AN AWARD WINNING PAINTING SHOWING THE Promise OF PROPHECY AND ITS FULFILLMENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
It could also be titled “His Glory Revealedâ€, as it shows God’s Glory in both the “heavens†and in the firmament and also in the supernatural realm of His Word. Illustrated in the center of the painting is the“burning bush†where the God first spoke to Moses and said “I AM that I AM†and told Moses to tell His people that “Yahweh†or “I AM†sent him. Moses of course goes to his people in Egypt and delivers them through the “Passover†judgment which is illustrated on the lower right corner, with blood on the door posts and the swirling symbolizing the death angel. Coming from the Burning bush is the Angel of the Lord on the Right side stopping Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac. Highlighting the fact that this event is a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of God’s own Son for our Sins, the whole image forms the face of the crucified Savior. On the left the Angel is announcing the birth of Jesus Christ: His name will be Emmanuel, God with us. In the manger the baby “Jesus†is the “image of the invisible Godâ€. Nearby in the shadow is Golgotha and the Cross upon which He bore and died for our sins. But radiating beyond this shadow is the Victory of His Resurrection for He has Risen! He has defeated death. Note that on the opposite corner is a door with blood on it, representing the Passover-the Sign given to Israel 1400 years earlier
FIRST the unfinished painting as God was directing me -titled: “Signs of His Majesty and Promise†…which was gifted by God as I started with the Abrahamic sacrifice on the right side and then realized it did not follow my earthly concept of time….but it did from the Jewish viewpoint which goes from the opposite direction —from the right to the left. Yes, this painting is for the Jew, so he or she may see the Promise in the landscape of the Torah.
An integral part of the Burning Bush is Time as it unravels in a 3 Dimensional way. This should remind us that time is “measured†on this earth and that many events in the Bible have both a natural and a supernatural dimension. For instance the 12 tribes camped out in the wilderness with 3 tribes lined up parallel to each of the outer walls of the tabernacle, would form a cross. From heaven the encamped tribe with its warming and cooking fires reflecting light off the tents would glow in the form of a giant Cross. This “cross†of course foreshadows the promised Victory that would bless all the nations of the world through the Abrahamic covenant. And that is why the “Abrahamic covenant†is prominently portrayed next to Time. The Lord walked with a censor filled with fire between the sectioned animals making a Covenant of eternal consequence and promising Abraham that his seed would bless all nations. This “blood covenant†(where 5 animals are sacrificed) would have created a pool and stream of blood that in my painting forms a cross. Abraham is seen in a sleeping trance just below, as God speaks to him and gives him a vision of the 400 years of Israel’s captivity. Within Time and the Burning Bush are Hebrew letters that tell us about the character of God and His Glory. The top stream says, “I Am Your All Sufficient God†or “I Am All Sufficient“. Below that God tells us to “Know Before Whom You Stand†, for God seeks a relationship with us…and He is a Just and Merciful God. In the last line He comforts us with these words: “I AM WITH YOUâ€. Notice that the clock is pictured from 9 am to 3 pm which is the time during which Jesus was crucified!
Permeating the entire painting are Messages or Signs in groups of 3: God’s Creation (The Stars and Constellations) and both the Old and New Covenants reveal God’s Promise and His Truth! From the 1st Adam (upper right with the Tree of Life) to the 2nd Adam, Jesus Christ, 3 covenants are portrayed (Adamic, Abrahamic, and Mosaic); three types of sacrifice are shown (corporate sacrifice as at the Tabernacle, Personal sacrifice as with Abraham and Isaac, and God’s covenant sacrifice as with His Son; three major Celestial Signs are revealed: 1) in the Stars as with the Bethlehem Star 2) in the Shekinah Glory, and 3) in His Glorious Return in the Clouds. Three messages are illustrated: 1) the symbolic message of His Cross in natural events, 2) His Word through Time, and 3) the Scarlet Thread of blood in all the sacrifices. Of course we have other THREE’S: the Father (the Burning Bush), the Son (returning the Clouds), and the Holy Spirit (the Shekinah Glory). The Past, the Future (Jesus in the Clouds), and the Present are revealed (The WORD). There is also 3 earthly phenomena- the earthquake, fire, and wind. Birth, death, and resurrection along with energy, mass, and supernatural are also shown. The painting itself has 3 “lines or layers†of 3 images. The first 3 smaller images below are the 1) Cross and the Resurrection, 2) the birth and the Annunciation, and 3) the Passover and the sacrifice. The next “line†has the nation of Israel encamped, the Burning Bush with the Eternal Clock, and the Angel stopping Abraham forming the face of Jesus Christ. The final line has the Shekinah Glory, the Lord Returning, and the Abrahamic Covenant. There are also 3 major Fires: the Fire of God on Mt. Sinai, the Fire consuming the sacrifice at the Tabernacle, and the Fire of the Burning Bush. There are also 3 sacrifices: Jesus on the Cross, Abraham’s sacrifice, and the Ram shown as the propitiation of sins, which the Angel of the Lord points to.
