365 Reflections

We can easily get stuck in the past. That was one of the problems with Israel's leaders who returned from exile to rebuild the nation, starting with the Temple. The destruction of the former things left them heartsick over what was lost, rather than focused on what God would restore to them. And into this atmosphere, the Lord speaks through Haggai.  Haggai 2:1–3 (ESV)  In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Sixty-six years had passed since the exile and destruction of Solomon's temple. Perhaps only a few people remembered the former things. But sometimes you just need a hint of the past to get stuck in the pres...

The book of Jonah forces us to ask some difficult questions. Here's one more.  Is it true that sometimes non-believers are better than believers? Chapter one makes me ask this. Jonah is on a ship headed away from God's presence. God will not let him go quietly into that good night.  Jonah 1:4–6 (ESV)   But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea , and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.” Already, the picture is troubling. Being on the sea is already a tense environment. To be in such a storm and be dropping cargo to survive ...

David has had a rough go of things at the beginning of his reign as king. He lost Uzzah and he's been attacked repeatedly by his age-old nemesis, the Philistines in 1 Chronicles 13-14. But all those moments were lessons that would lead David into the best possible place, the presence of God.  We need to learn to thank God when we face difficulties that disturb us. David was disturbed by Uzzah's death at the hand of God and then no doubt was disturbed by the attacks on his kingdom by the Philistines. Now he's come around to learn the value of listening to God. In 1 Chronicles 15, he lays out clearly why things went so poorly for the kingdom up to this time. 1 Chronicles 15:1–2 (ESV) David built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him forever. Notice David...

1 Chronicles 6:1 (ESV)  The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The Tribe of Levi is central to the genealogical record in 1 Chronicles. This pattern reflects the central location of the tribe in their placement among the other tribes and dispersed around the tabernacle. The priestly tribe of Israel was to have a key function in mediating the presence of God for the people of God. First Chronicles not only outlines the genealogical records but also the roles and responsibilities of the families within the Levite tribe. There are three families in the tribe of Levi as we see from verse 1. Gershon was responsible for the care and furnishing of the tabernacle. They were also the largest family of Levites. The Kohathites were responsible for the services of the tabernacle - sacrifices, and offerings. Aaron's family (the high priests) descended from them. The Merarites were responsible for the structure of the tabernacle. They carried the pillars, bars, bases, and accessories....

Judges 6:7–8 (ESV) When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites, 8 the LORD sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. For the first time in the Judges cycle, when Israel is oppressed they don't get a deliverer, they get a prophet. The point is clear. God knows their previous and current repentance has been superficial. They have only lamented the loss of their freedoms or abundance. God will now speak to them about what sin has really cost them: Himself.  You and I were made for God. The scripture says of Him: Romans 11:36 (ESV) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. You are from God. You are living THROUGH God, and you are going back to God. Your entire being for eternity is established and sustained in God. Any departure from His is only death all the time. Th...

How do we know where we belong in life?  It is the great question many ask, is it not? Accompanied with that question is the resident fear that we may not be living up to the fullest of our potential. I'm sure you can relate. For that reason we may need to take a close look at what happens in Joshua 18. Once again the people have stagnated from occupying the land. Listen to Joshua's speech: Joshua 18:3–4 (ESV)  So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you? 4 Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me. Joshua instructs them it's TIME TO MOVE. This need of instigation to capture what was theirs by promise has become a recurring theme for Israel. It is getting a bit redundant. The...

Deuteronomy 23:3–6 (ESV)   “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord . Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever, 4 because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you. 6 You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever. The key theme in these verses is "the assembly of the Lord". Now this refers to the gathering of God's people in the Temple. The people of God were to bear witness to the other nations that only those who were pure could enter the Assembly. No one who may have mutilated their genitals in pagan ritual (Deuteronomy 23:1), nor anyone born of forbidden unions (Deuteronom...

Not enough people hear this but it is true. Serving God's purpose is the most privileged life we can experience. Remember the Levites? They were the tribe that sided with Moses in the golden calf incident. They took up swords against the immorality of the people and zealously defended the honor of God. For this they got? No land inheritance in Israel. Yes. The tribe that served the Lord righteously and did not bow to the calf was rewarded with something far better than material wealth. And what was it? Life in the presence of the Lord. Deuteronomy 18:1–5 (ESV) “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the LORD’s food offerings as their inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them. 3 And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder...

Numbers 9:15–17 (ESV) On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. We come to Numbers 9-10 to read about the incredible detail of Israel's commitment to follow the presence of the Lord. If the Lord's presence, represented by the cloud and pillar of fire didn't move, they didn't move. If He did move, Israel moved. And with repetitive, almost redundant speech, the writer makes certain we understand as God moved, so did Israel. Yes, Israel was stuck like glue to their God. They longed to be where He was, intimately. Notice the delineated description: Numbers...

