Read: Exodus 26:1-27:21; Matthew 25:1-30; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 8:1-11
God gave Moses specific measurements for the curtains of the tabernacle that would be the wall around the outer court. It would be make in a way that could be taken apart and put back together easily. The tabernacle itself was to be covered first with rams’ skins dyed red to represent the blood of Jesus, then with badgers’ skins to represent our natural skin. We see our natural skin, but underneath we are covered with the blood of Jesus that can’t be seen with the natural eye.
The veil between the holy place and the most Holy Place where the ark would be put was make of blue, purple, and scarlet thread with cherubim on it. This was to show that when you entered into the presence of the Lord you were entering the realm of the heavens where angels and God was. Inside the Holy Place was the mercy seat with the two angels and the stone tablets of God’s testimony. We enter into God’s presence to receive mercy and he answers us according to his Word which is our testament of his promise to us.
The same veil would be put on the opening leading into the holy place so the people could see that when we enter into that place we are entering into another realm. In the holy place was the table of shewbread, the altar of incense and the menorah. The table of shewbread is the place where we come and dine with the Lord and eat his bread. We do this when we read his Word or when we commune with him in prayer. The altar of incense represents prayers we do for others. The menorah represents light and revelation we receive by the Holy Spirit to help us understand the things we read and the things we hear. Notice that the people were to bring their own oil to use to keep the menorah lit continually.
That leads us right into Matthew and the parable of the ten virgins. All ten of them were virgins who had access to oil. Oil comes from olives that have been beaten and pressed. Five of the virgins had lamps but no oil. They represent Christians who have the light but have not sacrificed anything for the gospel. They chose to live a safe worldly life. The ones with oil had allowed God to mold and shape them through adversity and suffering. They chose to give up their desires for God’s. You can’t give this to someone, they have to get it themselves. The foolish virgins missed out on Jesus’ coming to take them to the marriage (the rapture). Hopefully they will have oil when he returns the second time.
The second parable has to do with rewards. We have all been given talents and income. What we do with it for the kingdom determines what rewards we will get in the end.
Lord, help us to allow the Holy Spirit to mold and shape us into Your image, not our own.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Wed.’s Devo - Jesus’ Return
Read: Exodus 23:14-25:40; Matthew 24:29-51; Psalm 30:1-12; Proverbs 7:24-27
Every year when I read through the Bible I like to notice different things. This year I am amazed at how much angels are mentioned in the Bible and how involved with us they are. God tells Moses about his feasts that he wants them to celebrate every year then he tells them that an angel would be sent to guard them on their way and bring them into the land He had prepared for them. He tells them not to rebel against this angel or oppose what he does. God said he would also make the nations afraid of them and He would drive out the wild animals as they entered the land.
I can’t help but think that if the Church would be what we are suppose to be on the earth, that the government and leaders of our nation and God’s enemies would fear us and not vice versa. That is what God wants.
Moses, Joshua (his aide), Aaron and his two sons and the seventy elders got to go half way up the mountain and see God in his glory and eat and drink with God. Then Moses and Joshua stayed and they went back to govern the people until Moses returned. Moses went alone the rest of the way up the mountain and got the plans for the tabernacle. He was to make it just like the one in heaven which the Lord showed him. It was scaled down but the dimensions were the same ratio as the real ones in heaven. If we want to know what heaven is like we can look at earth and minus the devil and his work, this is what heaven looks like. It is a kingdom that is powered by worship and praise and blesses all its inhabitants. Everyone uses their gifts and operates to glorify Jesus and God.
In Matthew, we see angels once again that will gather the elect from the earth and in heaven. This will happen when Jesus blows the last trumpet and appears at his second coming in the skies. (We will accompany him.)
Jesus gave several signs that would precipitate his coming but then he gave a parable of the last sign. The sign right before he comes will be the fact that the fig tree is tender and putting forth leaves. The fig tree is Israel so when Israel’s heart is soft and it is manifesting the kingdom of God on the earth then we know that the time is very, very close.
Jesus warns that generation not to get wary of waiting but to stay alert and watching because Jesus will surely come.
