Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Boards and sockets


Exodus 26: 15-30: “And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board. Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.”
The Tabernacle also needed a strong underlying structure to hold everything in place. It contained the most precious items of the Israeli religion and these needed to be kept completely secure. It was all very well to have these items covered and secure from the elements but the curtains needed to have strong skeleton that was also easily transported. This was done by building a structure made of board with sockets to hold the boards upright. This structure was still made for the Lord and it was made of wood covered with gold. Not only was this structure fit for the King of Heaven, it was also stable and designed to last for many centuries. There were people dedicated to transporting the Tabernacle and they had carts to carry the items so weight was not a consideration. However, each board was small enough to be moved by the people who had to transport the Tabernacle. God had a perfect plan for this structure and God has a perfect plan for everything. The only way we can spoil God’s perfect plan is when we choose to ignore His instructions.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Monday, January 30, 2012

A covering above


Exodus 26: 7-14: “And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins.”
Altogether, there were four coverings of various material over the structure of the Tabernacle. The first was of linen and then there was a second layer of curtains made of goats hair. This formed an insulating layer over the inner layer of linen. Linen represents clothing or material fit for the kings service (see Gen 41: 42, “And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;”) it also represents righteousness (see Rev 19: 8, “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”) The goats hair layer was for insulation as it was similar to insulating material people put in their ceilings today, but completely natural, and the rams skins were similar but waterproof with the last layer, the badger’s skins completely weatherproof. The tabernacle had to withstand the howling winds and the extreme temperatures of the desert and these layer were designed to do just that. People who believe in the true God of heaven have to withstand the extremes of the sinful world but the Lord has given us all the resources we need in His word, the Bible.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Ten curtains


Exodus 26: 1-6: “Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.”
The tabernacle had to be carried but it also had to be a substantial structure. Because it was evidence of the Lord’s presence among Israel it had to be made so that no one could inadvertently see inside and substantial enough to survive through the strong desert winds as they blew at certain times of the year. This is why it was made in pieces that could be held together when the tabernacle was pitched but easily folded and carried when Israel was on the move. The curtains were made in a size that could easily be managed when they were to be folded and placed on the carts that were used to transport them but they also had to have strong fastenings to keep the curtains from billowing open and showing what was underneath. The fist curtain was made of fine linen, which represents righteousness but it was coloured blue, purple and scarlet; all colours of wealth and royalty. This was a structure fit for the Lord but able to be moved from place to place so that the people would always know that the Lord was with them. If you want to follow the Lord today your life should demonstrate the fact that the Lord lives within you but you should always be ready to keep this witness intact wherever you go.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

A Candlestick


Exodus 25: 31-40: “And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.”
While the Lord is the source of light and doesn’t need light Himself the High Priest would need to see what he was doing when He went into the most holy place so the Lord, kindly, allowed him to have light when he went into to worship the Lord. This was no ordinary candlestick but had seven lights as the Lord rested on the seventh day because the work of creation was complete and perfect. The seven lights were spread out to give the High Priest the best possible view of what he was doing and to make sure that he didn’t trip over anything that might be in the way. Even though this place was the most holy place for all Israel the Lord was also generous and kind, making it welcoming and pleasant for the man who had to use it as well. The Lord always works in this way: He is kind. He understands our weaknesses and failings and always works to make things easier and more comfortable for us. Of course, this statement then begs the questions, “Why do good people suffer?” The Lord always works to bring His people to their knees so that they can fully appreciate all the good things that He has done for us. (see Deut 8: 16, “Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;”)
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Also make a table


Exodus 25: 23-30: “Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.”
The ark was kept in the most holy part of the tabernacle. There were, at least three layers of covering over the entire tabernacle so that no one could accidentally see into the ark and die because they had seen the holiest things of the Lord. However, it was important that the people placed offerings to the Lord on a daily basis. It would be wrong to put these gifts on the ground so a table was made to hold these offerings, the shewbread. The table was similar to the ark in construction. It was made of gold so that it would be fit for the King of Heaven and was to be carried by people, as with the ark. It is remarkable that the Lord uses people at all because we are all sinners and we all disappoint Him on a regular basis. Never the less, He perseveres with us and allows us to have a place in His plans that are both great and good.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Make an ark


