 Welcome once again everybody. It's good to see you all. I hope you all are doing well as Just mentioned and everybody who's joining online. I hope you're following along with the course. Well Good good good Colen you have your hands raised. I think that's by accident or do you want to ask a question? All right, no problem. Let's try it. Okay. Hey, can I request one of us to start us off with a word of prayer? Please anybody just please lead us in the world of prayer Sure I pray Father Jesus name. We come before throne of grace. We need your mercy law before you grace and mercy today, Father We love you. We praise Father as we spend time in the class Learning about the worship ministry father. We thank you the subject We pray Father let deeper insight that revolution from the word of God I speak the spontaneous revelations from God in Jesus name, Father. Thank you, Dad Nightmaster With your divine wisdom father you are the author of the Bible and you really award with the divine Rima word of Lord. We thank you. We praise you father for your goodness your goodness overflows in our life time As we spend the time father. Let's spirit of God Work in our hearts work in our soul father. Let me understand more deep father your heart And and your your heart of daddy. We thank you. We praise you father. Give us the wisdom understand Understand the deeper things of the world of God. We thank you. We praise you in Jesus name. We pray Amen Amen Amen. Thank you, Thomas. Thank you. All right guys. Let's get started So last week we started off on our journey on learning from the tabernacle of Moses, right? So we started off there just as quickly do a quick recap Okay from page 16 in your notes From page 16 in your notes. That's where we started our journey Into the tabernacle of Moses We see that how How the tabernacle was God's idea. It was his sanctuary. It was his dwelling place From the time of the fall in Genesis to Exodus 25. That's about 2,500 years There was really no dwelling place After the fall after Adam and Eve had sinned There was a separation a great divide between Divinity and humanity and how the tabernacle was a bridge you know between heaven and earth and so and so the one of the First things that we encounter as we go into the tabernacle is the gate Which we call it as the place of introduction, right at the gate You meet Jesus in all his four offices as he's presented in the four gospels that he's presented as a king He's presented as a son of God. He's presented as pure and perfect man And he's also presented as our savior in all of those four gospels And the four gospels the four Colors of curtains or the veil that makes up at the gate Represents Jesus in his all his four offices. That is the place of introduction, right and then Which leads us into the outer court as we all know in outer court. There are two pieces of furnitures, isn't it? There's a brazen altar or bronze altar or also known as the altar of sacrifice Which we will call it as the place of reconciliation the place of the altar is a symbol of the cross Right where Jesus is Jesus gave himself as a perfect sacrifice for us it is at the cross where reconciliation is born because he shed his blood For us and he took our place on the cross. He reconciled our Relationship with God the father back because of what Jesus did on the cross and so that is a symbol That's the imagery of the brazen altar. It's a place of reconciliation It's also a place where it reminds us to offer ourselves up as the living sacrifices every day Okay, it's not just a place where we encounter and know that what Jesus did for us But it's also encouraging us urging us to live a life of a spiritual sacrifice to offer your body and your life as this living sacrifice Completely to God, okay and Then from there we move to the next piece of furniture, which is the bronze labor or the brazen labor Which is a place of sanctification in page 18 in your notes page 18 In your notes, we see that it was like a big tub of water basin Right on the outside it was covered with bronze and on the inside of the tub Basin it was filled with mirrors that was used by women, right? And we see that's a place of sanctification because In the tabernacle days the priests had to wash their hands and their feet Before they enter the holy place Right before they enter the holy place they had to wash their hands and feet now the hands it symbolizes works deeds Right now we we don't have to wash our hands in a sense, right? It's again metaphorically speaking because we don't live by deeds. We don't because we live by grace Okay, Jesus is our righteousness, right? We are in him and he is in us So we don't have to you know, worry about deeds our works is not going to get us to heaven It is the righteousness of God that covers us However, we still have to walk this walk of life. We still our spirit and soul is still in this body that means we still have to live this life and That means you are in the flesh and flesh is capable of committing every acts of sin You still have the capacity to commit murder. We still have the capacity to lie We still have the capacity to gossip. We still have the capacity to Examples, right all these acts of sins and so which is why we need to Sanctify ourselves on a daily basis and and from what we read in your notes We see that word of God Cleanses us His word Lenses us right and we are also cleansed and empowered by the spirit like we read in Titus 3 Right and then also in James chapter 1 was 22 and 25 We see that the word of God is is used as It says it's a mirror for us, right? It's a mirror that tells us. Okay. What is good? What is not good? If a man looks at himself in the mirror and if he doesn't correct himself, he is a fool But if if a man looks at himself in the mirror and corrects himself He's a wise man and it's amazing how James uses God's word as a mirror and funnily enough That the basin on the inside