The Seven Streams Method

I Kings 4-7 We are in the Nation Stream and learn about the applied wisdom of Solomon. We are reading from the New Living Translation this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Stream | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis God, we learn of the Temple that was the highest of priorities and so engrossing for so many, ...and it is humbling and inspiring to hear, learn and know that WE are the Temple you are interested in.  We are beauty and worth investing in.  Your love for us is a marvel.  Amen. [caption id="attachment_673" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Solomon's Temple[/caption] [caption id="attachment_674" align="alignnone" width="500"] King Solomon's Palace[/caption] 4 - Solomon was what gets called, "large and in-charge".  He inherited the most powerful Kingdom in existence at the time.  His father David had expanded the borders to the greatest they had ever been.  The residents of the newly absorbed areas sent in tribute money and Solomon commenced building the kingdom to even greater and more than it ever had been.  It blossomed to the height of it's greatness under Solomon.  The peace and prosperity and culture and music and education was a national marvel that left countless people enthralled to visit Jerusalem and the rest of the country.  The national administration of officers and governors are listed.  Just a note in case it is news, the Hebrew prefix "Ben- " before a name means "son of". It's the same as in English putting "son" at the end of a name/ "sen" in Swedish/ the prefix "Mc" in Gaelic - you get it, right? -the people were numerous, the population along with Solomon's staff are well fed, the stalls are filled with animals; including horses for royalty. Solomon is writing voluminously, and ambassadors come from the world over to learn from Solomon. Solomon had asked for wisdom in I Ki. 3 [also II Chr. 1] and God granted his request - did He ever! 5 - The preparations for the building of the Temple went into high production.  The relationship with Lebanon and her leaders was rich, deep, and warm.  They traded heavily as Lebanon supplied cedar and staffing as Israel offered food in exchange. To put it into what may be simpler to envision--> The wheat shipped north was 12+1/2 full size truck loads per year (and there are no trucks at the time!).  The olive oil sent each year to Lebanon was a volume that would fill four full size in-ground swimming pools. The staffing and labor and construction crews and supervisors were more than 180,000 men.  They began making the timber and the stone for the Temple and more projects that Solomon had planned. 6 - The Temple begins construction.  Can you imagine the excitement?  It was 480 years since leaving Egypt and the goal of the culture was under construction. Notice in verse seven that there was no sound of hammer, ax or any iron tool.  There was no sawing sound either.  What?! a construction site that is nearly silent....! This was the house of God and it was a reverent undertaking. Mid-job, God reminded them that they would have God's presence with them eternally as long as they keep His commands.  The dimensions of the Temple are given again, the details of the interior are listed. the intricacies are boggling and beautiful. The aroma of all the cedar, and the breathtaking beauty of all the gold! good heavens.  The Temple was up in the realm of seven years. And it was astonishing to gaze at. The expense, and the staffing, the transport, the work being done in silence - we've heard a clear and intriguingly credible description from a world-reknowned leader that this Temple could not be built today. 7 - Solomon then built his palace to be his residence. There was also the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon, the Hall of Pillars, the Throne Room/Hall of Justice. Solomon is quite the architect, y'might say!  Then a man named "Huram" is conscripted to come and do metal work and carvings.  His skill is legendary in his giftedness. The things he made, carved, shaped and formed are mind-boggling. It's difficult to envision it all.  He made things for the Temple plus numerous furnishings for the Temple.  When the Temple was completed all the dedicated gifts were brought in and stored in the treasury of the Temple.  Such a feat was completed.

