Tag: Temple

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Oh to be a swallow!

Psalm 84 In the spring of each year, the swallows return to repair their nests of last year or build new ones. They find the highest point and the safest place to protect their young and are the acrobats of nature with their fast swooping in and out of their nest.  Just as the psalmist loves the Temple and yearns to be there, the swallow yearns to return in the spring of each year when their God ordained internal time clock says now is the time to rebuild, so too, the people of God have a spring calendar date to return for the solemn occasions for worship near the altar of God. 

As the psalmist is pondering these creatures of nature, he notes that just as they seek refuge, so does he. He knows that just like the swallow, those who live in the Temple as well as those who travel the roads to Jerusalem to come to the Temple are the ones who are blessed, because they trust in God. 

Oh to be a swallow high up in the eaves where you can witness the activities of the people of God. Are you like the swallow? Do you yearn to be near the altar of God? Is your ‘nest’ steadfast so it can weather the storms of life? 

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Honoring a Parent’s Legacy

2 Chron 2-3, 1 Kings 5-6  Solomon has been anointed king over Israel, and just as we might do, he began to plan how to honor his father’s wishes to build a magnificent temple. His father had planned and organized the materials and now Solomon just had to execute the plan. Solomon calls on his father’s dear friend, Hiram to help with the execution of the building. We all need a true friend who will stand in the gap for us and guide us in our endeavors. Hiram knew David well and he now gets to meet and help David’s son. He gave God praise for David for raising a wise son who has a discerning and keen heart to accomplish the task. Do others see that our parents have raised us to have these characteristics?  

 The temple was to be out of the ordinary; in fact, it was to be spectacular. All was to be covered in gold and the inner court would hold the cherubim images, not to be worshiped, but to be a reminder of God’s glory. Humbly Solomon knew that nothing in the heavens or earth would come close to who God is yet as part of David’s legacy he would fulfill that vision of a temple where people could come to worship. In the NT Paul reminds us that a physical temple is not what God requires, but a temple of a person and their heart; therefore be ye holy as God is holy.

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Building God’s Temple

Go and Build the Temple

1Kings 5-7 The Building of the Temple

King David had gathered much material, but God told him that he would never build this massive structure because he was a man of war, and in war, blood is shed. Although David was obedient to accomplish this, the shed blood is a reminder of where life begins and ends, and it is a grief to God. And thus, God chose Solomon, whom he loved from his conception onward, to build His house. So for seven long years, Solomon conscripted workers and gathered materials for the construction. In the middle of this undertaking, God came to remind Solomon of His promise: He will always be faithful even if we are not! [2Tim. 2:13]

God has blessed you and me beyond what we can understand. We, you and I, are not to forget that privilege given to us. God has called us to accomplish the building of a temple of people that will honor Him, and we do that by discipleship. Where am I being obedient to that command: go and make disciples and teach them to observe all I have commanded.

Who is in the temple of God that we have touched? He has given us the materials. Are we using them for His glory?

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Alone with God

Leviticus 16 alone with God

Leviticus 16 “Nobody is to be in the Meeting Tent when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he goes out, and he has made atonement on his behalf, on behalf of his household, and on behalf of the whole assembly of Israel.” Lev 16

Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement reminds us of the work of our Savior. He came, he lived, he died; was buried and rose again, just as 1Corinthians 15 tells us. The picture of that series of steps is seen in the Atonement when Aaron or the High Priest would alone perform each step. Alone, Aaron understood, more than any other time, the price paid for his sin and the sins of the people.

Alone he would enter and adjust the light from the Menorah and change the Shewbread on the Table.  Alone he offered the incense on the altar as he prayed for himself and the people. Alone he would slaughter the animal and drain the blood. Alone he would take the blood behind the curtain and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat. All of these steps were a picture of what Christ would do for us.

With each step, the High Priest was to be alone as a reminder that we must seek the face of God alone as we meet with God about our sin just as Jesus was alone as He paid for our sin.

When was the last time it was just you and God? 

