“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Eph. 2:22

Many years ago a tract, (a short message printed to hand-out) was written by Robert Munger, entitled, “My Heart Christ’s Home”. It is an allegory where Christ enters the heart home of the author. “He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness, and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship.” Then the authors offers the Lord a tour of his house the Library, Dining Room, Living Room, Work Room, Rec Room, and Hall closet. It delivers a compelling conclusion, that I will not spoil.

God said He does not dwell in temples made by men. (Acts 17:24) Yeshua came to give us hearts of flesh, rather than stone, wherein His Spirit dwells. (Eph. 3:16; John 14:23; John 17:23) This is the Mystery hidden through the ages, God within us. (Col. 1:27) Instead of a modern house with various rooms, it seems more appropriate that God’s layout of the Tabernacle better reflects the temporal dwelling place of His Spirit. If He chose to dwell in Humans, is this layout that of a Human heart prepared for Him? 

The Tabernacle was an earthly figure of the Temple of God in Heaven (Hebrews 9:23,24). The Tabernacle was surrounded by curtain walls covered in skins dyed blue, purple, and scarlet and fine white linen. In the outer court was a great bronze altar for offering burnt sacrifices. The Laver, a huge basin of water for cleansing was also in the outer court between the altar and entrance to the housing.  In the main room on the right was the golden Table of Showbread, on the left was the golden oil Lamp Stand giving light. A golden Altar of Incense stood before a veil covering the entrance into the Holy of Holies. Inside the Most Holy place the Ark of the Covenant was the solid-gold Altar containing: Aaron’s rod that budded; the jar of manna; and the two stone slabs inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Above the ark was the Mercy Seat (literally, Atonement Cover) with the two covering cherubim hammered into shape from the same solid piece of gold from which the Mercy Seat itself was formed. (Exodus 37:6-9).

The human heart is complex the seat of emotion, conviction, faith, commitment and our innermost being where the Spirit resides. (John 7:38) Offering, Cleansing, Incense, Sustenance, light, Righteousness and Renewal are all processes of life in the heart. Every concept of life can be represented in these furnishings of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s rod that bloomed is Hope; Manna is God’s supply of Grace and the Commandment is His Word from which faith arises. Life is in the blood and it functions through the heart. Love resides in the innermost chambers of the human heart. Even the colors of the Tabernacle are of the heart.

Above all and finally, the sacrifices and offerings, intercession, renewal and ever flowing forgiveness and grace are represented in Yeshua, Messiah (Jesus’ Hebrew name). He is the focus of all creation. Joy of salvation and life abundant are gifts of the Spirit, which are inseparable from our Savior and Lord. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21)