Just as the rising sun radiates rays of light over the sea of Galilee and the Jordan river, the Son of God Coming in the Clouds radiates the Glory of God. All nations “will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with great Power and Gloryâ€. But we can also see His Glory here on earth: in His Birth, He emptied Himself to take on human flesh; and humbled himself to the point of dying a criminals death on the cross. Christ reveals His Glory as the Bread of Life (in the window), the Living Water (flowing from the sun to the eternal clock), and the Light of Salvation radiating from the tomb etc.
Here is the Finished painting:
And here is a follow up explanation of the painting and what it means: IT IS BEST TO VIEW FROM A DISTANCE TO CATCH THE FACE OF JESUS ON THE RIGHT.
As JESUS is born in a manger we are reminded of God’s Promise throughout the Ages beginning in the Garden of Eden where God ‘s Creation provided a choice between Eternal Life with Him or the curse of sin and eternal life in darkness. On the horizon are the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and just below that is a tiny Abel making the 1st blood sacrifice, outside of the Garden. Years later, it is here as he is preparing the yearly blood sacrifice that Cain kills him in a jealous rage.
God then graciously shined His Light on Abraham whose faith was magnified by his Righteous life and willingness to sacrifice his only Son. Henceforth God establishes the Stage from which He brings forth His Son as Savior: He molds and guides a nation of people through the Burning Bush, The Passover, Mount Sinai, the Shekinah Glory, and a wandering in the desert encamped in a cross formation (all depicted in the painting). Then in the fullness of time highlighted by the Bethlehem star, the baby Jesus, and the “wise men†seeking the KING, He prepares the Way to Redeem what was lost.
See if you can find the hidden “Signs of His Majesty and Promiseâ€: 3 Celestial Wonders, 5 Crosses, & 7 Signs of His Promise (Jesus Christ). I was inspired to do this painting as a witness to the Jew, for it reveals in a profound way how God used events, designs, and faithful servants to reveal and “paint†an image of His Promise in their daily lives. How can they not see this? The Italian curator who helped judge my painting said that this conundrum is reflected by the “JESUS†of this painting that is obvious to an informed eye, but which was missed even by the careful observation of all the other judges (in this small rendition it may not have the same affect -but look at the pic, and see if you can see it -I will reveal it at the end of this letter). You should see the LORD walking between the blood sacrifice of 3 cleaved mammals, a dove, and a pigeon; thus establishing a One-Way covenant while Abraham sleeps (called the Abrahamic Promise or Covenant). Below that is a poetic rendition of the Angel of God pointing to the Ram and stopping Abraham from sacrificing Isaac (who like Jesus carried his own wood for sacrifice and was “innocentâ€). Going clockwise we see the Passover blood covering the posts and lintel; the Burning Bush with infinite multi-dimensional Time streaked in blood (9am – 3pm -was the time that Jesus was on the cross) with the Hebrew inscriptions “I AM your All Sufficient Godâ€, “Know before Whom you standâ€â€¦God said to Moses, and “I will be with you Alwaysâ€. Another angel points to the future “baby in a manger†who is to be our Savior and who will die in the “shadow†of a cross, yet He will be Resurrected! Above we see the Cross formed by Israel’s 12 tribes (3 to the West, 3 to the North, 3 to the South, and 3 to the East of the Tabernacle) the configuration that God commanded. From within the Tabernacle the Shekinah Glory which protected Israel by night, (some say the Holy Spirit of the Old Testament) rises up beyond Mount Sinai and the Fire of God. In the center The “Lord of Lords†returns in the clouds with His Saints; all nations “will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds, with great power and gloryâ€. There are also over 200 prophecies in the OT that Jesus Christ fulfilled, including Daniel’s exact prediction of His Triumphal Entrance. Can you see Him for who He IS?
