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Types of Christ, Part 3, Priesthood

A type is an imperfect copy, patterned after something original. Romans 5:14 speaks of “Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come,” that is, Jesus Christ. So also, Paul calls Jesus “the last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45). Hebrews 11:19 makes reference to Abraham’s son, Isaac, calling him a “type” of Christ, in that He was raised from the dead.

The True Tabernacle and the Copy

Hebrews 8:1, 2 says,

¹ Now the main point in what has been said [previously] is this: we have such a high priest who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle which the Lord pitches, not man.

Take note that the tabernacle that men pitched was not “the true tabernacle.” It was only a type of that which is “true.” The original is in heaven, as we see in Revelation 15:5,

⁵ After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened.

So how was the tabernacle of Moses constructed? God told him in Exodus 25:8, 9,

⁸ “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. ⁹ According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern [tabneeth] of the tabernacle and the pattern [tabneeth] of all its furniture, just so shall you construct it.”

So we see that Moses went up the Mount, where he was shown the true tabernacle in heaven, so that the tabernacle on earth could be patterned after that which was true. The earthly sanctuary was not the original but was a physical copy representing spiritual truths revealing His Kingdom.

Centuries later, David too was shown the tabernacle in heaven, so that he could draw a blueprint for Solomon’s temple. In 1 Chronicles 28:10-13 David instructed his son,

¹⁰ “Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.” ¹¹ Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan [tabneeth] of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; ¹² and the plan [tabneeth] of all that he had in mind for the courts of the house of the Lord, and for all the surrounding rooms… ¹³ also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites…

After giving instructions about how to construct the temple and its furniture, 1 Chronicles 28:19 tells us,

¹⁹ “All this,” said David, “the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern [tabneeth].”

David heard the voice of God and wrote down what was revealed to him. David’s revelation was different from the revelation given to Moses. The tent that Moses constructed became a house for Solomon to build. The divisions of the three sons of Aaron grew into 24 families of priests listed in 1 Chronicles 24:7-18. Each family served at the temple twice a year for a week at a time. During the feasts, all of them served together.

The eighth division (or “course,” KJV) was that of Abijah (1 Chronicles 24:10). Note that Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was of the family of Abijah (Luke 1:5). The angel appeared to him while he was ministering in the temple in the eighth week after Passover.

Progression of the Kingdom

The progression from tent to house shows us the progression of the Kingdom itself over a period of time. Both Moses and David built prophetic types, patterned after the true sanctuary in heaven. Yet whereas Moses saw a tent, David saw a house. A tent is a temporary dwelling that can be easily moved. A house is a fixed structure representing a position of rest.

So we see that the tabernacle of Moses did not represent a resting place but was a temporary residence until something greater came. In that sense, the tent was a type of the house. We read in Numbers 10:33,

³³ Thus they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord, journeying in front of them for three days, to seek out a resting place for them.

As long as we dwell in a tent (earthly body), we are still in the process of growing spiritually and still seek a resting place that is to come. When David gave instructions to build a house of God, we read in 1 Chronicles 23:25,

²⁵ For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, and He dwells in Jerusalem forever [olam, “indefinitely”].

Even so, both the tent and the house in those days were mere types. Neither was meant to be permanent. Both were imperfect, and for this reason God raised up the Babylonians to destroy that temple. God removed it in order that we might come to a greater and better sanctuary—the original in heaven.

The tent and house under the Old Covenant reveals a progression of the Kingdom on earth. But when the tent no longer revealed the heavenly pattern, due to the sin of Eli and his sons, God destroyed Shiloh and removed the ark from that place. Again, when the house of God that Solomon built no longer revealed the heavenly pattern, due to the sins of the people and priests, God destroyed Jerusalem and its temple as well.

Under the New Covenant, Christ raised up “the tabernacle of David” (Acts 15:16) as a temporary dwelling place for the Pentecostal Church during its “wilderness” period in the past 40 Jubilee cycles. This tabernacle has been the believers’ dwelling during their time of discipline and learning as they are led by the Spirit to the Promised Land. The greater “house” will be completed when the final “living stone” is cut and polished and put in its place in the house.

Whether we live in David’s tabernacle or Solomon’s house, neither of these today are structures made of wood and stone. Those who must have an Old Covenant structure are those who retain an Old Covenant mindset, and for this reason many hope for a third temple in Jerusalem, which can never give them true rest.

Shadows of the Real

Another term that Paul uses is a “shadow” (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5), because a shadow reveals a dim profile without much detail. A shadow is a dark inverse of that which is seen in the light. When the light is blocked by an object or by a person, it casts a shadow which cannot exist apart from the backdrop of light. We should never confuse an object with its shadow, nor even should we attribute life to the shadow. Shadows are not immortal, nor could they ever achieve immortality.

Hebrews 8:3-6 says,

³ For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. ⁴ Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the law, ⁵ who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” ⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

Jesus Christ, being of the tribe of Judah, could not minister as high priest in the temple of Jerusalem, because that was forbidden in the law. Yet being of the Melchizedek Order, which did not depend upon genealogy from Aaron, He is the true high priest of the tabernacle of David and the temple in heaven. Unfortunately, many in the church teach that in the age to come Christ will be the high priest of another earthly temple in Jerusalem. This would be a violation of the law.

Hebrews 8:4 tells us plainly, “Now if He [Jesus] were on earth, He would not be a priest at all.” It was therefore necessary for Him to ascend to heaven in order to establish a greater priesthood. This is one reason why He told His disciples in John 16:7, “it is to your advantage that I go away.” He ascended in order to send His agent, the Holy Spirit, to lead us in our wilderness journey, dwelling in tents, until we finally enter into His rest.

He went to heaven “to prepare a place” for us (John 14:2). He is preparing this place through intercession (Hebrews 7:25). In this way, Aaron himself was a type of Christ, even though he was of an inferior priesthood. Aaron was just a shadow of the real priesthood. His animal sacrifices, though commanded in the law, were types and shadows, having to be repeated daily. But the Sacrifice of Christ Himself is “once for all” (Romans 6:10; Hebrews 7:27; 10:10).