The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Exodus 25:8-9,
"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you."
The specifications for the tabernacle, its furnishings and the worship activities to be carried out there were exacting as given by the Lord. This chapter provides the dimensions and measurements, the materials and even the disposition (the golden covered acacia poles for transporting the ark were to remain in the rings of the ark provided for them - never to be removed) for the various furnishings for the tabernacle.
The Israellites were not to decide for themselves what the Lord's tabernacle would look like. They were not the ones to determine which things the tabernacle would contain, the size of those things, what they looked like or what they were to be made of. That was the Lord's to decide. The design of the tabernacle, its furnishings and the worship activities to be carried out there were things the Lord specified to fulfill his purposes. It is my thought the design of them reflected what the Lord wanted to communicate to his covenanted people and how he wanted to be approached by them. The Lord said he would dwell among them within this sanctuary, verse 8.
I am reminded of another sanctuary, a temple the Lord dwells within. Paul asks the believers in Corinth, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?" 1 Corinthians 3:16. To the Ephesians he wrote, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-22.
Peter tells us, "As you come to him [Jesus Christ], the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4.
As the Lord had his specifications for the sanctuary that Israel was to build and that he would dwell within, so he has his specifications for the temple or sanctuary he has made of us to dwell within. As an example Peter tells us, "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart." 1 Peter 1:22. Another is, "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Peter 2:1-3.
Paul has a great "specification" for us, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:12-17.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know. A blog with all my posts can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
"Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you."
The specifications for the tabernacle, its furnishings and the worship activities to be carried out there were exacting as given by the Lord. This chapter provides the dimensions and measurements, the materials and even the disposition (the golden covered acacia poles for transporting the ark were to remain in the rings of the ark provided for them - never to be removed) for the various furnishings for the tabernacle.
The Israellites were not to decide for themselves what the Lord's tabernacle would look like. They were not the ones to determine which things the tabernacle would contain, the size of those things, what they looked like or what they were to be made of. That was the Lord's to decide. The design of the tabernacle, its furnishings and the worship activities to be carried out there were things the Lord specified to fulfill his purposes. It is my thought the design of them reflected what the Lord wanted to communicate to his covenanted people and how he wanted to be approached by them. The Lord said he would dwell among them within this sanctuary, verse 8.
I am reminded of another sanctuary, a temple the Lord dwells within. Paul asks the believers in Corinth, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?" 1 Corinthians 3:16. To the Ephesians he wrote, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-22.
Peter tells us, "As you come to him [Jesus Christ], the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4.
As the Lord had his specifications for the sanctuary that Israel was to build and that he would dwell within, so he has his specifications for the temple or sanctuary he has made of us to dwell within. As an example Peter tells us, "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart." 1 Peter 1:22. Another is, "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Peter 2:1-3.
Paul has a great "specification" for us, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:12-17.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know. A blog with all my posts can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment