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:

I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. 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 to 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

PSALM 77
Fairy Tales, we love them so much that we make cartoons out of them for our children. We love them because there is an element of truth to them which we desire to be true. What do all fairy tales have in common? What is it about those commonalities which attract us?

1. They recognize the resident evil in the world that surrounds and overwhelms all of us.
2. They recognize the beauty that exists.
3. They extol the ultimate victory of good over evil.
4. They play upon the innate desire of each of us to be that one who overcomes the odds to defeat evil, to be that hero or heroine portrayed.
5. There is almost always some supernatural standoff when it appears that evil is about to triumph.

In this Psalm Israel is depicted as having been cast off from the mercies of the Lord and shut up from His tender mercies. The psalmist comes to a point where he asks, “Has the Lord forgotten to be gracious?” Have you ever felt like the Lord had forgotten how to be gracious to you? The psalmist chooses at that time to remember the mighty works of the Lord on Israel’s behalf. He talks about the waters, the seas, the skies etc. What hast that to do with the price of tea in China? The pagan gods of the Israel’s surrounding enemies were gods of the air, the sea, the waters. He remembers how God separated the Red Sea to cause Israel to pass through in safety. Such an act clearly demonstrated God’s great power over the pagan gods who supposedly ruled the sea. Yahweh’s thunderings and lightnings also clearly demonstrated His power over the gods of the atmosphere.
Fairy tales use those themes of the power of the sea, thunder, lightning. They are forces which, even with all our technology today, we cannot control. We need someone omnipotent to intervene for us. In the midst of those times when you feel like the Lord has forgotten to be gracious, it is appropriate to stop and remember that He is a God who does wonders that bring shame upon the gods that vie for our attention. As in fairy tales where superhuman powers clash in the sea, thunder and lightning, our god will ultimately destroy evil. It is not a matter of if God will triumph; it is simply a matter of when God will triumph and will we live to see His supernatural display. Ultimately He will lead His people like a flock to safety. In the meantime we must remember those wondrous events of past intervention to keep us mindful that He will one day do so again. It is, after all, His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

ECCLESIASTES 4
“On the hand of their oppressors there is power.” We have seen it time and again in the news. Moanmar Gadhafi indiscriminately killing his own people. Egyptian general Mubarak stepped down only after 18 days of tremendous uprising. The world is full men who oppress their people in order to maintain their control over them. Shall we mention Chavez, Castro? The list could go on and on. Indeed, would not the miscarried or aborted child be better off to enter straight into the presence of God than to live in this world and experience the continual mistreatment of the hands of men under the sun? That is the problem. It is under the sun. God has been asked to leave. Amazing, the Almighty will leave when puny little man asks Him to leave. But what happens when He leaves? Our activities are filled with vainty and grasping the wind which leads to oppression and poverty of the spirit. Hmmm. . . maybe it is only then that we can see our need of a glorious King. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

MARK 15:26-47
Remember the pictures, Where's Waldo? Some people like me enjoyed spending a few minutes every once in a while looking for Waldo. In the midst of this massive and intricate cartoon the artist would draw Waldo. Waldo always wore the same clothes. If I remember right, he had this distinctive, colorful, striped hat and shirt. He was always so well blended in with the crowd that sometimes he was difficult to find.
Where is the glory of the King? Here, the King is on a cross. He doesn't much look like a king. Pilate ordered the inscription to insult the Jews. But it was true. He is the King. The ruler of the strongest army of the Universe could have destroyed the earth with a word and set Himself free. He doesn't look much like the King on the cross. Like Waldo, He is blending in with the clowns around Him. Can you see Him? He's the One in the middle of the three naked ones on the cross.
From noon until 3:00 p.m. a curious thing happened. There was darkness over the whole land. How could that happen? It is mid-day. The sun is at its brightest. No clouds are recorded but it was dark. This was significant. The clowns cannot see but the creation can. Oh, wait, He is giving a royal pronouncement. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" The King of the Universe hadn't just blended in with the clowns, the sinners, He had become one. Where is the King? That's Him on the cross. He has become sin on my behalf. I put Him there. He went there for me--and you--and the other clowns that surrounded Him and have lived from Adam until the end of time. Do you recognize Him? Boy did He blend in well! The veil of the temple tore from the top to the bottom. God's glory will come rushing out! His glory will destroy us! But wait. Nothing happened. We did not die! Why? Because the King became one of us, He died in our place. The glory of God is not longer lethal to us who are in Him.
Then there was the Roman Centurion. Of all the people who recognized the King, how did he see Him? He had watched this man. He had probably heard of His teaching in the temple during the week. He had observed the trial. He probably supervised the beating in Pilate's hall. He watched him die. No man dies like that man died. Creation turned black when that man died. This Man forgave in the midst of agony. The earth quaked when He quit breathing. He saw through the disguise. He saw the glory of God. Do you see it? Where is the King? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John