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Subject 11-1 : The Tabernacle
[11-5] Faith Manifested at the Altar of Burnt Offering (Exodus 27:1-8)
(Exodus 27:1-8)
1 You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar shall be square—and its height shall be three cubits.
2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze.
3 Also you shall make its pans to receive its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze.
4 You shall make a grate for it, a network of bronze; and on the network you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.
5 You shall put it under the rim of the altar beneath, that the network may be midway up the altar.
6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
7 The poles shall be put in the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar to bear it.
8 You shall make it hollow with boards; as it was shown you on the mountain, so shall they make it.
This evening, I will speak about the altar of burnt offering. When the Israelites violated God’s 613 laws and the commandments they were to keep in their lives, and when they became aware of the sins they had committed, the altar of burnt offering was the place where they offered the sacrifice without blemish that God had ordained to. The Israelites laid their hands on the unblemished sacrifice, cut its neck, took its blood, applied it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and poured the remaining blood on the ground. Then, the meat of that sacrificial offering was burned on the altar of burnt offering, so that they might receive the remission of their sins.
What Does the Altar of Burnt Offering Spiritually Mean?
The altar of burnt offering was a shadow of our Savior Jesus Christ. Just as the sacrificial offering without blemish received the laying on of hands at the altar of burnt offering and was sacrificed by shedding blood, Jesus Christ came to us as the Son of God and received judgment for all sins. Just as the sacrificial offering of the Old Testament had to receive the laying on of hands, take over all sins, and shed blood, Jesus Christ received baptism from John, thereby taking over the sins of the world and shedding His blood on the cross as judgment for those sins. In this way, the altar of burnt offering represents that Jesus Christ received baptism to bear all our sins, died on the cross, and rose from death to save us.
The Israelites offered sacrifices to God at the altar of burnt offering in order to receive remission of sin.
When we look at the words in Leviticus chapter 4, it speaks of the part where, if an anointed priest, a leader, or a common person commits a sin, he brings a sacrificial offering before God, lays his hands on the head of the sacrifice, kills it, takes the blood to the altar of burnt offering, and offers it to God, thereby receiving the remission of sin.
In fact, this altar of burnt offering was a place where the Israelites offered atonement sacrifices every day, so there was not a single day when it was not busy. The Israelites who wanted to remove the sin prepared a sacrificial offering without blemish and offered it as a sacrifice on the altar of burnt offering. The sinner laid hands on the head of the unblemished offering to transfer all their sins, and for the judgment of those sins, he cut the throat of the sacrificial offering, causing all its blood to flow out and the animal to die. Then, the priest applied the blood of the sacrificial offering, which he had received from the sinner, to the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and burned the fat of the sacrificial offering on the altar to offer it before God. Thus, the Israelites received the remission of sin.
Even when the leaders of the Israelites, the high priest, an ordinary priest, those among the congregation who were of the rank of the elders, or the entire congregation committed a sin, they still had to bring a sacrificial offering such as a calf, a goat, or a ram, without fail, and offer a sacrifice to receive the remission of sin. The Israelites had to lay hands on the offering, kill it, offer it by burning it before God, apply the blood to the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour the rest on the ground to perform the sacrifice for the remission of sin. When the congregation sinned, they offered a sacrificial offering as a burnt offering; when the leader who guided the congregation sinned, they also offered a burnt offering; when a common person sinned, they also offered a burnt offering. At all times, many people came to the altar of burnt offering with sacrificial offerings, laid hands on them, took the blood, and had to offer it to the priest.
Originally, the person who committed the sin laid hands directly on the head of the sacrifice, but when the entire congregation of the Israelites sinned, the representative elders came out and laid hands on the sacrificial offering. When a sinner offered a sacrifice, they had to bring a sacrifice without blemish before God, and they had to lay hands on that sacrifice without blemish for the sin to be transferred. That is why in the sacrifice, no part whatsoever should be left out when offering the sacrificial offering. Of course, the sacrifice without blemish that had hands laid on it had to have its throat cut and shed blood to die for the Israelites. So when offering sacrifices at the altar of burnt offering, a sacrifice without blemish was absolutely necessary. Thus, at the altar of burnt offering, the smoke of burning meat and wood never ceased, and the horns and the floor of the altar of burnt offering were always soaked with blood. The altar of burnt offering was a place of remission of sins where sacrifices were offered to wash away the sins of the people.
The altar of burnt offering, the place where sacrifices were offered and the smoke never ceased, was square with a width of 2.5 meters and a length of 2.5 meters, and a height of 1.5 meters. And in the middle, a grate was hung to place the meat on, and when fire was kindled under it, smoke arose and the meat was burned. That was the place where meat was burned and offered before God.
All the Utensils Used at the Altar of Burnt Offering Were Made of Bronze
The tools used for clearing the fire at the altar of burnt offering, such as those for removing ashes and containing ashes, were all made of bronze. The altar of burnt offering itself was also made by overlaying acacia wood with bronze, so the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils were crafted to be covered with bronze.
The bronze of the altar of burnt offering holds a clear spiritual meaning. Bronze speaks of the judgment for sin before God. Therefore, the altar of burnt offering is a place that clearly shows that a person with sin must receive judgment for that sin. Before God, there is always judgment for human sin. The altar of burnt offering was the place where the sacrificial offering was burned by fire to be judged for sin, and the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils were made of bronze, which means that there will definitely be judgment for all sins.
Moreover, the meaning of this altar of burnt offering includes the concept of ascending. People are always bound to be judged for their sins and are destined to die because of their sins. However, the altar of burnt offering shows that by bringing a sacrificial offering and performing a sacrifice, one can have their sin washed away, receive the remission of sin, and live again. Here, the altar of burnt offering and the sacrifices offered on it all speak of the baptism and shedding of blood that Jesus Christ received, which took away the sins of those who believe. Therefore, the faith of offering a sacrificial offering at the altar of burnt offering leads to the faith in the baptism and blood of Jesus Christ in the New Testament era.
