March 18

Exodus 29 “Give me your stick!” I realized I had broken the rule. Dutifully I took off the stick and handed it to him. He carved a notch in it and handed it back to me. I was going through an initiation ceremony of an honor organization. During the weekend initiation we were not allowed to talk and were employed in many acts of service. The idea was to teach us the value of reflection and service. If any of the older members heard you talking, then they would ask for your stick and carve a notch on it. Presumably if you had more than three notches, then you would fail the initiation and not be able to become a member. The whole weekend was full of service and ceremony. The ceremony was rich with symbolism. The point was to teach us to be servants. Here we have the instruction for the initiation ceremony or ordination ceremony of the High Priest, his sons, the tabernacle and its furnishings. But what is the point? The point is to speak to the people concerning learning how to dwell with God. As it says in verses 45 & 46:

45 I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.

The ceremony is rich with symbolism, especially concerning our Lord Jesus. The truth behind those symbols is meant to lead us into dwelling in a loving relationship with the Almighty. Remember, the book of Hebrews instructs us that Jesus is our High Priest, and these things recorded in Exodus are shadows of a heavenly reality. We don’t have space in a devotional to discuss the minute symbolism found here, but I would like to address the blood applied to the priests’ right ear, right thumb and right big toe. Jesus said that He only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:17-22). Vision is a form of communication. I watch my grandchildren as they are growing. One of the many things that I have noticed is how intently as babies that they watch what is going on around them. They are aware and mimic what adults do even before they are speaking words. Facial expressions of emotion are learned and communicated long before they can form the words, but they are listening at the same time. When Moses was instructed to put blood on the ear of the priest, it was a picture of his primary responsibility to watch and listen to what the Father does and says, so that it may be repeated back to the people and the dwelling relationship may be enhanced. The right thumb was to be anointed with blood. The thumb is a marvel in the design of the human hand. Can you imagine how much more difficult it would be to grasp and carry things without an opposable thumb? Once I was playing tennis and fell. Stretching out my hand to break my fall, I injured my left hand. I thought that I had just badly bruised it, but after a week of no improvement, I had an orthopedic surgeon examine it. The x-rays revealed that I had broken a little bone in the bottom of the palm of my hand. One of the tendons to the thumb attached to that bone. That anchor is what makes possible the ability of the thumb to grasp something and pick it up while the palm is face down to the ground. The thumb had to be immobilized in order for the bone to heal properly. For 7 or 8 weeks, I could not use my thumb. I learned how difficult it is to pick things up without a thumb. The anointing of the thumb was a symbol of the work of the priest to enable the people dwell with God. The right big toe was to be anointed with blood. The big toe plays a large role in walking and balance. People who lose their big toe often have to re-learn how to walk. The balance and ability just isn’t the same. Without it mobility is impaired. The anointing of the toe was a symbol that wherever the priest walked, he was to bring people to the place where they might dwell with God. How does this relate to the glory of Jesus? Of course Jesus is our real High Priest. His sacrifice was Himself, His own flesh and blood. He went through the cross so that we might learn how to dwell with God. It requires of us ears that listen, hands that grasp and work and feet that go at His bidding. Jesus has already done all of that for us! Now by His blood, He lives in us so that we too can hear and see what the Father is doing. With Him in us we can be His hands to grasp the work that He has sent us to do. With Him in us we can be mobile to go wherever He sends bringing His mercy, grace, love and life giving water to the spiritually parched and lonely. He teaches and enables us to reflect, listen, do and go. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