Lord, help us to understand the day we are living in and its importance. Help us to stand behind what you are doing in our nation and on the earth. We pray for our leaders both government and spiritual. Help us to bring your kingdom to earth.
Every year when I read through the Bible I like to notice different things. This year I am amazed at how much angels are mentioned in the Bible and how involved with us they are. God tells Moses about his feasts that he wants them to celebrate every year then he tells them that an angel would be sent to guard them on their way and bring them into the land He had prepared for them. He tells them not to rebel against this angel or oppose what he does. God said he would also make the nations afraid of them and He would drive out the wild animals as they entered the land.
I can’t help but think that if the Church would be what we are suppose to be on the earth, that the government and leaders of our nation and God’s enemies would fear us and not vice versa. That is what God wants.
Moses, Joshua (his aide), Aaron and his two sons and the seventy elders got to go half way up the mountain and see God in his glory and eat and drink with God. Then Moses and Joshua stayed and they went back to govern the people until Moses returned. Moses went alone the rest of the way up the mountain and got the plans for the tabernacle. He was to make it just like the one in heaven which the Lord showed him. It was scaled down but the dimensions were the same ratio as the real ones in heaven. If we want to know what heaven is like we can look at earth and minus the devil and his work, this is what heaven looks like. It is a kingdom that is powered by worship and praise and blesses all its inhabitants. Everyone uses their gifts and operates to glorify Jesus and God.
In Matthew, we see angels once again that will gather the elect from the earth and in heaven. This will happen when Jesus blows the last trumpet and appears at his second coming in the skies. (We will accompany him.)
Jesus gave several signs that would precipitate his coming but then he gave a parable of the last sign. The sign right before he comes will be the fact that the fig tree is tender and putting forth leaves. The fig tree is Israel so when Israel’s heart is soft and it is manifesting the kingdom of God on the earth then we know that the time is very, very close.
Jesus warns that generation not to get wary of waiting but to stay alert and watching because Jesus will surely come.
Lord, help us to understand the day we are living in and its importance. Help us to stand behind what you are doing in our nation and on the earth. We pray for our leaders both government and spiritual. Help us to bring your kingdom to earth.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Tues.’s Devo - Justice
Read: Exodus 21:22-23:13; Matthew 24:1-28; Psalm 29:1-11; Proverbs 7:6-23
God gave them very practical laws having to do with their lifestyle but they have very spiritual meaning to us today if you take the time to meditate on them for revelation. One thing we can see about God is that he is concerned about the way we honor one another and show justice and fairness. God wants us to be responsible for what we do to others and pay restitution if we owe them anything. Much of the law reads like the New Testament. Jesus commanded us to love one another and treat others like we want to be treated.
In Matthew, as Jesus was leaving the Temple he looked at the buildings and commented to his disciples that one day all of these stones would be destroyed. His disciples understood he was talking about the end of time. Later, they asked him when it would happen and what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the age.
First, Jesus gave them signs of what would be going on before it all happened. There would be false Messiahs saying they were the one. There would be nations warring with nations, famines and earthquakes, but these were just birth pains. Many Christians would be arrested for their faith and persecuted or martyred. There will be some kind of unclean idol placed on the altar in the Temple. When they see this happen, they need to flee to the hills to be safe.
Many will say Jesus is on the earth but don’t believe it because he will come from the eastern sky like lightning.
Lord, your ways are perfect. Help us to honor one another and be fair in all our dealings.
God gave them very practical laws having to do with their lifestyle but they have very spiritual meaning to us today if you take the time to meditate on them for revelation. One thing we can see about God is that he is concerned about the way we honor one another and show justice and fairness. God wants us to be responsible for what we do to others and pay restitution if we owe them anything. Much of the law reads like the New Testament. Jesus commanded us to love one another and treat others like we want to be treated.
In Matthew, as Jesus was leaving the Temple he looked at the buildings and commented to his disciples that one day all of these stones would be destroyed. His disciples understood he was talking about the end of time. Later, they asked him when it would happen and what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the age.
First, Jesus gave them signs of what would be going on before it all happened. There would be false Messiahs saying they were the one. There would be nations warring with nations, famines and earthquakes, but these were just birth pains. Many Christians would be arrested for their faith and persecuted or martyred. There will be some kind of unclean idol placed on the altar in the Temple. When they see this happen, they need to flee to the hills to be safe.
