We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.[Luke 24:21]
Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources— I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means “I must have it at once.” Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today “the third day” and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.
We look for visions from heaven and for earth-shaking events to see God’s power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.---------------------
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS:
The great point of Abraham’s faith in God was that he was prepared to do anything for God.
[Not Knowing Whither]
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Luke 24:21 And we had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Isra’el! Besides all that, today is the third day since these things happened;
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Bible in One Year: Leviticus 1:1 Adonai called to Moshe and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, 2 “Speak to the people of Isra’el; say to them, ‘When any of you brings an offering to Adonai, you may bring your animal offering either from the herd or from the flock. 3 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he must offer a male without defect. He is to bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, so that it can be accepted by Adonai. 4 He is to lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 5 He is to slaughter the young bull before Adonai ; and the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to present the blood. They are to splash the blood against all sides of the altar, which is by the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it in pieces. 7 The descendants of Aharon the cohen are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 The sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to arrange the pieces, the head and the fat on the wood which is on the fire on the altar. 9 He is to wash the entrails and lower parts of the legs with water, and the cohen is to cause all of it to go up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.
10 “‘If his offering is from the flock, whether from the sheep or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he must offer a male without defect. 11 He is to slaughter it on the north side of the altar before Adonai; and the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to splash its blood against all sides of the altar. 12 He is to cut it into pieces, and the cohen is to arrange them with the head and fat on the wood which is on the fire on the altar. 13 He is to wash the entrails and lower parts of the legs with water; and the cohen is to offer it all and make it go up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.
(ii) 14 “‘If his offering to Adonai is a burnt offering of birds, he must offer a dove or a young pigeon. 15 The cohen is to bring it to the altar, snap off its head and make it go up in smoke on the altar; its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 He is to remove the food pouch and its feathers from its neck and discard it on the pile of ashes just east of the altar. 17 He is to pull it open with a wing on each side, but without tearing it in half. The cohen is to make it go up in smoke on the altar, on the wood which is on the fire, as a burnt offering; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.
2:1 “‘Anyone who brings a grain offering to Adonai is to make his offering of fine flour; he is to pour olive oil on it and put frankincense on it. 2 He is to bring it to the sons of Aharon, the cohanim. The cohen is to take a handful of fine flour from it, together with its olive oil and all its frankincense, and make this reminder portion go up in smoke on the altar as an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai. 3 But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aharon and his sons; it is an especially holy part of the offerings for Adonai made by fire.
4 “‘When you bring a grain offering which has been baked in the oven, it is to consist of either unleavened cakes made of fine flour mixed with olive oil or matzah spread with olive oil. 5 If your offering is a grain offering cooked on a griddle, it is to consist of unleavened fine flour mixed with olive oil; 6 you are to break it in pieces and pour olive oil on it — it is a grain offering. (iii) 7 If your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pot, it is to consist of fine flour with olive oil.
8 “‘You are to bring the grain offering prepared in any of these ways to Adonai ; it is to be presented to the cohen, and he is to bring it to the altar. 9 The cohen is to remove the reminder portion of the grain offering and make it go up in smoke on the altar as an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai. 10 But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aharon and his sons; it is an especially holy part of the offerings for Adonai made by fire.
11 “‘No grain offering that you bring to Adonai is to be made with leaven, because you are not to cause any leaven or honey to go up in smoke as an offering made by fire to Adonai.12 As an offering of firstfruits you may bring these to Adonai, but they are not to be brought up onto the altar to make a fragrant aroma. 13 You are to season every grain offering of yours with salt — do not omit from your grain offering the salt of the covenant with your God, but offer salt with all your offerings.
14 “‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to Adonai, you are to bring as the grain offering from your firstfruits kernels of grain from fresh ears, dry-roasted with fire. 15 Put olive oil on it, and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The cohen is to cause the reminder portion of it, its grits and olive oil, with all its frankincense, to go up in smoke; it is an offering made by fire for Adonai.
