Not only were the people to wash their clothes, but they were to watch their step. They were to stay away from the mountain, for if they got too close to God’s “pulpit,” they would die.

“That doesn’t sound very loving,” you might say.

Oh, but any dad who has wrestled with his two-year-old knows that it is.

Dad, when you wrestle with your toddler, you want contact with your kids, but you place limits on yourself because otherwise they’d be wiped out. The same is true of God. His beauty, His glory, His splendor, majesty, and holiness would be so powerful that were the children of Israel to get too close to Him, their hearts would simply stop beating from awe.

So often we trivialize God. Yes, through the person of Jesus Christ, He is our friend, but His grandeur and glory remain undiminished. Therefore, the fear of the Lord - the fear of doing anything that would grieve Him - should cause us to fall at His feet in speechless humility.

God doesn’t say, “I am the Lord God.” He says, “I am the LORD thy God,” as if to say, “I made you; I created you; I know what will make you happy.” Thus, because of the incredible tenderness embedded in the little word “thy,” the Ten Commandments could be called the “Ten-der” Commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. - 1 John 5:3

John doesn’t say we’ll earn God’s love by keeping His commandments. No, he says keeping His commandments is the love of God.

“I’m not experiencing God’s love,” you say.

Are you keeping His commandments?

“I don’t have to. I’m under grace.”

Yes, you are. But you’ll experience God’s love when you keep His commandments because He alone knows how you are made and how you tick, and His commandments constitute His personal instruction book for you, straight from your Manufacturer.

And his commandments are not grievous. - 1 John 5:3

God’s commandments are not grievous because rules provide liberty.

There is a rule I keep every single day. That is, in the morning - every morning - I brush my teeth. You might call this legalism. But I find it to be exceedingly refreshing. Not only that, it also releases me from philosophical questioning. I never once ask, “To brush, or not to brush? Do I have time? Is this the right day? Does brushing apply to me?” I could waste a great deal of energy debating and wondering if I should brush my teeth, but because brushing my teeth is a non-negotiable rule for me, I am released from all kinds of mental turmoil. And not only does brushing my teeth refresh and release me, but it relieves those around me. Thus, it’s a win-win situation. The same is true of God’s law. It provides an opportunity to experience His love personally and to express my love practically.

In this simple phrase, we see a premise and a promise. The premise is that there are indeed other gods . . .

Baal was the god who supposedly hurled lightning down from heaven (1 Kings 18:24). Baal was the god of power. Munching on power bars, listening to power tapes, thinking they’re powerful and in control, lots of people still unknowingly worship Baal today.

Ashtoreth was the goddess of sensuality, of pleasure, a goddess worshiped extensively in our society by those with the “if it feels good, do it” mentality.

Mammon was the god of money, the god of prosperity. Because it is the love of money, rather than money itself, which is evil (1 Timothy 6:10), it is not only the wealthy who are prone to worship mammon. Anyone who places a priority on money, worries about money, or strives for money is vulnerable.

Molech was the god of practicality. To earn Molech’s blessing upon his new business, the Molech worshiper would place his firstborn in an earthen jar and build the walls of his shop around it, believing that the baby entombed within the wall wasn’t really dead, but would reappear in his next child. Many a parent does virtually the same thing today when, in the name of practicality, they ignore their children in the name of advancing their careers, mistakenly thinking that once their business is successful and their place in the company is secure that they can re-connect with their kids. The problem, however, is that kids grow up, time is lost, and opportunity dies on the altar of practicality.

In addition to the premise that there are indeed other gods, this first commandment carries a promise that other gods will not pull on God’s people indefinitely.

Having captured the Ark of the Covenant - the gold-covered box which held the Ten Commandments - the Philistines placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon, a being which was half man and half fish. The next day, when the priests of Dagon went into the temple, they found Dagon knocked down before the Ark. The priests returned Dagon to his original position, only to come in the following day to find him on the floor once again, his head and hands severed from the fall (1 Samuel 5).

The same thing happens today. “Let Me into the temple of your heart,” God says, “and I’ll knock Dagon down; I’ll knock Baal out. I’ll take care of Mammon. I’ll deal with Ashtoreth.”

The Ten Commandments are the only law of antiquity that forbids the worship of other gods. All other codes and cultures allowed and even encouraged the worship of other deities. Why? Because all other gods work as a team to bring hell into peoples’ lives and to damn them eternally. There will be no other gods before the true and living God because those gods will not come through ultimately. In the last day, every knee shall bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus alone is Lord (Philippians 2:10–11). And what a day that will be!

To understand what God must look like, man has looked to nature for clues.

Looking to the sky, the Native American saw the eagle soaring majestically overhead and decided God must be an eagle.

Looking at the grassy plain, the Indian saw the powerful yet peaceful cow and decided God must be a cow.

Looking down to the sea, the Pacific Islander saw the massive sea turtle with its impenetrable shell and decided God must be a sea turtle.

Although we know better than this, we as believers can fall prey to the same tendency. You see, there are those who say, “When I get to Heaven, I’m going to sit on God’s lap and feel His embrace.” While I understand their sentiment, the image is faulty, for in the book of Revelation, God is not described as having a long white beard, flowing hair, bulging biceps, and muscular calves, reaching out His finger to touch man as Michelangelo portrayed Him in the Sistine Chapel. He’s described primarily by color - the flame of His eyes; the red of His garment (Revelation 19). Jesus simply said, “God is Spirit” (see John 4:24). Therefore, I don’t believe we’re going to see the Father as having arms, hands, and legs.

“But doesn’t Scripture say He spans the universe with His hand?” you ask (Isaiah 40:12).

Yes, but it also says He covers us with His wings (Psalm 91:4). Therefore, I believe it is as much a mistake to think that God the Father has two eyes, a nose, and two ears, as it is to think He has wings or feathers.

God cannot be contained by a body, no matter how great. He’s Spirit. He’s everywhere. When we get to Heaven, with our new bodies, we’ll be able to bask in His glory, just as the high priest did in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement. But I don’t believe we will “sit on His lap,” as we would with our earthly fathers. God is everywhere, all around us. The Holy Spirit dwells within us. Jesus relates to us.

Christianity is not about making an image of God, no matter how noble or grand. It’s about looking at Jesus, and allowing Him to conform us into His image.

Because virtually everyone would agree that societies and families work best when there is no murder, stealing, or lying, people have an easy time understanding the commandments that prohibit those activities. But in the minds of most people, the third commandment is a different story. After all, they reason, everyone takes the Lord’s name in vain occasionally. God, however, does not agree. And to underscore this, although He prohibited stealing, coveting, killing, lying, and committing adultery with a simple “Thou shalt not,” He amplified the prohibition to take His name in vain as if to say “This is exceptionally serious.”

Why?

I suggest two reasons . . .

First, when the Lord’s name is used in vain, in a manner devoid of meaning, the result is desensitization. This commandment is not about God being offended, but about people being lost, desensitized to the reality of the name that will save them and the reality of where they will spend eternity if they don’t receive Him.

In addition to desensitization, when the Lord’s name is taken in vain, there are real ramifications. The man who accidentally hits his thumb while pounding a nail and says blasphemously, “God damn it,” is actually saying, “God, doom this project I am working on.” And because life and death are indeed in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), his words, in one way or another, will have a negative impact on the task he is engaged in. Rather dumb!

Mock Buddha and you’ll hear from the ACLU. Make fun of an Indian religion and you’ll be politically incorrect. But use the name of Jesus Christ in any manner whatsoever and no one will even raise an eyebrow. While we may not be able to keep this from happening outside of our homes, we can use it as an opportunity to talk about Jesus to the one who uses His name blasphemously. And in sharing His reality, we can turn the situation around for His glory.

Having worked four hundred years as slaves in Egypt, the concept of a day off would have sounded radical indeed to the children of Israel. And not to them only, but to the surrounding civilizations as well, for no other society of antiquity entertained the idea of a Sabbath day - a day of rest.

With the Assyrians bearing down on them, the children of Israel set up an alliance with the Egyptians, failing to realize that it was only in God that their help would be found. Ever feel like financial, relational, or physical problems are waging war against you? Ever feel like you can’t get ahead or even catch up? Listen to what God says . . .

For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. - Isaiah 30:15, 21

The bills are mounting; the pressures are building; the Assyrians are coming. What am I to do? It’s only in returning to God and resting in Him that I’ll know. If I consistently take one day of every seven and say, “This is Yours, Lord,” I am saying, “Lord, I acknowledge that what I have and enjoy is not because of my work ethic, my creativity, my business acumen, my energy. It’s all from You. And I’m going to prove that to myself and to my family by stopping one day in seven. In so doing, I am acknowledging that You are the giver of every good gift, the provider of the bread I enjoy, that You are the One who truly holds my life together.”

If I keep the Sabbath, I’ll know which way to go as I hear a voice in my ear telling me how to walk. I’ll experience a fullness in my heart, a richness in my soul. And so will you.

The fifth commandment is unique indeed, for, as Paul reminds us, it is the only one with a promise attached to it (Ephesians 6:1–3). As evidenced by the fact that many saints die at a young age, while many sinners seem to live indefinitely, the long days promised to those who keep this commandment refer not necessarily to quantity but to quality - to a life full of rich and meaningful days. Living until the age of 930, the first Adam lived thirty times longer than the last Adam, Jesus Christ, who died at the age of thirty-three. Yet no one would argue that the last Adam honored his Heavenly Father thirty times more than did the first Adam, for Jesus honored His Father perfectly. And the way He related to His Heavenly Father provides a picture, a pattern, and an example for how I am to relate to my earthly mother and father . . .

Jesus was a reflection of His Father (John 5:19). So too, because you are a reflection of your parents, if you’re down on them, you’ll be down on yourself. Therefore, the way to be well emotionally and relationally is to honor your father and mother.

Jesus was dependent upon His Father (John 5:26). So too, we are dependent upon our earthly parents. Given the fact that the chemical components that comprise our bodies are the same as those of a slug, we should be eternally grateful we were born as humans rather than slugs. Therefore, if there’s no other reason to honor them, we should honor them because they gave us life, sustained our lives, and saved our lives probably many more times than we could even imagine.

Jesus was submitted to His Father (John 5:30). The two key qualities that will bring fulfillment and success to anyone’s life are those of humility and submission. And those qualities are born only in the context of family. You see, if I don’t like my job, I can quit; if I don’t like my friends, I can avoid them; if I don’t like my neighbors, I can move; if I don’t like my school, I can drop out. But my relationship to my parents is the one relationship I can’t change. And it is precisely when I don’t agree with them or understand them that submission and humility are worked into my soul. At the peak of His maturity, Jesus said, “I am in submission to My Father.” And so must I be.

There are two Greek words translated “anger” in the New Testament. The first is thumos, and refers to the anger one feels that causes his veins to bulge and his face to get red. The word used in Matthew 5:22, however, is orgizo, a word that refers to the anger that smolders internally day after week after month after year. Jesus said the person who harbors this kind of anger without a cause is a murderer.

“Oh, but I have a cause. I have a reason to be angry,” you say.

Do you?

In Matthew 18, we read the story of the master who forgave his slave’s debt of ten million dollars only to discover that the slave threatened to kill a fellow slave over a debt of two thousand dollars. In telling this story, Jesus’ point was that as real as the two thousand dollar debt was, it was nothing in comparison to the debt of which he had been forgiven. In other words, if all of our mixed motives, evil intentions, and sinful imaginations were brought to light, we would see that we owe a debt far greater than any owed to us, that we are worse than the worst offense committed against us.

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. - Matthew 5:23–26

The only way to keep from murdering others is to be reconciled. And the only way to be reconciled is to agree with your enemy. Even if his facts are wrong, you’re a bigger sinner than he can even imagine. So you are to go to him and say, “I’m wrong. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” If you don’t, you’ll end up in court. What court? The court that exists in your mind. You practice law daily. You gather new witnesses and new evidence systematically. You build an airtight case, and every time court convenes, you win. The other guy never wins. Consequently, your relationships dwindle and your life grows smaller. Families divide. Hell breaks out. And although you may be technically, judicially, or legally right, you’re oh, so wrong when you fail to reconcile with your adversary.

I know this because Jesus absorbed the blame for us totally. On the Cross, He absorbed the full punishment for our sin, paid the entire price for you and me. Even on the Cross, He said, “Father forgive them.” And as a result, Jesus is free from the chains of death and the grave, just as you will be if you choose to absorb the blame wholly, completely, and unconditionally.

Because the seventh commandment is the least understood, it is the most argued.

But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. - Proverbs 6:32

The world thinks sex is about procreation and recreation, failing to understand that it’s primarily about unification, about two souls being mystically and miraculously merged into one. The issue is not unwanted pregnancy, disease, or AIDS. God says the issue of intimacy is the soul. That is why, after presiding over the first marriage ceremony, He looked at the couple and called their name Adam, singularly (Genesis 5:2). Sex outside of marriage destroys one’s soul irreparably, inevitably. Every time people are involved in sexual activity outside of marriage, there will be destruction as the soul is destroyed a piece, a layer, a step at a time. That is why Jesus was so emphatic when He dealt with the subject of adultery (Matthew 5:27–30). Knowing its danger, He told us to deal with it radically, brutally, and severely - to do whatever it takes to keep it from our lives.

If there was a sign that read:

Please proceed with great caution because behind these doors there are experiments taking place with chemical components which may be used one day to cause an explosive reaction at some future point.

I’d probably ignore it.

But if the sign said:

Danger! Explosives!

I would stay away.

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” If you want to read the fine print, you can explore the Scriptures and find the reason why. But here, it is as if God is simply, clearly, and undeniably saying, “Take My Word for it: Adultery is explosive. It is dangerous. It will destroy you.”

Although the eighth commandment is straightforward and simple, it is even more so in Hebrew, where it reads simply, “Steal not.” As a society, we know that stealing is wrong, so we teach our kids from the earliest age not to take what isn’t theirs. And yet, according to the IRS, if no one cheated on his taxes, our national debt would be retired in one year. But make no mistake, stealing is not limited to money or material goods. We can rob our employers through two-hour lunches or leaving early from work.

Following are four prescriptions for the epidemic of thievery that pervades our culture . . .

“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good” (Ephesians 4:28). We are to work with our hands. When man fell in the garden of Eden, God told Adam that he was to work by the sweat of his brow. This wasn’t punishment but protection, for in his sinful state, man needed to work or else he would be vulnerable to stealing, taking shortcuts, or cheating. One of the greatest ways to be free from thievery is to work hard. Why? If you’re not working hard, you’re a candidate for depression. You’ll be down on yourself, disillusioned with yourself, and sad about your situation. I believe depression can be linked to people who no longer work hard.

Jesus said if someone compels you to go a mile, go two (Matthew 5:41). Go twice as far, twice as hard as your boss expects. Satan will tell you that you deserve a break, but Jesus tells us to go twice as far because, His burden being easy, His load light, He knows it’s for our benefit.

“. . . that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28). We are to reach out our hands. If we’re going the second mile, working harder than others, we’ll inevitably experience a certain degree of success, not to accumulate more for ourselves, but to reach out our hands and give to others. In so doing, a dynamic takes place that leads to joy and liberty, happiness and freedom.

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8). We are to open up our hands. God indicted His people of robbery when they failed to tithe. The whole earth is the Lord’s (Psalm 24:1), and we acknowledge that fact by tithing. He who robs God also robs everyone around him in sneaky, subtle ways.

“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). We are to look at His hands. The holes in Jesus’ hands tell me that God loves me, that He cares about me, that He’ll do what’s best for me, which obliterates the need for thievery. I look at His hands, and in them I rest.

By working with your hands, reaching out your hands, opening your hands, and looking at His hands, you’ll not only keep the eighth commandment, but you’ll find deep fulfillment.

The biblical viewpoint of bearing false witness is not confined to the telling of bold-faced lies, but also includes being tricky with the truth. In the one account where the phrase “false witness” is used in Scripture, we see individuals falsely accusing Jesus of threatening to destroy the Temple when, in fact, He was speaking of His own death (Matthew 26:59–61).

Because he is the Father of Lies, Satan is the ultimate false witness, accusing us day and night before God’s throne as he points out our failings, our shortcomings, and our sins (Revelation 12:10). Jesus, on the other hand, is the Faithful and True Witness (Revelation 3:14), our Advocate, our defense lawyer.

Are you a true witness or a false witness? If the person sitting next to you is a believer, he or she is righteously robed, Heaven-bound, Spirit-filled, positionally pure. Speaking anything less of them is bearing false witness. Oh, you might give the right information, but in so doing, do you convey the wrong implication? You might say lots of nice things about them, but do you add a “but, . . .” a “however, . . .” an “I don’t know if I should share this, but . . .”? If so, you’re a false witness because, although you might be telling the truth, you’re not telling the whole truth. You’re failing to factor in God’s estimation of them.

