Jesus Images Part 1

Jesus Images: Trees - Tabernacle - Communion

THE WORD OF GOD contains numerous visual images of Jesus Christ, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. As Jesus did, telling parables to illustrate spiritual principles, each of these pictures give us a fuller understanding of the Father’s plan to buy men back from sin. Going back to Genesis 3:24, the two cherubim angels placed to guard the gate of the Garden of Eden picture the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. Just as beneath it was the two stone tablets of the Law given to Moses and both Aaron’s living staff (which defied natural law) and the manna which had fallen from heaven (which had not rotted), behind the gates grew the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God covered man's mistake with mercy.

Why two trees? Why plant a tree man could not eat from? The answer looks ahead to Jesus. Because when Jesus came to earth, He would eat of that tree and show mercy. He alone could fulfill the Old Covenant law that the tree pictures. He was fruit from the tree of life, from God's divine ancestry, hung onto the diseased tree to recreate it in His image. He gave life to what was dead.

“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Matthew 7:18)

But the imagery is not done. We see the two trees as life and law. We also have the altar as the heart of the tabernacle and, later, of the temple. On it was the blood shed to cover man's sins. Jesus' blood, shed on the altar of the tree, the cross, lives in heaven, but here, on earth, it became new wine which we drink to celebrate our New Covenant with Him. It is the cup of communion.

The bread is the other part. On the altar, under Levitical law, was burnt the kidneys and entrails as food for God the Lord alone (Leviticus 3:10-11). This is a picture of the mind of Christ. Jesus laid down His body willingly, to do His Father’s will, setting aside His affections, emotions and personal decisions. This is what the kidneys, sometimes called the "reins" represent. When we break the bread and partake of them, to remember His sacrifice, we remember more than the act itself but also His meekness and obedience and in our communion, we take up His nature, His way of thinking for ourselves. He laid down His mind, submissive to God. We by eating of the bread become like Him in character.

READ "Jesus Images Part 2."

There are other images of Jesus given to us. We are now the temple with all its anointed fixtures. His death split the veil from top to bottom, picturing His flesh bringing the Spirit of God to us. Until this happened, the Holy Spirit could not be sent (John 7:39). The light of the candle upon the table is His vision, revelation of Him and of the Father and spiritual things, which are given to us (Matthew 6:22). The laver is the washing of the water of the Word. The shewbread we have discussed.

But in all things as it was designed, the tabernacle of Moses and Solomon's temple with those that followed it in later generations, were designed not from just a physical building in heaven but from the body and work of Christ. These picture the spiritual work He would do in the heart of man. There, within us, the Spirit's presence burns, and our incense lifts to heaven. There within us is the life of God. There lives Jesus.

(1 Corinthians 2:16) “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

“The Hebrew word כליה kilyâh, means the same as the word “reins” with us - the kidneys, Exo_29:13, Exo_29:22; Job_16:13; Isa_34:6; Deu_32:14. From some cause, the Hebrews seem to have regarded the “reins” as the seat of the affections and passions, though perhaps only in the sense that they thus spoke of the “inward” parts, and meant to denote the deepest purposes of the soul - as if utterly concealed from the eye. These deep thoughts and feelings, so unknown to other people, are all known intimately to God, and thus the character of every man is clearly understood by him, and he can judge every man aright.” (Psalm 7:9, Albert Barnes’ Notes)

“And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.” (Exodus 26:30)

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” (Hebrews 8:5-6)

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;” (Hebrews 9:11)

Image by Chil Vera from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com