One way

Now we head into the tabernacle itself.  The thing that is most interesting to me in its description is the “Holy Place” and the “Most Holy Place.”

In the Holy Place were placed the bread of the Presence, the lampstand, and the altar of incense. 

In the Most Holy Place was placed the ark of the covenant.  The Most Holy Place was where God was considered to be residing.

But in order to get to the Most Holy Place and into the presence of God, you had to go through the Holy Place.  You had to pass by the bread of the Presence and the lampstand. 

Both, as we’ve already seen, were symbols of Jesus.

In the same way, Jesus said in John 14:6,

I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.

If we want to see the Father, we must go through him who is the bread of life and the light of the world.  There is no other way.

It’s a teaching that many people don’t like. 

Why does Jesus have to be the only way?  Why can’t there be another way?  Why not Buddha?  Why not Mohammad?  Why not through Hinduism or some other religion?

The reason is because God is holy and we are not. 

And as we’ve seen before, in order for unholy people like us to have a relationship with God, our sin must be paid for. 

Jesus is the only one who ever did that.  He lived a perfect and holy life. 

Buddha can’t say that.  Mohammad can’t say that.  No other person who has ever lived can say this. 

And only a perfect, guiltless person could take the punishment for someone who is guilty.

There was a curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy place. The High Priest was the only one who pass through that curtain, and he could do so only once a year. 

When he entered, he always did so with an offering of blood to atone for the sin of the people. 

But when Jesus died, the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus entered the more perfect tabernacle in heaven with his own blood and atoned for our sin once for all.  (Hebrews 9:11-12)

And because of that, the curtain in the earthly temple was torn in two.  (Matthew 27:51). 

The barrier that stood between God and us was taken down forever, and now we can have a relationship with God.

Buddha never atoned for our sin.  Neither did Mohammad or any other religious leader. 

Because of that, it is only through Jesus that people can come to God.

Do you want to know God?  Then you need to pass through Jesus.  He is the bread of life.  He is the light of the world.  And most importantly, he is the only way to the Father.