March 17

Exodus 28 The sun was shining mightily as I waited in the driveway behind the back hedge on that beautiful June noon. It was the perfect temperature for an outdoor wedding. It was past the starting time, but I could wait. Soon my bride would be exiting the front door, circling around the opposite side of side of the house and walking down the aisle created by the columns of folding chairs in the back yard. I did not know it at the time, but her dress wasn’t quite finished. We had long passed the start time because my bride was literally having her dress sewn up in the back—some last minute technical difficulties. Eventually the flautist began playing Ode to Joy! That was her cue. She was absolutely stunning as she rounded the corner and came down the aisle. Arrayed in her beautiful white dress, she had set herself apart just for me, and I delighted in her. We all know the routine. We have each been to many weddings. But what would you think if the bride showed up in filthy clothing? It is unthinkable. The High Priest of Israel was the representative of the people before God. His clothing was to represent the clothing of a nation as she is presented to her husband, the Almighty God. Is it any wonder that the Lord takes special interest in describing the creation of the High Priest’s vestments? A.W. Pink in his commentary Gleanings in Exodus takes great pains to explain the minutia of these vestments. But what I find of particular interest is verses 36-38 (and Pink does not even address it): You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. To be holy is to be separate. It is to be set apart for a special purpose. A bride sets herself apart just for her groom. A groom sets himself apart just for his bride. They are set apart for each other. The High Priest was the representative of Israel, the Lord’s bride. He was holy to the Lord. He was set apart for the Lord. Aaron was to wear the gold plate which said, “Holiness to the Lord.” He was to wear it upon his forehead. Now here is an interesting phrase, “. . . That Aaron my bear the iniquity of the holy things. . .” Now there is an oxymoron! The most basic meaning of the word translated ‘iniquity’ is twisted. It is not far from the meaning of what we might say when someone does something that we feel is really perverted. We might say, “Now that’s twisted!” Can you imagine a bride who was a prostitute coming down the aisle dressed in the scanty clothing of her profession, soliciting all the men on her way to meet her groom and offering herself to them as soon as the ceremony was over? It is unthinkable! You are probably thinking, “You are twisted for even thinking that.” When I think of the phrase ‘bear the iniquity of the holy things,’ that is the word picture that comes to mind. You are probably thinking, “You are twisted! There ought to be a special punishment for you.” It is interesting that in the Hebrew language the idea of iniquity and punishment are barely separated. Sometimes the word translated as iniquity is translated as punishment How is it that Aaron could bear the iniquity of the holy things? Perhaps looking at a different translation might help us understand this oxymoron. Listen to how the New American Bible translates it, “. . .Since Aaron bears whatever guilt the Israelites may incur in consecrating any of their sacred gifts, this plate must always be over his forehead, so that they may find favor with the LORD.” The high priest bears the awful twistedness of the people, yet because of the work of the Lord, as he bears that plate, the people find favor with God. It is as if you and I were the harlots dancing down the aisle to be wed with God, prostituting ourselves with everything along the way, but because of the work of the high priest, we are seen by God to be holy and chaste and pure as a bride ought to be! Remember the book of Hebrews tells us that the things recorded in Exodus are only shadows of the reality found in heaven. The reality is that Jesus is our High Priest. The reality is that He knows my twistedness. The reality is that He bore my twistedness to the cross. The reality is that upon the cross He bore the punishment for my twistedness. The reality is that upon His head hangs the plate inscribed, “Holiness to the Lord!” The reality is that as I am united with Him, God no longer sees me as a prostitute selling myself to every god that comes along. The reality is that as I am united with Him, the death He died for my sin, I die. The reality is that as I am united with Him, the resurrection which He experienced, I experience. The reality is that as I am untied with Him, God declares me holy. He no longer sees me as a slutty prostitute but as His radiant and spotless bride. Now that is glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

