Wed.’s Devo - From Wood to Gold

Read Ex. 36:20-34 Throughout the Bible men and kingdoms are symbolized as trees (ex: Exekiel 31). I wonder if these boards represent people or nations in the end that will stand around the throne. They were all held together by silver tenons and sockets. Silver is a picture of grace. The sockets were the basis of building; the strength of the structure depended on the strength of the socket. Tenons means an open hand of power. In the end every nation will stand by grace before the throne and yield all power and allegiance to the one who sits on the throne. (Rev. 9:9-12; 15:4). Bars were made of shittim wood to support the boards. This is the wood that they used to make Jesus’ crown of thorns. Because of the cross, we can stand before God and endure to the end. It is our support. The middle bar was made to shoot through all the boards just as the cross has to have permeated our hearts. We have to have born the cross ourselves to stand before God. Last of all these boards were overlaid with gold. When we embrace the cross then God makes even our sufferings result in wisdom - pure gold. Ps. 43:13,14 talks about the bride of Christ who is clothed in gold and whose clothes are beautiful tapestries. What a picture of these boards that have been pierced but overlaid with gold. Jesus could endure the cross for the joy that awaited him and so can we. Lord, give us kingdom thinking. Renew our minds in You.