A Great High Priest
Ive been reading through the book of Exodus and have come to the point where the Lord lays out his groundwork for his tabernacle. Typically when I read through the Bible, I do so with a pen and paper in hand - searching for anything that intrigues me, anything that stands out, that will help me get a better grasp of who God is, or what he wants for my life. This is how I do Bible study best. I read as though Im about to make a blog post (hehe). If I can verbalize thoughts (or write them on paper) then they sink in better and in turn, I learn. If I have nothing to write down... then I have learned nothing.
As I was reading through the very specific details that God laid out about his tabernacle, I got extremely lost in the words - "have them make this and that to be this many cubits long and this many cubits wide. Lay this and that on top of these and those; overlay them with this and that and insert these here and those there." So many details!! I am usually one who is in love with details and wants to hear every step that happens, but I found myself getting completely lost in these! I then started searching and searching for something to "learn" from my detailed reading. There must be something on these pages that I can take away with me today.
2 things:
(1) God is ALL ABOUT the details! I couldn't help to think of two dear friends of mine who are leaving at the end of the month to serve our Father in Asia. The details that He has worked out to get them there blows me away! The details that he works out in our own lives day in and day out. He doesn't just focus on the broad pictures, but the little tiny snapshots that make up the big picture. God cares about the details!
(2) The holy place - the place where God's presence dwelled. Only the high priest could enter the holy place and petition for the people. They couldn't go there themselves. I am so thankful that we have full access to our Heavenly Father at any given time and any given place. We don't need a high priest to intercede for us. We don't have to offer sacrifices to atone for our sins. Jesus did that when he died on the cross for us! He has made the atonement for our sins.... forever! And he intercedes on our behalf at every moment we ask. We serve a God that is approachable! Let this roll around in your brain for a moment... it's powerful stuff!! As I was rolling this over in my mind, the song "Before the Throne" came to my mind. So powerful.
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest who’s name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hand
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within
upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because a sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me
Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God.
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of grace
One in Himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
As I was reading through the very specific details that God laid out about his tabernacle, I got extremely lost in the words - "have them make this and that to be this many cubits long and this many cubits wide. Lay this and that on top of these and those; overlay them with this and that and insert these here and those there." So many details!! I am usually one who is in love with details and wants to hear every step that happens, but I found myself getting completely lost in these! I then started searching and searching for something to "learn" from my detailed reading. There must be something on these pages that I can take away with me today.
2 things:
(1) God is ALL ABOUT the details! I couldn't help to think of two dear friends of mine who are leaving at the end of the month to serve our Father in Asia. The details that He has worked out to get them there blows me away! The details that he works out in our own lives day in and day out. He doesn't just focus on the broad pictures, but the little tiny snapshots that make up the big picture. God cares about the details!
(2) The holy place - the place where God's presence dwelled. Only the high priest could enter the holy place and petition for the people. They couldn't go there themselves. I am so thankful that we have full access to our Heavenly Father at any given time and any given place. We don't need a high priest to intercede for us. We don't have to offer sacrifices to atone for our sins. Jesus did that when he died on the cross for us! He has made the atonement for our sins.... forever! And he intercedes on our behalf at every moment we ask. We serve a God that is approachable! Let this roll around in your brain for a moment... it's powerful stuff!! As I was rolling this over in my mind, the song "Before the Throne" came to my mind. So powerful.
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest who’s name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hand
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within
upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because a sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me
Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God.
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of grace
One in Himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
So, I'm reading the EXACT same thing right now--it's rough. I've been tempted to actually draw a diagram of where things are supposed to go, because I just glaze over when it describes so much in detail "etc, etc, and put the ____ next to the _____ in the blank." One thing I'm getting out of it though, it that our talents and gifts come from God and he has a specific purpose in mind for them (I'm thinking specifically of Bezalel and Oholiab). (And, strangely enough, I study the Bible the same way--if I don't write it down, I don't get much out of it). Love ya!
ReplyDelete