Exodus 34:1-37:24 We are in the World Stream learning about the building of the Tabernacle. We are reading from the New Living Translation this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Stream | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis "Thank you Lord for second chances, for grace unending, for love that never fails, for rest, and for caring so much that your top concern for us is that we find you, walk with you, and are well, May we be found faithful in what you have asked us to build in your Name.  Amen" 34 - The Lord makes a second inscription of the Ten Commandments since Moses broke the original last time he came down the mountain.  The rerun for Moses is overwhelming, the worship that God's Presence brought upon Moses is most impressive.  God gives Moses a few reminders to be sure and assert upon and teach the Israelites so that they live long godly healthy lives.  The time Moses spent with God; the Light of the World, even affected Moses' face so that it glowed too. 35 -  The Sabbath Law is presented to the people again.  And then comes the occasion of the offering for the making of the Tabernacle and the articles therein.  The list of items to bring forward is presented.  The articles to be built from the offerings are listed and then the excitement begins as each went back to their tents to gather what they would bring as their offering for the Lord.  The Spirit moved in a touching way over the people.  Hearts were stirred for generosity.  Women got going and got sewing. Gems were brought forth. It really was a worship experience.  Bezalel and Oholiab were presented as the ones who would lead the project and teach others their skills as well. 36 - The work began and a wonderful "problem" occurred in that people were still bringing offerings beyond what was needed to complete the Tabernacle.  This is a pastor's dream, btw. Imagine having to tell people to stop bringing offerings because it was excessive! Halelujah, what a problem  :-)  The work commences. After all these instructions and the drama of the Ten Commandments.  It had to be something to take part in this. There is no hint of the usual attitudes or complaining.  The atmosphere is abuzz as all are jumping in to do what they can to see this structure go up as their "house of God" in the desert. 37 - Then the time came to make the Ark of the Covenant.  It is amazing the way this box has entranced the religious world for 33-34 centuries. The Raiders of the Lost Ark was a landmark piece of cinema. The arguments about the Ark's location even today can make one's ears tingle. Well here in Exodus 37 is where it started. The gold, the gold, the gold!  It has to be beauty that challenged anyone's ability to describe such a thing. Then the table was made, the lampstand, and the incense altar.  There was so much gold involved in the Tabernacle endeavor.  There would be more than a ton of gold involved in the building of all this by the time of completion.  We will complete the project next week and marvel at what God does once His house is built!

