Dr Paul Allen

Saint Timothy (ortodox icon) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour." ( 2 Timothy 2:20 ) The "house" referenced here by Paul to young Timothy is the "house of God , which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" ( 1 Timothy 3:15 ). In the Old Testament , the tabernacle and temple were the dwelling place of God and the center of worship led by a high priest from the tribe of Levi . Now, we are members of the Lord's "house" ( Hebrews 3:6 ) and are like "lively stones" that are being "built up a spiritual house" ( 1 Peter 2:5 ), led by Jesus, who is the "high priest over the house of God" ( Hebrews10:21 ). This "great house" has many "vessels" in it of different values. Some are "honorable" instruments (vessels of high v...

English: High priest offering a sacrifice of a goat, as on the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur; from Henry Davenport Northrop, "Treasures of the Bible," published 1894 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Sinclair Ferguson (Author) It is common to think of the Old Testament ritual as providing the model that Jesus ’ priesthood subsequently copied and fulfilled. But Hebrews sees things differently. The Old Testament ritual of the high priest moving through the tabernacle—with its various rooms and furniture, especially the Holy of Holies and the ark with the mercy seat—is not the model but the copy ( Heb. 8:5 ). Christ has made a way into heaven; that is the reality. Hebrews has much to say about this. Jesus “went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is … not a part of this creation” ( Heb. 9:11 , NIV). “With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all” ( Heb. 9:12 ). In fact, Jesus now ministers in the heavenly tabernacle ( Heb. 8:2 ). Notice what g...

Copia desde la Crucifixion dibujada hacia 1540 por Miguel Angel Buonarroti para Vittoria Colonna. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. [Luke 23:45b] Just before Jesus breathed his last, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38). This was an amazing event, both physi-cally and in its spiritual meaning. The curtain covered the golden doors that led into the Holy of Holies . It was about eighty feet high and twenty-four feet wide. Because of its great size, it was very thick and strong and consisted of several layers of drapes. Anything layered like this is virtually impossible to tear by natural means. The veil prevented people from entering or seeing the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber of the throne of God . In the Old Testament God had slain those who approached him inappropriately. The veil protected sinful humans from the consuming fire of God’s holiness. Until the problem of sin had been dealt with, men and wome...

Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia In the New Testament , the ancient offerings are replaced by the worshipers themselves. Worship is quite literally the act of offering ourselves to God . This was the apostle Paul's point when he urged us "to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship " (Rom. 12:1). When we gather with other believers to "offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name" (Heb. 13:15), we are offering ourselves to him anew, body and all. It is precisely the sort of wholehearted offering Jesus had in mind when he said that the Father is seeking those who will worship him "in the Spirit and in truth" (John 4:23–24). In the Old Testament , the place of worship and everything about it was considered holy. Worshipers were taught to approach that "sacred space" with awe and reverence. Today, God's ...