Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, October 14, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-14-2017

This is devotional thought number 31 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Worship

Here’s the question for consideration: What was one of the identifying marks of God’s Old Testament peoples?

“And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.” (Exodus 30:6)

The Bible is full of overwhelming truths that lead us closer to God. Some of them are right on the surface and others are deeply buried for only serious spiritual miners. Those who invest time seeking the Lord diligently as for hidden treasure will be richly rewarded (Proverbs 2:4-5).

A careful, comparative study of Exodus chapters 25 through 40 will give insight into one of the amazing, yet subtle ways God chose to distinguish Himself from the false gods in nations surrounding the children of Israel. One way He chose to do this was in the placement of each article of furniture in the sanctuary. The gate through which all bearing a sacrificial offering must pass was situated in the east. This symbolized the singular way of salvation being through Jesus Christ. The altar of burnt sacrifice was in front of the gate. This symbolized the perfect sacrifice of Christ. The laver was situated between the altar of sacrifice and the veil into the holy place. This represented the law of God being a mirror in which to gaze so God’s power could cleanse us from all sin in preparation to commune with Him. The golden candlestick, with its oil and seven lamps, was situated in the south. This symbolized Jesus being the light of the world and the anointing power of the Holy Ghost. The table of shewbread with its vessels was situated in the north. This represented the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus, the Living Word of God, who cleanses us from all sin. The altar of incense was situated before the veil into the holiest of all. This represented the sweet smelling savor of Jesus’ sacrifice covering the stench of sin, making the prayers of the saints acceptable to God. The ark of the testimony/covenant was situated in the west. This represented the throne of God, whose foundation is the unchangeable holy law covered by His mercy.

The critical issue of the arrangement of all of this furniture is the ark being situated in the west. As you may know, most of the pagan religions of the world bow themselves toward the rising sun, that is, the east. This has been the case for thousands of years. The pagan religions of old, immortalized the sun and made it a god. Today, the forms of paganism that have renamed their gods, have fundamentally continued the same practices.

God distinguished His people by situating the symbol of His throne and visible presence in the opposing direction. His visible presence hovered in the west. When the Bible says that God’s people worshipped toward the direction of God’s glory, they had their backs turned to the worship of false gods. Do you think I’m making this up? Here’s what the Bible says: “So He brought me to the inner court of the Lord’s house, and there were about 25 men at the entrance of the Lord’s temple, between the portico and the altar, with their backs to the Lord’s temple and their faces turned to the east. They were bowing to the east in worship of the sun. And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the detestable things they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and repeatedly provoke Me to anger, even putting the branch to...