3:1 (iv) “‘If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, then, if he offers before Adonai an animal from the herd, then, no matter whether it is male or female, it must be without defect. 2 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to splash the blood against all sides of the altar. 3 He is to present the sacrifice of the peace offerings as an offering made by fire to Adonai; it is to consist of the fat covering the inner organs, all the fat above the inner organs, 4 the two kidneys, the fat on them near the flanks, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 5 Aharon’s sons will make it go up in smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering which is on the wood on the fire; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.
6 “‘If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Adonai is from the flock, then, when he offers it, no matter whether it is male or female, it must be without defect. 7 If he brings a lamb for his offering, then he is to present it before Adonai. 8 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aharon are to splash its blood against all sides of the altar. 9 From the sacrifices made as peace offerings, he is to present Adonai with an offering made by fire; it is to consist of its fat, the entire fat tail, which he will remove close to the lower backbone, the fat covering the inner organs, all the fat above the inner organs, 10 the two kidneys, the fat on them near the flanks, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 11 Thecohen will make it go up in smoke on the altar; it is food, an offering made by fire toAdonai.
12 “‘If his offering is a goat, then he is to present it before Adonai. 13 He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aharon are to splash its blood against all sides of the altar. 14 He is to present from it his offering, an offering made by fire to Adonai ; it is to consist of the fat covering the inner organs, all the fat above the inner organs, 15 the two kidneys, the fat on them near the flanks, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 16 The cohen will make them go up in smoke on the altar; it is food, an offering made by fire to be a fragrant aroma; all the fat belongs to Adonai. 17 It is to be a permanent regulation through all your generations wherever you live that you will eat neither fat nor blood.’”
Matthew 24:1 As Yeshua left the Temple and was going away, his talmidim came and called his attention to its buildings. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these? Yes! I tell you, they will be totally destroyed — not a single stone will be left standing!”
3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the talmidim came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that you are coming, and that the ‘olam hazeh is ending?”
4 Yeshua replied: “Watch out! Don’t let anyone fool you! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. 6 You will hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off; see to it that you don’t become frightened. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come. 7 For peoples will fight each other, nations will fight each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world; 8 all this is but the beginning of the ‘birth-pains.’ 9 At that time you will be arrested and handed over to be punished and put to death, and all peoples will hate you because of me. 10 At that time many will be trapped into betraying and hating each other,11 many false prophets will appear and fool many people; 12 and many people’s love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah. 13 But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered. 14 And this Good News about the Kingdom will be announced throughout the whole world as a witness to all the Goyim. It is then that the end will come.
15 “So when you see the abomination that causes devastation spoken about through the prophet Dani’el standing in the Holy Place”[Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11] (let the reader understand the allusion),16 “that will be the time for those in Y’hudah to escape to the hills. 17 If someone is on the roof, he must not go down to gather his belongings from his house; 18 if someone is in the field, he must not turn back to get his coat. 19 What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or onShabbat. 21 For there will be trouble then worse than there has ever been from the beginning of the world until now, and there will be nothing like it again![Matthew 24:21 Joel 2:2, Daniel 12:1] 22 Indeed, if the length of this time had not been limited, no one would survive; but for the sake of those who have been chosen, its length will be limited.
23 “At that time, if someone says to you, ‘Look! Here’s the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ don’t believe him. 24 For there will appear false Messiahs and false prophets performing great miracles — amazing things! — so as to fool even the chosen, if possible. 25 There! I have told you in advance! 26 So if people say to you, ‘Listen! He’s out in the desert!’ don’t go; or, ‘Look! He’s hidden away in a secret room!’ don’t believe it. 27 For when the Son of Man does come, it will be like lightning that flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon. 28 Wherever there’s a dead body, that’s where you find the vultures.
3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the talmidim came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that you are coming, and that the ‘olam hazeh is ending?”
