Discover the Outer Court of the Tabernacle and the Christian

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Join me as we explore the Outer Court of the Tabernacle and how it can be a picture of the faith walk of the Christian! This is the first part in a three part series on how the different sections of the Tabernacle are pictures of our walk with our Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus)! 

What Took Place in the Outer Court of the Tabernacle

The Outer Court of the Tabernacle in the wilderness (and later the Temple) was the place of sacrifice. It is where sin was dealt with.

It represents our life when we first come to know Yeshua.

When we first receive the gift of salvation, our sin is dealt with. Jesus takes on our sin and shame and gives us a clean slate; a new beginning. He was the atonement for our sins. He paid the price for us!

The Outer Court of the Tabernacle was also the place of cleansing.

The laver was where the priests would wash in water after the sacrifice was made. It is symbolic of our baptism. We come to faith in Jesus, who is the atonement for our sins, and then we are baptized in water!

But just as the priests did not remain in the Outer Court, just as these things were preparations to move into the Inner Court and then the High Priest into the Holy of Holies, we should not dwell there for too long. God wants us to grow deeper in our faith and deeper in our relationship with Him.

Our walk with God has to progress from the Outer Court of the Tabernacle into the Holy Place!

Our walk with God has to progress from the Outer Court of the Tabernacle into the Holy Place! Click To Tweet

The Outer Court – A Picture of Our Walk With God

If you feel as though you’re stuck in your walk with God, I hope you will know that He keeps it simple! There is no need to fear going deeper! You don’t need a theology degree to know Him in every way possible!! It’s His desire that you know Him as deeply as He can be known on this side of Heaven!

Just like babes, we are on milk for a time but then the time comes for us to start eating food.

As a baby has to progress on from milk to solid food, we too have to progress in our walk with God.

Hebrews 5:14 says:

“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

NIV

We must move on to spiritual maturity! We must progress past the point of “Jesus saves” and know Him more intimately. It is all about relationship!

Any relationship needs growth or it grows stagnant. We don’t want our relationship with the Lord to be stagnant. We want a heart-felt, close and personal relationship with Him and He wants that as well.

The Outer Court of the Tabernacle – Religion vs Relationship

When you begin a relationship with any individual, you make your best effort to know them better. You talk with them, spend time with them, try to determine their character.

If you are developing a friendship with someone, you take the time to get to know them better. You find out what they like and don’t like.

And we do the same when we are beginning a new relationship with our spouse! Don’t we want to get to know all about them? We cherish every new thing, we study them, notice every small detail. We want to know them as deeply as we possibly can! 

When we begin our relationship with God, we need to do the same. Many of us have become so conditioned to “religion” that we forget that “religion”, with its ordinances and rites and sacrifices, was what Jesus came to free us from.

Religion cannot save you; only Jesus can do that.

Religion cannot save you; only Jesus can do that. Click To Tweet

Religion Stifles Relationship

Religion can stifle our walk because it is very rules driven. It takes the heart out of what we do as acts of worship and fellowship with God.

Christianity is ALL about relationship.

When you follow rules and regulations given by man, it creates a sort of rote relationship where you just recite words, rather than feel them. It is when we are not having true conversation, true relationship, with our Father that we get stuck in the outer court.

Our walk with God has to progress and our relationship with Him has to deepen. That progress involves moving through the Outer Court of the Tabernacle!

So take a step with me as we explore the Outer Court of the Tabernacle in the wilderness in more detail!

Just like babes, we are on milk for a time but then the time comes for us to start eating food. Just like a baby has to progress on from milk to solid food, we too have to progress in our walk with God. Click To Tweet

The Outer Court of the Tabernacle – Audio Message

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™