The Temple Had No Chair.

I have been reading through Ezekiel and finished this morning.  As I was reading the dimensions of the temple being given I recalled the first plans for the temple and the tabernacle along with all the furnishings.   I went back and glanced over the furniture that was described the alter, table, lamp stand, wash basins, and as simple as it is, it occurred to me what was missing.  The temple had no chairs.

The book of Hebrews shows how Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of all the temple pointed to.  Jesus was at the same time the high priest who offers the sacrifice for sin and the offering itself.  His high priestly work was much different though than the priests who pointed to him.  Heb 10:11-12  And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  (12)  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

The priests could not sit down.  They stood day after day, sacrifice after sacrifice, offering animals that only looked forward to the one sacrifice that would conclusively deal with sin once and for all.  The picture of the heavenly reality had no chair, no rest, no finality.  Jesus introduced a new piece of holy furniture not included in the designs for the temple.  He sat down at the right hand of God. 

Sometimes I am tempted to fight remaining sin in my life with the endless repetition of the priests.  Join me in celebrating the finality of the gospel.  Let us depend on the cross as we put to death the sin that remains.