4 Yeshua replied: “Watch out! Don’t let anyone fool you! 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. 6 You will hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off; see to it that you don’t become frightened. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come. 7 For peoples will fight each other, nations will fight each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world; 8 all this is but the beginning of the ‘birth-pains.’ 9 At that time you will be arrested and handed over to be punished and put to death, and all peoples will hate you because of me. 10 At that time many will be trapped into betraying and hating each other,11 many false prophets will appear and fool many people; 12 and many people’s love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah. 13 But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered. 14 And this Good News about the Kingdom will be announced throughout the whole world as a witness to all the Goyim. It is then that the end will come.
15 “So when you see the abomination that causes devastation spoken about through the prophet Dani’el standing in the Holy Place”[Matthew 24:15 Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11] (let the reader understand the allusion),16 “that will be the time for those in Y’hudah to escape to the hills. 17 If someone is on the roof, he must not go down to gather his belongings from his house; 18 if someone is in the field, he must not turn back to get his coat. 19 What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that you will not have to escape in winter or onShabbat. 21 For there will be trouble then worse than there has ever been from the beginning of the world until now, and there will be nothing like it again![Matthew 24:21 Joel 2:2, Daniel 12:1] 22 Indeed, if the length of this time had not been limited, no one would survive; but for the sake of those who have been chosen, its length will be limited.
23 “At that time, if someone says to you, ‘Look! Here’s the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ don’t believe him. 24 For there will appear false Messiahs and false prophets performing great miracles — amazing things! — so as to fool even the chosen, if possible. 25 There! I have told you in advance! 26 So if people say to you, ‘Listen! He’s out in the desert!’ don’t go; or, ‘Look! He’s hidden away in a secret room!’ don’t believe it. 27 For when the Son of Man does come, it will be like lightning that flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon. 28 Wherever there’s a dead body, that’s where you find the vultures.
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Saturday, February 6, 2016
THE UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST Daily Devotional by Oswald Chambers of Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom "Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering? (2)" for Saturday,
February 6, 2016
February 6, 2016
I am already being poured out as a drink offering…[2 Timothy 4:6]
Are you ready to be poured out as an offering? It is an act of your will, not your emotions. Tell God you are ready to be offered as a sacrifice for Him. Then accept the consequences as they come, without any complaints, in spite of what God may send your way. God sends you through a crisis in private, where no other person can help you. From the outside your life may appear to be the same, but the difference is taking place in your will. Once you have experienced the crisis in your will, you will take no thought of the cost when it begins to affect you externally. If you don’t deal with God on the level of your will first, the result will be only to arouse sympathy for yourself.
“Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar” (Psalm 118:27). You must be willing to be placed on the altar and go through the fire; willing to experience what the altar represents— burning, purification, and separation for only one purpose— theelimination of every desire and affection not grounded in or directed toward God. But youdon’t eliminate it, God does. You “bind the sacrifice…to the horns of the altar” and see to it that you don’t wallow in self-pity once the fire begins. After you have gone through the fire, there will be nothing that will be able to trouble or depress you. When another crisis arises, you will realize that things cannot touch you as they used to do. What fire lies ahead in your life?
Tell God you are ready to be poured out as an offering, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be.---------------------
We are apt to think that everything that happens to us is to be turned into useful teaching; it is to be turned into something better than teaching, viz. into character. We shall find that the spheres God brings us into are not meant to teach us something but to make us something.[The Love of God—The Ministry of the Unnoticed, 664 L]
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2 Timothy 4:6 For as for me, I am already being poured out on the altar; yes, the time for my departure has arrived.
