The Blueprint

From the time of Adam to the time of Abraham, the promise of a Savior was eagerly anticipated. Then Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, fathered 12 sons and they would become the 12 tribes of Israel, through whom the Messiah would come. As the years passed, these 12 tribes would become slaves in Egypt for 400 years. At the end of that period, God would send a man named Moses to deliver them. After Israel was set free, they would travel to the land of Canaan – a land that God had promised them. There they would build a tabernacle so that God could dwell among them. This sanctuary would contain a symbolic message of the plan of salvation, It was to serve as a divine “GPS”; a blueprint, showing humanity how to get back to God – how to be saved and how to bridge the separation that sin caused. It would be later said of this sanctuary, or tabernacle in Psalm 77:13, “Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary.” God’s GPS (His Gospel Plan of Salvation) was found in this structure. This structure was to help restore the law of love within the hearts of humanity and ultimately fit them for a place in heaven.

Let us now closely inspect this GPS to discover how its coded message would help guide mankind to salvation. The overall sanctuary structure was made up of three compartments. These compartments included the outer court, the holy place, and the most holy place. Each compartment in the sanctuary had a unique set of furnishings, a total of six. Think of these six articles as six keys that help unlock the mystery of the plan of redemption, the future of the world, and the end of sin, pain, and suffering. The outer court contained an altar of sacrifice, which animals were both sacrificed beside and burnt upon. These sacrifices pointed directly to Christ, who was declared in John 1:29 to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

After this article of furniture, was a bronze basin of water called the laver; this is where priests would wash their hands and feet before entering into the holy place. This washing of water was a symbol of spiritual birth and cleansing, reconnecting man to the purity of God. Jesus said in John 3:5 that in order for any man to enter the kingdom of heaven, he must be born of water and the spirit. Within the holy place were three articles of furniture, the table of showbread, the seven-branch candlestick, and the altar of incense that symbolizes Jesus as the bread of life, the light of the world, and the work of Christ as our high priest before God, respectively.

The third compartment of the tabernacle was the most holy place. It is here that God’s presence appeared in a cloud upon the mercy seat. Again, beneath the mercy seat was the ark of the covenant, God’s footstool, which contained the law of God. This symbolized that God’s throne was founded upon His law and that mercy was extended to thousands of them that love Him and keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 5:10). Mankind was to learn that in order to maintain a connection with God, they must obey His Commandments. It was also to teach the lesson of the fallen covering cherub, who once stood in the presence of God but was cast out and replaced because he had broken the law of God, the law of love. Anyone who would seek to enter in through the gates into the city of God must do His commandments (Revelation 22:14). This is why Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The sanctuary thus laid out the path, God’s Gospel Plan of Salvation that one must take to discover ultimate truth. This we will see in more detail next week as we study God’s GPS.

Pastor Anthony Nix

Anthony serves as the Pastor For Anderson Seventh-day Adventist Church in Anderson, IN. A charismatic communicator with a message that motivates discipleships to Jesus, Anthony teaches on a variety of topics, emphasizing God’s unfailing love and His desire to be in relationship with His creation. He is a graduate of Southern Adventist University. Anthony and his wife Nayeli have three beautiful and loving children.