March 20

Exodus 31 Decades ago our children’s Sunday School class was in need of a table for kids. We really didn’t have the money to purchase it. So I obtained some wood and made a table and gave it to the church. I don’t think that it was really very well done, but one of the little old ladies told me, “You remind me of Bezalel and Aholiab who oversaw the making of the tabernacle and its furnishings.” She certainly overstated the case, but for the first time I began to contemplate how the arts truly are a part of holiness and the glory of God. The Lord says of Bezalel in 31:3 “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” And He says of Aholiab 31:6, “I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab. . . ; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you.” A friend of mine, who is a much deeper thinker and more intellectual than I, recently wrote a series of articles in his blog on how the human mind works. According to him, apparently the left side of the brain operates more in the realm of images or emotions, whereas the right side of the brain operates more in the realm of words or logic. The person and culture works best when it can lead with the left (images) and fulfill it with the right (words and logic). It would appear that God seems to be doing that with Israel. He gives them many images in the tabernacle, its furnishings and the priest’s garments. He anoints gifted men to skillfully craft those images and bring them into a beautiful substance. Even the observance of the Sabbath Day rest is an image of how He would work in them. He leads with the left. Finally He sends Moses packing with the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments, the words. He follows through with His right. I think in the circles of the church that I operate in, we do not much appreciate the arts, the images, in declaring the glory of God. Now I know that the second commandment states that we are not to make any graven images of God to bow down and worship Him. Yet, I think we are so fearful of disobeying that command that maybe we fail to recognize the power of images in communication—not for the purpose of bowing down to worship God but for the purpose of communicating truth. After all, God is communicating truth through the images which He has commanded to be crafted. Indeed, he filled people with His Spirit so that they might skillfully craft them. Occasionally, I will present a sermon as what I call a ‘dramatic monologue.’ If the passage of Scripture which I am expounding revolves around a certain person, I might write the sermon as if I were that person telling the story. Usually I will try to dress up in costume to look like what I think that person might have looked like. Of all my sermons, those are the ones which people remember. I lead with my left, and follow with my right. Some years back a retired pastor in my congregation was quite critical of me. He came up with everything under the sun to show why I was unfit to be pastor. Among his criticisms of me was that I so audacious as to “dress up in a Halloween costume” to preach the word of God. Now the costume was of a Biblical character, not of the Halloween variety. I think his suggestion was to cut off the left arm and only use the right. While I think it a terrible waste to spend large amount of monies on buildings which are only used one day a week, there is something to be said for the cathedrals built years ago. They were often the only pieces of art that a peasant could enjoy. The large edifices also caused the worshipper to look up in wonder. Perhaps we need to gain a better appreciation of the arts in communicating truth. Maybe more people would be led to see His glory if we recognized His anointing upon people to do a skillful work to His glory, even if it is a simple thing like building a Sunday School table. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

March 14

Exodus 25

            In late May of 1976 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, I met a girl. She was really pretty. I found out that she had spent the previous summer, 1975, living in Ocean City, New Jersey. I had lived in Ocean City in the summer of 1974.  She had dwelt in the same house in which I had dwelt, what a coincidence!  We sometimes joke that before we married, we dwelt in the same house together, separately.  Our friendship progressed.  Seven months after having met her, I determined that I would like to dwell with her all the rest of my days.  I talked her into marrying me. In June, slightly over a year from the day we met, we were married, and we began dwelling together.  This June we will celebrate 36 years of dwelling together. What a joy it has been to share our lives dwelling together!

            The Lord told Moses, “Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” At other places in Scripture the Lord refers to Israel as His ‘bride’ or ‘wife’. Approaching our wedding date, my bride and I began preparing a place to live.  We rented a house on the corner of 5^th and Hester, and we furnished it. We set it up so that as soon as we returned from our honeymoon, we could begin dwelling together.  How about that! The Holy Almighty God wants to dwell among His people as with a spouse! But what does it take for God to dwell with His bride? He describes the furniture of His dwelling place.

            His first and foremost piece of furniture, which He commands to be made, is an ark. The Hebrew word ‘arown’ translates variously as “ark, chest, or coffin.” It is a picture of our Lord Jesus.  The wood represents His humanity, the gold represents His deity.  Together they speak of what the theologians call the “hypostatic union.” That is the two natures or substances constitute one personal subsistence.[1]  It is interesting to me that the word can be translated as a coffin.  When finished, the tablets of the Ten Commandments were placed inside the ark or coffin, the picture of Jesus.  When He went to the cross, He took the charges of the law, The Ten Commandments, which were written against us and wiped them out in His death.  Jesus carried them to His tomb and then rose victoriously, having fulfilled the law’s requirement.

            On top of the ark was placed the Mercy Seat and Cherubim, made of pure gold.  The cherubim are the defenders and protectors of the holiness of God.  The gold represents the deity of Jesus.  Once a year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the Lamb upon the mercy seat to cover the sins of the people for the next year. It is through the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus that we receive mercy from God.  It is through Jesus that we enter into His mercy

            In the Holy Place was the table of showbread. It is also made of wood and covered with gold symbolizing the humanity and deity of Jesus.  The bread is a symbol of fellowship with God who gives us life.  Jesus said that he was the bread of life.  He came so that we might have fellowship with the living, holy, almighty God.  Because of Jesus, we can dwell with God!  Across the room from the table of showbread was the golden lampstand providing light to the room.  Jesus is the light of the world revealing the only true reality.  Showing us how our sin is removed and exchanged for His holiness, giving us access to the presence of God.  Hebrews 8:5 tells us that the earthly serves as a, “Copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’”

            So the Lord has provided for his bride to dwell with Him.  He has furnished His dwelling place with that which makes for an enjoyable relationship with Him. It is a loving relationshhip which He wants with us. Indeed we serve a glorious King.  Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

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[1] Lectures in Systematic Theology, Henry C. Thiessen  1981, p. 224.

