Tabernacle Typology 10: Incense

Tabernacle Typology 10: Incense

by | Sep 18, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology

Exodus 30:34-35, KJV:

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy…”

According to the Lord’s command, incense was made for burning on the golden altar within the Sanctuary.

It was made of equal quantities of stacte, galbanum, onycha and frankincense.

Frankincense: Considered a sign of wealth and prosperity, it was a very costly substance in ancient times. It was and still is widely used in many religious and spiritual practices around the world.

The plant it is derived from – Boswellia Sacra – grows in some of the most harsh and arid regions in the world.

The frankincense speaks of the divinity of Jesus. It is the divinity of Jesus that is worthy of all worship and adoration.

As frankincense is used symbolically in the Bible to represent our prayers (eg. Revelation 5) it is also typical of His priesthood and represents His intercession for us on the cross.

Stacte: ‘Stacte’ is a Greek word meaning ‘oozing substance’. The Hebrew word used here is ‘Nataph’ which is translated as ‘drop’ and can mean ‘to distil’. Many scholars believe that this refers to a type of distilled myrrh. Another strong contender is the resin from the storax tree.

Storax is a medicinal shrub. In ancient times its resin was a popular additive to all kinds of incense.

Jewish tradition, however, holds that ‘Stacte’ was synonymous with opobalsamum – a rare type of myrrh found growing wild in Yemen, Mecca and Israel. The first-century rabbi Gamliel said, “Stacte is simply the sap that drips from the tapping of the wood of the balsam tree” (Kerithot 6a).

The balsam tree is also where the famous healing Balm of Gilead was derived from.

Besides its many medicinal uses, it was also a highly volatile, flammable substance.

As the incense is typical of our worship of Christ, the stacte typifies the spread of the Gospel through the Spirit after the resurrection – it spread like wildfire!

The sweet stacte released upon the Cross, through the piercing of Jesus(much like the trees were ‘wounded’ to procure the resin) and the power of His sacrifice, caught fire in the hearts of believers everywhere and continues to catch a flame – continues to burn throughout the ages – releasing the fragrant offering of our praise.

Onycha: Derived from the operculum of certain sea snails – it resembles a fingernail and is a sort of secreted plate that closes the aperture of the shell when the snail is retracted – sort of like a trap door.

These little plates would be removed, cleaned and soaked in either fermented caper berry juice or white wine, before being crushed into a powder for use in perfumes and incense.

Christ was crushed for our iniquities (Isa 53:5) – the sweet, fragrant sacrifice of our Lord is a main ingredient in the incense of our praise and worship.

Galbanum: Commonly used in the ‘green’ incense of the ancient Egyptians, galbanum offered a very bitter, acrid and peculiar smell, before changing to a very complex spicy and balsam-like fragrance similar to green apples and musk.

According to the French Rabbi Rashi, the resin of the galbanum flower was an intentional additive to the incense because of its bitter taste – to serve as a reminder of our sin as people.

Kris Valloton is quoted as saying: “There is no victory without a battle, no testimony without a test, and no miracle without an impossible circumstance.”

Just so Christ upon the Cross took our battle upon Himself. Although the initial notes would be bitter and acrid, He took our sins and sorrows and traded them for beauty and joy.

The bitter galbanum serves as a reminder, in our worship of Christ, of where we came from – but also hints at where we are going. His work on the cross transforming us from wretched sinners to victorious overcomers.

No longer do we smell of sin and shame – but rather the sweetness of His sacrifice.

Just before closing I would like to point out that all of the above ingredients are the result of wounding and crushing – just like the pain and suffering of our Saviour – His wounding and crushing – is the origin of the fragrant offer of our prayers and worship.

Let us approach each day with the incense of worship burning in our hearts, giving all our praise and adoration to the One who is worthy of it all!

Reflect:

1. The galbanum, when burnt, offers a bitter, acrid (unpleasantly pungent) smell before giving way to a sweeter, musky fragrance. How does this speak to you? How does this represent your testimony?

2. All of the ingredients above are the result of wounding, crushing and a tearing apart. True worship comes from the heart. How does the wounding, crushing and tearing apart speak about true worship?

