The Tabernacle

Bronze silver and gold

God meeting with His people

Initiating

-Exodus 25:8-22

Symbolism excites me. Seeing God's redemption plan foreshadowed in the Old Testament is cool! I just finished reading about the construction of the tabernacle - a beautiful symbol of God's interaction with mankind. All the metal in or around the tabernacle was gold, silver or bronze. Gold represents God. Silver represents mankind. Bronze represents sin. You don't find bronze INSIDE the tabernacle or gold OUTSIDE the tabernacle.

The nation of Israel, at least two million people, came out of Egypt. Every man over twenty was required to give half a shekel of silver to the Lord to acknowledge His redemption of them. So the people brought silver to the Lord. The courtyard is made of linen screens with bronze bases below and silver curtain rings above. Sinful humanity - bronze and silver. The most predominant thing in the courtyard is the bloody, bronze altar where I bring my sacrifices.

Beyond the bronze altar is a huge bronze basin, or laver, filled with water. Directly beyond the laver is the screen, a heavy curtain covering the entrance to the tabernacle. Only Levites and priests pass behind this screen. The screen has bronze bases and gold rings - God and sin collide. Everything beyond this point is silver or gold. God removes the sin so He can interact with mankind. Yet God doesn't just want interaction. His desire has always been to dwell with us!

God takes initiative toward us! "Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them." (Exodus 25:8) The dwelling place God instructed them to make is the Holy of Holies, hidden behind the veil hanging on gold rings with silver bases beneath. God meeting humanity. Once a year the priest would go behind the veil to bring blood atonement for the sins of the people. When Jesus died this veil was torn from top to bottom. Now God is always approachable!

Don't just take my word for it. Symbolism is consistent throughout the Bible. Use scripture to interpret scripture. Pull out a concordance and see for yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach the Word to you. He loves that. 2 Timothy 2:15

Hebrews 6:1 - Repentance from dead works

Lay a foundation

Leave the elementary

Mature, build, grow up

-Hebrews 5:11-6:2

The first elementary teaching Paul mentions in Hebrews 6 is repentance from dead works. The first step for every Christian is accepting the work of Christ on their behalf. No one can work their way into heaven. This truth sets Christianity apart from every other religion on the planet. For millennium humans have tried various means to obtain their god's favor. If I pray enough times in the correct way...if I wear the right clothes...if I chant the words enough times...if I live enough lives...if my good outweighs my bad - then I will earn an eternal reward. If not, I will get eternal punishment. I challenge you to find a human religion that doesn't fall into that category. People spend their lives trying to win God's favor or appease His wrath. These are dead works; they are motivated by fear.  

True Christianity is not about that. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith, not of works so no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Salvation is God's free gift to His children. We rest securely knowing that every mistake, every wrong thought and wrong action has been paid for and removed by Christ's blood on the mercy seat in heaven. Our faith and love for Jesus is expressed through living works! That is what James is talking about. When I have a living, love relationship with Jesus, it must bear fruit. Fruit is evidence of vitality. Living works are an expression of the love of Christ in me working it's way out and touching other people. When I love someone, everybody knows it. I think about them at work, at school, at the grocery store. They invade so much of my thought life that it affects how I act. That's what our love affair with Jesus should be like. He invades our thoughts so much, our actions are affected.

Living works and dead works can look the same on the outside. Even Christians can fall back into dead works. It's the motivation that determines which category they fall into. The good news is God will transform our hearts when we repent from trying to earn His favor and ask Him to help us. He's so good!

Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10: 19-25

Wisdom from James

This morning God used the book of James (from the Message) to encourage me. I share to help others who may have become discouraged or tired in the race.

My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.

Yes, Della, there is purpose in your writing. The world is filled with books and blogs and articles about all sorts of things. God's purpose in your writing is to reach people who need to hear His truth through your voice. Keep at it.

This applies to all of us. We are unique creatures that are vital to the body. Whatever gift you have, use it for God. Sing! Work! Give! You do have gifts. It doesn't matter if you're the best or the first. It matters that you are obedient.

More encouragement:

Friends, don't complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The judge is standing just around the corner.

Sometimes people grate on us. It's easy to start identifying their problem (in detail!) But that is not God's way. Don't complain or criticize those who irritate. Pray for them. This will keep your flesh in check and your spirit running the show.

Don't bad mouth each other, friends. It's God's word, His Message, His Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it.

Bitter doctrinal squabbles about minor issues give God's children a bad name (and give God a black eye with non-Christians). Keep the faith orthodox, and have grace for each other on secondary issues. Internal arguments drive away the lost - and THEY are our mission. Some questions we should be able to answer when asked:

Who is Jesus? - THE major issue.
Why did He come?
Can I know God?
What is the Bible?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
How & why should I pray?

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do just that.

Practice NOT saying the first thing that comes to mind - especially in heated or tense situations. Submit your words to God for approval before you allow them to fly off your tongue.

(Thanks, God! I needed that!)