Majestic, Holy, and Near
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
Sermon text: Exodus 25:1-27:21
The Tabernacle Complex
Pattern: Heb. 8:5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
One of the main things God wanted his people to see was that the tabernacle was a piece of Heaven on earth…Heaven is where God is; so when God came to live with his people, he brought Heaven down with him. - Philip Graham Ryken and R. Kent Hughes
Tabernacle (tent)
The heart of the tabernacle was the Holy of Holies, where God reigned in glory. The tabernacle, in turn, was at the heart of Israel, with all twelve tribes surrounding it. And Israel was the heart of the world, the centerpiece in God’s plan for saving the nations. The tabernacle was the most important place in the world, a little bit of Heaven on earth. - Philip Graham Ryken and R. Kent Hughes
Table
Altar of Incense
Ark
Bronze Altar
There it stood: ever smoking, ever blood-stained, ever open to any guilty Hebrew that might wish to approach it. The sinner, having forfeited his life by sin, another life—an innocent life—must be given in his stead. A.W. Pink
High priest
Heb. 9:8-9 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing. 9 (which is symbolic for the present age).
Jesus is a better priest because:
He entered the true tent.
Heb. 9:23-24 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
Heb. 8:2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.
His priesthood is eternal
Heb 6:19-20 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever.
Heb. 7:22-24 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. 23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
He is without sin.
Heb. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Heb. 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
He offered a better sacrifice.
Heb. 9:12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Heb. 10:1-4 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Heb. 10:11-12 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
Discipleship Questions:
Think of this as a blueprint for your sermon discussion time.
Sermon text: Exodus 25:1-27:21
The Tabernacle Complex
Pattern: Heb. 8:5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”
One of the main things God wanted his people to see was that the tabernacle was a piece of Heaven on earth…Heaven is where God is; so when God came to live with his people, he brought Heaven down with him. - Philip Graham Ryken and R. Kent Hughes
Tabernacle (tent)
The heart of the tabernacle was the Holy of Holies, where God reigned in glory. The tabernacle, in turn, was at the heart of Israel, with all twelve tribes surrounding it. And Israel was the heart of the world, the centerpiece in God’s plan for saving the nations. The tabernacle was the most important place in the world, a little bit of Heaven on earth. - Philip Graham Ryken and R. Kent Hughes
Table
Altar of Incense
Ark
Bronze Altar
There it stood: ever smoking, ever blood-stained, ever open to any guilty Hebrew that might wish to approach it. The sinner, having forfeited his life by sin, another life—an innocent life—must be given in his stead. A.W. Pink
High priest
Heb. 9:8-9 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing. 9 (which is symbolic for the present age).
Jesus is a better priest because:
He entered the true tent.
Heb. 9:23-24 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
Heb. 8:2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.
His priesthood is eternal
Heb 6:19-20 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever.
Heb. 7:22-24 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. 23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
He is without sin.
Heb. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Heb. 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
He offered a better sacrifice.
Heb. 9:12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Heb. 10:1-4 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Heb. 10:11-12 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
Discipleship Questions:
Think of this as a blueprint for your sermon discussion time.
- Consider all the components of the tent. What do they teach us about God? (Elaborate, embroidered curtains; Gold; the lamp stand; the table; the veil; the ark of the covenant)
- How do these help us see that God is: majestic, holy, and near?
- Where was the massive bronze altar for animal sacrifices that was always burning positioned? What do we learn from that?
- Import your senses… What do you think it would have been like to see it from afar? What would it have been like to enter the courtyard?
- How was Jesus similar to the high priest? How is he different?
- How is our approach to God similar to theirs? How is it different?
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