Exodus 25: 10-22: “And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”
It was vitally important for Israel to have a container where they kept their most sacred information. This was not something like the heathen had that they could take with them as some kind of talisman but the most sacred object to be kept in secret and remind them that the Lord God is pure and holy. An ark is just a container. Noah used and ark to keep the animals safe from the flood and Moses was told to use an ark to keep Israel’s most sacred information safe. The ark was to be covered with gold because gold was the most precious metal they had at that time and it was a gift that is fit for a king.  The ark was made to be carried on the shoulders of the Temple servants. The Lord has always used people to do His work even though He doesn’t need us. (compare Luke 19: 40, “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”) The ark was covered with the mercy seat because God deals with sinners in mercy, He doesn’t give us what we deserve but gives us time to believe and have everlasting life. There were magnificent cherubim on the top of the ark as a reminder of the Lord’s majesty and power. All this to contain the tablets, and other items, of the Law, which demonstrated the Lord’s grace and faithfulness.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Giveth it willingly


Exodus 25: 1-9: “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”
When King Solomon dedicated the Temple he said, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8: 27) This was precisely true for the Creator of all things is much greater than His creation. However, this great God has chosen to establish a place where His presence can be seen to be among His people. The Lord told Moses to make a sacred place among the people of Israel so that they would be constantly reminded of His presence with them as they travelled. They were in the wilderness because they refused to trust the Lord and feared the giants instead but the Lord still gave them the assurance of His presences. However, the sanctuary that the Lord was making was to be made from voluntary offerings and not from things given under obligation. There are many in the church today who insist that people should give a certain portion of their income but the principle the Lord gave when He established His sanctuary is far more important. Everything that we give back to the Lord should be given willingly and not according to a formula. After all, when these people left Egypt they should have been poverty stricken and in no position to give any voluntary offering. The Lord caused the Egyptians to pay them handsomely for the many years of unpaid work before they left so the wealth they had came entirely from the Lord anyway.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Come up to me


Exodus 24: 12-18: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.”
Moses was the only person in the nation of Israel at that time who had been through a personal experience with the Lord. He had met the Lord by the burning bush in Sinai and submitted to the Lord, so much so, that he risked his life even though he wasn’t willing to go alone but required Aaron to go and speak. Moses took Joshua with him to assist him as the Lord spoke to him on the mountain. Joshua would later lead the people into the Promised Land and he needed to have a good experience of the Lord’s greatness as well. The Lord made sure that the people were not left to their own devices but also appointed some leaders to be caretakers in Moses absence. Moses had to wait for the Lord to show that he had proper respect for the Lord’s glory and then he went to meet with the Lord. Moses went alone into the cloud and was in the Lord’s presence although he didn’t actually see the Lord directly (see Ex 33: 18-22, “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”) This is part of the great enigma of the Lord, He is holy and perfect, He cannot bear to look upon iniquity but He still loves the sinner and reaches out to effect reconciliation, at His own expense even though He is the injured party (Hab 1: 13, “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?”).
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Seventy of the elders


Exodus 24: 9-11: “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.”
The most important thing for anyone wanting to give their lives in service for the Lord is to understand the size of our God. While it is important for us to have the right gifts to serve the Lord it is far more important for us to have an understanding of the glory and majesty of our Lord. These people were the senior leadership of Israel and they were brought to a place where they could see the majesty and glory of the Lord. At that stage, the had the most important qualification for serving the Lord. If you study all the great heroes of the Bible, for example, those who are listed in Hebrews 11 you will soon see that each one of them had a vision of the greatness of their God. When Gideon set out the deliver Israel from the oppression of the Midianites he had access to a large number of men however, the Lord whittled the group down until there were only 300 men. (Judges 7: 2, “And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.”) It was important for them to understand that the Lord had saved them from this oppression and not their own military prowess. The same thing is true for every Christian today. We don’t succeed because we belong to a great church or have a great minister. We are not better equipped to reach the world today because of the technology we own. We are exactly the same as the people in the early days of the church, weak but empowered by the Holy Ghost. All we need is complete reliance on the Great God.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Come up unto the Lord.