Prayer: Lord, let sweet incense arise from my heart. Let praise and thanksgiving be upon my lips. I thank You Lord for Your blood, shed upon the Cross – for the wounding and the crushing You had to endure on my behalf. Let that same sweet fragrance be released in my heart – a broken heart, my repentant heart. Break my heart for what breaks Yours, Lord, and let my life be a fragrant offering unto You.

Tabernacle Typology 9: Spices

Tabernacle Typology 9: Spices

by | Sep 11, 2024 | Bible Studies, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology, Typology

Exodus 30:23-25, KJV:

“Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.”

In the previous reading we looked at the use and the significance of olive oil in the Tabernacle – how it was used as fuel for the lamps – but also for the production of anointing oil.

This time we will look at the 4 spices included in the anointing oil.

The four spices are: Myrrh, Cinnamon, Calamus and Cassia.

Myrrh: Myrrh has been used throughout the ages for medicine and perfumery. It is a sweet smelling substance and bitter to the taste. It is closely related to frankincense and comes from the same family of woody, flowering plants.

It is extracted by repeatedly wounding the trees until they ‘bleed’ the myrrh gum.

In medicine it is used as an antiseptic in toothpastes, gargles and mouthwashes. It is also used in salves for abrasions and as a pain-reliever in ointments. It has also been said to be helpful in relieving the symptoms of arthritis among other things.

In ancient times myrrh was used as a tincture to alleviate the suffering of the dying. Jesus, on the cross, was offered myrrh mixed with wine for the pain, but He refused.

The trees were ‘bled’ to procure the oil, ‘wounded’ to get the healing balm. Christ was wounded for our transgressions and pierced for our iniquities – for the Healing Balm of His Blood to flow.

Fragrant Cinnamon: Cinnamon is obtained from the bark of trees belonging to the Cinnamomum family.

It is used to add flavor to both sweet and savoury dishes – breakfast, lunch and dinner – and has a lot of health benefits.

In Ancient Times it was considered very rare and costly. According to Pliny the Elder a Roman pound (more or less 327 grams) cost about 50 months of labor (or 1500 denarii). It was often given to kings and emperors as gifts, and even offered as tribute to their pagan gods.

In the body it reduces inflammation and is also good for your heart health. It is considered a heart stimulant because it increases blood flow. It can stimulate a weak heart.

Our hearts might’ve been weak before – but with the death and resurrection of our Lord we are encouraged, our hearts stimulated with hope, faith and courage. Where the myrrh symbolizes His suffering, the cinnamon embodies the sweet, fragrant nature of His sacrifice.

When we apply the sacrifice of Jesus to a discouraged heart – His death and resurrection – we find joy unspeakable and full of glory – adding flavour to our worship as our lives are transformed and we become a fragrant offer unto our Lord.

Calamus: This spice comes from a semi-aquatic, flowering plant found around marshes, next to rivers and in wetlands. It is a sweet smelling stalk which was often cut and dried to produce a type of powder which would then be used in medicines and perfumes.

It was not native to Palestine – where the Israelites were at the time – and was probably imported from Arabia Felix or India. This made it very rare and extremely costly.

It was often used in the treatment of eye infections and diseases.

It is through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross that the eyes of our hearts are opened to see the resurrection power of God.

The Hebrew word used to describe Calamus is ‘Qaneh’ derived from ‘Qanah’ which is also translated in the Old Testament to refer to buying or redeeming.

Just like the calamus flower grows out of the marsh, rising up through and flowering above the pungent, often stagnant water, so Jesus was put in the marsh of the grave only to rise and bring New Life. Calamus therefore remains a powerful reminder of the precious, sweet resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

Cassia: This fragrant spice is closely related to the fragrant cinnamon above – the difference is the plant it is derived from. Cassia is derived from the plant Cinnamomum Cassia which, like Calamus, was an imported trade item bought from Southeast Asia.

Cassia is a type of evergreen, ‘weeping’ tree – this means that the branches are soft and limp, bending evermore downward as the grow.

The Hebrew word for Cassia, ‘qadad’ means ‘bowed down’. This speaks of the humility with which Christ approached the Cross – humbly giving His life for the ransom of many.