The final Jesus in the painting that all the judges failed to see is the “JESUS†formed inside the burning bush….do you see Him?
God delivered the Israelite nation from the hand of Pharaoh and with a pillar of Cloud by day and a pillar of Fire by night He guided them across northern Sinai to the edge of the wilderness in Etham where they encamped. The next day they went south through a mighty gorge to Pi-Hahiroth (which means “mouth of the gorgeâ€, on the Red Sea Exodus 14:2) . Here the Lord parted the deep waters (this large beach area exists today at Nuweiba) and after the 2-3 million Israelites crossed with their animals, God allowed the walls of water to crush the massive Egyptian army that had pursued them. Their chariot wheels and other parts have turned into coral reefs that also betray shapes of the long dissolved bones from men and horses. God delivered this nation of rebellious and ragged people over a course of 40 years in the wilderness.
The Israelites would eventually defeat all the nations around them, but would fall into rebellion again. God would allow them to go into captivity under the 3 great empires of prophecy: Babylon, Persia, and Greece. Then under the Pax Romana God would bring His Son, the Messiah, and fulfill over 300 prophecies. As promised, Jesus Christ was born from a virgin in Bethlehem of David’s lineage, lived in both Egypt and Nazareth, betrayed by a friend for 30 coins, hands pierced, reviled and spit upon, lots drawn for his clothes, and no bones broken, and then raised on the 3rd day. Just to have these few prophesies fulfilled by one person would be like finding one marked quarter among tight piles of quarters covering the entire state of Texas 3 feet deep!.
When Jesus Christ was crucified, then rose on the 3rd day. He broke the Curse of Sin and Death and opened the Door to heaven to any and all who believe in His Name. Jesus himself told us what His name is: Messiah, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Lamb of God, Redeemer, the Alpha and Omega, the Resurrection and the Life, Son of Man, the Living Water, the Light of the world, the Bread of Life. So we have no excuse: either Jesus lied about who he was or he was a lunatic? Otherwise Jesus Christ is indeed your Savior and Redeemer and we need to change and seek to know Him and worship Him. By the way His name is not Michael the Archangel as both Jehovah Witnesses and 7th Day Adventists believe. Nor is he the brother of Satan as Mormons believe. Satan who is fallen, and Michael, and Gabriel are Archangels and are not part of the Godhead, nor do they carry the authority of the Godhead. Jesus Christ is, however, fully God and fully man. John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.â€
By giving birth to Israel and taking them out of the darkness of Egypt, God was not only making preparations for the Law and its sacrificial system, but also for a powerful New Covenant of Grace. Prior to this every man did what he or she thought was right, for there was no law. Having eaten of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil†mankind was worshipping idols and determining what was “good†and what was “evilâ€. God therefore created Israel to carry His standard and to be a witness to the world. Signs of this standard and witness would remain a mystery to both the Jew and Gentile throughout the Old Testament. Today we know that the power of the Cross is the power of God for salvation to all who believe in the Promised One, the Christ. The Cross is our witness. I dare say, however, that we have failed to give God the full measure of credit and Glory for His design in the wilderness, made to be a clear Sign to all in the past, present, and future? This Sign should be considered a more significant witness of the promise (of the Saviors death and victory on the Cross) than the sign of the serpent on the pole. This Sign was a light in the darkness of the wilderness and a foreshadowing of all that would happen to redeem man.
