Daily Bible Devotionals

“Moses said to the Lord, ‘Look, You have told me, “Lead this people up,” but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. You said, “I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.” Now if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor in Your sight. Now consider that this nation is Your people.’”  Exodus 33:12-13 (HCSB)

Mother Teresa said, ‘You’ll never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have. Moses understood the importance of going with God. He had seen the destruction of Pharaoh’s army and the judgment of Israel when they denied the Lord.  Moses wanted to know God’s ways, but he could never have predicted God’s methods of instruction…bonding His people to Himself (and each other) by means of shared adversity.

For Moses & Israel, the next several decades would be a constant stream of faith-stretching trials. Why would the Lord choose this method of character building instead of lavishing abundance & prosperity upon His children?

Perhaps the answer is found in Moses’ discussion with God. Similar to their conversation at the burning bush, Moses seems to have difficulty taking God at His Word. Even though God told Moses He would be with him (and after all the miracles experienced in Egypt), Moses still sought signs.

It is said in business, “Speed of the leader, speed of the team.” That is to say, if Moses had faith problems, there was no way Israel would be all-in to follow him. Faith is a muscle that must be exercised. It takes desire, discipline, and time to grow.

A young man once came to the philosopher Socrates, searching for wisdom. Socrates was sitting beside a river, so the young man sat beside him. ‘I want you to teach me to be wise,’ he said. Without warning, Socrates grasped the young man by the neck and thrust his head under the water. The man struggled and flailed until Socrates finally let him up. As he gasped for air, Socrates said, ‘When you seek wisdom as you sought air, you’ll have it.’”

God gives His Word and Spirit to reveal His nature & ways to His children. He is gentle and kind but wise enough sometimes to thrust us into the water! Our life experience, stressed by the manner of His testing, filtered through His Word revealed, is what builds our faith. Ready for some faith stretching today?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”  James 1:2-4 (HCSB)

“So Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Oh, this people has committed a great sin; they have made for themselves a god of gold. Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book You have written.” The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against Me I will erase from My book. Now go, lead these people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day that I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin.’ Exodus 32:31-34 (CSB)

Fifty days after Passover is the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, or “Pentecost.” Shavuot is, perhaps, the most important harvest festival on the Jewish calendar. Since it coincides with the giving of the Law, Shavuot has become emblematic of God’s confirmation & consecration of Israel as His “first fruit” among the nations.

Their worship of the calf overshadows the day of Israel’s consecration. On that day, Moses gave Israel a “with me or against me” challenge, and the Levites gathered to him. Later that very day, the day that the Torah (God’s teaching) was given, 3000 men were killed. The implication of this account in Israel’s history is that Israel left to its own designs and judged solely through the lens of the Law’s standard, can only produce a “crop of death.” Furthermore, God said that on the day He “settles accounts,” solely by the standard of His commands, none can survive His judgment.

Fast-forward to Acts chapter 2. At the time of the same festival of Shavuot (Pentecost), after Jesus’ resurrection, the Holy Spirit was given to the believers in Jerusalem. Those believers were the “first fruits” of His Greater Messianic Community (the Church), which has grown to be worldwide.   The first fruits of God’s Spirit were also counted to be 3000 men, but this time, their experience was unto life! When God settles OUR accounts based on Messiah’s blood atonement (it’s worth imputed into our spiritual accounts upon the moment of our belief and certified by the presence of His Spirit), His Judgment of us returns, “Not guilty!”

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:10-11 (NKJV)

“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Tell the Israelites: You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am Yahweh who sets you apart. Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.’”  Exodus 31:12-14 (HCSB)

My wife and I went on a mission trip to Mexico several years ago. On the Mexican border of Texas, many “squatters” had formed “colonias,” shantytowns. Our mission was to build 9x12 houses for these severely impoverished people.  It was over 100 degrees down there and incredibly humid…no easy task!

One of the men on my team was a fireman. Ever since we had met in Texas, this guy was talking about heat exhaustion, “Gotta stop every 15 minutes, and drink water….”  On and on, he droned. I had been a college athlete as a long-distance runner. I could run for miles, and nobody was there to give me a single drop of water. This fireman obviously was talking to the “lightweights.”

1/2 way through our second day on the job, our construction wasn’t nearly as far along as it should have been. The fireman called for a break, and I kept working. Thirty minutes later, another break. I kept working. Two hours later, I started feeling dizzy. You get the point. The next thing I knew, the fireman was treating my heat exhaustion. I should have trusted the expert.

Constructing the Tabernacle was of the highest importance. It was work in service to God. But it was not of greater importance than the Divinely ordered rest: Shabbat. Nothing was permitted to supersede it.