This is the same attitude with which we should approach the Cross. It is in us ‘bending down’ like the branches of the Cassia tree that we allow Christ to move in power and glory in our lives, in humility we go to His throne and He gives us the victory.

Reflect:

1. Besides typifying Christ, all of these precious, aromatic spices are also symbolic of our worship of Christ. What are some of the ways in which we can make a connection between these spices and our Christian walk?

2. All of these materials were exceedingly precious and costly. What is precious to you? Are you willing to give it as a sacrifice to the Lord? What would it mean if you were to give it to Him?

Prayer: Lord, I come and pour out my heart before You in gratitude and thanksgiving. As I reflect on the passage above, I pray that You would help me to start living a life worthy of the One You gave. I pray that I will become willing to bring what is costly to me as a sacrifice to You – my time, my effort and all of my strength – that my life might be a fragrant and pleasant offering unto You. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Tabernacle Typology 8: Oil

Tabernacle Typology 8: Oil

by | Sep 3, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology, Typology

Ex. 27:20-21: (KJV)

“And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.”

The Lord commanded the people of Israel to bring pure, cold-pressed olive oil for the lamps and for the anointing oil (Exodus 30).

To get the oil out of the fruit of the olive tree, the olives were either crushed with a mortar and pestle, or by being trodden with their feet.

The word used here for ‘beaten’ in the Hebrew is ‘Katith’ – which most properly translates as ‘to break into pieces’.

The Encyclopedia Judaicia has the following insights to offer: “The olives were beaten down from the trees with poles (Isa.17:6), and were pounded into pulp in mortars or by the feet (Micah 6:15). The pulp was placed in wicker baskets from which the lightest and finest oil could easily run off This grade of oil, known as beaten oil (Heb. Shenen katit), is mentioned five times in the Bible. It served as fuel for the lamp in the Tabernacle (Exo.27:20; Lev.24:2) and as an element in the obligatory daily meal offerings (Exo.29:40; Num.28:5).”

They used only the finest oil for the lamps. This valuable and labor intensive product was used to keep the lamp burning in the Tabernacle – day and night, night and day – the light never went out.

This meant that the production of oil by the Israelites was an always ongoing process and daily sacrifice.

In the Old Testament, the earliest reference to the olive tree is found in the Noah’s Ark narrative.

Here it represents peace, hope and restoration.

The process through which the oil was procured signifies the sacrifice of Christ – who was bruised – and broken into pieces (‘katith’) for our transgressions. His suffering was the chastisement for our peace.

David speaks about the ‘oil of gladness’ (Psalm 45:7). It is through the beaten oil of Christ that we have much to rejoice about.

The Oil is also representative of the Divinity of Jesus. The fullness of the Godhood within Him – He is the Light of the World stepping down into darkness to illuminate the Way for us – the Way to life.

The oil itself – both in the lamp and the anointing oil – is typical of the Holy Spirit – God within us.

When we turn to Christ as our Lord and Saviour we receive His Spirit – the fire of His presence burning in our hearts.

Much like Aaron and his sons we then have the duty to keep this fire burning through prayer, Bible study and obedience to the Lord and His ways.

Reflect:

1. The production of the oil was a daily sacrifice of time and effort, as was the burning of the lamps. What daily activities should we pursue to keep our lamps burning? What daily sacrifices must we make to make sure there is oil in our spiritual lives?

2. If we make a diligent effort to keep our lamps burning, what will the result be? How does a life full of oil look?

Prayer: Lord, give me oil in my lamp. Keep me burning day and night. Let me be a light to the world around me. Let others see this light and draw near out of the darkness – let them find You Lord. Anoint my lips to speak Your truth. Anoint my hands to pray for people and do good works. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Tabernacle Typology Part 6: Coverings

Tabernacle Typology Part 6: Coverings

by | Aug 21, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology, Typology

Tabernacle Typology 6: Coverings

Ex. 25:1-9: (KJV)

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Much like these temples made of flesh and bone that we inhabit, the Tabernacle was likewise covered with skins and hair.