If you’re prone to bearing false witness, consider the following remedies:

Say less, for as Solomon so insightfully declared, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).

Pray more. “Remove from me the way of lying,” David prayed (Psalm 119:29).

Think again. Before you say anything about anyone else, THINK:

T: Is what you are about to say the whole Truth?

H: Is it Helpful? Will people be edified?

I: Is it Inspirational? Will God be praised as a result?

N: Is it Necessary?

K: Is it Kind?

The best way to keep from bearing false witness is to simply say less, pray more, and think again.

Of all the commandments, the last one is probably taken the least seriously. If a person breaks the sixth commandment, he might be executed. If he breaks the eighth, he might end up in jail. If he breaks the ninth, he might be sued. But if he breaks the tenth commandment, not only is he forgiven, but applauded, for coveting is a key component of our culture.

Essentially, to covet is simply to want more than one possesses. Our economy is based upon this. Society screams at us that the way to have real life is to have this car or that toy. But the Giver of Life, the Author of Life, the One who declared, “I am the Life,” said, “That’s not true. A man’s life does not consist of the stuff he has materially.” And to illustrate His point, He went on to give a parable of a man who had so many material goods that it was necessary for him to construct bigger barns to hold it all. Although the financial planners would consider him wise, and his culture might consider him blessed, God considered him a fool for failing to lay up treasure in the only place that matters: Heaven (Luke 12:20).

If God blesses you materially, wonderful! God gives us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). I find it interesting that in Jesus’ parable, the rich man was planning to enjoy his wealth in the future (Luke 12:19). In other words, up to that point, he never truly enjoyed what he had. And such is all too often the case. The man living for things, wanting more things, focused on things will never, ever be satisfied; he will always think he needs just a few more things to make him happy.

The solution? Not only are we to enjoy material blessings, but we are to employ them, not to make more money for ourselves, but to help others, to extend the Gospel to others.

Abraham, a wealthy man of Ur, left his comfortable life behind to seek a city whose builder and maker was God (Hebrews 11:10). He saw the big picture. He saw the Kingdom. And so must we.

So powerful was God’s power and potency, His glory and grandeur that the people said, “You speak to us, Moses, because if God speaks to us, we’ll die.” And that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

The Word of God is powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces. It divides. It kills our pride, our self-centeredness, and our flesh (Hebrews 4:12). And because it does, the person who wants to pamper his flesh, the person caught up in the sins of the flesh will often be one who doesn’t want to hear from God anymore. If I choose to indulge my flesh day after day, week after week, I won’t be at Bible study six months down the road.

If you’re at a place where lately it’s been hard to get into the Word, I have great news for you: God wants to do something special in you. Satan sees what God desires to do and is trying to keep you from that blessing. It’s a big one, a great one. So pick up the Word, let God speak, and discover the blessings in store.

“I’ve gone to Bible study for six weeks,” some say, “and I’m still depressed, still defeated.” Or, “I’ve been praying for three months, and my situation still hasn’t changed.”

The Lord, however, says, “I’ll not drive out your enemies as quickly as you might think because there’s something else in play. If I drove them out in one year, the wild beasts would multiply. Therefore, until you’re increased, until you’re ready to occupy the land, I’m keeping them there in order to keep the fields tilled and the wild beasts at bay.”

This is hard for me because patience doesn’t come easy. I like things to happen immediately. But that’s not the way God works. “Count it all joy,” He says, “when you go through trials, in order that patience might have her perfect work” (see James 1:2–4). I want to get ahead of God, but He says, “If the project was completed, if the answer was given on your schedule, you wouldn’t be ready for it. My timing is perfect - any earlier, and it would be disastrous. In the meantime, you’ll be increased by talking the situation over with Me, by waiting on Me, and by spending time with Me.”

“I want this kind of ministry,” we say, or “that kind of girl to marry,” or “this type of family.”

“Great!” the Lord says. “But I’ve got a lot of work to do to make you the kind of person who can handle that responsibility. It’s not going to happen quickly. Little by little, I’ll drive out the obstacles. In the meantime, stay close to Me.”

“Draw nigh to Me and I will draw nigh to you,” God says to us (see James 4:8). Yet to this group, God says, “Come and worship ye afar off.” They were told to worship even though they were to worship from afar. I know that because of the work of Christ on the Cross, I can come boldly unto the throne of grace. I can draw nigh to God. I can call Him Abba, or Papa. But the fact is, sometimes I don’t feel that way emotionally. I feel like I’m worshiping Him from afar. Ever feel that way? Take heart. I have learned that it’s okay because God is worthy of worship whether I am emotionally engaged or not.

Worship is not about how I feel. It’s all about who God is. And He is worthy to receive glory and honor and power, for He has created all things and for His pleasure they are and were created - whether we feel this or not (Revelation 4:11).

The Testimony is the Ten Commandments, the two tables of stone written by the finger of God (Exodus 31:18).

“Come boldly before the throne of grace and find mercy and grace to help in time of need,” God says to us (see Hebrews 4:16).

“But I can’t,” we say. “I haven’t prayed in days. I haven’t been to church in weeks. I haven’t witnessed in months. I haven’t kept the commandments.”

Where were the commandments kept?

In the Ark.

Who kept the commandments?

Jesus. “I do always those things that please [the Father],” He said (John 8:29).

Jesus kept the commandments perfectly. And as believers, we are in Him positionally (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, the Father looks at us and doesn’t see our sin. He looks at us and sees His Son (Romans 3:22).

Most Christians try to meet God at the Ark by keeping the commandments, by going to this meeting, by doing those things, by not sinning, by living purely. God, however, says He’ll meet us not at the Ark, but at that which covers it - the mercy seat.

How do we walk with the Lord practically? Not by anything we do, how long our devotions are, how many chapters of the Bible we’ve read, how many prayers we offer, but simply and solely by the unmerited, undeserved, unearned favor of God. This is where so many people miss it. Although they know they’re saved by grace, they think they’re sanctified through works. Big mistake. A true relationship with God is not about witnessing, ministry, or devotional life. It’s all about what He did in and through Christ.

On that first Easter Sunday morning, had you looked into the empty tomb, you would have seen two angels sitting, one at the head and one at the foot of the blood-stained slab where the body of Jesus had lain (John 20:12). Leviticus 16:14 tells us that the mercy seat would be sprinkled with blood. Thus, the mercy seat paints a perfect picture of the only way we can have fellowship with God, that being through the finished work of the Son.

It was at the mercy seat that God would meet with man. And we err greatly whenever we forget this . . .

After capturing the Ark, the Philistines eventually put it in the temple of their god Dagon, only to find Dagon face down before it the following day. Setting Dagon aright, they returned the next day to find him toppled over once again, this time with his head and hands severed (1 Samuel 5). While it would seem obvious that they needed a more powerful god to protect them, they instead decided to protect their god by sending the Ark back to Israel. Seeing the Ark on its way back to their border, the people of God were understandably excited. But their excitement soon turned to terror when God smote 50,070 of their number when they looked inside the ark, perhaps for no other reason than to see if the commandments were still inside (1 Samuel 6).

“I will meet you at the mercy seat,” God says. But sometimes we make a deadly mistake when we set aside mercy to get to the bottom of an issue, to lay down the law on someone. I have done this, and it always leads to death in relationships, in families, in friendships, and in ministry.

“The letter of the law kills,” Paul would write, “but the Spirit gives life” (see 2 Corinthians 3:6). Once we set aside mercy, even temporarily, to get to the bottom of an issue, to find out who’s right and who’s wrong, to get to the letter of the law, the end result will always be death. Always. Friendships will die. Families will divide. Ministry will shut down. No good comes from removing the mercy seat. Therefore, be merciful. To whom? To the person you’re angry with. Be gracious. To whom? To the person you feel has wronged you.

Whenever you feel far from God, a practical way you can be brought back into His presence is by remembering the mercy seat. That is, find people to whom you can show mercy. I have discovered over and over again in my own life that there are two uniquely practical ways I truly experience the presence of the Lord. The first is by praising Him. Psalm 22:3 declares that He inhabits the praises of His people. The second is by showing mercy to people, for it was at the mercy seat that God chose to dwell.

Why was the Table of Showbread to be two cubits long? Two is the number of union, communion, and agreement (Amos 3:3). True communion with God takes place when we agree with Him and confess our sins. The Greek word translated “confession” is homologeo, which means “to speak the same.”

Thus, confession in the biblical sense is not a matter of promising not to sin again, but rather of simply agreeing with God and saying of any given sin, “This sin is depressing and defeating me, Lord. And it’s detrimental to others.”

Surely God knows our sins. Why, then, does He want us to confess them? Because every sin I specifically confess loses its grip on me to an ever greater degree. In addition, when I also confess that a specific sin is blotted out by the blood of Calvary, there is a dynamic which takes place in the Spirit that sets me free. Confession is not promising never to sin again, but simply calling sin what it is and acknowledging that it’s forgiven. That’s two cubits. That’s union.

The word translated “candlestick” is the Hebrew word menorah. A menorah held oil lamps rather than wax candles. The Lampstand was not made of wood covered with gold as were the Ark and the Table of Showbread, but it was made of pure gold.

A few chapters from now, we will see how Aaron made a calf from molten gold. Unlike that false god, this Lampstand, which speaks of Jesus Christ as the Light of the Word, was made of beaten gold. Many people say, “You Christians claim that Jesus is the single answer, the only Way, the one true Light. But how do you know what you’re declaring is right?” The answer is that, like the gold of the Candlestick, He was beaten, yet He rose again from the dead.

Truly, it’s when you are beaten and yet continue to burn bright that the beauty, the reality of the Light of the Word is most clearly seen. This means that the point at which you choose to embrace the difficulty that seems to beat upon you is the point where you will see Jesus in ways you’ve never seen Him before. It is when you’re being beaten, when you’re in the fiery trial that Jesus is clearer to you than you ever dreamed possible.

Ask Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. As they were in the furnace, whom did they see? The Son of God in their midst. How real was He? So real they didn’t want to leave the furnace (Daniel 3:25–26). A lot of people try to get out of the fire, when in reality, it is the fire itself which causes the Lord to be seen most clearly.

The instruments used to trim the wicks and snuff out the candles were to be pure gold. So too, there will be people in our lives who are there morning and evening, “snipping” and “snuffing.” And, although my tendency is to belittle them, I am in error when I do because they provide golden opportunities for me to burn brighter.

I find it interesting that although the weight is given of the Lampstand (a talent), unlike the Ark and the Table of Showbread, the dimensions aren’t given. Could this be because there is no limit to how brightly we are to shine?

The curtains, which would serve as walls of the Tabernacle, were to be made of four colors: white, blue, purple, and scarlet. The number four draws one’s mind to the four Gospels which, not surprisingly, correspond perfectly to the four colors of the Tabernacle. Luke speaks of the righteous humanity of Jesus, which would be typified by the fine white linen. John portrays Jesus as deity, which would be typified by blue, the color of Heaven. Matthew writes of Jesus as King of the Jews, as seen in purple, the color of royalty. Mark speaks of Jesus as the Suffering Servant, seen in the color scarlet . . .

The Hebrew word, tola’ath, can be translated either of two ways: “scarlet” or “worm.” Why? Because in Old Testament times when people wanted to dye something scarlet, they would dip the material in ground-up worms and the material would take on a scarlet color.

“I am a worm, and no man,” cried the psalmist, prophetically speaking of Jesus on the Cross (Psalm 22:6). And the word he used was tola’ath, a most fitting word. You see, to reproduce, the tola’ath, or worm, would fasten itself on the limb of a tree and die in the process of giving birth. As it died, it left a red spot that, according to the New International Bible Encyclopedia, turned white after three days and flaked off like snow. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,” Isaiah declared (1:18). The picture is perfect. Jesus fastened Himself to a tree that we might be born into His family. He sacrificed His life that we might live. Three days later, He rose again, and our sin that was scarlet was washed white as snow.

Is it any wonder that scarlet was one of the colors in the Tabernacle and in the garments of the priest?

The Altar would be carried by staves, or poles, slipped through the rings upon it. I like this because the Altar speaks of Communion and the Communion Table ought to be portable. That is, wherever we are, we are to remember and receive the work Christ did for us on the brass altar of Calvary.

The Altar was the only piece of Tabernacle furniture covered with purple (Numbers 4:13–14). Purple is the color of royalty. Why is Jesus Christ our King? Not because of what He does for me presently, but because of what He already did on the Cross. He’s not our King so that we’ll have a happy day or have our bills paid, so that we’ll get a newer car or have better relationships. The purple cloth was over the Brass Altar exclusively because His death is the basis of His kingly authority over our lives. His sacrifice saved us from hell, and even if He never answers another prayer or sends another blessing our way, that is reason enough to praise Him all the days of our lives.

The door into the outer courtyard was made of the same fabric as the veil and as the door into the Tabernacle itself. Whether one is talking about the door into the courtyard (the place of salvation), the door into the Holy Place (the place of service), or the door into the Holy of Holies (the place of worship), it’s all the same door. It’s all through Jesus.

You see, just as the Tabernacle was comprised of three sections - the outer courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies - I believe there are three stages of our lives in Christ.

There are those who are inside the courtyard. They’re in Christ, part of the Kingdom. They realize Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was slain for their sins. They receive His salvation; they embrace His grace.

But there are others who say, “Because God has been so good to me, I want to serve Him.” So they go into the Holy Place and serve the showbread, which speaks of the Word of God. They teach Sunday school, lead family devotions, or share the Word with someone at work. They see the golden lampstand and desire to let their light shine through good works (Matthew 5:16), by helping in the nursery, visiting shut-ins, and serving those in need. They smell the incense burning and are reminded that it speaks of intercession. So they pray consistently for the lost and for their brothers and sisters, for their families and their countries.

Yet there are still others who, like the high priest himself, enter into the Holy of Holies in order to simply spend time in the Lord’s presence, to consider His character, ponder His nature, give Him praise, express their love, and bring Him pleasure. All too often, we don’t understand this. We think if we could lead worship, preach a sermon, or be a missionary, we’d be amazing. But those things don’t hold a candle to the highest level, to coming into the presence of the Lord and worshiping Him intimately. And here’s the irony: the highest form of ministry, the most satisfying aspect of ministry is available to every single person right now.

Jesus went to the home of His close friends in Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Lazarus is not mentioned in the Luke 10 account. He was outside, in the outer courtyard, if you will. He was a friend of the Lord to be sure. But he was outside. Martha was in the kitchen, or the Holy Place, as it were, serving. She was baking bread, doing good works, and even praying, “Lord, tell my sister to get in here and help me!” Mary, however, was sitting at the feet of Jesus. She was in the Holy of Holies. And, of her, Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the better part” (see Luke 10:42).

Nothing compares to being in the Holy of Holies, to being in the Lord’s presence. It’s the highest calling, the most important aspect of ministry. And it’s available to every one of us.

The ephod was an apron that extended to the knees, a most fitting garment for one involved in the work of preparing animals for sacrifice. The ephod speaks of Christ because, in Old Testament culture, the ephod spoke of authority.

After Gideon led the people of Israel to victory over their enemies, the Midianites, the people asked him to be their king. Gideon refused, saying it was the Lord who would rule them (Judges 8:23). Not many people would turn down an opportunity for power or privilege or prestige. Gideon did. There are many wonderful lessons to be learned from the life of Gideon, and this is one of the great ones. He did not take advantage of an opportunity to put himself in a place of prominence. But then he made a critical mistake when he melted the golden earrings the men had collected as the spoils of war into a golden ephod. Evidently, he thought a golden ephod would help the people remember they were to get instruction and counsel from God through the high priest. But his plan backfired when the people began worshiping the ephod instead of worshiping God (Judges 8:27).

You and I have a great High Priest in Jesus. Therefore, how careful we must be that we don’t begin to say, “I’ve got some pretty good things to say, some very enlightening counsel to give, my own golden ephod to share with you.”

“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me . . . In returning and rest shall ye be saved . . . And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:1, 15, 21). Jesus alone wears the ephod. Jesus alone is the Anointed One.

In the Old Testament, where were the stones - the Urim and Thummim - that would give direction? Over the heart of the high priest. Now, however, the Lord gives direction not by a breastplate worn over the heart but by the branding He performs upon our hearts.

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. - Jeremiah 31:33

This is fantastic. Here God declares we’ll know what we ought to do not by some external stone, but by impressions and desires within our hearts. That is why David could say, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (see Psalm 37:4). What are we to do to find God’s will? Augustine nailed it when he said, “Love [God] and do what you will.”

