Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, October 23, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-23-2017

This is devotional thought number 40 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Revisiting the Text

Here’s the question for consideration: What is God’s reward in the sanctuary scenario?

“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” (Exodus 25:8).

You may be wondering why I have doubled back to reconsider a passage we’ve covered already. I missed something the first go around. This special something will change your life, if you accept it. God adores you. He cannot stand to be away from you. The problem is sin. Sin has made it impossible for us to live in the same space with God without being destroyed by His effulgent holiness. Enter the sanctuary principle.

Our question for today had to do with God’s reward. I’m willing to veggie wager that most of you immediately thought I was talking about the benefits that we receive if/when we are elevated to sanctuary living. It’s natural to think it’s all about us, unfortunately. This time, however, the reward of which I speak goes to God. Stay with me here. For what purpose did He have them make a sanctuary? He wanted to bridge the gap between heaven and earth; our sinfulness and His holiness so He could dwell with us. I feel like somebody is not getting this. OK, so let’s use Enoch as an example here. The Bible says that Enoch walked with God so closely that God took him to heaven. That’s right! God plucked Enoch right out of earth and carried him into the blessed kingdom of heaven. Enoch had learned how to accept and be transformed by the power of God unto salvation so perfectly, that God accelerated his entrance into the kingdom. Good for Him. No. You’re probably still not getting it. What I am saying is, “Good for God!” He is the epitome of love; therefore, there must be objects of His holy affection. That would be us (not only us, but you get the point). How must it be for God to love us so much and not be able to have us by His side and express Himself in the fullness without a dimming veil between? How must it feel for Him to always need to condescend so His essence, that which makes Him Almighty God (blessed be His name), does not destroy us on contact? Frankly, most of us are not like brother Enoch. Most of us are still struggling to submit to God, and thus, we need more remedial work done on our characters. The sanctuary system and all it is, represents that special work. And when that process is complete, God gets His reward too. This is not sacrilege. Don’t worry. I am not saying we have anything of value to offer God as a reward for His righteousness. I am simply saying that God loves us so much that He will be blessed when He is done remedying the sin problem, which separates us from Him. Here’s what the prophet said about Christ in this context: “Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief and made Him sick. When You and He make His life an offering for sin [and He has risen from the dead, in time to come], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see [the fruit] of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God), for He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt [with the consequences, says the Lord]. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoil with the...