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Bible in One Year: Exodus 39:1 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; and they made the holy garments for Aharon, as Adonai had ordered Moshe. (RY: v, LY: ii) 2 He made the ritual vest of gold, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely woven linen. 3 They hammered the gold into thin plates and cut them into threads in order to work it into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and the fine linen crafted by the skilled artisan. 4 They made shoulder-pieces for it, joined together; they were joined together at the two ends. 5 The decorated belt on the vest, used to fasten it, was of the same workmanship and materials — gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely twined linen — as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 6 They worked the onyx stones, mounted in gold settings, engraving them with the names of the sons of Isra’el as they would be engraved on a seal. 7 Then he put them on the shoulder-pieces of the vest to be stones calling to mind the sons of Isra’el, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
8 He made the breastplate; it was crafted by a skilled artisan and made like the work of the ritual vest — of gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen. 9 When folded double, the breastplate was square — doubled, it was a hand-span by a hand-span.10 They set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald;11 the second row a green feldspar, a sapphire and a diamond; 12 the third row an orange zircon, an agate and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They were mounted in settings of gold. 14 The stones corresponded to the names of the twelve sons of Isra’el; they were engraved with their names as a seal would be engraved, each name representing one of the twelve tribes.
15 On the breastplate they made two pure gold chains, twisted like cords. 16 Also for the breastplate they made two settings of gold and two gold rings, and they put the two rings at the two ends of the breastplate. 17 They put the two twisted gold chains in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate 18 and attached the other two ends of the twisted chains to the front of the shoulder-pieces of the ritual vest. 19 They also made two gold rings and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, at its edge, on the side facing in toward the vest. 20 Also they made two gold rings and attached them low on the front part of the vest’s shoulder-pieces, near the join, above the vest’s decorated belt. 21 Then they bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the vest with a blue cord, so that it could be on the vest’s decorated belt, and so that the breastplate would not swing loose from the vest — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(RY: vi, LY: iii) 22 He made the robe for the ritual vest; it was woven entirely of blue, 23 with its opening in the middle, like that of a coat of mail, and with a border around the opening, so that it wouldn’t tear. 24 On the bottom hem they made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet, and woven linen; 25 and they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all the way around the hem of the robe — between the pomegranates, 26 that is, bell, pomegranate, bell, pomegranate, all the way around the hem of the robe for service — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
27 They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aharon and his sons, 28 the turban of fine linen, the splendid headgear of fine linen, the linen shorts, 29 and the sash of finely woven linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, the work of a weaver in colors — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
30 They made the ornament for the holy turban of pure gold; wrote on it the words, “Set apart for Adonai,” like the engraving on a seal; 31 and tied a blue cord on it to fasten it to the front of the turban — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
32 Thus all the work for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished, with the people of Isra’el doing everything exactly as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(LY: iv) 33 Then they brought the tabernacle to Moshe — the tent and all its furnishings, clasps, planks, crossbars, posts and sockets; 34 the covering of tanned ram skins, the covering of fine leather and the curtain for the screen; 35 the ark for the testimony, its poles and the ark-cover; 36 the table, all its utensils and the showbread; 37 the puremenorah, its lamps and their arrangement for display, its accessories and the oil for the light; 38 the gold altar; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altar with its bronze grate, poles and all its utensils; the basin with its base; 40 the tapestries for the courtyard, with their posts and sockets; the screen for the entrance to the courtyard, with its ropes and tent pegs; all the utensils for the service in the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41 the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; the holy garments for Aharon the cohen; and the garments for his sons to serve in the office of cohen.
42 The people of Isra’el did all the work just as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 43 Moshe saw all the work, and — there it was! — they had done it! Exactly as Adonai had ordered, they had done it. And Moshe blessed them.
40:1 (RY: vii, LY: v) Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “On the first day of the first month, you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 3 Put in it the ark for the testimony, and conceal the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table, and arrange its display. Bring in the menorah, and light its lamps. 5 Set the gold altar for incense in front of the ark for the testimony, and set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 6 Place the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 7 Set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard all the way around, and hang up the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.
9 “Take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it — consecrate it with all its furnishings; then it will be holy. 10 Anoint the altar for burnt offerings with all its utensils — consecrate the altar; then the altar will be especially holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its base, and consecrate it.
12 “Then bring Aharon and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 Put the holy garments on Aharon, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve me in the office of cohen. 14 Bring his sons, put tunics on them, 15 and anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me in the office of cohen. Their anointing will signify that the office of cohen is theirs through all their generations.”
