Reverence

Our society in general has lost a sense of reverence towards God, and the things of God. If society reflects a lack of reverence, it is likely, as we will see, that it is the people of God who failed to reverence the Lord first. This week's Sabbath reading brings up this question to us, the believers. The title of this Sabbath's reading is sh'mini, meaning "8th". According to Jewish teaching, the "8th" represents a step above and beyond the perfection of the number "7", which refers to the perfection of the natural creation as written in Genesis. The 8th also symbolizes resurrection and spiritual regeneration and renewal. Eight/eighth is represented by the Hebrew letter cheth which means "inner room or chamber, to separate, to cut off, to protect". So we can say that the term 8th represents God's desire to bring us to the next step in supernatural perfection, deeper and closer to Him. "The 8th day" is mentioned often in scripture. There is also a change involved in the concept of 8th, the same change that is found in resurrection and renewal, as a result of this next step in progressing perfection. The Sabbath reading starts in Leviticus 9, where God is about to bring His people into that next level. God commanded that there be seven days of consecration of the tabernacle and the priests, Aaron and his four sons, "...that you may not die." (Lev. 8:33-35). Moses had just received these commands from God on the mountain. On the 8th day, the priests were commanded by the LORD through Moses to prepare specific sacrifices "for today the LORD will appear to you...and the glory of the LORD will appear to you." (Lev. 9:4-6)). The priests were to make sacrifices of atonement for themselves and the people (v. 7). The presence of the LORD, therefore, was to be ushered in with sacrifice and reverence so that they might live. Moses and Aaron blessed the people: "Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces." (v. 23-24). However, the reverence and awe of the LORD experienced on that day did not last long. Immediately afterward, two of Aaron's sons burned incense in their censers that had been ignited by "profane/strange fire" (zur - strange, of an enemy, a foreigner, of one alienated, turned from the way). The fire that they used was not holy to the LORD. As a result, fire went out from the LORD and killed the two priests (Lev. 10:1-2). This is the explanation that the LORD gave to Moses and Aaron: "By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy. And before all the people, I must be glorified." (v. 3). We must approach the LORD with reverence, and glorify Him before the people, not for His benefit, but for our benefit, and the benefit of the people. He said that His priests must "distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses." (v. 10-11). We cannot expect the people to reverence the LORD, or the things of the LORD, if we do not reverence Him. Those who believe in Christ are also considered priests before Him (1 Peter 2:9-10, Rev. 1:6, 5:10), who offer spiritual sacrifices in His spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). The Apostle Paul also warned us against an attitude of irreverence concerning the things of the Lord. He was correcting the Church at Corinth regarding their irreverent attitude and actions involving The Holy Communion, or Eucharist (1 Cor. 11:17-26). He told them the revelation that He received directly from the Lord regarding this remembrance of the Last Supper, which was a Passover Seder, that Jesus had with His disciples. At that time, Jesus revealed the necessity of His body and His blood, represented by the bread and the wine, as a sacrifice, and as a new covenant for them. The Church at Corinth was treating the Communion as if it were an occasion for food and drink. Then Paul gave us this warning that brings to mind the deaths of the two sons of Aaron, which we read above: "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup in an unworthy manner (anaxios - "irreverently") will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself...For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner (irreverently) eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (are dead). (v. 27-30). As the LORD told Moses and Aaron, when His priests are not reverent in their ways before Him, they rob the LORD of His glory before the eyes of the people. Paul wrote, "...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31). In another example from this week's Sabbath reading, David and many from Judah, were attempting to bring the ark of the covenant into the City of David, or Jerusalem, in 2 Samuel 6. Although this account does not mention an "8th day", if we look at the Hebrew key words used in verses 1 and 2, there is an underlying meaning of resurrection, and even the Rapture, the catching away of the living believers (see 1 Thess. 5:14-18 for a description). If you wish to see a breakdown of these Hebrew words and their meanings, I will add them to the bottom of this entry*. We find out in this account from 2 Sam. 6, that the ark of the covenant has a name: "...the ark of God whose name is called by the Name, the LORD of hosts, who dwells (between) the cherubim" (v. 2). The ark was moved on a cart, which is against the command of the LORD that it must only be carried on poles. One of the movers, Uzzah (meaning "strength, power, might"), reached out with his hand to steady the ark when the oxen pulling the cart stumbled (v. 6). He died immediately. David became angry, and was afraid (yare - "fear, reverence, honor, respect, awe") of the LORD that day, and then asked, "How can the ark of the LORD come to me?" (v. 8-9). Now David sought the proper way to handle the holy thing of God that bears His Name. On the second attempt, men, not a cart, bore the ark. Not only did David bring up the ark with joy and praise, as he had done the first time, but David now also wore a linen effod (a change of clothes to white linen, which symbolizes the LORD's righteousness), but also had sacrifices made every six (the Hebrew letter vaw, meaning "nail, nailed to, joined") paces. "So David, and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet." (v. 13-15, see also 1 Thess. 