God instructs Moses to use Goat’s Hair, Ram’s Skin and Badger Skin in the construction of the Tabernacle.

From outside the Tabernacle, then, would’ve looked like any other tent – just like Jesus, taking on flesh, would look like any other man. The rather mundane coverings hid from view the Holy and the Divine within.

In Isaiah 53 we read: “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” (Isaiah 53:2-3, NIV)

The coverings also speak of Jesus in other ways:

Goat’s Hair: This hair was woven by women into yarn (Ex. 35:26), making a hard-wearing material most suitable as a tent-covering.

In Matthew 25:32, a description of the Last Judgement, we find goats and sheep being separated from one another, the sheep signifying the righteous, whilst the goat’s were emblematic of the unrighteous. On the cross, Jesus was our scapegoat (Leviticus 16), taking all our transgressions upon Himself, taking all the blame for us. God revealed Himself in the likeness of sin, He revealed Himself in the likeness of unrighteousness to condemn it, and set us free (Rom 8:3). Thus it typifies Christ coming in the likeness of sinful flesh to defeat death and break the bonds of sin.

Ram’s Skins: Dyed red after they had been prepared.

Christ is called the Lamb of God, signifying His pure and spotless life, as well as His gentleness and meekness, the love that defined every deed, every act and every word to come from Him. The ram however signifies the strength of His public testimony, His steadfastness and resolve.

It also signifies the covenant made with Abraham – the fact that Jesus would take our place on the Cross. The Ram’s skins were dyed red, typifying how Jesus sealed the testimony in His blood, how the new covenant in His blood was made.

Sealskins: Or ‘badgers’ skins’. The Hebrew word Tachash – translated here as Badger Skins and Seal Skins in other versions of the text – has been the subject of much debate over the years. Jewish legend explains it as a unique animal, which existed only in the time of Moses.

Dr. Terry Harman shares the following thought: “If the tachash was a mysterious animal that only lived during the construction of the Tabernacle, then the Lord provided it and the people of God used it to glorify the Lord and the dwelling place of the Shekinah because it was a “one of a kind,” fit for the King of Kings and it will always remain a mystery.”

The Badger’s Skins are emblematic of strength and endurance. It was the external covering of the Tabernacle, probably hinting at the outer, or physical appearance of Jesus. Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and thus it’s probably not too farfetched to assume that He might’ve had a rather rugged appearance. The fact remains that many who looked at Jesus only saw the uncomely badger’s skin of the Christ – and could not recognize that which was under the skin.

The badger’s skins typify Christ as a pilgrim, a sojourner in this world. An outcast, if you will, meant not for this life, but for the glory that was, and is, and always will be His!

Reflect:

1. In meditating on the above, on the coverings of skin and hair – how does it speak about the life of the Believer in Christ?

2. Many did not recognize the beauty of the Messiah. Thinking back on your own life, what is it that attracted you to Christ? How has your thinking and vision of Him changed as you have ventured deeper into the Sanctuary of relationship with Him?

Prayer: Lord, I pray that my relationship with You will always be more than just skin deep. I pray that You will take me deeper – deeper into the Sanctuary of Your Presence. Expand my vision of You and Your Kingdom – and guide my steps as a pilgrim and sojourner in this world – that I might be a testimony of Your strength and steadfast love. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Tabernacle Typology 4: Red, Blue and Purple

Tabernacle Typology 4: Red, Blue and Purple

by | Aug 8, 2024 | Bible Studies, Christological Reflections, God in the Details, Tabernacle Typology, Typology

Tabernacle Typology 4: Red, Blue and Purple

Ex. 25:1-9: (KJV)

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”

Colors have always had a sort of inherent symbolism to them. Man has always associated colors with more abstract concepts.

Some modern examples, in the English language, might include:

“Feeling blue…” to indicate sadness or melancholy, to ‘be green’ is to be inexperienced or new to something, and to be the ‘golden boy’ is to be the family favorite – like some shiny idol on a pedestal.

These are but a few modern expressions, but as we go back in time we see that throughout human history color has always been used to convey subtle and hidden concepts, feelings and ideas to a target audience.

Red, for example, has for many centuries had many negative connotations – such as lust, anger and war.