When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we must offer to God the faith that believes in the baptism and blood of Jesus as our remission of sin. This faith is connected to the faith of opening and entering the gate of the court of the tabernacle made of blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen in the Old Testament.
All the Offerings Sacrificed at the Altar of Burnt Offering Symbolize Jesus Christ
What did Jesus Christ do when He came to this earth? We sinned before God and broke the law and commandments, so we had sin, but to remove all those sins, Jesus Christ was baptized by John, bore the sins of the world, and shed His blood on the cross. Just as the sacrificial offering at the altar of burnt offering received the laying on of hands, had sins transferred to it, was killed, and its meat was burned, Jesus Christ came to this earth and took on all of our sins by being baptized, so He could shed His blood and die on the cross in our place. The Lord was nailed in His hands and feet and shed His blood, so instead of us being judged for our sins, He took all of the judgment for our sins. Jesus Christ came to this earth as a sacrifice without blemish to remove our sins, and according to the purpose for which He came, He was baptized by John and shed His blood on the cross, thereby saving us from all of our sins and judgment.
What did Jesus Christ, who is the substance of this altar of burnt offering, do when He came to this earth? Jesus Christ was baptized by John, took all of our sins upon Himself, was crucified on the cross, died, and rose from death to save us. The Lord came to this earth, accomplished certain salvation, and ascended to heaven.
We Who Have No Choice But to Sin Every Day as We Live
In fact, you and I sin every day. As the altar of burnt offering carries the meaning of ascending, since we always sin, we must always offer sacrificial offerings before God. Therefore, the smoke of judgment for our sins always ascends before God. Is there even a single day when you live perfectly without committing sin? The priests, exhausted and worn out from ceaselessly performing sacrifices to take away the numerous sins of the Israelites, continued to offer sacrifices until they said, “Let us stop for today.” Because the people violated the law and sinned before God every day, they had to offer sacrifices every day.
Moses, representing the Israelites, conveyed the 613 laws and commandments of God to the people. At that time, in Exodus chapter 19, the Israelites pledged, “We will do all according to the word.” God said to the Israelites, “If you keep all the law and commandments, you will be My possession, and I will make you a kingdom of priests. And I will protect you.” Therefore, the Israelites desired to truly acknowledge and believe in the God who appeared to Moses and spoke to them through Moses as their God, and they wanted that God to protect them. Moreover, the Israelites wanted to keep all the words that God had spoken, not only to become God’s special possession before Him but also to become a kingdom of priests of God. Thus, they sought to keep all the commandments of God that He had given to them.
Did God Already Know That the Israelites Would Sin? Yes, He did. Therefore, God called Moses up to Mount Sinai, showed him the tabernacle, instructed him to build it, showed its pattern, and had him construct it accordingly. And within that tabernacle, God established the law of sacrifices to be offered to Him. When the Israelites wanted to offer sacrifices before God, they had to bring a sacrifice without blemish, such as a bull, a sheep, a goat, a turtledove, a pigeon, a grain offering, or flour, as a sacrificial offering. For most offerings, except for a few, God established the law that they must lay hands on the sacrifice to transfer their sins (Leviticus 1:1-3). The Israelites laid hands on the sacrificial offering to transfer their sins, cut the neck of the sacrifice, took the blood, and gave it to the priest. The priest then took the blood of the sacrifice, applied it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering, poured the remainder on the ground, cut the sacrificial offering into pieces, placed it on the altar of burnt offering, and burned it with fire, so that their sins could be washed away. When burning meat before God, not only the meat but also all the fat attached to the entrails or the membrane of the liver of the sacrifice had to be removed and burned before God. Thus, the sins of the Israelites were eliminated.
God knew that the Israelites would sin and established the law of sacrifices to wash away all their sins, and He also designated the sacrificial offerings to be used in those sacrifices. Although the Israelites always sinned, they could always receive the remission of sin and walk with God. God led them to offer sacrifices before Him so that He could dwell among the Israelites.
We Who Have No Choice But to Sin Always
In fact, when you and I look at ourselves, we can realize that we are only capable of sinning all the time. We always live committing sins at any moment. Whether due to our weakness, our many faults, our greed, our strength, or various other reasons, we commit many sins. Among those who believe in Jesus as their Savior, there is no one who does not sin.
Even though we believe in God and yet continually sin, the way for us to be washed away from all our sins and obtain salvation is to believe in the baptism and the blood on the cross of Jesus Christ, who came to this earth through blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen, just like the sacrificial offering at the altar of burnt offering. Since Jesus took our sins upon Himself by being baptized, shed His blood on the cross, and died to pay the price for our sins, how can we not receive the remission of sin through faith? Through the salvation of our Savior Jesus Christ, you and I were able to receive the remission of sin once and for all by faith.
Indeed, although we always sin, we could be freed from all sins through the salvation accomplished by the baptism and blood of Jesus Christ when He came to this earth. The Lord bore our sins through baptism, took on the sins of the world, went to the cross, was nailed to it, and completely delivered us from sin. The Lord received baptism for our sins, was crucified on the cross, took all the judgment for our sins, and rose from death, thereby completely saving us who believe in this truth. Although we are those who have no choice but to receive judgment for sin, through the salvation and merciful love given by Him through blue, purple, and scarlet thread, you and I have received salvation by faith. God has saved you and me from sin. We have obtained salvation from all sins by believing in Him. The altar of burnt offering demonstrates this.