4:16-17). David's wife, who was the previous king's daughter, had contempt for David and the manner by which he brought up the ark, and because of that, she was barren for the rest of her life (v. 16, 20-23). So David, who loved the LORD and was already familiar with the power of praise, learned the power of reverence also, and the danger of neglecting it. He successfully brought the ark into the city of Jerusalem. God's people were brought a step above and beyond in perfection, and it was accomplished through reverence. The author of the Book of Hebrews wrote: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." (Heb. 12:28-29). We can see that there is a connection to being taken above and beyond the natural perfection into the supernatural perfection of God, and our continued reverence for Him, and the things that are called after His Name. Our reverence also glorifies God before the people. Perhaps there are holy things that we have begun to take for granted in our faith, such as the name of God, the Word of God, Communion, and the resurrection and rapture of the believers. All of these things incorporate the principles of the 8th day, which include change, resurrection, renewal and regeneration. However, there is also the necessary ingredient of reverence that must accompany these things. If you would like to know more about reverence toward the LORD, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You are great, and holy, and worthy of our praise and reverence. You desire to bring us into Your inner chamber, and to a higher level of perfection in You, and into the exact image of Your Son, Jesus. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can walk in reverence before You always, as You change and perfect me. I ask these things in Jesus' Name, AMEN." *An addendum to this entry: First we will read 2 Sam. 6:1-2, and then the meaning from the key Hebrew words: "Again, David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God...". One meaning of these two verses might also be: "Again the Beloved (denotes the Messiah) assembled, collected, took away, harvested, received the company or family which is under a leader, of the taught, yoked, and lifted up, the elect, the selected, the tried, the examined, the proven, that which is the same as, or an exact copy. The Beloved was raised up and caused to come forth, and carried away, led forth, the lords or citizens of praise, the flock, the kindred, the attendants who were with Him, in order to bring up, ascend, take up, carry away and fetch up the chest, especially a coffin, of the Lion, pierced, piercing."

Culture

The word "culture" has several definitions. The first: "Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. It encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, what we believe is right or wrong...the way of life". In other words, the culture of a group of people reflects the content of their souls - their minds, their wills, and their emotions. We have certainly seen how our culture has changed radically in the last few generations. Many would say that this cultural change has not been for the better. There is also a biological meaning to the word culture which is also interesting: "cells, tissues or organisms grown in a medium either for scientific purposes or to get the substances these living things produce". In a culture of this kind, something grows, multiplies, and produces. Like the biological definition, I think the things that make up our culture in our society have found a medium in which they can grow, multiply, and produce a substance within our lives. Our culture becomes a living thing, in a way. In 1995, the Chicago Tribune reported the following: "...Pope John Paul II condemned a growing and widespread "culture of death" in which moral crimes ...are viewed as individual rights." Over twenty years ago, the Pope made this remark, which was considered shocking at the time, about what he saw as an alarming and growing trend in our culture, which was a disregard for life. Our current times have certainly verified the Pope's comment and concern. Violence of all kinds has increased and become more bizarre. I live near a major city where reports of violence and murder has become a daily occurence, even against innocent people just walking down the street, or waiting for a train. Has our culture indeed become a "culture of death"? If so, how and why did that happen, and what can be done? In this week's Sabbath reading titled Tzav, or "Command!", the prophet Jeremiah wrote the Word of the LORD about a culture gone wild. The Sabbath reading related to the topic of giving offerings to the LORD. The commands given to the people concerning offerings were given in Leviticus Chapters 6-8, which are also part of this week's reading. In the reading from Jeremiah, the offering had been turned from a holy expression of worship and obedience into a horrible abomination before the LORD. What had been meant to be, through the obedience of God's people, a prophetic picture and promise of the sacrifice and atonement of Christ, became an act of disobediance instead, and a profane doctrine of devils. The offerings commanded by God gave His people an opportunity to express their obedience to the commands of God. This obedience was to their benefit and blessing in every way. However, as Israel offered their sacrifices and offerings to idols instead (Jer. 7:17-19), the LORD spoke to Jeremiah: "For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices, but this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you." (Jer. 7:22-23). The LORD's commands were not for His benefit, but the obedience to them benefitted His people. The Lord said the same in 1 Sam. 15:22-23, and Hosea 6:6. The Lord was establishing a culture, or way of life, among His people of obedience to His voice. The LORD continued: "Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward...they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers...This nation that does not obey the voice of the LORD their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished (abad - perish, destroy, die, be exterminated, kill, put to death) and has been cut off (karat - cut down, destroy, to cut off a body part, behead, to permit to perish) from their mouth." (v. 24-28). As we can see, the first consequence of the disobedience of God's people was a death by murder- the murder of the truth according to the meanings of the Hebrew words used in the verse, and haven't we seen this very thing in our time also? Truth has become difficult to find in our culture. Because of this death consequence of the culture of disobedience, the LORD warned that many would die. First, the people of God killed their own children, offering them by fire at a place called Tophet ("place of fire"; contempt, spitting, smiting, to strike, kill), also called the Valley of Hinnom (meaning "lamentation"), as an abominable sacrifice to their idols. We see a form of this abomination in our own culture today. We have made the killing of children a choice, a protected liberty. The physical place where they burned their children was referred to later as Gehenna, and Jesus used it as an analogy to describe the eternal and abominable burning of Hell (Mk. 9:42-50). God did not command their children to be destroyed there, but they sent their children there by their own choice. This is what grows in the culture of disobedience - death. The LORD told His people through Jeremiah that as a result of their disobedience, that valley would become too full of dead bodies to bury: "...for they will bury in Tophet until there is no room. The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. And no one will frighten them away." (v. 32-33). From the place of that valley, the deaths will multiply and spread to their cities, and then to the whole land (v. 34). In the culture, or medium, of disobedience to God, death was the product that was grown and multiplied: "Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain..." (Jer. 8:3). The Sabbath reading from Jeremiah concludes: "Thus says the LORD: 'Even the carcasses of men shall fall as refuse on the open field...and no one shall gather them...Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment/justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,' says the LORD." (Jer. 9:22-24). The LORD also said that the disobedience of His people had grown so pervasive that He knew they would not listen to His warning by the words of Jeremiah (Jer. 7:27). This is a grim message from God for His people, but there is a remedy to the culture of disobedience that we, His people, have chosen. It is not too late to change our culture of disobedience and death. God waits patiently and rejoices and glories in the return and restoration of His people, and has provided the way of return. Psalm 85 says: "LORD, You have been favorable to Your land...You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin...Restore us, O God of our salvation...Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. I will hear what the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly...that glory may dwell in our land...Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the LORD will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway." (Ps. 85). In this psalm, as His people ask for forgiveness, restoration, and salvation, the LORD begins a revival work in them and in their land. Truth is restored, and mercy, righteousness and peace are established. The psalmist is determined to listen to the voice of the LORD, and follow the path of righteousness that His footsteps has established. The culture of the land is changed. As Jesus urged His Church to repent, He promised that He is right outside the door knocking. If anyone hears His voice, and opens the door, "I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20). Second Chronicles 7:14 assures us that if His people will repent, pray, humble themselves, and turn from their wickedness, God will hear, and heal their land. WE have the remedy in our hands, and in our mouths to the culture of death. Since we started with the Pope's warning in 1995, we can end with his declaration of truth spoken against the culture of death. The truth that he declared was called "Evangelium Vitae", or the Gospel of Life. He based his declaration on the following said by Jesus: "The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (Jn. 10:10). Jesus came to "cancel" the culture of death with the way of LIFE in Him. He came to restore not just life, but abundant life. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." (Jn. 14:6). Life and restoration cannot come any other way. This is the blessing that God has provided through His Son, and our Salvation. Let us return to the way of obedience and life. Why would we choose anything else? If you would like to be part of the culture of life, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to cancel the power of death. Forgive me, Father, when I have refused to hear Your voice, and have chosen my own way. Fill me with Your Spirit to guide me and remind me of the paths of righteousness, and the way of obedience to You. As I turn back to you, LORD, heal my land, and restore it to Your peace. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN."