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I Corinthians 10-12 We are in the Church Stream reading from the Modern English Version this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Stream | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Thank you God for another week together as we spent a day in each stream of Your Scripture. Your Word is truly our guide and handbook for a good life in you and a good eternity with you.  We thank you with our lives as our offering to you.  Amen.= 10 - Paul wants those who are following Christ, in fellowship, and taking communion to continue in their faith and to do so in a holy manner.  Some were endangering their faith by taking part in wrongful practices - the habits from their former lives in the ungodly world. The illustration of the Exodus is a brilliant parallel for them. They had left Egypt and were 'baptized' being brought through the Red Sea. They were, however, not in the Promised Land...not yet! And those who strayed enroute, in the desert, died in the desert. In this day as before, they had been saved from bondage, they were on pilgrimage, but however, they needed to hang on to their holy faith in reverence, lest they be cast away and 'die in the desert' - not reaching the Promised Land of Paradise. Those parallelisms from Exodus applied in Corinth, and they apply today. Paul assures them that God will protect them as they hang onto their faith.  The living in lust, the complaining, the idolatry and the dabbling in the demonic - all that had to go!  Paul reminds that whatever we do, it must be all for the glory of God and the edifying of one another. 11 - The matter of headcoverings is far less contentious than some of the nervy feminists that have slipped into the church make it out to be. Paul is addressing an era wherein women had their heads covered in public unless they were "women of the night" / prostitutes / or just plain "loose" women.  Women were joining churches; and in various cases coming to Christ more readily than some reticent men and/or their husbands were.  The freedom in Christ was tremendously alluring to women of the world who, in the pre-Christian era, were seen as property, not much above slaves, and in many situations lower than the household pets. These women came to church and were so overjoyed that they would remove their head coverings in elation.  To some this was perceived as "gee, she joined a church, now she looks like a hooker! What is going on in that church anyway?!" <-- This is what Paul is addressing.  He isn't trying to jerk anyone around or squash women. He's not trying to keep women under clothing tents as some cultures do even today. He simply is reminding Christian women to look different than women of ill-reputations.  He also wants women to not try to take over the churches but to be subject to the men who were in charge. All studies show that when there is an institution wherein the women take it over, the men don't fight it - they just leave it (they "go fishing") and they don't come back. If this were to happen unchecked, the next generation would involuntarily leave; 75% of them. Once a second generation passes through, it would be all but dead. Guaranteed, if Paul had not addressed this matter, the Church would have been a phenomenon of the first century; a completely abandoned movement by 200 A.D. at the latest. That cannot happen. -As for the communion, this too needed to be returned to its purpose. The Corinthians were turning communion into a lavish food contest; the rich were flaunting, and the poor were excluded from the table, others were ingesting wayyyy too much wine. What was started by Jesus at the Last Supper was turning into a "Roman food orgy".  Christ was long forgotten for them.  So thankfully Paul [very appropriately] laid out the structure of what the communion was to be and how it was to be, who was to take part and under what conditions. 12 - This is the spiritual gifts chapter.  I love it when a sports commentator refers to someone as a gifted athlete.  [. . . whogave them that gift? or are we allowed to ask question in public anymore?]  Paul was explaining that each person's gift(s) that were employed were to bless the body of Believers and the Kingdom as a whole as a gift.  Gifts are something we are excited about, grateful for, they are useful for blessing and building.  They are not to be issues to squabble over or compete with, or to use to get ugly toward others over !  These gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, languages (to bless and reach others for the gospel) were just that; GIFTS from God to build and bless.  They were one body and each played a part of that body for God's glory.  No one was better than another.  Within that, the teachers were highly reverenced and therefore worthy of double honor.  But that only made them subject to more spiritual scrutiny - it was not for lording over others.  They were to abide with each other, call upon each other, honor one another, assist one another, bless and cover for each other, ad infinitum. For we are the unshakeable and unending Kingdom of God. Looking back on this week - the details seemed of paramount importance:  The details of the Tabernacle were intricate and manifold. This would be where God visited them. No slop allowed. Interesting that in the middle of this 15 chapter long section of scripture there is the golden calf incident to provide disgusting contrast of what it looks like when a people have no mind for details - only their latest urges to party like hyenas. -the details following the aging and passing of David are quite interwoven. There are residual attitudes that needed to be addressed in a precise manner. Each one is dealt with properly and specifically - especially the rebels. David gave clear orders for Solomon to follow (Sol. could have paid better attention to this and to the details of the Law, yes?) -The Psalms are classics and it is a issue of precision that David keeps his attitude properly segregated in that he remains adverse in heart to his enemies and yielded in heart to his God. Too many that we meet along the way in life, run into trouble from an adversarial person (who happens to be quite against God) and too many come away from something like this angry . . . at God - for something God didn't do!  Let's keep our emotional details straight here!! -in Jeremiah, the details of Judah's destruction, Jeremiah's sorrow and preservation, his need to remain celebate, to not engage in the locals follies or ceremonies, to remain fixed on God, to keep the Sabbath and remind others of the same - these are details of dire importance. -the famine that Joel tells of was a matter that, perhaps God could have gotten through to them some other way but, apparently no other detail worked on them.  So God used this. When people ignore God's details for them nothing gets their attention like a fast.  And, uh, the storehouses were empty along with the fields - a detail that could not be ignored. -the details of Jesus final days are astonishing. The specifics of the woman who anoints Jesus are the stuff of legend!-->and still talked about all over the world. Jesus makes numerous predictions and each is spot on. The Sanhedrin try to accuse Jesus but what doesn't add up?...the details of their accusations! And it forever ought stick in our minds that Judas; who despises Jesus, kisses him (before killing himself) while Peter, who screams against Jesus, is committed to Him unto death and therefore has a triumphant ministry that shook a continent. -the detailed gifts that God gives to His followers are numerous and wonderful. Do yourself a favor and read through them all again today.  Open yours and use it, Halleluia.

We are in the Christ Stream and reading Mark 14 from the Modern English Version this week.

