Of Cherubims, Altars and Empty Tombs

[rrford]

One of the most fascinating studies in the Old Testament is that of the Tabernacle. It is rich and alive with the ways and purposes of God. From this Tabernacle plan we find Gods plan for redemption, His desire for worship, and the necessity of holy living. Countless sermons have been preached on every aspect of Gods dwelling place in the wanderings of Israel. This “glorified” tent speaks to us yet today in types and shadows.

While a Bible College student I elected to write my senior thesis on the types and shadows of the Tabernacle. It soon proved to be a far greater undertaking than I expected. As it is many times in the Word of God, certain things were obvious. The altar being a type of sacrifice, the laver a place of cleansing, the Holy Place a place of separation, the Table of Shewbread a type of the Living Word, the altar of incense speaks of worship. These things are easily identified and applied. Even upon entering Holy of Holies the types and shadows are abundant. The ark of the covenant, created and preserved in holiness is an obvious illustration as to how God s presence is to be regarded. The two tables that rested within reaffirm the authority of Gods Word. Aaron’s rod that budded remind us still of the miraculous power found when ordinary things are placed into the hands of God. The pot of manna serves as a constant reminder that “the righteous are not forsaken and His seed does not beg for bread.”

However, during the preparation of my thesis I was perplexed be the cherubim’s that dwelt on the lid of the ark. The Bible tells us plainly that their wings spread across the top of the ark and touched in the center. Their heads were bowed and they looked down upon the surface of the lid that covered the ark. I searched in vain for some type or shadow that these golden angels represented. It wasn’t until an Easter season several years removed from Bible College that the Lord allowed me to stumble upon the significance of the location and position of the cherubim’s in the Holy of Holies.

While reading the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection I was startled by something I had previously not noticed in the 20th chapter of John. Verse 12 tells us “And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” Maybe it hasn’t hit you yet. Remember in the tabernacle there were the two cherubim’s? One at the head of the ark, the other at the foot. They bowed towards the lid and constantly looked upon the place where the High Priest would sprinkle the blood year after year. Their eyes were continually fixed on the shed blood of an innocent. Year after year the same event occurred in order to cover the sins of Israel.

Here, in this garden tomb, a ledge of stone became the lid to the Ark of the Covenant. It was upon this ledge that the bleeding and bruised body of Jesus Christ was lain. It was here that God dispatched two angels to look once again upon the shed blood of an innocent. But thanks be to God that here the similarities end. This event would never be repeated again. The blood sprinkled on the stone ledge would be a propitiation for sin, once and for all time. With resurrection power the lifeless body of Jesus Christ lived again holding the keys to death, hell, and the grave in His hand.

When Mary made her way to the graveyard that morning her heart was heavy. She had come to pour out her sorrow and to be near His body. But when she arrives she is overwhelmed to find that the body missing. I would have loved to trade places with her. When she bowed down and entered into the tomb there they stood in all of their grandeur, one at the head the other at the foot, just like in the Holy of Holies. But for the first time in history, the angels that looked upon the shed blood spoke. And what unbelievable words they were: “Mary, why are you looking for the living among the dead?”

Thank God for all of the types and shadows of the Tabernacle plan. But thank God even more that this Easter we do not look for the living among the dead. The heavens declare it for all to hear “He is Risen!"