Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Exploring Messiah's Mansion

There was a life size replica of Messiah's Mansion - also called the sanctuary - on display in southwest Virginia. One of the presenters asked Olive to come and share some of what she had learned about the awesome message illustrated by God in 'Messiah's Mansion'.

It took a few hours driving but it was worth it. I believe that God did use the time to share with others the wonderful good news of His love and how to experience the peace and JOY He only can give.

The first picture is of a model of the sanctuary God instructed Moses to put together (Exodus 25:8) in the Old Testament Bible.

The second picture depicts the court which surrounded the earthly sanctuary. The activities and items in the court represent God's plan to bring a sinner back into harmony with the heart and mind of God. Science has 'discovered' that the same three steps as illustrated in the court are essential in bringing two minds into harmony - synchronization - with each other. The gate into the court (area surrounding the sanctuary) illustrates the first step in harmonizing with another mind. Psalm 100 explains that the gate represents 'praise'. Praising God includes focusing on what He is really like and what He has done in love. Affirming (only) other minds is the 'gateway' into developing harmony with them.
The large altar of burnt offering deals with coming into agreement. When we learn who God really is and what He is really like we can choose to agree with Him. As we agree with Him this leads us to let go of any lies we have previously harbored and He has the power to take away all misconceptions - represented by a large wash basin (laver) just before the sanctuary itself.

When two minds synchronize, they are then prepared to experience the next two parts of what was illustrated in Messiah's mansion.

Science has 'discovered' that when two minds come into harmony the following experiences - which have been labeled 'JOY' and 'PEACE' by science - are those which develop a person's ability to cope with the stresses of life. How to develop these experiences are illustrated in Messiah's Mansion. Of course it makes sense that God knew a long time ago how the mind works and how it can grow, mature and cope with stress.

After the 'court' experiences the next 'steps' in experiencing Messiah's Mansion plan for the mind is illustrated in what is called the 'holy place'. There is another 'door' leading into the 'holy place'. The experience illustrated by that door has been called 'thanksgiving'. When two minds have become synchronized there is truly a thankfulness that positively affects both minds.

Inside the 'holy place' there are three 'items'. Each one represents an experience 'science' has discovered will bring joy when two synchronized minds participate together in.


One experience, represented by a seven branched candlestick, was prophesied in Isaiah 11:2-4 Messiah would would be given 7 spirits - wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, reverent submission and discernment. He successfully lived a life fully in agreement with His heavenly Father, so we have been promised the same as He received when we ask God for it.








Another article in the holy place was a golden table upon which were twelve loaves of unleavened bread. When Messiah came, also called Jesus, He said that 'eating bread' was to the human body what 'taking in His Words was to the heart and mind. To us He is the bread of life.

As we 'break bread together' with other minds we can all be nourished as we share with one another what God is sharing with us. To me that is a very joyful experience.

The next picture is of the 'altar of incense'. It is smaller than the first but it is also much more valuable in the sense that it was made from gold (the alter of burnt offering was bronze). Now that two minds are synchronized and have been enlightened and nourished they are able to communicate on a much 'deeper' level - not just surface, "beautiful day, isn't it" type of talk. They can share on ever increasingly deep levels with one another. God gave the mind capacity to experience really living in truth. The altar of incense also represents a very sacred experience called intercession. Simply put, we can can talk to God for others. There are times when one mind is so filled with certain things it is not possible to communicate with another mind as they should be able to do. Intercession allows another mind to come along side - compassion - and communicate with, for and to the other mind. This can be a very powerful experience to enable true growth, fellowship and love.

Keep in mind that each one of the experiences in Messiah's Mansion apply to a person's relationship with Messiah as well as between two human minds who come into harmony.


There is one more part of the sanctuary that holds very special symbols with deep meanings.
There is only one piece of 'furniture in the 'most holy place' but it has at least three unique applications or 'meanings'. In the court the three 'experiences' I believe, also represent how the 'three-in-one' God is longing to work with a mind in such a way that it will be brought back into harmony with Him. The three 'holy place' experiences are similar. In the 'most holy' place of the sanctuary I perceive God saying, "I am One and My goal for you is to bring you so close to Me that you are indeed 'at one' in Me, therefore there is only 'one' item. This is also true of two human minds who cooperate with each other. God's aim is to restore the human family into a common unity, community, with one another AND with Him.

The top of the ark was called the 'mercy seat'. Mercy involves not getting what we deserve. Because of the blood of Jesus (represented when the blood of a goat was sprinkled on the mercy seat one time a year in the earthly sanctuary) that was 'shed' on Calvary, we do not receive what we deserved when we accept Jesus as our Saviour. When in fellowship with other minds, we also do not give what is deserved when it is in the 'negative'. The mercy seat was on top of the 'ark' - a gold box. The ark represented God's covenant (A 'greater' power making saving promises to a 'lesser' mind or power) and God's grace (giving what is not deserved). Inside the ark were two stones. On those two stones God wrote His law. (Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39 His law was to love God supreme and love others as you love yourself.) The visible sign God gave as He spoke, of loving Him supreme, was delighting in Him on every seventh day Sabbath by hallowing that sacred time of communion with Him. The visible sign of loving others as you love yourself is honoring God's plan for family (another whole study in itself).

In the communication of two minds there is a PEACE based, confidence, a trusting 'most holy' experience God intended should be 'sacred' or 'holy' between those two minds who are in harmony. And as the two minds experience both 'JOY' and 'PEACE' they will both 'grow up' and mature in genuine 'other-centered' love.

Once a year the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. Jesus, our heavenly High Priest, wants to be the only and Supreme God in our heart - our most holy place.

There is so much more that I have learned from the study of Messiah's Mansion but for now, may the JOY and PEACE of being in harmony with God and others enable you to become men and women of LOVE.

Bringer of Peace

P.S. It is our choice to follow God's plan to come into agreement and harmony with Him.
When it comes to other minds, we can offer to harmonize with them in God's way but we can never force them to accept our love offers. There will be some minds with whom we can never synchronize and God knows that (from His own painful experience).

1 comment:

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

A season or so ago, I did Beth Moore's study on the tabernacle, "A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling Place." I learned so much during that study about the OT and practices and the importance of the temple.

Great pictures! I love to imagine how all of this will be revealed to us in heaven one day.

God's blessings on you!

peace~elaine