SecondDay

One title applied to this Sabbath is Zachor, because it is a Sabbath of Remembrance. It is the Sabbath before Purim, and it is set aside to remember the story of Esther. Purim is a feast that was created by the leaders of the Jewish people of Persia (now Iran/Iraq) to memorialize the day when God's people were delivered out of the hands of an evil, Satan-like character named Hamen by the favor of the king. The king of Persia (which means "pure, splendid") was named Ahasuerus or Xerxes (meaning "lion king, great warrior"), and he "... reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia." (Est. 1:1). As we can see, this king was the ruler of a great empire. His kingdom is described as "glorious", with the "splendor of his excellent majesty" (v. 4). The Book of Esther has an important meaning to the Church, both Jew and Gentile, because Esther was the bride of this (Lion) King, who ruled with excellent majesty, a glorious, pure kingdom of splendor. This puts us in mind of Christ, His Bride the Church, and His kingdom. I think, however, there is also an important message here to the individual believer in Christ as well. Although Esther was married to the king, and had the title of queen, she did not have a close relationship with the king (Est. 3:11). The king had not summoned her for the past thirty days. She told her uncle that anyone who comes into the king's presence unbidden can be pur to death. Her uncle, Mordecai, told her that unless she sees and speaks to the king, she and her people will perish as a result of Haman's plot against them. He suggested to Esther that this is even her life's purpose: "...who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Est. 4:14). The Jews, Mordecai said, would fast and pray on Esther's behalf, and Esther decided to go before the king: "...and if I perish, I perish!" (Est. 4:16). So Esther changed her garments, put on her royal robes, and stood at the door of the king's court (Est. 5:1-2). Esther was willing to risk her life to fulfill her kingdom purpose. The king saw her, and extended his mercy and permission for her to enter. He must have wondered what motivated Esther to risk her life to come before him unbidden. He must have then been very surprised to hear that she took such a risk merely to invite him, and Haman also, to a banquet! On the second day of the banquet of wine that Esther had prepared, the king said to her: "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!" (Est. 7:2). Jesus said the same to us: "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (Jn. 14:13-14). We do not just chant Jesus' name as if it were a magic word, but we ask in what His name represents, His identity as the Son of His Father. We can also understand what happened for Esther in the phrase "second day" that we see above, which has a special meaning. The Hebrew root word sana means to change, alter, transmute/change into another state or form, to fold, to transfer to another place, to change oneself as in changing garments. As we can see from the root meaning of the phrase used above, it indicates a complete change, even into another state or form. Esther then revealed Haman's plot on that second day of the banquet, and how it would affect her and her people. The king said to Haman, who had fallen across Esther's couch appealing to her for mercy: "Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?' As the word left the king's mouth, they covered (hapa - "overlaid, veiled, encased") Haman's face." (Est. 7:8). So on the second day of Esther's banquet of wine, Haman was condemned by the king. In the Song of Songs, the bride says of her Beloved: "He brought me to the banqueting house (house of wine), and his banner over me was love." (Song of Songs 2:4). In the Book of Esther, we see Esther in several forms: First as Hadassah, the Jewish orphan. Then we see Esther, hiding behind a Gentile identity. We see her then given the title of "queen" by marriage to the king, but it was an empty title without a relationship with that king. She was a queen without access to the king, and relegated to the women's chamber. It wasn't until Esther became queen in royal purpose, which came after her reunion and dependence upon the king, that he offered to give her anything she asked even up to half of his kingdom. In this relationship with the king, she was given permission to ask for whatever she wished. What does this mean to us? We saw a change or transmutation in Esther and her position, in the king's feelings towards Esther, and in the circumstances that were within the power of the king. The same type of transmutation is necessary for us according to scripture. It is one that we resist, however, as we cling in our minds to the natural view we have of ourselves. Do we think of ourselves as no longer belonging to ourselves, but to Christ, our King and Husband? (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The transmutation necessary to change from royalty in title only to royalty in purpose and fact as Esther did requires a new way of thinking. This is the necessary change that Paul spoke of: "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:16-17), and also, "For in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God." (Gal. 6:15-16). The transmutation comes from being IN Christ. My identity ends, and Christ's supernatural identity is what exists instead. Esther's identity went from being the Jew, to the Gentile, to the wife/queen who waited in the women's chamber, into being a reigning queen in her husband's presence, who was offered up to half the king's