Three Transforming Experiences - Part 17
The Way, The Truth, and The Life
The three compartments of the Tabernacle of Moses illustrate Jesus’ declaration to Thomas:
“Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.”—John 14:6 (AMPC)
Many find their way into the Outer Court to discover The Way as they enter into the Salvation experience.
Fewer proceed on to discover The Truth that is illustrated in the Holy Place. In that place, the Bread—the Word of God—is illumined by the light of the seven Spirits of God, and people worship God “in spirit and in truth” as they come to the golden altar of incense.
But very few ever press in to experience The Life Jesus spoke of that is illustrated in the Holy of Holies.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”—Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
“But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.** People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. **Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”—Luke 13:24-30 (NIV)
Three Stages of Maturity
The three areas of the Tabernacle also correspond to the three stages of spiritual maturity that the apostle John spoke of in 1 John 2:12-14. I have rearranged the verses here to put the stages in chronological order:
Outer Court: “I am writing to you who are God’s **children **because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.”
**Holy Place: “**I have written to you who are **young **in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one.”
Holy of Holies: “I am writing to you who are **mature **in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.” (NLT)
Those who are **children **in the faith have experienced Salvation and the forgiveness of their sins.
Those who are **young adolescents **in the faith have pressed on to experience Sanctification. They have grown strong in spirit by feeding on the Bread of God’s Word, and they have dealt with issues in their lives and have overcome evil influences.
This is also how John the Baptist and Jesus Himself were both described in their adolescent years as they were growing to maturity:
“The child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit”—Luke 1:80 (AMP)
“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”—Luke 2:40 (NKJV)
“Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.”—Luke 2:52 (NLT)
But those who are truly **mature **in the faith are characterized by only one quality according to the Apostle John: They know God. They don’t just know *about *God. They *know *Him intimately as their closest friend and their first love.
People may characterize spiritual maturity in many ways: knowledge of the Bible, experience in ministry, numbers of ministry followers, etc. But in God’s eyes, none of those characteristics are indications of spiritual maturity. Only one thing matters. Those who are truly spiritually mature know God.
Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me”—Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NKJV)
Jesus Must Be Our First Love
We must have a relationship with God that goes beyond the servant/master relationship. Jesus must be our first love.
“and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth].** **But I have this [charge] against you, that **you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. **So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent.”—Revelation 2:3-5 (AMP)
This is not something new. This was the very first commandment in the Ten Commandments given to the children of Israel.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”—Exodus 20:3 (KJV)
And this has been re-emphasized in different words throughout Scripture.
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”—Matthew 10:37 (NIRV)
Nothing in life is more important than a close, personal relationship with God.
We must become friends of God, as Abraham was.
“That is what Scripture means where it says, ‘Abraham believed God. God accepted Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God.’ (Genesis 15:6) And that’s not all. God called Abraham his friend.”—James 2:23 (NIRV)
Jesus declares that this close relationship with God is available to all of us!
“You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you.** I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father.”**—John 15:14-15 (AMP)
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”—James 4:8 (NKJV)
It is vital for us to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ if we are to have any hope of participating in the Feast of Tabernacles experience.
Consider this. Jesus’ water baptism was public. He entered into His own Passover (Outer Court) experience at the Jordan River for all the world to see. This was also true of Jesus’ Pentecost (Holy Place) experience of receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This also happened in public, at the Jordan River, for all the world to see.
But when it was time for Jesus to enter into the fulfillment of His Holy of Holies experience of transfiguration, *He only shared that with those who were closest to Him. *
“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.”—Mark 9:2 (NKJV)
In Jesus’ personal experience, the first two feasts of Passover and Pentecost were fulfilled in public at the Jordan River, but Tabernacles was fulfilled in secret. Only those closest to Him were invited to participate.
“But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, … after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, ‘Where is he?’”— John 7:2-11 (NIV)
This passage in the gospel of John is a prophetic picture of what it will be like when the fullness of time comes and the Feast of Tabernacles is finally fulfilled on God’s timeline. Jesus will not share this experience with every believer. In that day, He will only come to those who are closest to Him. Only those who have developed a close relationship with God will enter into this experience with Jesus. It will be kept secret from the rest of the Church. And just as it was in this passage in John, there will be many religious leaders in that day who are anticipating a move of God, but will be left on the sidelines, saying, “Where is He? We missed Him!”
This should shake us to our core. If we do not have a close relationship with the Lord in that day, as Peter, James, and John did, then we will not be taken up with Jesus into the mount of transfiguration. We will be left behind, oblivious to the glorious opportunity that we missed.
There is much at stake. There has never been a more important time in the history of the world to have a close, personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Three Transforming Experiences
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