Oct 19
Entering The Rooms of Mystery
For those of you who might be new to this current theme of my blog, we are on a journey through the Tabernacle of Moses in an effort to see the many facets of how God gave us symbols, types, and shadows throughout the tabernacle in order to reveal the process and the transition of drawing close to Him. It is important to remember that the design and layout of this particular Tabernacle was shown to Moses (Ex.25) and he was instructed not to deviate from the pattern he saw in constructing it. It is a picture of Heaven, it is also the design of man who God longs to make the Tabernacle of God.
The outer layer of white linen curtains comprises the perimeter or wall of the Tabernacle. Inside the Tabernacle is the covered room(s) and Scripture calls the two as one - the “Sanctuary.” I often refer to them as the rooms of Mystery because form the outside you cannot see inside them and unlike the outer court they are covered.
The area outside the Sanctuary is the “Outer court” or “Court of the Gentiles,” where sin (lust of the flesh) is addressed in your life. This process in your life may also be called the Dark Night of the Wilderness, though you are about to find out that this area of the Tabernacle is much brighter than the rooms you are about to enter. It only seems dark because of the emotions you experience as you give up things that are ultimately destructive to you, all the while thinking you have to give up everything you like and enjoy.
THE ENTERING
It is now time for you to take a deep breath and move forward between the Pillars of Grace. You reach down to lift the screen, and step inside. As the screen drops behind you, you find it hard to see for a while. The only light that you have to see by is from the Lampstand to your left. It has seven flames, one from each of its seven branches.
It will take some time for your eyes to adjust from the light of the Sun to the light of the Lampstand. As that happens, you begin to make out the silhouettes of a table with some bread on it and on the other side of the room, directly across from you; there is an Altar with smoke rising from it. In fact, the room is filled with that smoke.
The room you have entered is small. It is one fifth the size of the outer court and therefore much smaller at 20 cubits long and 10 cubits wide, than the 100cubits by 50 cubits of the outer court. So you might feel a “pressed in” feeling. Some even suffer from spiritual claustrophobia and immediately want to bolt back to where they came from. One thing is for sure it will take some time to feel comfortable in this room when you are used to living your own life.
By entering this room, you not only have chosen to do so, but without knowing it you have now entered the Dark Night of the Soul and the next deeper level of your Transition begins.
More on the Rooms of Mystery in a couple of days.
Blessings,
John Paul
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My eyes were having difficulty adjusting to the intensity of the light and thoughts were racing through my mind as I was desperately trying to figure out where I was. Several minutes had passed before my eyes finally adjusted. I heard a voice speaking to me out of the light; “I have been anticipating your arrival and now that you are here we can get on with the business at hand. I mentioned to you about seeing things from My perspective, have I not?” Yes, I said, You have. I have heard your voice before, are you not the voice of wisdom personified in the book of proverbs… the woman who cries out in the streets? Yes. “Ever since the fall in the garden when Adam and Eve chose to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there has been a great separation as men chose independence. It was never intended to be like that, but when men choose independence; they set themselves up as judge.”
“Is it not true that the one unresolved issue that you have struggled with in your heart is all of the pain that your father has seemingly caused you”? Yes, I said - this issue has plagued my life for years. “Your Father was the one I chose for you. He instilled in you all that you have needed, to become all that I have called you to be. But you have judged him and in your judgment you have chosen to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; here in lies your struggle.
Let me explain it to you like this, when you chose independence by setting yourself up as judge, at that moment you became blinded by pride, that is why you have never been able to see what your struggle is really all about. Even though your father was not everything that you wanted him to be he was still the one that I chose for you. When you set yourself up to judge your father, you were actually judging Me. You do not believe that I am good, because your father has been so harsh, punitive and controlling; you think that I am the same. I am not! Your judgment of your father has blinded you so that you have not been able to see My goodness nor have you been able to trust in My unfailing Love. You must look to the One whose mercies are new every morning, for mercy triumphs over judgment.”
Finally, I began to grasp the enormity of this issue and cry out to the Merciful One to have mercy on me and to forgive me for accusing God of being harsh, punitive and controlling. The intensity of the light began to diminish and I returned to the room that I had been standing in, weeping in repentance for my pride and arrogance; asking God for the grace to be given to me that I might learn to trust in His unfailing Love and to know… that He is Good.
