Glory On The House

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Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: but if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Exodus 40:34-38

Moses had led the people of Israel at this point for about one year. Life in the wilderness was tough, rough, dry, and a learning experience for Moses and the people.

They had received the LORD’S Ten Commandments, and Moses had broken the stone tablets which the LORD had cut out and written with His own hand; and Moses had gone back to the top of Sinai, and cut the stone out at the LORD’S instruction, and then he was instructed to cut out the Ten Commandments, as the LORD gave them.

They had spent time, given offerings of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, blue, purple, and scarlet and linen, and other things for the building of a portable tabernacle in the wilderness.

The above verses tell us what happened after the tabernacle was finished, and at God’s instruction set up.

Moses cannot even enter it because the glory of GOD is on the house. He is well pleased with it.

What does all of this mean for a Christian in today’s world? It is for our learning, even our sanctification, and strengthening of our faith assuring us that God will do what He says He will do.

Everything about the tabernacle in the wilderness is a shadow, a type, a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice of His own blood for the redemption of all who will come to Him.

There is a problem though, in that, the way into the presence of the LORD is guarded by a veil. The veil was between the table, and  the lampstand (the Menorah), incense altar and the Ark of the covenant, and mercy seat which set on top.

In many years there was a temple built which was destroyed in Jerusalem, and rebuilt, and in the time of Jesus when He died on the cross we are told that the veil of the temple was torn apart from top to bottom according to Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, and Luke 23:45. Thus telling us that Jesus is the way into the presence and glory of God, and the promise of eternal life with Him.

Jesus’s death fulfilled all the law concerning atonement, redemption, and sanctification. In His burial He carried all our sins away and when He rose from the dead He defeated sin, death, and Hell.

Now what will you do with Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God, God the Living Son?

The Goodness, Mercy, and Grace of the LORD

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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.”
Exodus 33:19-20

Moses had just asked the LORD, “Show me Your glory, ” and ends by tell us that no man can behold the face of the LORD, and live.

We read in verse 11 that Moses talked with God face to face, as with a friend, and we are told in the last verse of the chapter, “…but My face shall not be seen.” Seems like a contradiction, and I am not sure I can grasp the full meaning of that, but say,  when Moses was speaking to God face to face it was in a cloud, a veil or sorts, and when GOD shows Himself (His glory) there is no veil, but only His hand that guards Moses from death, and that Moses saw only the LORD’S back.

This revelation of Moses getting to view the glory of the LORD shows us that God is truly good, merciful, and gracious. It especially shows us that God can be seen.

God was seen by men when Jesus was on earth as a Man; God veiled by human flesh. Jesus Himself said, “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9).

The LORD God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy; and He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious. I pray He will be merciful and gracious to you so that you will come to Him through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and He rose again. He also told us, “I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may be also” (John 14:3).

Will you call on His name today?

According To The Pattern

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“…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…”
Exodus 25:8-9

According to what pattern? The pattern from that which is in the presence of God in glory.

God has told Moses to receive an offering from the people in the wilderness. Those offerings are to consist of gold, silver, brass, precious stones, special materials, such as blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. It was also to include certain animal skins, oil, spices, and incense. As well as a few other items and a certain wood.

What is all of this about? It is God’s plan of salvation for His people. The plan has included blood sacrifices, of goats, and lambs, and bulls; even a red heifer. It comes from God’s pattern in glory. The earthly tabernacle was for God’s desire to dwell among His people. All of these shadows, types, and pictures are only likenesses of the true, which is in heaven. They all point to a Savior who will come several centuries later, and His name is Jesus.

The blood of goats, lambs, bulls, nor a red heifer can take away sin. The reason for daily sacrifices shows that, and the annual sacrifice on the day of Atonement needed repeated again and again, because they were still guilty of sin.

When Jesus came, sent from the Father as the “Only begotten Son of God,” then God was dwelling among His people. The religious leaders rejected Him; many of them did, and that led to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His one sacrifice is sufficient to save all who will call on His name.

Hear what the writer of Hebrews says,

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, “See,” saith He, “that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Hebrews 8:5

Christ Jesus is the One and only who can take away our sins. He has paid the sin debt that was owed to God the Father. The debt has been paid, and Jesus paid it with His life, giving His blood for our redemption.

Only one sacrifice. Only One Savior. His name is Jesus who is the Son of the Living God. Call on His name today and be delivered from the bondage of sin and darkness.