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Trivia Notes from John Newton

Psalm 87 “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”

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The song Amazing Grace was written by a slave trader but born again by God’s will, John Newton. What you may not realize is that after that he abandoned that trade he went on to be the parish priest of Olney Church in England. While reading this psalm he was overjoyed to read the words in our title and sought help from his neighbor, William Cowper, a classical writer. With Cowper’s assistance, Newton was able to publish a hymnal including a hymn by this title. Also, you may not know but the Confederate General Andrew Jackson loved this hymn and awakened his soldiers one morning as he sang it.

The words of this hymn come from Ps 87:3 “Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.” This is the place God calls “home” here on earth. He chose Zion for his dwelling place and it was there that Abraham came to worship as did others. It was there that Solomon erected the Temple in which the Ark resided. Now we are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit resides in us. Paul wrote: “do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

Does God speak of glorious things about you?

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Psalm 73 Asaph and His Questions

Are you inquisitive? Do you want answers? You are not alone! You wouldn’t think that Asaph, a court musician would be one of them but he is! King David appointed him to be in charge of the cymbals. When you watch an orchestra you will see only a few who carry that distinction. I mean how much training do you need to bang two cymbals together? Or so I thought! But, realistically there is a fair amount of training needed to know when one should clang those instruments as well as the technique. You can check it out – just google it like I did and you will walk away with a better appreciation of this simple but compelling instrument.

Asaph was a cymbal player but not just any cymbal player but one chosen for the Temple services. He also was like some people, very inquisitive and curious about life. Of all the people who walk this earth, there just are some people who are not satisfied with just an answer;  they want to know the “why!” Asaph falls into that category.

Many years ago I went to our pastor with questions. As he stood on a tall ladder fixing something I looked up at him and said I have a question; much like Asaph does here. His answer? Go home, study that topic and then come back and we will discuss your question. And so I did. Sometimes we have questions but we aren’t willing to do the homework to find the answer. That pastor was very wise. Maybe you have questions too much like Asaph. My advice—follow Asaph.

Asaph walked through his thinking about the proud. He analyzed them and discerned that they seemed to have it all together. They didn’t have the same problems as he and in fact, they were doing pretty darned good. He noted that they mocked and were not disciplined.  He noted, “I suffer all day long and am punished every morning.” He noted in his journal all of these thoughts and tried to make sense of it all. Then it was like he had a lightbulb moment when he entered the Temple. All of life flashed before his eyes and then he knew. Their lives might be okay now but had they taken time to consider their destiny?

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Asaph walked away from that encounter knowing all was right with his world and all was right with him and God. He drew a line in his journal noting: God’s presence is all I need.

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Is it true that there is no hope???

Job and his three “comforters” have been dialoguing back and forth on the points of wickedness and righteousness. The three, Bildad, Eliphaz and Zophar are sure Job is in the camp of the wicked. As their words show they believe the contrast to Romans 8:1!

Listen in to the dialog between Job and Eliphaz In Job 21 to 24  to get the whole story and then go and read Psalm 73 to see another person who faces this same conundrum.

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Job responds to the next challenge by asking the same thought Asaph pondered. Why do the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous seem to falter and many times fade away. Asaph wondered if he, like Job, had remained faithful for no reason. We often say the same thing as we watch all of our life’s savings eaten by moths and our bodies suffer from disease and harm by others. God is not in a box, closed and secure from all of life; He is omniscient!  So Job’s three friends and Asaph himself have to look at life from another viewpoint.

Asaph returns to the Temple where he says: I entered the precincts of God’s temple and then I understood the destiny of the wicked. But, Job has no temple yet to attend so he is left with his thoughts and trying to piece them together. He says the “counsel of the wicked is far from me!” I just don’t understand and if only God would come and we could talk about this it would all be made right. Eliphaz remains steadfast in his critical argument against Job but Job tells him: He knows the path I take and if he tested me I would come forth as gold. As we read those words we must decide if that is true for us. If God would come and stand in our presence would He say that? Job and Asaph looked at life without that confirmation but if you are a born-again believer you can attest to this truth because of Roman 8:1:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

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Earthly Stones vs Living Stones

1Kings 5  David had laid the foundation of friendship with Hiram of Tyre and Solomon reaped the reward.

