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Introduction
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It is always interesting to notice the things the Holy Spirit
leaves out in the scriptures. If an individual reads the books
of Kings and Chronicles, it will be observed that while
mentioning the same historical facts, each have their own
perspective, therefore material is either added to or left out
from the other. The same fact is found in the four gospels.
They all give a different perspective of the Lord. When anyone
reads the instructions for two sets of
holy garments, one is
called garments for glory and for
beauty (Ex. 28:2, 40) and the other
were
plain
linen garments without any color or adornment (Lev. 16:23).
Something intriguing is observed. Despite the fact that,
depending on what one counts, the garments for glory and beauty
have seven pieces of clothing: the ephod (Ex. 28:6-14); the
breastplate (Ex. 28:15-29; 39:8-21); the robe of the ephod (Ex.
28:31-35; 39:22-26); the holy crown/miter (Ex. 28:36-38;
39:30-31); the girdle (Ex. 28:8) and linen breeches (Ex.
28:42). However, there are only four linen garments. The
question becomes, “Were these only for that day and have nothing
to connect for us today, or are they any relevance since they
were given to the ancient Israelite people?” |
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a) |
The scriptures teach that the things before hand were written
for our learning and when speaking of the Tabernacle, the writer
to the Hebrews informs the readers that he is not speaking of
the other parts of the Tabernacle and their significance etc.,
but only the Mercy Seat (Heb. 9:1-5). |
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b) |
Another observation is the priestly garments were “for glory and
for beauty” (Ex. 28:2) and the Spirit of God draws a similarity
and comparison between that which Aaron received from God
through Moses, and Christ received directly from God (2 Pet.
1:17). |
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c) |
Again, the epistle to the Hebrews speaks constantly of Christ as
our High Priest and does so in six different ways: |
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i) |
“Merciful and faithful High Priest (Heb. 2:17) |
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ii) |
“Apostle and High Priest” (Heb. 3:1) |
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iii) |
“Great High Priest” (Heb. 4:14) |
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iv) |
“Priest after the order of Melchizedec” (Heb. 5:10) |
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v) |
“High Priest” (Heb. 7:26) |
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vi) |
“High Priest after the order of Melchizedec” (Heb. 5:10) |
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From these scriptures it is evident there is a relationship
between the two. |
However, it is intriguing that in
neither set of clothing is there any
mention of shoes!! It is noticeable
that when performing priestly duties
there are no references
to
any covering for the feet of the
priest. This indicates that because
no shoes or sandals were provided by
God, the priest would feel the
coldness of the earth, the
fierceness of the burning sand, the
sharpness of the stones, and the
pricks of the thorns more keenly
than others who had sandals.
Furthermore,
over time his feet would get
hardened and calloused.
On a higher level, as the priest
functioned on earth without any
protection, he became a foreshadow
of the Lord as he also walked this
earth. Two matters come into
focus. His deity never sheltered
Him from any earthly experiences and
by contrast, the experiences He knew
were not from the physical earth but
from the hearts and voices of sinful
man and many of the experiences of
normal life. Christ never became
hard and calloused from the
sufferings of humanity. These never
became the cold clinical
matter-of-fact to Him.
The wonder of all these experiences
is the Lord never knew what it was
like to have any of these before his
incarnation and earthly sojourn. He
never knew what it was to stand at a
grave weeping in sorrow, or to be
mocked. He had an eternal glory, an
un-beginning undiminishing
excellency, yet became so
essentially human He knew what it
was to shed tears (Heb 5:7) and
fall asleep (Matt. 8:24).
Because the priest walked the desert
sands in the morning and evening
without sandals, he experienced that
which other Israelites knew nothing
about because they had sandals.
Likewise,
the Lord knew more deeply than
any other individual the taunts of
mockery and the sufferings of earth
from sinful man and normal earthly
life.
When considering the first four
items of the meal offering, that
being, the raw ingredients (Lev.