When you enter the tabernacle, you might think there would only be beautiful sights, but when you actually step into the court of the tabernacle, that is not the case. The square altar of burnt offering, made of bronze, gives a sense of danger as if it could spew fire at any moment. The altar of burnt offering, made from bronze, awaits the sinner, and its floor is completely covered in blood, so anyone can feel that there was a judgment of sin there. Since it is a place where sinners offer sacrifices every day, the smell of burning meat and wood permeates the air, assaulting the nose. Beneath the altar of burnt offering, blood flowed like a river. Whenever the Israelites sinned, they brought a sacrificial offering to the tabernacle, laid hands on it to transfer their sins, slaughtered its neck, took the blood, and handed it to the priest. The priest then applied the blood to the horns of the altar of burnt offering, poured the remaining blood on the ground, cut the meat of the sacrifice into pieces, placed it along with the kidneys and fat on the grate, and burned it with fire. Blood initially flows red, but as it gradually congeals, it becomes sticky like congealed blood. In fact, when you enter the tabernacle, you will see terrible blood.
Every time the Israelites violated God’s commandments, they came to acknowledge through the altar of burnt offering that ‘I am one who deserves to die like this.’ This is because God made a covenant with them through blood. “If you keep the law, you will be My people and a kingdom of priests, but if you fail to keep it, just as this sacrificial offering dies, so too must you die.” This covenant was established with blood. Therefore, the Israelites accepted as an undeniable fact that if they sinned and violated the law, they had to shed blood.
In fact, not only the Israelites but all who believe in God had to offer the blood of sacrifice for their sins. Before God, if anyone has sin in their heart, whether small or great, it shows that they must receive judgment for that sin. Although the law that the wages of sin is death applies to all people before God, there were not many who believed in this law of God’s righteousness.
The altar of burnt offering tells us, according to the law that the wages of sin is death, that Jesus Christ, through the blue, purple, and scarlet thread and the fine twisted linen manifested at the gate of the court of the tabernacle, saved us from sin and judgment. Since we always sin and must receive judgment for our sins, He came to this earth in human flesh for our sake, received baptism from John to bear all the sins of humanity in His body, took on the sins of the world, was crucified, shed His blood, endured severe suffering and humiliation, and was sacrificed, thereby saving you and me from all sins.
Now that He has sacrificed His body to save us, we could receive salvation from all sins through faith. For those who have no choice but to die due to sin, Jesus Christ bore all sins through baptism, died on the cross, and rose from death, thereby saving them from all sins and judgment. When we look at this altar of burnt offering, we come to have such faith. By seeing that sacrifices were always offered at the altar of burnt offering, we come to know and believe that although we must die for the sins we commit every day, instead of a sacrificial offering, the Lord came Himself and accomplished our salvation. Jesus saved us by receiving baptism, shedding His blood on the cross, and rising from death.
Therefore, God the Father accepted a sacrificial offering in place of the Israelites receiving judgment for their sins and eliminated all their sins. The sins of the Israelites were transferred to the sacrificial offering through the laying on of hands, and then the blood, meat, and fat obtained by killing the offering were presented before God, and through this, the sins of the Israelites were removed. Through that sacrifice, our sins were cleanly washed away. That was indeed God’s mercy and God’s love.
God Did Not Deal with Us Only According to the Law
If God enforced it according to the law that He gave to you, me, and all the Israelites, how many people on this earth would be able to live and breathe? If God dealt with us solely according to His law, we would not be able to live properly even for a single day. Far from lasting 24 hours, many of us would die within just a few minutes. Some might die within an hour of the 24 hours, others within 10 hours—the only difference is the timing, but ultimately, we are all destined to die that way anyway. People cannot live for such a long, long time—like 60, 70, or even 80 years. All people will be judged before long.
Think about what happened in your life this morning. A son, who played late into the night, has a hard time getting up in the morning and tosses and turns in bed. His mother tries to wake him up, and it’s like a battle breaks out in the morning. Annoyed by his mother’s wake-up calls, the son shouts and makes a fuss from the start, saying he can’t stand the sound of her waking him up. The mother, irritated by her son’s behavior, shouts, “Look at what this little brat is saying. Get up quickly!” and spanks his bottom. In the end, both the mother and the son have sinned before God, and because of that sin, they must face judgment before God and cannot live even this day fully.
However, God did not deal with us solely according to His righteous law. Instead of judging us by His just law, God prepared a sacrificial offering on our behalf to fulfill that righteous law. God allowed the sin to be transferred to the sacrificial offering through the laying on of hands, the blood of the sacrificial offering to be offered in place of our lives, and the life of the sacrificial offering to be accepted instead. Thus, He granted remission of sin to the Israelites and all of humanity, saved us from all sins, and gave us life. Moreover, He saved those who believe from sin and made them His people. In this way, God made the Israelites priests of His kingdom.
Here, the sacrificial offering refers to Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Christ became such a sacrificial offering for the sins of you and me, bearing all sins through baptism, shedding His blood on the cross, and dying to save us who must receive judgment for sin. God sent His only Son, who came to this earth in human flesh to save us from sin according to the Father’s will, received baptism, and became a sacrificial offering. Jesus, through the baptism He received from John, bore all the sins of humanity, took on the sins of the world, was crucified on the cross, shed His blood as a sacrifice, died and rose again, thereby completely saving you and me.
When we hear the message of salvation—that Jesus received baptism on our behalf, died on the cross, and rose again after three days—it truly brings deep emotion to the hearts of you and me. The One who is without sin received baptism to take on our sins in our place, and as the price for those sins, He endured all kinds of persecution, humiliation, pain, suffering, and ultimately death that we should have received, thus delivering us from sin. If you do not believe in this truth, it is gravely wrong.
We Must Believe in the Salvation Made of Blue, Purple, and Scarlet Thread
If Jesus received baptism to bear our sins and the judgment for our sins, and was sacrificed on our behalf to save you and me from sin, we must have a faith that says, ‘Thank You’ to Him. While we are easily moved by hearing mere love stories, life stories, or idle tales, why are our hearts toward God so cold like ice? Because the grace of the Lord, who received baptism and died on the cross for us, is so immense, there are those who, like beasts, fail to feel it and thus do not give thanks to the Lord. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to this earth and became a sacrificial offering for you and me, taking our sins upon His body through baptism, offering His body on the cross to be sacrificed, being struck on the cheek, stripped of His clothes, enduring suffering and humiliation, thereby saving you and me from sin. Yet, if we hear this and still do not give thanks through faith, it is truly regrettable.