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Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Joel 1 We are starting a new book in the Exile Stream today. We are reading from the Modern English Version this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Stream | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis God's response to the nations sinfulness is the theme that Joel is driving at.  There are hints of restoration and promises that God will come and pour Himself out and bless in ways the world had yet to see.  But the theme that arises in this book is "the day of the Lord." The Lord is going to come and bless those who are His. He is also going to come and judge those who are against the Lord and His workings.  Many may remember those dreaded hours of in trepidation when they had disobeyed and mother when she stated, "wait until your father gets home!"  The time between that statement and the arrival was uh, rather stressful for youngsters.  There is an element of that here when Joel articulates "the day of the Lord." They should be scared and/or in total awe of this imminent event.  Perhaps we are jumping ahead,  as we will be in Joel today and for the next two Wednesdays.  Be that as it may. It is one of the earlier prophecies to Judah.  It was written a century after the nation split [at the earliest]. ca. 830 B.C. nothing specific of the date is known beyond that. 1 - Joel is the son of Pethuel and that's all that is assured of his identity. A plague of locusts have stripped the country and the vineyards are devastated, the wheat harvest is gone, food is scarce and there is nothing to eat as well as there being nothing to sacrifice to the Lord on the altar.  The Lord is not concerned with that part -the absent sacrifices-  for the people have been offering sacrifices to God and yet having hearts that were NOT THERE.  They may as well be dropping an offering in the plate and then shaking their fists and hollering, "hey God, you got my offering now leave me alone this week, ok!, you hear me, 'sky-guy' ?"     ... pretty bad, huh? yes it is. So God is getting their attention  These locusts left nothing green and Joel is using the situation to teach a colossal lesson.        Joel, speaking for God, wants repentance. He wants Judah to change and have a transformed heart for Him.  He wants prayer, a mind for him, fasting, He wants Judah seeking His face.  God is dead serious with these Judeans.  He wants them hungry for Him, and he's made them hungry to prove His point.  The granaries and storehouses are empty as are the fields, the animals are so hungry that they are dizzy, the grasses have been devoured by fire. Joel states some rather piercing symbolism when he writes that even the beasts of the field are longing for God.  Now to get the Judeans to long for God - it's a great plan, but how?

Jeremiah 15-17 We are in the Prophetic Stream reading from the Modern English Version this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Stream | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis 15 - Jeremiah is praying for these people and has been with quite-the-pastoral-heart.  However God is not going to relent on removing them from the country after an invasion by Babylon, a disturbing deathtoll, and the city falling nearly silent.  Before anyone thinks that God has become mean and the He could learn something from the long-suffering Jeremiah - that is not what is going on here.  God has been patient with these people for right around 800 years and they have been a sorry state spiritually for much of the time as their rebellion and sorry whining attitude began the first week after the Exodus.  The Lord will not relent and things are past the point of no return. Judaeans will die by the sword, starve in famine, and be chained together and forced to walk to Babylon.  And believe it or not, it gets far worse; even ghoulish.  You read about it today and it doesn't need to be repeated.  The lament that will pour over Jerusalem will be historical (586 B.C. is coming) -Jeremiah's lament over caring for those in Jerusalem that despise him is unbearable save for the fact that God will be protecting and showing favor to Jeremiah in the time of chaos.  Jeremiah seems to pause and muse over his assignment of ministering in such an adverse time to such an adverse people.  I think this helped Jeremiah understand how God felt for over 800 years trying to show love to these obstreperous people.  Amid this, God assures Jeremiah that God will deliver Jeremiah from the violence. 16 - Jeremiah received a word from the Lord that he was to be apart from the local culture. It was an extreme calling in that he was not to have a family; take no wife and have not children.  He was also not to take part in the natural compassionate deed of attending ceremonies with those who are mourning (funerals), he was also not to go to banquets wherein there was feasting and drinking.  He had a prophetic call top adhere to plus, how could Jeremiah bear it to be mindful of a family when such horror was imminent. Yes, captivity was coming. It was 430 years in Egypt last time.  It would be 70 years in Babylon this time - and they would return from the north when they were to return...in a couple of generations.   There is a peculiarly powerful word that ends ch. 16. God is about to raise a hand and strike [via Nebuchadnezzar] but His heart is always to call back, to instruct, and restore. 17 - The downfall is inevitable for Judah.  It is engraved and spoken by God.  It's done. Judah will fall. Her wealth will be snatched up by another.  Still God calls to them.  If they are to repent, their land and lives and families will last forever.  The truth abides: turn and depart from God and be cursed and destroyed -- turn to God and trust in Him to be restored and be like a healthy tree; planted strong and green.      The Lord knows all things: that people are incurably wicked, that thieves turn into fools, that the glory of God is what shines -Jeremiah has promised to be delivered but he still prays for it; for his deliverance - he must have had a wave of fear pass over him as he was pondering the future of his city.    The people must have been working overtime relentlessly (as restless and guilty people have been known to do).and ch. 17 ends with a protracted explanation of how the people will be returning to an honoring of the Sabbath or their city is going to be reduced to ashes.