16 Moshe did this — he acted in accordance with everything Adonai had ordered him to do.
(LY: vi) 17 On the first day of the first month of the second year, the tabernacle was set up.18 Moshe erected the tabernacle, put its sockets in place, put up its planks, put in its crossbars and set up its posts. 19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above it, as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 20 He took and put the testimony inside the ark, put the poles on the ark, and set the ark-cover above, on the ark.21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, set up the curtain as a screen and concealed the ark for the testimony, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
22 He put the table in the tent of meeting on the side of the tabernacle facing north, outside the curtain. 23 He arranged a row of bread on it before Adonai, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
24 He put the menorah in the tent of meeting across from the table, on the side of the tabernacle facing south. 25 Then he lit the lamps before Adonai, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
26 He set the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned on it incense made from aromatic spices, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(LY: vii) 28 He set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 The altar for burnt offerings he placed at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 so that Moshe and Aharon and his sons could wash their hands and feet there — 32 so that they could wash when entering the tent of meeting and when approaching the altar, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
33 Finally, he erected the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar and set up the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.
(Maftir) 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Adonai filled the tabernacle. 35 Moshe was unable to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud remained on it, and the glory of Adonai filled the tabernacle.
36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Isra’el continued with all their travels. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not travel onward until the day when it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of Adonai was above the tabernacle during the day, and fire was in [the cloud] at night, so that all the house of Isra’el could see it throughout all their travels.
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You pay your tithes of mint, dill and cumin; but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah — justice, mercy, trust. These are the things you should have attended to — without neglecting the others!24 Blind guides! — straining out a gnat, meanwhile swallowing a camel!
25 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Parush! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may be clean too.
27 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and all kinds of rottenness. 28 Likewise, you appear to people from the outside to be good and honest, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and far from Torah.
29 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the tzaddikim, 30 and you say, ‘Had we lived when our fathers did, we would never have taken part in killing the prophets.’ 31 In this you testify against yourselves that you are worthy descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead then, finish what your fathers started!
33 “You snakes! Sons of snakes! How can you escape being condemned to Gei-Hinnom?34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and Torah-teachers — some of them you will kill, indeed, you will have them executed on stakes as criminals; some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so, on you will fall the guilt for all the innocent blood that has ever been shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Hevel to the blood of Z’kharyah Ben-Berekhyah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar. 36 Yes! I tell you that all this will fall on this generation!
37 “Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 38 Look! God is abandoning your house to you, leaving it desolate.[Matthew 23:38 Jeremiah 22:5] 39 For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai.’”[Matthew 23:39 Psalm 118:26]--------------------
8 He made the breastplate; it was crafted by a skilled artisan and made like the work of the ritual vest — of gold; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; and finely woven linen. 9 When folded double, the breastplate was square — doubled, it was a hand-span by a hand-span.10 They set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a carnelian, a topaz and an emerald;11 the second row a green feldspar, a sapphire and a diamond; 12 the third row an orange zircon, an agate and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They were mounted in settings of gold. 14 The stones corresponded to the names of the twelve sons of Isra’el; they were engraved with their names as a seal would be engraved, each name representing one of the twelve tribes.
