The Cross & the Wilderness

The CROSS & The Wilderness:

In the beginning of time God made man, He made man in His own image, and when man fell, God made a promise. He made a promise that would manifest itself in the cross. Blood would be sacrificed on that cross, His own blood, to save man and restore that image. The price for our redemption was great but the price of our rejection is even greater.  Jesus Christ gave up His life so that we might have Life, and He said, “I AM the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus Christ is the Word of Life, and He alone provides us with a road map for salvation. The Bible is full of signposts pointing to a future restoration. This Promise is first revealed with God’s puzzling redress of the serpent in the Garden, Gen. 3:15. The serpent, a manifestation of Satan, managed to deceive Adam and Eve into disobeying God. In response, God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heal.” The answer to this Promise has been revealed to us today, but it is obvious that the guides and leaders of the past failed to realize that the “offspring of the woman” would be a suffering Messiah. They could not comprehend that “God gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16).

Even today they fail to see the connection between the Names of God revealed throughout His Word and the Messiah who died on the Cross for them. They cannot see the harmony of these and other signs. The cross is a stumbling block to them. Titles and Names for the Coming Promise are found in books like Genesis, Isaiah, Psalms, and Ruth, offering further insight into the character and purpose of the Promise. Types such as Noah’s Ark, the objects in the Ark of the Covenant, and the various covenants convey further truth about the Promise. All of these are as significant as are the acts and words of God’s Prophets who spoke of truths that have been fulfilled. The events and messages of those called by God along with the signs in His Creation act as signposts pointing to the Promised One, Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2 says that “All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Jesus Christ alone.” Everything including science point to Him. So let’s ask ourselves, why do we wear a cross, or have crosses on ambulances and hospitals, or on family member’s grave sites? The Cross is the Universal symbol for mercy, grace, and hope. Like a light on a hill, the cross is the sign of the Good News; that Jesus died for sins, and our sins can and will be forgiven if we place our trust in Him alone. “It was through what His Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him-all things in heaven and on earth-for Christ’s death on the cross has made peace with God”, (Col. 1:20 LB).

The cross is the manifestation of the Promise God made to Adam and Eve, and the curse He gave to the serpent. The cross is the power of God, a sign of the victory Jesus Christ accomplished over the curse of sin and death. The Mosaic Covenant stated that anyone who hung on a tree was a curse. For this reason the cross is a stumbling block to the Jew. The cross is hated by those who oppose God and “Christ crucified is foolishness to the world” I Cor.1:18). The Sign of the cross has penetrated every society to the point that the earth lives under the shadow of the cross. It is a testimony of God’s love and power over darkness and evil and a reminder that Jesus Christ died so that we might have life. It gives hope to those seeking spiritual Truth and an answer to the worlds woes, for it represents the promise of redemption and a relationship with God now and into eternity.

Although the cross had not yet made an appearance there were men, like Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, and Noah, who carried by word of mouth the history of Adam and who followed God. God’s redemptive story would begin 2000 years after Creation with Abram who by faith left his home and followed God to the land of promise. God, then, made an unconditional covenant with Abram who he renamed Abraham: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great…all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you”, (Gen. 12: 2-3). By faith Abraham was justified and through faith Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Joseph and his eleven brothers. Joseph’s faith and obedience would save his family and all of Egypt and surrounding nations. As a reward Jacob’s family would receive the fertile land of Goshen in Egypt, and protection for hundreds of years. But a new Pharaoh enacted new laws and put Jacob’s people into a severe slavery. So God raised up a deliverer, Moses, to set His people free.

For the first time in history a disorderly family of slaves would overcome a world power and become a mighty nation. But the stubbornness and disobedience of these people would test both Moses and God over and over again. GOD gave the nation of Israel every opportunity to free itself of the wisdom of Egypt and any unholy alliance that they had with the gods of their past. He brought 10 devastating plagues against Pharaoh and his multiple gods. He destroyed what was left of Pharaoh’s mighty army under the weight and power of walls of water from the Red Sea. He guided the 2.5 million Israelite men, women and children through a wilderness with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He gave them the Ten Commandments as a blessing and as a safeguard. And He provided for all their daily needs; including water, food, and clothing that miraculously did not wear out despite 40 years of wandering. The Israelites were living a miracle by day and night. As in the Garden of Eden, God was providing Sovereign protection, provision, and promises. He also gave these people freedom to choose. And many chose to disobey and complain.