Many will say Jesus is on the earth but don’t believe it because he will come from the eastern sky like lightning.
Lord, your ways are perfect. Help us to honor one another and be fair in all our dealings.
Monday, February 4, 2019
Mon.’s Devo - The Temple and the Altar
Read: Exodus 19:16-21:21; Matthew 23:13-39; Psalm 281-9; Proverbs 7:1-5
God sounded the shofar louder and louder to call the people to the mountain of Sinai. The mountain was full of smoke and when Moses spoke to the mountain, God answered. Moses went up to talk to God and God sent him back down to warn the people not to try to come up. He told him to put limits around the mountain to keep them off of it. God spoke to the people the Ten Commandments in an audible voice so they could hear. There was also thunder and lightning and trumpets and smoke. It was so terribly frightening that the people begged Moses to tell God not to speak to them like that again. Moses told them not to be afraid because God was only putting his fear in them so they wouldn’t sin.
Then God gave specific instructions about worship to him. They weren’t to make a god of gold or silver or build an altar of stone with steps. God has always been more interested in our humble heart sacrifices than what we can build with our own hands.
Slaves were to be set free the seventh year because the seventh year always stands for the end of time when all will be set free and the earth restored. In the laws about the slaves, God gives the picture of salvation. The slave can choose to lay down his life for his master by piercing his ear to the door with an awl. This is the picture of self-sacrifice. The door is Jesus and the awl is the nail. The man who does this is choosing to lay down his life for the gospel.
Romans 7:14 tells us that the law is spiritual. So all of the laws have spiritual meanings. Being “put to death” means to repent - to die to that sin.
In Matthew, Jesus addressed the same thing God did with Moses. The Scribes and Pharisees valued the gold and the offerings more than the temple and the altar. They had everything backwards. It was the temple and the altar that was the most important but they were too blinded by worldly gain to see spiritual things. God would rather them give justice, mercy, trust than their natural offerings they gave to be seen of men. They were hypocrites who gave only to look good. They killed all the prophets between the Temple and the altar. God sent them to point out their sins but instead they killed them and would eventually kill Jesus too.
God promised to do what our Psalm says, “…tear them down and never build them up again.”
Thank you Lord that you are our strength and fortress of salvation. You bring salvation and blessing to your inheritance.
God sounded the shofar louder and louder to call the people to the mountain of Sinai. The mountain was full of smoke and when Moses spoke to the mountain, God answered. Moses went up to talk to God and God sent him back down to warn the people not to try to come up. He told him to put limits around the mountain to keep them off of it. God spoke to the people the Ten Commandments in an audible voice so they could hear. There was also thunder and lightning and trumpets and smoke. It was so terribly frightening that the people begged Moses to tell God not to speak to them like that again. Moses told them not to be afraid because God was only putting his fear in them so they wouldn’t sin.
Then God gave specific instructions about worship to him. They weren’t to make a god of gold or silver or build an altar of stone with steps. God has always been more interested in our humble heart sacrifices than what we can build with our own hands.
Slaves were to be set free the seventh year because the seventh year always stands for the end of time when all will be set free and the earth restored. In the laws about the slaves, God gives the picture of salvation. The slave can choose to lay down his life for his master by piercing his ear to the door with an awl. This is the picture of self-sacrifice. The door is Jesus and the awl is the nail. The man who does this is choosing to lay down his life for the gospel.
Romans 7:14 tells us that the law is spiritual. So all of the laws have spiritual meanings. Being “put to death” means to repent - to die to that sin.
In Matthew, Jesus addressed the same thing God did with Moses. The Scribes and Pharisees valued the gold and the offerings more than the temple and the altar. They had everything backwards. It was the temple and the altar that was the most important but they were too blinded by worldly gain to see spiritual things. God would rather them give justice, mercy, trust than their natural offerings they gave to be seen of men. They were hypocrites who gave only to look good. They killed all the prophets between the Temple and the altar. God sent them to point out their sins but instead they killed them and would eventually kill Jesus too.