2:1, 13); when baken in an oven
(Lev. 2:4); baken in a pan (Lev.
2:5); and baken in a frying pan
(Lev. 2:7); they
all foreshadow the experiences of
the Lord before going to Calvary.
When the parts were put on the altar
they
foreshadowed His experiences on the
cross. The experiences of the Lord
divide into five avenues of truth.
The fifth was the oblation of
firstfruits (Lev. 2:12, 14) which
foreshadowed the Lord in
resurrection (1 Cor. 15:23).
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However, for our consideration we will view some of the Lord’s
experiences under two headings in this and the next paper. They
are: |
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a) |
Experiences which are common to humanity whither saved or
unsaved. |
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b) |
Experiences which are unique to those who walk with the Lord. |
Christ and Some of the
Experiences He Felt So Keenly
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1) |
Experiences the Lord knew which are common to humanity whither
saved or unsaved. |
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a) |
Hunger:
Across the world thousands of people know what it is to be
hungry. Even as I write this I know that while Christmas is
only a couple of weeks away, there are many for whom Christmas
Day will not be a day of feasting on turkey
and
chocolates
etc.,
but another day of malnutrition
and
hunger. Christians
are not immune from that. The Lord knew that experience for
after He had fasted for forty days and nights, the scriptures
record, “Afterward He hungered” (Lk. 4:2). |
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b) |
Thirst:
Thousands also know what it is to be thirsty. Some try to
quench thirst from polluted waters. When our Lord was here
there is one thing recorded He asked for which we never read of
Him receiving, that being a drink of water (Jn. 4:7) and one
item He sought to be shown for illustration purposes (Lk.
20:24). He knew what it was to be thirsty. The only time such
is recorded in scripture was when He was on the cross saying, “I
thirst” (Jn. 19:28). |
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c) |
Suffering:
There are millions who are suffering whither at home, in
hospitals or psychiatric wards, and for many there is no relief
now or in the foreseeable future. The Lord knew He was to
suffer and Peter made sure we would
remember that for in every chapter of his first epistle, he will
speak of the sufferings of the Lord. |
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i) |
“Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ
which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the
sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1 Pet.
1:11). |
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ii) |
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps”
(1 Pet. 2:21). |
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iii) |
“Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered,
he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth
righteously” (1 Pet. 2:23). |
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iv) |
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Pet. 3:18). |
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v) |
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm
yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath
suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin” (1 Pet. 4:1). |
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vi) |
“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s
sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be
glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:13). |
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vii) |
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder,
and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker
of the glory that shall be revealed” (1 Pet. 5:1). |
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d) |
There are only two men who never died,
Enoch and Elijah (2 Kgs. 2:1, 11),
although whither Enoch died
through the Lord taking Him or he was taken alive, we cannot
tell, the scriptures simply state, “God took him” (Gen.
5:24). All other men have known what it is to enter the death
state. Death is the direct result of sin. When we think of men
like St. Alban who was burned at the stake and thousands of
others, some being strangled by a rope or chain, some by
standing on a chair which was kicked out from
under them and others burnt alive,
what did it feel like facing such situations
entering into death. The Lord knew
that experience for He lived the day and evening of His
betrayal, court appearances and crucifixion with all that it
entailed knowing
that it was only a matter of hours before the darkest hour of
eternity would be upon Him. |
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e) |
There is coming a time, in the purposes of God, when every
individual, no matter how the body dies or is disposed of, will
rise again. They will know what it is to have life restored.
The Lord lay in the tomb three days and nights, his body a
corpse, cold in the tomb, but early on the first day of the week
He knew what it was like to have life surging back with full
faculties and energies (Mk. 16:9). The scriptures make it clear
that at the voice of the Lord all in the graves shall come forth
(Jn. 5:28-29), and whether dead and not buried
or
in the graves or at sea, all will know the reality of life
restored (Rev. 20:12). The Lord knew that experience. |
. . . . . To be continued next month
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