was made of mirrors and that's just wonderful, isn't it? So the bronze labor is the place of sanctification. We are cleansed. We are we are made whole by God's word Okay, so that's the outer court and then there now we enter into the inner court as you entered in To the inner court to your right side. There was a table of showbread or shoe bread That is the place of Satisfaction Okay, the bread resembles Jesus as he is the bread of life. He satisfies us He provides for us to give us this day our daily bread, right? so he's he That is the place of satisfaction and in the reminder that Jesus Is the bread of life because that's what he says in John 6 35 I am the bread of life and John 6 51 58. I am the living bread which came down from heaven right And then we concluded last week with This other piece of furniture, which is the golden lamp stand Which is a place of illumination, right in John chapter 8 Jesus says I am the light of the world, right? That's Another symbolization there John chapter 8, right? Yes, John chapter 8 Okay So it was a place of illumination. It's a place of revelation and one of the key scriptures that we we kind of concluded was from I think second Corinthians chapter 4 that Paul writes About Jesus as the light of the knowledge of the face of God of the glory of the face of God that we all need So yeah, so we concluded that and I hope, you know, we're all doing well until then Right, okay, because today we'll continue in your notes and on page 20 and This is the last piece of furniture in the holy place Okay, so in the holy place you have the table of show bread you have the golden lamp stand And then you have the altar of intercession Okay, the or golden altar of incense. This is a place of intercession. Okay Let me just read the verse that's there in the notes from Exodus chapter 30 verse 1 to 9 it says You shall make an altar to burn incense Okay, guys, I hope everybody has your notes ready. Should I share the screen? Will that be better? Will it be better if I share the screen? And do that. Yeah, sure. I'll do that. Yeah Second, um, so that's where we're at We are page 20 this Here's for a lot of reference sake Okay, so Exodus 30 verse 1 to 9. Can I request one of us to read this this passage, please? Anybody please read this passage Siddharth, do you mind reading us this passage? Yeah, yes I mean the whole thing the notes Just the notes. Yeah, what I was there from Exodus chapter 30 to 1 to 9. Yeah Just okay Just make an altar to burn incense on you shall make it off Acacia wood, acacia will be its length and qubit its width It shall be square and two qubit shall be its height Its horns shall be Of one piece with it and you shall overlay its top its sides all around And its horns with pure gold And you shall make it for it molding of gold all around two gold rings shall make it Okay Under the molding on both sides you shall place them on its two sides and they will be holding for the poles with which To wear it you shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold and you shall put it before the veil that is before the arc of The testimony before the mercy seed that is over the testimony where I will meet with you I don't show burn on it sweet incense every morning when he tends the lamps He shall burn incense on it and when Aaron lights the lamps at to the light. He shall burn incense on it Uh pre Perpetual incense before the Lord Yeah incense before the Lord throughout your generations You shall not offer strange incense on it Or burn offering or green offering not sure you pour a drink offering on it awesome, okay Thank you Siddharth. Thank you so much. Okay, so there's clear instructions on How the altar is to be built now there was clear instructions for every piece of furniture That was ever built in the tabernacle. Okay, we are not going into the details of it But it's wonderful to see that how God is very specific about the details Which would to use once again as always And how many rings and everything To go in this. Okay, so And later on when you read in Exodus 30 34 to 38, you see that this incense was a mixture of Four rich and very rare spices Okay, and this was used to on Uh to be burnt on the altar of incense Okay, um, so I mean that altar of incense on it. You cannot do any burnt offerings You cannot pour any drink offering or green offering That was not the altar for it. It was just purely an altar for incense. Okay Let's read just a few more scriptures. Um, can I Rest request us to go to Leviticus chapter I just paste these Scriptures that I would like for us to read in the chat section Um, it'd be wonderful if you could help me read those scriptures Leviticus chapter 16 verse 13 Numbers chapter 16 was 46 and numbers chapter 7 was 86 Okay, can three of us uh any three of y'all I'll read those uh scriptures, please Leviticus 6 13 anybody Correct Please go ahead. Yes And he shall put The incense on the fire before the Lord that the cloud of incense may cover The mercy said that is on the testimony Last he died Okay, so that is uh leviticus chapter 16 verse 13. Is that correct apprentice? Yes, sir Okay, all right, so uh just to Um I think I just for all our benefit I'll paste that verse also Um, this is the niv version. This is leviticus sixth Sorry guys That's not not one. Okay. So he used to put the incense on the fire Before the Lord that means this altar of incense was just before the holy of holies, right? The only thing that's separated the holy of holies and the holy place Was like a thick six inch veil. Okay And the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law So that he will not die. Um, one of the interesting things, um Wait, let me see if there's another version of it. Um, that we can This is of the same verse, but the nlp version It says uh there in the Lord's presence He will put the incense on the burning coals So that the cloud of incense will rise over the ark's cover the