Jesus Christ came to this earth to save you and me from sin, judgment, punishment, and hell. That is why He saved you and me. Do you believe this? —Yes— Through that faith, we have become children of God. That is such a great emotion and a grace that cannot be expressed in words.
Because Jesus came to this earth, was baptized, and was sacrificed, you and I were saved from all sins. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). We sin throughout our entire lives. To save us, who must inevitably face judgment, from sin, judgment, destruction, and curse, the Lord left the throne of heaven and came down to this earth. He bowed His head to John, was baptized, took on the sins of the world, suffered greatly on the cross, poured out all the blood from His heart, died, and rose from death. Thus, He became a sacrificial offering for us, and He became our true God of salvation.
Do you think about that fact and keep it deep in your heart? As you listen to the Word, it is fitting that you believe in your heart and be deeply moved by the fact that Jesus Christ truly came to this earth in human flesh, was baptized to save His people from their sins, died on the cross, and rose again. If we truly know that we were those who had no choice but to go to hell, we will know deep in our hearts how great an emotion that salvation is and how thankful it is. We wanted to believe in God and wanted to become God’s people, but there was no way for us to do so. Therefore, for you and me who truly wanted to receive the remission of sin, He came to this earth, was baptized, died on the cross, and rose again after three days.
Without such sacrifice from Jesus, how could we have obtained salvation? It would have been absolutely impossible. Without His baptism and the blood of the cross, without the salvation of blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen manifested in the tabernacle, salvation for us would be nothing more than a midsummer night’s dream. If it had not been for the sacrifice He endured, we could not escape from sin, could not avoid punishment for sin, and would have entered into the eternal unquenchable fire of hell to suffer eternal torment. But He was sacrificed for you and me like the sacrificial offering of the Old Testament and saved us.
The Spiritual Meaning Manifested in the Altar of Burnt Offering
The altar of burnt offering is an altar measuring 2.5 meters in length and width and 1.5 meters in height, made of acacia wood and overlaid with bronze. When the Israelites laid hands on the sacrificial offering to pass on their sins, killed it, and offered it before God, the priest placed the meat on the altar of burnt offering and burned it along with the fat, and the blood was applied to the horns of the altar of burnt offering and poured on the ground. Whenever we look at this altar of burnt offering, we truly see ourselves as those who were trapped in judgment from which we could not escape. And just as the sacrificial offering dies in this way, we come to know that we too are those who must die because of sin. Moreover, the people of the Old Testament also came to have faith that the Messiah would come to this earth in the future and would be judged and die for their sins in this way, thereby removing their sins. The altar of burnt offering shows that just as the sacrificial offering received the laying on of hands from sinners or the high priest and had the sins of the people transferred to it, Jesus Christ the Savior, who came as a sacrificial offering, was baptized by John, the high priest of humanity, just like the sacrificial offering of the Old Testament, and died on the cross to save you and me from all sins. This is the spiritual meaning manifested in the altar of burnt offering.
The Salvation of Blue, Purple, and Scarlet Thread Fulfilled in the New Testament
Everyone, we must never forget the blue thread, purple thread, scarlet thread, and fine twined linen used in the tabernacle. The fine twined linen is the Word of the Old and New Testaments, the Word in which God promised from ancient times to come personally as our Savior, and according to that promise, Jesus Christ came to this earth. The blue thread represents that He bore our sins through baptism when He came to this earth. He was baptized as promised to come to save us from sin and judgment. To bear the sins of you and me, and the sins of all people in this world, He was baptized by John and took upon Himself the sins of the world once and for all. We must never forget this. If we forget that He came as a sacrificial offering and received baptism to bear the sins of you and me, there is no salvation.
As we live in this world, there are many times when we live in self-conceit. It is the human heart that wants to boast about ourselves to our heart’s content, even if we cannot listen to others’ boasting. There was a moment when I began to boast about someone other than myself, and that was when I became grateful to Jesus for being saved through blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen. I began to boast about Jesus. I speak and boast about how Jesus came to this earth and was baptized to take away our sins in order to remove our sins. That is why I never forget that Jesus could be crucified on the cross and that the Lord saved us, and I always boast about it and spread it, giving all the glory to God.
However, there are far too many people in the world who claim to believe in Jesus but preach the word excluding baptism, or who use Jesus’ name to boast about themselves. There was someone who said he spends 400,000 won a month on living expenses. He brags about this as if it were a great boast, saying that he lives on 400,000 won a month for living expenses, and that wherever he goes, the saints give him everything, so he doesn’t need to take money with him. Isn’t the saints’ money still money? Is that not money, and only his money is money? He says that when the saints give him travel expenses and such when he goes somewhere, he doesn’t take money with him when he goes anywhere. He says, ‘God, please give me travel expenses! Lord, I believe!’ and then a saint appears and gives him money generously. What do you think when you see those who speak as if this is a great boast?
Looking at the Word from Matthew 3:13, ‘Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”’ This is the Word about when Jesus was baptized. When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the water of the Jordan River and went into the water and came up, the door of heaven opened and the voice of God the Father was heard: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” At that time, John the Baptist was greatly surprised.
John the Baptist was surprised twice at this Jordan River. He was surprised because Jesus came to him and wanted to be baptized by him, and he was surprised because after the baptism, the door of heaven opened and the voice of God the Father was heard saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
What is the reason Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist? Here in Matthew 3:15, the reason is answered. Let me read from Matthew 3:15-16, ‘But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.’