Why do I teach the Bible? Because I enjoy it. You see, I am simple enough to believe God’s promise that if I delight in Him, He will put desires in my heart which conform to His perfect plan for me. If you’re not delighting in the Lord, don’t follow the desires of your heart because they will lead you on a dangerous path. But if you say, “Although I know I have problems and flaws, I do love the Lord and I want to delight in Him,” He’ll give you light and direction, the Urim and the Thummim, in your heart.

With blue being the color of Heaven, we see here a picture of Christ the Heavenly One. John tells us it was because He knew where He had come from, and where He was going that He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:3–5). Some people say, “You’re so Heavenly minded, you’re no earthly good.” Jesus, however, would show us we can be no earthly good until we’re Heavenly minded. Why? Because if I’m not Heavenly minded, I’ll get bogged down taking care of my toys, my trinkets, and my trivial world. But as I choose to be Heavenly minded, and live for the big picture of eternity, I will enjoy this life immensely because I won’t take it so seriously.

Of all the fruits in the world, none has more seeds than the blood-red interior of a pomegranate. On the Cross, Jesus shed His blood in order that His Spirit might bear much fruit through seeds like you and me.

If pomegranates speak of the fruit of the Spirit, bells speak of the gifts of the Spirit. The bells of the ephod were made to have a beautiful sound in and of themselves. But if they hit one another, they would sound like nothing more than a clanging gong or a crashing cymbal. So the bells were to be separated by pomegranates, by the fruit of the Spirit, so as to ring in harmony. That is why in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit. In chapter 14, he also talks about the gifts of the Spirit. But in between the two is a pomegranate, for in chapter 13, he talks about the fruit of the Spirit, which is love.

In 1 Timothy 1:12, Paul says, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” Like Paul, I am amazed at the goodness and grace of God that He would include me in this glorious privilege called ministry.

Ministry is a privilege because of the present blessings. “With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you,” Jesus said (Mark 4:24). That is, what we give out, we’ll get back. And I have found that to be oh, so true. When I pray for others, I get blessed. When I share with others, I am confirmed in the truth of the Scriptures. When I witness to others, my own faith grows deeper, stronger, and more powerful.

This should not be surprising. After all, Jesus promised we would receive power to become His witnesses (Acts 1:8). And the word He used for power was dunamis, from which we get our word “dynamite.” This dynamic experience, this power is like an electrical charge. Therefore, like electricity, it will only enter that from which it can exit. The power, the electricity, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit is given to you that it might flow through you to others. The one who wants to be used by the Lord in the lives of others will experience the electric, dynamic power of the Spirit. That’s why I love being in the ministry.

Second, I enjoy being in the ministry because of future rewards. What we do in ministry - even as simple as giving a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name - will be rewarded by the Lord and will impact us eternally (Matthew 10:42). You might think you don’t care about rewards. But you will then. When we get to Heaven and rewards are given, you’ll say, “I wish I would have taken more seriously the admonitions to strive to run the race, to win the prize, to gain the crown” (see Philippians 3:14).

Third, I love the ministry because of real needs. People all around us are lost. Wandering around like sheep without a shepherd, they don’t know what to do. They’re depressed, discouraged, and worst of all, without Jesus, they’re headed for hell. They don’t know that God sent His Son not to condemn them, but to save them, to die in place of them that they might be forgiven of their sins and might spend eternity in Heaven (John 3:17). So I say, “Lord, thank You for allowing me to be in the ministry because I see people all around me who are confused, and You’ve given such simple and significant answers for me to share with them.”

And He’s given the same opportunity to you, for although you might earn a living as a schoolteacher, a carpenter, or an electrician, you are in the ministry every bit as much as I am. The division between the clergy and the laity is a man-made distinction without biblical basis, for Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16).

The hands of Aaron and his sons - once empty enough to place on the head of the sin offering - are now filled.

On one mountain ridge stood the people of Israel. On the other were the Philistines. And in the valley between them, Goliath taunted the people of Israel day after day, challenging them to send someone to do battle with him. The Israelites were understandably terrified. After all, Goliath was at least 9'9" and possibly as tall as 11'6". So heavy was his spear that the tip alone weighed thirty pounds. To put that in perspective, shot-putters throw a ball weighing a mere sixteen pounds. The armor he wore to protect his chest was two hundred pounds. Goliath was indeed massive. When the young shepherd boy from Bethlehem arrived on the scene and heard Goliath’s jeers, he said, “Give me a chance. Let me take him on.” You see, while everyone else thought Goliath was too big to hit, David thought he was too big to miss. Turning down the offer of armor too large for him, David went into the valley of Elah with the only thing he was accustomed to using: his sling. But it was empty until, there in the very valley in which he would do battle, he found five stones - one of which would slay Goliath (1 Samuel 17:40).

Just as it wasn’t until David had already committed himself to the battle that he found the stones, and just as it wasn’t until Aaron and his sons were to make an offering to the Lord that they were given bread and meat, it won’t be until you start sharing your faith and reaching out to people that you will be given exactly what you need for ministry (Matthew 10:19). Daring to minister is as necessary as preparing to minister, for it’s when we are in the valley of confrontation that we’ll look down and see five smooth stones waiting to be put to God’s use.

A lamb was to be sacrificed every morning and every evening. There seems to be a wonderful principle for which the Lord is laying the groundwork here - we are to start our day with the sacrifice of prayer and praise and end it in the same way. Prayer in the morning opens the door to blessing. Prayer at night locks it in and makes us safe and secure. You see, the Enemy doesn’t snooze. Therefore, if you wake up feeling blue and wondering why, it could very well be that you’ve been a target of his. But you can shield yourself to a large degree from his attacks by turning off the TV and praying before you end your day.

Think of it this way: If I came home from a week away and said, “Tammy, we don’t need to sit down and talk. You can just follow me around and we’ll talk on the go,” what kind of relationship would we have? There needs to be a constant flow of conversation, true. But for a marriage to be strong, there must be not only a quantity of time, but a quality of time, where both people are completely focused on each other.

And I suggest that same thing is true in our relationship with the Lord. While we are to indeed pray without ceasing all through the day, there also must be times when we say, “Lord, I’m here to talk to You, to hear from You, to offer You the sacrifice of thoughtful, articulate, emotional, and intelligent praise. I’m here to press into Your presence, to pour out my heart, to focus exclusively on You.” It’s not a “got to.” It’s a “get to.”

Every part of the Tabernacle pictures and points to Jesus Christ. And the Altar of Incense is no exception. The Brass Altar of chapter 27 portrays Jesus in His first coming. The Golden Altar of Incense speaks of His present work and His second coming. At one cubit by one cubit, or 18" by 18", the Altar of Incense is much smaller than the imposing Brass Altar of sacrifice because Jesus doesn’t need to go to great lengths, wrestling and pleading with the Father through intercessory prayer on our behalf. No, He’s constantly, continually, and consistently bringing us up before the Father in a comfortable confidence.

Sometimes our prayers don’t get answered the way we hope because the Lord is answering previous prayers we have forgotten about. For example, we pray, “Lord, make me a godly man. Give me patience. Give me depth. Bring me into holiness.”

“Okay,” the Lord says. So a challenge comes our way, and what do we say?

“Get me out of here, Lord! Why am I in this predicament? What’s going on? Have You forgotten about me? Don’t You care?”

That’s why we need an Intercessor, a High Priest who loves us, who sees the big picture, who knows what we have asked for and what’s coming down the road . . .

“Simon, Simon,” Jesus said, “Satan desires to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not. And when you are converted, when you get through this ordeal, strengthen the brethren” (see Luke 22:32).

“But Peter’s faith failed,” you say.

No it didn’t. His hope failed. “Hope maketh not ashamed” (Romans 5:5). That’s why when Peter’s hope failed, he was ashamed of his link to Jesus (John 18:17). Later on, after Jesus rose again, Peter was unable to tell Him he loved Him because Peter knew Jesus’ definition of love was to keep His commandments (John 14:21). Peter’s hope failed. Peter’s love failed. But his faith never failed. He always believed.

So too, today Jesus says to us, “I know your Simon-like tendencies. I know you get shaken and that you are unstable. But I’m praying for you that your faith doesn’t fail. I’m holding you up. So when you get through - and you will get through this - strengthen others.”

Much incense came from the Golden Censer at the Altar of Heaven seen in Revelation 8. The incense speaks not only of the prayers of the Savior on our behalf, but also of our intercessory ministry on behalf of others. Incense was burned on an altar because prayer requires sacrifice. There is nothing harder to do in spiritual life than pray. Why? I believe it’s because Satan opposes it so vehemently. Why? He knows that’s where the power is. Just as the Altar of Incense was the piece of furniture closest to the mercy seat, we are never closer to the Father than when we’re in prayer.

“Son of David, have mercy on me,” cried the Syro-Phoenician woman. Yet Luke tells us Jesus walked by as though He heard her not. “Son of David, have mercy,” she cried again. But Jesus kept going. The phrase “Son of David” was a Jewish term used by Jewish people to address the Jewish Messiah. This woman, however, was a Gentile. She had heard stories about what had taken place in Israel, about Jewish people who were blind or leprous crying out to the Son of David to heal them. So she used their formula. But it didn’t apply to her. It was religion. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t until she said, “Lord, help me,” that Jesus stopped in His tracks and healed her daughter (Matthew 15:25).

Keep your prayer simple. Don’t think you have to copy how someone else prays or use the phrases someone else uses. The Altar of Incense was small. It’s not the length of your prayers, but their strength and their sincerity that matters (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

There have been groups throughout history who, on the basis of this verse, have said atonement for souls can be made by paying money. Can atonement be purchased? Can man be “at one” with God for a price? No. The entire Bible argues against that. We can’t purchase salvation. Yet salvation must indeed be purchased. And it was. Peter tells us we were redeemed not with corruptible things like silver and gold, but by the precious blood of the Lamb (1 Peter 1:18–19).

Great is the day when we realize our lives are not our own, when we say, “If the Lord wants to take me through tragedy or difficulty, if He chooses to make me a pauper, send me to Africa, give me kids or give me none, I’m not my own. And because I’ve been bought with a price, I who was once headed for hell am destined for Heaven.”

The Laver wherein the priests were to wash was to be made of brass. Throughout Scripture, brass is the metal of judgment. Where did the children of Israel get the brass to make the laver? Exodus 38 tells the story. When construction of the Tabernacle actually began, the women donated the brass looking glasses they had been given in Egypt. I find this more than coincidental because James likens the Word to a mirror (1:23–25). And therein lies the problem. You see, when we open the Word, we see our reflection, and it’s not as it should be. We see our failures and flaws, our sins and shortcomings. And although we understand that the Word brings benefits to those who study it, sometimes we become exhausted by trying to live up to its standards.

But wait, the Brass Laver was filled with water. Without water, all one would see was the reflection of his flaws and failures, but without a way to rid himself of them. But the addition of water made the laver refreshing and renewing. “All you who thirst, come to Me,” Jesus said, “and out of your innermost being shall gush forth torrents of living water” (see John 7:37–38).

I was at a point some years ago when I was reading through the Gospels as I love to do. But I was weary. I came to the portion where Jesus touched a leper and the leper was cleansed. And I heard myself saying, “I need to be helping people physically just like Jesus did.”

Then I turned the page and saw how Jesus touched the ears and tongue of a man unable to hear and speak. And I found myself thinking, “I need to find some dumb guys and help them just like Jesus did.”

Then I turned the page and read how Jesus had compassion on the multitudes and fed five thousand hungry men. And I said, “That’s the way it ought to be. I need to get involved in World Vision or Compassion International and help feed hungry people.”

Then I saw Jesus blessing kids and thought, “I need to work with kids.”

Then I saw how Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, and was reminded of those I knew whose marriages were on the rocks, whose lives were in turmoil, and decided I should do what I could to see those storms stilled.

Then I read how Jesus defended the woman caught in adultery, and felt that I should stand up for those who are socially or politically oppressed.

And at the end, I was exhausted. Finally, I said, “I just can’t read another chapter. I can’t do it. Jesus, I’m impressed with You. I see the rightness of what You do. But I can’t do all the things You did.”

And it was at that moment that the Lord whispered in my heart, “Exactly. You have yourself in the wrong position. I’m the One who touches the leper. I’m the One who blesses the children. I’m the One who feeds the hungry. I’m the One who makes the dumb to speak. I’m the One who stands up for the woman. I’m the One who calms the storms. It’s not you. It’s Me.”

“I get it,” I said. “You’re the Christ. I’m not. That makes me the leper. I’m being eaten away every day by my sin and carnality. Yet every day You come my way and touch and restore my life. I’m the dumb guy. I say things I shouldn’t say. I put my foot in my mouth. Yet You’re there to forgive me and straighten me out. I’m the deaf man. But You never give up on me. You open my ears, You renew my thoughts. I’m the little child who needs a touch from You. I’m the hungry one, and only You can meet the need within me. I’m the one caught in adultery, and You’re there to forgive me. I’m the one caught in the storm, and You’re the One who walks out to rescue me. I’ve been reading my Bible all wrong. No wonder I’ve been so weary, so reluctant to keep reading. I’ve placed myself in the wrong role. You’re the Christ; I’m the leper. Thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for Your patience. Where would I be without You?”

And when the Lord adjusted my thinking, Scripture reading became a total joy once again.

Here we see the “recipe” for the anointing oil used throughout Israel’s history to anoint three groups of people: prophets, priests, and kings. Oil in Scripture is always emblematic of the Spirit. Therefore, anointing with oil is a picture of the work of the Spirit. As the “Prophet . . . like unto me” of Deuteronomy 18:15, as our great High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25), as King of kings and Lord of lords at whose name every knee will one day bow (Romans 14:11), Jesus is the Anointed One. Comprised of the sweet-smelling spices of myrrh, cinnamon, and calamus, this oil was sweet, for Jesus, the Anointed One, is nothing but sweet. He is never grouchy, discouraged, or depressed. He is never out of sorts, under the weather, or in a bad mood. He is the sweetest person you’ll ever encounter day after day after day.

“Didn’t He call the Pharisees blind guides, hypocrites, and whitewashed sepulchres? That’s not very sweet,” you may say.

Actually, it was. Knowing it would take that kind of language to break through their thick skulls, hard hearts, and closed minds, Jesus used language intended to jar them into listening. And even though He called them whitewashed tombs, hypocrites, and blind guides, some of their number sensed that He loved them, as seen in their desire to spend time with Him (Luke 11:37; John 3:1).

The perfume Moses was commanded to make was to be sacred. So too, as the fragrance of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15), we must be holy. The winning combination, as seen in the recipe for the perfume, is to be as gracious to other people as you possibly can be and to seek to be pure and holy in your own life. All too often, we reverse this. We want others to be holy, but we want grace to be poured out upon us. Jesus, of course, is the perfect example of how grace and holiness are to function . . .

While in Samaria - a place Jews didn’t usually visit - to whom did Jesus speak? In a day when rabbis didn’t even speak to their own wives in public, Jesus talked to a woman. And when she told Him she didn’t have a husband, rather than condemn her for her lie, He commended her for the part of her statement that was true (John 4:17). As a result, her heart was touched and her city impacted (John 4:30). Although we might expect Jesus to address the issue of her living situation, that’s not what He did. Why? Having been divorced five times, the chances of this woman getting married again were nil. Therefore, leaving the man with whom she was living would have given her no other recourse than prostitution to support herself. Jesus knew this, and no doubt also knew that in due season she would grow in her understanding of who He was and what new life in Him would entail.

Do Samaritans and pagans love to be around you? They loved to be around Jesus. How we need to be like Him: in our own lives to be holy and pure, and in the lives of others to be sweet, to show grace, and to share love.

God empowered, energized, and anointed carpenters, tailors, and perfumers to do this work. Bezaleel was the foreman, but Aholiab was the assistant, along with others who served by his side.

When asked what was the hardest position in the orchestra to fill, a famous conductor said, “First chair, second violin. I can find all kinds of people who want to play first violin. But it’s hard to find someone who wants to be excellent at second violin, someone who wants to play harmony.”

Our human tendency is to want to be mediocre at first violin rather than to excel at second. Not so with Aholiab. He was told he would be assistant to Bezaleel. And he was successful in that position. Thus, he is an example for all of history of the way God uniquely and powerfully uses “second fiddles” for His glory.

As chronicled in a 1970s bestseller entitled The Peter Principle, all too often the problem in corporate America is that people are promoted to the level of incompetence. That is, a man who does well in his position is promoted to the next level. After doing well there, he is moved to level three. Succeeding there, he is moved to level four. And he keeps being promoted until, toward the top, he’s over his head. He was good going up the ladder, but he went one step too far. And when the corporation downsizes, guess who gets the ax? God doesn’t want that for us. He wants us to fit into the place He’s custom designed for us. Am I saying we are not to take steps of faith? No, I’m saying that we must avoid the folly of taking one step too many.

