Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-04-2017

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

Here’s the question for consideration: What does it take to get some satisfaction?

“And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” (Exodus 24:10–11).

One of the things I love about the Scriptures is that they provide an endless store of truth, and if we will patiently search them, the Holy Spirit will unpack more and more even from verses we have studied from different perspectives. Such is the case with today’s Scripture focus. You will note that we used it yesterday to underscore the blessing of God allowing His servants a glimpse of His presence, yet they were preserved. We saw that there was safety in His presence. From the same passage, we will see something just as wonderful.

I would love to cover the clear blue pavement under the feet of God that was an obvious manifestation of the waters that issue forth from the throne of God’s holy presence, but we will come back to that soon (Revelation 22:1; Ezekiel 47:1). Today, let’s focus on where these nobles were, in the grand scheme, and what they were doing.

You will note that in a previous reading we said God was giving us a sneak peek into the sanctuary blueprint before He handed the blueprint to Moses atop the mountain. I find it fascinating that Moses instructed a set of young men to offer burnt offerings at the base of the mountain. This signifies the priesthood facilitating and making various sacrifices in the outer court (more on this another time). The nobles were among those who started up the mountain with Moses, but stopped at a certain point as Moses and the mystery man we alluded to some time ago continued to the top of the mountain. While the nobles awaited the return of Moses, the Bible says they did eat and drink. This seems like a pretty mundane, unremarkable activity, to be sure. However, if we have inspired lenses on, and are looking for hidden gems, we will note that the holy place in the sanctuary housed the table of shewbread, among other holy things. On this table were the special bread that was to be eaten only by the priests, and only on the Sabbath, and a few other articles. The Holman Christian Standard Bible says, “You are also to make its plates and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold. Put the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.” (Exodus 25:29–30). Remember, everything in the earthly sanctuary represented a heavenly reality. While we don’t have record that I know of, of the priests consuming drinks in the holy place, the pitchers and bowls were there for the drink offerings to be poured out. Here’s a lesson for you: “Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).” (John 6:35, AMP). So, not only was God giving us a glimpse of the holy place ministry of the priests and His power to sustain Moses in the cloud with Him for 40 days and nights without food, but He also revealed the blessing given to all who imbibe Christ in our day. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He sustains all who continue in His presence to the degree that they will never hunger or thirst for anything needful. This is...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-03-2017

This is devotional thought number 20 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Close Encounters with God

Here’s the question for consideration: Why would God give anyone a revelation of Him?

“And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” (Exodus 24:10–11).

How did you just read passed that? Did you notice the opening phrase in our theme text? The Bible said that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, “saw the God of Israel.” When was the last time you actually saw God? I am not talking about figuratively, spiritually, or philosophically where you knew He was at work in your life. I am not talking about the time He gave you the assurance He was with you. I am not talking about the times He delivered you from disasters, trials, and difficulties and you had the assurance that He was in your life. Praise Him for all of those experiences. What I am asking is when you saw God last. There have been times throughout history when God graced His people with as much of a glimpse of His majesty as they could handle. And whether in vision or some other miraculous manifestation of His condescended form, when they saw Him, their lives were never the same again. The awesomeness of His visible presence cannot be expressed in human words. The One who commanded and the worlds were created; the One whose name is holy; the One who said, “Let there be light” and that light has been evident in the world until this day; the One of whom the prophets spoke allowed more than seventy feeble men, though sanctified, to get a peek of His effulgent beauty and they lived. Let that sink in. Jacob got a glimpse and “called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:30). Isaiah got a glimpse and said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5). HalleluJAH! Are you getting this? The same God who told Moses to set a hard boundary at the foot of the mountain so nobody would even touch it, lest they die, gave these men a glimpse, and they lived. Our God is so kind, loving, patient, beneficent, and merciful that He was willing to give His people a fresh revelation of Him so they could be safe in His presence. He loves you so much that He is willing to give you a revelation too. He does not manifest His presence in everyone’s lives in the same way, but rest assured that if you are willing and submissive He will give you just what you need. I will have you note that this is the end of the first paragraph. Can we handle anymore Word right now?

Let’s pause here, friends, and get ready for tomorrow’s devotional thought. I want you to do me a favor, please: give thanks for the many times God manifest His presence in your life to comfort you when you needed help when your loved ones died; when He gave you hope after you failed to keep your promises to Him; when He eased your pain following invasive surgery; when He strengthened you while you were at your weakest. Give thanks and ask Him for a new revelation of His presence and will in your life as you await you see His face when He comes. Jesus is on His way. It will not be long now.—L. David Harris (

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, October 2, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-02-2017

This is devotional thought number 19 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Promise Keepers

Here’s the question for consideration: Is God Intimidated by Our Weaknesses?