In Matthew 3:15, Jesus tells the reason He was baptized by John who baptizes. Jesus is the High Priest of heaven and the only Son of God, and He came to this earth to save us, His people, from sin. Jesus came to this earth as the sacrificial offering who bore our sins, suffered the sacrifice for our sins, and paid the price for our sins. Therefore, Jesus wanted to be baptized by John.
But why did He receive baptism specifically from John the Baptist? Because John the Baptist was the greatest among those born of women and the representative of humanity on this earth. In Matthew 11:11 and 12, it says, “Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.” This John the Baptist was God’s servant prophesied in Malachi during the Old Testament times. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come—ASV” (Malachi 4:5). John the Baptist was the Elijah whom God promised to send.
Why did God call John the Baptist Elijah? Elijah was a prophet who, when the Israelites of his time were serving idols, clearly showed the Israelites who the true God was and brought them back to God. At that time, there was a god called Baal that the Israelites served as if he were God, and Elijah showed the Israelites whether Baal was God or whether Jehovah God was God. Through faith and sacrificial offerings, he showed who the true living God was, and thus he was a prophet who brought the Israelites who were serving idols back before God. Therefore, as God concluded the Old Testament, He made the promise to ‘send Elijah’. Because all people made in God’s image were going on the wrong path of serving idols and serving demons, God said He would send His servant to lead them before God. The one who was to come is John the Baptist.
Looking at the Word in Matthew 11:13-14, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come.” The Elijah who is to come is John the Baptist. In verse 12 it says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.” And in verse 11 it says, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Therefore, the fact that among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist means that God established John the Baptist as the representative of humanity. God caused John the Baptist to be born on this earth six months before Jesus. And God prepared John the Baptist as the last prophet and priest of the Old Testament. Therefore, as the high priest of the earth, John the Baptist baptized Jesus and passed on all the sins of humanity to Him. In other words, the reason John the Baptist baptized was to do the work of transferring all sins. The reason Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist was to pass on all the sins of humanity through that baptism.
Therefore, in Matthew 3:15 it says, ‘“Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized.’ It was fitting because Jesus had to receive all sins through John the Baptist’s baptism in order to fulfill all righteousness.
In This Way, the Lord Saved Sinners Through This Method
“For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” “All righteousness” refers to righteous work, and “for thus” refers to the method of accomplishing righteous work. The Messiah who came to save humanity from all sins, our Savior God, Jesus Christ who came as a sacrificial offering, in order to bear the sins of you, me, and all people of humanity, had to be baptized by John the Baptist, who was the representative of humanity, the greatest among those born of women, and the last priest of the Old Testament, and take upon Himself all the sins of humanity upon Himself. Only by taking upon Himself sins upon His body could Jesus become a sacrificial offering for all people of humanity. Because it had to be done this way, the word “for thus” is used.
“For thus” is the Greek word “Οὕτως (Houtōs)”, which means “most appropriate”, “in this way”, or “this way and no other way”. The word “Οὕτως (Houtōs)” means exactly that. In order for Jesus Christ to come as our Savior and take upon Himself the sins of you and me and of the entire world, He absolutely had to be baptized by John the Baptist, the representative of mankind. Only by receiving the transfer of sins through this method of baptism could Jesus Christ accomplish the work of saving us from sin righteously. That is why Jesus received baptism.
When Jesus was baptized by John, this baptism is exactly like the laying on of hands in the Old Testament. It was the laying on of hands performed in front of the altar of burnt offering in the Old Testament times to transfer sins to the sacrificial offering. Jesus Christ came to this earth and fulfilled through baptism the promise of the laying on of hands from the daily sacrifice where a sinner laid hands on the head of the sacrificial offering to transfer his sins, and from the yearly sacrifice on the Day of Atonement on the 10th day of the 7th month where the high priest laid hands on the sacrificial offering to transfer the sins of the Israelites once and for all. Jesus was baptized like the laying on of hands in the Old Testament, and took upon Himself all the sins of the world, washing away all sins. And because He took upon Himself all the sins of mankind, He was punished for sins and sacrificed Himself on the cross in our place. Therefore, Jesus Christ could become our true God of salvation.
We Must Truly Acknowledge Our Appearance
Therefore, we really must acknowledge that we are those who have no choice but to die and be judged because of our sins. We must know and feel this. And we must know that our Savior Jesus Christ came to this earth and was sacrificed for us to save us—that is, through His ministry of being baptized, dying on the cross, and rising from death to save us, He washed away all our sins and completely saved us from sin. And we must believe that Jesus gave us the gift of salvation, completed salvation, and gave that completed salvation to us as a gift. Jesus fulfilled all righteousness so that we could obtain salvation simply by believing, simply by accepting.
To make us know this, the gate of the court of the tabernacle was made of blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen. This is also the reason why, when you open the gate of the court of the tabernacle and enter, you see the altar of burnt offering first. All the sacrifices offered at the altar of burnt offering are examples of the method of salvation by which Jesus Christ saves us. The sacrificial offering that is sacrificed at the altar of burnt offering receives the transfer of the sinner’s sins through the laying on of hands, and in place of that sinner, it bleeds from its neck, cries out ‘baa’, and dies, pours out all its blood, and the remaining meat is burned. The remaining blood was applied to the horns of the altar of burnt offering and sprinkled on the ground—this was the method of sacrifice. All of these sacrifices are exactly the method by which Jesus Christ becomes the Savior of you and me. Jesus Christ showed through the sacrifices that He would come to this earth and save us in this way.
The sacrificial offering offered at the altar of burnt offering must receive the laying on of hands. Therefore, the tabernacle speaks of the gospel of water and the Spirit. Jesus Christ came to this earth and received baptism in His body to bear the sins of our humanity. Baptism is the sign of salvation that He received to become a sacrificial offering for all sinners in this world before God the Father.
