This is pretty amazing. Pastor Xavier preached about the tabernacle a few weeks ago. He led us through explaining each thing in it. The tabernacle is the temple and it is explained in great detail in the Bible. Everything has a reason and deep meaning.
I am amazed at it. A few months ago, God showed me a part of the tabernacle and talked to me about it. As Pastor Xavier spoke on it, I felt the Lord say:
Why don't you do something for the Youth? Why don't you let them experience a real tabernacle?
The idea stirred in my heart and a few weeks later we had the plan for the teens.
We took 3 consecutive weeks. The first week, we led them through the courtyard. The first station in there is the
altar of burned offerings. In the old days, the priest would have to kill an animal and burn it as an offering to ask forgiveness for the sins of the people. Forgiveness was only given and possible through the shedding of blood. Because of Jesus' offering on the cross, because of His blood that was shed once and for all, we can come to cross and bring our sins and burdens. The second station is the
tank of water or Lavar. That is where the Priest had to wash and cleanse himself. This symbolizes that we don't stop by forgiveness. Our relationship with Jesus goes beyond forgiveness. We give HIm our heart and ask HIM to cleanse it.
The 3rd station in the courtyard are the
2 Pillars where we go through in order to go into the Holy Place. The following YOuth meeting, we walked them through the Holy Place and right into the HOly of Holies. It was a great time. The third time we met, we actually transformed our room into a real tabernacle. It was an amazing time.
As the 1st station, we had a big cross and bowls where the kids could burn all the sins and burden they had written down on paper. Then the 2nd station were two big bowls of water and soap - they could wash their hands and think about preparing their hearts as they would prepare for a date. We wanted them to think about meeting Jesus and preparing for it. We then had two pillars where they had to go through and proclaim God's truth out loud. Those are the only two pillars that have names in the Bible. Jakin (=He establishes) and Boaz (In HIM is strength) - both together they could mean: God establishes my strength. We let them say that out loud as they walked through. In the Holy Place was the
table of SHowbread. We had real bread and the Bible and a
lamp (as the Lampstand). As they ate some bread, they switched on the light and prayed that the Holy Spirit may help them understand God's word, then they read some Scripture verses. There was a table with
incense on it. They had to smell it and think of that fact that they are a well pleasing aroma to our God. Now they stood in front of the Holy of Holies. The High Priest could enter that place only ONCE a year. Because of Jesus' death on the cross and HIS resurrection the curtain is torn and we can enter the intimate place with God. We asked the Youth to stay int he Holy of Holies thinking about who God is to them in this season. Let me tell you, it was a special time. I really treasured it and could only encourage you to try it too....with your YOuth or small gorup, with your friends. We do have an experiential mind and God's deep truths sink in much better with an experience that goes with it!
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