Luke 24:44 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“YESHUA said to them, “This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about Me in the TORAH OF MOSES, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled.”
The scriptures testify of YESHUA and without Him none of us will be saved. YESHUA makes this statement because it’s the absolute truth. Every item in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and the items inside the Tabernacle serve a purpose. So, we will examine the Peshat (the literal meaning) of each item and its function and the Remez (the hint to a deeper spiritual meaning) of how they all point to YESHUA!
Starting from the outside and working our way inside beginning with the altar for burnt offering, the bronze basin, menorah, shewbread, altar of incense, and the Ark of the Covenant in The Most Set-Apart Place.
Altar for burnt offering and forgiveness
Exodus 38:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“He made the ALTAR FOR BURNT OFFERINGS of acaia wood, seven and-a-half feet long and seven-and-a-half feet wide---it was square---and four and-a-half feet high. He made horns for it on its four corners, the horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.”
Leviticus 1:1-9 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“YAHWEH called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, “Speak to the people of Yisra’el; say to them, ‘When any of you brings an offering to YAHWEH, you may bring your animal offering either from the herd or from the flock. If his offering is a BURNT OFFERING from the herd, he must offer a MALE WITHOUT DEFECT. He is to bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, so that it can be accepted by YAHWEH. He is to lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make ATONEMENT for him. He is to slaughter the young bull before YAHWEH; and the sons of Aaron, the priests, are to present the blood. They are to splash the blood against all the sides of the altar, which is by the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it in pieces. The descendants of Aaron the priests are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to arrange the pieces, the head and the fat on the wood which is on the fire on the altar. He is to wash the entrails and lower parts of the legs with water, and the priest is to cause all of it to go up on smoke on the altar as a BURNT OFFERING; it is an offering made by fire, A FRAGRANT AROMA FOR YAHWEH.”
The burnt offering required a male without defect to make atonement for the transgressor and caused a sweet fragrance to ascend before YAHWEH; likewise, YESHUA was perfect and offered Himself up on our behalf for all violation of the Torah and was a sweet-smelling fragrance.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (Amplified)
“Therefore become imitators of ELOHIM [copy and follow His example}, as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; and walk continually in love, just as Messiah also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an OFFERING AND SACFRICE to ELOHIM [slain for you, so that it became} a SWEET FRAGRANCE.”
1 Peter 2:22-24 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“He committed no offense, nor was any deceit found on His lips. When He was insulted, He didn’t retaliate with insults; when He suffered, He didn’t threaten, but handed them over to Him Who judges justly. He Himself bore OUR OFFENSES in His body on the stake, so that we might die to offenses and live for righteousness—by His wounds you were healed.”
Bronze basin and immersion
Exodus 30:17-21 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“YAHWEH said to Moses, “You are to make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put WATER IN IT. Aaron and his sons will WASH WITH WATER, SO THAT THEY WON’T DIE. Also when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering for YAHWEH, they are to wash their hands and feet, so that they won’t die. This is to be a perpetual law for them through all their generations.”
This is a representation of immersion/baptism, which if a man does not do, he will not be able to enter to the kingdom and will die.
John 3:4-5 (Hebrew)
“Naqdimon (Nicodemus) answered him, “how is a man able to be born when he is old? Is a man able to return to his mother’s belly, and come into the world again?” YESHUA answered, “Truth I say to you: NO MAN WILL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVENS, EXCEPT he who becomes born again of WATER AND OF RUACH HA’KODESH.”
Matthew 28:19 (Hebrew)
“Therefore go preach to all the peoples, and IMMERSE/BAPTIZE them in the Name of the Father and the Son and of RUACH HA’KODESH, and teach them, to keep all that I commanded you.”
Ascent of James pg. 6
“But Matthew, meeting his propositions, showed clearly, that whosoever shall not OBTAIN THE BAPTISM OF YESHUA shall not only be DEPRIVED OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT SHALL NOT BE WITHOUT PERIL (DANGER) AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, even though he be fortified by the prerogative of a good life and an upright disposition. Having made these and such like statements, Matthew stopped.”
Furthermore, being immersed as commanded is how we receive the RUACH HA’KODESH Who is the Living WATER as He cleanses us inside to obey YAHWEH! And without Him no one can be a son of ELOHIM!
Acts 2:38 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“Kefa (Peter) answered them, “Turn from offenses, return to ELOHIM, and each of you be IMMERSED on the authority of YESHUA the Messiah into forgiveness of your offenses, and you will receive the gift of the RUACH HA’KODESH!”
