From the very beginning the Tabernacle was known to be in the realm of the supernatural, and Divinely so. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering” Ex.25:1-2. But God Himself had purposed an offering that He would make: “For God so loved the world that He [willing gave with His heart] His only begotten Son” John 3:16a.

        And here was the purpose of the offerings: “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” vs. 8. But God would provide His own Tabernacle for a dwelling place: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” John 1:14.

        The design and building of the Tabernacle was totally of Divine planning: “According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the Tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it” vs. 9. “The pattern that God gave to Moses only prefigured the Tabernacle that He Himself would “build”: “the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present. . .But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands” Heb. 9:8b,9a, Here the scriptures clearly identify the Tabernacle in the wilderness as a pattern for Him which should follow; that the Son of God should condescend from the portals of glory; that God might tabernacle among men in this wilderness of sin called earth.

        The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a young virgin, a believer, when He would tabernacle among men: “Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. . .The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” Luke 1:31,32a,35. (The Highest, Jehovah-Elyon, Supreme God, possessor of heaven and earth.)

        “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” John 1:14.

        Isaiah chapter fifty-three begins with a question: “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” Surely none would deny that this chapter speaks of the Lord Jesus; of His suffering and death on the cross. The second verse says, “For He [Christ] shall grow up before Him [God the Father] as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground.” From this we should understand the chapter beginning with the birth of Christ. This sheds much light on verse one.

        “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” For starters, the report is this: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” Luke 2:10,11. “To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” “To shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” It is to “wise men from the east. . .saying, Where is He that is born king of the Jews?” Matt. 2:1,2. The testimony of the shepherds: “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, [fulfillment of prophesy] which The Lord hath made known unto us” Luke 2:15. Now the angel said, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” The good news was presented to a few but is to be known by all people! And what shall they do with it? “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child” Luke 2:17.

        What about the “arm” of the Lord in Isaiah 53:1? It is defined as: help, might, power. It is to sow, plant, conceive seed. The discerning mind should recognize this two-fold definition to reveal Jesus as the God/man. The might and power of the Eternal God sowed, planted, conceived seed in the womb of a believing servant, a virgin named Mary!

Identifying the Star

        “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea. . .there came wise men from the east. . .saying where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east. . .the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was” Matt. 2:1,2,9.

        Here we give the briefest of comparisons: the cave or stable, a little tabernacle; the manger, a little ark; in which was laid the Lord Jesus, the Ark of the Covenant in a body of flesh. This is in direct comparison with the Ark of the Covenant which was in the Most Holy Place. God the Father was above the Ark between the cherubims, His seat, a Mercy Seat. As the Tabernacle was Jehovah’s dwelling place in. the midst of the camp of Israel, so does the scripture affirm to us that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself” II Cor.5:19.

        “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. . .And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys. . .For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys” Exodus 40:34,36,88.

        The wise men or kings likewise followed a “star.” This Light led them to the “Tabernacle not made with hands,” the Lord Jesus. This Light “went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was” Matt. 2:9. The significance may be discovered through the definition given us of “it came and stood over.” It is histem, Gr. “to abide, appoint, bring, covenant, establish.” Any one with a basic knowledge of astronomy knows that stars are fixed. At least their movement appears so slight as to be almost undetectable. If indeed they did “move,” the sextant used by mariners in years gone by would have been totally useless! But we are not left without understanding. Just what, or should we say, Who, was that Light?

        “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” Isa. 60:1-3. And here we have it: an Old Testament picture of Matthew chapter two! The Light, the Glory of God stood over the Tabernacle which housed the Ark of the Covenant and led Israel. Is it not reasonable that it should now lead Gentiles to His Tabernacle not made with hands; to the Ark of the Covenant, who is none less than Christ Himself? Not only may we identify the kings, the wise men, but a further portrayal as found in the Revelation at the glorious return of Our Lord to conquer His foes and set up the everlasting kingdom. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He [Christ, the Tabernacle of God] will dwell [tabernacle] with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God” Rev. 21:3.

        A few comments might be in order at this point concerning the Tabernacle. It was in the wilderness; it was a temporary structure; it had no permanent foundation. It had no permanent dwelling place: there remained over it a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When it moved, Israel followed. When Jesus came, fulfilling the picture of the Tabernacle, it was to a wilderness. His Tabernacle was also temporary: “A body hast Thou prepared me” Heb. 10:5. It had no permanent foundation: Jesus came on a pilgrim journey; to die, to ascend back to heaven. It had no permanent dwelling place: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head” Matt. 8:20.

        Christ will come again to “tabernacle” with men! But this time it will not be on a pilgrimage. “The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end” Luke 1:32,33.

        The Tabernacle was made from the elements of the earth, but the New Jerusalem will descend “from God out of heaven” Rev. 21:2. The Tabernacle had “no beauty that we should desire Him,” but the Holy City will be “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” Rev. 21:2. The Tabernacle was a temporary structure but the Temple was made to be permanent. In the New Jerusalem “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it” Rev. 21:22. The tabernacle had no foundation. The New Jerusalem has twelve! The tabernacle had one door; the New Jerusalem has twelve gates! The Lord was over the Tabernacle; a cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. Of the New Jerusalem: “there shall be no night there! Rev. 21:25. “the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof’ Rev. 21:23.

        The high priest alone could enter the Most Holy place once a year, But the gates of the Holy City “shall not be shut at all by day. . .and there’s “no night there!” Rev. 21:25. In the Tabernacle, in the Most Holy place, God dwelt above the Mercy Seat. To Moses He had said, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” Ex. 33:20. The throne of Mercy is likewise a throne of Grace: Of the New Jerusalem, “the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve Him, And they shall see His face!” Rev 22:3,4.

