today's meditation (Ex.27) Keep the Light Burning

(Dear Lord Jesus, help me focus as I read and study Your word...)

(Exodus 27:1-21)  “And you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3 You shall make its pails for removing its ashes, and its shovels and its basins and its forks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4 You shall make for it a grating of network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5 You shall put it beneath, under the ledge of the altar, so that the net will reach halfway up the altar. 6 You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. 7 Its poles shall be inserted into the rings, so that the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. 8 You shall make it hollow with planks; as it was shown to you in the mountain, so they shall make it.

9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for one side; 10 and its pillars shall be twenty, with their twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 11 Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars with their twenty sockets of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. 12 For the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten sockets. 13 The width of the court on the east side shall be fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three sockets. 15 And for the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits with their three pillars and their three sockets. 16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver, with their four pillars and their four sockets. 17 All the pillars around the court shall be furnished with silver bands with their hooks of silver and their sockets of bronze. 18 The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the width fifty throughout, and the height five cubits of fine twisted linen, and their sockets of bronze. 19 All the utensils of the tabernacle used in all its service, and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

20 “You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the Lord; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

From this scripture, we can see that God is organized, purposeful, and covers every detail required.  According to God's purpose, He chose the Israelites to be the missionaries to the world.  And working together, not only were they to build God's sanctuary, but they were to work together to keep the lamp burning.  

God has created all of us with purpose!  And with purpose comes "work"!  Therefore God has given each one of us spiritual gifts in order to work together, filling in every little detail required.  Just so, believers should be using their gifts as they work together to build up the Church body, so that each one of us will continually be the light of Jesus, shining out into the world the message of hope and salvation.  

today's meditation (Ex.26) God's Mercy

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word...)

(Exodus 26:1-37)  “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 2 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements. 3 Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. 4 You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 5 You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other. 6 You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit.

7 “Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. 8 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measurements. 9 You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 10 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.

11 “You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it will be a unit. 12 The overlapping part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. 13 The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other, to cover it. 14 You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above.

15 “Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17 There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side. 19 You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons; 20 and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 22 For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23 You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24 They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25 There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.

26 “Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west. 28 The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29 You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain.

31 “You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 32 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. 34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies. 35 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.

36 “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37 You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

God is the master architect.  Remember, God gave the "blue prints" to Noah in order to build the ark, which saved Noah and his family from dying.  Noah was chosen and able to enter the ark because he had faith in God, and therefore was seen as "righteous" in God's eyes.

The "blue prints" for Israel's tabernacle, although "temporary". was going to be beautiful as well as sturdy!  This tent was also an illustration of the relationship between God and mankind.  The space behind the veil (called the holy of holies) represented God.  Here, the mercy seat and the ark of the testimony was kept.

God is holy.  Therefore, for us to have a close relationship with God, we must be holy - clean - pure.  This is only possible through Jesus' work on the cross.  Because of God's mercy, when we put our faith in Jesus, all our sins are forgiven - forever!  And because of the righteousness of Christ, when we put our faith in Jesus, we are seen as "righteous" in God's eyes.

Faith in Christ is all we need in order to approach God and receive His mercy.

today's meditation (Ex.25:10-40) Embrace God's Beauty

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word...)

(Exodus 25:10-40)  “They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. 11 You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. 12 You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. 13 You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. 15 The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. 16 You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.
17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18 You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21 You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22 There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

23 “You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long and one cubit wide and one and a half cubits high. 24 You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it. 25 You shall make for it a rim of a handbreadth around it; and you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. 26 You shall make four gold rings for it and put rings on the four corners which are on its four feet. 27 The rings shall be close to the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that with them the table may be carried. 29 You shall make its dishes and its pans and its jars and its bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30 You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

31 “Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. 33 Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; 34 and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35 A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36 Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. 38 Its snuffers and [their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. 40 See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

While reading this I try to visualize how beautiful this tabernacle would have looked.  And to think that however beautiful, what we will have in heaven will exceed this to an unimaginable degree.
What also stood out in this scripture is God's involvement in making all of these things for the tabernacle.  He didn't just ask Moses to make something beautiful, God told Moses, "I will give you", "I will meet with you", "I will speak to you", "I will give you"... and make these as I have "shown" you...  God's involvement was all-encompassing. 

And God's involvement with building the Church is all-encompassing.  God doesn't just ask us to live beautiful lives in His name...

- God GIVES salvation through Jesus, redeeming and adopting those who believe in Him
- God MEETS with us through His indwelling Holy Spirit, as well as using the Church itself, to fellowship, encourage and build up His children
- God SPEAKS to us through His word and the guidance of His Holy Spirit
- God GIVES His children His lovingkindness, peace, hope, joy, confidence, strength...
- and God HAS SHOWN us His perfect example by coming to earth in flesh 

Oh how I want to embrace the beauty of Christ - and let it be my beauty - so that the world can see Jesus!

today's meditation (Ex.25:1-16) Give as the Lord Gives

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word...)

(Exodus 25:1-9)  Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. 3 This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, 4 blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, 5 rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, 6 oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

One could think this extra giving - over and above the expected tithing - is a little excessive.  But remember, at the exodus, it was God who caused the Egyptians to give the Israelites all their gold and silver, and anything else that was requested.

Giving to the Lord should be pretty simple, really - if we realize that the Lord has given us everything that we earn and everything that we have!