Numbers 5:1-4 (ESV) The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead. 3 You shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell.”  4 And the people of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord said to Moses, so the people of Israel did. God is constantly teaching His people in the book of Numbers about their condition and His holiness. He is also teaching us about the truest nature of ourselves in light of who He is and how much we need Him to intervene in our condition. These verses seem cold and unloving on the part of God. But they are meant to instruct and point us to Jesus. The Bible is about Jesus. The purpose of the Old Testament was to reveal our need for Him, what we need from Him and what He will do to supply our needs in Himse...

Numbers 4:1–3 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers’ houses, 3 from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting. Reading Numbers 4 can seem irrelevant. It is NOT. It is the procedure by which the Sons of Levi dismantle and prepare the Tabernacle for transport. Each family of Levi has a special function assigned to them. We may ask what this passage is doing here? We could reason that this text is outdated and unnecessary for New Testament saints. We might think a passage like this really needs no attention since Jesus has fulfilled the Old Testament and made it possible for our bodies to become living temples by which God dwells by His Spirit. We would be wrong to do this. This passage exists because we regularly forget just how sacred is the presence of God. We also take for granted the amazing gift God has...

If Numbers is teaching me one thing it is teaching me what God has planned for His community. The third chapter describes the layout for the Levites and priestly families which are responsible for the place where God dwells. First we see God giving the Levite to Aaron to serve the purposes of the gathering place.  Numbers 3:5–7 (ESV) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. Numbers 3:9–10 (ESV) And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.” Aaron is given the Levites. The breakdown of the Priesthood is as follows in this chapter: Th...

If Israel was to be a successful nation, it would be because they had God among them. So far in Exodus we have seen God give the plans for the Tabernacle and the people follow the plans to the letter. In Leviticus we have seen the amazing amount of detail that goes into the Tabernacle and its sacrifices and standards. Now here in Numbers, as the people are counted for battle, God makes clear, the Levites are not to be counted, they have a job to do. Numbers 1:47–50 (ESV) 47 But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe. 48 For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. 50 But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle. God is teaching His people th...

The book of Exodus is the story of God's redeeming work to choose a people for Himself, to reveal Himself to the nations as He does so, and ultimately to dwell among them so that all may know the Lord is over all His creation and every nation. The book ends with Israel enslaved by a man who thought he was god. It ends with the people free with THE GOD in their midst. The temple is completed by Moses in Exodus 40 and there are notable things we should consider: Exodus 40:1–5 (ESV)   The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3 And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. 4 And you shall bring in the table and arrange it, and you shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle. Exodus 40:16 (ESV)  T...

Exodus 33 is a chapter in 3 seemingly unconnected movements where God seems to be going back and forth on what He's going to do. But as with all scripture, there is more than meets the eye. The chapter opens with God offering the rebellious Israelites a gold mine of an opportunity: Exodus 33:1–3 (ESV)   The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” Do you see what God is saying? He's saying I'll give you all the blessings I promised you but I will not be with you. In other words, "Israel, you can d...

Exodus 29:43–46 (ESV)   There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. Once again God speaks about the purposes He has in store for Israel. He will be with them. He will speak to them. He has saved them - why? So that HE might dwell among them! What a powerful idea.  God has spoken this again. The last time was in Exodus 19. Just removed from Egypt, God makes His intentions clear to Israel: Exodus 19:4 (ESV) You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. The goal of God is not necessarily the promised land. And He's not exa...

We finally get to a place in the Tabernacle that points to us, the worshipper. So far it's all pointed to Christ, and it's all been covered in gold and it's all been spectacular. But the purpose of the Tabernacle was to provide a place for man to meet with God. It's not just showing off who God is but calling people into His presence. Exodus 27 describes the altar: Exodus 27:1–8 (ESV) “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. 4 You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. 5 And you shall set it under the led...

The key words to the tabernacle construction outlined in Exodus 26 it is "curtains" and "veils". Exodus 26:1 (ESV) “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. Exodus 26:7 (ESV) “You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. The tabernacle is to have separated rooms. There will be the holy place where they lamp stand and showbread will remain. Then there will be the most holy place where the ark will be placed and the priest will offer atonement. There are clear themes of separation and entrance. The Tabernacle will display to Israel that God is going to be with them but there will be a specific place where they will experience Him. Moses was to follow the instructions given him from heaven. How interesting that the curtains would be scarlet and blue. How interes...

The third piece of furniture mentioned in the Tabernacle Israel was to manufacture was the Golden Lampstand. Exodus 25:31–33 (ESV) “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. The place where Israel was to meet with God was to be filled with light. Light brings information. Light illuminates. Both the scriptures and science agree that the Universe began with light. Light leads and guides.  The Israelites were to know that not only does God's pr...

The second item mentioned in the Temple is the Table for Bread. Exodus 25:23 (ESV)   “You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height... Exodus 25:29–30 (ESV) 29 And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30 And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly. The God of Israel will eat with His people. That is the image we are presented with in the Old Testament tabernacle.  God instructed Moses to put bread on the table in the Temple where their God would dwell among them. Their God did not demand child sacrifice or brutal ritual. Their God wanted communion with His people. This is what it looks like to come into the presence of God. We EAT and fellowship with the One who created us! Jesus will feed the 5000 and 4000. The only other miracle in all four...