In a similar parallel God allowed them to be punished by a creature of the serpent kind. In the wilderness God promised that upon gazing on a bronze snake lifted up on a pole, those bitten would find immediate healing and would not die. In the Garden the serpent was cursed for bringing sin and death to Adam and all creation. Now the curse would be used by God to bring a healing to all those who trusted in its life giving power. God transformed the curse into a blessing foreshadowing what Jesus Christ would accomplish on the Cross. By becoming the “the curse” for us, Jesus would defeat the curse of sin and death.

God, in His Mercy, was revealing in the wilderness His plan to “lift up” the Savior and defeat the serpent, Satan. Another sign of God’s plan and promise was in the design and implementation of the Ark of Covenant which was to be lifted up and carried in the wilderness. The Ark was designed and constructed by the artisan Bezalel, after the Spirit of God entered him. This was the first mention of God’s Spirit since He hovered over the seas in Genesis, and the first mention of the Spirit entering a person. God stated, “See, I have appointed Bezalel, and have filled him with the Spirit of God,” (Ex.31:2).

Upon the Ark of the Covenant lay the Mercy Seat and two golden Cherubim facing it. The Mercy Seat represents the Promise of God’s Mercy and Forgiveness. On the Day of Atonement God would have mercy on His people and would consume the sacrifice to atone for the nation’s sins for one year (Ez. 9:23). No human fire was necessary!  God did it all!  It was intended to be a supernatural Gift!  The Ark of the Covenant, the Shekinah Glory, and the Tabernacle all represent Jesus Christ who mercifully atones for sin and who is our Tabernacle.

The Ark of the Covenant was placed in a separate part of the Tabernacle called the Holy of Holies which was the meeting place for God, Moses, and Aaron, (Lev.9:23, Ex. 25:22). On Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments, he was allowed to see only the backside of God.  However, he was able to meet the LORD “face to face” in the first Tent of Meeting and in the Holy of Holies (Ex. 33:7,11,18; Lev. 1:1). Could it be that a pre-incarnate form of Jesus Christ met with and conversed with Moses in the Tent of Meeting? Another event in Exodus 14:19 helps to clarify this, “Then the angel of the Lord who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them standing between the armies of Israel and Egypt.” The pillar of cloud was “darkness to Pharaoh’s forces”, while the Pillar of Fire was Light to Israelites during the night!

Throughout the Old Testament, “The Angel of the Lord” represents a theophany or Christophany, implying the presence of a pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. The pillar of fire, also referred to as the Shekinah Glory, provided light for the Israelites and later would mark the presence of the Lord in the Tent of Meeting.  When the Shekinah Glory or “Spirit of God” moved, Israel  would have to be ready to move with it!  Then as it hovered over the Holy of Holies, Moses & Aaron would know to enter the Tent of Meeting to meet with the Lord.  The wilderness account clearly suggests the existence and presence of a Triune God.  On Mt. Sinai Moses met with the Father, and in the Tent of Meeting he met face to face with the Lord. The “pillar of fire & the pillar of cloud” were manifestations of the Spirit of God.

In the Ark was the Tablet of the Law, and Upon the Ark stood the Mercy Seat where the atoning blood of the unblemished animal was sprinkled.  This foreshadows the dual nature of the Messiah, who would judge by the Law, but who would dispense Mercy by forgiving sin. The Law always precedes Grace, it is a tutor that leads us to Jesus Christ. And when bringing in Grace the Lord made sure that righteousness was an integral part of the message. The Word says that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, would fulfill “all Righteousness“, (Mat.3:15). Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill,” (Mat. 5:17).

The design of the Tabernacle, its implements, the altar, and the laver all reflect aspects of the character and role of the Trinity. Inside the inner sanctum was the “shewbread”, the 7 branched Menorah, and the alter of incense all of which represent Jesus Christ and who he said he was: the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, and our Priestly Intercessor.  Others believe that those implements are a picture of the Church or body, the Light of the Word or Gospel, and the work of the Holy Spirit or fragrance!  The Altar of Sacrifice in the courtyard represents Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God, the Gift of Salvation, and the brass Laver filled with water shows him as the Living Water who satisfies eternally.  Inside the Holy of Holies lay the Ark of the Covenant enclosing the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod, and the manna. These show Jesus as Lawgiver, Priest, and Creator- all of which make him co-equal to God. It was here that the Mercy Seat rested and where The Blood of the Sacrifice was sprinkled. God Almighty in 3 persons is illustrated throughout the Tabernacle – even in the stitching and layering of the “roof”.