John 7:37-39 (Hebrew)
“And in the great day of the Feast, YESHUA stood, calling out and saying, “If any one does come unto Me, He will drink; whosoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, ‘a stream of LIVING WATER will run from his belly.” And He said this concerning RUACH HA’KODESH—which those who believe in Him would receive; for He had not yet given the RUACH because YESHUA had not yet come into the esteem of the Most High.”
Romans 8:14 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“All who are led by ELOHIM’S SPIRIT ARE ELOHIM’S SONS.”
Menorah
Upon entering the tabernacle, to the left is the menorah which was to lit the same time that incense was to be burned.
Exodus 25:31-37 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“You are to make a menorah of pure gold. It is to be made of hammered work; its base, shaft, cups, ring of outer leaves and petals are to be one of one piece with it. It is to have six branches extending from its sides, three branches of the menorah on one side of it and three on the other. On one branch are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; likewise on the opposite side branch three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; and similarly for all six branches extending from the menorah. On the central shaft of the menorah are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its rings of outer leaves and petals. Where each pair of branches joins the central shaft is to be a ring of outer leaves of one piece with the pair of branches---thus for all six branches. The rings of outer leaves and their branches are to be one of piece with the shaft. Thus the whole menorah is to be a single piece of hammered work made of pure gold. Make SEVEN LAMPS FOR THE MENORAH, and mount them so as to give LIGHT to the space in front of it.
Leviticus 24:1-4 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“YAHWEH said to Moses, “Order the people of Yisra’el to bring you pure oil from crushed olives for the LIGHT, to KEEP LAMPS BURNING ALWAYS. Outside the curtain of the testimony in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to arrange for the light to be kept BURNING ALWAYS from evening until morning before YAHWEH; this is to be a permanent regulation through all your generations. He is always to keep in order the lamps on the pure menorah before YAHWEH.”
The Menorah/Lamp is a representation of YESHUA:
John 8:12 (Hebrew)
“And YESHUA said, “I am THE LAMP of the world; whosoever comes after Me will not walk in darkness and gloom; but He will indeed have life.”
John 12:35-36 (Hebrew)
“Then YESHUA said to them, “There is still a LAMP among you—walk while the LAMP is among you that you do not fall in darkness and gloom. For whosoever walks in the darkness does not know where He is going. While you HAVE THE LAMP, BELIEVE IN THE LAMP in order that you may become SONS OF THE LAMP.”
Revelation 21:23 (Hebrew)
“And the city does not need the light from the sun or the moon, for the glory of YAHWEH is a LIGHT-SOURCE for them, and its LIGHT IS THE LAMB.”
Revelation 21:23 (Aramaic English New Testament)
“And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to enlighten it; for the esteem of ELOHIM enlightens it, and the LAMB IS THE LAMPS OF IT.”
The Seven branched menorah represents the seven spirits that rested upon YESHUA
Isaiah 11:1-2 (Aramaic)
“And there shall come for a shoot out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots; and He shall be at peace, and the Spirit of YAHWEH shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the reverence of YAHWEH.”
Shewbread
Leviticus 24:5-9 (Samaritan)
“And you shall take fine FLOUR and bake twelve LOAVES with it. Two tenths shall be in each loaf. And you shall set them in two rows, six to a row, on the pure table before YAHWEH. And you shall put pure frankincense on each row that it may be a memorial portion for the BREAD, even an offering by fire to YAHWEH. On the Shabbat day, he shall set it in order before YAHWEH continually. It is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Yisrael. And it shall be for Aaron and his sons. And they shall eat it in a set-apart place, for it is MOST SET-APART to him from YAHWEH’s offerings by fire, his portion forever.”
Brittanica.com says the shewbread is also called the “Bread of the Presence”, which matches Hebrews 9:1-2
Hebrews 9:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“Now the first covenant had both regulations for worship and a Set-Apart Place here on earth. A tent was set up, the outer one, which is called the Set-Apart Place; in it were the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence.”
So being that the bread represents YESHUA, its pointing to His presence when He dwelt among us.
Isaiah 7:14 (Amplified)
“Therefore YAHWEH Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call His Name Immanuel (EL WITH US).”
John 1:14 (Hebrew)
“And so EL was made flesh and DWELT AMONG YOU.”
YESHUA is the Bread of Life!
Matthew 2:1-2 (Hebrew)
“When YESHUA was born in BEIT-LECHEM (Bethlehem) in the land of Yehudah (Judah), in the days of king Herod, behold---kings of the East came to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), saying, “Where is the King of the Jews who was born?”
Bethlehem in Hebrew means “The House of Bread” which connects to the words that YESHUA said about Himself!
John 6:35 (Hebrew)
“Then YESHUA said to them, I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE; whosoever comes to Me will not be hungry, and whosoever believes in Me will not have thirst in eternity!”
