In this message we come to the matter of the peace offering. We have given messages on the peace offering in the past, but this time we will apply it to the meetings.
We all have to realize that in the Old Testament typology there are three main categories: the tabernacle, the offerings, and the priests. These three categories cover most of the types in the Old Testament. In the book of Exodus it is mainly the tabernacle with all its utensils and furniture which is revealed. Of course it also gives some record of the priests’ garments and food. But the main thing that is revealed in Exodus is the tabernacle with all its furniture. The next book, Leviticus, is a record of the offerings and of the activities or services of the priests.
To get into the details of the typology is just like entering into a big forest. It is deep, it is spacious, and it is somewhat mysterious. The more you get into it, the more you may get lost and the more you will get many puzzles. Once you get into the forest, it is so easy to get lost. So in coming to the types we need to stand back from a distance and have an overall look at the situation. This would make it easier to be clear.
All three of these categories are types of the different aspects of Christ. Christ is too rich! Christ is so all-inclusive! Christ is so all-extensive! He needs these three categories of things to illustrate Him.
The tabernacle shows us how Christ came from God. This is based upon John 1. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Then verse 14 says, “And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” This means that Christ is the tabernacle. To be the tabernacle He needed to come from God. Actually He came as God. This is a mystery! Is God the tabernacle or is He the dweller? God is both! God in Christ with the flesh is the tabernacle, and God as the Spirit is the dweller. The very God became the tabernacle for God to dwell in.
Christ as the tabernacle is God coming to us. When He came, God came. Without His coming, God had no way to contact man. God was God, far away from man, and man was man, far away from God. Then God Himself became the tabernacle. That means He came in the way of being a tabernacle. He came and tabernacled among man, so solid for man to contact Him. Would you contact God? Then come to the tabernacle. You can come to the tabernacle and contact the tabernacle, and you can touch the tabernacle. Even you can enter into the tabernacle. You can travel through the tabernacle and enjoy its contents. You can enjoy the showbread table for nourishment, the lampstand for enlightening, the ark for fellowshipping, and even the incense altar for speaking to God.
With the tabernacle which is Christ Himself, you have God. Not only can you touch God and contact God, but you can enter into God. You can travel, you can live, you can stay in God. You can enjoy the contents of God. The contents of God are mainly in three things: the showbread table for life supply, the lampstand for life enlightening, and the ark for life fellowship. If you enjoy these three things, the incense altar will come out as the center of your experience. The incense altar is the center of the experience and enjoyment of the contents of God. This is why the incense altar was not listed among the other furniture of the tabernacle. It stands alone. If you draw a diagram of the showbread table, the lampstand, and the ark you will see that they form a triangle, and in the very center of this triangle is the incense altar. This is quite meaningful! It is the issue of the enjoyment of such a triangular situation. It also motivates people to contact God and to enter God and to walk through God and to enjoy God. Out of such an enjoyment a prayer life will come out. That is the incense altar. The proper prayer life always comes out of the enjoyment and experience of God in the way of eating the bread on the table and receiving the light from the lampstand and staying with God in the fellowship. Then you become a partner of Christ in His interceding ministry. That is the incense altar.