God promised to do what our Psalm says, “…tear them down and never build them up again.”
Thank you Lord that you are our strength and fortress of salvation. You bring salvation and blessing to your inheritance.
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Sun.’s Devo - True Leadership
Read: Exodus 17:8-19:15; Matthew 22:34-23:12; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 6:27-35
As soon as the Lord did the miraculous sign of bringing water from the rock, the devil attacked by way of the Amelekites. As long as Moses held his hands up in surrender to God, they were winning, but as soon as he tired and dropped them, the Amelekites began to win. They propped Moses up on a rock and Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him holding up his arms until they had won the battle. God told Moses to write this down in a book to be remembered and be sure that Joshua hears it because the Amelekites will be completely blocked out of the memory of those on earth.
God wanted Joshua to remember this when he took the people to the Promised Land because he would meet them once again.
Aaron means “light bearer” and Hur means “a cave: white”. The rock Moses stood on was Jesus (1 Co. 10:4) so the picture is that when we stand on the Word of God and on Jesus Christ as our savior, we bring light to the nations and the Lord hides us in his secret place (the cave) where we are safe and secure.
After their victory, Moses met up with his father-in-law, Jethro and wife and two sons. Jethro stayed and observed Moses leadership and how he sat judging the people all day. He explained to Moses that if he kept doing that he would burn out. He needed to delegate his authority to others and train them to do what he did. Moses took his advice and trained 70 men to help him judge the people.
This is the sign of a leader - one who can relinquish power to others and train others to lead.
In the third month from the day they had left Egypt, Moses came to Mt. Sinai. God told them to sanctify themselves because on the next day he was going to speak to them. God would call them together with a blast on the ram’s horn.
In Matthew, the Pharisees asked one more question hoping to trick Jesus up. They asked which commandment was the greatest. He said to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and strength was the most important one, but to love one another was the second. If you do both of these, the other commandments will be followed also.
Then Jesus asked them a question: Whose son would the Messiah be? They always thought that he would be one of David’s sons, but Jesus pointed out that David called God his Lord, not his father. This silenced them for the time. Jesus then turned to talk to the people. He told them that the scribes and Pharisees sat in the seat of authority so they had to do what they said, but they shouldn’t do what they did. He explained that the teachers of the law added so many laws to Moses law that it made it impossible to be righteous by their laws. They did this on purpose, to keep the people under their finger. Everything they did was a show when on the inside they were evil. They loved being called Rabbi but Jesus warned them that they only had one Teacher and one Father in heaven. He called them all brothers on the same plane. The one who humbled himself will be the one that God exalted.
Lord, help us to remember that true promotion starts with humility. Help us to freely pass on to others what you have given us.
As soon as the Lord did the miraculous sign of bringing water from the rock, the devil attacked by way of the Amelekites. As long as Moses held his hands up in surrender to God, they were winning, but as soon as he tired and dropped them, the Amelekites began to win. They propped Moses up on a rock and Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him holding up his arms until they had won the battle. God told Moses to write this down in a book to be remembered and be sure that Joshua hears it because the Amelekites will be completely blocked out of the memory of those on earth.
God wanted Joshua to remember this when he took the people to the Promised Land because he would meet them once again.
Aaron means “light bearer” and Hur means “a cave: white”. The rock Moses stood on was Jesus (1 Co. 10:4) so the picture is that when we stand on the Word of God and on Jesus Christ as our savior, we bring light to the nations and the Lord hides us in his secret place (the cave) where we are safe and secure.
After their victory, Moses met up with his father-in-law, Jethro and wife and two sons. Jethro stayed and observed Moses leadership and how he sat judging the people all day. He explained to Moses that if he kept doing that he would burn out. He needed to delegate his authority to others and train them to do what he did. Moses took his advice and trained 70 men to help him judge the people.
This is the sign of a leader - one who can relinquish power to others and train others to lead.
In the third month from the day they had left Egypt, Moses came to Mt. Sinai. God told them to sanctify themselves because on the next day he was going to speak to them. God would call them together with a blast on the ram’s horn.
In Matthew, the Pharisees asked one more question hoping to trick Jesus up. They asked which commandment was the greatest. He said to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and strength was the most important one, but to love one another was the second. If you do both of these, the other commandments will be followed also.