This “Tent of Meeting” had a 3 layered covering!  The top or outer layer was white and was made from the skin of white Arabian Oryx, the middle layer was dyed Ram skin, and the inner layer again was white of linen.  My belief is that the outer white Arabian skin was intended to shrink under the sun and heat creating “tares” or openings that would appear as red stripes from above – for the red ram skin would show through!  From heaven God would see the red stripes in the center of the cross!  From the inside the “Holy of Holies” would be lit up with red streaks on the white linen!  This inner layer represents the Holy Spirit and the outer layer God the Father and of course the Ram’s skin represents Jesus Christ!

So why do most of the Bibles and Bible scholars still insist on calling the third layer a skin made from dolphins or badgers?  This makes no sense and many people who live in the wilderness today consider this so ridiculous that they refuse to accept the veracity of the biblical account.  Those who live in the desert know that an early morning mist hangs over the sand and earth creating a mirage effect of water vapor.  On seeing these majestic large white mammals running through the plains would create an image of “jumping sea creatures”.  We should know that just because a word has a root meaning indicating one type of animal does not affect the typology at all. For instance a “bull shark” has no relationship to a bull, yet it uses the root word of a land mammal! People name animals and even plants based on how they look or act not on their typology.  These “linguists” are using foolish methods to define unusual  words.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, states that He shed his blood on the cross to bring us into a Righteousness relationship with God. In essence His main purpose was not to teach and preach, or even to perform miracles, but to die. The Levites, Moses, and Aaron, who were standing as intermediaries between God and man would not be needed in this New Covenant. The event that marked this moment happened 1200 years later when Jesus Christ died on the Cross and the four inch thick curtain dividing the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple.  The curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, opening up the throne room of God to all who enter through the Blood of Christ (Mat. 27:50-51).

By giving birth to Israel and taking them out of the darkness of Egypt, God was not only making preparations for the Law and its sacrificial system, but also for a powerful New Covenant of Grace. Prior to this every man did what he or she thought was right, for there was no law. Having eaten of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” mankind was worshiping idols and determining what was “good” and what was “evil”. God therefore created Israel to carry His standard and to be a witness to the world.  Signs of this standard and witness would remain a mystery to both the Jew and Gentile throughout the Old Testament.

Today we know that the sign is the Cross which is the power of God for salvation to all who believe in the Promised One, the Christ.  The Cross is our witness. I dare say, however, that we have failed to give God the full measure of credit and Glory for His design of the Cross in the wilderness.   This Sign like the sign of the serpent on the pole would point the astute student of God’s Word to the future cross. This Sign was and still is a light in the darkness for the world to witness! It is a foreshadowing of God’s eternal Plan to redeem His creation. The Cross of Golgotha and the Cross of the encampment were both in the wilderness and were instruments of God to bring people into His Promise.  I will discuss it in detail the sign of the Cross in the Wilderness.

Paul the Apostle makes a comparison of the Law and the free gift of Grace by stating that Hagar stands for mount Sinai in Arabia or the Law whereas Sarah stands for Mt. Zion or God’s miraculous provision or Gift, Gal. 4:21-31.  It is very important to note that Paul himself uses the phrase “Sinai in Arabia” and not Sinai in Egypt or Sinai in the Peninsula.  Arabia borders the Red Sea!  Both Paul and Elijah fled to Mount Sinai in Arabia!  The Word of God is very clear! Those people who want to contort the Word of God because of some old Crusader maps that are not the inerrant Word of God, are hurting the Gospel and the believer.

Remember that Islam (Saudi and Egypt) have a lot to lose if the Christian and Jewish world recognize the real Mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia! Saudi Arabia for instance will not allow any “infidels” to step foot in Medina nor Mecca.  The Mountain of the Law or Jubal Al Lawz stands close by and likewise the well of Moses.  Even the poor Bedouin know that the real Mount Sinai lies in the old country of Midian where the Jethro was priest and which surrounded this “holy” mountain in the time of Moses. They know that Pi Hahiroth from Exodus 14 is actually a peninsula now called Nuweiba.   This means “mouth of the gorge” and that is exactly what this large beach head is, the mouth of an enormous ancient gorge whose sediment extends clear across the East finger of the Red Sea over to Saudi Arabia! This is where God placed the Shekinah Glory to stop Pharaoh.  The Pillar of Cloud could not block chariots in an open desert as would be required with the Bitter Lake theory.  And why would any intelligent general take his fast and furious chariots through mud when he could just go around the little lake and meet the fleeing Israelites on the other side?  Do not be fooled by lies!

