“Wait! Could you say that again?” Margaret interjected suddenly, sitting forward in her chair. Her query brought the Bible study to an abrupt pause. Our small group was about to complete the final chapters of By this Name. Each one of us was rapt with attention as we carefully connected key accounts in the Old Testament with what was accomplished in the New Testament, focusing on the stories of the empty cross and the empty tomb. With each key event, a visual aid illustrated the main point. It was the Tabernacle Model Set that elicited Margaret’s quick response.
“Say what?” I asked her to clarify.
“What you just said about Jesus being a priest for us. Could you repeat it again like you did before, showing it with the Tabernacle model?” So I repeated the verse that I had just read from Hebrews 10, indicating on the model where the priest would annually enter into the Holy of Holies with the blood sacrifice for the sins of the people.
“...we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest [Jesus] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” —Hebrews 10:10-12 (NIV)
Pointing again to the veil on the Tabernacle model, I reminded Margaret that when Jesus died on the cross, he cried “Tetelestai!—It is finished!” and the temple veil was torn from top to bottom.
“Wait!” she exclaimed. “So that means Jesus died once for all!” Then she continued, “His sacrifice was what removed sin for all time. He’s the perfect lamb...” She paused. “...and He’s my high priest! That’s the best news ever! I don’t have to go through a priest to be right with God, because Jesus has opened the Holy Place for me.” The significance of her new understanding began to sink in and, with it, a profound sense of peace.
Margaret had spent her entire life faithfully following the protocols of Catholicism. Her reverence for God had been stifled by the prerequisite that she could only approach him through an earthly priest. So when the 3D Tabernacle model reinforced what she saw clearly in Scripture, the meaning made a powerful impression on her.
Visual aids such as the Tabernacle Model Set are invaluable in conveying the truth of Scripture in a very powerful way.
What Next?
- We often hear stories of how peoples' lives are being changed through the use of our materials. If you'd like, here are some more stories.
- To learn more about the message that helped change this lady's life, check out By this Name.