The sign of this promise, a witness to all, is so significant that I will discuss it in detail. God told Moses to arrange the 12 tribes in 4 groups of 3 around the tribe of Levite, which numbered 22,300 men. The Levites who were encamped around the outer court would prepare and perform the sacrifices, and maintain, transport, and erect the Tabernacle. The other tribes as described in Numbers 2 would be grouped around the tribes of Judah with a total of 186,500 men set to the East, Reuben’s group with 151,450 men set to the South, Ephraim’s group with 108,100 men set to the West, and finally Dan’s group with 157, 600 men set to the North. The four cardinal compass points were used to align the tribes and banners. To place anyone or any tribe in between these cardinal points would have been unthinkable , yet this is what the traditional “square†formation requires! Given Levitical attention to detail, whoever camped outside of the clear directions of East, South, West, and North (e.g., northwest, southeast) would be violating God’s directional instructions (e.g., by being both north and west). The Tent of Meeting would face East where Judah’s group encamped- the longest leg of the four legged formation. Two almost equidistant arms would point North and South. The smallest group of three tribes led by Ephraim would be the short top of the cross. Since each man would have had an average of at least 3 children and a wife, the number of individuals not counting the animals would approximate 2.5 million.
These families would need to encamp in a way that would allow for efficient maneuverability because at any moment the Shekinah Glory would move to a new location and their command was to follow. As directed by God, the tribe of Judah would set out first, followed by the other members of their group. Behind them would march the southern group led by the tribe of Reuben. In the middle, the Levites would march, carrying the disassembled tabernacle and the Arc of the Covenant. Closing the rear was the western group of Ephraim and the northern group of Dan. Note that the process would flow easily if each tribe camped out in the order of departure as explained in the illustration on the last page.
Why the CROSS pattern:
1) Viewed from heaven the Cross formation would be a sign of Israel’s purpose and destiny, God’s Glory in the midst of a dark wilderness. God had just delivered them from Pharaoh’s army, now He makes the sign of a future deliverance. As stated earlier, the nation of Israel was created by God to usher in the Messiah and henceforth bring lasting Redemption to all who believe. Jesus Christ, the Lord, came to fulfill not only the Law given to the Israelites on Mount Sinai, but also to fulfill the Promise stated by Him to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. It was on the Cross that this would be fulfilled. The “seed of the womanâ€, is a very interesting phrase for it implies a supernatural virgin birth, since women only produce eggs. On the cross, Jesus Christ the “seed of the womanâ€, defeats Satan while being “bruised on the heel†by the serpent.
Starting with the Garden of Eden, God shed the blood of an innocent animal to clothe Adam and Eve. In the wilderness, God would require the blood of an unblemished animal as a sin offering for the nation that He created. It was by divine design that the encamped nation of Israelites formed a cross with the Tent of Meeting and ark in the very center. Here God would have fellowship with Moses and Aaron and then He would consume with Holy fire the sacrifice on the altar (Lev. 9:23) as the people watched in awe. This Day of Atonement foreshadows the sacrifice of God’s innocent Son on the Cross and the “covering†His death and Resurrection provides to anyone who places their trust in this Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
2) As mentioned earlier this massive group of people was much more than an army. They were a nation of at least 2.5 million men, women, children, and the elderly. They came with all their possessions including animals. They also came with the gold and wealth of the Egyptians. Never in the history of mankind had a migration of this dimension happened. They were fleeing the world’s largest army and heading into a vast wilderness with another army waiting to attack. The most efficient way to set up camp and break up camp was illustrated earlier. But what is even more significant is the military protection that the cross formation offered. At night the fires of each campsite would light up the horizon. A cross creates the largest profile from any direction and gives the enemy the impression that you are bigger than you really are.
3) The Cross formation of campsites also offers the ability to outflank the enemy from any direction. An attacking army would not have a strong point of attack and would have to fear being encircled by this expansive and fluid formation.
4) Often forgotten but probably one of the most important reasons for the Cross formation is logistics. It would allow for 4 separate yet distinct zones of safety to herd animals, maintain latrine services, exercise, and maneuver in case of an attack. Along each arm of the cross and around the ends fly type tents would allow rest and sleeping stations for scouts, couriers, and men who would herd the animals and escort women and children to latrine services. Each arm
is arranged in rows as illustrated which would allow for quick formation of forces. During a surprise attack panic can easily set in. Arranging rows of tents leading to 4 open areas provides maximum maneuverability for the assembly of the armed men. They could easily avoid the mistake that the Midianite coalition made as they encamped in the bowl of a ridge. In the haze of darkness the large and severely confined pagan armies were rousted by a small contingent of 300 Israelites blowing trumpets and breaking pots. In panic the Midianites and their allies killed each other, and God delivered the victory without a single loss to Gideon’s forces. A square formation would bottle up forces and cause mass logistical problems.