place of atonement That rests on the ark of the coven if he follows these instructions, he will not die, right? So, um, imagine this imagery. Okay, so And this incense was to be burning in the morning and in the evening throughout the day, right as it's mentioned That means the holy place Would will always have this smoke In it this this fragrance of uh, you know of the incense filling that room And and and and and and it could go past the veil and fill The mercy seat as well as we read in leviticus 16 13 Now can I request uh, somebody else to read the next verse which is numbers 16 46 Please Take your fire band put life ball from the altar in it And incense on the coals and hurry with it to To the blow with the people in perfume Rachel and purification for them Probably the Lord angry has already broken out and and and and if it Has already begun Correct. Yeah, so this is another different context, but uh, mozick is commanding aren't to do the same thing is to um Burn the incense on the altar. Okay. Um, so again Now in that context there was a wrath of god that was coming But then that altar of incense pouring the incense was like a place of intercession and you know standing in the gap And asking god not to do that Because that's what intercession simply means isn't it guys? Right intercession simply means standing in the gap All right in the past a year and a half Or almost two years How many times have we said to each other? Hey, I'm going to pray for you You know, I will be praying for you. Uh, you know, you are in my prayers. Yeah. Have you done that? A bit more so I mean, I'm sure we've done that a lot in our lives But then uh, I mean at least in my life It seems like I've said that a lot more in the last two years year and a half during the pandemic You know, so simply Every time we say that you're you're telling the other person. I am standing in the gap for you I'm going to pray for you. I'm going to intercede for you And we just saw the context, uh, you know in numbers chapters What is that verse? Number 16, okay There's another chapter that a verse like I'll read for us is numbers chapter seven 86 it says The 12 gold dishes Filled with incense weighed 10 shekels each according to the sanctuary shekel Altogether the gold dishes weighed 120 shekels Okay, uh, no, there was these dishes that gold dishes. Okay. It was all filled with incense Uh, that was and I would encourage you to read that entire chapter, uh, you know Because again the details That more that the scripture goes into that god goes into is amazing So I would urge you all to just go through those passage of scriptures those entire chapters, um, you know for for better understanding We can't do that now for time's sake. Okay All right So at the altar of incense in your notes, uh, is where intercession begins Where the word becomes our prayer Okay, uh Let's go to Psalm 141 verse two. It's one of the go-to passages every time we mention, um Intercession, okay Psalm 141 verse two And with your hand in that scripture, let's we can also turn to revelation Uh Chapter eight No problem At least tells me that the class is alive Okay, so we have Psalm 141 and revelation eight ready. Okay, so let's read uh, Psalm 141 Uh, I'll read one one and two Okay, it says Oh lord, I call to you Come quickly to me hear my voice when I call to you verse two May my prayer be set before you like incense May the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice Okay, you see how prayer Is Uh used as uh an imagery for incense, right? May my prayer be set before you like incense And may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifices such a beautiful imagery, isn't it? David was such an amazing port, you know poem writer A port I should say Um, now let's quickly go to revelation chapter eight And I'll read the first three verses. Okay, the first four verses just so we understand the context When he opened the seventh seal There was silence in heaven for about half an hour And I saw the seven angels who stand before god And to them were given seven trumpets Another angel who had a golden sensor Came and stood at the altar He was given much incense to offer remember, you know just pause it says This angel was holding a golden sensor. Where did we read about it just now? In number 16 didn't it number 1646 right and uh, sorry number 786. Okay, they're golden Wrestles were filled with incense. So the same thing is mentioned here Another angel was who had a golden sensor came and stood at the altar He was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints On the golden altar before the throne Right on the golden altar before the throne The smoke of the incense Together with the prayers of the saints went up before god from the angel's hand Okay, um, so That's just another Beautiful beautiful imagery. So there's altar of incense is an altar of intercession, right? And we see that jesus also intercedes for us in heaven. He's constantly interceding for us and In the one of the key verses is it starts in John chapter 17 verse 1 Okay, john chapter 17 verse 1 when he's When he lifted up his eyes to the heavens and he said father the hour has come Glorify your son that the sun may glorify you Right and in that whole chapter in john chapter 17, we see that jesus Interceding for his own right And he still does it And that intercession that his his intercession for us is like a fragrant cloud of incense Before the father right covering the faults and the sins of the people of god so that they will not be destroyed by the wrath of god, right? um So that is uh, that's something beautiful about the altar of intercession Okay From here Now We move To the holy of holies okay now In the outer courts, there was noise. There were people, you know There was there was there was a crowd of people right every time this crowd of people that there's there's some kind of noise, right? There's uh, there was crying