Exodus 24: 1-8: “And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.”
Moses had to come to the Lord to find out what the Lord wanted him to know and to pass on to Israel. Even though the Lord was with Moses and all Israel every day that they travelled, they needed to understand that the relationship existed on His terms rather than on their terms. This is a grave mistake that many Christians make today; we try to tell the Lord what His relationship should be with us rather than accepting that He is the Lord and He defines the relationship. This event was so significant that every senior member of the Israeli leadership team was required to come and show that they all accepted the Lord’s glory. However, Moses was the only one who was able to communicate with the Lord face to face as they were all sinners but the Lord was sufficiently gracious to let this man, the meekest man on all the earth (Num 12: 3, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.), to come close and receive the instructions that He had to give to Israel. Everything was written down so that there could be no possible misunderstanding and then they offered sacrifices for without the shedding of blood there is no remission (Heb 9: 22). Sin leads to death but a substitute can be offered for the forgiveness of sin.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Monday, January 16, 2012

Lest the land become desolate


Exodus 23: 24-33: “Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee. 
It is impossible for there to be two people or other identities who are the best in one field. The Lord God made everything and He controls everything therefore He is the best. Israel was told to make sure that they didn’t allow any memory of any god who was in the Promised Land before they came there to remain. These gods were very tempting because they could be manipulated so that the people who followed them could get their own way. If the Lord’s people thought they could get their own way they would be in the same position as Eve was and find the temptation too hard to resist. On the other hand, the Lord is the Creator and designer of each person for we are all made in His own image. He knows what is best for us and the best way for us to have a good an prosperous life. The contract that the Lord made with Israel included prosperity so the Lord added a reminder about that from time to time just to make sure there could be no possible excuses later on. The Lord also understood that there is a difference between conquest and occupation. A good example of that was in Iraq in the last decade or so. The NATO armies had a quick conquest but they were never able to occupy the land. Joshua had a successful conquest but the Lord promised that the occupation would take much longer. When there is no one to care for a land that land quickly returns to the wild state. The Lord understood that and said that, after the conquest, He would make sure that there were people to look after the good fertile land until each of the Israeli families were ready to occupy their own, individual place.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Friday, January 13, 2012

An angel before


Exodus 23: 20-23: “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.”
There is an old story about footsteps in the sand. A man dreamed that he was walking with the Lord on the beach and he had an image of his life. Sometimes there were two sets of footsteps while at other times there was only one set. There was only one set of footprints in the hard times and the man asked the Lord why this was so. The Lord told him that He had carried that man during the hard times. (this story has been told many times and is not originally from me) This passage gives some justification to that story. The difference is that the Lord promised to send His angel in front of His people so that they way would always be prepared for them as they travelled. They could expect to find enemies along the way but the angel had been down that pathway before and was already prepared to fight and defeat those enemies. This reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ; “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4: 15, 16) The Lord Jesus Christ has experienced every possible kind of physical, emotional and spiritual problem that we can ever face and He triumphed over all of them.Israel had an angel going before them but Christians have the perfect Saviour Who has gone before us and He loves us and has dealt with all our sin as well.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Thursday, January 12, 2012

The seventh year


Ex 23: 10-19: “And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard. Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning. The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.”
Paul wrote, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” (Rom 8: 22) When the Lord cursed Adam after the Fall He said, “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen 3: 17-19) This reminds us that even creation is subject to considerable trial as a result of sin. In fact the second law of Thermodynamics tells us that entropy (or disorder) is increasing. If a person carefully places a large number of cans in a neat pile in the supermarket and someone bumps that pile then the pile will fall into a disorganised mess, a pile of cans will never randomly occur. This means that even creation needs to rest from time to time. Nature doesn’t have to rest every seven days like people but every seven years land that is worked needs to rest and recover. The Lord established rules so that the Land itself could rest and recover then produce crops indefinitely. The Lord also established times of holiday so that His people could take time to have a good break during the year and save themselves from being burnt out. We also read , “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Is 26: 3) and “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4: 6, 7) The holidays were not just given for physical rest but as a time for contemplating the Lord God and having spiritual and emotional rest as well. There was an ancient cultic ceremony in which gods were worshipped by boiling young animals in milk and this ceremony was forbidden to Israel so that they would not be tempted to be like the nations around them.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A false report


