Scripture: (bold mine)
53 But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle.” (Num 1:53)
25 As he [Paul] reasoned with them [Felix and Drusilla] about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. (Acts 24:25)
7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Prov 1:7)16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,
a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
Whoever believes need never be shaken.” (Is 28:16)24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. (John 5:24)
14 For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life, (Greek I must soon put off my tent [or tabernacle].) (1Pet 1:14)
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? (1Cor 3:16)
19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Heb 6:19-20)
Observation:
Okay, this is a fascinating study. There is so much scripture all tied in together. I tried to pull in just a few and I will try to paint a vivid picture of what God had planned from the very beginning. Imagine the Israelite people: they have seen the Lord’s anger up close and personal. God wiped out thousands of people because of the whole golden calf thing. Then they all get together and work hard to build God a house (the Tabernacle, which later became the Temple). God had to put guards around His home in order to protect His own people from His anger! Very few people were allowed to enter the Tabernacle, let alone the most Holy place; inner sancuary; Holy of Holies and those who did were purified by intense rituals and still had to fear the wrath of God. Then, years later, along comes Jesus. A man from Nazareth (the armpit of society) who was so perfect he did not have to go through any purification rituals and who death actually physically ripped the curtain separating the inner sanctuary in half! Fear of death and condemnation was forever banished for those who place their belief in Him! For those who choose not to believe and who choose to live their own ways, there is fear (for example: Felix and Drusilla). Not only does God not have to place guards to protect us from Himself, but we now become HIS HOME! We are His Temple! There are no purification rituals, no fear of instant death, no protection from the wrath of God. He lives IN US! The fear we feel leads us to run to Jesus; it is the foundation of all wisdom.
Application:
I fall way short of tying this all together in one short paragraph. But what fun it was to search through all of scripture and see how God planned this from the very beginning! I strongly recommend it. The Word of God IS alive and will speak directly to your very soul as the SPIRIT living inside you, in the MOST HOLY PLACE, guides you. Just read through the above scriptures and ask God to speak to you. He WILL!
Prayer:
*sigh* Thank you for dragging me to my Bible this morning so you could speak to me through your word. Thank-you God for your most awesome plan for humanity. You are truly amazing. I can feel “your glory fill the temple” inside me, almost as if I will burst trying to contain it. It is a true honor to be your home; your dwelling place. It is an honor I know I am absolutely not worthy of. Thank-you, Jesus, that I don’t have to fear your wrath. You took all of God’s anger upon yourself so that he couldn’t even look at you. You were punished so severely and now I don’t have to fear; for I did fear and it drew me to you and that fear became the foundation, the rock, which my life is built.
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