The Outer Court

The Outer Court is the only place within the tabernacle precincts that is exposed to natural light. As such, it represents that which can be plainly understood of God through the Scriptures. Therefore, this is where you will look to find those resources that can help you in your reading and study of the Scriptures.

If you do not know what the Scriptures have to say concerning your life and how it is to conduct itself before God and man, then there will be no foundation by which to progress through the Tabernacle itself. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was given to those, after they had believed, and the evidence of their belief was their willingness to read and obey what the Scriptures had to say regarding the occupations and habits of their life (i.e. drinking, adultery, fornication, theft, witchcrafts etc.) The baptism of the Holy Spirit is also what gains you access to the Holy Place.

God gives His grace to the humble, and those who are not willing to even mortify these outward aspects of their life show themselves unworthy of the truths or grace that will enable them to mortify some of the deeper issues that underly these ones. Just as righteousness has root, branch and fruit, so too does sin. Faith without works is dead, and if you are unwilling to heed the word concerning the fruit, you will not suffer the branch to be severed neither.

There are two predominant pieces of furniture that pertain to the Tabernacle in the courtyard. They are the Altar of Sacrifice, and the Bronze Laver. There are many significant insights into these particular pieces of furniture that will do much to open your eyes to begin to understand the Way that is being pointed out to us in Christ. For example, a significant portion of the bronze for the Laver was provided from the mirrors, or looking glasses of the women. What does this have to say concerning our ways and God's? This is where you will find articles that address these issues.

The Altar of Sacrifice was the place where all the offerings took place, and without an offering, there was no progression further inward into the Tabernacle. A due and proper understanding of the significance of these offerings, what they have to say concerning our life and relationship with God will provide a solid foundation for understanding and coming to grips with some of the deeper and more significant issues that you will confront in the Tabernacle structure itself, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.

We admonish you to not cast aside these basic and straightforward beginnings, for they are the foundation of your understanding of your life in Christ, what it is about, and what it is to become, if you would fulfill God's good purpose for you and through you, for His creation.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. [1 Cor. 3:11-17]