“And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.” (Exodus 24:4–8).

I am amazed at how much God has to say about our everyday lives. I mean, many times people need advice and don’t want to hear about the Bible because (in their words), they want “practical” advice. If you read Exodus and Deuteronomy as a case study for God’s counsel on relationships, life, death, worship, business dealings, promises, work life, etc., you may be amazed too. God provided detailed counsel about everything He deemed important. And where He chose not to give specific details, He provided actionable principles. There’s no need for us to stumble in darkness. God’s Word brings light to the simplest of minds if we are willing to listen.

At this juncture of our sanctuary discovery, we are seeing God outlining how He wanted His people to relate to Him and to people. His laws and penalties for disregarding them were clear. Since God gives everyone a measure of faith, the people could immediately see the benefit of following God’s guidelines. They promised to do them - full stop. The problem was that their spirits were willing, but their abilities were weak. Nonetheless, Moses sprinkled the blood of their covenant with God on them signifying the binding nature of their agreement to the terms. Neither their agreement, nor the laws outlined had any power to make them holy. They needed the Lamb of God, the One to whom all of those laws pointed, to seal them with His blood. But, they were getting a lesson they would not soon forget, in the process.

God is so good, when you really think about it. He knew, before the people made a promise to obey, that they would break their promise. He knew that they would murmur against Him. He knew that they barely understood what they were doing when they entered into this agreement with God, that they would do all He commanded and that there were penalties for disobeying. This is one of the reasons the blood was so critical. Not only was it used in this setting to ratify the terms of the covenant, but all throughout the ceremonies, it was used as a symbol of sin. As we will discover in later devotional thoughts, since the penalty for sinning is death, and the people agreed to the fact, if they could ever hope to escape the necessary penalty, they needed an acceptable substitute upon whom they could confess their guilt, and who would die for them. That is what the system of sacrifices illustrated. The guilt of repentant people moved symbolically from them, to the sacrifice, to the sanctuary, and after atonement, to the scapegoat, and out of the camp (see Leviticus 16). This is why Jesus’ sacrifice is so critical to sanctuary living. We declare that we have...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, October 1, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-01-2017

This is devotional thought number 18 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Sanctuary Cities

Here’s the question for consideration: Is there a safe place for me if I have made a terrible mistake?

“He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.” (Exodus 21:12–13).

God is not out to Get you. He is doing all possible to save you and everyone else. All of us have sinned and have made mistakes (there’s a difference). Therefore, all of us are worthy of the eternal death penalty. Seek sanctuary and be safe. There are circumstances that present themselves when we need extra grace as we get through the details of our sins and mistakes. God is ready to provide that grace when we need it.

I am going to share two passages of Scripture and make a solid point, and let you go. Here they are: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment. And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.” (Numbers 35:9–15). “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile.” (Psalm 32:1–2).

If you’ll permit me, I would like to apply the original concept of sanctuary cities to our lives today. As you have already read, God made provision for the safety of individuals who unintentionally killed someone, to protect them from avengers until they had the opportunity to “stand trial.” We see remnants of the difference between premeditated murder, involuntary manslaughter, and many other variations in the law till this day. We also see the principle, related to other crimes or potential crimes, of sanctuary cities till this day. As I thought about it and tried to apply it to my life, it hit me that all of us need sanctuary from the penalty for sin. What I mean, is that the Scriptures promise that those who sin must die. Oh, and the Scriptures say that all (besides Jesus) have sinned and fall short of God’s intention of our lives. The blessing is that God has created a sanctuary provision for all of us until we stand trial. We have invested lots of time discussion various phases of God’s judgment. We will do that again soon. We will continue to discover that even in God’s judgment, with the reality that all of us have sinned, that it is possible to escape condemnation. We need time and a safe place while the details of our circumstances get worked out. Are you seeing where I am going with this? We have already seen in the prophet Ezekiel, where God is a little sanctuary to His people. David said He is our fortress, resting place, and dwelling place to all generations. The prophet John saw that the Father and Son would be our temple in the new earth. So while we...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, September 30, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-09-30-2017

This is devotional thought number 17 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Decency and Order

Here’s the question for consideration: Does God care how we appear before Him?

“Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.” (Exodus 20:26).

Sanctuary living demands decency and order, especially in the worship setting. Too often, God’s people appear before Him with little or no regard for how our presence impacts God and fellow worshippers. Do we represent God well when we appear before Him? Do hinder or distract other worshippers? What if we are ministering? How do these considerations impact ministry in the congregation?

Clearly, there was a practical application of our theme text in the Old Testament sanctuary setting. Not only did God require that no steps were to lead up to the altar so private parts remained private, but the guidance for priest’s garments illustrated the same principle. Notice what the Bible says: “And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.” (Exodus 28:40–43). It was a serious thing to appear before God. Not only did God command that the people clean their garments, but He also commanded that the priests be consecrated and appropriately attired lest they be found guilty of deliberately ignoring God, and in their rebellion, be destroyed.

How can we apply this in our day? Simple. We all must self-assess our attitudes when we appear before God in worship and ministry. Do we appear before Him with repentance, confession, and submission? Do we recognize that certain elements of the world’s fashion paradigm are dishonoring and distracting in the assembly of God’s people and truth seekers? Are we, both men and women, discreet or do we wear clothing that brings attention to our nakedness or sensuality? Don’t worry. I’m not about to prescribe a measure for tightness of men’s clothing, exactly how much skin is acceptable, or what length or tightness is acceptable for women’s clothing. Just remember that you are appearing before the King of the universe and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. God was making a distinction between His people and the heathens in worship, and still is. He was providing a blueprint to help His people focus on heavenly things, and still is. The idolaters often used sensual and lewd displays and behaviour to appease their false gods. Let us surrender our hearts, motives, lives, and choice of dress to God so we can honor and represent Him well, rather than appeasing our sensual desires. Does God care how we appear before Him? Of course!—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)

#theprotestisnotover #sanctuary

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, September 29, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-09-29-2017

This is devotional thought number 16 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Will the Real God Stand Up?

Here’s the question for consideration: Does God care how we depict Him?

“And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.” (Exodus 20:21–24).

Moses went boldly unto the throne of grace, that where he may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need just like Paul would eventually teach in Hebrews 4:16, and I am so glad he did. His confidence in God encourages me that, in Christ, I have all I need to enter the holy presence. If I confess my sins and surrender to God’s leading, I don’t need to hide from God and hope someone else can put in a good word for me. In Christ, we have access! In Christ, we have power! In Christ, we can experience the nearness of our God of love.

OK, so Moses is now enfolded into a cloud with God. What did they talk about? God immediately begins to teach Moses essential worship principles. If we are to become a dwelling place for God, we must learn to worship Him. God reminded the people of their eyewitness experience of hearing Him speak. So, they knew, without doubt, that whatever came next, was God’s direct counsel. Are you willing to hear God’s counsel for your life?

God said they should not use human ingenuity, engineering, input, or intervention to create gods to worship. If they were to use gold, silver, or begin to shape other materials for the purpose of worship, they would misrepresent the All-Knowing, All-Powerful, 100% Holy One! Their concept of Him, would be limited by their ability to fashion an idol or image. Have you ever wondered why some of us, albeit very few, still refuse to depict Jesus in pictures, stained glass, sculpture, or movies? Think about it: how many times have painters, artists, and scriptwriters created images and told you it was Jesus? How many times has the debate raged surrounding the subjugation of a people and how they view authority based upon such images. How many times has the pendulum swung way to the other end (stopping at all points between) to depict Jesus as a tall, short, skinny, muscular, African, Asian, European, etc., because we want to direct people to the version we fancy? Whom do we not ostracize by depicting our version(s). How can there be consensus? How long should His hair be? How deep, jovial, caring, or authoritative should His voice be when depicted in audio? Should He have seven locks, an afro, or have flowing, straight, or curly hair? And let’s not forget about eye color. Think about it: have we not missed the point of Jesus assuming human form—to save us from our sins? And while we argue about the human form of Jesus, we continue to chisel, mold, and sculpt our own versions of the God of heaven and earth He came to reveal; to like, dislike, love, or hate based upon our enfeebled, blasphemous disregard for His direct counsel. We must be careful not to fashion the epitome of the heavenly sanctuary (God) after the earthly (human devising)? Let’s not even mention the multi-headed images with may arms, eyes, species, etc.,...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, September 28, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-09-28-2017

This is devotional thought number 15 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Responding to God’s Invitation

Here’s the question for consideration: What sanctuary principle insulates us against fear?