Eccl 4:9 “Two people are better than one because they can reap more benefit from their labor”

In Exodus, we saw how the people gave willingly to build the Tabernacle. David willingly had accumulated wealth but it took Solomon to complete the dream. Hiram willingly shared from his wealth to assist Solomon all because David had laid the foundation of a lasting companionship.

Solomon built the Temple for not just the Israelites but for the nations of the world. In Exodus, it was only the Israelites that built but the Temple was built along with the Gentiles. And both were to be places of worship to the glory of God.

God desired that the Temple be built but also that the construction itself be recorded that we might honor and glorify Him. This speaks of our lives under His leadership. He continuously records our lives and one day we will stand before him to hear of our deeds. Will they be of wood, hay and stubble or gold, silver and precious stones?

The Temple was built from stones from under the earth; we are the living stones building the church. “you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” [1Pet 2]

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How Much Do I Trust God?

mark 12 trusting god 2aNow as Jesus is in the temple the rich in their long flowing robes and outward but false piety come to him to test him about money. But, Jesus knows their hearts and to their amazement he not only answers their devious question but challenges them to look within their hearts. They leave amazed at his answer but not before they drop their abundance of coins in the treasury box. It is then that Jesus takes a break and sits to do what he loves most, people watch. His attention is riveted on the widow who comes and drops in two small copper coins. This is a teachable moment that must be grasped for the disciples. Analyzing the scene He explains: “they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.”  Others may have taken this opportunity to chide her saying why not keep one to provide for your needs? But she might answer; this is what I desire to do for God—from my heart. God cares for the ravens will He not care for my daily needs?

This is the question we all must ask ourselves. Do we truly trust God for “ALL” our needs as she did? She knew this truth and lived it:  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord” [Jer 17:7]

 

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Are you a Good Listener?

ImageHow good a listener are you? An old Turkish proverb says “if speaking is silver, then listening is gold.” Tests confirm that the majority of us today are poor listeners. Could that be a reason why God has repeatedly told us and as we read in Revelation “the one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says?”  Three sets of individuals in Luke 2 were exceptional listeners and were blessed by God for their attentiveness.  

Picture the Shepherds; the despised and rejected in Israeli society, yet necessary to the worship program of the temple. It was to these that God chose to send his angelic choir to announce the Lamb of God in a manger. The angelic figure began: “Listen carefully.” How good a listener were they?  In vs 15 they decided to go and see “what the Lord has made known to us.” And their memories were crystallized as they recounted to Mary and Joseph and the dwellers in Bethlehem all that had been told to them.

Picture Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit who had been looking for the restoration of Israel. He had been listening so that he was ready to hear the indwelling Holy Spirit speak. He followed the directions and came to the Temple just at the time Mary and Joseph were there. Simeon said to Mary and Joseph “Listen carefully” as he recounted the future of this child, Jesus who would be the Light of the World but would be rejected.

Picture Anna the widow who listened to God as she fasted and prayed in the temple for 84 yrs! She too came at just that moment to give thanks to God and may have said to those nearby “Listen carefully” as she spoke about the child.

It matters not where you are but it does matter how good a listener you are. The shepherds listened carefully, shared what they had heard and received a blessing. God blessed them as the first to report the birth of Christ. Simeon listened carefully to the Spirit, obeyed His voice and entered the Temple right on time. He received a blessing to see his prayers answered. Anna listened carefully in her prayer time and her senses were attuned to the Spirit’s voice. Her ears were attuned to hear the voice of the Spirit and she received the blessing of seeing the Christ Child.

How good a listener are you? Is your world quiet so you can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or filled with noise that blocks His voice? The shepherds’ world was a field quiet at night with only God’s creation yet their  hearts were prepared to listen. Simeon’s world was a prayer closet where he could hear God speak. Anna’s world was in the Temple, both quiet and noisy depending on the season. Her heart was quiet so she could hear God speak. They all heard the voice of the Spirit, obeyed and were blessed.  

May our prayer today be as Samuel’s of long ago “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.”

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