March 9

Exodus 20 Here we are at one of the best known passages of the Bible and the most disobeyed. What does it mean to have no other gods before Him? Many years ago my bride and I stood before a minister of the Gospel and gave vows to each other to love each other uniquely and supremely as husband and wife till death parted us. Suppose I came home and found that she had added other husbands to her list. In this bedroom Jerry resided. In that bedroom Wilbur took up residence. In another bedroom was George. And me? Well, I am rich; I could go find a motel to stay in somewhere. After all she could maybe have a chat with me for about 30-60 minutes once a week—if she felt like not reading a book. I could not accept that. I would divorce her. I want a relationship with her. I don’t want to be held at a distance. But wait! That analogy is not strong enough. Jerry, Wilbur or George might actually be better for her than me. So for the analogy’s sake, what if she replaced them with rooms filled with the following. In one room she dedicated a large screen TV that continuously played movies featuring me in my best moments (it would be a short movie) in one continuous loop. Suppose she dedicated another room to numerous statues and busts of me in various walks of life revealing my greatness (yuck. . . ). In another room she had all the recordings of my best sermons playing one right after another so that she could never forget what a great orator I am (ha. . .). But even that does not reflect the passage. Suppose, in order to catch my greatness she used animals or planets to reflect what I was like. So in the TV room she had wonderful nature videos playing as a representation of what I was like. In another room she reproduced wonderful sounds of nature to represent who I am. Another room might be filled with the scents of nature to reflect my wonderfulness (I hope she wouldn’t choose a skunk). Other rooms might be filled with animals that remind her of me. Suppose I came home, and she ignored me. She was two busy watching my videos or caressing my statues or enjoying my scents or stroking the animals that remind her of me. In her mind it was enough that I would watch her in these activities. I’d send her to a mental institution. I want a relationship with her. I don’t want to be held at a distance. It would be insulting to me that she would desire those things over me. But wait! What if she daily went for a walk downtown. What if, she told all the merchants, “My husband wants this merchandise. My husband wants that merchandise. Here is my husband’s credit card. He’ll take care of it all.” What if in every conversation she threw out my name as if it were some common slur. What if her use of my name became associated with emptiness and meaninglessness?, What right would she have to daily drag my name into the ground by making promises that I had no intention of keeping or in frivolous use that degraded me in the community? It would be insulting to me and an indication that she had no intention to live up to the honor of my name. But wait! What if I had communicated with her that at least once a week that as much as possible, I would like for her to cease her normal activities to spend that day resting and focusing upon me? But instead of spending it with me, she sought other persons to be with or other things to do. After all, it was the only day of the week that she had for herself. What if I told her that that day would be a special sign to all other people that we were husband and wife? Yet she spent that day pursuing other relationships. Well after all, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to me. I mean she had already spent her week filling her life with things that were less than me. It would be an insult to me that she preferred them over me. This analogy falls far short for the very reason that I could never be compared to the greatness of the glory of our God. The gap that exists between me and any videos, statues, sound recordings, animals or planets to represent me etc. is much closer than the gap that exists between the glory of God and anything with which we may want to represent Him or replace Him. After all, He is the infinite Creator and everything else is His creation. The right with which I have to request my wife’s affections are far less than the right with which He possesses to command my affections toward Him. After all, He is the infinite Creator, and I am His creation. Yet in breaking these first four of the ten commandments, this is how we how we treat God. This is how we view His glory. That is why we must seek to see His glory every day and share it with others. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john

March 4

Exodus 15

            “The monkey is going to jump on his back right about. . . now.”  It was track practice.  The coach had given some instruction about setting the proper pace in running a 440. Then, he was trying to illustrate it as he sent several of us to run around the track while he gave instruction to others.  A 440 (a quarter of a mile) is a little longer than a sprint, but it is still a sprint.  One has to understand when and where one is going to hit the wall, and how to handle it.  Normally at a certain spot in the 440 it feels as if a giant monkey has jumped upon your back, and it is trying to pull you back.  It is unavoidable.

