Coverings of the Tabernacle

Glory

The Tabernacle Curtain (resurrection - Exo 26:1-6; Isa 53:11-12)

Grace

The Goats’ Hair (propitiation - Exo 26:7-13; Isa 53:9-10)

The Rams’ Skins Dyed Red (consecration - Exo 26:14; Isa 53:4-7)
The Badgers’ Skin (separation - Exo 26:14; Isa 53:2-3)

He Gave Himself

"Who gave Himself for our sins..." (Gal 1:4)
- It was Purposeful

"...Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Gal 2:20)
- It was Personal

"...Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it..." (Eph 5:25)
- It was Passionate

"Who gave Himself a ransom for all..." (1 Tim 2:6)
- It was Payment

"Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity..." (Titus 2:14)
- It was Powerful

Ruth - Abiding in labour

Availability (Ruth 2:2-3)
Industry (Ruth 2:7,17)
Humility (Ruth 2:7,10,13)
Generosity (Ruth 2:16)
Reliability (Ruth 2:19)

Ruth - Abiding in the Lord

Conviction for the path (Ruth 1:16)
Contentment with the place (Ruth 1:16)
Companionship of the people (Ruth 1:16)
Commitment to the true and living God (Ruth 1:16)
Consecration of her life (Ruth 1:17)

I Steele

Obedience in John 15

Obedience affects our prayer (John 15:7)
Obedience authenticates our passion (John 15:10)
Obedience appropriates our position (John 15:14)

Mary at the feet of the Lord

Luke 10:39 - Mary is silent.
John 11:32 - Mary is speaking.
John 12:3 - Mary is serving.

Sunday Morning Gleanings

...to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. - Eph 1:6
- Made us accepted (no more dismissal)
- In a Person: the Beloved

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. - Eph 2:13
- Made nigh (no more distance)
- By a Price: the Blood

Iniquity in Isaiah 53

...He was bruised for our iniquities... (Isa 53:5)
Christ the bruised One.
We see His grace (in that He allowed Himself to be bruised for our iniquities).

...and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isa 53:6)
Christ the burdened One.
We see His greatness (in that He was the only one who could bear that burden).

...for He shall bear their iniquities. (Isa 53:11)
Christ the bearing One.
We see His glory (in that He endured sufferings with such joy and dignity).

7 Walks in Ephesians

Eph 2:2 - Worldly Walk (Course of this world)
Eph 2:10 - Working Walk (Creation unto good works)
Eph 4:1 - Worthy Walk (Calling of the saints)
Eph 4:17 - Wayward Walk (Carelessness of their mind)
Eph 5:2 - Warm Walk (Compassion of the Christ)
Eph 5:8 - Well-lit Walk (Children of the light)
Eph 5:15 - Wise Walk (Carefulness of the wise)

Behold...(John 19)

John 19:5 - Behold the man!
cf. Zech 6:12
Loftiness of Christ
The Sinless Man

John 19:14 - Behold your King!
cf. Zech 9:9
Lowliness of Christ
The Sovereign Monarch

John 19:26,27 - Behold thy son! Behold thy mother!
Loveliness of Christ
The Sympathetic Master

Fate of the Faithful

Righteousness Reviled (Rev 13:15)
Righteousness Rewarded (Rev 19:8)
Righteousness Reigns (Rev 20:4)
Righteousness Resides (Rev 21:3)

Pictures of Christ from the Flock

The Lamb - His Suffering
Revelations 5:6 - a Lamb as it had been slain
Isaiah 53:7 - as a lamb to the slaughter

The Sheep - His Submission 
Isaiah 53:7 - as a sheep before her shearers

The Ram - His Strength
Genesis 22:13 - a ram caught in a thicket by his horns

Thoughts for the New Year

A lot happens during the first month (Abib) of the Jewish religious calendar. Three feast out of seven takes place in the first month and from these feasts, we can take a few things to heart as we enter into a brand new year.

The Passover (Exodus 12:1-14; Leviticus 23:4-5)
- A reflection of the past occurs
The Sufficiency of Christ in our lives (Exodus 12:4-6; 1 Corinthians 5:7)
We reflect on the year that has passed and ask ourselves, have we found Christ to be sufficient?

