Time with Jesus - Thursday, 10 January 2013
Hi all,
Today’s meditation is on Temples, the Tabernacle and
where genuine Christians fit into God’s overall programme. You and I are
“bricks” in the walls of His temple. We depend on God and on each other. That’s
the way He has designed things. He didn't have to, but our great-hearted God
decided He would do it this way. Thank You Lord.
Blessings,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Thursday, 10 January 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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A Holy Temple
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Construction and building programmes can be fascinating. I’ve had the
privilege to work on several of them in UK, Canada and RSA. Back then, from
concept to commissioning the first unit was about 10 to 12 years. In may be
shorter now. In RSA the main considerations were coal and water supply along
with access to the site itself. In the 1970’s, there wasn’t the emphasis on
going “green” as there is today. Furthermore, RSA has huge quantities of low
grade coal, unsuitable for other purposes but ideal for a power station,
designed to run on that coal. It didn’t look much like the sort of coal you
and I would bother with. In fact, an American who came to RSA to see what was
happening, is reported to have said. “That ain’t coal, that’s real estate!” Over
the past 20 odd years we have seen massive construction projects all over the
world. The Chinese have built a bridge 42km long. I’m not sure I’d like to
drive on it but I hear it is highly successful.
In the Bible there are a number of construction projects. Apart from
the pyramids and Babel, the first one is the Tabernacle in the wilderness. In
a sense it was not a building as we know today. It was a tent. But it was no
ordinary tent. God gave the design; the pattern; to Moses along with the instructions,
that it must be made exactly according to what God had laid out. It was to be
semi-portable so that it could stand in the wilderness and yet be movable.
Every detail from the tent pegs to the Ark of the covenant was specified. I
would love to have seen it. I’m not Jewish so I wouldn’t have been allowed
inside. But from what we read in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, this was the
most beautiful tent ever made by man. The whole thing had to be made exactly
as God had specified because Jesus Christ was revealed in every item. No one
knew that at the time. It’s only some 3500 years later that we can spot these
things.
The next major building project was Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. It
is said to be the most expensive building ever erected. It incorporated
several of the design features and furnishings from the Tabernacle. In 586BC
it was torn down by Nebuchadnezzar’s men. It had already fallen into a state
of disrepair. A much smaller version was built by Joshua and Zerubbabel after
the return of the people to Jerusalem from Babylon. Herod the Great tried to
win the hearts of the Jewish people by building what is known as Herod’s
Temple. It was destroyed in 70AD by the Romans under Titus just as Jesus had
said it would be.
The final temple comprises men and women of God. Individually we are
all a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells within God’s people. Collectively
we are being built into a Holy Temple. I like the idea that Jesus Christ is
our foundation and that we are built on the apostles of the New Testament and
the prophets of the Old Testament. Jacob had twelve sons and there is little
doubt that many of them are included among these prophets.
Many years ago I remember being taught that a brick is held in
position by mortar and six other bricks. This makes for strong design. Thus
each of us is important individually. Collectively we become great walls
protected by Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It’s a wonderful design!
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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14 He said, "LORD God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven
or on earth. You keep your promise of mercy to your servants, who obey you
wholeheartedly. 15 You have kept your promise to my father David,
your servant. With your mouth you promised it. With your hand you carried it
out as it is today. 16 "Now, LORD God of Israel, keep your
promise to my father David, your servant. You said, 'You will never fail to
have an heir sitting in front of me on the throne of Israel if your descendants
are faithful to me as you have been faithful to me.' 17 "So
now, LORD God of Israel, may the promise you made to David, your servant,
come true. 18 "Does God really
live on earth with people? If heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold
you, then how can this temple that I have built?
2 Chron. 6:14-18 GW
8 And let them make me a sanctuary, (tabernacle) that I
may dwell in their midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning
the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make
it.
Exodus 25:8-9 ESV
43 I will meet the people of Israel there,
in the place made holy by My glorious presence. 44 Yes, I
will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and
his sons to serve Me as priests. 45 Then
I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, 46
and they will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the One who brought
them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the LORD
their God.
Exodus 29:43-46 NLT
18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led
captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious
also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Psalm 68:18 KJV
16 And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:
"I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they
will be My people.
2 Cor. 6:16 NLT
19 Don't you realize that your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by
God? You do not belong to yourself
1 Cor. 6:19 NLT
22 In him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Eph. 2:22 ESV
28 Then the nations will know that I, the
LORD, have set Israel apart as holy, because my holy place will be among them
permanently.'"
Ezek.
37:28 GW
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There’s no God in the universe Who’s
anything like You. 2 Chron. 6:14-18
No Deity imagined who can do the
things You do!
You don’t have a beginning. You do
not have an end.
The years or days or seconds. On
them You don’t depend.
The reason is quite simple. Lord,
You created time.
There was no past or future. In
fact You are the prime,
Reason for existence. The ever
present now,
Defines Your habitation and even
time must bow.
You have no need for buildings. A
tent cannot contain,
The Lord God, the Almighty, from
which You’ll always reign.
This planet is your footstool. The
stars that shine by night,
Are only the reflections of Your
incandescent light.
They’re “holes” within the
“blanket” which “covers outer space”.
Or we would be demolished by the
brightness of Your face.
You do not dwell with people. This
place we have designed.
We know it is inadequate. So Lord,
please do not mind,
If what we have erected looks
laughable and poor.
Nothing we can ever build, can
ever show for sure,
The Glory and the Majesty of Him
Who Reigns on High.
But, because we love You Lord, we
thought that we should try.
So we have made a sanctuary, the
way that You have shown.
Following the pattern, which came
from You alone.
Meet here with Your people. O Lord
please let them see,
A little of the glory and true
authority,
Within this tabernacle where You
have said You’ll meet Ex 25:8-9
Those committed to You, from Your
Holy Mercy Seat.
Dwell amongst Your people, that
they may see and know,
That You are always with them, no
matter where they go!
You led them out of Egypt. You
took them by the hand, Ex 29:43-46
And promised You would take them
to their home in Canaan Land.
Separate our rebels and treat them
as You should.
As for those who love You. To them
Lord please be good! Psalm 68:18
Keep them free from idols. There
must not be a place,
Where by their behaviour, they’ll
fall away from grace. 2 Cor. 6:16
Let them realise, O lord, that
there will come a day,
When everyone will worship in a
very different way.
You will dwell within them. Their
God You’ll surely be.
They will be Your people for all
eternity.
You will walk among them and they
will trust in You.
Collectively, Your temple, in
everything they do.
Empowered by Your Spirit for all
the world to see, 1 Cor. 6:19
That those who truly follow You,
forevermore will be,
Set apart as holy. And all will
know for sure,
They are Your disciples and You
have made them pure. Ezek. 37:28
Jim Strickland
Written
10th January 2013
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