KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Chapters: Exodus 39-40
Message: Order of Service
Hello My Friend,
I am a person who loves things in order, if something is out of place it drives me nuts until I fix it. If someone has messed it up, I want to run right over and straighten it up. In fact, I had a job once where all I did was pull all the items on the shelves forward to make them look neat, and I still find myself doing that in every store I am in. No, I am not obsessive compulsive, I just do not like things messy as it is hard to find the things I need. You know, God is a God of order? He has everything in such order that it took four thousand years for Him to send Jesus, in the flesh that is. Everything from conception to the death has an order of service, and it is important that we follow that order or we might find out the hard way that we did not follow His instructions. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” – Ephesians 1:4-6.
“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus to himself,” The Law of Moses itself was never a means for permanent salvation, if it were we would still be giving animal sacrifices to God, it was foreshadow of what was to come when all believers, even those before, Jesus would have permanent redemption. The Tabernacle, being the first house of worship for God, gave them a physical place where they knew God was near and would redeem them and give them temporary atonement. The first order of service was for them to build the Tabernacle. Now, come the priest’s garments worn solely for the service of God.
“And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses. And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work. They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together. And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses. And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.” – Exodus 29:1-6.
“And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.” I know this seems redundant because we are reading this a second time, but it is important that it is here because it proves that they built every single piece from the wood of Tabernacle to the very last thread of the ephod exactly as God ordered them to do it. The word Ephod means image, the gold, the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the linen, are all representative of the image of Christ, the gold, His Deity, the blue, His heavenly home, the purple, His royalty, the scarlet, His sacrifice, and the linen, His purity, and righteousness. It was important that the breastplate be attached to the ephod, which is what they did next, and made the blue robe he would be wearing also.
“And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses. And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend. And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen. And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates; A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.” – Exodus 39:21-26.
“and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod;” The breastplate, also known as the breastplate of judgment, was worn by the high priest when he was asked to counsel give the judgment of God. The breastplate was a symbol of honor, and upon it bore the twelve precious stones, each one containing the name of one of the sons of Israel. The breastplate was to never be separated from the ephod as it was a reminder that each tribe, no matter how bad or good were, nothing could remove them from the inheriting the promised land. Let me tell you, whatever sins and failures we might had in our lifetime, none of it can separate us from Jesus Christ, and His Kingdom, if we are saved. Praise God! “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:35,38-39. Praise God!
“or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Let me tell you, we can get ourselves into so messes, especially if we are not grounded in Christ, while salvation can never separate us from His promise to save us from hell when we call upon Him, it cannot save us from the consequence of any sin should we remain in it after we are saved. But that is what His grace is all about, Jesus can fix any mess we get into as long as we turn to Him. Now, the parts of the Tabernacle were complete, as were the garments, the people eagerly bring them to Moses.
“Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins, and the vail of the covering, The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.” – Exodus 39:32-35,41-43.
“And Moses did look upon all the work,” An incredible thing happens the second we receive Christ as our Saviour, apart from eternal life and escaping hell is that God’s Spirit moves in us. The first time I realized that Jesus dwelt in me it terrified me because I got this horrid image that the things I was doing He was doing. Let me tell you, when you truly reflect on the thought that Jesus us checking your work you tend to change your ways, and those who are content to act in a way that does not glorify Christ need to be ashamed of their faith because they surely are not acting like they are Christians. The Tabernacle was completed in six months, when the hearts of God’s people are willing and work together so much can be done in a short amount of time, and when His commands are followed continually, it all works together for good. Now that everything was built, it was time to set it all up, God gave a special order of service.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.” – Exodus 40:1-3,9,12-13.
“that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.” Remember, before they could even do anything they had to be sanctified, even the Tabernacle, and all the items in it. And that is exactly what they did. “And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” – Exodus 40:31-35.
“Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation,” When God was in their presence the cloud covered the tabernacle even on the clearest day. It was a token that God could be seen day and night, by all of Israel, so that they might never again question if God was with them. When the cloud rested above the tabernacle, they rested and stayed put where they were, but when it left they were to pack up and move forward. A part of the order of service for God means that we learn lots of patience in our walk and journey, many times we will stay put and dwell in certain places for the longest time, but at a moments notice it is time to pack up and move forward. During the times in our lives when it seems we do not know what to do that is when we need to sit still and remind ourselves that He knows the way we take. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” – Job 23:8-10.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.” – Exodus 39:2.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You making it easy for us to become one of Yours, the sacrifice You made for us is something we will never fully comprehend, but we can learn to appreciate it by following Your order of service. It is not a requirement, but something we can willingly do to show our love and thanks to You. Lord, help us learn and grow closer to You as we follow Your will and trust that You are always with us. Lead us and guide us, give us Your power, wisdom, and strength to endure all the trials we face and let us keep serving You no matter where You take us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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