Introduction. The church, planned in eternity to reveal God’s manifold wisdom, is far more complex than what can be seen on this earth. It is like the tip of an iceberg. The true greatness and complexity of the church can only be seen by those who live in heaven (Eph. 3:9-11). For example, while Moses and Israel saw only a tabernacle of earthly materials made from the pattern God gave, those in heaven saw it as a “copy and shadow of heavenly things.” There was so much more that could only be revealed when Jesus became the “Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.” Jesus was destined to be a “High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation” “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Heb. 8:2-5; 9:11, 24).
The Holy Spirit chose another “copy and shadow” to help us see even more. He used God bringing Israel to Mount Sinai to make a covenant with them. As recorded in Ex. 19, God began with “thunderings and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain.” That was followed by “a very loud sound of the trumpet” that caused them to tremble. Next, “Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” Finally, the “blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder”, and God spoke the ten commandments to them. Forty years later, Moses reminded them: “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice.” (Deut. 5). As Heb. 12:21 records, “so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I am exceedingly afraid and trembling’” But, why did the Holy Spirit choose to reveal these things to us?
The Holy Spirit chose another “copy and shadow” to help us see even more. He used God bringing Israel to Mount Sinai to make a covenant with them. As recorded in Ex. 19, God began with “thunderings and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain.” That was followed by “a very loud sound of the trumpet” that caused them to tremble. Next, “Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” Finally, the “blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder”, and God spoke the ten commandments to them. Forty years later, Moses reminded them: “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice.” (Deut. 5). As Heb. 12:21 records, “so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I am exceedingly afraid and trembling’” But, why did the Holy Spirit choose to reveal these things to us?
- 18 you have not come to the mountain that may be touched ... But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, (Heb. 12:18-24)