Not knowing how to express them is one reason why we have a church. In an effort express these thoughts to others, we are forced to think things through better....and there is safety in a multitude of counselors who love God and are not offended to meet with a difference of thought on a particular subject. Which is rare indeed.
I want to be shown where I am wrong. I will not let go of what I believe until shown from Scripture I am wrong, but who would want to stay wrong!
So, let's look at your thought on the courtyard. We know this for a certainty, that the work done in the courtyard represents the things done on this earth, ie. the altar of sacrifice represents the cross, and the lamb sacrificed represented Christ who was crucified on this Earth, not in heaven. The wash basin represented the need for the priests to be cleansed by the water of the Word before they entered into the ministry of the Holy places. We need to be careful for the types and shadows are very specific. For instance, the priests represented Jesus, but Jesus did not have to be cleansed before entering the heavenly sanctuary. The types involved in the laver only represented a spiritual cleansing of the human before entering into ministry.
"The laver was placed between the altar and the congregation, that before they came into the presence of God, in the sight of the congregation, they might wash their hands and their feet. What impression was this to make upon the people? It was to show them that every particle of dust must be put away before they could go into the presence of God; for he was so high and holy that unless they did comply with these conditions, death would follow. . . . The Lord requires his ministers to be pure and holy, rightly to represent the principles of truth in their own lives, and by their example to bring others up upon a high level."Now, you said something different in regards to not the courtyard of the sanctuary or temple, but you spoke of what was done before there was an earthly sanctuary that was first constructed during the Exodus from Egypt. Let us think on the sacrifices offered prior to the sanctuary and its services. We have Bible instruction regarding these. The first such sacrifice mentioned is that made by Abel who was murdered by his brother who refused to offer the acceptable offering. Well....that certainly was only the service represented in the courtyard which was typifying the death of Christ for our sins.
Let me add a thought. Why was the sanctuary and its services given to Israel? I believe it was because that which had been handed down from father to son had been lost sight of. Israel had been in captivity and when they came out of Egyptian slavery, they were little better than brute beasts. God took them from where they were. First, He had to show them their need of a Savior, that they could not keep His law from within. So, He made a covenant, a very simple covenant impossible for them to keep. It was "obey and live" which all happily agreed to. They quickly found out how evil they were and that it was impossible to keep the covenant on their own, just as Saul (Paul) discovered when the depth of the commandment came to his understanding and he saw he was not keeping the law. He then discovered it was sin that dwelt in him that was the problem. Like the Israelites at Sinai, he had no power to keep the law in and of himself.
With that covenant came the ceremonial law which was also a "law" that they must keep. But, in keeping that law, they were to learn about Christ and the plan of salvation. They were not saved by keeping either the ceremonial law of the ten commandments, but by doing the ceremonial law, they would behold Jesus and by beholding Him become changed, converted.
So, I am stating a truth, Dorine, that because of their reduction to little more than brute beasts due to slavery, they needed the additional instruction on the plan of salvation. What does this say about the service before the sanctuary? Well...we must go back to the time prior to Egypt when the family worship was led by the priest of the family. What I believe was initially given to man was all the instruction necessary to be reconciled to God. The reason why Abel made sacrifice was not because it was the first one to be made, no, his father had made sacrifices before even though the Bible does not reveal this. It would be something if the God of heaven withheld from Adam the plan of salvation which was based upon grace, the suffering and death of God's dear Son because of sin, the first being Eve's. In other words Abel did not kill the first lamb. Jesus probably did in order to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. But, Adam would have been the first human to kill an innocent lamb.
Dorine, do you agree? And if so, then tell me why God asked him do so and what was the response by Adam as he felt the warm blood running through his fingers? In order to better understand our initial question, we must begin at the beginning with the light we have been given. I think we are on solid ground at this point. Share where you may disagree. May God grant us His Spirit as we study this important subject, for His honor and glory.