Now we come to have certain faith through this tabernacle. Just as the sacrificial offering received the laying on of hands and took upon itself the sins of the Israelites, and because it bore that person’s sins, it had to be sacrificed in their place, so Jesus Christ came to this earth to bear the sins of you and me and to become a sacrificial offering for the sins of you and me. By becoming a sacrificial offering, He saved you and me from all sins and all judgment, and we have come to rightly believe in that salvation of love. Through faith, we come to give thanks and repay God for that salvation of love He has given us.
No matter how much knowledge one may have about the tabernacle, it is of no use if one does not believe. Therefore, we must know and believe how important the baptism that Jesus Christ received is. The tabernacle has three gates, all of which were woven in the order of blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen. People depict the gate of the court of the tabernacle differently because they do not know that truth, but according to God’s Word precisely, the 10-meter-wide gate of the tabernacle had to be made with each of the four threads occupying 2.5 meters respectively. Even in the order, the blue thread must be embroidered first, then the purple thread, scarlet thread, and fine twined linen in that order. Only when made this way can it be called a properly made gate of the tabernacle. This is because this is the exact gate of the tabernacle that God commanded to be made in the Old Testament times.
Looking at pictures of the gate of the court of the tabernacle today, we can see that it is entirely dominated by red color. The scarlet thread occupies about 4/5 of it, the rest is occupied by white thread, and the blue thread is made barely visible, so the gate of the tabernacle appears entirely red. Did God make the gate of the court of the tabernacle, the gate of the sanctuary, and the gate of the Most Holy with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen for no reason? There was a reason why it had to be made that way. No matter how much He came to this earth as the Savior of humanity, wearing human flesh and being born through the body of the virgin Mary, if Jesus Christ had not been baptized to take upon Himself the sins of you and me, Jesus Christ would not have become the true Savior of you and me. Also, if He had not been baptized, He could not have gone to the cross to be nailed and die for us. Therefore, the blue thread had to be embroidered first, and its significance was also weighty.
Who Should We Believe?
We must believe in Jesus Christ who saved us from sin. We can truly be born again when we believe in the salvation that Jesus Christ, the Son of God who becomes our Savior, has given us. When we believe in the Son of God as our God of salvation, when we believe in the truth that He came to this earth and received baptism for you and me to bear the sins of you and me once and for all and was judged on the cross, we obtain true salvation. Because Jesus Christ could not bear the sins of you and me except through baptism, He had to bear sins in exactly that way and could go to the cross to shed His blood and die for us. Therefore, we must never ignore this truth. No matter how much He is the Son of God and no matter how much He came to this earth as our Savior, if He had not been baptized to bear our sins, the salvation of you and me could not be found in this world.
Let us suppose that you are a person who owes a considerable debt. But someone says to you, “Don’t worry. I’ll pay it back for you. Don’t worry. I’ll solve it for you.” Let’s say there is a person who continues to say every time you meet, “Don’t worry, I tell you, I’ll solve it for you”, and scolds you asking why you can’t believe. In reality, he says to you every day, “I’ve paid it all back. Just believe”, but if he has not actually paid it back, no matter how much you believe, could you be freed from that debt? —No. —No matter how confidently that person says, “If you believe in me, that debt is all solved”, if the debt has not actually been paid, the debt is still there intact, and that person is only deceiving me. If you even ask, “How exactly did you pay it back?” he says, “Why are you so doubtful? Just believe unconditionally! I told you I paid back all your debt. You just need to believe, but you’re doubting—that’s not right.” Let’s say you believe him completely. No matter how much you believed that person, if that person did not actually pay back your debt, his words become lies.
This Is the Faith of today’s Christians
“Jesus shed His precious blood to save you from sin. He took the judgment for all sins. So He saved you.” This is how they speak. And when many pastors preach this way to their congregation members, if someone among the congregation says, “But I still have sin,” they say, “It’s because you lack faith. Believe, believe, your not believing is sin!” “I don’t know why I can’t believe.” “I believe, but I don’t know why I have sin. I really believed.” “Your faith is insufficient. Believe more. Go up to the mountain and believe while fasting and praying. Believe while starving yourself.” “Can’t I just believe while eating?” “No. Believe while starving yourself.”
Everyone, what is wrong when they tell you to believe without solving your sins, rebuke you for not believing, you try to believe but can’t believe well, and even when you really believed, your sins are not solved? Because they do not know that Jesus Christ was baptized to take our sins upon Himself, they do not have faith. Because you believed in something vain, no matter how much you believe, your sins cannot be solved. Does faith come if you believe unconditionally without any confirmation that it has been solved? It does not. When you know and believe how it was really solved and what He solved, complete faith comes once and for all. ‘Though I doubt You, what You have already solved is so certain. No matter how much I try not to believe, that salvation is so certain that I have no choice but to believe. Thank You for solving my problem.’ Even though you may doubt at first, the evidence that He saved me is so certain that you can no longer doubt. Jesus clearly showed us the receipt of water, blood, and the Spirit, which is the sign of salvation and the evidence that He saved us. “I have paid for you like this.” Only when we see that receipt showing He paid all our debts does true faith finally come.
While claiming to believe in God, while saying that Jesus Christ who is God is our Savior, while claiming to believe in the Savior, you cannot believe because there is no assurance of how He saved you and no receipt showing how your sins were paid for and eliminated. Those who believe without seeing the receipt may seem to have good faith, but in fact, that is blind faith. It is fanatical faith.
Do You Perhaps Consider Fanatical Faith to Be Good Faith?
Everyone, would it be good if a pastor with fanatical faith forces fanatical faith on others? “Believe. Receive fire. Fire, fire, fire, Spirit like fire. Fill us with fire, fire. I believe the Lord will give you blessings. I believe He will make you rich. I believe He will give blessings. I believe He will heal your diseases”, and when they make such a commotion, the audience’s ears become ringing and their hearts start pounding. With the finest sound equipment installed, the sound reverberates thunderously, “Fire, fire, fire”, and the audience’s hearts pound from that magnificent sound. Then, swept up in emotions as if strong faith is coming, they cry out desperately, “Please come upon us.”