If only I could’ve seen this, years ago.
“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If He had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning” - Lamentations 3:22-23
Free on the inside, Lyle
Thank you so much John Paul. It has been so moving for me to read through these blogs. I’m initially reading because we were neighbors a long time ago in the duplexes and was curious to see where you’re at these days. And also I had a dream about you many months back and in the dream I was at your house and you were showing me around your living room.
How we need this teaching and to have this understanding especially in the times we are living in. And for those of us who are involved in the birthing of new ones into the kingdom I find the blogs immensely valuable.
God bless!
Dear John Paul,
The quest for more knowledge grows intense for I’m sure many of us…. Those couple of days will not come too soon!! It is truly a wonderful gift that you give us! Thank you again!!
Glorious Blessings in Our Internal/Eternal Lord Almighty!!!!
Dear John Paul,
Thank you so much for these blogs…I began reading through the brazen altar to the end of the dark wilderness. I need some time to process as I feel like it speaks to my immediate walk, I am excited to read through the last 4 blogs…..I really feel it is an answer to some prayers this morning for wisdom about some of my dreams as well as why my husband and I can’t really decipher the place we are in….now I see. Clearly. Thank you!! Do you have a book on the Tabernacle subject or is this something new you are working on? Blessings
Tiffany
Dear John Paul,
Thank you for this blog. Although I have only recently come across your blog, your series on the dark nights inspired me to read all your posts to date. And they have all been very helpful. I feel like I’ve been put through the wringer this year, and your blogs are helping me make sense of what has been happening. I think I have gone through a dark night of the wilderness because, among other things, I can definitely relate to feeling like I’ve had to give up everything I like and enjoy. At the moment, I am in a what seems to be a new stage which feels much like the absence or silence of God - and am having to rely on His Word to trust that He has not abandoned me. When you talk about stepping inside a darkened room lit only by a lampstand, it made me think of Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” I guess I am being made to grow up and stop depending on God’s presence to have faith He is there, and trust in His Word to light my way through this time of seeming darkness.
I look forward to reading what you write next.
Thankyou and God bless
Hi John Paul!
When I entered your blog I entered the room of mystery!
God’s wisdom. God is a mystery. We are the temple of God and Christ in us is this living temple! We are the living stones and togeter we have the revalation of Christ. To know God, we must know the temple. To know how weak we can be, but also how strong He is in us! When I am weak I am strong! When we walk in the temple, we need the Grace of God, because His presence is here.
Jesus came with Grace and thruth. To know God, than we must also know ourselves. The more power from God, the stronger is the need to see how weak we can be. But to know God is also to worship Him. In the temple, in the heart. To fear Him is to worship Him. The beggining of wisdom is to fear Him. The mystery of God is Jesus, but the mystery of Jesus is His Church! To know God’s mystery you must know Jesus! But to know Jesus’ mystery you must know the Church! We are the church. 5 is the number of grace, God’s grace. His grace is bigger than the grace of man.
That’s good to know! Even the truth of God can be hard to hear! But we must not forget The Grace of God! The same way as when Jesus walked on earth. They forgot the grace. It made Jesus angry. But that’s Jesus,and He is God!
To worship God IS many things in one; Love! To worship Him is to adore Him, praise Him, pray to Him, serve Him, bless Him. Thank Him, belive Him, trust Him, rest in Him. To worship is to help others, help the poor and needy. Help your grandmother or grandfather, your family, your friends, your city, your country. Pray for others. Pray for yourself! He loves you! To fear God is to know Him, and to fear God is to worship Him! That’s the beggining of wisdom. His Word is wisdom. He is The Wisdom. The rooms of mystery is rooms in us, and rooms in God. To know God we must know Jesus, but to know Jesus we must know ourselves! The angels around God’s throne cries; Holy Holy Holy! They get to know Him by worshiping Him!
Gods love from Isabelle in Christ.
This Post was edited by the moderator due to excessive length
Thanks, you are a gift from God. Right now there is so many that I know of that are in the dark night of the soul. Sara