15 On the breastplate they made two pure gold chains, twisted like cords. 16 Also for the breastplate they made two settings of gold and two gold rings, and they put the two rings at the two ends of the breastplate. 17 They put the two twisted gold chains in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate 18 and attached the other two ends of the twisted chains to the front of the shoulder-pieces of the ritual vest. 19 They also made two gold rings and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, at its edge, on the side facing in toward the vest. 20 Also they made two gold rings and attached them low on the front part of the vest’s shoulder-pieces, near the join, above the vest’s decorated belt. 21 Then they bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the vest with a blue cord, so that it could be on the vest’s decorated belt, and so that the breastplate would not swing loose from the vest — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(RY: vi, LY: iii) 22 He made the robe for the ritual vest; it was woven entirely of blue, 23 with its opening in the middle, like that of a coat of mail, and with a border around the opening, so that it wouldn’t tear. 24 On the bottom hem they made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet, and woven linen; 25 and they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all the way around the hem of the robe — between the pomegranates, 26 that is, bell, pomegranate, bell, pomegranate, all the way around the hem of the robe for service — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
27 They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aharon and his sons, 28 the turban of fine linen, the splendid headgear of fine linen, the linen shorts, 29 and the sash of finely woven linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, the work of a weaver in colors — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
30 They made the ornament for the holy turban of pure gold; wrote on it the words, “Set apart for Adonai,” like the engraving on a seal; 31 and tied a blue cord on it to fasten it to the front of the turban — as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
32 Thus all the work for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was finished, with the people of Isra’el doing everything exactly as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(LY: iv) 33 Then they brought the tabernacle to Moshe — the tent and all its furnishings, clasps, planks, crossbars, posts and sockets; 34 the covering of tanned ram skins, the covering of fine leather and the curtain for the screen; 35 the ark for the testimony, its poles and the ark-cover; 36 the table, all its utensils and the showbread; 37 the puremenorah, its lamps and their arrangement for display, its accessories and the oil for the light; 38 the gold altar; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altar with its bronze grate, poles and all its utensils; the basin with its base; 40 the tapestries for the courtyard, with their posts and sockets; the screen for the entrance to the courtyard, with its ropes and tent pegs; all the utensils for the service in the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41 the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; the holy garments for Aharon the cohen; and the garments for his sons to serve in the office of cohen.
42 The people of Isra’el did all the work just as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 43 Moshe saw all the work, and — there it was! — they had done it! Exactly as Adonai had ordered, they had done it. And Moshe blessed them.
40:1 (RY: vii, LY: v) Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “On the first day of the first month, you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 3 Put in it the ark for the testimony, and conceal the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table, and arrange its display. Bring in the menorah, and light its lamps. 5 Set the gold altar for incense in front of the ark for the testimony, and set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 6 Place the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 7 Set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard all the way around, and hang up the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.
9 “Take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it — consecrate it with all its furnishings; then it will be holy. 10 Anoint the altar for burnt offerings with all its utensils — consecrate the altar; then the altar will be especially holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its base, and consecrate it.
12 “Then bring Aharon and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 Put the holy garments on Aharon, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve me in the office of cohen. 14 Bring his sons, put tunics on them, 15 and anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me in the office of cohen. Their anointing will signify that the office of cohen is theirs through all their generations.”
16 Moshe did this — he acted in accordance with everything Adonai had ordered him to do.
(LY: vi) 17 On the first day of the first month of the second year, the tabernacle was set up.18 Moshe erected the tabernacle, put its sockets in place, put up its planks, put in its crossbars and set up its posts. 19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above it, as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 20 He took and put the testimony inside the ark, put the poles on the ark, and set the ark-cover above, on the ark.21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, set up the curtain as a screen and concealed the ark for the testimony, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
22 He put the table in the tent of meeting on the side of the tabernacle facing north, outside the curtain. 23 He arranged a row of bread on it before Adonai, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
24 He put the menorah in the tent of meeting across from the table, on the side of the tabernacle facing south. 25 Then he lit the lamps before Adonai, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
26 He set the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned on it incense made from aromatic spices, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(LY: vii) 28 He set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 The altar for burnt offerings he placed at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 so that Moshe and Aharon and his sons could wash their hands and feet there — 32 so that they could wash when entering the tent of meeting and when approaching the altar, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
33 Finally, he erected the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar and set up the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.
(Maftir) 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Adonai filled the tabernacle. 35 Moshe was unable to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud remained on it, and the glory of Adonai filled the tabernacle.
