February 20th, 2010

A comment or two about my last post.
I’ve been reading in the OT about making and furnishing of the tabernacle (henceforth referred to as TB). The instructions to make the TB are specific and daunting. Every item in the process is described, the materials, the size, detailing. IT is all there. Every curtain, lampstand and curtain rod are described. The craftsmanship needed to make this was inspired, I mean that literally. God gave the skills to the craftsman (exodus 35:30). Before I got to that verse I was wondering how they were going to be able to make all this stuff so beautifully and intricately carved and forged. The linens were fine and intricately woven. All of it from the rings to hold up the curtains to the cheribum on top of the ark were to be masterpieces. Why? Why all of this when it is in the desert and going to be taken down and moved now and then? Why make a building that contains more than of metric ton of gold and then move it around?
At the same time I am reading about the days leading up to the crucifiction of Christ in the New Testament. The account in Matthew focuses on Christ. His comments about how what is to come will fulfill scripture. When he is praying in the garden and the disciples keep falling asleep. What he is going through as he seeks to do the will of his father.
While I was reading I was thinking about this blog. What can I write about? What is this teaching me about me? That is when I realized that it wasn’t about me! I mean it was because Christ’s dying saved me but it wasn’t in that it is about how Holy God is. God is Holy! All that gold and silver, purple and scarlet linen, curtains and posts and rods was about God. He is SO Holy that even the most beautiful structure can only imitate His holiness. Protecting the people with the curtains, shielding them from God was because he is too Holy to be seen by them. He left HEAVEN to be in a DESERT to be with his people! All that fold and adornment wasn’t to show off but because he is unimaginably Holy. Something of which we cannot wholly conceive.
Nowadays churches spend their time and energy to become “more relevant”. Offer convenient worship times so that we do not need to be put upon. Send the teens to youth groups where we capture their attention with loud music and games. We have multipurpose churches so we do not need to be bored there or our pastors put on performance each week instead of just talking to us about God. He is Holy enough without all this. He is relevant without all of this. He can bring his message to us without the bands, cafes and worship teams. I know there are a million surveys, studies and whatever that prove we need these things to reach the masses but seriously I think we need a rethink.