The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15-20; Leviticus 23:6-8)
- A renewal for the future occurs
The Separation of Christ from sin (Leviticus 2:4-5,11)
We renew our walk for the year to come and ask ourselves, have we become more Christ-like?

The Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-14)
- A returning in the present occurs
The Satisfaction Christ brought the Father (1 Corinthians 15:20)
We return to the Lord what is rightfully His and ask ourselves, have we pleased the Father the way Christ did?

Voices in Matthew 3

Matthew 3:3
The voice of the forerunner.
Speaks of the Lord's importance.
Points to His high position (loftiness).

Matthew 3:17
The voice of the Father.
Speaks of the Lord's innocence.
Points to His humble position (lowliness).

Ways past finding out

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. - John 8:3-6 (emphasis added)

The Lord's actions stands in stark contrast to that of the scribes and Pharisees. When faced with those who were impatient and lifted up with religious pride the Lord was patient and stooped down in loving humility.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! - Romans 11:33

Psalm 28

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto Thee...Blessed be Jehovah, for He hath heard the voice of my supplications. - Psalm 28:2, 6

It's beautiful how the psalmist found assurance of answered prayer almost immediately and praises the Lord for it. Oh for my soul to find such assurance when I pray!

wasted?

And there were some indignant in themselves, and saying, Why has this waste been made of the ointment? - Mark 14:4

Mary poured out something very precious and expensive upon the Lord Jesus and was accused of wasting. Isn't that always the cry of the world? If we're all sold out to God and devoted completely to Him, it would be a waste in the world's point of view! Waste of talent, waste of resources, waste of intelligence and so much more.

If we're going to heed the call of the world and follow after it's principles and fancies, it would seem a waste from God's point of view. Waste of potential for the Lord knows what He can make out of us. But it would require our complete obedience.

Worse still is the waste from our own point of view. This is when we try to please both God and the world. We go nowhere in the world and see all that we've sacrificed as waste but only because we're not enjoying the blessings of a full obedience to God either.

Born King!

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him. - Matthew 2:1-2

What tremendous words were uttered by these wise men of the east! It is bursting with significance! Pay attention to the question now. It was not "Where is He that is born to be King of the Jews?" Oh no, that was not it. But it was "Where is He that is born King...?"

The former would imply that the Lord Jesus Christ, here born as a baby, would sit on the throne and rule as king someday in the future. Probably in place of Herod the king at that time. However, Herod was not the rightful king of the Jews but a mere puppet king. His kingship over the Jews was hardly recognised by the people let alone by God. And so the Lord Jesus Christ was born King. From His birth He was the rightful Occupant of the throne of the kingdom. At His birth He was declared King already.

It's no wonder then that Herod felt threatened but it's sad that all Jerusalem was troubled along with him (vs 3). It took men all the way from the east to acknowledge the kingship of Christ and offer Him the worship and adoration due to Him.

My meditation for Christmas 2007

Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. - 2 Corinthians 9:15

Jesus Christ was an Extraordinary Promise
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. - Genesis 3:14-15
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. - Galatians 4:4-5

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (meaning 'God with us'). - Isaiah 7:14
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name JESUS...The said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:30-31, 34-35
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. - Matthew 1:18

He came with an Exceptional Purpose
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. - John 3:16-17

He came at an Expected Period
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed...And Joseph and also went...unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem...to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered...And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night...And the angel said unto them,...For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. - Luke 2:1-11

He was born in the Exact Place
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. - Micah 5:2
Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him. - Matthew 2:1-2

Most importantly, He is an Exalted Person
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Father of eternity, The Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6

The dried sea

(God) turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in Him. - Psalm 66:6

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy watersprouts: all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over Me. - Psalm 42:7

The sea of God's wrath upon sin is now removed completely for us to pass into God's presence without worry. However, though easy for us, it meant that the waves and billows of that righteous wrath fell upon Christ. He took the full force of that wrath upon His sinless self. He endured it for us (who can imagine what He endured!). In the end, He came out triumphant! Now at that very place, we rejoice in Him!

The tempest’s awful voice was heard,
O Christ, it broke on Thee!
Thy open bosom was my ward,
It braved the storm for me.
Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred;
Now cloudless peace for me. - Anne R. Cousin