Exodus 23: 1-9: “Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
The Ten Commandments make a simple statement: “thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbour”. That might seem quite straightforward but a good lawyer can find an argument. These same lawyers were around during the Lord Jesus Christ’s time and they were good at manufacturing situations that were almost impossible to answer (see for example, Matt 22: 34-36, “ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” and Luke 20: 20-22, “And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?”) The simple commandment could raise complicated questions so this section widens the application. What about just agreeing with someone else or not actually contradicting a lie? What about the difference between telling a lie and making a lie by, say, only telling part of the truth or encouraging someone to come up with a false conclusion? Well those things are covered as well. The Lord also cared for strangers and outcasts and would protect them even though the lawyers were not willing to do so.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Monday, January 9, 2012

The poor


Exodus 22: 25-31: “If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. If thou at all take thy neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.”
We live in a day when people believe that they can completely control their own destiny by making the right kind of affirmations. However, this is not true the Lord said, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4: 13-17) In this environment, many people despise those who are poor and say that it is their own fault. Who can actually guarantee that they will still be alive tomorrow? Who can guarantee that every child will know their own mother’s love? There are too many things that we cannot control. In fact, the Lord is the only One Who can make firm commitments because He knows the end from the beginning (see Isaiah 46: 10, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:”). This is why it is so important for those who have money to treat the poor with compassion. If a person needs their coat to keep them warm at night then someone who takes that coat as a guarantee against the repayment of a loan is evil and the Lord will hear those who are persecuted and He can destroy a person is hell (see Luke 12: 4-7, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”) The Lord gives and takes but it is important for us to thank the Lord for all that He gives.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Friday, January 6, 2012

If a man entice


Exodus 22: 16-24: “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.”
When a man is young his gonads often rule his brain. However, this does not mean that he is to be excused from the consequences of his actions. One of the fundamental rules of creation is the fact that a person will reap what they sow (se Gal 6: 7, 8, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.) A young man might find that he lusts after a girl and even persuade her to surrender to his lust. However, that man should have to bear the consequence of his action. When God created Adam and Eve He said, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Gen 2: 24) When a man and a woman are joined together to become one flesh they can only be separated by death. However, the young man may have a bad reputation and then he will have to pay the bride price for the girl, this is also just because he has acted as though he has taken her to be his bride. Witches are people who deal with Satan and treat him with the respect that only the Lord God deserves. They are breaking the first commandment and are encouraging others to do the same so they, too, have to suffer the consequences of giving Satan the respect and honour that belongs to the Lord God. People who commit unspeakable acts with animals are, in fact, removing themselves from the family of mankind and asking to be taken out of circulation. The Lord also had a special place for the stranger, the widow and the orphan. After all, the entire nation of Israel were strangers in Egypt, disenfranchised and dispossessed. They were never to forget this and act accordingly. The same is true today: there are only two kinds of people on earth, sinners saved by grace and sinners not yet saved by grace. Sinners saved by grace should rejoice in the grace that has saved them and live the gentle cheerfulness of a grateful life.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Thursday, January 5, 2012

Stuff to keep


Exodus 22: 7-15: “If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour. If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.”
This section tells us, along with others, why it is important to have regulations as well as the Law. “Thou shalt not steal” is an important Law but it is open to argument in some cases and your viewpoint depends on how you are affected by that circumstance. When one person asks another person to look after something for him and then the goods are stolen or damaged how does the Law apply? Is the person responsible for the goods to be treated as a thief. The person who has lost his goods would like that to be the case so that he can get restitution but the person who was holding the goods might not have done anything wrong. Why should he be responsible for the actions of someone else? Of course, when there is insurance then the insurance company will be involved and seek a way of avoiding their obligation but there wasn’t insurance, as far as we can tell, when the Lord gave Moses the Law. When something is borrowed then the borrower is responsible but if a person hires an animal or something else then the person who owns the animal or the goods is responsible. This illustrates how important it is for us, today, to make sure that we act justly before our God and act with grace and mercy towards our neighbours because we don’t always understand their circumstances.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Wednesday, January 4, 2012

