N 03 Worship And Dedication

WORSHIP AND DEDICATION
Lesson 3 Numbers Chapters 7-8

OFFERING FOR THE SANCTUARY
Each leader offered an ox, and a cart was offered every two leaders.
MERARITES
GERSHONITES
They received two carts and four oxen to transport the curtains and the coverings of the Sanctuary, along with their ropes.
They received four carts and eight oxen to transport the frames, the crossbars, the posts and the bases of the Sanctuary.
They received neither carts nor oxen, because they transported the furniture of the Sanctuary on their shoulders.
KOHATITES

OFFERING FOR THE SANCTUARY
God took care of His people and He wanted to make the work of the Levite easier, so He gave them means of transport to move the Sanctuary (covered carts and oxen)
Those carts and oxen were holy because they were received as an offering. They could be used for holy work.
We must be careful of how we use anything dedicated or devoted to God. We mustn’t use dedicated things for common use.
Why did they have to offer carts and oxen in order to transport the sanctuary?

THE OUTER COURT
Offerings for the altar of burnt offering dedication
Each leader brought:
A 3.3 lb weight silver plate full of flour mixed with oil.
A 1.76 lb weight silver bowl full of flour mixed with oil.
A 0.24 lb weight golden dish filled with incense.
For a burnt offering: 1 young bull, 1 ram and 1 male lamb a year old.
For a sin offering: 1 male goat.
For the sacrifice of peace offerings: 2 oxen, 5 rams, 5 male goats and 5 male lambs a year old.

THE OUTER COURT
Offerings for the altar of burnt offering dedication
Each tribe (both big and small ones) offered the same.
We are equal in the eyes of God.
The altar represented the sacrifice of Christ, the only way to salvation for every sinner.

THE HOLY PLACE
Jesus, the bread of life
Jesus, intercessor for our prayers
Jesus, the light of the world

THE HOLY PLACE
Its branches were adorned with “cups” in almonds shape, with “buds” (or capitals with pomegranate shape, according to some scholars), and “blossoms”. Each one of the lamps in the lampstand was checked every night and every morning. There was, at least, one lamp burning every time.
According to the illustration of the lampstand on Titus’ arch and to what Josephus says (Antiques iii, 6.7), the “lampstand” consisted of a central column. Three pairs of branches rose from that column and reached the same level. There are no dimensions of the lampstand, but it was made of solid gold.

THE HOLY PLACE
THE LAMPSTAND, SYMBOL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
“These seven are the eyes [spirits] of the Lord, which range throughout the earth” (Zechariah, 4: 10 & Revelation, 5: 6)

THE MOST HOLY PLACE
The throne of God.
Jesus, our mediator in the Investigative Judgement.

The ark of the Testimony was a 1.10 m. (3.61 ft) long, 70 cm. (2.3 ft) wide and 70 cm. (2.3 ft) high box. It was covered in pure gold inside, with a golden rim around it. The “Testimony” (the two Law stone tablets, written by God’s finger)
THE MOST HOLY PLACE
Its lid was called “the mercy seat”. It has two golden cherubs carved with hammer, being one piece with the mercy seat.
Each cherub covered its body with a wing and touched the other cherub wing with the other. They faced each other and looked towards the mercy seat, where the presence of God (“Shekinah”) appeared.

THE MOST HOLY PLACE
God got in touch with Moses in the Most Holy Place, through the “Shekinah”. We can reach His throne–through Jesus Christ─ to talk to God and to hear His voice.
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water”
Hebrews, 10: 19-22

After dedicating the utensils, they dedicated the people who would help in using those objects.
DEDICATION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE SANCTUARY

The Levites were dedicated for the work in the Sanctuary in this way:

“They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn, the first male offspring from every Israelite woman… and I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to do the work at the Tent of Meeting on behalf of the Israelites and to make atonement for them so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”
Numbers, 8: 16, 19
Levites were a living offering.
They made reconciliation for the people, they helped in protecting the sons of Israel from the divine anger they would suffer if they would ever get close to the sanctuary.
Nowadays, we dedicate the people responsible for the physical and spiritual preservation of the church through lying on of hands: pastors, elders and deacons.

PUTTINGITINTOPRACTICE

ADAPT it!Teaching Approach
Effective for SMALL GROUPS
ASSOCIATE truth – Why should I study this lesson?DISCOVER truth – What does the Bible say about this truth?APPLY truth – How can this truth affect my life today?PLAN using the truth – How can I use this truth today?TRANSFER truth to life – What changes do I need in my life?
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