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Friday, September 19, 2014

When Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with God ...

Numbers 7:89 read:
And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that [was] upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
When Moses wanted to speak with God, he went into the tabernacle of the congregation. He then heard the voice of God from the mercy seat, which was upon the ark of testimony and between the two cherubims.

When I want to speak with God, what do I do? How do I hear the voice of God?

On this wise ye shall bless ...

Numbers 6:23-27 read:
Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
God really wanted to bless His children. So He gave detailed instructions to them on how to be holy and be wise. C. H. Spurgeon writes about wisdom in The Fourfold Treasure
O happy are they who live at the gates of Heaven while yet on earth; who sit at the feet of the Blessed in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus while they are toiling along through the pilgrimage of this life! This is to be wise, to have Christ’s Teaching, Christ’s Example and above all, Christ’s Presence! So may the poorest find the Lord Jesus made of God unto them Wisdom.  
May I sit at the feet of the Lord and have His Teaching, Example and Presence today.

Friday, September 05, 2014

a sweet savour unto the LORD

The phrase "a sweet savour unto the LORD" is repeated three times in Leviticus chapter 1. Leviticus 1:9 reads:
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Leviticus 1:13 reads:
But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring [it] all, and burn [it] upon the altar: it [is] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Leviticus 1:17 reads:
And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, [but] shall not divide [it] asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that [is] upon the fire: it [is] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
A savor is "a characteristic taste, flavor, or smell, especially a pleasant one." A burnt sacrifice is an offering of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 read:
Now thanks [be] unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one [we are] the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. ...
2 Corinthians says, "we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ" to those who are saved or who are not saved.  May I abide in Christ each moment today so that I may offer an offering of a sweet savor unto the Lord.

Tuesday, September 02, 2014

every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing

Exodus 35:21 reads:
And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, [and] they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.
Exodus 35:30-31 read:
... See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 
Lord, please help me come and offer myself for your work. Please stir my heart and make my spirit willing to offer myself for your service. Fill your servants in the church with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. Amen.

The LORD proclaimed the name of the LORD

Exodus 34:5-7 read:
And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear [the guilty]; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth [generation].
The LORD proclaimed His name to Moses. This is how the Lord wants to be known to His people. The ordering of His attributes may contain some significance. This is how I should experience the Lord as well.

The LORD.
The LORD God.
He is merciful and gracious.
He is long-suffering.
He is abundant in goodness and truth.
He keeps mercy for thousands.
He forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.
He is however just and holy God, who deals with sin completely, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children.

Monday, September 01, 2014

I have called by name .. .And I have filled him with the spirit of God ...

Exodus 31:2-5 read:
See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set [them], and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
When God commissioned Bezaleel to do His work, God called Bezaleel by name and filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.

It is the same today: when God calls His servant, he first establishes a personal relationship by calling His servant by name and prepares him for the task by filling him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. I need to wait for God's calling and His hands in preparing me for the task.