Vayakhel/And He assembled
Exodus 35:1-38:20
IKings 7:13-8:21
This week’s readings are filled with much work; in IKings if you consider the magnitude of the project that Huram had before himself, it feels overwhelming. Even if you throw in “being filled with understanding and wisdom and skill”; man, you still have to do the work! Maybe of course he had some assistants, but it was still quite an undertaking. The ‘mirror’ of activity is also seen in Exodus as they prepared for the tabernacle. Again, an amazing undertaking for both the tabernacle and the temple of Solomon, but as usual there is something more to see.
It seems like the Lord isn’t just impressed with process or credentials. All through the reading this week in Exodus we see: “Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding; hearts stirred; put in his heart; willing heart” and other variations of the same. Wow! Not just duty or talent; not just guilt and abundance; not just a few, but many; not just men, but men and women; and the result? First, I noticed that since they gave willingly from a right heart; more than enough was given; they had to shut down the giving line… If we jump over to the haftorah in IKings we get to see the result: not just a magnificent tent or structure, which I’m sure it was; but let’s see what it says:
IKings 8:10-13 10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 12 Then Solomon spoke: “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud. 13 I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever.” Not a bad day’s work!
“Father we need your help today; we want to be faithful to the ‘work’ that is before us, so send Holy Spirit to give us that help and we offer up our hearts; we want hearts like those that we have read about in Your glorious word; and most of all, we want the things (lives) we are giving our time and energy to, to be a ‘place’ that You would feel comfortable coming to, and dwelling with us…” by john eisner
Bonus thought: as I ‘visit’ all this building and giving I can’t get passed IPeter 2:4-5
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
As our Heavenly Father delivers us from western, institutional thinking about who we are in Christ…let us be renewed in our minds and lives of the living reality that we are actually a part of: living stones being built together…so get up out of those pews and rejoice: He is building you into a “spiritual house” for His presence! You aren’t some pathetic ‘schmo’ that has just been snatched out of the fire; but you are part of a holy nation; a royal priesthood…made for His glory, for all to see and for Him to visit! We are not just ‘hanging on”, trying to avoid hell while heaven terries…..You are part of a living reality; bought by His blood and part of a glorious household: Jew and Gentile!
If you are a Gentile in need of a ‘spark’ to get a new sense of what you have been saved into, may I humbly recommend that you read my book: Ephesians, a love story to the Gentiles. Found on Amazon.
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