kingdom upon request. After this "change", the king even let Esther compose the decrees that went throughout the kingdom, sealed with the king's own signet ring (Esther 8:7-8). Paul also wrote of enthroned authority already accomplished in Christ: "...and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:6-7). Paul said this: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:27-29). Have we changed our natural garments, and put on Christ instead, in agreement with the meaning of "the second day"? Or are we still clinging to our natural identities - identities that we cannot imagine being without? We are heading for the "third day" spoken of in regard to Christ's return, but we have not yet made the change necessary of the "second day". We did not exist in eternity with God in our natural identities according to scripture: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love..." (Eph. 1:3-4). We are not to think of ourselves, or others, by our natural identities: "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Col. 3:3). There are Haman types in the world today doing much damage to the people of God. It is not our own natural identity, but the identity of the King, Jesus Christ in whom we exist, that enables our kingdom purpose to be accomplished. We have to allow that change to take place. If you would like to learn more about being in Christ, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, You came as the firstfruit of many brethren. Our existence began in You before the foundation of the world, and You died and rose from the dead to reconcile us back to the Father in Your Being. Fill me, Lord, with the Holy Spirit to help me to be conformed to Your image. the image of the dear Son (Rom. 8:29). I ask this in Your name, Jesus, AMEN."

Glory

Last week we looked at the instructions from God given to Moses, regarding the skilled workmen and materials needed to begin to construct the furnishings of the tabernacle. The LORD spoke these instructions to Moses when he was in God's presence on the mountain. Moses then assembled the elders and all of the children of Israel to give them the instructions of God. Only those with a willing heart and spirit were to contribute to this work of the tabernacle. These things brought to mind what Paul later wrote about the building of a living tabernacle by master builders, made from all of the believers in Christ (see the previous post titled "Assembled"). This week's Sabbath reading, called P'kudei, meaning "accounting of/for", from Ex. 39 and 40 deals with the completion of the work of the tabernacle, and its assembly. When the furnishings, curtains, incense, robes of the priesthood, outer coverings of the tabernacle, and more, were completed, they were brought before Moses (Ex. 39:32-41). Then: "According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it. And Moses blessed them." (v. 42-43). This brought to mind the New Testament scriptures in which the saints, the believers in Christ, are being equipped or perfected for "the work of the ministry" (Eph. 4:11-13). There is a work to be accomplished by the believers in Christ. Paul wrote that Christ Himself "gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping (katartismos - complete furnishing, perfecting; perfectly joined together, put in order, arrange, complete, to mend what has been broken, to prepare") of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." According to the Concordance, the use here of the word fulness (of Christ) means "the body of believers as that which is filled with the presence, power, agency of God and Christ". Our personal salvation is just the beginning of the story. There is a great work of God being built of all believers that, when assembled together properly, results in the manifestation of that fulness of Christ as defined above. Don't we all want to see the completion of this great living building project? We also see a shadow of this in the events that took place with the assembling and completion of the tabernacle by Moses and the children of Israel. Moses and Israel began assembling the tabernacle on the first day of the first month according to the specific order and directions given to Moses by God (Ex. 40). First was the placement of the ark of the covenant containing the stone tablets of the commandments, and then the partitioning off (sakak) of the ark by the veils placed around it (v. 3). As something for consideration aside from our main topic, I would like to offer a thought about the placement of the ark, and its veiling or partitioning (sakak), as a possible addition to what we already believe about the purpose of the ark. The Hebrew word sakak used here means "to weave, to entwine as a screen, to hedge, fence about, shut in, stop the approach, to block, to screen, cover, thorns, to protect or guard, to cover with armor". We may also then be able to look at the partitioning off of the ark containing the Word of God, which is Jesus (Jn. 1:1-3, 14), as the covering and protecting of the Christ in the midst of the children of Israel until the time when He would be revealed to Israel and all people. We can see this necessity to hide Christ as a mystery in the following from Paul: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the LORD of glory." (1 Cor. 2:7-8), and also, "...the stewardship...given to me for you to fulfill the word of God, the mystery (hidden truth) which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory...that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." (Col. 1:25-28). Paul also wrote that God sent forth His Son when "the fullness of time had come" (Gal. 4:4-5). If we can consider the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle to be a shadow of this hidden mystery, the children of Israel carried Him in their midst wherever they traveled (the tabernacle was transportable)- hidden, covered, protected, until the time came for Him to be revealed. We also know from scripture, that at the moment of Jesus' death, the covering veil in the temple was ripped in half by a great earthquake, and the ark of the covenant was revealed (Mt. 27:50-53). It is something interesting to think about anyway. Now back to the tabernacle reading from this sabbath - After the placement of the ark in the tabernacle, the order of the placement of the other furnishings was also accomplished according to the directions given by God. Then the Lamp was lit, the sweet incense was burned, and sacrifices were offered on the altar of burnt offering. Moses and Aaron washed their hands and their feet in the water of the laver (see also Jn. 13:5-12), and the people raised up the outer hangings around the tabernacle court, and finally, they set the gate or door to the outer court (v. 21-33). In their assembling of the tabernacle, they started at the most inward place of the tabernacle, and worked their way outward. I think this is the pattern that God follows as He builds each of us as well. When this assembly of the tabernacle was completed, something amazing happened: "Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory (kabod - "glory, honor, abundance, riches, splendor, reverence, majesty, magnificence") of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." (Ex. 40:34-35). Previously, Moses had met with the LORD on the mountain, and after returning to the camp of the children of Israel, his face would be shining from having been in the presence of the LORD. He had to wear a veil, because his shining face frightened the Israelites! (see Ex. 34:28-35). However, this same Moses could not enter into the kabod glory of the tabernacle - no one could. There is a similar account in another part of this week's Sabbath reading from 1 Kings 8 that occurred later in history. After Solomon completed the building of the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, the glory of God filled the newly built temple: "And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD." (1 Kings 8:10-11). The priests, who were consecrated for service in the House of the LORD, could not enter into this glory. However, a great change was accomplished in a prayer spoken by Jesus, before His crucifixion, to His Father in heaven: "...I have finished the work which You have given Me to do, and now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." Jesus continued in prayer: "...I do not pray for these alone (meaning the disciples with Him), but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me...I desire that they also...may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." (Jn. 17:5, 20-24). Through the prayer of Jesus, not only can we enter into the glory, but He gave us the same glory that He was given by His Father. It is the glory found through oneness with Them. The meaning of "glory" written in these verses is from the Greek word doxa, which means "splendor, brightness, magnificence, excellence, majesty (a thing belonging to God or Christ), the kingly majesty of the Messiah, the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ". It is the kabod glory that fills the tabernacle of God. It is interesting that the Greek root word for glory is dokeo, meaning "to be accounted". The Sabbath reading is titled P'kudei, or "accounting of/for". As every item was accounted for by Moses before being placed in the tabernacle, there is also an accounting for every living stone, or believer in Christ, that is being built into the living tabernacle/temple of God (1 Pet. 2:4-5, 1 Cor. 6:19-20), because this living temple contains the Spirit and kabod glory of God. Paul wrote about what God has given to us: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:28-31). Nothing can prevail against the living tabernacle of God, and the glory within it. The pattern established by the tabernacle of God, and later, the temple of God, is of a dwelling built to His specifications, which He then filled with His glory. If God will fill a building of skins or stones and lumber with His glory, how much more will He fill his living temple, the believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile, with His eternal glory? When I think about this great work of God for us and in us, I have to see also that our calling in Christ was never meant to be a common calling, or a part time, half-hearted calling, but it is the highest calling there is. Paul wrote: "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me...but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward toward those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:12-14). If you would like to know more about the living temple of God, and the filling of it, and of us, with His glory, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You made it possible through Your Son, Jesus, that I can be one with both the Father and the Son. Your Son has given me the glory that He had with You from before the world was made. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can be built together with all the believers in Jesus into a living temple, and into the fulness of Christ. By Your Holy Spirit, I want to press toward the upward calling in Christ. I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus, AMEN."