This morning we finished what has been many months of work reading through, and applying the message of the Book of Exodus to our lives. The great themes of the book, God as saviour, lawgiver, and lord have been a privilege to give time and prayer to over this time. Someone said no other book has the pattern of our redemption more clearly marked out in it – the Passover Lamb, the Atonement Seat, the High Priest, deliverance from slavery in freedom and so on.
We read through the closing passage from 36:8-40:38 which covers the construction, consecration, and commissioning of the Sanctuary God called His people to build, the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness. We saw how God’s glory filled the place and remained with His people. Then we applied it to our situation, showing how the bread and wine placed within the Tent were brought out by the High Priest to be shared out, and how our High Priest Jesus Christ has gone into Heaven and brought out bread and wine for us. Then and now that meal speaks of God’s saving work in our lives through Christ.
On the matter of balance, it was clear that the people of Israel experienced the Presence of God with them in a powerful and obvious way, and it seemed important to stress the need today, not to strive after such a manifestation ourselves, but rather realise that having Christ with us by His Spirit, and all the promises His word contains is sufficient to meet all our needs before the day of His appearing.
The message can be heard here: Eating from the Lord’s Table.
In the evening we were in Galatians, reading 5:16-6:5 which really is about the subtle danger of the sinful nature which is legalistic self-righteousness, as opposed to the more obvious dangers of the out and out manifestations of the flesh.
The message is recorded here: Subtle sins.
