𝗧𝗲𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗵/ "𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨"

𝗘𝘅𝗼𝗱𝘂𝘀 𝟮𝟱:𝟭–𝟮𝟳:𝟭𝟵

In this weeks Torah portion, we begin with the LORD telling Moses, in Ex 25:2, “𝙏𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙨𝙧𝙖’𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚 — 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚." As He lays out what Moses should be collecting from the givers, the LORD in verses 8 and 9 says, “𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙮, 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 — 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩."

Throughout the remainder of the verses contained within this Portion we find the very detailed 𝙗𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙩 for how the Tabernacle is to be laid out, as well as all of the things it shall contain. The LORD left 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 up to the individual to pick and choose - it was 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘆. It was to contain His holiness and therefore much was done to protect the people who lived around it. As I first began to read through the passages, I had to ask the LORD what was in this text that was important for me to see and share. Within a moment He answered.

The LORD revealed to me that if we see the 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 by which He laid out the Tabernacle, which would be host to His presence among the people, how much more should we, who host His Spirit, be careful to follow His design. I couldn't help but be challenged in my thoughts and feelings in that moment. 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙄, 𝙖𝙨 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚, 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙨 𝙃𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙮? (𝘓𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 21:8; 𝘌𝘹𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘴 19:6; 1 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 1:16) As I studied through the text so much began to bring clarity to things I really didn't understand.

One such thing was the 𝗔𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁. The place where the 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 of God were to be kept. It was held within the 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 within the Tabernacle, and above its 𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 cover is where the LORD would be and speak. Friends, do you understand that the Ark, containing the instructions of GOD, are a picture of our 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 where His Spirit writes those 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀/𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀! (2 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 3:3; 𝘌𝘻𝘦𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘭 11:19; 𝘌𝘻𝘦𝘬𝘪𝘦𝘭 36:26; 𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢𝘩 31:33; 𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 8:10) One commentator noted how in Hebrew thought, the heart is not at all about emotions, but is instead about our 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴. Those things which we meditate upon. To take it a step further, if we host the Spirit, our lives should begin to align to what is written upon our now hearts freed from stone - because our thoughts will direct us there! We will not be led by our emotions which are fueled by the flesh, leading to sin and death. Shew!

The LORD brought to mind a verse that He showed me over a year ago - as related to the physical Temple and His Presence.
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲, “𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝗻, 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴—𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆? 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.” - 𝗘𝘇𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝟴:𝟲 I really want us to pause on those words for a moment. If the abominations that were happening within the Tabernacle / Temple were enough to drive His Presence away - remember He is holy - do we not yet understand that the same is true of us? I know, I know - we hear a lot of teaching about '𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥' but is that what we see in Scripture?

Time and time again what we see is the 𝘀𝗶𝗻 of the people who bring GODs judgement. And remember His judgement is based on His commands - again, His design, His way. Nothing can ever separate us from His love (Rom 8)- but, that doesn't give us permission to live as we choose expecting a 'get out of hell free card'. We see it with Noah and the ARK. Remember, GOD also gave a blueprint for how it was to be built - and then He sealed Noah and his family inside because Noah was found 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 before Him. 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗶𝘁. The Blood of Christ has made atonement for our sins that we may be 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 (1 John 1:9). But even in that, in context that verse says, 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝘀. The word used for confess here is the Greek word, 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘰̄ and it means to 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘪.𝘦. 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵.

To truly repent / confess, we must come into 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 with what GOD says about our sin - His design, His plan. But that is not all. We must also 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 from them. His commands / His instructions lay out for us exactly what He sees as sin. Do we take the time to really look - to study - to ensure we are following His blueprint? I admit, I fall short more than I would like. I am so thankful for His amazing 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 which helps me in my weaknesses (2 Cor 12:9). Aren't you?!?!

Many will read this and fall for the lie of the enemy that it is about works to earn salvation. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁. That part is freely given by no effort of our own. But 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, we are called to walk as our LORD walked - as obedient children who are set-apart for His glory and honor. A true treasured possession. More than a Temple made of wood and gold, our bodies, are to be offered a 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (Rom 12:1), conformed to His image, not of this world. Do we live like it? Steve (hubby) said it best I think as I summarize, "will the Holy Spirit truly seal that which is full of abominations?' Let Scripture be our source of truth, not man.

I leave with this. To say the LORD continues to challenge my 'doctrine' is an understatement. But I cannot deny any longer the very 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀 He is revealing to me. His Word declares it - I am beginning to see with more clarity His design - His blueprint for His creation, in ways I never quite imagined. And because of this, I will continue to pursue holiness as He has described until I enter that final Sabbath rest, prepared long ago. And what a joy, that tonight at sundown through tomorrow at Sundown we get a taste of that! To Him belongs the glory, forever and ever! Amen!!