Psalms 62-68 We are in the Wisdom Stream today using the Modern English Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis "Lord God, we will praise you all our lives and and do so with all our breath and that being a present far too small, we will continue to praise you for eternity.  Amen."   some of the Psalms we read today are the all time classics that comfort souls throughout the world and throughout all time.  

62 - David has trust, rest, peace and salvation in God alone. Nothing else brings him such relief as the Life-Giver Himself; His God.  David's troubles merely pressed him further into a deeper faith.  David had no confidence in man or fellowship or contacts; "connections" as the phrase is used today.  This all was vapid to David.  Even power and wealth - David saw through it as the road to nothing that appealed to David as having eternal value.  David saw God as ever merciful and fair, and David was resolved to be of the same spirit for David always trusted in God

63 - David is in the wilderness and he is so trained in his heart to desire God that his thirst for Him is his top reminder as he is hunting for water.  How many of us in this situation would be thinking, "hey God, y'trying to kill me? Am I supposed to dry up and blow away? really? Let's get some water to me or me to some water or something, huh!!?"  No David thinks, "God I long to be secure in you and with you as much as I want water in a desert."  This is David's devoted heart.  This Psalm probably accompanies his season of hiding out from Absalom. He is distressed but confident that he will be restored. David's words for God are akin to what we see in one searching the earth over to find a lost loved one.  It's a touching passage of Scripture. 64 - David is praying earnestly for protection from enemies and their plots to ruin him.  These evil men use words and weapons and are calloused by evil and their commitment to be evil.  David wants God to shoot them down. David simply wants them gone and away. David knows that God delivers and watches over the steadfast. 65 - There is a rhapsody of worship, praise and thanksgiving as all the earth is blessed as far as David can see.  The harvest is come in, is still coming in; the fields, oceans, orchards - there is abundance and shouts of joy are going up.  All this bounty is simply indicative of the salvation God grants. 66 - This Psalm is a song that is sung even today.  God is calling for worship from all the earth.  All are to sing and rejoice, in all the nations. God has blessed in so many ways and tales of his deliverance are retold.  This calls for us to bring our offering and our lives to God.  He is good, He saves, He hears, He has mercy and will not turn us away.  This is cause for coming to Him in worship, is it not? 67 - This Psalm is an inspiration for missions to be launched into all the earth for God wants His praises and name to be across the earth.  In doing this God blesses the nations of the earth, the peoples of the earth as well as those who take His Name to all the earth. 68 - God and His victorious army is marching.  The enemies will scatter as God rises up.  Those who are deserted/orphaned God will place in families.  God meets all needs and provides for this who are with Him in His cause.  There is so much to tell of the God; our God who advances. He is as majestic as the mountains in all their splendor.  God will be victorious and all the people of the earth (those who fight Him as well as those who fight for Him) will pay Him tribute.  Singers sing and dancers dance before the Lord.  Great kings are drawn to the Lord.  There is never too much that can be said about the wonders of God and the deeds and service He warrants from people coming from so many nations to come and worship in Israel where He dwells.

I Kings 1-3 We are in the Nation Stream today and we say goodbye to King David. We are reading from the Modern English Version this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis "Lord we ask for your wisdom too.  Thank you for granting what is right to those who ask.  Amen." Kings is good especially for noting dates and chronology. It is the history that is concurrent (much of it is anyway) with Chronicles.  Chronicles is written from the perspective of the south where the Temple and Jerusalem was.  Kings is written in the north and mostly of the activity there.  We see the phrase, "seek the Lord" in Chronicles about two dozen times where in those same stories found in Kings, that phrase is not in the literature.  So Kings [after the split in ch. 12] and the story of the north Kingdom is narrating the lives of these tribes gone deliberately pagan, whereas in Chronicles narrating the life in the south, there are at least periods of reform and an attempt to follow God. Of the 20 kings of the northern Kingdom from 930 - 722 B.C. none were descendants of David. Whereas in the south, 19 of the 20 kings were descendants of David. 