We see this kind of use of color in many prophetic readings throughout the Bible. For example – Isaiah talks about our sins being as scarlet but being washed whiter than wool. (Isaiah 1:18). White is used again and again as an indication of purity and holiness – red in this case is indicative of our ‘violence’ against God – our transgressions and the consequence thereof.

We see this kind of prophetic symbolism in the book of Revelation – the pale horse, a kind of sickly green, reminiscent of decay and decomposition for death – the red for war, black for famine (as also in Lamentations 4:4, 8-9), and white for peace (the false peace that the antichrist brings).

It is then no leap of the imagination to think that the dye used in the construction of the Tabernacle do not abide by the same principle – that they might serve to color the portrait of Christ and His coming in some way or form.

God asks the people to bring, as an offering, blue, purple and red dye.

It is no coincidence that the words ‘dye’ and ‘die’ sound the same, for each of these materials would cost the life of some living creature – just as the consecration of our lives and the infilling of our bodies as the Tabernacle of the Holy Spirit would require sacrifice – first the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb, our Messiah Jesus – and then our own dying to self as we surrender our lives to the Will and purpose of God – yielding to the careful Hand of our Father that He may color our lives with peace, hope, joy and newness of life.

We will now explore each color on its own:

Blue: Threads dyed a very dark blue, perhaps violet. According to Rabbinical tradition, it was derived from the blood of a shell-fish found in the Mediterranean Sea (most likely the Hexaplex Trunculus – a type of sea snail). After the 8th Century the source and means of production seems to have disappeared as Rabbinical sources laments the loss of the ‘thekelet’ from this point on.

It was used almost exclusively by the elite and was very rare and therefore costly. The root of the Hebrew name (Tekhelet) is significant, as it hints towards perfection, blue also reminds us of the Heavens, and is typical of the Heavenly Perfection of Jesus Christ, the Perfect Man, Son of God.

Purple: It was a reddish purple, a dye likewise obtained from a species of shell-fish – also most likely a type of sea snail (possibly the predatory snail mentioned above). Apparently the production of this dye was a very tedious, labor intensive process involving tens of thousands of these small sea creatures – and therefore it was also considered of high value and quite a commodity. (It would take the poisonous mucous of around 12 thousand Murex snails to procure around 1.4 g of pure dye).

Theopompus, an 4th century Greek Historian, described it as being worth its weight in silver. By this time it had become such a symbol of wealth and power that only the Emperor was allowed to wear it.

Purple being a combination of Scarlet and Blue, it typifies Christ in both His heavenly perfection as well as His earthly dignity, His glory on the Cross and His Melchisedec priesthood, Jesus sitting as Priest upon His throne. (Heb 8:1)

Scarlet: The literal translation of the phrase from Hebrew references a ‘worm of shining’, the meaning is probably derived from its brilliant hue. The worm referred to is the cochineal insect. The Arabs called it ‘kirmiz’, from which the English word ‘crimson’ is most likely derived.

This same scarlet color was also used to decorate the Bridal Chamber at Jewish Weddings.

The Scarlet yarn depicts Jesus as our Savior, the lover of our souls. It reminds us of His atoning blood and loving sacrifice on Golgotha.

The use of these dye’s throughout the construction of a Tabernacle provides a splash of color to the prophetic interpretation of the whole – especially in the composition of the Veil.

Reflect:

1. Using a concordance, do a quick topical search for colors in the Bible. Thinking about the common symbolism of various colors is there anywhere else in Scripture that you might apply what you have learned here – how do these colors convey a deeper meaning or more compelling vision of Christ and His Kingdom?

2.In thinking about the common symbolism of colors is there any way a Christian artist might employ these colors creatively as a teaching tool?

Prayer: Lord, I come to You today with a bended heart – a heart bowed down before You! As I think about these things and as I explore the Old Testament, I pray that I will see and understand the hidden things of Your Word. Help me see deeper and colour my understanding. As I go deeper, and look at those things I have often glossed over, let the wonder of Your Word unfold in my mind and in my heart. Help me see You in everything – even in the smallest things. In Jesus name. Amen.