If God puts you in a number one spot, He will give you the grace and ability to handle it. But if you’re in a number two position, rejoice and excel at that. Whether on the job or in ministry, if you’re wanting to climb one more rung, be careful. If you’re a Bezaleel, great. If you’re an Aholiab, wonderful. Just be content and shine in the position the Lord places you.

The Hebrew word 'ohel is translated “tabernacle” in this passage. The tabernacle spoken of here is not the tabernacle Moses had been given instruction to build; that is called by the Hebrew word, mishken. Rather, the tabernacle spoken of here is the meeting tent for the congregation. Moses packs up the meeting tent and re-pitches it outside the camp. Having heard the Lord declare that He would not be in the midst of the camp, it’s as if Moses were saying, “If God’s not there, I don’t want to be there either.”

You and I desperately need times of pitching our tents outside the camp of busyness in order to be made aware of God’s presence once again. And at times, this takes some effort . . .

A number of years ago, when my three kids were little, I took them camping at Indian Mary campground. As a single dad in those days, I was delighted that my college roommate and his family joined us. But about five hours after we pitched our tents, a massive storm arose. Although we weathered it for a couple of days, staying in the tents and hanging out under whatever coverings we could find, finally it got so wet we packed up everything and all headed home. On my way back to Jacksonville, the kids and I stopped at McDonald’s. As they played on the Playland equipment, the sun popped through. At that moment I realized that, although we’d been camping for a couple of days, I missed my objective totally - which was to focus on my kids. We adults were playing games and enjoying fellowship, but I didn’t accomplish what I had initially set out to do. So I loaded the kids back in the car, we went back to Indian Mary, re-pitched the tent, hung out all the wet stuff, and shared some of the best days we have ever spent together.

The same is true in your walk with the Lord. Sometimes you’ll have devotions or Bible study, only to realize at the end that a storm blew through, that you were distracted by this, caught up in that, and lost focus. But if you don’t give up, if you re-pitch your tent, if you change location and say, “Lord, I really need to be in Your presence,” God will meet you there.

Was it because of the holiness, devotion, or piety of the people that God promised His presence would go with them and give them rest? Obviously not, for just one chapter earlier, they were caught up in idolatry and immorality as they danced around the golden calf. No, God declared His presence would go with them and give them rest, not because they were worthy but because they had a mediator named Moses who stood between their sin and God’s holiness. Sin requires judgment, but in Moses, God found a way to bless His people rather than to judge them.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. - 1 Timothy 2:5–6

Like the children of Israel, we drop the ball; we fall short; we mess up constantly. But also like them, we experience the presence of God because we too have a Mediator, a greater than Moses - Jesus Christ.

As a result we, like the children of Israel, are given direction by a God who will go “in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents” (Deuteronomy 1:33).

As the people were preparing to enter the Promised Land, they were to follow the Ark of the Covenant, and yet there was to be two thousand cubits - over half a mile - between them and the Ark. In commanding this, it’s as if God were saying, “Give Me space. I’m going ahead of you to prepare the place for you and to prepare you for the place to which I’m leading you” (see Joshua 3:3–4).

The Lord has promised direction for us. Our part is to give Him space to work.

“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it,” Jesus said (John 14:14). For many years, I thought this meant I was to simply add the phrase “In Jesus’ name” to the end of my prayers, sort of like, “over and out.” But when I understood that praying in Jesus’ name means to pray according to His nature, I found I couldn’t pray a lot of prayers I had been praying prayers like, “Lord, deal with that guy who just cut me off on the highway,” prayers like, “I want this to happen now.”

“Am I unmerciful, impatient, or short-fused?” the Lord asked me. “Or am I longsuffering, merciful, and slow to anger? I only work in ways that reflect who I am.”

It was because Moses knew the name, the nature, and the character of God that he was able to ask for His presence, His pardon, and His eternal promise. Meditate on God’s nature as seen in the person of Jesus. Get a strong, firm grip on this, understand, and your prayers will become those God can answer.

Going without food for forty days does not usually help one’s appearance, especially if he is eighty years old. But this was not true in this case, where, after spending forty days in the presence of the Lord on Mount Sinai, Moses’ face actually glowed.

Reflecting the glory he had experienced on the mountain, Moses didn’t initially realize his face was glowing. That’s always the way it is. When we spend time in the presence of the Lord, when we are at His feet, when we take time to pray, when we worship Him and spend time in the Word, our gloom is replaced by a glow. “I don’t feel like I glow,” you say, but Moses didn’t know he was glowing either.

When the Holy Spirit fell on the one hundred twenty disciples in the Upper Room, a flame burned above each of their heads (Acts 2:3). This means that if you were one of the one hundred twenty, you would look around and see one hundred nineteen other people ignited, on fire, and illuminated with the power of the Spirit. But you would not see the flame on top of your own head. And such is our tendency, to think everyone but us is aflame. Actually, it’s the goodness and grace of God that doesn’t allow us to see our own flame . . .

Moses was a man of integrity, of humility. And it was a good thing there was a glow on his face, for he held the law of the Lord in his hands. The children of Israel needed to hear the commands, the exhortations, and the instructions of the Lord. But you know how kids are. They’re not always receptive to commandments, instructions, or exhortations. We all tend to be rebellious by nature. Yet when Moses came down from the mountain and talked to the children of Israel, what could they say? After all, his face was glowing.

Mom and Dad, if your kids aren’t being very receptive to your instructions, it might be because there’s a glare instead of a glow on your face. Moses glowed, and it made the Word he shared acceptable, the things he said palatable.

Why did Moses glow? Having been in the presence of the Lord, he was simply reflecting the glory inherent in the Lord. In other words, just by hanging out with the Lord, Moses’ face glowed. So too, spending time in the presence of the Lord will impact you in a very real and special way even today. But here’s the problem: Moses’ glow began to diminish, decrease, and decline. It wasn’t until he spent time with the Lord that he began to glow once again.

And that’s what needs to happen in our lives. We need to realize that we need to be renewed and recharged constantly. Oh, we can do well for a while, but then our glow turns to a glower or a glare. And we find ourselves dull. But when we return to the presence of the Lord, we get recharged and refueled constantly and consistently through prayer, through worship, and through His Word.

Bezaleel and Aholiab were given ability to do the work that needed to be done practically. But we also read that they came. If you want your life to be impacting, the key is to have both ability and availability. There are people who have great abilities, but they’re never available. When there is work to do, when opportunities open, or when needs are presented, they’re just not around. Bezaleel and Aholiab go down in history as models, their names recorded for eternity, as men who used the practical gifts God had given them for His glory. How the Church of Jesus Christ needs men who will say, “I can’t preach or sing, but I can fix an engine,” or “I can’t evangelize, but I can pour cement.” We need you! Make yourself available, and your name will be added to the roster of Bezaleel and Aholiab.

Moses was able to finish the work of the Tabernacle because he knew precisely how to build it. How did he know? As he spent forty days on Mount Sinai in fasting and prayer, God laid out a perfect pattern for him to follow.

“I wish God would give me a blueprint,” we say. “If He would give me a plan, I would follow it.” But do we take forty days to seek Him for it? How about four days, or even four hours? Paul spent three years in the deserts of Arabia getting the divine pattern for his life. Jesus spent thirty years tuned into the Father before He ministered publicly for three years. So too, we need times where we seek God fervently and expectantly.

For an example of how this happens, turn to the book of Habakkuk . . .

Habakkuk’s name means “wrestler” - an appropriate name for this one who wrestled with why God wasn’t doing more to combat the evil in the world around him. And in his life, we see three characteristics of those who seriously seek specific vision from God.

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. - Habakkuk 2:1–2

The first characteristic is determination. Habakkuk didn’t say, “I should stand upon my watch,” or “I think I’ll stand upon my watch.” He said, “I will stand upon my watch.”

“You will find Me when you search for Me with all your heart,” God declared (see Jeremiah 29:13). As with Habakkuk, there must come a point in our lives when we are determined to seek the Lord if we truly expect to hear from Him.

Second, we see the importance of isolation. I have found that when I’m in desperate need of vision and direction, I must get away from the telephone, radio, television, away from the clamor and clutter of the world. Wherever your “high tower” might be, find a place where you won’t be distracted by the needs that incessantly pull at you if you want to hear what it is God would have you do.

Finally, we see Habakkuk’s expectation. He didn’t say, “I’ll watch to see if God will speak to me,” but, “I’ll watch to see what God will say to me.”

“He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,” declares the writer of the book of Hebrews (11:6). James echoes this when he writes,

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. - James 1:5–7

If I approach God but don’t expect to receive from Him, I won’t.

Determination, isolation, and expectation - as these three components become part of my life, I’ll find direction. And if I’ve dropped the ball, missed opportunities, or failed miserably? I simply go to the Cross, where the One who finished the work died to cleanse me completely, and I begin again.

Oh, that we might be a people who find freedom in the finished work of the Cross, that we might finish the work God has called us to do, that we might hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

In the text before us, we see a man coming to the courtyard of the Tabernacle. He stands before the priest and next to him is his bull or lamb, an innocent, docile, harmless animal. The man would then lay his hand - the Hebrew language implies that he would press it - upon the animal’s head. Then he would watch the priest slit the animal’s throat, and watch as the animal slumped to the ground. If the man had any kind of compassion, he would be moved as he realized that, in a very real sense, he was transferring his sin to the animal, and that the animal was literally dying in his place.

Short of men in his campaign through Europe, Napoleon began to draft heavily in France. However, when approached, one man answered, “I can’t go. My father is very ill and my mother cannot manage the farm alone.” So he was allowed to pay someone else to go in his place - a common practice of the time. The first day the substitute reported for duty, he was killed in battle and subsequently buried. A few months later, there was a knock on the door of the man who had hired the substitute. Once again, it was a recruiting officer who said, “Your number is up.”

“You can’t take me,” said the young man. “I’m already dead and buried.”

Baffled, the officer hauled him off to a military tribunal. The tribunal heard the case and sent it all the way to Napoleon himself, who, when he heard about the situation, agreed with the would-be soldier and said, “You’re right. You’re already dead. Go home.”

The man was free because someone died in his place. So too, I am free because the Lamb of God was slain in my place. It is my sin He bore, the sin of being short with my kids today, the sin of being annoyed with the driver in front of me yesterday, the sin of saying things which shouldn’t be said, the sin of thinking things that shouldn’t be thought, the sin of doing things which shouldn’t be done. My sin was transferred to Jesus, and He died in my place.

Suppose the man came with his bull to the Tabernacle, but when the priest told him to put his hand upon the bull, the man said, “Let me teach you the significance of this particular sacrifice.”

“I care not how knowledgeable you are theologically or how certain you are doctrinally,” the priest would answer. “Put your hand on the bull and press in, for if you don’t become involved, the sacrifice will be to no avail.”

Many Christians have no shortage of understanding or theological insight about the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ. They have the teaching down, but there’s no touching. That is why there will be those who say, “Lord, my theology is impeccable. I can explain to You the whole plan of salvation,” only to hear Him say, “Depart from Me. I never knew you. Your teaching was correct, but your touching was non-existent. You were not touching Me, nor were you touched by Me. Your heart was calloused and cold. When the Gospel was preached, you slumbered. When the Cross was considered, your mind wandered. No longer were you touched by the sacrifice. No longer did you press in.”

David was an adulterer, a murderer, and a liar, but after spending one year refusing to acknowledge his sin, David fell down in humility and brokenness. David’s was a heart of tenderness, a heart that laid its hand on the sacrifice. No wonder he could say, “Happy is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity” (see Psalm 32).

In addition to describing the severity of sin and the grace of God, the book of Leviticus portrays the sacrifice of Christ. Every offering and sacrifice gives us understanding of the unspeakable price the Lamb of God paid, that we might be forgiven, consecrated, and separated.

Burnt offerings were given to consecrate or dedicate one’s self. It was a voluntary offering, and had to be so, for true dedication can only be made from a heart filled with desire. True consecration comes not from responsibility, but from response. So too, just as the worshiper voluntarily offered the burnt offering, Jesus laid down His life willingly. When He prayed “If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me,” He used a phrase translated into Greek as a first-class conditional clause. This means it was indeed possible that He could bypass the cup of suffering and death. “Nevertheless,” He prayed, “not My will, but Thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Had Jesus demanded to be released from suffering, He would not have had to go to Calvary - but we would be doomed and damned eternally.

Wood was laid on the fire of the altar in preparation for the sacrifice, just as a wooden cross was prepared for Jesus to absorb the fire of God’s righteous wrath on our behalf.

The head speaks of the mind. And Jesus’ mind is perfect. “Should we pay taxes to Rome?” His enemies asked in a futile attempt to entangle Him in political controversy. A “yes” answer would incense the Jews who abhorred the Roman government. A “no” answer would provide the Romans with grounds to arrest Him for anarchy.

“Whose image is on the coin?” Jesus asked in response. “Give to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, and to God that which belongs to God.” In other words, “The coin bears Caesar’s image. Therefore, give the coin to Caesar. But man bears God’s image. Therefore, give your life to God” (see Matthew 22:21).

The burnt offering speaks of giving all that we are to the Lord. Do this, precious people, and I guarantee you will never, ever be disappointed, because man simply cannot out-give God.

As was the case with the burnt offering, the price of the meat offering varied according to possession. If a person had an oven, his meat was to be baked. If he had a covered pan, it was to be baked in the pan. If all he had was a frying pan, it was to be fried. Again, this tells us we are accountable to God according to how He has blessed us. God will use whatever you have, be it an oven, a covered dish, or a simple frying pan.

When Jesus taught the parable of the talents, the indictment was not given to the man with ten talents or even five, but to the man who buried his single talent (Matthew 25:28–29). If you only have one talent, if you possess nothing more than a frying pan, offer that one talent as a meat offering to God, and watch Him be glorified through it.

In ancient cultures, the fat was considered to be the best part of the animal. Therefore, think of all the people throughout the centuries who read this and thought that the Lord was taking the best part for Himself, when, in reality, He was keeping men from the one part of the animal that causes clogged arteries and heart attacks.

“Why must we have only one partner sexually?” we say.

“I’m saving you from heartbreak, disease, and misery,” God answers.

“Why must I give the tithe to You?” we question.

“Because I’m protecting you from the disease of greediness,” God answers.

“Why do You get the fat?” we ask.

“So you won’t be,” God says. “As time goes on, and ultimately when you get to Heaven, you’ll see everything I did was for your good.”

Precious people, everything God does is based on love, for He is love. We might not understand this right now, but as time goes on, we’ll see a reason for everything He did in our lives, and the reason that He kept the fat for Himself.

The fire on the altar was never to go out. Has the Lord’s fire that once blazed in your heart and radiated from your life been somewhat quenched? If so, go back to God and offer Him your body as a burnt offering morning and evening. Dedicate yourself anew to Him and once again He will ignite your soul. Go for it in your witness, in your worship, and in your work for Him. And light up the darkness once again.

In this review of the five sacrifices, notice the portrayal of the life of Christ from His baptism to His crucifixion . . .

In the burnt offering, we see Christ’s baptism, for both speak of total dedication. In the meat offering, we see Jesus being tempted, for both show an absence of leaven, an absence of sin. In the peace offering, we see Jesus embarking on public ministry, for both proclaim the good tidings of the Gospel. At the Cross, we see the sin and trespass offerings, as Jesus died not only for our sin nature, but also for our specific acts of sin.

I find it interesting, however, that in the life of the believer, the sacrifices are illustrated in reverse order . . .

A person gets saved when he realizes he has trespassed. Then he discovers he sins because he’s a sinner, because he has a sin nature. He confesses his sin, asks the Lord into his life, and communes with God through the peace offering, at the Lord’s Table. Then he says, “Refine me, Lord. Take out the lumps and the leaven in my life.” And finally, he says, “Don’t only sift me, but consume me, Lord. I’m laying my life down as a burnt offering. I want to be consumed by You.”

Where are you in this process? The further you choose to go, the happier you’ll be. I can guarantee this because Jesus told us that it’s when we lose our lives that we will truly find them (Matthew 10:39).

There is about to be a presentation of the priests. But before there can be presentation, there must first be preparation. That’s always the way it is . . .

God prepared Moses for eighty years - forty years as a prince in the courts of Pharaoh, and forty years as a shepherd on the backside of the desert - before calling him to lead His people away from Pharaoh and to shepherd them across the wilderness.