1 - Kings opens with David being nearly out of time and it is getting nervy in Jerusalem as Solomon is to be the king in succession, but Adonijah thinks he should be king. Adonijah's older brothers Absalom, Amnon, and an obscure brother "Chiliab" were all dead so Adonijah assumed it was all his now. Some prominent people sided with Adonijah, but the vital leaders did not. Adonijah became pompous and forceful and started parading and making sacrifices and struck up the party as if he were already the king. In another part of town, Bathsheba; Solomon's mother, and Nathan met with David to insist that David assert what ought to be done and make the declaration openly about who should follow him as King. So David makes it plain (also in I Chr. 22:6-10). Zadok the priest ("zadok" means 'righteous' in Hebrew) was the priest that anointed Solomon. The parade and music for Solomon was thunderous in comparison. Adonijah's group then heard it and scattered as Adonijah was now fearful for his life. Solomon was gracious here and let Adonijah go free...at least here anyway.

2 - David gives his final charge to Solomon --> to follow the Lord completely. He also warns Solomon of a few men in the country who have rebellious hearts.  David then departs this world and Solomon is king outright.  Adonijah had survived trying to take the throne, but his request to have his father's nurse as a wife gets him executed. Abiathar the Priest is exiled and relieved of duty.  Joab, also in another intriguing story, is executed at Solomon's orders for not being wholeheartedly yielded to David and the throne.  Looking back, Joab was zealous for the King but his zeal got ahead of his wisdom when he jumped in too quickly with Adonijah and his "FAD" [king For-A-Day.] Shimei also had to die. He had cursed King David during Absalom's rebellion. Solomon was lenient at the outset but Shimei's undoing came when he couldn't adhere to Solomon's final warning and orders to him. Shimei is executed. Solomon is now king uncontested by rivals or rebels. 3 - Solomon married and brought an Egyptian wife to Jerusalem. It was a political move that was a "headwater issue" that would, in time, turn him astray from his faith (I Ki. 11:1 - Solomon, HOWEVER loved many foreign women...). Here he is just starting out and in his first season as King, this is his first recorded stunt. As one wise preacher has said in his observations of life, "the death of many endeavors is programmed right into the birth of it." It's an interesting item of concern for sure.  The Temple is not built and it needs to be - as David had urged Solomon (that is mentioned in Chronicles, not Kings).  So Solomon is making a sacrifice one evening and the Lord appears in a dream and grants Solomon his request for wisdom to govern.  Jesus said "ask and you shall receive" almost 1000 years after this but this same trinity/God is granting requests long before it is articulated by our Savior in the flesh.  And Solomon receives! -his wisdom is put to the test when two unsavory mothers come to him both claiming that the live baby is theirs and the dead one is the other's. What to do.                    It's an unfortunate issue in life that the person who cares least about what is right is often the one in charge. For example, at a troubled school in a distressed area, who is in charge in the classroom? The student who wants to learn and grow, the teacher who can't get kids to behave anyway, or the deviant student who brought a weapon to school?  It's obvious and it's sad who's in charge.  In a strained relationship, who is in control of it, the one who wants to preserve it or the one who doesn't care about it?! It's also unfortunate that the one who doesn't care rules the atmosphere via the  mental vandalism of it. Well here the woman who crushed her baby in her sleep wants the other baby to die since she is jealous and a lecherous woman anyway.  How does Solomon reveal the truth? His offer brings out her reaction of urging Solomon, "go ahead and cut it in half" is what gave her away.  Solomon employs his wisdom and his ruling leaves the whole nation in awe.  

Exodus 30-33 We are in the World Stream as God continue to give Moses instructions. We are reading from the Modern English Version this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis Lord Jesus, there is such a disturbing disparity between your glory and your desire for us against the behavior we witness at the first sign that people feel discouraged or bored or perplexed.  Let us be like Moses who wants you and to know you and to be with you more than life itself.  Amen.