Then Jesus asked them a question: Whose son would the Messiah be? They always thought that he would be one of David’s sons, but Jesus pointed out that David called God his Lord, not his father. This silenced them for the time. Jesus then turned to talk to the people. He told them that the scribes and Pharisees sat in the seat of authority so they had to do what they said, but they shouldn’t do what they did. He explained that the teachers of the law added so many laws to Moses law that it made it impossible to be righteous by their laws. They did this on purpose, to keep the people under their finger. Everything they did was a show when on the inside they were evil. They loved being called Rabbi but Jesus warned them that they only had one Teacher and one Father in heaven. He called them all brothers on the same plane. The one who humbled himself will be the one that God exalted.
Lord, help us to remember that true promotion starts with humility. Help us to freely pass on to others what you have given us.
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Sat.’s Devo - Constant Complaining
Read: Exodus 15:19-17:7; Matthew 22:1-33; Psalm 27:1-6; Proverbs 6:20-26
The children of Israel grumbled their way through the wilderness. First it was the sea, so God divided it. Next it was the bitter water, so God told Moses to take a certain wood and throw it into the water and the water became sweet so they could drink it. Then, God brought them to Eilim where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped by an abundance of water.
Next, they grumbled that there was no food. So, God brought quail that night and bread rained down from heaven that morning. Moses gave them instructions to just gather enough for the day, but some of them couldn’t trust God past the day and gathered enough for the next day. It was molded by the next day.
On the sixth day they were to gather enough for the next day and it didn’t mold. You would think that they would catch on that God was making the rules and he wanted them to obey them. His way was the only way that would work.
When they ran out of water again, they somehow forgot the Red Sea, the manna, and the quail and the sweet water.
They had just left the wilderness of Sin and were camped at Rephidim and complained with Moses to give them water to drink. God told Moses to take his staff and strike the rock in Horeb. Water burst out from it. God called the place Massah which means “testing” because they tested God by asking if he was with them. And it was called Meribah which means “quarreling” because they quarreled with Moses.
In Matthew, Jesus told the parable of the man not adequately dressed for the wedding. He used it to explain what the religious leaders would face when they tried to enter heaven. They had no idea what the right attire was to enter heaven. The chosen will be robed in righteousness that had been washed in the blood of Jesus.
The Sadducees tried to trick Jesus with a question about a widow and the brothers’ obligation to have children through her for their dead brother. It was a trick question to find out Jesus’ thoughts on resurrection. Of course, Jesus saw straight through their trickery and answered their real question. There would be a resurrection because God is god of the living, not the dead.
Lord, thank you that you are the answer to all of life’s questions. Forgive us for our complaints when we can’t see the answers that you have not brought to our sight yet. Help us to wait expectantly on your wonderful plan.
The children of Israel grumbled their way through the wilderness. First it was the sea, so God divided it. Next it was the bitter water, so God told Moses to take a certain wood and throw it into the water and the water became sweet so they could drink it. Then, God brought them to Eilim where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped by an abundance of water.
Next, they grumbled that there was no food. So, God brought quail that night and bread rained down from heaven that morning. Moses gave them instructions to just gather enough for the day, but some of them couldn’t trust God past the day and gathered enough for the next day. It was molded by the next day.
On the sixth day they were to gather enough for the next day and it didn’t mold. You would think that they would catch on that God was making the rules and he wanted them to obey them. His way was the only way that would work.
When they ran out of water again, they somehow forgot the Red Sea, the manna, and the quail and the sweet water.
They had just left the wilderness of Sin and were camped at Rephidim and complained with Moses to give them water to drink. God told Moses to take his staff and strike the rock in Horeb. Water burst out from it. God called the place Massah which means “testing” because they tested God by asking if he was with them. And it was called Meribah which means “quarreling” because they quarreled with Moses.
In Matthew, Jesus told the parable of the man not adequately dressed for the wedding. He used it to explain what the religious leaders would face when they tried to enter heaven. They had no idea what the right attire was to enter heaven. The chosen will be robed in righteousness that had been washed in the blood of Jesus.