5) There are many applications that one can make from this study of the “Cross in the Wildernessâ€. If one carries the cross in today’s wilderness, God will be with you. In the Words of Jesus, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow meâ€.
Note that Jesus said this before He was crucified! If you do His will, He will bless you and deliver you out of the wilderness. In the giving of the Law He is the God that makes demands and in the Tabernacle He is the God that draws near and dwells with us. His demand is that we Trust and Obey him and the Reward is that He will Tabernacle in us and with us and provide for us as He leads us to victory and to His Promised land. The Cross makes us Holy and it separates us from darkness. But as Paul states in Philippians, 3:18, “now [I] say again with tears, many live as enemies of the Cross of Christ.†Those enemies also came against the Israelites from within and without and they were defeated. Even this study and book will be viewed by many as foolishness, for the Word says: “for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are saved it is the Power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.â€
The Cross is a teaching tool connecting the Law and the World to Jesus Christ. The Law reveals that we are sinners. The Law states GOD’s standards and then demands His Justice. The Law is a tutor not a savior, the Law is a mirror not a cleanser, and the Law was given to be fulfilled by the Promised Savior, the Lamb of GOD. The only solution would be Forgiveness through a Subsitutionary Sacrifice. Therefore on the Day of Atonement two goats were chosen for the sin offering: one goat was sacrificed and another driven out into the wilderness. Again the picture here foreshadows the Cross of Calvary when Jesus Christ died for all sin, separating and erasing the sin in our heart while driving away even the guilt. His sacrifice cleanses the conscience so that those redeemed do not have to live under a cloud of guilt, fear, and condemnation again.
6) The Cross is the Power of GOD that binds everything. Because Christ dwells in us, we do not have to sacrifice an unblemished animal, nor do we have to build a Tabernacle. He is our Sacrifice and our Tabernacle and when we receive Him we are His Tabernacle willingly surrendered as a sacrifice unto Him. It may seem confusing but it all makes sense in Light of the Trinity, the Sanctification of the Believer, and the Unity of the Body of Christ. Through Faith we have Life. We are alive in Christ and dead to sin. To live is Christ, to die is gain. He has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the Law. In essence He became the Curse for us. In the process we have crossed over from death to life. The Cross is the link to the believing Jew: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one…His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of two… and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross…†Eph. 2:15-16. Before Jesus went to the Cross, He prayed to the Heavenly Father: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him…And now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began†John 17: 1,2, 5. Jesus Christ in this prayer is joining the Father to the Son, Heaven to earth, Jew and Gentile, the Creation of the Universe and original sin to the Promise of Eternal life as he prepares for his death on the cross.
We look vertically to heaven to pray and worship, but we serve and have fellowship here on earth. In the wilderness the Israelites ventured 40 years in a hostile and wild land, yet wherever they went they were led by the Shekinah Glory or the Cloud by Day, both of which came down from Heaven. Then the moment came when GOD, the Son, dwelt with us and according to God’s Plan was lifted up on the cross- he died, was buried, and resurrected to defeat the curse of death. The Cross, first seen in the wilderness, becomes the Divine Path between heaven and earth. God’s Divine Design is the Cross. Even the linen fibers that covered the veil and curtains of the Holy of Holies, and the Lamina, a fiber which holds our tissue together, are in the binding design of a cross. The “Cross of the Wilderness†and the Cross of Calvary are linked in every way.
7) The 7th and final reason why I believe that the Cross formation was an integral part of the Wilderness Exodus is the most enigmatic and, in a way, the most refreshing for those of us who want to understand Ezekiel’s Vision and the Vision that John had in Revelation. As mentioned earlier the four legs of the cross were made up of four groups or divisions of tribes. Each of these divisions had a standard. The standard for the tribe of Judah and its group was the Lion and King. The standard for the division of Ephraim was the calf or servant. The standard for Reuben’s division was a man and finally the standard for the northern division of Dan was the Eagle or Heavenly Priest. These 4 standards are represented in the 4 Gospels: Matthew is characterized by lineage of Judah the Lion; Mark represents Jesus as the Servant; Luke the doctor presents Jesus as the God/Man; and John shows us Jesus as our Spiritual Priest.
