The Woman at the Well - The Tabernacle

T he Tabernacle

 

Exodus 40:34,35 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

These verses are recorded after the seventeen times (SPIRITUAL PERFECTION) statement, "made as the Lord commanded Moses."

When all the COMPONENTS of the tabernacle had been CRAFTED, and SET in their RIGHT PLACE in this portable building, the GLORY OF GOD FELL!

 

The Temple

2 Chronicles 5 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God. Then Solomon ASSEMBLED the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to BRING UP THE ARK OF THE COVENANT of the Lord out of the city of David, which is ZION. Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the FEAST which was in the SEVENTH MONTH. And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims: For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having CYMBALS and PSALTERIES and HARPS, stood at the east end of the altar. and with them an HUNDRED AND TWENTY PRIESTS sounding with TRUMPETS:) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make ONE SOUND to be heard in PRAISING and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever: that THEN the house was FILLED WITH A CLOUD, even the house of the Lord; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the GLORY OF THE LORD HAD FILLED THE HOUSE OF GOD. 

Again, with all the COMPONENTS of the house assembled, and the voluminous oceans of PRAISE ascending to the Lord, the GLORY OF GOD FELL! Again PRAISE had PRECIPITATED THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

This is a powerful principle for every Christian to learn and incorporate in his growth and development, both corporately and individually.

 

The Church

In this third and most magnificent phase of the building of the house of God, we have both seen, and will see, the glory of God descend on the church in an unprecedented manner.

Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:12,14-21 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and harken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

It is at once both interesting and vitally important to UNDERSTAND HOW this GLORY (the PRECIPITATION OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD, the mighty BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT) came upon the church.

Multitudes of explanations abound. But a careful study both of the events and Scriptures related to the birth of the Christian Church in glory, will surely clear this matter up.

There are well-meaning believers who tell us that all gathered were praying, both for God to do something, to and for one another in a bout of confession of sins, to prepare for the descent of the Comforter.

Peter apparently confesses to Thomas, "I denied the Lord. Please pray for me, brother." Thomas responds, "I used to be a doubter, pray for me that God will make me a shouter." And on it supposedly goes.

This may or may not have happened. We are not told of this belief in the Bible. Asserting that this event transpired in the upper room is mere speculation. This is NOT established fact. What is fact, however, is that these one hundred and twenty believers were PRAISING and WORSHIPPING God. Thus once again establishing the principle, praise precipitates the presence of God, or, WORSHIP DRAWS GOD.

Luke 24:49-53  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were CONTINUALLY IN THE TEMPLE, PRAISING AND BLESSING GOD. Amen.

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

There it is! They were constantly PRAISING God.

The Bible likens being filled with the Holy Spirit to being drunk on new wine.

Matthew 16:18 And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; and the gates of hell shall nor prevail against it.

Ephesians 2:20-22 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building FITLY FRAMED TOGETHER groweth unto an HOLY TEMPLE in the Lord: In whom ye also are BUILDED TOGETHER for an HABITATION OF GOD THROUGH THE SPIRIT.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the TEMPLE of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a SPIRITUAL HOUSE, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:9-17 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, YE ARE GOD'S BUILDING. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man BUILD UPON THIS FOUNDATION, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that YE are the TEMPLE OF GOD, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Luke 6:47-49  Whosoever cometh unto me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: He is like a man which BUILT AN HOUSE, and digged deep, and LAID THE FOUNDATION ON A ROCK: and when the FLOOD arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and COULD NOT SHAKE IT: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man WITHOUT A FOUNDATION BUILT AN HOUSE upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it FELL; and the ruin of that house was great.

John 17:21-23 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE that thou hast sent me. And the GLORY which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be ONE, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Psalm 102:18-22 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies, a cloud of smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the GLORY SHALL BE A DEFENCE. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from the storm and from rain.

Isaiah 40:3-5 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED, and ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the SUN, and the MOON under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve STARS:

As surely as the two former dwelling places of God on earth were filled with the glory of God as soon as the components were fashioned and set in their correct places, so also, when God's preparation of His people (building material), is completed, and they are set in the body of Christ where HE wants them, and are found so functioning, the GLORY OF GOD will again descend and inhabit His building.

That WORSHIP PRECEDES REVELATION there can be no doubt. The precedent is established in the Book of Revelation, immediately prior to the opening of the seven seals.

Revelation 5: 1-14 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, WORTHY IS THE LAMB that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, AMEN. And the four and twenty elders FELL DOWN and WORSHIPPED him that liveth forever and ever.

Ezra 3:1-13  And when the SEVENTH MONTH was come, and the children of Israel were in their cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening. They also kept the FEAST OF TABERNACLES, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every d y required; And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and f all the SET FEASTS OF THE LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord. BUT THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD WAS NOT YET LAID. They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the seal of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites. And WHEN THE BUILDERS HAD LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD, they set their priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites and the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to PRAISE THE LORD, after the ordinance of DAVID king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WAS LAID. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

Nehemiah 8 And all the people gathered themselves together as ONE MAN into the street that was before the WATER GATE; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the BOOK of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation of both men and women, and all that could HEAR WITH UNDERSTANDING, upon the FIRST DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the MORNING UNTIL MIDDAY, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left, Pediah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshulam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, AMEN, AMEN, with LIFTING UP THEIR HANDS: and they BOWED THEIR HEADS, and WORSHIPPED the Lord with their FACES TO THE GROUND. Also Jeshus, Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, CAUSED THE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE LAW: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book of the law of God DISTINCTLY, and gave the SENSE, and caused them to UNDERSTAND the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God: mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. And he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry, for the JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy: neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make GREAT MIRTH, BECAUSE THEY HAD UNDERSTOOD THE WORDS THAT WERE DECLARED UNTO THEM. And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to UNDERSTAND THE WORDS OF THE LAW. And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should DWELL IN BOOTHS in the FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH: And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great GLADNESS. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he READ IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW OF GOD. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the manner.

The following trilogy of Scriptures and the accompanying diagram illustrate the principle of PRAISE PRECIPITATING THE PRESENCE OF GOD, or WORSHIP DRAWS GOD, or GOD INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE. 

Applying the natural principle of the creating of rain, it is clearly identifiable in its spiritual application as the POWER OF PRAISE. Where there is the ascension of water vapour, there will be clouds. When the clouds become full of rain they descend as showers of rain upon the earth. This parallels in like manner the presence of God.

There are occasions, when, as in the natural realm, the heat of the sun causes water vapours to ascend, so also, God will allow seasons of heat and pressure to cause the spiritual vapour, (PRAISE), to ascend from our lives.

Truly, we have seen that WORSHIP DRAWS GOD. But it not only draws God externally, it also draws Him INTERNALLY.

Psalm 68:1  Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

Job 36:27 He maketh small the drops of water: they POUR DOWN RAIN ACCORDING TO THE VAPOUR THEREOF: Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

Jeremiah 10:13  When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the VAPOURS TO ASCEND FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

Ecclesiastes 11:3 If the CLOUDS BE FULL OF RAIN, THEY EMPTY THEMSELVES UPON THE EARTH: and if a tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.

Hosea 6:3 Then we shall know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and HE SHALL COME UNTO US AS THE RAIN, as the LATTER AND FORMER RAIN unto the earth.