If a man shall steal


Exodus 22: 1-6: “If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.”
The Law commanded that a person refrain from stealing. However, this statement needed to be modified to cover various situations. Even today people who attend court expect the “Rule of Law” where they can expect to get the same outcome under the same conditions even though there might be a different judge at a different time. The fist question would be, “Should breaking the Law always lead to the death penalty?” This, of course, is extreme so the Lord, in is loving wisdom made sure that the punishment would fit the crime. If someone stole a domestic animal then that person would be expected to make restitution. Even the restitution for different kinds of animals was prescribed. However, if a person was seeking to defend their property from theft and the thief was killed then the person would be free from the death penalty for the thief was largely responsible for their own death. This was analogous to a person accidentally killing another person but the person who was killed, in this case, actually made a large contribution to their own death. In many ways this wasn’t really an accident even though the homeowner may have had no intention to kill another person. People were also responsible to keep their animals under control. In a farming community, the feed and crops a person has is a genuine asset that can be used to feed their own stock so if someone allowed their animal to take another person’s asset then that person was really stealing. The same was true for lighting fires. A fire could easily destroy a person’s livelihood. Someone starting a fire would be expected to make restitution for any damage caused by the fire the lit.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Thirty shekels of silver


Exodus 21: 22-36: “If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake. If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit. But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him. If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.”
Sometimes when men fight together their wives, or partners, become involved as well. This is more likely in a village or small town situation where all the families know each other and feuds can simmer between families or clans. If a pregnant woman was hurt in that situation and she lost her child then the man responsible was to be punished. This is interesting these days when there is argument about the beginning of life and what punishment a person should face if they cause a woman to miscarry. This regulation is even more telling when we are told that if the woman is hurt then the offender was to face the full force of the Law. The old rules of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” were quite acceptable in those days but they show the importance of thinking before you act. These regulations also consider the sanctity of the life given by the Lord. If a person damages a life that the Lord has given to another person the offender must pay a penalty. This is more about responsibility than about human rights. We do well to consider our responsibility to other people than to seek to defend our own rights or ambitions. These regulations also apply to servants indicating that a servant was still considered to be a person and not just a chattel. People were also responsible for the behaviour of their animals. This section also contains an interesting precedent that was important many years later during the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. We learn that the price of dead servant was thirty shekels of silver. This is the most insulting some of money to a devout Jew. The Lord Jesus Christ was sold for the price of a dead servant so that we, who are servants of sin, could have everlasting life. What a wonderful Saviour He is!
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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Monday, January 2, 2012

Lie not in wait


Exodus 21: 12-21: “He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.”
On the sixth day of creation the Lord God formed Adam out of the dust of the ground and they He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life so that Adam became a living soul (Gen 2: 7). This was only only specific action the Lord did to bring life. We find that the Lord commanded the earth to bring forth living creatures but that He created man in His own image and breathed into him the breath of life. This specific activity on God’s part makes life sacred. We can kill animals for food but to kill another person is to undo the Lord’s specific activity. When a person treats the Lord with such disrespect and destroys another life then that person forfeits their own life. However, there are some instances where the rules are not so specific. Sometimes a person dies in an accident. The killer is, in many ways, a victim of the circumstances as well and had not deliberately sought to undo the Lord’s work. Under these circumstances a person can find security. However the Lord also established an ordered world and that includes lines of authority. To kill your parents is to violate the lines of authority in the Lord’s ordered world and openly attack his wisdom. Sometimes a person attacks another person and they are injured then the attacker must bear the responsibly of the damage they have done.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)

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