God prepared Paul for three years in the desert of Arabia before calling him to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

God prepared Jesus for thirty years by having Him grow up under and submit to His earthly father and mother. As a result, He grew in favor with both God and man (Luke 2:52).

To you who, like me, want to be used by God, I would say, as did Zechariah, “Don’t despise the day of small things” (see 4:10). You may be on the backside of the desert, going through boring times or difficult situations, but know this: it’s all part of God’s preparation.

How does the Lord prepare us for service? First, we must be washed with water. Ephesians 5:26 identifies water as the Word of God. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you,” Jesus declared (John 15:3). “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee,” David proclaimed (Psalm 119:11). The washing of the water of the Word cleanses our souls and purifies our spirits. That’s why a person just can’t get too much Bible study. Even if you don’t understand it all completely, and even if you don’t think it’s making an impact, it is.

“When the Spirit comes, He shall bring to your remembrance all things I have spoken to you,” Jesus promised (see John 14:26). The work of the Holy Spirit is to remind us of the Word. He will not, however, be able to bring to our remembrance what we have not put in our memory. That’s why we must read Leviticus, Ezekiel, and Haggai.

“But I don’t get those books,” you might protest. “They’re boring.”

Read them anyway because you’re putting the Word in your soul, and in due season, at the right time, the Holy Spirit will put the pieces together in such a way that it will blow your mind.

As high priest, Aaron is a picture of our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Aaron’s sons, however, are a picture of you and me - a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). While Aaron wore pomegranates and bells, gems and a gold plate, his sons were attired much more simply, only wearing three items.

The coat, or linen garment, speaks of salvation.

Which robe was placed on the Prodigal Son upon his return?

The best robe.

Whose robe was the best?

The father’s.

So too, when you accepted Jesus Christ, you were robed with the Father’s best robe, for He robed you with His Son (Isaiah 61:10).

The girdle, or belt, worn around the waist allowed the robes to be tucked in, freeing the legs for service. “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,” Paul would later write to the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 6:14).

Third, we see the bonnets, or turbans, which speak of submission (1 Corinthians 11). In our priestly service, we’re to be robed in Christ’s righteousness. We’re to be doing the work of service. And we’re to be submitted to those who are over us. There is no room in the body of Christ for lone rangers or independent agents. There is to be connection and submission, accountability and humility. You’ll never be in authority unless you are under authority. And while it is easy for me to submit to those with whom I agree, it is when I submit to a decision that I don’t necessarily agree with that a true spirit of submission and humility is worked within me.

After being washed in water, robed in righteousness, and anointed with oil, the fourth step of preparation for Aaron and his sons was to be symbolically covered with blood. It was literally applied to the ear, the thumb, and the big toe. Because the things we hear, the things we do, and the places we go can pollute us, we need the blood applied to us, the blood to cleanse us, and the blood to protect us from future sin.

As time went on, these priests applied the blood not only when they entered the Tabernacle, but when they exited it as well - a principle I have found to be a real key in ministry. Before I teach or share, or counsel or serve, I need to say, “Lord, I know I am a sinner. I know I am frail. I plead the blood to cleanse me in order that Your Spirit might flow through me.” And when I finish teaching, sharing, counseling, or serving, I need to plead the blood as well because when I’m done ministering, one of two things invariably happens: either I am totally discouraged about how badly I did, or I’m proud of how well I did; and that’s even more dangerous, for pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18).

Pleading the blood takes care of both of these tendencies as we realize that, because we are sinners through and through, it’s only by God’s grace that we are allowed to minister at all.

The last step of preparation for the priesthood was isolation. With seven being the number of completion, Aaron and his sons were to remain in the Tabernacle for seven days.

Ministry is like the measles. You can’t give it unless you get it. You can’t give blessing unless you are blessed. And you won’t be blessed until you’re locked in, tucked away, and set aside. For how long? Until God’s preparatory work in you is complete.

Aaron and his sons were no doubt eager to begin, but they had to wait so that they wouldn’t die. Many ministries die because people don’t know the meaning of a personal devotional life, of spending chunks of time locked away in the presence of God.

In Leviticus 9:7–22, we see the procedure that was to be followed by the priests in offering a sacrifice. This passage is studied by Jewish scholars at great length because it’s the only time the procedure of a sacrifice is seen. Why does the Lord go into such detail? Why does He take almost an entire chapter to describe this procedure? Because He cares about the details of how He is to be worshiped, just as He cares about the details of how we are to live. Our God is a God of incredible order. Not only does the book of Leviticus attest to this, but His fingerprint can be seen on even the most minute aspect of nature, His concern over each sparrow, His awareness of each hair (Matthew 10:29–30).

The story is told of a lady who approached G. Campbell Morgan with a particular question.

“Why don’t you ask the Lord about that?” he asked.

“Oh, it’s too small a detail for the Lord,” she replied.

“Tell me, madam,” he countered, “what in your life is big to the Lord?”

Pray about everything, dear saint. Because nothing is big to God, nothing is too small for Him.

After a time of consecration and presentation, after a time of going in before the Lord and coming out to bless the people, suddenly fire from Heaven came down and consumed the offerings upon the altar. The glory of God was seen and people shouted - an understandable reaction, for the Hebrew word for worship implies a shout of joy.

We see the highest joy in a shout and the deepest reverence in a falling on one’s face. So awed and amazed were they by the presence of God, the people’s first reaction was to shout, but it was followed by a very quiet reverence before the Lord.

“The LORD is in His holy temple,” Habakkuk declared. “Let all the earth keep silence before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20). Sometimes the truest sign of an intense move of the Lord is not necessarily a shout, a clap, or even a word, but an awesome, quiet reverence.

“Come unto Me,” Jesus said, “all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; . . . and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29). Why, then, are so many “mature” Christians burned out by their ministry to Him and their service for Him?

I believe Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, give us the answer. Having been eyewitnesses to the glory of God filling the Tabernacle, and having seen the flames, having smelled the smoke of the fire from Heaven mystically and miraculously igniting the sacrifice upon the altar, it is understandable why Nadab and Abihu would be eager to join their famous father in ministry, to play a pivotal part in the “holy happening” unfolding before their eyes. After all, they had gone through the process of preparation and surely now was the time to begin, their time to shine. So they lit their censers and set out to take part in the celebration.

The problem, however, was that Nadab and Abihu lit their censers with strange fire. Strange fire is from any source other than the altar which burned continually and which speaks of Calvary.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. - 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

What Christ did on the altar of Calvary was that which motivated Paul day after day, year after year - for the love of Christ is a fire that never burns out.

Some people involve themselves in ministry simply because they want to be part of the action. But when the action shifts somewhere else, they shift along with it, leaving ministry behind. Others have a need to be used, so they serve the Lord to fulfill their own need. But when they’re needed somewhere else, ministry takes a back seat. Still others serve the Lord out of concern for the lost. But when the lost don’t respond as quickly as hoped, they eventually give up ministering altogether.

Ministry for ministry’s sake, ministry for fulfillment’s sake, or ministry for others’ sake is all strange fire that will eventually burn people out.

The only fire that will never burn one out is the fire from the altar of Calvary. Those who, like Paul, are constrained, motivated, and compelled by the love Christ demonstrated on Calvary will still be serving Him with passion, with effectiveness, and with intensity when they draw their last breath this side of eternity.

How can one keep from the Nadab and Abihu mentality? The simplest way is to go to the altar - the Lord’s Table - over and over again and remember what Christ Jesus did for us. When we bow our knee and commune with the Lord, when we handle His broken body and drink of His shed blood, all the dials are set back to zero as we remember the price He paid so willingly and lovingly.

Neither father nor brother were to mourn the deaths of Nadab and Abihu because the implication would be that God was unfair.

Ezekiel was another who was told not to mourn when, as an illustration to the people, God took his wife (Ezekiel 24). “Righteous and true are Thy judgments, O Lord,” say the multitudes in Heaven (see Revelation 19:2), seeing the full picture, understanding that God’s ways are absolutely perfect and without fail.

This side of eternity, our vision is so very limited. Yet even that which appears to be a tragedy to us is part of a bigger plan. After all, do you think Ezekiel and his wife are in Heaven right now feeling cheated that her life on earth was cut short, or do you think they’re blown away by the goodness of God in allowing her to partake of the unspeakable splendor of Heaven early? When you go through a hard time, a setback, or a tragedy, it is oh, so easy to suck sympathy from people, but you always do so at the expense of God’s reputation.

The Jews were allowed to eat those animals that had a divided hoof and chewed their cud. In other words, cleanliness was determined by how an animal walked and how it ate.

The question for us is obvious. Is there a “dividedness” in our walk? Are we separated from the world, or do we walk like everyone around us? We are new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Is there a difference in our walk? There should to be.

Second, do we chew the spiritual “cud”? Just as a cow constantly chews and re-chews its food, we are to chew and re-chew the Word. We are to be those who think it through, pray it in, extract from it every nutrient to feed our inner man. No wonder the Hebrew word for chewing the cud is essentially the same word translated “meditation.”

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. - Joshua 1:8

We get to meditate on the Word. We get to look in the Book. We get to think it through once more. And as we do, we’ll have good success; we’ll be healthy; we’ll be clean.

Ravens are an unclean bird and a symbol of evil in the Bible. Why, then, did God use them to miraculously deliver food to Elijah in the wilderness (1 Kings 17:6)? I suggest it was to show us that He can use anyone or anything to minister to us. Sometimes we have a tendency to think we can’t be instructed by him, or corrected by her because they’re “unclean birds.” In reality, however, we can learn from anyone God sends our way, even if he or she might appear to be “unclean.”

“I’m not going to listen to my parents because they’re not as spiritual as I am,” some might say. Big mistake. God can use all sorts of interesting creatures and situations to bring food to us, to minister to us, to admonish, nourish, and correct us. Therefore, wise is the one who says, “Lord, give me eyes to see and ears to hear whatever You want to tell me through whatever messenger You choose.”

If an animal fell into a bag of seed, providing the seed was still in its shell, the seed could still be used. But if the shell of the seed was no longer there because water had softened it, that seed was to be thrown out, as the seed itself would have been polluted.

The seed is a picture of the Word (1 Peter 1:23). Therefore, if the seed is not encased by the armor of faith, rats of unbelief will gnaw at it, causing us to question if it truly is infallible, immutable, and applicable. In other words, the Word can lose its potency and power in people who read only to find fault. How much better to read the Word in faith and allow it to find and change the faults within us.

If she gave birth to a boy, a mother was ceremonially unclean for a total of forty-one days. If she gave birth to a girl, she was ceremonially unclean for a total of eighty days. Why was she unclean twice as long if she gave birth to a girl? Because through circumcision, the sin of the baby boy was addressed, but the sin of a baby girl could not be addressed in that way, leaving the mother alone to deal with the issue of sin.

Why would either mother or baby have to deal with sin? Why would the birth of either son or daughter be considered unclean? When we have babies, people send flowers, buy balloons, and celebrate. What, then, is the meaning of this chapter? Is the birth process something that is unclean? No, for it was God Himself who said, “Be fruitful, and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).

In this passage, God is illustrating something that is difficult for today’s world to comprehend or embrace. He is declaring that when a baby is born - as glorious and wonderful an event as that is - it causes uncleanness because another sinner is added to the world.

In Psalm 51, under inspiration of the Spirit, David declares, “In sin did my mother conceive me” (verse 5). At the moment of conception - not in the act of procreation, but at the moment of conception - a sin nature begins. This is the doctrine of the depravity of man - politically incorrect, but true nonetheless. Contrary to current psychological thought, babies don’t arrive with a “clean slate.” Man is not a sinner because he sins. He sins because he is a sinner. And when I understand this, the implications and applications are profound.

First, an understanding of the depravity of man affects me parentally - how I view my kids and the way I raise my family. To understand that a baby comes into the world as a sinner and not as an innocent little person who is bruised by culture or infected by civilization makes me realize that as great as he is and as much joy as she brings, they’re sinners just like me.

Second, an understanding of the depravity of man affects me politically. Communism made great strides as Karl Marx insisted there should be a comradeship, a brotherhood between all men because men are basically, intrinsically good. The Bible says men are basically, intrinsically bad. That is why Communism ultimately collapsed. Capitalism survived because it is actually based on the depravity of man - that man is greedy and will only work to the degree that he is personally rewarded.

Third, an understanding of the depravity of man affects how I see myself personally. In Romans 7, Paul declared, “In my flesh dwells no good thing.” Therefore, I don’t have to be shocked or down on myself when I am aware of sin within me. Instead, I can say, “Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, take it from me. Lord, deal with me because I know the sin deep within me will destroy me and my family.”

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8

An understanding of my own depravity actually gives me a great deal of security because I realize who I am and how much God loves me.

Because leprosy that covered a person from head to foot was not active, such a one was pronounced clean. So too, when I realize I am a sinner from head to toe, from top to bottom - that I can’t cover my sin, defend myself, explain away my behavior, or justify my actions - then I am on my way to being pronounced clean.

Confession is a real key to salvation . . .

“I was conceived in sin,” David said (see Psalm 51:5).

“Woe is me!” Isaiah cried, “for I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5).

“I have sinned,” the Prodigal confessed (Luke 15:18).

Confession alone, however, does not guarantee salvation . . .

“I have sinned against the LORD,” Pharaoh declared (Exodus 10:16).

“I have sinned,” Saul admitted (1 Samuel 15:24).

“I have betrayed innocent blood,” Judas confessed (Matthew 27:4).

None of these confessions resulted in salvation. You see, while confession is indeed a key to salvation, the motive for confession is important as well. The second group of men were confessing because they knew they had been caught; the first group confessed because godly sorrow had worked in them a true heart of repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).

When a leper was cured of leprosy, two birds were to be used in the cleansing ceremony. One bird was to be killed in an earthen vessel. The remaining bird would be dipped in the blood of the first. Why? One bird would depict the death of our Savior, our Redeemer. But the story doesn’t end there. He ascended to Heaven. He rose again. So a second bird was needed to complete the illustration. After being dipped in the blood of the first bird, the second bird was allowed to fly away free. After Jesus died on the Cross, the book of Hebrews tells us He took His blood into Heaven and sprinkled it in the sanctuary of Heaven (9:12–14). Thus, the analogy is perfect.

The Resurrection is the hinge on which the door of our faith swings, for if there was no Resurrection, Paul was right: we are of all men most miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19).

The Resurrection is essential because it provides proof for us. “Show us a sign to validate Your claims,” Jesus’ contemporaries demanded.

“Destroy this body, and in three days, I’ll rise again,” Jesus answered (see John 2:19). And indeed that continues to be the sign that sets Him apart from all others.

Second, the Resurrection tells us He’s present with us. On that first Easter Sunday, Jesus’ followers weren’t rejoicing in theological implications or dispensational ramifications but simply in the fact that their friend - the One who had calmed the storm and fed them, the One who had healed and loved them - was with them once again. And the same is true for every believer. What storm is raging around you today? What leprosy is nibbling at you? What problem is pressing down heavily on your soul? You can cast all those cares upon Jesus, for He’s with you even now.

Finally, the Resurrection reminds us that He’s praying for us. Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). Therefore, if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). How does He win His case? Revelation 12 tells us the accuser of our souls is overcome by the blood. That’s why, in our text, the leper was sprinkled seven times, for seven is the number of perfection, of completion.

The sparrow of our salvation left His nest in Heaven to lodge in a tree called Calvary, to die in place of you and me. But the story doesn’t end there. Because He took His blood into Heaven to cleanse each of us, we can come boldly before God no matter how inadequate, how unworthy, or how leprous we feel (Hebrews 4:16).

Only four groups of people were anointed with oil upon the head: kings, prophets, priests . . . and lepers. Isn’t that just like the Lord to include lepers in such an august group?

Every day, she made her way to the stream to draw enough water for the two large pots she would carry half a mile back to the manor. Because one of the pots was cracked, by the time she arrived, only a pot and a half were full. After a few years, the cracked pot said, “I’m not worthy. I try to be. I want to be. I mean to be. But I never come through. I only make it half way. Why didn’t you discard me long ago?”

“I want to show you something,” the servant girl replied. And she took the pots on the walk again. “What do you see?”

“All kinds of flowers,” the pot answered.

“That’s right,” the girl said. “They’re there because every day, without you even knowing it, you watered the ground so they could grow.”

I think we all feel like cracked pots. We want to do good, but it seems we never do. But here’s what we need to know: lepers were anointed to be the bouquet of grace. Lepers like us are producing something in which our Master delights. Sure, there’s an anointing on the king and the prophet and the priest. But there’s an anointing on the cleansed leper as well, if for no other reason than to be a trophy of God’s grace.