YESHUA is the Bread of Life from the House of Bread and being that He is the Living Torah (the written Word that became Living Flesh) He is our source of life that we need to live just a bread was a staple in Yisra’el and they understood it was a physical source needed to live, and that YESHUA is saying He is the real source of bread, the staple in our lives, needed to obtain eternal life.
Deuteronomy 8:3 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“Yes, He humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF YAHWEH.”
Revelation 19:13 (Hebrew)
“And He was clothed with a garment on which blood was sprinkled and His Name was the WORD OF YAHWEH.”
Acts 3:14-15 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“You denied the set-apart and innocent One, and instead asked for the reprieve of a murderer! You killed the AUTHOR OF LIFE!”
Incense altar
Exodus 30:1-7 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“You are to make an altar on which to BURN INCENSE; make it of acacia wood. It is to be eighteen inches square and three feet high; its horns are to be of one piece with it. Overlay it with pure gold---its top, all around its sides, and its horns; and put around it a molding of gold. Make two gold rings for it under its molding at the two corners on both sides; this is where the carrying-poles will go. Make the poles of acacia-wood, and overlay them with gold. Place it in front of the curtain by the ark for the testimony, in front of the ark-cover (mercy seat) that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. Aaron will burn fragrant INCENSE on it as a pleasing aroma every morning; he is to burn it when he prepares the lamps.”
Before listing the scriptures concerning prayers, I would like to address the veil/curtain that is behind the altar of incense. The veil/curtain is a reminder that offenses and wrong doing separates us from YAHWEH, and also that no one comes to the Father except through YESHUA and this includes prayers.
John 14:6 (Hebrew)
“I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO ONE comes unto the Father, EXCEPT THROUGH ME.”
John 14:13-14 (Hebrew)
“And that which you will ask the Father IN MY NAME, He will do it for you in order that the Father may be exalted in the Son. If you ask something in My Name, I WILL DO IT.”
Interesting how the Hebrew manuscript again shows the Oneness of the Father and the Son, YESHUA says in verse 13 if you ask in My Name, He (YAHWEH) will do it, then He says in the next verse that I (YESHUA) will do it.” So, we pray to YAHWEH in YESHUA’s Name and it will be done according to His will.
The incense represents prayers!
Luke 1:8-10 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“One time, when Zechariah was fulfilling his duties as priest during his division’s period of service before ELOHIM, he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the priests) to enter the temple and BURN INCENSE. All the people were outside, PRAYING AT THE TIME OF THE INCENSE BURNING…”
As we can see when Zechariah the priest was burning incense on the altar that the people were outside praying at the exact same time. This is not a coincidence, because those prayers are connected with the incense going up to ELOHIM!
Psalm 141:1-2 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“YAHWEH, I have called You; come to me quickly! Listen to my plea when I call to You. Let MY PRAYER BE LIKE INCENSE SET BEFORE YOU, My uplifted hands like an evening sacrifice.”
Revelation 5:8 (Hebrew)
“And when He took the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, and in their hands were lyres and fire pans full of INCENSE AND THIS IS THE PRAYER OF THE SET-APART ONES.”
Ark of the Covenant
Hebrews 9:1-5 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“Now the first covenant had both regulations for worship and a Set-Apart Place here on earth. A tent was set up, the outer one, which is called the Set-Apart Place; in it were the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence. Behind the second parokhet (curtain) was a tent called the Most Set-Apart Place, which had the golden altar for burning incense and the Ark of the Covenant, entirely covered with gold. In the Ark were the gold jar containing the man (manna), Aaron’s rod that sprouted and the stone Tablets of the Covenant…”
The three items inside of the ark point to YESHUA as well!
The jar of manna:
John 6:47-51 (Hebrew)
“Truth I say to you, he who believes in Me, he has eternal life. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE; your fathers ate MANNA in the wilderness, and they DIED. This is He who descended from the heavens in order that he who eats of Him will not die. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE Who descended from the heavens---that if someone eats this BREAD, He may exist for ever. And the bread which I, I will give you is My flesh---for eternal existence.”
The rod of Aaron that sprouted:
This stems from the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16, the rod of Aaron budding is the sign that YAHWEH chose Aaron as his high-priest and put an end to any future rebellion over the priesthood.