36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Isra’el continued with all their travels. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not travel onward until the day when it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of Adonai was above the tabernacle during the day, and fire was in [the cloud] at night, so that all the house of Isra’el could see it throughout all their travels.
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!
Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You pay your tithes of mint, dill and cumin; but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah — justice, mercy, trust. These are the things you should have attended to — without neglecting the others!24 Blind guides! — straining out a gnat, meanwhile swallowing a camel!
25 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Parush! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may be clean too.
27 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and all kinds of rottenness. 28 Likewise, you appear to people from the outside to be good and honest, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and far from Torah.
29 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the tzaddikim, 30 and you say, ‘Had we lived when our fathers did, we would never have taken part in killing the prophets.’ 31 In this you testify against yourselves that you are worthy descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead then, finish what your fathers started!
33 “You snakes! Sons of snakes! How can you escape being condemned to Gei-Hinnom?34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and Torah-teachers — some of them you will kill, indeed, you will have them executed on stakes as criminals; some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so, on you will fall the guilt for all the innocent blood that has ever been shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Hevel to the blood of Z’kharyah Ben-Berekhyah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar. 36 Yes! I tell you that all this will fall on this generation!
37 “Yerushalayim! Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets! You stone those who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you refused! 38 Look! God is abandoning your house to you, leaving it desolate.[Matthew 23:38 Jeremiah 22:5] 39 For I tell you, from now on, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai.’”[Matthew 23:39 Psalm 118:26]--------------------
THE UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST Daily Devotional by Oswald Chambers of Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom "Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering? (1)" for Friday, February 5, 2016
If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.[Philippians 2:17]
Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer—to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, “I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don’t want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, ‘Well done.’ ”
It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people’s feet. God’s purpose may be to teach you to say, “I know how to be abased…” (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket— to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted— not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.---------------------
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS:If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.[Philippians 2:17]
Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer—to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, “I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don’t want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, ‘Well done.’ ”
It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people’s feet. God’s purpose may be to teach you to say, “I know how to be abased…” (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket— to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted— not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.---------------------
The great point of Abraham’s faith in God was that he was prepared to do anything for God. [Not Knowing Whither, 903 R]
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Philippians 2:17 Indeed, even if my lifeblood is poured out as a drink offering over the sacrifice and service of your faith, I will still be glad and rejoice with you all.
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2 Moshe summoned B’tzal’el, Oholi’av and every craftsman to whom Adonai had given wisdom, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come and take part in the work. 3 They received from Moshe all the offering which the people of Isra’el had brought for the work of building the sanctuary. But they still kept bringing voluntary offerings every morning,4 until all the craftsmen doing the work for the sanctuary left the work they were involved with 5 to tell Moshe, “The people are bringing far more than is needed to do the workAdonai has ordered done.” 6 So Moshe gave an order which was proclaimed throughout the camp: “Neither men nor women are to make any further efforts for the sanctuary offering.” In this way, the people were restrained from making additional contributions.7 For what they had already was not only sufficient for doing all the work, but too much!
(LY: iv) 8 All the skilled men among them who did the work made the tabernacle, using ten sheets of finely woven linen and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn. He made them withk’ruvim worked in that had been crafted by a skilled artisan. 9 Each sheet was forty-two feet long and six feet wide; all the sheets were the same size. 10 He joined five sheets one to another, and the other five sheets he joined one to another. 11 He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost sheet in the first set and did the same on the edge of the outermost sheet in the second set. 12 He made fifty loops on the one sheet, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the sheet in the second set; the loops were opposite one another. 13 He made fifty fasteners of gold and coupled the sheets to each other with the fasteners, so that the tabernacle formed a single unit.
14 He made sheets of goat’s hair to be used as a tent covering the tabernacle; he made eleven sheets. 15 Each sheet was forty-five feet long and six feet wide; all eleven sheets were the same size. 16 He joined five sheets together and six sheets together. 17 He made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost sheet in the first set and fifty loops on the outermost sheet in the second set. 18 He made fifty fasteners of bronze to join the tent together, so that it would be a single unit.