In the 2nd Chapter of the Book of Numbers, God told Moses to arrange the 12 tribes in 4 groups of 3 around the tribe of Levite, which numbered 22,300 men. The Levites who were encamped around the outer court would prepare and perform the sacrifices, and maintain, transport, and erect the Tabernacle. The other tribes as described in Numbers 2 would be grouped around the tribes of Judah with a total of 186,500 men set to the East, Reuben’s group with 151,450 men set to the South, Ephraim’s group with 108,100 men set to the West, and finally Dan’s group with 157, 600 men set to the North. The four cardinal compass points were used to align the tribes and banners.  Given Levitical attention to detail, whoever camped outside of the clear directions of East, South, West, and North (e.g., northwest, southeast) would be violating God’s specific directional instructions (e.g., by being both north and west).  The pattern is very clear!  We have 13 tribes divided into four groups with the Levites in the middle protecting 3 sides of the Tabernacle!  Each group of 3 tribes set up in alignment with the “box” created by the courtyard, the Tent of Meeting, the tents of the Levites on 3 sides, and the tents of Moses and Aaron on the 4th side.  This “box” had the Holy of Holies at the center and the outlying groups of Israelites forming a cross! This pattern is illustrated in the drawing at the beginning of this discussion!

God directed that the Tent of Meeting face East towards Mt. Sinai, and where Judah’s group encamped- the longest arm of the four armed formation. Two almost equidistant arms would point North and South. The smallest group of three tribes led by Ephraim would be the short top of the cross. Since each man would have had an average of at least 3 children and a wife, the number of individuals not counting the animals would approximate 2.5 – 4  million. These families would need to encamp in a way that would allow for efficient maneuverability because at any moment the Shekinah Glory would move to a new location and their command was to follow.

As directed by God, the tribe of Judah would set out first, followed by the other members of their group. Behind them would march the southern group led by the tribe of Reuben.  The Kohathites with the rest of the Levites carried and protected the Ark of the Covenant as it was carried out with the other implements and the deconstructed Tabernacle.  Next came the western group of Ephraim and the northern group of Dan. Note that the process would flow easily as each tribe marched out in a clockwise formation much like a marching band would.

Why the CROSS pattern: 1) Viewed from heaven the Cross formation would be a sign of Israel’s purpose and destiny, God’s Glory in the midst of a dark wilderness. God had just delivered them from Pharaoh’s army and now He makes the sign of a future deliverance. As stated earlier, the nation of Israel was created by God to usher in the Messiah and henceforth bring lasting Redemption to all who believe. Jesus Christ, the Lord, came to fulfill not only the Law given to the Israelites on Mount Sinai, but also to fulfill the Promise stated by Him to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden. It was on the Cross that this would be fulfilled.

2)  The “seed of the woman”, is a very interesting phrase for it implies a supernatural virgin birth, since women only produce eggs. On the cross, Jesus Christ the “seed of the woman”, defeats Satan while being “bruised on the heel” by the serpent. Starting with the Garden of Eden, God shed the blood of an innocent animal to clothe Adam and Eve. In the wilderness, God would require the blood of an unblemished animal as a sin offering for the nation that He created. It was by divine design that the encamped nation of Israelites formed a cross with the Tent of Meeting and ark in the very center. Here God would have fellowship with Moses and Aaron and then He would consume with Holy fire the sacrifice on the altar (Lev. 9:23) as the people watched in awe. This Day of Atonement foreshadows the sacrifice of God’s innocent Son on the Cross. The “covering” by His blood, and the Resurrection ensure the redemption of anyone who “confesses him as Lord and believes that God raised him from the dead”.

3)  As mentioned earlier this massive group of people was much more than an army. They were a nation of at least 2 million men, women, children, and the elderly. They came with all their possessions including animals. They also came with the gold and wealth of the Egyptians. Never in the history of mankind had a migration of this dimension happened. They were fleeing the world’s largest army and heading into a vast wilderness with another army waiting to attack. The most efficient way to set up camp and break up camp was illustrated earlier. But what is even more significant is the military protection that the cross formation offered. At night the fires of each campsite would light up the horizon. A cross creates the largest profile from any direction and gives the enemy the impression that you are bigger than you really are.