The directions involved for the Tabernacle and the articles within continue here.  What started five chapters back is still going on.  If it helps to keep oriented, the Directions for the Tabernacle encompass ch's. 25-31 of Exodus.  The orders are all given, it's time for Moses to return to the people and guess what is going on . . . 

30 - The description resumes today with the Altar of Incense. Keeping the big picture, we are inside the Holy Place; a 30' X 15' sectioned off area that is inside the "courtyard" of the entire 150' X 75" area that has a 12' high curtain of goat hair surrounding everything. Back in this Holy Place are four items: the Altar of Incense, the Golden Table, on that is the Bread of the Presence (of the Lord), and the Golden Lampstand.  The Altar of Incense was most holy to the Lord and incense was to be burning on it continually and for all generations.  The insinuation was that the Lord is sweet to us and He is always here. -a 1/2 shekel offering was to be made by all unto God for atonement.  Everyone 20 and older must take part in this. -a large Bronze Basin was to be built, placed and filled with water.  Aaron and his sons were to wash hands and feet before coming into the tent or near the altar. Coming in dirty meant death - so this is a memo they best adhere to ... along with the rest of them! -As for the anointing oil, here it is in our terminology: it is 12+1/2 lbs. of Myrrh, 6+1/4 lbs. of cinnamon, 6+1/4 lbs. of cane, 12+1/2 lbs. of cassia, mixed together with a gallon of pure olive oil. Pardon the crass visual but a 5-gallon bucket is not big enough to mix this in. Imagine the aroma as this is expertly mixed and then dabbed upon the tent, the fabrics, the ark, the utensils, the altars and the basins.  'Ever walk into a place and react, "wow, it stinks in here!" Well, entering the House of God had the opposite effect. All inhaled and thought, "wow, I love this place!" This and the Incense that was compounded with frankincense and ground and them placed in front of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting was a very sacred commodity.  All research even today shows that an aroma is the greatest trigger of memory. They were to associate this overwhelming sweet savor with the presence of God, and to never forget how sweet it is to be with God 31 - Two men, Bezalel and his "right hand man" Oholiab, are to lead in the building of everything that has been prescribed for building and making in this last five chapters. They were the chief artisans for the Tabernacle and everything was to be made exactly according the "blueprints" that God has been giving to Moses for much of the last 40 days since Moses was called into God's presence to note all this. -The stern reminder to remember the Sabbath is laid down. And God is not doing this to be a bully-to-fools-who-stacks-up-rules.  He wants people to be refreshed and rested not always working themselves into a stupor and then living in a stupor. This pleases no one; not even the workaholic who can't get himself to pull away and rest a bit. 32 - This golden calf scene is a mess!  The people are wondering where Moses is as he is on Sinai in a cloud, surrounded by fire and taking notes. Moses was in a VERY intense lecture series! But when it approaches 40 days with Moses away, the people revert and dive right back into worship of "the cow".  The 'bull' was the principle god of Egypt, names "Apis".  This was also the illicitly instituted false god of the northern kingdom 4-5 centuries later from 930 - 722 B.C.  Egypt worshiped the cow because it gave beef, bones for tools, milk, fertilizer, horns for decoration, leather, and the cow provided strength for plowing. This was what Israel was immersed in for 400 years in Egypt. Some muse that the Israelites can't be blamed for being oriented as such, but honestly! -after seeing the dozens of miracles since the plagues, the Exodus, the water, the fire, the cloud, the manna, the quail - this rebellion is inexcusable. They were carrying on like a alcohol party gone amok after midnight on a weekend in a pagan university town where stolen furniture was thrown into heap and burned and all the kooks are half-dressed and dancing in circles around it.  Aaron's explanation is as preposterous as their behavior!  Moses' plea with God [both times] is admirable; the mark of a true leader. Nonetheless there is punishment to be administered and 3,000 Israelites die for this shameful pagan revelry. 33 -  After all this, it's time to move on.  God gives assurance of destiny, family security, victory, provision and blessing BUT their attitude must be dealt with first.  There must be complete repentance. -The Lord would meet with Moses the way any true-hearted Believer ought desire to speak with God.  Face-to-face, [look again at Exo. 33:11]. This is virtually the most astonishing verse in the whole Old Testament from Creation in Genesis 1 to Malachi 4 written some 3600 years later!. God and Moses had a most endearing and historical conversation and assured him that He would be with him wherever he traversed. Moses revered the Presence of God most of all. Moses would go when God moved.  Moses would not move on alone; with Him only.  How about us???  