At that time, when the pastor says, “Let us pray, I believe the Holy Spirit will come upon us abundantly at this time”, he stirs up the emotions of the audience. Soon after, the praise band begins to play, and people raise their hands, becoming enthusiastic as if caught in a sudden shower, with their emotions reaching a peak. At such times, he says, “Let us give offerings”, and “Especially tomorrow morning, God wants to receive special offerings. Let us offer special offerings before God.” Then people, in their intense emotions, unknowingly empty out all the money they have and don’t have. False pastors prepare spacious pulpits where there is never a lack of space even when money is piled up abundantly, and they place dozens of offering bags in front of it. When the band plays and people’s hearts become excited, they send offering ushers among the audience.
False pastors use lies that giving much offering brings blessings and methods that stir up emotions to make people cry and give money. This causes people to lose reason and perception and, overcome by emotions, unknowingly offer money. This is not based on God’s Word, nor is it preaching, but fanatical and blind behavior close to fraudulent acts. Thus, pastors with fanatical faith stir up people’s emotions intensely to fulfill other purposes.
If we know that the Lord received baptism to bear our sins and believe in that Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are quite calm except for being moved in the center of our hearts. The one thing that moves us is that Jesus bore our sins through baptism for you and me and was nailed to the cross and died. When we think that Jesus, who is God, bore our sins through baptism and died as the price for those sins, we are really grateful and filled with joy. We receive deeper emotion than any love confession that touches the heartstrings, more than any precious diamond gift in the world.
However, that emotion does not last very long either. While we can be intoxicated with emotion for some time, when we sin daily and become truly ashamed before Him, we become embarrassed and hide our faces. ‘Jesus received judgment and died on the cross for such people as us, so why do I sin every day?’ So we become too ashamed to be moved and rather become too embarrassed to come before God. Therefore, God taught us about the altar of burnt offering. The sacrificial offering offered according to the sacrificial law at that altar of burnt offering was Jesus Christ our Savior. Therefore, the altar of burnt offering showed that Jesus would come to this earth and actually save us through blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen. God wanted us to see the altar of burnt offering and receive salvation through faith in it. Do you believe? —Yes—
What Should We Do in This Age?
There are really many things we must do in this age. Because there are many who are following Jesus without knowing and believing in the gospel of water and the Spirit manifested in the tabernacle. There are many things we must do to make this truth known to them. We must spread the truth to those throughout the world who do not know the truth of blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen, so that they may receive salvation from the fire judgment of hell to which they must go. Therefore, we must make books to send throughout the world, and there are so many things to do—from revising and editing the books, to earning money for printing and sending them to each country.
So when you look at how the saints and ministers live, you don’t know how busy they are. Evangelist Ahn, who is working together with me, is also working without a moment’s rest. All the members and workers of God’s church become very weary in body from living so busily like this. Marathon runners say that when they run 42.195km, at a certain point they become so out of their minds that they don’t know whether they are running or doing something else, and I think we have reached that point while running for the gospel. Living for the gospel is like a marathon runner running a long distance without stopping toward the finish line. Since the race of the gospel continues toward the day we go to God’s kingdom, everyone lives with such difficulty.
However, because the Lord is within us, because we have the gospel of water and the Spirit, because we have faith that believes the Lord saved us with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen, because we believe in such clear truth, we gain new strength. Because He gave us the gift of salvation, you and I have received the gift of salvation. Therefore, the hardships of the flesh do not feel great enough to trouble us. Rather, the more difficult it becomes, the more new strength the righteous gain. We really give thanks to the Lord.
We feel spiritually, in our hearts, in our thoughts, and actually in our circumstances the new comfort that the Lord gives us and His being with us. Because we feel that He helps us, holds us, and is with us, we become even more grateful. We can do all things through Him who gives us strength. Therefore, we make daily confessions of faith that if the Lord does not give us strength, we can never do anything. Jesus Christ was not only baptized for us but also was crucified for us, was sacrificed, died, and rose from death to become our true Savior. Whenever we see the altar of burnt offering, we are reminded of this.
The altar of burnt offering was made of acacia wood and covered inside and outside with thick bronze. The height is about 1.5 meters, and at about the middle point, around 75cm, a bronze grate was hung. So they placed meat on it and burned it. Whenever we see the altar of burnt offering, we must see the appearance of you and me. Also, we must see that Jesus Christ was baptized in His flesh to bear our sins and received judgment for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross. You and I were really those who had no choice but to die before God because of sin and judgment. You and I were those who had no choice but to die because of sin and judgment and receive eternal curse. However, like the sacrificial offering of the Old Testament, we have received salvation through Jesus Christ who came to this earth as an eternal atoning sacrifice for us, was baptized, and died for us.
While the sacrificial offering would be pretty and cute when alive, how miserable would it be when it receives the laying on of hands, receives the transfer of sins, has its throat cut, sheds blood, and dies? That we who deserved to die so miserably have escaped judgment is truly a tremendous blessing. Such a blessing was possible because the Lord gave us the gift of salvation. As manifested in blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen, Jesus Christ came to this earth in the flesh and saved you and me with baptism and the blood of the cross, giving us the true gift of salvation. God has given you and me the gift of salvation—do you believe it with your heart? Do you believe the gift of salvation, the love of Jesus? —Yes— We really must have such faith.
When we see the altar of burnt offering too, we should know, ‘Jesus Christ saved me like this. He was sacrificed like this to give me the gift of salvation. Just as the sacrificial offering receives the laying on of hands, just as the sacrificial offering sheds blood and dies, He endured such suffering to give us salvation. He saved us from sin’, and we must believe with our hearts before God and give thanks with our hearts.