4) The Cross formation of campsites also offers the ability to outflank the enemy from any direction. An attacking army would not have a strong point of attack and would have to fear being encircled by this expansive and fluid formation.

5) Often forgotten but probably one of the most important reasons for the Cross formation is logistics. It would allow for 4 separate yet distinct zones of safety to herd animals, maintain latrine services, exercise, and maneuver in case of an attack. Along each arm of the cross and around the ends fly-type tents would allow rest and sleeping stations for scouts, couriers, and men who would herd the animals and escort women and children to latrine services. Each arm is arranged in rows which would allow for quick formation of forces. During a surprise attack panic can easily set in. Arranging rows of tents leading to 4 open areas provides maximum maneuverability for the assembly of the armed men. They could easily avoid the mistake that the Midianite coalition made as they encamped in the bowl of a ridge. In the haze of darkness the large and severely confined pagan armies were rousted by a small contingent of 300 Israelites blowing trumpets and breaking pots. In panic the Midianites and their allies killed each other, and God delivered the victory without a single loss to Gideon’s forces. A square formation would bottle up forces and cause major logistical problems.

6) There are many applications that one can make from this study of the “Cross in the Wilderness”. If one carries the cross in today’s wilderness, God will be with you. In the Words of Jesus, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”. Note that Jesus said this before He was crucified! If you do His will, He will bless you and deliver you out of the wilderness. In the giving of the Law He is the God that makes demands and in the Tabernacle He is the God that draws near and dwells with us. His demand is that we Trust and Obey him and the Reward is that He will Tabernacle in us and with us and provide for us as He leads us to victory and to His Promised land.

The Cross makes us Holy and it separates us from darkness. But as Paul states in Philippians, 3:18, “Now [I] say again with tears, many live as enemies of the Cross of Christ.” Those enemies also came against the Israelites from within and without and they were defeated. Even this study and book will be viewed by many as foolishness, for the Word says: “for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are saved it is the Power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” The Cross is a teaching tool connecting the Law and the World to Jesus Christ. The Law reveals that we are sinners. The Law states GOD’s standards and then demands His Justice. The Law is a tutor not a savior, the Law is a mirror not a cleanser, and the Law was given to be fulfilled by the Promised Savior, the Lamb of GOD.

The only solution to sin would be Forgiveness through a Subsitutionary Sacrifice. Therefore on the Day of Atonement two goats were chosen for the sin offering: one goat was sacrificed and another driven out into the wilderness. Again the picture here foreshadows the Cross of Calvary when Jesus Christ died for all sin, separating and erasing the sin in our heart while driving away even the guilt. His sacrifice cleanses the conscience so that those redeemed do not have to live under a cloud of guilt, fear, and condemnation again.

7) The Cross is the Power of GOD that binds everything. Because Christ dwells in us, we do not have to sacrifice an unblemished animal, nor do we have to build a Tabernacle. He is our Sacrifice and our Tabernacle and when we receive Him we are His Tabernacle willingly surrendered as a sacrifice unto Him. It may seem confusing but it all makes sense in Light of the Trinity, the Sanctification of the Believer, and the Unity of the Body of Christ. Through Faith we have Life. We are alive in Christ and dead to sin. To live is Christ, to die is gain. He has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the Law. In essence He became the Curse for us. In the process we have crossed over from death to life. The Cross is the link to the believing Jew: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one…His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of two… and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross…” Eph. 2:15-16.

Before Jesus went to the Cross, He prayed to the Heavenly Father: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him…And now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” John 17: 1,2, 5. Jesus Christ in this prayer is joining the Father to the Son, Heaven to earth, Jew and Gentile, the Creation of the Universe and original sin to the Promise of Eternal life as he prepares for his death on the cross. We look vertically to heaven to pray and worship, but we serve and have fellowship here on earth. In the wilderness the Israelites ventured 40 years in a hostile and wild land, yet wherever they went they were led by the Shekinah Glory or the Cloud by Day, both of which came down from Heaven. Each member of the campsite had a permanent location in respect to the Shikinah Glory and to each other. This reflects the vertical and horizontal relationship that is characteristic of the Church with Jesus Christ in center providing guidance, Truth, and protection.

