When does a symbol of a past event loose its significance?
(Lev. 4:32-35; Psa. 95:8-11; 1 Cor. 10:1-12; Heb. 4:1-11) Blog Sep. 5-11, 2021
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: While God calls us to daily, weekly, and annual periods of rest, he also enjoins us not to cease from living godly lives, doing good to others, nor of daily communion with him. He is especially desirous that we remember our weekly covenant renewal with him by ceasing from our weekly employment on his holy Sabbath day. Since sin entered this world our need of rest has not only increased but also factors that hinder rest have also increased.
Old Testament Signs and Symbols
1. What is the purpose for using signs and symbols? Signs and symbols serve to help us better understand a larger reality – they make spiritual things easier to understand (Matt. 13:34-35).
2. What is the first instance of signs recorded in the Bible? On the fourth day of creation God said that he would use the sun & the moon for signs (Gen. 1:14).
3. Name some instances where God used the sun for a sign: God gave King Hezekiah a sign that he would be healed by moving the sun back ten degrees, he used the continuing nature of the sun as a sign that he would never change the words of his everlasting covenant, he portrayed Jesus as the “Sun of righteousness, & he foretold the coming of last day events by the darkening of the sun (Isa.38:7-8; Jer. 31:35-36; Mal. 4:2; Joel 2:21).
4. Name some instances where God used the moon for a sign: God used the moon as a symbol of Joseph’s mother, he used the continuing nature of the moon as a sign that he would never change the words of his everlasting covenant, he portrayed the bride of Christ as “fair as the moon,” & he foretold the coming of last day events by the moon turning to blood (Gen.37:9-10; Jer. 31:35-36; Song 6:10; Rev. 12:1; Joel 2:21).
5. What common Old Testament symbol pictured a reality that already existed in heaven? The earthly tabernacle was a symbolic picture of the true tabernacle that already existed in heaven (Heb. 8:1-5).
6. What symbol of the death of Christ was used to transfer guilt from the Old Testament sinner to the sanctuary or priest? The blood of the slain animal symbolized the precious blood of Christ that today can transfer guilt from the sinner to the heavenly sanctuary & its High Priest (Lev. 5:5-6; 10:17-18; Isa. 53:6; Col. 1:14).
7. When a lamb’s blood was shed as a symbol of the death of Christ why did it cease to exist? Since the slaying of the lamb provided forgiveness it was a symbol of Christ who would die for our sins & suffer the torment of hell on our behalf, it pictured eternal death for no created being of itself can survive death & hell, but Jesus, because of his divinity, could suffer both death & hell & rise again for God had promised to not let his Holy One see corruption but rather to rise again (Lev. 4:32-35; John 1:29; Psa. 16:9-10; Acts 2:30-31).
8. According to Exodus 31, of what was the Sabbath a symbol? The Sabbath was a symbol of the sanctification of God’s people (Ex. 31:13).
New Testament Symbols
9. What symbols did Jesus choose to represent his life and death on earth? Jesus chose every-day symbols of bread to represent his life & wine (grape juice) to represent his death & they continue as symbols after Christ’s ascension (Luke 22:19-20).
10. What was the only sign Jesus said he would give to the unbelieving scribes and Pharisees? To the scribes & Pharisees Jesus gave the sign of Jonah’s three days & nights in the belly of the whale (Matt. 12:38-40).
11. What sign did Jesus give to describe the visibility of his second coming? Jesus said, “as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matt. 24:27).
12. What repeated symbols were given to John on the Isle of Patmos? Some of the repeated symbols given to John in the book of Revelation were candlesticks for churches, stars for messengers, & trumpets for prayers (Rev. 1:20; 8:2-3).
13. Since the symbols of Revelation give understanding of the entire book, what would happen if candlesticks, stars, and trumpets were no longer known to human beings? If a symbol no longer exists, then it can no longer be a symbol of other realities & the things symbolized by them in Revelation would lose their meaning for John was told that the Revelation would be given to him in symbols (“signified”) (Rev. 1:1).
Applying God’s Symbols
14. What Old Testament symbols became obsolete when Christ died on the cross? When Jesus died the animal sacrifices, the earthly tabernacle, the annual feasts, & the Jewish priests all became obsolete (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14).
15. How does the Apostle Paul preserve the significance of the Jewish Passover while investing it with new meaning? Paul says that Christ is our Passover & that our lives (represented by bread) should now continuously be lived without the leaven of malice & wickedness but rather with sincerity & truth (1 Cor. 5:7-8).
16. What should we keep in mind regarding whether a symbol points forward or backward? It is important to remember that symbols that point to a past event continue to have meaning, while symbols pointing to a future event may lose their meaning when that event occurs ().
17. To what concrete objects does the Sabbath point backward? The Sabbath points back to God the Creator of heaven & earth & to God our Saviour who is eternal, while it is also used as a symbol of the rest God’s people were to find in the land of Canaan (Ex. 20:11; Deut. 5:15; Psa. 95:11; Heb. 4:8).
18. Of what present, spiritual truth is the Sabbath a symbol? The Sabbath is a symbol of resting in another’s work (that of Jesus completed on earth 2000 years ago) for our salvation (Heb. 4:1-11).
19. To what concrete objects does the Sabbath point forward? The Sabbath points forward to that eternal rest which will be ours when Jesus comes again to receive his bride, the church (Heb. 4:1-11).
20. When God uses a concrete object like the seventh-day Sabbath to serve as a sign or symbol does that concrete object then cease to have meaning in itself? No, concrete objects that God uses as symbols of other realities (like sun, moon, stars, Sabbath, bread, wine, & lightning) still continue to exist, else how would they serve as a continual reminder of past & future realities?(Isa. 66:23; Jer. 31:35-36).