These symbolic standards show up again in Ezekiel’s vision of the four Living Creatures. The creatures had feet with soles like that of a calf, four wings, the hands of man, and each had four faces: the face of a lion, the face of man, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle. What is especially interesting is how Ezekiel describes the energy emitting from these creatures with multi-directional faces. In Ezek. 1:13, he says, “their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright.†Is this bright fire likened to the fire of the SHIKINAH GLORY? Is this image being reflected on earth by four faces on standards pointing East, South, West, and North? Is this in part what Jesus meant when He prayed, “thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.� Although made in God’s image, the Israelites were far from perfect, yet they were being blessed by His supernatural presence and the fire of GOD. In Heaven as on earth there was and is a great multitude worshiping Him as they are being awed by His Glory.
John the Revelator also sees a vision. In Revelation 4:6-7, he writes, “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.†These supernatural “beasts†appear throughout Revelation as John observes the activities of the Throne Room. These beasts are Cherubim and they are Worshiping God, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.†(Rev.4:8). Revelation 4:9, 5:6, 5:8, 5:14, 6:1, 7:11, and 14:3, describe an awe inspiring scene, as the Lamb of God is presented before the Throne where ten thousand times ten thousand and a thousand thousands of angels, the 24 elders, and the 4 beasts worship GOD. As the tumultuous Praise ends, the four Cherubim pronounce an, “Amen†and then each of these “beasts†beckons John to “come and see†as each seal is opened, (Rev.6:1-7). Is John asked to come and see earth through the crystallized floor as the seals release their tribulation on the earth? Are they all watching even now? There is indication that God is indeed watching: Moses, David, Isaiah, and Solomon ask GOD to look down upon them (Deut. 26:15, Ps. 102:19, Isa. 63:15, and Lam. 3:50). What a sight the “Cross of the Wilderness†must have been from heaven’s view!
Is there something special about the number 4? It is a number used frequently in both Heaven and earth. The Trinity + us = 4. Our physical 3 dimensions + the supernatural = 4. In the prophecies we hear of the FOUR BEASTS and the FOUR METALS of the FOUR great civilizations. The Cross has 4 points and there are 4 Gospels. The tabernacle had four hide layers as its covering and four types of metal were used in the furnishings. Four is found throughout Creation: 4 seasons, 4 cardinal points of the compass, 4 lunar phases, 4 times of the day? Is 4 the number of Spiritual Unity in all Creation? There were 13 tribes yet only 4 divisions and 13 Apostles 4 of which wrote in God’s Word (Peter, John, Paul, and Matthew). God’s Divine name YHWH has four consonants. There were 4 horns on the altar, 4 tassels worn, 4 women mothered the 12 sons of Jacob, Numbers is the 4th book in the Torah, and 4 cups of wine are used in the Seder. In the New Testament we hear of the “four winds of the earth,†and Jesus speaks of the FOUR kinds of soil, and FOUR responses. The word used for the number 4 in Hebrew means “doorâ€. Jesus Christ is the “Door†and He is the link between heaven & earth. We were created in His image to become partakers of His Divine nature & Word. Just like that spiritual door with four surfaces, Jesus embodies all of Creation and Heaven.
Four colors were used on the gate of the court, the door to the tabernacle and on the veil in the Holy of Holies. These colors were Purple, Scarlet, White, and Sky-blue. Purple is the color of Royalty and speaks of the Kingdom and the King. The Lion of Judah is Jesus Christ and He is the King of Kings. Scarlet is the color red and symbolizes the suffering Savior and His humble obedience in service and carrying out His mission to the Father. Both the Calf and Bullock rendered silent faithful service as they bore the sins of sacrifice and the weight of our burdens. Pure White symbolized the purity and sinless nature of the Man; Jesus Christ who was born of a Virgin and died on the Cross as our unblemished Sacrifice. The blue of the sky represents the Eagle and the Son of God who descended Heaven to provide a Way to Heaven for all who believe.