“And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” (Exodus 20:18–20).

YHWH was creating a safe place of relationship and communion with His people (sanctuary) and they were retreating in fear. YHWH was coming near, to sanctify them, and they were running away. Something’s really wrong.

Please do not misunderstand me here. I totally get it. The earth was quaking, there was fire, smoke, trumpet blasts, etc., as the Lord made His presence manifest. It had to have been an awesome sight. It must have been unforgettable. However, I find it curious that Moses felt safe enough to approach God. Why did he not allow his apprehension, in the light of God’s infinite might, to drive him away in fear? Why did he not beg for someone else to speak to him on God’s behalf? Was Moses more special than the others? Let me share a couple of New Testament verses to help us figure this out: “For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7, LEB). Here it is again, from another translation: “For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7, GNB). When we are set aside by God for holiness, we are not to be timid. We have no need to fear standing for Him in the face of adversity. We certainly have no need to fear appearing in His presence and hearing what He has to say. Rather, His Spirit gives us power, love, and a sound mind. Try this passage on for size: “And we ourselves know and believe the love which God has for us. God is love, and those who live in love live in union with God and God lives in union with them. Love is made perfect in us in order that we may have courage on Judgement Day; and we will have it because our life in this world is the same as Christ’s. There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment. We love because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:16–19, GNB).
Clearly, Moses had the confidence to approach the King of the universe, because he was already finding God to be a dwelling place while God was perfecting him in love. Can you see yourself in this story? Would you be paralyzed in fear, or surrender your fear to God and accept His invitation to commune with Him?

When you experience an awe inspiring closeness with God and you become fearful, just know that His awesome revelations are designed to make us aware of our utter helplessness and the need to surrender our sinful ways. God does not want us to scamper away. He is a safe place. When preparing to meet the King in worship, prayer, Bible study, or selfless service to others, confess your sins, ask God for wisdom and power to accomplish His mission, be thankful that His essence can have a purifying effect on you. Thank God for loving you so much that He is willing to come into your space and inspire you to holiness, not...

Thoughts in Worship
Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-09-27-2017
This is devotional thought number 14 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Worship
Here’s the question for consideration: Are there any benefits to worshipping God?
“And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:1–6).

God’s supremacy is foundational to sanctuary living. The sanctuary, whether the Old Testament structure, or our bodies/lives, are to be a worship-centric dwelling place for God. Worship of God is foundational to sanctuary living. The first angel of Revelation 14 links worship, the gospel/salvation, and the judgment. Here, we see worship, deliverance from "bondage," and judgment. Exodus 20:5-6 underscores the fact that God’s judgment has two possible outcomes: exoneration of those who love God and keep His commandments, or condemnation of those who cherish sin above their ever-loving God.

If you’re not careful, you may compare God’s worship requirements to a human king’s requirements for allegiance. I am delighted to tell you they are totally different in ways that matter. When a human king demands allegiance, it might be for his subjects to demonstrate patriotism, to stroke his ego, make him feel secure, or some other narcissistic reason. With God, He’s worthy of our allegiance right off the bat because He created us and gave us the gift of salvation. He delivers us from the bondage of sin, if we keep the faith. As a bonus He also provides, food, clothing, shelter, and the assurance that He loves us. It is important to note that if we worship any thing or any person in place of God, we cut ourselves off from eternal life. That’s a major concern because God created us to live in harmony with Him, forever. In other words, when God gives us the privilege to worship Him above our favorite entertainment, people, things, idol gods, etc., He is giving us the privilege of avoiding the disaster of trusting in that which cannot save us from sin. Here’s the bottom line: worshipping God protects us from eternal death. Worshipping God with all our hearts provides sanctuary to those who love Him.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)
#theprotestisnotover #sanctuary

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-09-26-2017

This is devotional thought number 13 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Making the Distinction

Here’s the question for consideration: Could God have been teaching about the priesthood as Moses was preparing to climb the mountain to receive the sanctuary blueprint and the Ten Commandments on tables of sapphire stone?

“And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them.” (Exodus 19:24).

I hope you understand the fineline I am attempting to walk between giving you a full-on Bible study and making quick application for daily living. I am a Bible teacher, and would love nothing more than to break down the entire context of each verse, along with the use of terms in their original language, but I recognize it’s not practical with so few words. Please prayerfully invest the time you need to understand as much as possible from the topics we will briefly cover; deal?