“You speak with us”

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And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.  And they said unto Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”  And Moses said unto the people, “Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”  And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
Exodus 20:18-21

In order for the people to know and believe that Moses received the word from the LORD, God had instructed Moses to have the people come to the foot of the mountain called Sinai. They would not be allowed to come near  the place where God was, but near enough to hear the voice of the LORD.

In the reading of chapter 20 of Exodus the above verses follow the giving of God’s law called the Ten Commandments. They are given in the hearing of the people, and their response is given above.

The people see and feel the quaking, rumbling, and smokey mountain at the presence of the LORD, and are quite afraid.  They tell Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear: but do not let God speak with us.” The people of God ought to want to hear the voice of the LORD.

We have people today who say they hear God’s voice, but much of what they say is contrary to the written word of God. God does not contradict Himself. Moses heard, listened, and heeded the word of the LORD. Moses went into the darkness where God was, and talked with Him.

I do not fully understand God being in the darkness, but this is not the only place where it speaks of His darkness. In Genesis 15:12 a “horrible great darkness” fell on Abraham from which God came and spoke to him.

First John 1:5 tells us that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. That may seem like a contradiction, but is more of a paradox that a contradiction. Meaning that darkness and light come along side one another to show the truth.

Because we humans are sinful beings God is unapproachable while we are in sin. God is light for those who come to Him through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

As Moses went into the darkness “where God was” is because he had already been with God before, and God had cleansed him, and provided his redemption.

One final thought: If you desire to hear the voice of the Lord, open the pages of God’s holy word – the Bible – and read it. Start with the Gospel of John, and there you will meet Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God, who is God the Living Son.

The Great Work of the LORD

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Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.  And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and His servant Moses.
Exodus 14:30-31

The LORD who is the Almighty God, Creator of all that is; both seen and unseen is All Powerful. There is nothing too hard for God. With Him nothing shall be impossible.

In the above verses for today we find Israel out of Egypt, and the Egyptian army decimated, drowned in the Red Sea. Some may wonder, “Why would God destroy so many people?” and the answer to that is “That they might know that I am the LORD.”

At least  twice that phrase is used in chapters 11 through 16. Do you know that the LORD He is God, and that there is no other? One day you will. Either on this side of eternity or on the other side.

God has made a way for all who will come to Him, to come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ who paid the sin debt for all the world. Only those who believe Him can come to Him. Jesus died on Calvary’s cross taking the wrath of God for sin, becoming sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21), He was buried carrying all our sin, shame, condemnation, and guilt away, then, He arose and came out of the grave alive forever more, interceding for all who have come to Him at the Father’s right hand.

One day soon Jesus will return, and all who have come to Him will go and be with Him forever, and those who have not believed Him will stand before a great white throne and be judged according to their works, will be found guilty, and cast into the Lake of Fire.

Believe Him, and be saved. He has paid the price of your redemption.

That You May Know…

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And the LORD said unto Moses, “Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.”
Exodus 10:1-2

The people who descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who had received promise from God that the land of Canaan was theirs have been in Egypt for about four hundred [400] years. Most of that time they have been slaves in the land they had gone to for aid during a very severe famine.

The people were laboring hard for their captors, building great pieces of architecture for them. According to the first chapter of Exodus they became slaves because a new king in Egypt did not know of Joseph, and greatly feared that these people could rise up against the nation, and conquer them.

There is a phrase in the verses above that is quite common through out the Scriptures. That phrase is, “…That you may know that I am the LORD.” The prophet Ezekiel uses the phrase at least sixty six [66] times. Here is Exodus it has been used three times at least referring to Egypt “that they may know that I am the LORD.” That gives me a lot of assurance that God desires the world to know that He is the LORD; and the One and only.

God speaking to and through Moses is assuring Moses and the people that what He is doing with these wonderful signs, judgment on Egypt is so that they too will know that He is the LORD.

God has shown us quite clearly in His word, in His love, mercy, and grace through the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that He is the LORD. Jesus  the One who is the God-Man; fully God and fully Man, had no sin, and was completely faithful to God His Father when He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-4, 14). He was fully qualified to be our propitiation for sin. He bore the wrath of God for us in His death, He was buried, and having paid our sin debt He arose and came out of the grave alive forever more. That we might know that He is the LORD.

Do All Those Wonders

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And the LORD said unto Moses, “When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, ‘Thus saith the LORD, ‘Israel is My son, even My firstborn: and I say unto thee, ‘Let my son go, that he may serve me:’ and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.’ ”
Exodus 4:21-23

When GOD sent Moses back to Egypt to deliver them from bondage, He gave him some signs; some wonders; that would get the attention of Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and all the Egyptian people.