To profane, the Sabbath resulted in death. It was the equivalent of breaking the third commandment, “Do not receive the Lord’s name in vain.”  That is, you should not call yourself “God’s people” yet deny God’s authority over your life.

Ignoring the Shabbat rest resulted in being cut off from Israel. So, how well do you fare in obeying that 4th commandment to REST?

Try thinking of it this way: Even Kingdom work has a mandatory “blessed union” break.

“The wealthy may not give more, and the poor may not give less, than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for your lives. Take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the Lord to atone for your lives.”  Exodus 30:15-16 (HCSB)

The technical expression for “ransom” occurs three times in the Torah, and each time, it refers to money paid by one who is guilty of taking human life in circumstances that do not constitute murder. Such a ransom was forbidden in the case of deliberate murder. You could not simply murder someone, pay an agreed-upon price, and have your sin atoned for via your debit card, so to speak.

This concept underlies the “half-shekel atonement” of today’s passage. The same phrase is used in connection with the offering of plunder after the Midianite battle, in Numbers 31:52. Those men registering in the census were those registering for military duty…all non-disabled men. The soldier who was marching into battle was (in the eyes of Heaven) a potential taker of life, although not a deliberate murderer.  

The soldier is to be impressed with the fact that, as the aims for which he goes into battle may be, war remains a necessary “evil.”  Therefore, a ransom is to be paid at the time of mustering (for the taking of life) long before the actual fighting occurs.

Whether rich or poor, the tax was the same. All souls taken are of equal value, and all life-takers of equal guilt in the eyes of God. Hence, all are to give the same ransom.  

Concerning our guilt, Jesus paid our ransom.

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself—a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (HCSB)

The redemption of Christ is offered to all people, regardless of nationality or social standing.

“And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; because you were slaughtered, and You redeemed us for God by Your blood from every tribe, and language, and people, and nation.”  Revelation 5:9 (HCSB)

Those present at Jesus’ trial cried, “May His blood be on our children and us!”  Yet Jesus prayed,” Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 In effect, He was asking that their murderous intents and actions, zealous as they may have been, be counted as “unintentional killing,” while He personally paid their ransom for the act. Ponder the depth of His great love for you. Do you feel the gravity of His sacrifice?

“Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on his son’s right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the remaining blood on the sides of the altar. Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle them on Aaron and his garments. In this way, he and his garments will become holy, as well as his sons and their garments.”  Exodus 29:20-21 (HCSB)

Atoning for sin is a bloody business. It is ugly, and it involves death. Mankind has a way of excusing its own sin rather than dealing with it head-on. All people in all cultures feel guilt; hence, the removal of guilt is close to the heart of everyone, everywhere.  

The fact that men naturally feel “guilty” testifies that there is a moral law from which to judge right & wrong. If there is a moral law, there must be a moral lawgiver, i.e., God.

The problem is not as much that men don’t know they sin. It is that they overlook their own sin, even while exposing the sins of others. The closer people come to God, the more they feel in touch with/convinced of their “guilt.” Some respond by humbling themselves before the Lord and repenting, while others react in anger and hatred toward Him and His people.

“If the world hates you, understand it hated Me before it hated you.” John 15:18 (HCSB)

From as far back as the Garden of Eden, God prepared a way to atone for or “cover” sin. Remember how God exchanged Adam & Eve’s fig leaf attire for animal skins? Sin kills, so if you do not want the fullness of judgment to fall on you, something (or someone) has to bear your punishment, leading to death. The blood of the sacrifice reminds men of how heinous their sin is. In terms of everlasting atonement, only Jesus’ sacrifice of His sinless life is both affective and effective in bringing about our salvation. His atonement is received when we turn away from our sin and turn to Him, confess our sin, profess our belief in the worth of His sacrifice and Lordship, and commit to following Him. (Acts 4:12)

For Aaron and his sons, the ear was touched with the blood, that it might be consecrated (set apart) to hear the word of God; the hand, to perform the duties connected with the priesthood; and the foot, to walk in the path of righteousness.

All followers of Jesus are called to be “priests” (servants). (1 Peter 2:9) Messiah’s blood consecrates every part of us: ear, hand & foot, and this “consecration” is extended to every member of His kingdom. (Matthew 26:28, Ephesians 1:7, 2:13)

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Exodus 28. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“You are to construct an altar of acacia wood.”  Exodus 27:1 (HCSB)

The Orthodox (non-Messianic) Jewish Rabbis have explained the symbolism of the altar by forming an anagram from each of the four letters spelling the Hebrew word: “Mizbe’ah.” Since few of you read Hebrew, and I don’t know how to make my computer type Hebrew letters, you’ll just have to trust me! Here’s the English translation:

FORGIVENESS: Sin separates us from God. The altar was the channel whereby the Israelites could seek reconciliation with God.  