I Corinthians 7-9 We are in the Church Stream today reading from the New International Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis 7 - The Corinthians had questions about marriage. It was a racy town with an ungodly heritage, and sexual matters in the region of Corinth were anything but healthy and resolved.  The Christians needed to know how to handle issues within this realm and Paul set things straight right here.  In the matter of sex - if you are to leave it alone (because you are single) then leave it alone. If engaged, get it going and marry and don't play games or defraud or be cruel but be availed and surrendered to each other within the "bedroom".  Separating and divorcing is not OK. In other words, don't be playing "musical spouses". Paul's advice is just smart, healthy and best.  The most important aspect of one's life is that they live like a Believer; because we are!  Slave/Free, circumcised/or not, it's all immaterial. We are Christ's!  And about the married, the virgins, Paul has very good advice and we best listen to all of it.  Some groups have created marriage rules and forbidden marriage to certain people unless there is approval from a church committee. This is not a good thing. Some forbid marriage altogether based upon occupation or calling. There are pros and cons regarding this and the discussion is still open. It's best to listen to the Lord and do what the Spirit tells each person in any circumstance. 8 - the issue with the meat sacrificed to idols (and remember, in the Greek, "idol" means "a nothing") it is most important that we not be offensive or ebullient toward anyone else. We are to build eachother up and not be trying to "teach it to others" or, as the phrase goes, "stick to the other"    as if we were touting that we've gotten over the past but "youuuuu" are still hung up or reacting to what others used to be or used to be doing.  It's nothing to be ugly or judgmental about. Drop these peripheral matters as quickly as possible and be peaceable and promote Church unity and encouragement. 9 - Paul was paid for his ministry in Philippi. Here in Corinth, however, as in Ephesus and in Thessalonica, he was not, but supported himself through other means of a trade that he had learned prior.  Paul wanted to be doing more that was asked of him and not to be demanding or even needing to ask for support. He also did not want to set an example that may be abused later by the slovenly or even false teachers who might even remotely think, "I'll give you faith, but you're going to pay me for it."  Are ministers worthy of their hire? absolutely. But Paul is just laying this principle out so to make certain that there is not a hint of greed or selfishness that goes along with serving the Lord. -Paul asserts that we are free in Christ and are to use that freedom to promote Christ and never to abuse the concept of freedom in that the exercise thereof may jeopardize others finding freedom in Christ also.  He also reminds us that this faith, this discipleship we live requires discipline. The Thread through the Streams In Exodus we read of the details details details required for the altar, the courtyard, the oil, the garments and the priests and more. This all pertained to God's house. They give attention to all this and God says, "Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God."  These details mattered!  -In II Sam. there was a matter that needed to be dealt with cc. the Gibeonites from something that happened long ago.  David had some final words, this is vital! He built an altar and there was a detail that best be deleted when he took a census against better judgment and theological wisdom.  These details matter. -David was fastidious to list his woes to God in these Psalms. These are confessions. We need to do the same and lay our concerns before God; EACH one and let him handle the details v.s. us living in neurotic denial and reactionary behaviors that are detrimental to our faith. -Jeremiah opens with "cursed are those who do not obey the terms of the covenant." Each part mattered and they had long become sloppy in Jerusalem. And refusal to mind the details let to rampant sin that only became worse and worse. -Hosea basically itemizes the sins of Israel.  The riot act is being read to them and they have no argument -in Mark, Jesus was asked four distinct questions and Jesus answered them line by line and decoded the true / ill intent of their hearts.  He then turned and warned the crowd against following the teaching of the leaders in Jerusalem during that time.  Not only were the rules these false teachers laying out extremely detailed and burdensome, they were just plain wrong. -I Cor. 7-9 gave a goldmine list of details for marriage, status, freedom, attitudes, tenants for moving from a pagan world to the Christian world and how to manage the many phases that people found themselves in, payment to minsters, personal freedoms and more.  Hey, thank God for Paul and God using him so distinctively.