ourselves at the foot of the cross, giving up everything to gain Him. The next point of access was the laver of cleansing. It is here where we receive the forgiveness of sins and a clean conscience. It is beyond difficult to open our hearts to God since the Fall. We are filled with guilt shame, and condemnation. Subtly, unknowingly, we hide from Him. It is part of our fallen nature and no one is free from it. Cleansing frees us from fear so we can enter the tent and fully receive all He has for us.
The tent was divided into two sections; the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. It was divided by a veil. It was this veil that was torn asunder to grant access to all who would turn to Jesus. There were no more requirements than to turn to Him and enter. In the Holy of Holies there was only the Ark of His Presence. Nothing else. On the ark was the Mercy Seat. It meant just that. Mercy triumphs over judgement. Jesus became sin on the Cross to set us free from the law of sin and death. In His Presence we discover His Mercy and compassion, not His Judgment.
Above the mercy seat were two cherubim. Without going into detail, cherubim represent worship. It is through worship (not just the singing of songs, but heartfelt adoration and devotion) that brings His Presence. The cherubim were constantly before the throne giving Him praise and honor and glory. It is here that God inhabits their praises (Ps 22:3) and He is revealed. More than that, cherubim were placed at the entrance to the Garden after the Fall to prevent Adam and Eve from re-entering.
The flesh cannot abide in worship. It must flee. With our flesh disarmed, we experience Him face to face by the spirit in deep, meaningful, and transformative ways. The Holy of Holies is where God ministers to us. He goes beyond our cares and concerns, deeper than our prayers and goes to the core of our being. In that place we experience complete fulfillment; we have need of nothing else. It was what Joshua experienced before the angel of the Lord prior to entering the Promised Land. When He realized it was God, He fell at His Feet and worshipped. In the Presence of the Promise Giver, the Promised Land was a distant desire. We have all we want in Him. Romans 8:32, “….how shall He not with Him graciously give us all things.” He never intended us to have all things independently from Him, but graciously gives us all things when our heart is to commune with Him in all things.
God ministers to us, individually in the Holy of Holies. In The Holy Place we minister to God (and His people). It is the place of anointing, gifts, and service. As we will see it is also a place of His Presence where ministry is done with Him, not apart from Him.
There were three furnishings in the Holy Place; the Table of Showbread, the Alter of Incense, and the Lampstand. These represent the three ministries of the Church. They have a duality of symbolism. Each represent Christ, but each also represent the ministries of the Church.
The Table of Showbread is the table of fellowship. Jesus is the bread of Life. It is through Him that we have fellowship with God. There were twelve loaves, one for each tribe. It represents fellowship with one another as well as fellowship with God. It is fellowship in God with one another.
The Alter of Incense represents prayer. Jesus is a fragrance to God and He constantly, with the Holy Spirit, makes intercession for us. The Alter of Incense also represents the prayers of the saints that is a sweet fragrance to the Lord.
The Lampstand also represents both Christ and His Body. He is the Light of the World and we are also called to be the light of the world. We feed the poor, pray for the sick, heal the brokenhearted, and set the captive free. All the Spirit inspired gifts and ministries of the Church reveal Christ to a needy and dying world.
These are the three purposes of church ministry: prayer, fellowship, and revealing Christ to the world. God intended this blueprint to reveal God’s desire to minister with Him and through Him. We are not commissioned to go out in the world to make disciples without Him. It’s not our job. Our job is to commune with Him and respond to His leading. This picture is revealed in Acts 13:2 where leaders were “worshipping the Lord and fasting”. It was during this time that the Holy Spirit spoke “set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” It was through worship and prayer that they were led by the Spirit for works of service. This same blueprint is seen before Pentecost. The disciples were in the upper room in one accord, praying and waiting upon the Lord. When the lord moved, the ministry began, not before.
Many churches live in the Holy place, the place of ministry in gifts, anointing, and service and never take the time to truly abide and wait on the Lord to transform us as His instruments of ministry. This time is of pre-eminent importance and it’s deeply personal. Only the high priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies. We are each high priests being called into one on one intimate communion where we are transformed by His Presence. It is where we are given our instructions on how to minister. We minister in our flesh if we are not led by His Presence. It’s soulish and may look good, but doesn’t bring sustained life.
In summary, the Tent of Meeting teaches us to come to church and surrender ourselves to God, receive His forgiveness and the cleansing of our sins (there is no condemnation) and enter into the Holy of Holies to receive mercy, grace, transformation and instructions for ministry. We then enter the Holy Place (church) as life givers with the gifts and grace God gave us in the throne room. That’s the church of His Presence that I remember and the church I still long for.
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