Today, God equips His people with gifts of service for the saving of souls, delivering His people from the bondage of darkness, death, and sin. Since God calls His people to do His will He also gives us what we need to do the ministry He has given us.

It all comes because His Son Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He was buried, and on the third day He rose again. When we through faith call on the name of the Lord He hears and will deliver all who call. When we have surrendered to His will for our lives He gives us what we need for serving Him.

He Believed God

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And Israel said unto Joseph, “Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”
Genesis 48:21-22

Jacob, now called “Israel” since his wrestling match with the LORD, is near death, and believes God’s word to him that they will not stay in Egypt too long.

O that Christians would believe what God says concerning Himself, the way we ought to live, pray, and tell the world about His marvelous mercy and grace. It is definitely displayed by God smiting His own Son on the cross, taking His life paying the sin debt we owed. Jesus was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead triumphing over sin, death, and the grave.

Call on His name, the name of Jesus, and He will hear you and deliver you from sin and death.

He Was A Prosperous Man

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And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.  And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Genesis 39:1-3

A Promise Of Almighty God

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And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.  And God said unto him, “Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name:” and He called his name Israel.  And God said unto him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.”  And God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
Genesis 35:9-13

The Promised Son

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And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.  And Sarah said, “God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.”  And she said, “Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age.”
Genesis 21:5-7

Judge Of All The Earth

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And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.  And Abraham drew near, and said, “Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt Thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?  That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from Thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  And the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
Genesis 18:22-26

Of course, the Judge of all the earth will do right. He can do no wrong. He knows how to deliver the righteous from the judgment of the unrighteous.

All who come to God through the cross of Jesus Christ, shall be cleansed, forgiven, and given the righteousness of Christ.

An Everlasting Covenant

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And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
“And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you; and with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.  And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.”
Genesis 9:8-11

The greater covenant God has given to us is the new covenant that is given us through  the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and through Him we receive a new heart that is clean, and yields to the will of God.

 

God Sees the Wickedness of Mankind

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And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.  And the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.”
Genesis 6:5-7

The verse which follows the one’s above tells us that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” God in His loving kindness, mercy, and grace saved Noah and his family from the devastation of the flood.

God still sees the wickedness of human kind, and He has a way of escape. It is through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

You can begin the New Year 2025 with a new heart and mind by turning from your sinful life, and turning to Jesus Christ. Call on Him and He will hear you.

Build Up Yourselves In The Truth

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The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; for the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 2 John 1:1-2
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 3 John 1:11
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  Jude 1:20-21

We Have An Advocate

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My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2

They Shall Not Be Found

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Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.  And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time,” saith the LORD, “the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.”
Jeremiah 50:18-20

The Judgment of the LORD Has an Appointed Time

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O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? Put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.  How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? There hath He appointed it.
Jeremiah 47:6-7

GOD Is With Jacob

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“But fear not thou, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.  Fear thou not, O Jacob My servant,” saith the LORD: “for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.”
Jeremiah 46:27-28

A Message For Christmas

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It broke my heart when just minutes ago I read a post from someone I know, that they did not like Christmas, and was glad it would soon be over.

Now, I cannot be sure what he meant by that, but if you get caught up in the commercialism of it, the traffic messes that are involved, the hectic pace of being sure you got all the right gifts, or deciding if you want to buy gifts or not. If you mean that then I can agree. However, all the hustle and bustle of it is not what Christmas is about.

As Christians we must remember why we celebrate Christmas. It started with God so loving us that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. God sent His Son; God became flesh and dwelt among us.

When we are reminded of that we must be thankful, praising, and practicing the life of being Christ like in this world of darkness.

Christmas is the time to remember Christ death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection; also remembering His promise that He will come again.

God bless you and have a Christ filled and Merry Christmas.

-Tim A.

Whose Words Shall Stand?

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Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; “Behold, I have sworn by My great name,” saith the LORD, “that My name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘The Lord GOD liveth.’  Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them. Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, Mine, or theirs. And this shall be a sign unto you,” saith the LORD, “that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that My words shall surely stand against you for evil…”
Jeremiah 44:26-29

Abide In This Land

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…And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, “Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before Him;  ‘If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him,’ saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land…’ ”
Jeremiah 42:7-12

A Weak and Frightened King

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Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, “Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; ‘If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: but if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.’ ”  And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”  But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.  But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me: and, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, ‘Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.’ ”
Jeremiah 38:17-22

Gracious and Patient LORD

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And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, “Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.  It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
Jeremiah 36:1-3

Joy and Gladness Again

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Thus saith the LORD; “Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, the voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, ‘Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for His mercy endureth for ever:’ and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first,” saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 33:10-11