Pattern Theology

When some read the title of this article, it is possible that they will instantly be opposed to the study at hand.  The idea of “pattern theology” is nothing more than a flippant thing to some people.  They seemingly have no use for it, and also seemingly ignore Biblical principles that teach the necessity of such.  Whoa!  Whoa! Whoa! Hold on just a moment!  Maybe I am getting ahead of myself.  I have not even done the simple task of explaining what “pattern theology” is.  I like things to be kept simple.  So, I will try to explain “pattern theology” in a way that we can understand it.  Theology is simply a term that denotes a study of God.  Therefore, “pattern theology” is the study of how God used patterns to bring about His will.

            Take for instance the tabernacle and it’s contents of old.  It does not take long when a study is done of the tabernacle to see that God intended for it to be built according to a pattern.  Just notice some of the precise and specific things that God commanded.  “And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold:  of beaten work shall the candlestick be made:  his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knobs, and his flowers, shall be of the same:  And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:  Three bowls make like unto almonds, with a knob and flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knob and a flower:  so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick” (Exo. 25:31-33).  Does that sound like God was flippant about details?  Does it not demonstrate just how precise God expected things to be?  After all, that was just some of specifics of the candlestick.  There were more instructions that God gave that were to be followed.  Perhaps God’s expectations are clearly shown when he commanded, “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount” (Exo. 25:40).  How much plainer could God have made it?  To be pleasing to God, the Israelites could not just “make things up” as they went along.

            Another example of “pattern theology” is found in the book of Genesis.  Hopefully most readers are familiar with the account of the flood and the ark (Gen. 6-8).  When the time came for Noah to build that massive vessel, God was very specific about how He wanted it built.  Please notice, “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.  And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of:  The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.  A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it” (Gen. 6:14-16).   It was not left for Noah to devise his own pattern.  Instead, God gave Noah a “divine blueprint”.  Now let me ask this  question?  Did Noah take this instruction as commandment or suggestion.  The answer is found in the following verse:  “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he” (Gen. 6:22). 

            Both Noah and the Israelites would have been displeasing, disobedient and disrespectful to do anything contrary to God’s pattern.  That was in the past though.  What about today?  Some have developed the idea that God does not care what we do so long as we are sincere.  In other words, there are people who believe that there is no pattern today.  Let us see for ourselves.  “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Rom. 6:16-17).  Did you catch that?  Under the New Testament, which is the law under which we live today, the Christians in Rome had obeyed a “form of doctrine” that “was delivered” them.  They had been given a pattern, and that pattern is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  When we obey the Gospel today, we are following the “divine blueprint” for salvation.  Please do not fall for the error that claims that God does not expect us to obey a pattern.  Under each dispensation of time, God has always had precise instructions that must be followed in order to please Him.
~ Corey Barnette