God wants us to receive by faith the gift of salvation and love that God has given us. He wants us to believe with our hearts the salvation of baptism and the blood of the cross that Jesus accomplished by coming with water and blood. I hope you will truly receive the gift of salvation with your heart by believing the Lord’s love with your heart. Do you receive it with your heart? —Yes—
Who Would Be Sacrificed for You Like That?
I have seen a tract that said, “Who would die for you? Who did you meet today and receive comfort from? Jesus Christ was sacrificed for you. Doesn’t this comfort your heart?” Really, who would be baptized on your behalf to take upon Himself your sins in order to remove your sins and die on the cross for you? Who would shed all the blood in their body and die to show their love? Who would endure such sacrifice for me? Your relatives? Your children? Your parents? No. God who created you, that God came to this earth wearing human flesh to save you from sin, was baptized to bear your sins, was nailed to the cross and shed His blood to receive judgment for your sins, became your true Savior, rose again from death, and is still alive today, giving you salvation and love as a gift. Do you truly want to receive this salvation of love with your heart? —Yes— Everyone, do you truly believe with your heart? —Yes—
All who believe will receive Him, and all who receive Him will obtain salvation. To receive Him is to accept the salvation and love He gave for us. Through believing with our hearts that love, that salvation, that washing away of sins, that bearing of sins, that judgment for sins, we obtain salvation. This is the faith that receives the gift of salvation.
All those things about the tabernacle represent Jesus Christ. God does not require any sacrifice from us. God simply tells us to believe with our hearts the gift of salvation that He has given us. “I came to this earth to give you the gift of salvation, received the laying on of hands like the sacrificial offering of the Old Testament and received the transfer of sins, and like this sacrificial offering, I miserably received judgment for sins for you. I saved you like this.” The tabernacle tells us this.
No matter how much God has saved us like this, no matter how much He has loved us, no matter how much He has given us the gift of salvation, it is useless if we do not believe. Just as salt must be put into the pot with the lid opened to make food salty, salvation is also of no use to you and me if we do not believe with our hearts. If we do not give thanks with our hearts for the gospel of water and the Spirit and do not accept it with our hearts, Jesus’ sacrifice becomes worthless. Only when we know what sacrifice and love Jesus our Savior who is God has given us and accept it with our hearts and give thanks does salvation become yours. If you do not accept it with your heart but only understand it with your head, it is of no use. No matter how much the soup boils vigorously, if you only think ‘I should put salt in, I should put salt in’ but do not actually put it in, the soup cannot become salty. You are saved only when you accept and believe with your heart that the Lord, like the sacrificial offering sacrificed at the altar of burnt offering, was baptized and sacrificed for you and me, thereby saving you from sin. When He gives you the gift of salvation, please receive it with gratitude. When the Lord says He has completely saved us, then it is right for us to believe that way.
Everyone, did God’s heart that loves you love you so haphazardly and carelessly? It was not. The Lord’s love was perfect love. The Lord saved you and me perfectly and flawlessly. He perfectly bore all sins through baptism for you and me and perfectly died on the cross for us, so we cannot have any doubt about that love. He has so perfectly saved us and given us the gift of salvation. We must accept the gift of salvation that God has given us.
Let’s say I have a very precious handkerchief made of gold in my hand right now. If I throw it to you as a gift, you would unconsciously stretch out your arm and try to catch the golden handkerchief. Wouldn’t you? How simple and easy is it that if you just stretch out your hand and catch it in your hand, this expensive golden handkerchief becomes yours? If you just open your heart and transfer all the sins of that heart to Jesus through baptism, you can easily receive the remission of sin and fill your empty heart with truth. The Lord said He gives salvation as a free gift like this. Salvation is something you just need to stretch out your hand and grab.
If we have received salvation as a gift, we do not need to pay even a penny. And if we have received it from One who delights in giving, the person who receives it with gratitude is blessed. The one who joyfully accepts God’s love is clothed in His love, and such a person is the one who loves the Giver. Accepting the gift is doing well. When you accept the gift of salvation that God has given you, the true gift of salvation becomes yours. If you do not accept it with your heart, no matter how much you try, the gift of salvation will not become yours.
I also accepted that gift of salvation. ‘The Lord received baptism like this for me. By receiving baptism like that, He received judgment for all sins. The Lord’s receiving baptism was ultimately for me. Thank You so much.’ I believed like that. Therefore, I have no sin now. I have received the remission of sin perfectly. If you also want to receive the remission of sin and be saved, accept it now.
I always think about this gift of salvation that I have received. Even at this moment, if I think about it once more, I will know that there is nothing else I can do but give thanks for the salvation the Lord has given me. Because this salvation of love is in my heart, I can never forget it. When I first accepted and believed the gospel of water and the Spirit, which is the truth manifested in blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine twined linen, and received the remission of sin, I was really grateful, but even now after several years have passed, I still have the same grateful heart and feel newness every day. Jesus came to this earth to save me, was baptized to bear my sins, and died on the cross to receive judgment for my sins. When I knew that it was for me, I immediately accepted it and made it mine. I always realize that this was the best thing I did while living in this world and was the wisest and smartest action. Therefore, I believe that the Lord truly loves and cares for me, and I confess that I believe He did so because He loves me. “Lord, I give thanks to You. Just as You loved me, I also love You.” Making such a confession is great joy for those who are born again.
The Lord’s love never changes forever. Just as His love for us never changes forever, our love for Him can never change forever either. Sometimes when we are sick and struggling, our hearts may go wrong and we may forget that love and feel like betraying Him. However, even when we have such severe headaches and are in so much pain that our minds become confused and we can only think of the pain, God holds us with His single-minded devotion so that we cannot forget the Lord’s love in our hearts. God loves us forever. The Lord’s coming as a creature for us was because He loved us even to the point of dying for us. Now believe in that love with which God loves you. And accept it. Everyone, do you believe? We give thanks that the Lord saved us from sin with such love.
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