MERIT: Gratitude, humility, and contrition found their outlet on the altar. By approaching the Lord through virtues, life was ennobled, and “merit” acquired.

BLESSING: By remaining faithful to the teachings centered around the altar, man receives the Lord’s blessing and becomes a blessing to his fellow men.

LIFE: The altar points the way to everlasting life. It directs one’s worship to things that abide forever: righteousness, holiness, and God’s Word.

For men to perpetuate forgiveness, merit, blessing, and life, it was necessary for them to sacrifice prescribed things at prescribed times in a prescribed manner. Problem: The atonement diminished over time. You were only covered until the time for the next sacrifice.

Interestingly, these days, neither of the two tabernacle altars exists. They were replaced by the altars Solomon built for the Temple, and those Solomonic altars have been missing since the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. So, how are one’s sins atoned for today?

We receive forgiveness, merit, blessing, and life when we trust in the Messiah, Jesus. Plus, we have the added bonus: His atoning sacrifice lasts FOREVER.

“We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle do not have the right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy of holies by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp. Therefore, Messiah also suffered outside the gate so He may sanctify the people by His own blood. Let us then go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace. For here we do not have an enduring city; instead, we seek the one to come. Therefore through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that profess His name. Don’t neglect to do good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.”  Hebrews 13:10-16 (HCSB)

“You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you have been shown on the mountain.”  Exodus 26:30 (HCSB)

A tabernacle is a tent. In Biblical imagery, “tabernacle” describes several things.  

The Tabernacle was a portable tent used as a sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant by the Israelites during the Exodus. This is where Moses would go to meet with the Lord. After Moses’ death, only the high priest could enter the innermost “Holy of Holies.”

Another tabernacle is the “sukkah,” a temporary light shelter with a roof of branches built in Jewish homes, yards, or synagogues for the “festival of Tabernacles.” AKA: a “booth,” God commands every Jew to build and live in a sukkah for seven days each year. This is to remember God’s provision and guidance during their 40 years of wandering in the desert. In fact, the Lord desires that all nations celebrate “Sukkot.”

“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” Revelation 21:3 (NKJV) (see also: Zechariah 14:16-19)

Another “Tabernacle” is your own body.  

“Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.” 2 Peter 1:13-14  (NKJV)

Three things come to mind when I consider the Tabernacle:  

The first is the transient nature of tent-dwelling. One who lives in a tent should not become too attached to one location. We should be willing to follow wherever the Lord leads. Our love should be only for the Lord, and our desire should be consumed with wherever He guides.

Second, God’s standard and instructions for setting up a tabernacle are very specific. Those who say they are the Lord’s yet build their lives by their own design fool themselves. Jesus said we should set up our lives by His plan.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”  John 14:15 (HCSB)

Lastly, God’s presence dwells in His Tabernacle.

“Do you not know that your bodies are the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God?”  1 Corinthians 6:19a (HCSB)

“Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the testimony that I will give you into the ark. I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.”  Exodus 25: 21-22 (HCSB)

Grace and Mercy are two independent concepts, yet they work closely together.  

Grace is getting what you don’t deserve. It has been described through the acrostic: G.R.A.C.E.: God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense

Mercy is not getting what you deserve. Think of this acrostic: M.E.R.C.Y.: My Extensive Righteousness Covers You

In the Ark, God’s mercy is positioned on top. It is the arbitrator between His covenant and His law. In that sense, the ark, with its covering & contents, can be viewed as a picture of the Trinity.

The covenant represents Grace, God’s promise: Jesus. The Law represents Justice, His standard revealed: Spirit. Mercy represents the Wisdom of weighing the two, pronouncing judgment: God.

Without mercy, Israel would always be caught in a divine “Catch-22”. Could they rest in God’s promise to their forefathers, or did they have to live up to His perfect standard? God’s mercy provides the balance, His response. Sometimes, His mercy brings about hardship to teach us. Other times, mercy keeps us from the full consequences to encourage us. It is solely His wise judgment that determines His course. That is mercy.

The good news is that Messiah “…is able to protect you from stumbling and make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy.” Jude 1:24  (HCSB)

When Jesus paid our sin debt, it satisfied God’s standard for us. Messiah not only cleared our debt, but He also imputed (deposited) righteousness into our accounts.

When the Lord looks upon a believer in Jesus, He sees only His covenant promise and His law fulfilled. His response to us will be the same as that to His Son, “Well done!”

For those outside Messiah’s covering, the Bible says He reserves the response, “Turn away; I never knew you.”  

Who would reject so great a salvation? (Hebrews 2:3)