Bible League: Living His Word Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.— Exodus 25:9 ESV The Lord wanted to dwell in the midst of His people, the people of Israel. So, He told Moses to ask for contributions from them. He said, "From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me." (Exodus 25:2) The contributions were to consist of things like gold, silver, bronze, various colored yarns, fine-twined linen, goat's hair, tanned ram's skins or goat's skins, and acacia wood. The contributions were the materials necessary to build a tabernacle for the Lord, the place where He could dwell in their midst. (Exodus 25:1-8) As our verse for today makes clear, the Lord had very specific ideas about the construction of the tabernacle, including its furniture. It was to be made, "Exactly as I show you." It was not up to Moses, or the people, to decide what it would look like. It was to be made exactly after the pattern the Lord would show Moses. All Moses and the people had to do was obey the Lord and build the tabernacle after the pattern. That the Lord would require His tabernacle be made after a pattern is less than surprising. The Lord is a God of patterns, designs, and order. He designed and called into being the whole creation after patterns He had in mind. As beings made in His image and called to take responsibility for the creation (Genesis 1:26), we must be sensitive to the patterns the Lord has established for it. We see these patterns in math and science, anatomy and astronomy, and in the growth of plants and the seasons of the year. It is also striking to think of the many metaphors from nature that the Bible uses to illustrate spiritual truths: vine and branches, straying sheep, sprouting seeds, wells of water, even gender and marriage. God built these illustrations into His creation! We can't just do whatever we want with the Lord's designs. Indeed, rebelling against the Lord's patterns is sin. Just as the Lord showed Moses the pattern He had in mind for the tabernacle and its contents, so He has shown us the patterns He had in mind for our personal lives and in caring for His creation. Just as Moses could not make the tabernacle any way he wanted, so we can't live our lives any way we want. Instead, we must follow the patterns and illustrations He has given us. How has the Lord revealed to us His patterns? He has shown them to us in His Word. The Bible contains the patterns and plans for successful life. Our job, then, is not to question them, or doubt them, or ignore them, but to submit to them out of love for our Creator. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Chronicles 8, 9, 10 1 Chronicles 8 -- Genealogy from Benjamin to Saul NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 9 -- People of Israel; Judah's Genealogies; Saul's Family Line NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Chronicles 10 -- Saul's Overthrow and Defeat NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading John 8:37-59 John 8 -- The Woman Caught in Adultery; Jesus the Light of the World; The truth will set you free NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Let those who are wise understand these things.Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. Insight God's concern for justice that requires faithfulness and love that offers forgiveness can be seen in his dealings with Hosea. We can err by forgetting God's love and feeling that our sins are hopeless, but we can also err by forgetting his wrath against our sins and thinking he will continue to accept us no matter how we act. Forgiveness is a key word: when God forgives us, he judges the sin but shows mercy to the sinner. Challenge We should never be afraid to come to God for a clean slate and a renewed life. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 43:24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money.Worshippers at the temple were wont to bring presents of sweet perfumes to be burned upon the altar of God: but Israel, in the time of her backsliding, became ungenerous, and made but few votive offerings to her Lord: this was an evidence of coldness of heart towards God and his house. Reader, does this never occur with you? Might not the complaint of the text be occasionally, if not frequently, brought against you? Those who are poor in pocket, if rich in faith, will be accepted none the less because their gifts are small; but, poor reader, do you give in fair proportion to the Lord, or is the widow's mite kept back from the sacred treasury? The rich believer should be thankful for the talent entrusted to him, but should not forget his large responsibility, for where much is given much will be required; but, rich reader, are you mindful of your obligations, and rendering to the Lord according to the benefit received? Jesus gave his blood for us, what shall we give to him? We are his, and all that we have, for he has purchased us unto himself--can we act as if we were our own? O for more consecration! and to this end, O for more love! Blessed Jesus, how good it is of thee to accept our sweet cane bought with money! nothing is too costly as a tribute to thine unrivalled love, and yet thou dost receive with favor the smallest sincere token of affection! Thou dost receive our poor forget-me-nots and love-tokens as though they were intrinsically precious, though indeed they are but as the bunch of wild flowers which the child brings to its mother. Never may we grow niggardly towards thee, and from this hour never may we hear thee complain of us again for withholding the gifts of our love. We will give thee the first fruits of our increase, and pay thee tithes of all, and then we will confess "of thine own have we given thee." Daily Light on the Daily Path Esther 6:1 During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.Psalm 77:4 You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. Psalm 113:5,6 Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, • Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth? Daniel 4:35 "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, 'What have You done?' Psalm 77:19 Your way was in the sea And Your paths in the mighty waters, And Your footprints may not be known. Psalm 76:10 For the wrath of man shall praise You; With a remnant of wrath You will gird Yourself. 2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars." Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Matthew 10:29,30 "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. • "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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