Grace Bible Church
Pastor Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Sunday April 26, 2015
Three of them have negative connotations, three of them have positive connotations, though all six of them are divinely inspired.
1.To finish the transgression;
2. to make an end of sin;
3. to make atonement for iniquity;
4. to bring in everlasting righteousness; 5. to seal up vision and prophecy; 6. to anoint the most holy place.
We have already noted and completed the first two and this morning we are ready to complete the third one, "to make atonement for iniquity;"
The third part of the prophecy deals with our Lord dealing with iniquity which is not only sin against God but sins and crimes against divine establishment principles as well.
The word atonement comes from the Hebrew noun kopher and the verb is kapher which means to make reconciliation; or to satisfy and repair a wrong for injury; or to make amends.
DAN 9:24, "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity,
Iniquities contain a lot more negative consequences than sin and when our Lord died for us He also set us free from the guilt that accompanies the most wicked sins that could ever be committed.
GAL 6:7, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
The atonement says that God is satisfied with us even though we are reaping what we have sown.
There were three things in the tabernacle which were used to illustrate eternal salvation and the atonement.
The ark was a box made of acacia wood and overlaid with Gold and the wood spoke of the humanity of Christ, the gold spoke of the deity of Christ, and together it revealed the hypostatic union.
a) There was the Tablets of the Mosaic law representing Rejection of the 10 commandments.
b) There was also a Pot of Manna representing Rejection of God’s provisions. (Can you place this slide over the picture of the open ark?
c) Then there was Aaron’s rod that budded : Revolt against God’s authority (Levitical tribe). Can you place this slide over the picture of the open ark?
The ark of the covenant was filled with items that represented man's sins and pointed to 2CO 5:21 — “He who knew no sin was made sin for us.”
The first cherub reveals that +R looks down and condemns sin in man, because in ROM 3:23 Man has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,
The second cherub represents the justice of God which reveals the penalty for man which is ROM 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the Ark and Mercy Seat a picture of God’s satisfaction with the work of Jesus Christ (Propitiation) or the divine viewpoint of salvation. +R and Justice are satisfied.
The contents of the box is not only described here in Hebrews 9:4 but also in Numbers 17:8-10.
The urn of manna representing sin in the sense of rejection of God’s provision.
The Jews rejected this and therefore Aaron's rod was placed inside the ark as a sign of their rejection and rebellion against God’s order and God’s authority.
The third item was the tables of the law. These represent sin as a transgression of God’s rules and laws for His people.
The Jews made a golden calf when Moses was on the top of Mount Sinai receiving the Ten commandments from God.
The Jews rejected the authority God gave His man Moses and His brother Aaron who both were of the tribe of Levi whom God had chosen to rule His people and who rebelled against God's man and God's appointment.
The Jews rebelled against God's appointment and therefore Aarons rod was placed inside the ark as a symbol of their rejection of God's authority.
In verses 1-3, we have a test commanded by God where we have the gathering of rods, identified with each tribe.
A rod was a symbol of authority, because shepherds would use a rod to guide and correct the sheep, PSA 23:4b Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
As a shepherd, Moses had a rod in his hand when tending sheep in the wilderness (EXO 4:2); this rod later became known as the rod of
God - a symbol of the authority God gave to Moses (EXO 4:20).
This same rod demonstrated Moses’ authority in action, by miraculously becoming a serpent, and then becoming a rod again and was used to bring about the 10 plagues on Egypt.
In gathering rods, and inscribing each with the name of a tribe, and on Levi’s rod inscribing Aaron’s name, God would declare which tribe possessed priestly authority by choosing one of the rods.
Vs 5 - the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout or blossom, the blossoming of dead wood spoke of miraculous fruitfulness being present when godly authority and leadership is being practiced.
Even though the Lord said in verse 5, I will rid Myself of their grumblings and murmurings.
In verses 6-7, God gave them tests and the tests would vindicate Aaron as God’s priestly leader.
When Moses checked on the rods the next day, Aaron’s rod - and only Aaron’s rod - had sprouted. It not only sprouted, it had put forth buds.
God gave, as in the words of Acts 1:3, many infallible proofs, to demonstrate His approval of Aaron’s leadership.
God gives us more than enough evidence; our problem is a lack of willingness to see what He has made clear.
Vs 10 - Aaron's rod was to be kept as a sign against the rebels: The rod of Aaron was to be kept as a museum piece, to remind the children of Israel that God had chosen a priesthood, and nothing would change that.
The phrase to bring Aaron’s rod back before the Testimony means that Aaron’s rod was to be kept in the ark of the covenant, as another example of Israel’s failure and rebellion.
When God looked down from heaven into the ark, He saw emblems of Israel’s sin: The tablets of the Law they broke, the manna they complained about, and Aaron’s rod that they rebelled against.
In the spiritual realm, this was all covered paid for and fulfilled when our Lord fulfilled the third prophecy mentioned in DAN 9:24......"to make atonement for iniquity."
1SA 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king."
God called this bread lechem meaning food or bread.
They called it manhu...manhu...manhu meaning: What is it? = they finally called it man' or manna. Manna was logistical grace provisions from God.
Manna was a challenge to the daily function of the faith-rest drill, for God had specified definite requirements which are equivalent to a challenge of positive volition toward the word of God.
The Lord not only gave them the manna, but he also gave them instructions to follow concerning the manna.
Just the opposite, the manna would become a snare to them, it bred worms.
The PPOG is a strict system of procedure based upon the accurate teaching of the word of God.
With the introduction of human power and energy of the flesh function, sloppiness occurs.
As far as the manna was concerned, first of all you had to learn and get to know the doctrine, and then you had to believe it.
Once you believe it, then you have the availability of the faith-rest life.
Sunday - Friday, every morning food was provided for the rebellious children of Israel.
MAT 4:4, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"
On Friday morning, they gathered a double portion because Saturday was the Sabbath and they were told to rest and eat the double portion that God gave them on Friday to sustain them for Saturday only.
They became greedy and gathered up too much every day and the manna became spoiled and tasted rotten and was filled with maggots and worms.
God had a system, and you had to know the system.
If you went out on the Sabbath day and looked for something to eat because you refused to gather a double portion on Friday....there would be nothing there.
An urn of manna was placed inside the ark symbolizing the Jews and their murmurings and complaints and their ungratefulness and implacability and TLJC atoned for that as well!
The test was to see whether or not they would follow the Lord's directions and do things "His way."
There would be one day a week in which they would have to rely on what they had gathered previously.
EPH 5:15-16 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. so then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
1JO 1:6-7, If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1JO 2:6 The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
2JO 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
3JO 1:3-4, For I was very glad when brethren came and bore witness to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
ROM 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
How was Christ raised from the dead?
Through the power of God.
2CO 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight‑‑
GAL 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
GAL 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
GAL 6:16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them,
EPH 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
EPH 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
EPH 5:8 For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light
COL 1:10 So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
COL 2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
1TH 2:12 So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
1TH 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more.
And it bred worms, or as the Hebrew says...it was filled with maggots.
One of the worse sins a believer can commit is being ungrateful, implacable, followed by murmuring and complaining to the man of God (in this cases Moses), and then God Himself.
1SA 8:7b, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me.
JOH 13:20 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."
LUK 10:16 "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me."