From heaven the tabernacle was both red and white. Although the outer layer was of the skin of the white Arabian Oryx, the next layer was a specifically dyed red ram’s skin. When skins are sewn together they stretch and harden under the sun and rain and separations occur between the patches. Therefore each layer was made to overlap the next layer. Viewed from above, red stripes would show through the white. The laver of water was made of polished bronze like a mirror reflecting the blue of the sky. Purple was made by mixing blue with red. When one sees blue next to red from a distance it always appears purple (that is why mountains appear purple on the horizon as the sun sets). The colors of the gates were blue, purple and red and would appear purplish from a distance and from above. As an artist painting in oils, this is how we give life to a landscape, by intermingling blues and reds to create blended purple hues.
-Thank you LORD for inspiring me and giving me this understanding of your Word, to You and You alone be the Glory, Amen and Amen. Peter Hofmann, AnswersOnTheROCK.org & .com,
Phrescue7@sbcglobal.net, CrossWilderness.com, TrueSTUF.com, Dentalrescue.com
Website for the book: Attheedgeofdarkness.comPsalm 34:7, the angel of the LORD encamps about them that fear him, and delivers them.
“As surely as I live,†says the LORD, every knee shall bow before me; every tongue will confess to God, (Ro. 14:11)I thank my friend, Angie, who has prayed for me throughout this effort and who upon reading the final draft said that this study gave her a new perspective on the Bible. It is always good to have a friend who digs deep into God’s Word, is in constant prayer, and allows the Holy Spirit to lead her. After reading this study she went back and reread the Exodus account. She noticed a detail about the wording that I had not taken note of, and which had apparently escaped the logic of those scholars who have positioned the tribes side by side in illustrations. Moses describes the progression of the tribes in each group this way: the first two as being “next†to each other and when describing the position of the last tribe of the three he does not say that this last tribe is “next†to the first. No, he states, â€the last tribe is nextâ€, which implies a progression: (Numbers 2: v.12), “The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them (Reuben) â€; and v. 14, “The tribe of Gad will be nextâ€. Moses does not say that they encamped “side by sideâ€, nor “on the side of one anotherâ€. The Living Bible in fact lays out the verses in a diagram style giving the “Location†in this manner: (Judah) East side of the Tabernacle – (Isaachar) Next to Judah – (Zebulum) Next to Issachar. Numbers 2:2b, in the RSV says, “They shall encamp facing the tent of meeting on every side.†The inference here is that they were grouped in line, each group of 3 tribes forming an arm parallel to the four sides of the Tent of Meeting. Each arm would extend from where the Levites were encamped as shown below. This makes sense, for each group sets up their camp already in line to just march out behind the group in front of them. In setting out Judah leads followed by the rest of his group and then Reuben’s group followed by the Tent of Meeting and the Levites. Ephraim’s group is next along with Dan’s group. In settling in for camp Judah’s group leads by marching in from the West and when exactly due East of the Tabernacle, it’s lead row would set up as the first row facing East followed by each successive row in line with Eastern side of the Tabernacle. Reuben’s group aligns itself with the South side of the Tabernacle, perpendicular to Judah’s group and with its front row encamping next to and parallel to the perimeter set up by the Levites. This is like a choreographed marching band forming into line and then breaking apart into a coordinated cross formation.
“The process of setting out begins with: 1) Judah, and, 2) Reuben’s groups, followed by the 3) Levites with the Tabernacle and closing up the rear are 4) Ephraim and 5) Dan’s groups
Note that as the four groups marched out in procession, God had them unravel the Cross from the East around to Dan’s Northern group- which, by no coincidence, is the same way that the Hebrew mind is designed to read, write, and illustrate (for instance this is the pattern of the symbols in Chagall’s paintings). Also note the smaller “tents†on either side of the four Cross extensions. These represent a perimeter defense and a guard system. In these fly-like tents, which are open in three or four sides , are the young or single men who would help care for the animals, guide and protect people in the dark (who are seeking to relieve themselves or just exercise a walk), scout for wild animals and the enemy, hold general guard duty, and act as messengers.