The Cross was a beacon of hope and a light in the darkness. Then the moment came when GOD, the Son, dwelt with us and according to God’s Plan was lifted up on the cross- he died, was buried, and resurrected to defeat the curse of death. The Cross, first seen in the wilderness, becomes the Divine Path between heaven and earth. God’s Divine Design is the Cross. Even the linen fibers that covered the veil and curtains of the Holy of Holies, and the Lamina, a fiber which holds our tissue together, are in the binding design of a cross. The “Cross of the Wilderness” and the Cross of Calvary are linked in every way.

8) The 8th and final reason why I believe that the Cross formation was an integral part of the Wilderness Exodus is the most enigmatic and, in a way, the most refreshing for those of us who want to understand Ezekiel’s Vision and the Vision that John had in Revelation. As mentioned earlier the four arms of the cross were made up of four groups or divisions of tribes. Each of these divisions had a standard. The standard for the tribe of Judah and its group was the Lion and King. The standard for the division of Ephraim was the calf or servant. The standard for Reuben’s division was a man and finally the standard for the northern division of Dan was the Eagle or Heavenly Priest. These 4 standards are represented in the 4 Gospels: Matthew is characterized by lineage of Judah the Lion; Mark represents Jesus as the Servant; Luke the doctor presents Jesus as the God/Man; and John shows us Jesus as our Spiritual Priest. These symbolic standards show up again in Ezekiel’s vision of the four Living Creatures. The creatures had feet with soles like that of a calf, four wings, the hands of man, and each had four faces: the face of a lion, the face of man, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle. What is especially interesting is how Ezekiel describes the energy emitting from these creatures with multi-directional faces. In Ezek. 1:13, he says, “Their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright.” Is this bright fire likened to the fire of the SHIKINAH GLORY? Is this image being reflected on earth by four faces on standards pointing East, South, West, and North? Is this in part what Jesus meant when He prayed, “thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”?

Although made in God’s image, the Israelites were far from perfect, yet they were being blessed by His supernatural presence and the fire of GOD. In Heaven as on earth there was and is a great multitude worshiping Him as they are being awed by His Glory. John the Revelator also sees a vision. In Revelation 4:6-7, he writes, “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.” These supernatural “beasts” appear throughout Revelation as John observes the activities of the Throne Room. These beasts are Cherubim and they are Worshiping God, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” (Rev.4:8). Revelation 4:9, 5:6, 5:8, 5:14, 6:1, 7:11, and 14:3, describe an awe inspiring scene, as the Lamb of God is presented before the Throne where ten thousand times ten thousand and a thousand thousands of angels, the 24 elders, and the 4 beasts worship GOD. As the tumultuous Praise ends, the four Cherubim pronounce an, “Amen” and then each of these “beasts” beckons John to “come and see” as each seal is opened, (Rev.6:1-7). Is John asked to come and see earth through the crystallized floor as the seals release their tribulation on the earth? Are they all watching even now? There is indication that God is indeed watching: Moses, David, Isaiah, and Solomon ask GOD to look down upon them (Deut. 26:15, Ps. 102:19, Isa. 63:15, and Lam. 3:50). What a sight the “Cross of the Wilderness” must have been from heaven’s view!

Is there something special about the number 4? It is a number used frequently in both Heaven and earth. The Trinity + us = 4. Our physical 3 dimensions + the supernatural = 4. In the prophecies we hear of the FOUR BEASTS and the FOUR METALS of the FOUR great civilizations. The Cross has 4 points and there are 4 Gospels. The tabernacle had four hide layers as its covering and four types of metal were used in the furnishings. Four is found throughout Creation: 4 seasons, 4 cardinal points of the compass, 4 lunar phases, 4 times of the day? Is 4 the number of Spiritual Unity in all Creation? There were 13 tribes yet only 4 divisions and 13 Apostles 4 of which wrote in God’s Word (Peter, John, Paul, and Matthew). God’s Divine name YHWH has four consonants. There were 4 horns on the altar, 4 tassels worn, 4 women mothered the 12 sons of Jacob, Numbers is the 4th book in the Torah, and 4 cups of wine are used in the Seder. In the New Testament we hear of the “four winds of the earth,” and Jesus speaks of the FOUR kinds of soil, and FOUR responses. The word used for the number 4 in Hebrew means “door”. Jesus Christ is the “Door” and He is the link between heaven & earth. We were created in His image to become partakers of His Divine nature & Word. Just like that spiritual door with four surfaces, Jesus embodies all of Creation and Heaven. Four colors were used on the gate of the court, the door to the tabernacle and on the veil in the Holy of Holies. These colors were Purple, Scarlet, White, and Sky-blue. Purple is the color of Royalty and speaks of the Kingdom and the King.