From today’s Scripture focus we see that YHWH rejected Moses’ argument that the people didn’t need to be reminded to avoid the border of the mountain at all costs. God understands human nature. We seldom get the memo, even after repeated counsel, much less with one warning. So, Moses went down and reminded the people not to cross the line he made at the base of the mountain. If they did venture onto holy ground, they would be destroyed. Even then, God was not willing that any should perish (I hope you did not think mercy’s a New Testament principle).

Apart from God’s mercy here, I find it intriguing that He had begun teaching the people various elements of the sanctuary by example, before He taught them by instruction/blueprint. In the near future, YHWH was going to teach the people about the Outer Court, Holy Place, and the Holiest of All. We will not go into the details of each at this juncture, but will revisit them in due time. Briefly, the people of God were to enter through the east gate, which was arrayed in colors representing the righteousness of Christ and the holiness of the Law. Upon entry, they were in a sort of courtyard (for lack of a better way of saying it), where sacrifices for sin were to be given, the priests were to be prepared and washed, to enter the first apartment of the sanctuary called the Holy Place. In this apartment much happened, to include:

1. Application of the ceremonial/substitutionary/sacrificial blood
2. Special communion with God for the priests
3. Representation of God’s people’s prayers by the priests, before the veil into the Holiest of all
In the Holiest of all, on the west side of the sanctuary, was where the presence of Almighty YHWH (blesseded be His name) descended to commune with the people through the ministry of the high priests. Again, we will get into more details about this at the appropriate time. Not only this, but once per year, the high priest entered a ministry wherein God cleansed the sin record of all who had been confessing their sins/offering acceptable sacrifices throughout the year. As God’s people confessed their sins, there was a record of them, which was not held against them as long as they remained in fellowship with God. And once per year, on the Day of Atonement (AKA Yom Kippur - Google it), God miraculously expunged the sin record of all who continued in relationship with Him. This is actually part of the reason the Bible says the accuser of the brethren is cast down. When God does...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, September 25, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-09-25-2017

This is devotional thought number 12 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: Sanctification

Here’s the question for consideration: What are some of the differences between the Old Testament priests and our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ?

“And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.” (Exodus 19:22).

We have to know our limits! Don’t let this startle you, though. Even those hand picked by God to do a special, Holy work must realize our limitations. In the case of our dearly beloved Old Testament priests, sin and human flesh were what made it necessary for them to be abundantly clear on their roles. Willful ignorance in that regard would have proven disastrous and fatal.

Let me demonstrate with a couple of contrasting passages from Scripture. Here’s the first: “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” (John 17:19). Notice the difference between the reason Jesus sanctified Himself (which is interesting in and of itself), and why the priests of old needed to be sanctified. Jesus sanctified Himself so all of His people could be sanctified through the truth. He never sinned, and thus His sanctification had nothing to do with turning away from sinful ways. God’s people’s sanctification is wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in Jesus Christ’s victory. Our holiness comes from Him. Got it. The priests of old were to be sanctified by God as a safeguard against His effulgent holiness destroying them instantly. If the priests were to stumble into proximity of God in the mount, let alone upon the top where He shrouded Himself in a divine cloud, their sinfulness would have made them immediate casualties. But, God was loving enough to counsel them to confess and forsake their sins. He was merciful enough to advise them to invest some time in soul searching. He was wonderful enough to teach them that appearing before Almighty God (blessed be His name) is no light matter, and that they must be fully set aside as holy before they have close contact with Him.

This wonderous contrast between Jesus Christ, the epitome of sanctuary (our resting place), and all of the rites, ceremonies, materials, configurations, and priests of old, is what makes the plan of salvation so great! God was showing us, through the frailty of our humanity, that He is able to save to the uttermost all who will trust in Him completely. He was showing that He was willing to condescend for the purpose of elevating us. I hope this truth is not lost on you, friends. God loves you and has called you out of darkness, into His marvelous light. He has made provisions to usher you into His presence, but you must be willing to follow His instructions as He makes you holy everyday.

Before I close, I’d like to show another contrast. This one is even more obvious than the first. Let’s break in, midway through a serious teaching in the book of Hebrews. “Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” (Hebrews 7:16). Of Jesus, Paul taught that His priesthood is eternal, unlike the priests of old. They died and stayed dead. Jesus is the life and light of men. When His divine essence allowed His human form to die for our sins, He took up His life again. The priests died because of sin. Jesus died for our sins. The priests participated in the sacrifices of the people and needed to make sacrifices for themselves. Jesus was our sacrifice, slain from the foundations of the world. The...