In dealing with a chronic discharge of a disease, the key phrase is that there was to be a washing, a scrubbing, a cleansing with water. This predated medical knowledge by thousands of years, for it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that doctors understood the importance of cleanliness. Prior to that time, a clean doctor was considered to be about as effective as a clean football player. They wore blood on their clothes and hands as a sign of success. But in 1847, a Hungarian physician by the name of Ignaz Semmelweis made a correlation between the number of autopsies performed and the number of patients who, treated by the same doctors who performed the autopsies hours earlier, died from infectious disease. When he realized it was the doctors themselves who were spreading disease, he came to the revolutionary conclusion that doctors should wash after every operation.

“How shall a young man cleanse his way?” David asked. “By taking heed to the word” (see Psalm 119:9).

“We are washed by the water which is the word” Paul said (see Ephesians 5:26).

“Now ye are clean by the word which I have spoken unto you,” Jesus declared (John 15:3).

There is indeed a washing and a cleansing from spiritual disease as we drink of the Scriptures. Like the doctors in the dark ages of medicine, we mistakenly think we don’t have to wash ourselves spiritually all that often. Yet we wonder why we remain in an infected condition. God’s way is that His Word would be the cleansing agent that would purify and protect us from the infection of lustful thoughts, bad attitudes, cynical spirits, and a host of other diseases we think no one else sees.

It’s amazing how much better those who take time to be in the Word personally and fellowship with the Lord intimately do than those who think they don’t need to wash. Spending time in Bible study says, “Lord, I’m trusting that something is happening miraculously, supernaturally even now, that Your Word is doing a cleansing work in me.”

Linked to chapter 10, these opening verses of chapter 16 hint that, in addition to burning strange fire, Nadab and Abihu violated God’s law by going into the Holy of Holies.

Suppose you are an Amorite, Ammonite, or a Jebusite watching the Israelites fervently engaged in pitching a huge tent. An Israelite happens across your path and you ask him what he’s doing. “Erecting the Tabernacle,” he would answer, “the tent where God meets with His people.”

“I want to go there and meet Him too,” you would say.

“Sorry, it’s just for Israelites,” he would answer.

“Then I wish I were an Israelite,” you would say.

“It’s not enough to simply be an Israelite,” he would answer. “You have to be of the tribe of Levi. They’re the only ones who get to put up the Tabernacle.”

“Then I wish I were a Levite,” you would say.

“It’s not that simple,” he would say. “To go into the Tabernacle, you must be a priest, which means you must be of the family of Aaron.”

“Then I wish I were of the family of Aaron,” you would say.

“It’s not that simple,” he would say. “Only the oldest member of the family can serve as the high priest. And only the high priest can actually meet with God.”

“Then I wish I were the oldest member of the family of Aaron so I could meet with God whenever I wished,” you would say.

“It’s not that simple,” he would say. “The high priest can only meet with God one day each year on Yom Kippur. And if he’s not properly prepared, he’ll die.”

We can have the tendency to read the Old Testament and think it would be wonderful to live in the days when people saw firsthand the parting of the Red Sea, the drowning of Pharaoh’s army, and manna falling from Heaven. Yet, in reality, we live in much better days because we experience every day that which only one of them could experience on only one day each year: the Chabod, the glory of God. It’s an unbelievable privilege God has given to you and me. Thus, these days are better indeed.

The sin offering required two goats. One was to be sacrificed because the wages of sin is death. But the other goat was brought before Aaron in order that he might lay his hands on its head and verbally, articulately, and carefully confess the sins of the nation and, in a sense, transfer the sin to the goat. Symbolically bearing the sins of the whole nation, the goat was then led to the wilderness, where it symbolically carried the sins of the congregation out of sight.

The scapegoat is an illustration of God’s declaration that He will remember our sins and iniquities no more (Jeremiah 31:34). When this understanding finally drops from one’s head to one’s heart, it is so exhilarating, and so liberating because most of us believe that God, like Santa Claus, is making a list and checking it twice, that God is keeping score. He’s not. We remember each other’s sin. But God has chosen to erase from His memory bank the sins we confess.

Most people know this doctrinally, but because they don’t believe it in the deepest part of their soul, they believe God is disappointed with them due to what happened ten years ago or ten weeks ago or ten minutes ago. In Psalm 103, God says, “As far as the east is from the west, so I have put your iniquities from Me” (see verse 12). In Isaiah, He says, “I have cast your sins behind My back” (see 38:17). Isaiah 44:22 tells us He has blotted out our sins like a thick cloud; Job 14:17 says that He puts our sins in a bag and sews it up; Micah 7:19 declares that our sins are cast into the depths of the sea.

What the scapegoat pictured symbolically and temporarily, the Lamb of God achieved practically and eternally when He died on the Cross of Calvary for each and every sin of all of humanity.

The Day of Atonement took place in the seventh month, on the tenth day. Seven is the number of perfection, ten the number of the law. Do we keep the law perfectly? No. And that is the reason for the Day of Atonement.

On the Day of Atonement, how would the children of Israel know if the offering was sufficient? They would know their sins were covered if the high priest emerged from the Tabernacle - for if he was not properly prepared, if his offering was unacceptable, he would die in the Holy of Holies, in the presence of a holy, almighty God.

So too, I know with certainty that I am forgiven because our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, came out of the tomb. Therefore, the book of Hebrews declares, “Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we might find grace and mercy to help in time of need” (4:16). Because the work of atonement has been accomplished completely and perfectly, God invites us specifically and personally to come into the Holy of Holies, to come before His throne. The question is, will we take advantage of the invitation?

The story is told of a telegraph company in the 1800s seeking to hire an operator. The salary offered being quite substantial, only the most qualified were encouraged to apply. On the day of the invitation, seven men showed up. As they sat outside the boss’ office waiting for their interview and listening to the telegraph operators working in the background, suddenly, the last one to arrive suddenly stood up and went into the boss’ office without being asked. The boss emerged a few minutes later and said, “Gentlemen, thank you for coming. But there will be no need for an interview. I’ve hired this man for the position.”

“Wait a minute,” one of the remaining six protested, “that’s not fair. This man was the last to arrive. We should have had our chance to be interviewed for this position.”

“You did,” the boss said. “While you were sitting here, one of our operators was tapping out a message saying, ‘If you receive this message, come into my office immediately. The job is yours.’”

All of the men were trained. All were qualified. All had knowledge of Morse code, but only one of the seven was tuned into the message being tapped out right then.

I can’t help but wonder today if there is one in seven who has really heard the message being tapped out that says, “Come boldly to My throne. Talk with Me. Cast your care upon Me. Receive from Me help, strength, and instruction.”

Have you heard the message, mom - the tap, tap, tap of the Morse code of the Master saying, “Come and talk to Me about your son or daughter. This is the moment”?

Have you heard the message, husband? Do you hear the tapping of the Master saying, “Come boldly to the throne of grace that you might find help for your marriage which is presently unraveling”?

If you’re wondering whether to go to college, take the job, or move away; if you’re struggling with physical affliction or fighting depression, I wonder if there is one in seven who hears the Lord saying, “The stone is rolled away. The veil is rent. The way is open. Come on in!”

Ezekiel 20 tells us that, when the Israelites were in Egypt for four hundred years, they were involved in idolatry. Therefore, because God the Father was very concerned about the tendency of His people to fall into heresy, which often led to idolatry, He said, “I want all sacrifices to be made at the Tabernacle.”

“We don’t like the Tabernacle. It’s too confining,” some might have protested. “Can’t five of us just get together and sacrifice in the woods?”

“No,” God said.

“Who needs priests?” others might have asked. “Aren’t we all spiritual? Can’t we all offer sacrifices?”

“No,” God said.

There are those today who think they can worship God without going to church. “My church is on the golf course,” they say, or “at the lake,” or “on the beach.” “Why go into a stuffy building?” they ask. “Isn’t God the God of creation?”

This passage reveals God’s heart concerning the way He wants to be worshiped, not because He is stuffy and contrary, but because He knows what will happen practically. You see, over the years, I have noticed that the people who choose to seek the Lord at their lake house rather than in the sanctuary with the congregation never do well over the long haul. There can be a tendency, especially for older Christians, to say, “church was great for our first ten years, but now we just need some space on Sundays,” failing to realize that it’s when we’re with our brothers and sisters - living stones being fit together for a holy habitation (1 Peter 2:5) - that sometimes we’re rubbed the wrong way by necessity. That is, it is the interaction, the fellowship, the seeking of God together that not only smoothes our rough edges, but also gives us stability.

When Peter Marshall, chaplain of the United States Senate in the 1940s, first arrived in Washington, D.C., to pastor the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, an elderly lady is said to have greeted him by saying, “I do so hope you won’t talk too much about the blood, as our previous pastor did.”

“I promise I won’t talk too much about the blood,” the young Scotsman assured her, “because it is impossible to talk too much about the blood.”

Peter Marshall nailed it perfectly. It is impossible to talk too much about the blood of Jesus Christ. Why? Because the Bible is soaked in blood, saturated with blood. Ours is a bloody religion indeed. And there’s a reason for that. The book of Hebrews tells us that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sin (9:22). Therefore, with man’s greatest need being forgiveness, it only stands to reason that blood would be spoken of freely and consistently throughout the Word.

Why is blood the key to forgiveness? Because, as seen in our text, the life of the flesh is in the blood. That is why it was blood that cried out when the first murder was committed (Genesis 4:10). There is indeed a potency, a mystery, a power in blood for it is the essence of life. And in Leviticus, God uses these powerful properties of blood to not only show us the seriousness of our sin, but to point to the sacrifice of His Son.

Because the blood is sacred, orthodox Jews, as they do to this day, were exceedingly careful not to eat any meat not thoroughly drained of every drop of blood. And then an itinerant Rabbi from Galilee came along one day and had the audacity to proclaim, “Except you drink My blood, you have no life in you” (see John 6:53). No wonder it was at that point that many walked away to follow Him no more (John 6:66).

I know what Jesus was saying. So do you. He wasn’t talking about cannibalism, about drinking His blood literally in violation of Leviticus 17. He was talking about intimacy, how we are to devour the Word, how we are to open our hearts, how we are to embrace the work He did when He shed His blood for our sin. Yet, when His followers turned away, Jesus didn’t say, “Wait a minute. Let Me explain what I meant. It’s not what you think.” Why didn’t He do that? Why didn’t He clarify the issue? I believe it was for three basic reasons . . .

He knew what the Holy Spirit would do. That is, He knew that which He shared could only be made real when the Holy Spirit made it alive. And because it is the work of the Spirit to bring all things to remembrance (John 14:26), Jesus knew the Spirit would bring this occasion to their minds and make application in due season.

Second, Jesus knew what the Father alone could do. Only the Father can cause a person to come to Jesus (John 6:44). The Spirit gives revelation, but it is the Father who determines who will come to His Son.

Third, Jesus knew what the true disciples should do. When asked if he was about to leave with the rest, Peter answered, “Where else would we go? You alone have the words of eternal life” (see John 6:67–68). Jesus didn’t hurry to explain His words to those who left because He knew that they must learn to do what you and I must do: walk by faith. Why? Because only faith is strong enough to weather the storms ahead.

When we don’t understand what’s going on, when we’re troubled by a teaching we’ve heard or a passage we’ve read, when we’re going through a tragedy or a heartbreak, if we’re not careful, we will be like those in John 6:66, failing to understand that the only way our faith becomes strong is when, like Peter, we believe in spite of what we don’t initially understand.

Jesus knew what the Holy Spirit would do. He knew what the Father alone could do. He knew what His true disciples should do. And knowing these things, Jesus ministered in a way that was wonderfully relaxed and incredibly peaceful.

Here, verse 11 is repeated: the life of the flesh is in the blood. Physiologically, this understanding preceded medicine by thousands of years, for it wasn’t until 1628 that an anatomist named Dr. Harvey identified the importance of the red fluid circulating within us. Spiritually, we know that just as our own blood keeps us alive temporarily, the shed blood of the Lamb of God gives us life eternally.

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. - 1 Peter 1:18–21

When Jesus died on the Cross, He paid for each one of our sins specifically. How could He have accomplished this in only six hours two thousand years ago on Calvary? Peter tells us He was slain before the foundation of the world. And John tells us that when we see Him, we’ll see Him as a Lamb having just been slain (Revelation 5:6). Therefore, from the perspective of the time/space continuum, the work of salvation was indeed complete in six hours on the Cross. But from the eternal perspective, where there is no future and no past (Ecclesiastes 3:15), Jesus’ suffering was infinitely greater than anything we can even begin to comprehend. With this being the case, how can I lightly say, “It doesn’t matter if I harbor an unforgiving spirit, have a lousy attitude, or engage in a questionable activity. It’s all forgiven because of Calvary”?

The work of salvation is complete, finished, done. Yet as true as that is, it is also true that the price Jesus paid for each of our sins individually is unspeakably more than we can understand this side of eternity.

Because the life of the flesh is in the blood, Jesus gave His blood so that we can have life.

Here, God declares, “I am the Lord your God. You are to behave in a way unlike that which you saw in Egypt.” During the four hundred-year period the children of Israel were in Egypt, the Egyptians were the most advanced culture in world history. Although it was impressive in many ways, it was also an immoral culture. In reference to the Canaanites, who were even more immoral than the Egyptians, God said, “You are to be neither like those in the land from which you came nor like those in the land to which you are going. I am the Lord your God. I know how you were created. I know what will bring you lasting joy, true peace. If you do what I say, you’ll experience life the way it was meant to be.”

Leviticus 19 issues a call to holiness. Holiness is related to wholeness. And God wants us to be a whole people. When you understand this, you’ll find that the commands of God are no longer burdensome. You’ll find yourself wanting to embrace them, eager to learn them, ready to practice them. The Father wants us to be a blessed people - blessed in our families and our marriages, in our relationships and our occupations. He truly desires us to be happy. Satan, the deceiver and liar, says holiness leads to strangeness. “You’ll be miserable,” he hisses. “You’ll miss out on all the fun.” Not so.

God doesn’t look in the mirror and say, “I’m not really pleased with this aspect of Myself,” or “I wish I was a bit different in this area of My personality.” No, because He is holy, God is totally, completely, and absolutely happy with every part of His being. You see, in essence, the word holy simply means “whole.” And because He’s whole, because He lacks nothing, God is supremely happy with who He is. And He wants nothing less for us.

Holiness leads to happiness. That’s an absolute, non-negotiable, irrefutable spiritual principle. God wants us to be holy for He is holy. He commands us to be holy, for He wants us to be happy.

In addition to the obvious injunction not to be hardened to those who are physically inflicted, blindness and deafness are pictures throughout Scripture of the spiritual insensitivity of a world that’s lost.

Cursing the deaf is subtle. Do we have an attitude of cursing those who bother us, those who act worldly because their ears are closed to an awareness of God? How did Jesus deal with the deaf? Consider these words from the Gospel of Mark . . .

And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; and looking up to Heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. - Mark 7:32–35

Jesus not only took the deaf man aside from the crowd and gave him individual attention, but He put His fingers in the deaf man’s ears and gave him an individual touch. Jesus didn’t have to touch him. He could have spoken the word and that would have sufficed, but had He done so, the deaf man wouldn’t have heard it. So He related to the man where he was. Then Jesus looked to Heaven, showing the man from whence his healing would come. That’s the pattern - touching people and relating to them where they are concerning their knowledge and understanding. When Jesus spoke, the man’s ears were opened. And as you and I speak the Word of God, spiritually deaf ears are opened as well.

Second, we’re not to trip the blind. The concept of being a stumbling block is also seen in 1 Corinthians 8, where a controversy had arisen concerning meat that had been offered to idols before it was sold in discount markets. Looking for a good buy and knowing that idols were powerless to affect meat, some Christians would purchase the meat at discount prices. Others, however, said the meat was defiled and not to be eaten. Paul’s answer was that while believers are the freest of men, we’re not to use our freedom in a way that causes others to stumble. In any given situation, each of us will either be a stumbling block or a stepping stone. People will either be hindered in coming to Jesus or we’ll be stepping stones on their path to Him.

Sometimes I feel we’re the ones with blinded eyes, the ones who don’t see people properly; we’re the ones with deaf ears, unable to hear the cries of lost humanity. How can the Lord make us more like Himself? Look again at Mark’s Gospel . . .

And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. - Mark 8:22–25

Sometimes I think we who have been touched by the hand of Jesus Christ, we who have received divine enlightenment, still see men as trees: trees that are in our way, trees that are to be cut down and used for our own purposes. How did Jesus solve this problem? He touched the blind man a second time and made him look up. And then the man saw every man clearly.

