Pastor Sola Ogidan
[biblegateway passage=”Exodus 25:12-29″ display=”Exodus 25:12-29″]; [biblegateway passage=”Exodus 30:36-37″ display=”Exodus 30:36-37″]
One of the reasons why Moses was instructed to build the Oracle was so as to commune with Him on behalf of the children of Israel. The word “meet” is a very important word meaning to meet by appointment according to an agreement.
One of the purposes of the cherubim in the Oracle was to contain the glory of the Lord so that it does not kill the man. Of course, God did not stop communicating with people after Adam lost access to the Oracle, but communication is in degrees and dimensions.
[biblegateway passage=”Exodus 29:38-42″ display=”Exodus 29:38-42″]
God had an appointment to communicate with the people but not after the order of the Oracle. God met with the children of Israel at the outer court. He communicated with the children of Israel at the door of the tabernacle, not at the Oracle. This kind of meeting and appointment is not necessarily in the Most Holy Place.
[biblegateway passage=”Leviticus 16:1-2″ display=”Leviticus 16:1-2″]; [biblegateway passage=”Exodus 33:11-20″ display=”Exodus 33:11-20″]
Aaron was instructed not to come into the Most Holy Place at all times, lest he should die because he would have interfaced with God’s uncovered glory. Even Moses did not have access to the uncovered glory of God. Although he saw the glory of God, it was not the uncovered glory. When the Law came to Moses, God came in the cloud. The experiences Moses was having on the mount was what was brought to the Oracle too.
[biblegateway passage=”Exodus 34:1-5″ display=”Exodus 34:1-5″]; [biblegateway passage=”Numbers 12:6-8″ display=”Numbers 12:6-8″];
The place of the Oracle is a place of Face-to-Face communion with God. God speaking with Moses Mouth-to-Mouth and Face-to-Face did not mean that Moses saw the Face of God (God has already said no one can see His Face and live), but that God spoke with Him clearly and directly. In the Oracle, there is direct communication with God.
There is no medium and intermediary to speaking with God in the Oracle. When the High Priest is standing in the Oracle, he needs no intermediary or mediator. God does not speak in dark sayings and parables there. There is no ambiguity.
The Oracle stands for direct flow of communication with God. It is not about asking God questions and waiting for a response, the answer is there right before Moses.
[biblegateway passage=”1 Peter 1:9-12″ display=”1 Peter 1:9-12″]
The cherubim looking at the mercy seat was a symbol of the salvation they were looking upon. Moses was not confused about the Lord. Aaron was also enjoying the same thing Moses enjoyed once every year. He enjoyed the plain speaking of the Lord.
The Oracle was not just a place for prayers, it was also a place of questions. One who communes with the Oracle is not veiled. Moses was not confused about the Law, but he veiled the people of Israel.
[biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 9:6-12″ display=”Hebrews 9:6-12″]; [biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 9:23″ display=”Hebrews 9:23″]; [biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 10:10-20″ display=”Hebrews 10:10-20″]
Now we can have access to the Holiest of All and the Oracle because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. There is a difference between having access and gaining access. Having boldness to enter the Holiest of All means entering the Oracle because of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
[biblegateway passage=”John 16:25-26″ display=”John 16:25-26″]
Jesus said that he was intentionally veiling the Father using parables, but a time cometh when He would show plainly the Father. Jesus was saying that He would no longer stand as a medium or intermediary, we would begin to ask in Jesus’s name and not need Jesus to pray to the Father for us.
Jesus, being our High Priest obtained for us eternal redemption meaning it is not a “once-a-year dose” anymore. The sprinkling of the blood by Aaron seven times was a shadow of the perfection that Jesus was going to bring by the sprinkling of His own blood.
I must be solid in my faith in that which Christ has done; now I have boldness to come.
[biblegateway passage=”Hebrews 10:22″ display=”Hebrews 10:22″];
Before Aaron could enter the Oracle, he would wash his body with water. This is a symbol of what is to come now.