            The Israelites had endured ten plagues at the beginning of this race.  God had displayed His power in showing setting them free to sprint.  He seemed to fill their sails with a mighty powerful wind when He parted the Red Sea and drowned Pharaoh’s army behind them. But as they obtained their head start, and seemed to be pulling into the homestretch, the 800 pound gorilla jumped on their backs.  Three days into the desert, and they were out of water. By the end of the first day, I am sure that they were parched.  How many had left Egypt carrying sufficient water for the journey?  On the first day of the journey, I am sure that the realities of the lack of planning on their part were settling in. Three days without water and it was now critical.  Three days in the desert with no water and people would soon be dying.  They came to springs of water, but they were bitter and undrinkable even when dying of thirst.  The gorilla was relentless.

            God in His mercy showed up.  “Moses, take a particular tree and cast it into the water and it will be made sweet.”  Moses did it, and the waters were healed.  What a picture of the cross!  Our lives, which are wrecked and ruined by the bitterness of sin, are made sweet and satisfying by His cross when we consider ourselves dead with Him!  When life is bitter, when it feels like the 800 pound gorilla has jumped on my back, it is to time consider myself impaled with Him on the cross.  When I do, He raises me up to newness of life.  He brings me soon to the springs of Elim where refreshing waters flow, and that is His glory!  Indeed we serve a glorious King.  Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

March 1

Exodus 12:21-51

            They had to pick out a lamb. Four days before they killed it, they had to pick out a lamb to observe it.  They needed to observe it for any flaws.  The lamb had to be perfect. The lamb might have lived with them.  They must have had a close relationship with it.  Ever watched any You Tubes of lambs?  They are really cute — fluffy wool, dark eyes, ears sticking straight out from their heads, playfully spastic as they jump around.  Four days is long enough to become emotionally attached to the cute little thing.  Then they had to slay it at twilight before the night and day began.  Even in a culture where the slaying of an animal was somewhat routine, it must have hurt.

            Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on the 10^th of Nissan, the day everyone was to pick out a lamb.  He presented Himself as king by riding in royal procession upon donkey according to the prophetic utterance of Zechariah 9:9.  Multitudes loved Him.  Multitudes hated Him.  The leadership had determined that He must die to save the nation. Rejected as King, they chose Him as the sacrificial Lamb.  Jesus died at three in the afternoon on the Day of Preparation, just at the time when the priests were beginning to slay the Paschal lambs.  By sunset His body had been placed in a tomb.

            The Galileans reckoned their days differently than did Judeans.  So, Jesus could genuinely enjoy the Galilean Passover on the evening before He died. By this time in history, the Jews had been celebrating Passover for about 1,470 years.  As He broke the unleavened bread (unleavened spoke of sinlessness), He said, “This is My body broken for you.” Every Seder (Passover meal) has four ceremonial times when everyone sips from a cup of wine.  The third time is called the cup of redemption.  As Jesus led them in the Seder, He lifted up the cup of redemption and said, “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood.  Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me.” The next day at the very time that the Judeans were slaying the Passover Lambs, His blood was flowing down the cross to the ground. He gave up the ghost and died. 

            For 3½ millennia Jewish people have celebrated Passover.  I know of no other ritual that has endured for so long.  Why has it endured?  It has endured because it speaks of the glory of God in how He has and He will deliver His people from their sin. The Passover shouts at us that the seed of the woman has crushed the head of the serpent, that the seed of Abraham blesses all the families of the earth, that the servant of the Lord was smitten by God, afflicted for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah has become a lamb to take away the sin of the world, that the Son of David has taken up his scepter to reign, that the Old Covenant which was written on stone tablets is being replaced by a New Covenant which is being written in our hearts.

            We must pick out a lamb.  Will it be the perfect, sinless Lamb of God who was slain on our behalf?  Or will it be another one of our own making or choosing?  The ones of our own choosing are inherently flawed. He is the only perfect One.  To choose another is to invite the wrath of the Lamb.  To choose Him is to invite His unmerited love. Now that is Glory!  Indeed we serve a glorious King.  Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john