You and I also need to look up, for when we fix our eyes on Jesus, we become like Him (1 John 3:2). When I don’t look up to the Lord, I’ll look down on men. I’ll see them as trees. But when I focus on Jesus, I will see people as He sees them.

A talebearer hurts three people: the person he talks about, the person he talks to, and himself.

First, in a very real sense, people are who we say they are, regardless of whether what we say is true. People will either be lifted up or put down in the estimation of others by what we say about them. Jesus draws a direct parallel between murder and the tongue because we have the power to kill another person’s reputation with our words (Matthew 5:21–22). Second, telling tales, or gossiping, hurts the person who listens because it affects the way he or she will view the person being talked about. Finally, gossip hurts the talebearer himself because every time we gossip, we become smaller and smaller. As has been wisely said, great minds talk about ideas or ideals; average minds about events; small minds about people. In which company are you?

“Sanctify,” or qadash in Hebrew, means “to set apart” - set apart to God and set apart from sin. Can we really be set apart from sin? Can we truly be sanctified?

John Wesley and his brother, Charles, both godly men, believed that if people lived a disciplined life before God, they could achieve a state of sanctity in which they would never sin again. Determined to see this understanding come to fruition, they developed a method to do this, and the Methodist movement was born. On other hand, John Calvin and others said it was impossible to be completely and totally sanctified in this life. And these two views remain in the church to this day.

When Jesus died on the Cross, He didn’t say, “To be continued,” or “This will do for now.” He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). That is why Paul could address the Corinthian believers as those who have been sanctified (1 Corinthians 1:2). Practically, the Corinthian congregation was full of problems. So are we. But positionally, the Corinthians were sanctified. And so are we.

Verse 7 begins with “Sanctify yourselves.” Verse 8 ends with, “I am the LORD which sanctify you.” Is sanctification something we do, or is it something God does for us? It’s both. God sanctifies us, yet He won’t do it without our participation. We see this illustrated perfectly in 2 Kings 5 . . .

Plagued by leprosy, a Syrian general named Naaman heard there was a prophet in Israel doing miracles. He traveled there and was told by Elisha to dip in the Jordan River seven times.

Naaman was offended. “That dirty river? We have bigger, cleaner rivers in Syria,” he protested.

But when his advisors said, “What do you have to lose?” he followed Elisha’s instructions, and after his seventh dip, his leprosy was gone.

If we want to be free from the leprosy eating away at our marriages, our families, and our joy, we have a part to play. Seven being the number of completion, and water being emblematic of the Word, we are to dip into the Word over and over and over again. And as we do, God meets us and we begin to see we are indeed sanctified. As we fellowship with Him, listen to Him, and obey Him, we experience the unmistakable sanctifying process. “Sanctify yourselves,” God says, “and as you do, I will sanctify you.” Without Him, we can’t. Without us, He won’t.

The story is told of a man who, after parking his car, set out for a day hike in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Three miles into what was to be a relaxing afternoon outing, he noticed ominous storm clouds forming as the temperature dropped dangerously. Realizing a freak snowstorm was headed his way, the man began backtracking toward his car. He had a mile or so to go when the storm became so intense that he couldn’t see his hand in front of his face. Losing his way, he walked for two hours until he realized he was freezing. Feeling a deadly lethargy, the man knew that if he sat down, he would never get up, so he fought it for as long as he could. But finally, the desire to rest was just too overpowering, so he sat down at the base of a tree, the snow still falling intensely. As he sat down, he felt something next to him. Brushing away the snow, he discovered the body of a man who had evidently stopped to rest only a few moments earlier. Finding a pulse, the young man stood to his feet and, with a burst of newfound energy, picked up the man who had almost frozen to death, put him on his shoulders, and began walking feverishly. After walking fifty yards or so, he bumped into the side of a cabin. Feeling his way to the front, he banged on the door, which was opened by a man who welcomed the pair inside to warm themselves by his roaring fire.

The application is obvious. In attempting to save someone else, the young man was himself saved. In caring for someone else, he himself was cared for. And that’s what Jesus meant when He said, “The measure you give out will be measured back to you” (see Luke 6:38).

When tragedy strikes or when trials come, we’ll either say, “This ought not to be. Poor me,” or we’ll say, “This can be used for Your glory, so pour me, Lord. Pour me out to the people in need all around.”

What did our great High Priest do in His time of tragedy, in His time of pain? Even as He hung on the Cross in agony, He ministered to a man beside Him, to a woman below Him, and to the crowd around Him . . .

“This day you shall be with Me in Paradise,” He said to the needy thief beside Him (see Luke 23:43).

“Woman, behold thy son,” He said to His grieving mother standing at the foot of the Cross below Him (John 19:26).

“Father, forgive them,” He prayed concerning the jeering crowd surrounding Him (Luke 23:34).

No wonder Caiaphas rent his garments that day (Matthew 26:65), for he was disqualified from priestly ministry at that moment, superseded by the great High Priest whose garment was not rent (John 19:24).

The garment of Caiaphas was torn. Not so the garment of Jesus, for Jesus will never lose control emotionally or grieve hysterically. Therefore, neither must we. I’m not talking about “keeping a stiff upper lip,” having a “positive mental attitude,” or a “don’t worry, be happy” mentality. I’m talking about the reality of our great High Priest living in you and me through both good days and bad.

Stay in the place of ministry, gang. Follow the example of Jesus. When difficulties come your way, the best thing you can do is go for it more than you ever have previously, in giving out, in sharing with, and in caring for those beside and all around you.

The remedy for uncleanness is first waiting and then washing. First, the unclean person was to wait until evening. Why evening? Because in Jewish economy, the setting of the sun signaled a new day . . .

It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:22–23

The Lord ordered our lives in such a way that every day after about sixteen or eighteen hours, we go to bed and basically “die.” To me, His plan is ingenious because I find that after about sixteen hours of living, I’ve pretty much messed it up. I’ve dropped the ball once too often and fumbled one too many times. I need to die and start over in a fresh way. So I think it’s wonderful that God lets us die every eighteen hours.

How I love the morning hours. Whether I spend them at church, in my place of prayer at home, or walking the streets of town on a spring or summer morning, I love the morning when it’s quiet, when I can receive a piping hot batch of mercy fresh from the oven of God’s grace.

Second, the priest who was unclean - whether by his own flesh or through contact with the dead things of the world - was to wash. As New Testament priests, the washing refers to the water of the Word (John 15:3). Did you wash today in the water of the Word? We’re bombarded every day by creeping things and dead carcasses, by that which would defile us and render us unable to serve or eat that which would satisfy our souls. God would say, “The solution is simple, the remedy is real: wait on Me in this new day and wash in the water of My Word.”

When an Israelite willingly offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving, it was to be completely eaten on the same day it was offered. Why? First, it was to protect against pollution, against the food becoming spoiled for lack of refrigeration. Spiritually, I believe our thanksgiving can also become spoiled unless offered consistently. Over time, our minds have a way of explaining away God’s miraculous hand in any given situation, of attributing His goodness in our lives to our own efforts, to luck, or to coincidence. And thus, our thanksgiving becomes spoiled if not offered immediately, consistently, and wholeheartedly.

Second, I believe this word was given to us to provide satiation. It is as if the Lord is saying, “When you bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving, I want you to leave with a full belly. I want you to be deeply satisfied, totally satiated, and completely happy.”

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. - Hebrews 13:15

God wants us to offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving not because He needs to be thanked but because we need to be thankful. Why? Thanksgiving is the antidote to depression, the remedy for a cynical spirit. Yes, there are very real battles facing each of us. We are not to pretend they don’t exist. But neither are we to indulge in doubt and self-pity. Rather, we’re to do what Jehoshaphat did . . .

With a confederation of Edomite, Ammonite, and Moabite troops arrayed against him, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, called unto God for help. God responded through a prophet, saying, “Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. . . . Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17).

Jehoshaphat could have said, “What kind of battle plan is that?” Instead, he bowed his head and worshiped. Although all he had was a promise, the next morning, rather than sending his troops to battle, Jehoshaphat sent a choir to praise. And although this made no sense militarily, it disoriented the enemy, they drew their swords in confusion, and they annihilated one another (see verses 20–24).

The same thing is true in the Spirit. We have an Enemy who surrounds us constantly, an adversary who wants to intimidate and depress us daily, whose goal is to rob us of the riches of our joy and peace. But this Enemy is beaten back, confused, and overwhelmed through the power of praise and thanksgiving.

On the Day of Atonement, the nation confessed their sin and afflicted their souls. The result? A party five days later at the Feast of Tabernacles (five being the number of grace). Every morning during the Feast of Tabernacles, the priests would divide into two processionals. One group would go directly east to the Valley of Kidron and gather willow, palm, myrtle, and citrus branches to pass out to the people and to lay in the courtyard of the Temple where sacrifices were made. The second group of priests would go south to the pool of Siloam, carrying a golden pitcher, which they would dip into the water. Both companies of priests - those carrying the branches and those carrying the water - would meet at the Temple, where the water was poured out from the pitcher before the altar as a reminder of God’s provision of water for them during their wilderness wanderings. On the eighth day, the great day of the feast, the priests would go to the pool of Siloam, but they would return with an empty pitcher, acknowledging the fact that because they were now in the Promised Land, there was no longer need for the supernatural provision of water. And as they did, the priests would pray this prayer . . .

Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. - Isaiah 44:2–4

Why would they read this passage? Because they understood that Isaiah 44 was a prophecy of the pouring out of the Spirit that could transpire only when Messiah came to their land.

The year is approximately AD 32. On the great day of the feast, everyone watched as the processional returned from the pool of Siloam, poured out the empty pitcher, and prayed for Messiah to come. Then a young thirty-three-year-old rabbi from Galilee shouts out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. . . . out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–38), thereby presenting Himself as Messiah and offering the living water, the rain of the Holy Spirit.

But Jesus’ declaration was not yet complete . . .

Every night during the Feast of Tabernacles, the celebration of illumination took place on the temple mount. In this celebration, four huge menorahs, with wicks made of priest’s robes which had been worn out, were lit, and shined so brightly that light could be seen one hundred miles away. At the end of the feast, the menorahs would be extinguished, not to be relit until the following year. John tells us that it was on the day after the Feast of Tabernacles, the day after the menorahs were extinguished, that Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) - the true Light which would never be extinguished.

Don’t lose sight of the fact that the Lord’s coming is near, gang. In the meantime, drink deeply of the water of His Spirit and illuminate your life, not with a pillar of fire or a huge menorah which was used and then extinguished, but by the presence and promises of the One who will never leave you nor forsake you as you walk daily with Him.

Here we see the responsibility of the people to protect God’s holy name. When, during a fight, the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man blasphemed the name of the Lord, the people of God weren’t sure whether he was to be held to the same standards as they were. So they put him in ward, in custody, and sought the mind of the Lord - always a wise thing to do.

Had Moses come to me asking what I thought he should do with a man who was half Egyptian and half Jew and had blasphemed the Lord’s name during a fight, my tendency would have been to say, “Let’s discuss this. He doesn’t have the background the rest of us have had. Here’s a chance for us to be merciful, to show grace, to demonstrate to the Egyptian people how kind, big-hearted, and loving we are. Let’s not rush into this matter. Let’s give him a warning, explain why we don’t say those things around here, and let him go. After all, he’s half Egyptian.”

But verses 13 through 16 show me just how far my thoughts are from God’s, that I’m not nearly as wise as I think I am.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death. - Leviticus 24:13–16

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you think you know what’s right and what’s wise. But, on the basis of this passage, I encourage you, even as I remind myself, rather than making a decision based upon dialogue, discussion, and debate, to seek the Lord in prayer and see what He says concerning any given matter.

God speaks to those who are on their knees seeking Him sincerely, admitting they lack wisdom. God’s will is not a mystery. The only question is, will we do what He tells us to do?

In the year of Jubilee, any land that had been sold was to be returned to its original owner. That is, if a piece of property was sold to cover a debt or to rescue a household financially, it was to be restored to the family of the one who had sold it initially.

With release of debt, rest from labor, and restoration of property, the year of Jubilee seems like a golden opportunity. And yet neither the Bible nor extra-biblical writers give any indication it was ever observed.

Before we chide the Israelites for failing to take advantage of the glorious year of Jubilee, however, we would do well to look in the mirror. If you want to experience jubilee in your own life presently, it begins with releasing people from the captivity in which you hold them because you think they let you down, disappointed, or hurt you. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses,” Jesus said, “your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14–15). It is the one who doesn’t set the debtor free who remains bound in misery. Even though you don’t feel it emotionally, you can decide today to do that which Israel never did: to cancel all debts and to experience jubilee in your soul.

If you’re a believer in Jesus, Satan knows he’s lost your soul. But he’ll seek to neutralize and nullify your witness by attacking you, by sending out his demons to cause destruction and deception. What do we do with these images, these powers that plague and haunt us? Consider the following four suggestions . . .

In dealing with the entities that war against your soul, there must first of all be realization. We are at war. And because we’re at war, there will be casualties. When a person sins, the reaction can be, “He has blown it. Shame on him.” But we need to realize that he has been attacked and therefore look at him not as vicious but as a victim of the Enemy’s attack.

Second, there must be preparation. When the disciples were unable to cast out a demon from a boy who was possessed, Jesus told them to do so required prayer and fasting (Matthew 17). Therefore, we must be prepared before the attack comes. How? I suggest one way is by fasting. Before running a marathon, runners stock up on carbohydrates. To prepare spiritually, we are to do just the opposite because something happens when we say “no” to our stomachs. Saying “no” to our appetites physically strengthens the inner man spiritually.

Third, there must be confrontation against these entities. We can’t run from them. We must move in authority, fervency, and intensity in dealing with them. And yet all too often when we sense a spiritual attack headed our way, we just give up and get depressed. It took a shout to bring down the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:20). It took a spoken, authoritative command to cast out demons (Mark 5:8). Thus, if we are to wage war against the demonic entities that plague us, we must confront them with authority, and at times even vocally.

Finally, we move in expectation, for without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We can expect to be victorious knowing that our Enemy and his hordes from hell are doomed to one day be thrown into the bottomless pit forever (Revelation 12).

The victory is ours, gang. All we have to do is take it and act upon it. May we be those who keep ourselves from idols as we recognize them, prepare for them, and confront them in the name of Jesus.

Even in the time of captivity, even in the place of bondage which was due to their own disobedience, God says, “I won’t forget or forsake My people.” And that is the Word of the Lord for you and me today. God is saying, “If you walk in My law, you’ll be blessed. If you wander from My law, you’ll be burned. But even if you’re in captivity, know this: I have not forsaken you, for lo, I am with you always” (see Matthew 28:20).

Every broken commandment, every ignored precept can be forgiven because of what Jesus did for us on Calvary. Therefore, even if we’re in the land of the Enemy, God still cares about us. If we’ll confess our sin to Him, if we’ll call upon His name, He’ll restore us once again. “If you wander from My ways, terror will come,” God says. “If you walk in My ways, I’ll bless you. It’s your choice. The ball is in your court.”

In Genesis, we see in the person of Abraham God’s people waiting - waiting for the son promised to him, the first of a nation which was to number as the stars in the heavens, the sand on the seashore. In Exodus, we see God’s people watching, as God raised up a deliverer named Moses to set them free. In Leviticus, we see God’s people worshiping, as He outlined for them the way they were to commune with Him. Here in Numbers, we see God’s people warring, as they organized into camps to do battle against the enemies they would encounter in the Promised Land.

It was in the wilderness that Moses heard the Word of the Lord. I point this out because sometimes when we go through a wilderness experience, although we try to extract things from the Word, although we spend time in prayer, we don’t hear the voice of the Lord. All of us go through such times. But notice exactly where Moses was in the wilderness when the Lord spoke to him - he was in the Tabernacle of the congregation when he heard the voice of the Lord. And I believe the best place to hear the Lord speak is still the tabernacle of the congregation, in church.

So many times in my walk when I have been dry, when I haven’t heard the heart of the Lord, no sooner would I go into a church service and plop down on a back pew somewhere, than I would begin to listen and wonder, Who told this preacher what I’m going through? The Word spoke directly and specifically to my situation. I say this because sometimes we fail to remember that one of the most effective ways to study the Bible is to consistently and faithfully come to church and travel through the Word with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

The Tabernacle was the place wherein dwelt the Chabod, the glory of God - that which every person, whether he knows it or not, craves. You might think you’re craving a bigger house, a faster car, or a new boyfriend. But in reality, what you’re truly craving is the Chabod, the glory of God. And the degree to which you experience the glory of God is the degree to which you will be satisfied in this life presently. Otherwise, you’ll fall into the trap of thinking you’ll be content as soon as you get the next promotion - failing to understand that it is only the weight, the substance, and the glory of God that will satisfy your soul.