The Lion of Judah is Jesus Christ and He is the King of Kings. Scarlet is the color red and symbolizes the suffering Savior and His humble obedience in service and carrying out His mission to the Father. Both the Calf and Bullock rendered silent faithful service as they bore the sins of sacrifice and the weight of our burdens. Pure White symbolized the purity and sinless nature of the Man; Jesus Christ who was born of a Virgin and died on the Cross as our unblemished Sacrifice. The blue of the sky represents the Eagle and the Son of God who descended Heaven to provide a Way to Heaven for all who believe.

Carefully allow me to show you something amazing!   From heaven the tabernacle was both red and white. Although the outer layer was of the skin of the white Arabian Oryx, the next layer was a specifically dyed red ram’s skin. When skins are sewn together they stretch and harden under the sun and rain and separations occur between the patches. Therefore each layer was made to overlap the next layer. Viewed from above, red stripes would show through the white. Was this done to illustrate that “by His stripes we are healed?”

The laver of water was made of polished bronze like a mirror reflecting the blue of the sky. Purple was made by mixing blue with red. When one sees blue next to red from a distance it always appears purple (that is why mountains appear purple on the horizon as the sun sets). The colors of the gates were blue, purple and red and would appear purplish from a distance and from above. As an artist painting in oils, this is how we give life to a landscape, by intermingling blues and reds to create blended purple hues. Psalm 34:7, the angel of the LORD encamps about them that fear him, and delivers them. “As surely as I live,” says the LORD, every knee shall bow before me; every tongue will confess to God, (Ro. 14:11) I thank my friend, Angie, who has prayed for me throughout this effort and who upon reading the final draft said that this study gave her a new perspective on the Bible. It is always good to have a friend who digs deep into God’s Word, is in constant prayer, and allows the Holy Spirit to lead her. After reading this study she went back and reread the Exodus account. She noticed a detail about the wording that I had not taken note of, and which had apparently escaped the logic of those scholars who have positioned the tribes side by side in illustrations. Moses describes the progression of the tribes in each group this way: the first two as being “next” to each other and when describing the position of the last tribe of the three he does not say that this last tribe is “next” to the first. No, he states, ”the last tribe is next”, which implies a progression: (Numbers 2: v.12), “The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them (Reuben) ”; and v. 14, “The tribe of Gad will be next”. Moses does not say that they encamped “side by side”, nor “on the side of one another”. The Living Bible in fact lays out the verses in a diagram style giving the “Location” in this manner: (Judah) East side of the Tabernacle – (Isaachar) Next to Judah – (Zebulum) Next to Issachar. Numbers 2:2b, in the RSV says, “They shall encamp facing the tent of meeting on every side.” The inference here is that they were grouped in line, each group of 3 tribes forming an arm parallel to the four sides of the Tent of Meeting. Each arm would extend from where the Levites were encamped. This makes sense, for each group sets up their camp already in line to just march out behind the group in front of them.

In setting out Judah leads followed by the rest of his group and then Reuben’s group followed by the Tent of Meeting and the Levites. Ephraim’s group is next along with Dan’s group. In settling in for camp Judah’s group leads by marching in from the West and when exactly due East of the Tabernacle, it’s lead row would set up as the first row facing East followed by each successive row in line with Eastern side of the Tabernacle. Reuben’s group aligns itself with the South side of the Tabernacle, perpendicular to Judah’s group and with its front row encamping next to and parallel to the perimeter set up by the Levites. This is like a choreographed marching band forming into line and then breaking apart into a coordinated cross formation. Note that as the four groups marched out in procession, God had them unravel the Cross from the East around to Dan’s Northern group- which, by no coincidence, is the same way that the Hebrew mind is designed to read, write, and illustrate (for instance this is the pattern of the symbols in Chagall’s paintings).

Also note in the painting that I made (illustrated at the beginning) the smaller “tents” on either side of the four Cross extensions. These represent a perimeter defense and a guard system. In these fly-like tents, which are open in three or four sides , are the young or single men who would help care for the animals, guide and protect people in the dark (who are seeking to relieve themselves or just exercise a walk).  These young men would also scout for wild animals and the enemy, hold general guard duty, and act as messengers. 1/05/2013 The people living in darkness have seen a great light.” Matthew 4:16