Finding Jesus in the Strange and Confusing Parts of Scripture

Have you ever opened your Bible to a passage that left you completely bewildered? Perhaps you encountered instructions about animal sacrifices, detailed descriptions of ancient worship practices, or mysterious objects like a staff that suddenly sprouted buds. If so, you’re not alone. Many Christians find themselves intimidated by the more obscure passages of Scripture, quickly retreating to familiar, comforting verses instead.

But what if these strange and confusing parts of the Bible hold treasures we’re missing? What if understanding them could actually deepen our experience of God’s love?

The Tabernacle: More Than Just Ancient Architecture

Consider the elaborate worship system described in Hebrews 9. At first glance, it reads like an inventory list from an ancient museum: a lampstand, a table with bread, a golden altar of incense, an ark covered in gold, cherubim statues, and a high priest sprinkling blood. It’s easy to skim past these details, assuming they’re irrelevant to modern faith.

Yet each element carries profound meaning.

The tabernacle itself—the tent where God met with His people—wasn’t just a religious building. It was a powerful statement: the God of the universe desires to dwell with humanity. He doesn’t remain distant and aloof. He pursues relationship. He sets up a meeting place and says, “Come. Be with me.”

The lampstand with its seven flames burning continuously represented God’s guiding light in a dark and confusing world. We all face moments when we don’t know which direction to turn, when life’s path seems unclear. This symbol reminds us that God’s illumination never dims.

The table with bread—called the bread of the presence—demonstrated something beautiful: God wanted to sit at a table and share a meal with His people. Unlike pagan religions where priests pretended their gods consumed offerings, the biblical account is refreshingly honest. The priests brought the bread as a symbol of God’s provision, then ate it together in His presence. God wasn’t demanding to be fed; He was inviting His people to fellowship.

The Holy of Holies: Approaching the Unapproachable

The most sacred space in the tabernacle was the Most Holy Place, where God’s presence was most concentrated. Only the high priest could enter, and only once per year, after extensive preparation. This wasn’t arbitrary religious protocol—it was a sobering reminder that approaching the source of all life requires reverence and awe.

Inside this sacred space sat the Ark of the Covenant, a golden box containing three significant items: the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, a jar of manna from the wilderness, and Aaron’s staff that miraculously budded. Each item told a story of God’s faithfulness—His law, His provision, His chosen leadership.

On top of the ark was the mercy seat, flanked by golden cherubim. Here’s what’s remarkable: while kings typically sit on thrones to pronounce judgments, this King declared His throne to be a place of mercy. God was saying, “Yes, I am holy. Yes, I am to be approached with reverence. But when you come, you’ll find mercy.”

When Blood Speaks Louder Than Words

The practice of the high priest entering with blood once a year might seem strange or even off-putting to modern readers. But blood in Scripture represents life itself. These sacrifices demonstrated the deadly seriousness of humanity’s sin problem and the costly nature of the solution.

The people couldn’t fix their broken relationship with God through good intentions or moral improvement. Something had to die so they could live. Year after year, sacrifice after sacrifice, this truth was driven home.

The Point of It All

So why did God establish such an elaborate system? Why all the symbols, the rituals, the years of repeated sacrifices?

Because it was all pointing to someone.

Jesus Himself made this clear when He told the religious leaders, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39). After His resurrection, He walked with two disciples and “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

The tabernacle where God met with humanity? Jesus is the true meeting place. As John wrote, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”—literally, He “tabernacled” with us.

The bread of the presence? Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).

The lampstand providing light? Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

The altar of incense representing prayers rising to God? Jesus serves as our High Priest, delivering our prayers directly into heaven’s throne room.

The blood sacrifices? Jesus shed His blood once and for all, paying the penalty for our sins. And unlike the animals that remained dead, Jesus rose from the grave, proving His sacrifice was accepted and no more sacrifices are needed.

Why So Long? Why So Complicated?

You might wonder why God took thousands of years to unfold this plan. Why not just send Jesus immediately?

Perhaps it’s similar to asking why God created 8.7 million species of animals when a hundred would suffice, or why He scattered an estimated one septillion stars across the universe when we primarily use just one. God is extravagant. He is lavish. His ways display His glory and grandeur in ways we cannot fully comprehend.

But the lengthy journey also reveals something else: the depths of God’s love. How much does God love His people? Thousands of years of faithfulness worth. Walking with hard-hearted, rebellious people, providing for them, forgiving them, bringing them back from the brink time and again—that’s how much.

An Invitation to Explore

The strange and confusing parts of Scripture aren’t obstacles to avoid. They’re invitations to explore the vastness of God’s character and the richness of His love. When we encounter passages that perplex us, we’re being invited out of our small, self-focused stories into something supernatural, something far bigger and better than our daily concerns.

Every strange symbol, every confusing ritual, every mysterious object in the Old Testament whispers the same message: Jesus is coming. And now, on this side of the cross, they all shout: Jesus has come. He loves you. He died for you. He rose again. And one day, He will return.

The whole story points to Him. And that makes even the strangest passages worth exploring.