        “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. . .Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion.” Num. 24:17,19.

“Where is He that is Born King of the Jews?”

        Amazing! Gentile kings following a Light to see a young Jewish King who has not yet ascended His throne; having not yet seen Him, they Believe: in their hearts, they already worship him whom they have not seen, and as a token and further proof of their worship, they bear gifts to lay before Him!

        I Peter chapter one speaks of “The trying of your faith. . .at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love. . .though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice. We must conclude that those Gentile kings were acting in Faith! As Abraham and his spiritual seed, they saw, they were persuaded, they embraced and confessed: from which the natural recourse was to follow, to seek Him!

        “We are come.” But for what purpose? “To worship Him!” “And when they were come in to the house, they saw the young child. . .they fell down, and worshipped Him!”

Again, let us recall that the spirit of worship already dwelt in their hearts; now came an outward manifestation of that which had earlier found lodging within their being.

The Birth of Christ and the Fulfilling of the Law.

        “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcision of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” Luke 2:21-24.

        We must conclude that they were absolutely in compliance with the Law of Moses; moreover, with the law of the Lord. And what saith the law?

        “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a LAMB of the FIRST YEAR for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest; who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt- offering, and the other for a sin-offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean” Lev. 12:1-4,6-8.

        According to Leviticus 12:1-8, this is what happened at the birth of Christ: Mary was seven days in separation for her infirmity; unclean. Jesus was circumcised the eighth day. Mary continued in the blood of her purifying 33 more days: she could not touch hallowed things nor enter the sanctuary until these days were completed. After the 40 days were accomplished they came to Jerusalem, entering the temple to present Jesus unto the Lord. “And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” Luke 2:24. But the law called for a lamb to be presented to the Lord, were it possible. Where’s the lamb? “My son, God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt offering” Gen. 22:8. “they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord” Luke 2:22. The lamb of Leviticus 12 who is to be presented for a burnt offering is Jesus! He is presented unto the Lord 40 days or so after his birth - but the sacrifice of this Lamb will not take place until 33 years have passed - but He’s presented unto the Lord, He is set apart, a sanctified vessel, right NOW! And this Lamb will make an atonement for her; for everyone who will, by faith believe His blood to be shed in his behalf!

        In comparison, the Passover lamb of Exodus 12 was to be a male lamb, without blemish; also of the first year. It was separated, kept up for 4 days before being slain and made an offering unto the Lord.

An Uninvited “Guest” and a Matter of Controversy.

        “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception;” Gen. 3:15-16.

        “And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. . .and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron” Rev. 12:2,4b,5. Whatever prophetic aspects may be involved, we must not rule out the literal birth of a Savior from a literal virgin who shall return as the literal King of all nations, yea of Heaven and earth.

        And just who was present when Jesus was born? Joseph, Mary, the angels, the shepherds, the wise men? And may we not rightly say, God, the Father and God the Holy Spirit? And according to scripture, one other who was an unwelcome guest - the dragon, Satan himself. The angels appeared, praising and glorifying God; announcing the birth of His new-born. The shepherds “returned, glorifying and praising God,” the wise men “fell down and worshipped Him,” Simeon “took him up in his arms, and blessed God” proclaiming him “A light to the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” Luke 2:28,32. Anna “gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” Luke 2:38.

        “and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.” And well he would have were it within his power to do so.

        The Controversy. It’s this thing of Jesus being a child of 2 to 5 years old when the wise men showed up! What saith the scriptures? “Now when Jesus was born. . .there came wise men. . .Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews. . .?” A new-born - or a child two to five years old? Like it was an after-thought of our Sovereign - whoops! A Light unto the Gentiles; the Star! Forgot to tell the wise men! Really? Someone please tell me how the shepherds spread abroad the Good News and it failed to reach Jerusalem? (The city of Jerusalem is only a few miles from Bethlehem.) The news of the Savior’s birth could have reached Jerusalem in an hour or so. . .yet at the arrival of the wise men to that city they found that no one had heard about the birth. It’s just not possible . . .unless the wise men came to Bethlehem when the shepherds did. The argument is given: yes, but Matthew calls him a young child when the wise men came, but Luke calls him “the babe.” Verse 17 of Luke chapter 2 says “they made known the saying which was told them concerning this child.” In verse 5 of the same chapter we find “. . . Mary his espoused wife “being great with child.” The word “child” as used in the scripture not only includes “infant” but reaches back even to the time of conception! As already pointed out, Mary, after 40 days, took Jesus into the temple in Jerusalem in fulfillment of the law. Had the wise men come to Bethlehem after that, they could have found no “child!” Herod’s killing of children two and under was a mere precaution on his part - he wanted to make sure there was no error. Being moved by Satan he wanted Christ dead! Also the birth of Christ and the return from Egypt are documented to be within a few months of each other at best. Revelation 12 tells of Satan standing before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. . .” I’m to believe that Satan waited around 2- 5 years before trying to make a move? But - you weigh the evidence; reason it for yourself.

Some Comparisons of the First and Second Coming of Christ.

Just prior to His birth, Jesus rode upon a donkey on the journey to Bethlehem. Just prior to his death, He rode upon a donkey into Jerusalem. Few were the knees that bowed before him; They might accept him as king, but not as Lord. At His second appearing He is seen as riding a white horse. At that time every eye shall see Him and every knee shall bow before Him!

Some Familiar Old and New Testament Prophesies Compared.

“Unto you is born. . .a sign unto you. . .Ye shall find the babe” The shepherds were: in the same country (in the vicinity of Bethlehem). They were found to be abiding, keeping watch (they were awake and not slumbering). Though it was night, yet were they watchful, abiding, keeping their flock (singular, representing the Remnant of Faith of the household of Israel).

Return to Scripture Studies