Numbers 17:21-26 (Samaritan)
“Speak to the Sons of Yisra’el, and get from them a rod for each father’s household, twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. You shall write each name on his rod. And write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi, for there is one rod for the head of their father’s households. And you shall then deposit them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet unto you. And it will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will SPROUT. And I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the Sons of Yisra’el, who grumble against you. And Moses spoke to the Sons of Yisra’el, and all their leaders gave him a rod apiece, for each leader according to their fathers’ households, twelve rods, with the rod of Aaron among their rods. And Moses deposited the rods before YAHWEH in the Tent of the Testimony. And on the next day Moses went into the Tent of Testimony. And behold, the rod of Aaron for the house Levi had SPROUTED, and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.” And YAHWEH said to Moses, put back the rod of Aaron before the Testimony, to be kept as a sign against the rebellious sons, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, and they will not die.”
Aaron’s rod “sprouted” which confirmed that YAHEWH had chosen him for the priesthood; likewise the kingdom sprouted up in YESHUA as our High Priest and King that YAHWEH has chosen.
Isaiah 11:1 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“But a BRANCH will emerge from the trunk of Jesse, a SHOOT will grow from His roots.”
Psalms 45:6-7 (Aramaic)
“Your Throne, O EL (God), is for ever and ever; the scepter of Your kingdom is a right scepter. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore EL (YESHUA), Your EL (YAHWEH) has ANOINTED YOU with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.”
Hebrews 7:15-17 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“It becomes even clearer if a “different kind of priest,” one like Melchizedek, arises, One who became a priest not by virtue of a rule in the Torah concerning physical descent, but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. For it is stated, “You are a PRIEST FOREVER, to be compared with Melchizedek.”
Tablets of stone:
Which is a summary of the entire Torah and YESHUA is the Living Torah!
John 14:6 (Hebrew)
“I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE; NO ONE comes unto the Father, EXCEPT THROUGH ME.”
The Way-
Psalms 119:1 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“How happy are those whose WAY OF LIFE is blameless, who live by THE TORAH OF YAHWEH.”
The Truth-
Psalms 119:142
“Your righteousness is eternal righteousness, and your TORAH IS TRUTH.”
The Life-
Deuteronomy 32:46-47 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“He said to them, “Take to heart all the words of my testimony against you today, so that you can use them in charging your children to be careful to obey ALL THE WORDS OF THIS TORAH. For this not a trivial matter for you; on the contrary, IT IS YOUR LIFE!”
Mercy seat:
Leviticus 16:11-17 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“Aaron is to present the bull of the offense offering for himself; he will make atonement for himself and his household; he is to slaughter the bull of the offense offering which is for himself. He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before YAHWEH and, with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the curtain. He is to put the incense on the fire before YAHWEH, so that the cloud from the incense will cover the ark-cover (mercy seat) which is over the testimony, in order that he not die. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the ark-cover (mercy seat) toward the east; and in front of the ark-cover (mercy seat) he is to sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. Next, he is to slaughter the goat of the offense offering which is for the people, bring its blood inside the curtain and do with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the ark-cover (mercy meat) and in front of the ark-cover (mercy seat). He will make atonement for the Set-Apart Place because of the uncleanness of the people of Yisra’el and because of their transgressions---all their offenses….”
Hebrews 9:11-14 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“But when the Messiah appeared as High Priest of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), He entered the Most Set-Apart Place ONCE AND FOR ALL. And He entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of HIS OWN BLOOD, THUS SETTING PEOPLE FREE FOREVER. For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores the outward purity; then how much more the BLOOD OF THE MESSIAH, Who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself to ELOHIM as a sacrifice WITHOUT BLEMISH, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living ELOHIM!”
Hebrews 10:19-22 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Most Set-Apart Place opened by the BLOOD OF YESHUA. He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet (curtain) by means of His flesh. We also have a great Priest over ELOHIM’s household. Therefore, let us approach the Most Set-Apart Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting—with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
The same way the high priest would come in the presence of YAHWEH behind the veil in the Most Set-Apart Place and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat to make atonement for himself, his household, and the entire assembly of Yisra’el, is how YESHUA our High Priest offered up Himself and His blood now speaks for us on the mercy seat setting people free forever! The difference between YESHUA and Aaron is that YESHUA does not die because He is EL and does not have to make continual slaughter offerings for offenses because He was perfect. Which allows us to come boldly to the throne!
Hebrews 4:16 (Complete Jewish Scriptures)
“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through to the highest heaven, YESHUA, the Son of ELOHIM, let us hold firmly to what we acknowledge as true. For we do not have a High Priest unable to empathize with our weaknesses; since in every respect He was tempted just as we are, the only difference being that He did not transgress. Therefore, let us confidently approach the THRONE from which ELOHIM gives mercy and find grace in our time of need.”
Again, everything in the Old Testament points to YESHUA and He stated this out of His own mouth and it’s true, Without YESHUA no one will have eternal life, so I pray that this message and the others proving that the scriptures testify of YESHUA will have you commit your life to Him if you have not already.
As always may YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!