Restoration of Sacred, Holy Worship - Day 180 Through the Bible

In the cabin garden beneath "Grandmother's Dream" quilt block, part of the Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina - a gift to the cabin owner from me (designed by the owner/artist and based on a family quilt pattern.)  It is named in honor of his mother (and father) for whom the cabin was built, when they came here from Sweden to live out the last years of their lives near their son and his wife.

My Lessons and Applications from Today's Readings

Restoration of the Ark to Jerusalem / Restoration of Holy Worship to God - 1 Chronicles 23 - 25:31- In the last chapters we followed the disastrous first move and successful second move of the ark back into Jerusalem, back into the temple, back into the Holy of Holies.  Now faithful David does the next obvious thing in obedience to God's Word - he restores the prescribed method of worship.  At one point all male Levites over 30 are numbered (38,0000) to help the priests (from the line of Aaron, also of the tribe of Levi) in carrying out "the work of the house of he LORD."  Later a census of every Levite male over 20 is included in a census.  This is not insignificant.  This is the tribe chosen and sanctified by God to minister before Him; this is the priestly lineage from within this tribe chosen by Almighty God as the only one (represented by the High Priest) who was allowed - once a year - into His presence in the Holy of Holies - and this on the Day of Atonement - the sprinkling of blood to atone for the sins of Israel.  Of special note is the attention to music (and musical instruments made by David) for praise and prophecy.

My Lessons and Applications -  So much of the OT account of this foreshadowed the New Covenant that God would usher in through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His beloved Son on our behalves.  We who believe in God through His Son, Jesus Christ, are His chosen New Covenant people.  (Ephesians 1:4). We are brought into His presence - directly to the very throne of God- not through an earthly High Priest interceding for us once a year, but through our heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, whose death on the Cross tore the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the people, granting us direct access to the Father.  We now have a heavenly High Priest who intercedes for us always at the right Hand of God (Romans 8:34).  We no longer have a Day of Atonement, no longer offer animal sacrifices, as Jesus Christ has paid for our atonement by His blood sacrifice once and for all time (Hebrews 10:12). "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:24)  We no longer worship at a temple; we are the temple, indwelt by the very Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 3:16).  We no longer have an earthly High Priest; we as believers are priests before God(1 Peter 2:5, 9-10).  We are no longer to sacrifice animals before God, but to offer him our bodies and lives as a living sacrifice - Christ having paid our blood sacrifice (Romans 12).  Does my worship and praise honor God or is it for the approbation of men?  Have I offered my life back to God for all He has done for me, for His will, His use in His kingdom work?

God's Intercession / Our Rejection - Psalm 78: 40-55 - "How often they provoked Him...grieved Him...tempted Him...limited Him...did not remember Him...His power...His redeeming them from the enemy...His signs and wonders FOR them.  On their enemies He cast His anger...sent angels of destruction...did not spare their souls from death...gave them over to the plague, overwhelmed them by the sea...destroyed their firstborn.  BUT GOD made His own people to go forth like sheep...HE guided them in the wilderness like a flock...HE led them on safely...so they did not fear...HE brought them to His holy border, to this mountain which HIS right hand had acquired...HE also drove out the nations before them...HE allotted them an inheritance by survey."

My Lessons, Applications, Contemplations How we need these reminders...to "turn our eyes upon Jesus"...to take our focus off of the world, the circumstance that is causing us to fear...to remember... the deep truth and comfort that He is our Good Shepherd.  We hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27)  Whatever path, trial, tragedy, difficulty we are called to suffer...we remember what Jesus went through on earth (Hebrews 12) and what the heroes of the faith endured on this earth (Hebrews 11), so we will not grow weary and lose heart but will continue forward in faith to His glory.

Seeking to Kill Paul / the Growth of the Church - Acts 9 - The tables have turned.  It is now the Jews who are plotting to kill Paul, and the Hellenists also want the great apostle dead.  Paul was secreted away by the other disciples to Caesarea and Tarsus, "then... the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace...and were edified...walking in the fear of the Lord...and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit...and they were multiplied."

My Lessons and Applications - We saw this result with the bold preaching of Peter and Stephen and now through Paul.  When the church has been persecuted and believers dispersed, this leads to the growth of the kingdom, to the purification of the church, to the multiplication of true disciples and to their edification. their peace ("that passes all understanding") in spite of circumstances, their walking in fear (godly love and respect) of the Lord, with the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  Have we as believers been persecuted, mocked, scorned, cast out, forsaken, plotted against?  We are in good and holy company.  Are we making ourselves available to God for multiplying His kingdom work? Through the study of the OT and the NT, we have watched as God shook His people out of the routine of life into a special calling - a sending-out on His mission work.  Is this happening to any of us?

By the miracle of Redemption, Saul of Tarsus was turned in one second from a strong-willed, intense Pharisee into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord Jesus... Many a soul begins to come to God when he flings off being religious, because there is only one Master of the human heart, and that is not religion but Jesus Christ...It is a matter of indifference to God's grace how abominable I am if I come to the light; but woe be to me if I refuse the light. (See John 3:19-21)

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest