Hebrews 9:3-5 “And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.”
Text John 1:4 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
Speaking to the Lord Jesus Christ; “the Word” that “was with God” and “was God”, John said that “life” occupies a fixed position of rest in Him. When considering this indwelling life positioned in Christ; how would one define the nature of that life? In Hebrews 9, the writer speaks of the “Holiest of all”, the dwelling place of God within the Tabernacle. Within the “Holiest of all” was the “ark of the covenant”, a picture of Christ. There were three things within that ark that project the nature of life at rest in Christ! Within the ark was “the golden pot that had manna” which pictures for us the Redemption Life. In John 6:31-58, Jesus declares that He is the true bread, or manna from heaven. All that eat manna in the wilderness ultimately died, but Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever” (vs.51). To partake of this bread is to believe on Him; “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (vs.47).
Within the ark was “Aaron’s rod that budded” which pictures for us the Resurrection Life. In Numbers 17, there was a question as to who God had chosen to minister in the Tabernacle. To give clarity as to God’s choice, a prince from each tribe brought a rod to place before God. The rod was possibly a scepter, walking stick, or staff. Whatever its use, it was lifeless; a dead branch! Having placed them before the Lord, when examined the next morning, all the rods were still lifeless, but Aaron’s rod had “brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds” (vs.8). Life had come forth out of death! Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
Lastly, there was “the tables of the covenant” that pictures for us the Righteous Life. In Exodus, Moses was called into the mount to receive from God, “the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments” (Exodus 34:28). On these two stone tables were the righteous demands of God that must be kept if man was going to maintain a righteous relationship with God, something man was not capable of doing; “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh” (Romans 8:3). It is at this point that one needs to remember that the tables in the ark were not the first, but the second set. The first set were broken when Moses beheld the disobedience of all those born after the likeness of the first Adam. Moses returned to receive a second set that was not broken and placed in the ark. They picture for us the unbroken law, kept by the Last Adam of whom the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
In Him is “Life” and for all that will accept Him by faith; there is Redemption Life, Resurrection Life, and Righteous Life. Apart from Him there is NO LIFE!