Here we see that the Levites - those who served in the Tabernacle - had the privilege of camping closest to the place where the Chabod resided. The same is true today. The way to experience the presence of God is to serve - be it teaching a Sunday school class, coaching a Little League team in a way that you are an example of what it means to be a lover of God, raising your kids in the ways of God, serving as a missionary, or being involved in intercessory prayer. Jesus said whatever measure we give out will be given back to us (Matthew 7:2). And I have found this to be oh, so true. The key to experiencing the glory of God is to be involved in service, for if we only take in, we become bloated and groggy; but if we share with others what we’re learning, what we’ve been given, and what we’re experiencing, we will receive a continuous fresh supply.

The significance of the camping assignments for the twelve tribes seen in Numbers 2 becomes evident twenty chapters later, for in Numbers 22, we see the children of Israel, en route to the Promised Land, camped in the plain of Moab. This caused consternation in the heart of Balak, the king of Moab, for he had heard of the Israelites’ victory over the Ammonites. So, in addition to forming an alliance with the Midianites, Balak persuaded Balaam, a prophet of the Lord, to curse the Israelites.

Accompanied by Balak to the top of a mountain from which he could see the entire Israelite camp, Balaam looked down to see the Tabernacle in the midst with a contingent of 108,100 to the west; 186,400 to the east; 157,600 to the north; and 151,450 to the south. In other words, he would have seen the configuration of a cross. No wonder he was unable to curse the Israelites. You see, Balaam thought the Israelites were to be cursed because they were a bunch of complainers and idolaters. God, however, saw no iniquity in them because they were encamped in the Cross.

And the same is true for us. Because we’re encamped in the Cross, because we’re in Christ, we can go boldly before the throne of God today and receive what we need (Hebrews 4:16). For whatever battle you’re fighting, or whatever issue you’re facing, the solution is found at the throne of grace simply because you’re encamped in, cleansed by, and forgiven through the Cross of Calvary.

A year after Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, he climbed the mountain again to find God’s mind, His heart, and His plan. So too, if your life feels disorganized or confused, don’t look to a self-help book to solve it for you. The best thing we can do individually, as families or as a church, is to go to the mountain. Although the temptation is to reverse the order, we need to agonize in prayer before we organize a plan. When you feel scattered or out of focus, when your family is frayed by all of its activities, follow the example of Moses. Find a place where you can hear from the Lord.

Due to the fact that He created these children, and also spared them at Passover, God owned the firstborn. In other words, they were His, not only by creative right, but also by redemptive right. It was the Lord’s original intent that the firstborn of every family in each tribe be a priest. But when only the Levites came forward as those who were on the Lord’s side, they became the exclusive tribe God chose to minister to Him. The men of Reuben, Gad, and Naphtali backed away, knowing they would have to deal with their friends and neighbors. The men of Judah, Benjamin, and Zebulun knew that they would have to inflict pain in order to save the nation. In the end, only one tribe was willing to say, “It’s not a pleasant task, not an easy thing to do, but we’re on the Lord’s side and this needs to be done. So we will do it.” And, as a result, they were blessed (Exodus 32:29).

In this, I understand why oftentimes we are not used to the degree we would like to be or think we ought to be. Hebrews 4:12 tells us the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. If the Lord so directs, am I willing to unsheathe the sword of the Word and deal with situations which are detrimental, dangerous, or diseased in the lives of friends, neighbors, or family members? Or will I be like Simeon, Issachar, and Asher who shied away?

It’s one thing to say, “I’ll take the sword and deal with the Jebusites, the Philistines, and the Canaanites.” But will you deal with your own family, your own friends, your own co-workers? Proverbs 29:25 says the fear of man is a snare. It will trip me up. At any given moment, I am living in fear. So are you. The question is, whom do I fear? I will either be walking in the fear of God - not wanting to disappoint Him or disobey Him - or I will be walking in the fear of man - concerned about what others think of me.

The fear of man says, “I care more about you liking me than I do about you doing well.” The fear of God, on the other hand, says, “You might not like this, but I’m going to tell you the truth because I care more about you doing well than I do about you not liking me.”

Knowing the story of Levi, I would have thought it would be any tribe but his to step up to the task. After all, it was Levi who, along with Simeon, decided to avenge the rape of their sister Dinah by unsheathing the sword and slaying all the men of Shechem (Genesis 34), an offense of such magnitude that Simeon and Levi were cursed and denied an inheritance in the Promised Land (Genesis 49:5–7). Therefore, when Moses asked who would mete out judgment upon Israel, I would have thought Levi would have said, “Not us. We’ve been down this road before. We’re cursed to this day. Let Reuben do it.” But that’s not what happened, for even though they had failed previously, Levi said, “We will do what’s necessary.” Amazing.

“How can I correct him?” we say. “I failed in the past the same way he’s failing now.” Or, “I have no right to confront her. I made the very same mistakes she’s making.” That’s what Levi could have said. Instead, he did what Paul teaches us to do: he forgot that which was behind, pressed ahead, and did what had to be done (Philippians 3:13). As a result, although the curse remained because the Levites chose to stand for the Lord, not only would they be used in ministry, but God Himself would be their inheritance ultimately (Joshua 13:33).

The principle of redemption was to be a life for a life. In place of a life, that which most closely touched a man’s life was to be offered: namely, money. Because one’s work is where one invests the bulk of his time and energy, that which reveals most about someone’s priorities is the way he uses his money. Talk is cheap. The proof is not in the song I sing, but what I do when the basket goes by.

Does this mean we can purchase our salvation? No. Our salvation was already purchased, not by our own efforts or money but by the blood of Christ on the Cross of Calvary (1 Peter 1:18–19). Therefore, the way we spend money - as well as the way we spend our time, talents, and every other resource given to us - should reflect that which was so freely and sacrificially spent for us when our Lord gave His life to set us free.

Those with leprosy, those with a running issue, those defiled by contact with the dead were to be removed from the camp. Why? Not because leprosy was contagious, nor because running issues and dead bodies lead to all kinds of disease. The singular reason God gave for ridding the camp of this kind of impurity was because He dwelt in it.

The trend today in churches is that of being “seeker sensitive.” To this end, we’re not to sing too many songs, carry our Bibles, or talk about sin and repentance. I wholeheartedly disagree with this trend, for while we are indeed to be seeker sensitive, it is not the sinner who is the seeker, but the Father who seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock,” Jesus declares (Revelation 3:20). And here, God says, “Honor Me. Deal with the leprosy, the issues, and the defilement not only because those things will destroy you, but more importantly because I’m in the camp.”

To “lift up the countenance” simply means “to smile.” Here the priests were to say to the people, “May the Lord smile upon you and give you peace.” In the blessing of verses 24–26, we see the name of the Lord repeated three times. In this, there is a suggestion of the Trinity. In verse 24, the reference is to God the Father, in verse 25, to God the Son, and in verse 26, to God the Holy Spirit.

In verse 24, we see God the Father as the Giver.

In verse 25, we see God the Son as the Revealer.

In verse 26, we see God the Holy Spirit as the Soother.

These three characteristics correspond to our needs. God is a Trinity. Made in His image, in a sense, we are as well, for while God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are body, soul, and spirit. The body relates to the material - the realm where the Father blesses us physically. The soul is the mind and the emotions - that which we think and feel. Sometimes we get confused. Sometimes we have questions. Sometimes we’re disturbed. That’s where God the Son comes in. Any issue I’m wrestling with or any struggle I’m dealing with will ultimately find its answer in Jesus Christ. The spirit is the deepest part of my being, the part of me that will live forever. And because the spirit within me can lack peace, it’s the Holy Spirit who inhabits my spirit, who indwells my spirit, who communes with me in the deepest part of my being and gives me peace.

In our society, we place a high premium on fairness and equality. With that in mind, look at our text . . .

On the day the Tabernacle was dedicated and anointed, the leaders of the tribes of Israel brought twelve oxen and six wagons as an offering to the Lord. The wagons and oxen were divided between the three groups of Levites. The first group, the Gershonites, were given two wagons and four oxen. So far so good. But when the next group, the sons of Merari, was given four wagons and eight oxen, the Gershonites must have said, “Wait a minute. This isn’t fair. We only got four oxen and two wagons.” But if the Gershonites didn’t like this, imagine how the third group, the Kohathites, felt when there was nothing left for them. “Unfair!” they must have cried. And we do the same.

“Wait a minute,” we say. “We’re all called to serve God, aren’t we? Why, then, does he have four wagons and eight oxen and I have none? Look at the position he holds, the prosperity she enjoys, the prominence they have. Why don’t I?” And then we fall into the subtle mindset that God is not truly fair, that He plays favorites. And we’re not one of them.

Why were the wagons distributed the way they were? Does God indeed have favorites? The answer is found in a significant phrase where it says the wagons were given according to their service (Numbers 7:5). Earlier, we read that the sons of Gershon were in charge of the fabric and coverings of the Tabernacle, to take them up and down and pack them along. But the Merarites had an even heavier load, for they were in charge of the boards, silver sockets, and bars which made up the walls of the Tabernacle. In fact, those who study these things say the weight the sons of Merari carried would have been approximately twice as great as that which the sons of Gershon carried. Consequently, called to bear twice as great a burden, it makes sense the Merarites would have twice as many oxen and twice as many wagons.

Of those who appear to be more blessed than we are, we say, “Look at the wagons they have. Look at their oxen.” Yes, they may have more oxen and more wagons. But they also have heavier burdens. They have obligations that you and I don’t understand. God is fair. With those wagons come added responsibilities and burdens, because to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).

The Kohathites were to carry the furniture of the Tabernacle - including the Ark of the Covenant - upon their shoulders, which speaks of intimacy, of close proximity. And now I begin to understand. Maybe I don’t have four wagons or eight oxen. Maybe I don’t even have two wagons and four oxen. Maybe I’m on foot. But maybe that’s because the Lord knows that not having the position or possessions others have will result in a deeper intimacy than if there were oxen and wagons rumbling around.

Jesus opted for this when He said, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). The priests and Pharisees had an abundance of oxen and wagons. But Jesus chose a different direction. Yet He was so happy and so full of joy that even those with lots of oxen and wagons, so to speak, left everything to follow Him.

He was able to focus on that which mattered. And as a result, there was a sparkle in His eyes, a smile on His face, and a winsome quality to His personality which caused multitudes - of which we are a part - to want to be around Him.

If God has given you four carts and eight oxen, rejoice. But be on guard lest these blessings distract you from walking with Jesus in simplicity. Carts and oxen aren’t always as good as they look. Carts lose their wheels; oxen make messes; and life becomes complicated. Thus, it is the wise man who says, “Lord, You set the agenda. You give me what You know is best for me.”

My tendency would be to say, “I don’t think things are fair. We’re going to have a fundraising campaign to buy carts for the Kohathites.” But would that truly be best for the Kohathites?

To those with no wagons and no oxen, God says, “You have Me. And I’m all you need.”

Although Moses sprinkled water on the priests, they were to shave themselves. The first part of their cleansing was passive, the second part required their participation. So too, although I am clean positionally, I must participate in my cleansing practically. “How shall a young man cleanse his ways?” David asked. “By taking heed to the Word” (see Psalm 119:9). “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).

Positionally, I’m being cleansed every day by the blood of Jesus Christ. But practically, there’s a bunch of sin in my life and the only way it will be worked out is by the working in of the Word. I’ve got to wash myself in the water of the Word, take in the Scriptures, meditate on the Word, listen to the Word, and learn the Word.

Isaiah 63 tells us the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night was the Holy Spirit. Thus, it was the Spirit of God that told the children of Israel where to stop and settle in, when to pack up and move out. Yet although we think it would be wonderful to have a visible, tangible cloud leading us, the children of Israel murmured and complained. And this shows me there’s a better way to be led than by the external, the visible, or the tangible.

“I’m going to do something new,” God told Jeremiah. “I’m going to write My will on the tables of the hearts of My people” (see Jeremiah 31:33).

I’m so thankful for the new covenant, for God directing us by placing impressions on our hearts. And I have found that the most satisfying, adventurous, and fulfilling life is experienced when I am led by the Spirit, as He writes His will upon my heart.

One reason the trumpets were to sound was for the purpose of celebration, to signal the feasts and festivals, as well as the solemn days.

Everything in the Old Testament is an illustration of New Testament truth, and the trumpets made of silver, the metal of redemption, are no exception, for they give us understanding about that which Paul called a mystery . . .

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. - 1 Corinthians 15:51–52

The idea of being changed is that of being metamorphosed, like caterpillars miraculously changed into butterflies. Paul says the same thing is true concerning people. We’re not all going to die. But we’re all going to be metamorphosed. When? At the last trumpet.

Here in Numbers 10, we see two trumpets. So too, although the Bible is filled with trumpets, there are only two trumpets of God: the first trump and the last trump. The first trump was sounded in Exodus 19 when God gathered His people at the base of Mount Sinai and gave them the Ten Commandments. It was during that convocation that Israel became a nation.

But there is a second trumpet, called the last trump. And it has not yet been heard. When it is, even as Numbers 10 illustrates, it will signal a grand convocation as the dead in Christ shall rise, and we who are alive will be caught up - or raptured - to meet the Lord in the air.

This leads us to mobilization, the second reason the trumpets were sounded here in Numbers 10. When the last trumpet sounds, we’ll leave the snares and entanglements of this world behind as we pull up stakes, pack up our tents, and move on to Heaven. Oh, what a glorious day that will be!

This leads us to the third reason the trumpets were sounded, for war also is part of the equation. After we are reunited and taken on our journey to our new home in Heaven, Revelation 6–19 describes the war that will break out on earth during the horrendous seven-year period of the tribulation.

But this leads to celebration, the last reason the trumpet was to sound. At the end of seven years, when Jesus comes back to the earth and we come back with Him, the earth enters into a new day, a day of unparalleled peace and prosperity.

As I read Numbers 10, I realize that these folks in the wilderness were instructed to keep their ears tuned toward the sound of the trumpet. And I need to do the same in the wilderness I’m in. So do you. We need to remind others to do the same, to keep focused on eternity, to keep their ears tuned for the final trumpet which will sound on a day I believe is not far away.

How long has it been since you took someone by the hand, looked him in the eye, and said, “You need to be saved. We’re going to Heaven. If you don’t come with us, the alternative is awful. And on the way, we’ll do you good. It will be good for you to travel with us. I know you feel more comfortable in the world, but we need you in the Kingdom. Would you pray with me right now?”

Maybe you’ve invited your unsaved brother-in-law or your nephew to church five Christmases in a row, only to have them decline every time. But do you fully comprehend that they are going to hell unless they understand that God has prepared a mansion for them, that God places great value upon them, that they can be helpful to the believing community, that we’ll be good to them? We can’t let go. We can’t give up. We can’t stop. The stakes are too high.

One writer said, “If Heaven and hell are true, nothing else matters. If Heaven and hell aren’t true, then nothing matters at all.”

I have found that the most effective way to bring people to Jesus is not by discussing doctrine endlessly, debating evolution passionately, or even inviting them to church repeatedly. It is to share with them the way of salvation clearly and to pray with them immediately. I begin by opening my Bible and showing them Romans 3:23 . . .

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

“You and I and everyone have fallen short of the glory, the standard, the requirement of God,” I say.

Then I turn a few pages to Romans 5:6 . . .

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

“When we were pulled down, wiped out, done in by sin, Christ died for us,” I say. “It was when we were hopelessly lost that Christ died for you and me.”

Then I turn the page and show them Romans 6:23 . . .

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“The wages of sin is certain death,” I say. “You’ll be dead in your heart internally. Your marriage will fall short of what it was supposed to be. Your family will be dead relationally. And most importantly, sin brings death eternally. But the gift of God is eternal life, which begins now and lasts through eternity.”

From there, I take them to Romans 8:1 . . .

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

“Once we change direction and follow Jesus,” I explain, “we experience a resurrection of relationships and emotions as the sentence of death is removed from our lives.”

Finally, we turn to Romans 10:8–10 . . .

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

“If you confess that Jesus is Lord, you’ll be saved,” I tell them. “And you’ll never regret it.”

Known as the “Romans Road,” I have found this to be a most effective way to share the Gospel.

“What if they don’t believe the Bible is God’s Word?” you ask. “Don’t you have to convince them?”

Not necessarily. When asked how to defend the Bible, C. H. Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” answered, “Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself.”

The greatest blessing on earth is to lead someone into eternal life. The Bible says that when one soul is saved, all of Heaven breaks out in a cosmic celebration (Luke 15:10). And the same thing will happen in your heart. The issues, problems, and concerns facing you will suddenly matter no longer when you’ve seen someone take their first step toward Heaven.