The Sadducees tried to trick Jesus with a question about a widow and the brothers’ obligation to have children through her for their dead brother. It was a trick question to find out Jesus’ thoughts on resurrection. Of course, Jesus saw straight through their trickery and answered their real question. There would be a resurrection because God is god of the living, not the dead.
Lord, thank you that you are the answer to all of life’s questions. Forgive us for our complaints when we can’t see the answers that you have not brought to our sight yet. Help us to wait expectantly on your wonderful plan.
Friday, February 1, 2019
Fri.’s Devo - Final Deliverance
Read: Exodus 13:17-15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12; Proverbs 6:16-19
Moses and the people left Egypt fully armed and carrying Joseph’s bones with them. God didn’t want to lead them through the land of the Philistines since they weren’t trained for warfare so he led them to the Red Sea.
Pharaoh woke up to the realization that he had let his whole slave labor force leave freely and changed his mind. He gathered all his horses and chariots and went after them.
When Israel saw them they panicked and started blaming Moses for taking them out of slavery into this. (How quickly we forget the sorrow and pain of our lives before God.) God told Moses to lift his staff over the sea and believe. The angel of God who had been leading them went behind them and became a column of thick cloud which made darkness on the Egyptian side and light on the Israelite side. The waters of the Nile split and formed a wall on both sides so the people could walk across on dry land. When the morning came and the Egyptians could see, they followed them across the dry path. When they got to the middle, Moses stretched forth his rod and the waters drown all the Egyptians in the sea.
Moses taught them a song of deliverance to remember this miraculous event and to praise God with.
In Matthew, the Pharisees wanted to know who gave Jesus the authority to heal and do all the miraculous things he did. He tested them with a question. He asked them if John’s baptism was from him or God. If they gave God the glory then he would be able to share spiritual things with them but since they were not willing to do that, Jesus was not willing to cast his pearls before swine.
Then, Jesus gave them two parables that illustrated this. The parables were about them. They were the son who said he would do what the father wanted him to do, but when it came down to obeying, he chose not to. They were the evil tenants over the synagogue and the responsibility to teach the Torah to the people. Instead they taught their own doctrine and took over God’s place. They were about to kill the son, but the Father would give them their due. They wanted to arrest Jesus right then, but they knew the crowds believed Jesus to be a prophet so they waited.
Lord, help us to be willing to obey and freely give out what you have freely given to us.
Moses and the people left Egypt fully armed and carrying Joseph’s bones with them. God didn’t want to lead them through the land of the Philistines since they weren’t trained for warfare so he led them to the Red Sea.
Pharaoh woke up to the realization that he had let his whole slave labor force leave freely and changed his mind. He gathered all his horses and chariots and went after them.
When Israel saw them they panicked and started blaming Moses for taking them out of slavery into this. (How quickly we forget the sorrow and pain of our lives before God.) God told Moses to lift his staff over the sea and believe. The angel of God who had been leading them went behind them and became a column of thick cloud which made darkness on the Egyptian side and light on the Israelite side. The waters of the Nile split and formed a wall on both sides so the people could walk across on dry land. When the morning came and the Egyptians could see, they followed them across the dry path. When they got to the middle, Moses stretched forth his rod and the waters drown all the Egyptians in the sea.
Moses taught them a song of deliverance to remember this miraculous event and to praise God with.
In Matthew, the Pharisees wanted to know who gave Jesus the authority to heal and do all the miraculous things he did. He tested them with a question. He asked them if John’s baptism was from him or God. If they gave God the glory then he would be able to share spiritual things with them but since they were not willing to do that, Jesus was not willing to cast his pearls before swine.
Then, Jesus gave them two parables that illustrated this. The parables were about them. They were the son who said he would do what the father wanted him to do, but when it came down to obeying, he chose not to. They were the evil tenants over the synagogue and the responsibility to teach the Torah to the people. Instead they taught their own doctrine and took over God’s place. They were about to kill the son, but the Father would give them their due. They wanted to arrest Jesus right then, but they knew the crowds believed Jesus to be a prophet so they waited.
Lord, help us to be willing to obey and freely give out what you have freely given to us.
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