There was there's a there's a sound of greetings. There's a sound of sacrifice washing everything In the holy of holies You experience some 46 verse 10 which is Be still and know that I am god Okay, there's a transition happening here guys From the outer courts to the inner courts To the holy of holies right the outer and the inner courts Very much involved our duties as christians the things that we have to do Our ministry, you know worship leading our pastoral ministries, etc. etc Right the outer and the inner courts kind of Symbolizes our duties as a christian And what we need to do to move into places where we really want to be Is the place called the holy of holies And that's where we really want to be Okay So pass the veil on the day of atonement once a year Once a year every every year the high priest Only the high priest Okay, would go into the holy of holies and And put the blood On the mercy seat as an atonement for the entire nation Of israel Okay, the high priest would have these 12 stones on his breast played You know representing all the 12 tribes of israel Okay, let's just go a little deeper and see what the word has to say So there was a veil that separated the inner court, which is the holy place From the holy of holies Also known as the most holy place The holy of holies contained the mercy seat and the ark of testimony Okay This is very important for us to know the holy of holies was not empty Okay, it's very very important for us to know that the holy of holies was not empty that place Had the ark of testimony in it All right. Um, so can I quickly request someone to read this passage, please anybody, please The whole passage Yes, the exodus one is it right? Yes Exodus 2630 the 34th. Yeah, this one. Thank you. Thank you and you shall Raise up rise of the cavernacle according to its pattern, which you were shown on the mountain You shall make a veil woven of blue purple and scarlet thread and find woven It shall be woven with an artistic design of turban You shall hang it upon the four pillars of Akhaya wood overlaid with gold Their hooks shall be gold upon four circuits of silver and you shall hang the veil from touch Then you shall bring the ark of the testimony in There before the veil the veil shall be a Divider for you between the holy place and the most holy You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony In the most holy Thank you Right Wait, that's that's another passage for us to you. You know, you can read again a little later on Where is that? Sorry There's another passage of scripture that I've mentioned in exodus 25 You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark and in the ark You shall put the testimony that I will give you once again and there I will meet with you I will speak with you from above the mercy seat From between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the testimony about everything Which I will give you in the commandment the children of israel Okay Why it really fascinates me about this is When god starts the design of the tabernacle when he tells starts telling moses about the design and how it should be When we talk about the tabernacle we start from the outside We start from the gate. We start from the outer courts inner courts and the most holy place But god always started from the holy place and then went outside That again, you know should tell something about the way god functions and god thinks and god works is that For him the inside is more important than the outside Right, that's not to say that the outside is less important or anything, but if he's starting From the from the holy place holy of holies and then he works his way out And that should tell us something that means it is very important, right? Um, so that's just a little bit about uh, you know, just some of the pointers that I want to share about the ark because like I mentioned Uh, the holy of holies was not empty Right, it had a piece of furniture in it. Okay, so Uh in the bible, right, um, there are a few arcs that is mentioned Okay, it is now in the old testament itself the ark of the covenant is Depending on the translations that you use it's mentioned at least a hundred and eighty five times Okay, a hundred and eighty five times. All right, so um, I'll just Put this something that I uh So the Hebrew word for ark My chat for us Uh, the Hebrew word for ark is tawa, okay ta hyphen va or tevet It's not in your notes. I'm just just additional notes that I'm sharing with you. Okay, so, um, the word tawa Okay, uh, is used twice in the bible not only, uh It one of the first arc that was uh, that is mentioned in the bible is The noah's ark Right, um, it's uh in the mbc that in genesis chapter six to 10 genesis nine I'll I'll share the scripture for you with your as well Between I mean you all know where noah's ark is mentioned in the bible Okay in genesis, so that's the one of the first arc that's mentioned now when you read through that arc And the and again the details on how god tells noah to build it, you know the measurement and everything he tells noah, okay Use pitch or tar to cover it from the outside and on the inside, okay? They call it pitch like like it'll be like par, right? um and another second arc that is used uh, that's mentioned in the bible is um again in the kjv version if you read exodus chapter two This chapter two was three to six it talks about how moses's mother, uh, you know built this small Basket which was which is also known called as an arc Okay, that was also pitched with a used tar to pitch inside and out Okay, uh, and and also The third mention of the arc is used in term uh is used in terms of um In when they had to bury joseph, okay again depending on the translation in genesis 50 was 26 That's genesis chapter 50 was 26. Okay The word that's used there for coffin joseph's coffin is actually um This hebrew word which again means like a chest like a treasury of chest, you know Like a treasure chest like a big trunk, you know that people call it A tool chest a chest box everything, you know Which was also the same term used for the arc Okay, so let's just pause there and you see that arc was actually used to protect yourself To protect yourself from the danger and everything but also the same time It was also used to put away dead things into And and and to be put away And much later we see right that the arc of the covenant In the arc of the covenant inside the arc Uh, there was 10 commandments the laws that was kept inside and there was added Rod or staff that was put inside and and manna that was placed inside and all of those has significance, right? So Uh, and why do I why do we need to know about all of this and I think It's very important that we understand all these, you know small details. It's um, not It's good, isn't it so But except, you know, all these arcs was pitched with tar inside and out except the arc of the covenant Of god was pitched on the outside and inside with gold. It was covered with gold and that again resembles the divinity the The heavenly things the royalty the kingdom etc. That's what gold resembles, isn't it and And also another small thought about acacia wood that god tells them to use now acacia wood In those in their culture Uh is known as an incorruptible wood Okay Now in the bible again wood Is symbolized as humanity Okay, you there's a lot of imageries like this, right that the bible uses metaphorically. So wood always symbolized humanity Okay, uh now in acacia wood in their culture It was like a wood that was incorruptible And it would this wood would produce a balm or a gum Okay, that people would use for medicinal purposes for healing purposes You see where i'm going with this, uh, you know It's like symbolizing beautifully that jesus was this inhuman. He was incorruptible And by his stripes by his blood that was shed out of his body. We are healed Isn't it? Um, so, uh, yeah, that's just another pointer, you know for us to Uh, remember about the arc of the covenant. Um, and from there on, you know, we see that Um, I mean, that's that that's really that's really it. Um, you know This is a place where you have communion with god Okay, this is a place where you don't do anything Where you are where you just come face to face before him Um Before this this eternal being this humongous this This eternal god The ancient of days the holy one of israel That is a place of worship Okay In the outer courts guys just stay with me In the outer courts Okay, as sam 100 says I will enter his gates with thanks giving his courts with praise Okay, in the outer courts, there will be a lot of people There can be a lot of people like a group of people like like a crowd 50 or 100 Okay, and and from there when you come into the holy place It's suddenly small and you can only fit into approximately 10 to 12 people in that place But in the holy of holies, there's room only for one So what is happening there is that you can praise god with a crowd in the congregation Corporately you can praise him you can exalt him, right? And then when you go into the holy place you can serve god With a group of people with a team with just a handful But you can only worship him face to face one on one And that is what is happening in the holy of holies, right? Um Let us dwell in the holy of holies. This is the place of intimacy with god This is the place of high intensity. This is the raw presence of god This is the secret place of the most high Amen one of the things about the secret place is In the secret place there are no secrets It's actually a place of revelation Right We call it as a secret place But when you go into that secret place with him, it becomes a place of revelation where god begins to Share the mysteries of his heart the mysteries of his kingdom mysteries of his plan his will for you for us, right? Uh And just on the encouraging note, uh It is that place is like mary settling down at the feet of jesus Listening to the voice of god It is choosing that one thing Which is a good part which cannot be taken away Okay, um, so as as christians as, um Let me just Stop presenting here for us okay, um On concluding a part of this section as as christians as Ministers of god as ministry leaders wherever you are at We cannot be satisfied in the outer courts We cannot be satisfied in just knowing. Okay, jesus died for me all is well. Happy life. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah No But there's an invitation Right, there's an invitation. He says come Bully to the throne of grace Okay, the ark of a covenant was another again a symbol of the throne of god on earth It was his throne here And he bruised we see that he says come boldly to the throne of grace. He's not only saying come But god is saying, you know, he's addressing your attitude in the manner how you can come Come boldly to the throne of grace Don't just stay in the outer courts You know, and there's a beautiful song by petra Uh, and I'll share the link says take me past the outer courts Into your holy place Past the brazen altar Very very stand face to face Yes, it's a lovely song. It's ministered to me. Uh, so many times Um, I'll try and get that link and I'll share it with you. So Uh, in conclusion of the session, uh, want to encourage you all, uh, you know, encourage your team members Because you are all going to be ministry leaders eventually most of you already are Um, you know, encourage your team leaders encourage your congregation, uh, your people, uh, your friends Your worship team members your youth in your church Anybody, you know, if you know that they're just satisfied with knowing Jesus as a savior, which is good It's a good place to start But then they have to get all the way into the holy of holies Amen So what we'll do now is we'll uh pause the session and stop the recording We'll take a quick break and uh, we'll come