God’s Divine Pattern
Robert Meredith
In the religious world today, many honestly believe that it does not matter what one does in the name of religion. As long as he is sincere it will be okay. However, the Proverb writer, guided by the Holy Spirit, twice recorded, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). This shows us that it does matter what one does religiously. The Holy Spirit also had the Apostle Paul to write, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” (Colossians 3:17). The phrase, “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” means by His authority. Therefore, anything that is practiced religiously must be authorized by God in His written word. In modern times there are hundreds of different churches, all teaching and practicing different doctrines, organized differently and giving different instructions on what to do to be saved. This cannot be right! Let us examine the Bible and see if God has a divine pattern for the Church, and if He does, then let us follow His way because any other will lead to death (Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 10:23). Remember man is saved by God’s grace and if one is not with God, then he is not with His grace.
There are numerous passages in the Old Testament which foretell of the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 2:2-
3; Daniel 2:44; 7:13-14; Micah 4:1-2; Zechariah 6:13). The reason God gave all these prophecies and others was so that man would be able to identify His spiritual Kingdom. In the Old Testament God had a divine pattern for the Ark of Noah’s time and also a pattern for the Tabernacle. Both of which were types, or shadows, of the church to come. God instructed Noah how to build the Ark. He gave him the dimensions and even the type of wood that was to be used. In Genesis 6:22 Moses recorded, “Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” When one considers the Ark, there are many ways that it shadows the Church. There was only one Ark, and Christ only built one Church. There was only one door, and Christ is the door into the Church (John 10:9). All that were in the Ark were of the same family, and all Christians are born into the family of God (Galatians 6:10). The saved were on the inside of the Ark and all who were outside perished, and the church is made up of the saved ones (Ephesians 5:23; Acts 2:47) and all who are not members of His Church are lost in their sins. The Ark was transported by water and likewise, water transports, by faith, the obedient when they are baptized into Christ.
Too, there are many similarities between the Tabernacle and the Church. Moses was told exactly how to guild it and he constructed it as he was told (Exodus 25:8-9; Hebrews 8:5). The Tabernacle had an altar outside in the courtyard on which the beasts were slain. Christ was slain outside the city on the hill called Calvary. The laver was placed before the door of the Tabernacle and all who desired to enter had to be washed; likewise, all who desire forgiveness of their sins must be washed with the waters of baptism so that they may enter the Church (Hebrews 10:22; Revelation 1:5). Within the first room of the Tabernacle were three pieces of furniture which shadowed things to come under the Christian dispensation. The table of showbread, of which only priests were allowed to eat, represents the spiritual nourishment offered by the Bread of Life. Our minds should go back to the cross when we as Christians observe the Lord’s supper. Too, the tabernacle had a golden candlestick which gave light to the room. In the church, we have the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus. The last piece of furniture in the first room was the altar of incense, which was before the veil separating the two rooms of the Tabernacle. The incense would ascend from the first room and into the Most Holy Place that represented Heaven, the abode of God. Likewise, our prayers ascent from the hearts and lips of God’s priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9) and are a sweet savor to our God (Revelation 8:3-4). The second room of the Tabernacle represented heaven. Within this room was the ark of the covenant which contained God’s Mercy seat. Today, God’s mercy still flows from His throne for those who are His children through the better and greater covenant of Christ (Hebrews 8:6-12).
God instructed both Noah and Moses to follow the pattern given to them. Would God be so particular about making the Ark and the Tabernacle a certain way because it was to figure the Church, and then abandon the pattern Himself? God is the Architect of the Church (Ephesians 3:10-11) and He only designed one (Ephesians 1:22-23); 4:4). The blueprint is revealed in the pages of the New Testament. If all would follow the same blueprint then all would be organized the same New Testament way and be doing the same work. The builder of the Church is Christ. It is the Church of Christ and it carries no man made titles (Zechariah 6:13; Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:11). Those who obey from the heart the form of doctrine delivered from Christ are added to the Kingdom by God and thus become part of the spiritual house (Acts 2:47; Colossians 1:13; Romans 6:16-18).
Paul told Timothy, “O, Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust” (1 Timothy 6:20). We have been given God’s divine pattern for His Church. We must follow the same blueprint or we will not have the Lord’s Church, but a man made one. Let us follow God’s pattern in the name we wear: Christian; in our worship: doing all that God commands and in the way He instructs; in our mission: evangelism, edification and benevolence, the only three works in which the first century church was involved; and in organization: with Christ as our head (Colossians 1:18), a plurality of qualified men called Elders, Bishops or Pastors, shepherding the flock of God (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1; Acts 20:28), and with deacons and the other members faithfully following their lead. Yes, God has a divine pattern for the Church and if one desires salvation, he must accept God’s way for it is by His grace one is saved.