What's for One? What's for All? - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 Leviticus 8:2-4,

"'Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast, and gather the entire assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting.' Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting."

When God spoke to Moses on Mt. Horeb it was without the presence of the people of Israel. Only Moses himself was allowed up on the mountain when God gave the law. Not so when it came time to consecrate the tabernacle and the priests for the worship that was to take place there. The consecration of the tabernacle, its furnishings and the priests themselves was to be done in full view of the Israelites so they knew what was ordained by God for the worship of himself.

The Israelites had entered into a covenant with God. The law of God and the prescribed worship of him were non-optional.God told them the way they were to live their lives and the way they were to worship him. The criteria for how they were to live their lives, the law, would be given to the Israelites through an intermediary, Moses. When it came time to set apart the tabernacle with its furnishings and the priesthood for worship, the Israelites were to be witnesses of the event.

God communicated to the Israelites that in some things he would use an intermediary or mediator and in others he would engage the people directly. 

It appears to me that there are those things that follow similar kinds of patterns. Paul speaks of a vision of heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. One man experienced heaven while others were only told of it. Obviously God permitted or determined something for only one man. Likewise, when it came to the transfiguration of Jesus, Matthew 17:1-13. only three were allowed to witness it, Peter, James and John. Everyone else was only told of it. The same for the revelation John experienced.

Accepting or knowing this seems to me to be helpful so that believers don't go off the deep end just because they read of something in the pages of Scripture. In the 19th century it was fashionable for those who wanted to enter the ministry to claim to have had some encounter with God that rivaled Paul's encounter on the road to Damascus, something just as dramatic with bright light, the presence of angels and the whole nine yards. Today we see those who fashion themselves to be apostles or prophets or whatever.

It cannot be escaped that there are those who fail to recognize that just because God had something for someone or a few doesn't mean he intends it for all. In other things he does in fact intend for all. I think wisdom is appropriate to discern the differences here. Obviously, discernment and wisdom are not always employed.

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!

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