Already well into Exodus -
Ex 28-30
Such amazing detail. All of God's focus is on this little band of people in a desert with one man on a mountain talking about some clothing. So delicate and so precise. So intricate and so much. I am lulled into thinking that maybe there really was nothing else going on in the world at that time.
I suppose that there are two options as I read these passages in God's instruction manual for His people. 1) Read the directions and feel the rebellion in me say, "I will just run into the Holy of Holies" disregarding all of these things. I will do what I want. Brush it all off. I mean, come on, what is with so much tedium?! OR - 2) I temper myself and realize who is talking. Then, I spend the rest of my days being careful to obey every word. The first way, the do it my way, leads to death. The second way, the do it His way, life.
When the priest goes before God, the garments indicate that he is representing tribes / people. The descriptions are so elaborate and beautiful. Ruby, onyx, gold, sapphire, topaz, sparkling jewels for sure. 28:2 says, "You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and beauty." Further I read of an engraved plate to be worn on Aaron's turban. It reads "Holy to the Lord." So much attention given to these things to one man out on a desert mountain.
I see that the priest represents the people to God. I see in this some of what it means that Christ is my High Priest. Am I really that Beautiful? Am I really that Holy? Am I really full of Glory? Lord, do you really represent me this way? Is that who I am to You?
Oh, man! Thank you Lord Jesus that you bring me to the Father in perfection.
(How glad I am that God spoke at length about clothing.)
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Way of the Wayward
Jacob! At the moment we read "the children struggled" in Gen 25:22 we are introduced to his character. The drama unfolds from the very beginning. At his birth, he was holding onto Esau's heel. So, he garnered the name "Jacob" which means "heel catcher," "supplanter," "trickster."
He is a man of industry, of endurance. He is also a man who deceives and connives his way through his days. A man filled with wayward energy.
Self-advancement colored his early years.
Jacob grabbed the family birthright. He swindled his brother when his brother had no food. (25:31)
Jacob lied to get the family blessing. He deceived his father when his father could not see. (27:24)
Jacob finagled Laban to get strong sheep. He developed an involved and deceptive plan to increase his flocks at the expense of Laban's. (30:42)
Self-pity colored his later years.
"You have brought trouble on me by making me odious . . they will gather together against me and attack me and I shall be destroyed, I and my household." (34:30)
he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." (37:35)
"all these things are against me." (42:36)
"then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow." (42:38)
"And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." (43:14)
"few and unpleasant have been the years of my life" (47:9)
So much self -
How can a man like this be loved so much of God?
How can a man like this be the father of a nation?
How can a man like this play such a prominent role for God?
Exactly!
(Thank you Lord)
He is a man of industry, of endurance. He is also a man who deceives and connives his way through his days. A man filled with wayward energy.
Self-advancement colored his early years.
Jacob grabbed the family birthright. He swindled his brother when his brother had no food. (25:31)
Jacob lied to get the family blessing. He deceived his father when his father could not see. (27:24)
Jacob finagled Laban to get strong sheep. He developed an involved and deceptive plan to increase his flocks at the expense of Laban's. (30:42)
Self-pity colored his later years.
"You have brought trouble on me by making me odious . . they will gather together against me and attack me and I shall be destroyed, I and my household." (34:30)
he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." (37:35)
"all these things are against me." (42:36)
"then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow." (42:38)
"And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." (43:14)
"few and unpleasant have been the years of my life" (47:9)
So much self -
How can a man like this be loved so much of God?
How can a man like this be the father of a nation?
How can a man like this play such a prominent role for God?
Exactly!
(Thank you Lord)
Monday, January 4, 2010
Red Light, Green Light
Several years ago I read through the Bible in one year. I was so blessed by that adventure that it is time to do it again. So, leaving off from the middle of John, we begin in Genesis. About 3.4 chapters per week should do it.
The book of beginnings as it is known. Genesis. How it all began - at least what God was pleased to reveal to us about how it all began. And that of course is exactly what we need to know. What may be unclear to us is certainly not unclear to God. We may trust the Spirit of God to enlighten as we read. Digging deep as we are able. The gems are sometimes deep.
As we read through the first 10 chapters of Genesis we find the blazing beginning is stunned by the fateful choice of Adam and Eve. Satan deceived the beautiful couple by taking a portion of God's word and adjusting it to fit his own designs. Subtle. After chapter 3 we find instant and ongoing violence, failure and rebellion. God addresses the festering evil gripping humanity by putting up barriers / hindrances or red lights we might say.
First, we find the curses in Gen 3 - Satan is limited to the belly position eating dust and the awareness of coming judgment. Eve is held in check by pain in childbirth and tension with her husband. Adam is hindered by the struggle to provide food for himself and his family. Finally, God drove the couple out of the garden and put a big "red light" preventing them from returning. In Gen 4, Cain's judgment is to forever wander - the spirit of restlessness that we find in Satan himself (Job 1:7, 2:2). Gen 6-9 tells of the flood where God destroyed "all flesh" because they had corrupted their way on the earth. A very bright red light there. Gen 11 describes the great language barrier that God placed among men who were rebellious. Instead of spreading out to fill the earth as commanded in 9:1, they gathered and schemed their own plan to make themselves great in their own eyes. Stop this! Stop that! Check that! No further there! NO!
We love Daddy for this. But in this, we see the relentless drive of man to rebel against God and live for self.
Then, we read words the spirit of which we have never heard before. Our hearts breathe at verse one of chapter 12. God initiates. God does something. He speaks! He launches His plan of putting an end to all of this corruption seen in the human race . . in people . . in you and in me.
NOW, the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth . . and I will make . . "
The words will stand for all eternity. A green light! Where will the "Go" go?
(Thank you Lord)
The book of beginnings as it is known. Genesis. How it all began - at least what God was pleased to reveal to us about how it all began. And that of course is exactly what we need to know. What may be unclear to us is certainly not unclear to God. We may trust the Spirit of God to enlighten as we read. Digging deep as we are able. The gems are sometimes deep.
As we read through the first 10 chapters of Genesis we find the blazing beginning is stunned by the fateful choice of Adam and Eve. Satan deceived the beautiful couple by taking a portion of God's word and adjusting it to fit his own designs. Subtle. After chapter 3 we find instant and ongoing violence, failure and rebellion. God addresses the festering evil gripping humanity by putting up barriers / hindrances or red lights we might say.
First, we find the curses in Gen 3 - Satan is limited to the belly position eating dust and the awareness of coming judgment. Eve is held in check by pain in childbirth and tension with her husband. Adam is hindered by the struggle to provide food for himself and his family. Finally, God drove the couple out of the garden and put a big "red light" preventing them from returning. In Gen 4, Cain's judgment is to forever wander - the spirit of restlessness that we find in Satan himself (Job 1:7, 2:2). Gen 6-9 tells of the flood where God destroyed "all flesh" because they had corrupted their way on the earth. A very bright red light there. Gen 11 describes the great language barrier that God placed among men who were rebellious. Instead of spreading out to fill the earth as commanded in 9:1, they gathered and schemed their own plan to make themselves great in their own eyes. Stop this! Stop that! Check that! No further there! NO!
We love Daddy for this. But in this, we see the relentless drive of man to rebel against God and live for self.
Then, we read words the spirit of which we have never heard before. Our hearts breathe at verse one of chapter 12. God initiates. God does something. He speaks! He launches His plan of putting an end to all of this corruption seen in the human race . . in people . . in you and in me.
NOW, the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth . . and I will make . . "
The words will stand for all eternity. A green light! Where will the "Go" go?
(Thank you Lord)
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