19 He made a covering for the tent of tanned ram skins and an outer covering of fine leather.
(LY: v) 20 He made the upright planks of acacia-wood for the tabernacle. 21 Each plank was fifteen feet long and two-and-a-quarter feet wide. 22 There were two projections on each plank, and the planks were joined one to another. This is how he made all the planks for the tabernacle.
23 He made the planks for the tabernacle as follows: twenty planks for the south side, facing southward. 24 He made forty silver sockets under the twenty planks, two sockets under one plank for its two projections and two sockets under another plank for its two projections. 25 For the second side of the tabernacle, to the north, he made twenty planks26 and their forty silver sockets, two sockets under one plank and two under another.27 For the rear part of the tabernacle, toward the west, he made six planks. 28 For the corners of the tabernacle in the rear he made two planks, 29 double from the bottom all the way to the top but joined at a single ring. He did the same with both of them at the two corners. 30 Thus there were eight planks with their silver sockets, sixteen sockets, two sockets under each plank.
31 He made crossbars of acacia-wood, five for the planks of the one side of the tabernacle, 32 five crossbars for the planks of the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the planks at the side of the tabernacle at the rear toward the west. 33 He made the middle crossbar so that it extended from one end of the planks to the other, halfway up. 34 He overlaid the planks with gold, made gold rings for them through which the crossbars could pass and overlaid the crossbars with gold.
35 He made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely woven linen. He made them with k’ruvim worked in that had been crafted by a skilled artisan. 36 He made for it four posts of acacia-wood and overlaid them with gold, and gold hooks; and cast for them four silver sockets.
37 For the entrance to the tent he made a screen of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely woven linen, in colors, the work of a weaver; 38 with its five posts and their hooks. He overlaid their capitals and their attached rings for hanging with gold, while their five sockets were of bronze.
37:1 B’tzal’el made the ark of acacia-wood three-and-three-quarters feet long, two-and-a-quarter feet wide and two-and-a-quarter feet high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside and put a molding of gold for it around the top. 3 He cast four gold rings for it at its four feet, two rings on each side. 4 He made poles of acacia-wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 He put the carrying-poles for the ark in the rings on the sides of the ark.
6 He made a cover for the ark of pure gold, three-and-three-quarters feet long and two-and-a-quarter feet wide. 7 He made two k’ruvim of gold; he made them of hammered work for the two ends of the ark-cover — 8 one keruv for one end and one keruv for the other end; he made the k’ruvim of one piece with the ark-cover at its two ends. 9 The k’ruvimhad their wings spread out above, so that their wings covered the ark; their faces were toward each other and toward the ark-cover.
10 He made the table of acacia-wood, three feet long, eighteen inches wide and eighteen inches high. 11 He overlaid it with pure gold and put a molding of gold around the top of it.12 He made around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a molding of gold around the rim.13 He cast for it four gold rings and attached the rings to the four corners, near its four legs. 14 The rings to hold the carrying-poles for the table were placed close to the rim.15 He made the carrying-poles for the table of acacia-wood and overlaid them with gold.16 He made the utensils to be put on the table — its dishes, pans, bowls and pitchers — of pure gold.
(RY: iii, LY: vi) 17 He made the menorah of pure gold. He made it of hammered work; its base, shaft, cups, rings of outer leaves and flowers were a single unit. 18 There were six branches extending from its sides, three branches of the menorah on one side of it and three on the other. 19 On one branch were three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a ring of outer leaves and petals; likewise on the opposite branch three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a ring of outer leaves and petals; and similarly for all six branches extending from the menorah. 20 On the central shaft of the menorah were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its ring of outer leaves and petals. 21 Where each pair of branches joined the central shaft was a ring of outer leaves of one piece with the pair of branches — thus for all six branches. 22 Their rings of outer leaves and their branches were of one piece with the shaft. Thus the whole menorah was one piece of hammered work made of pure gold. 23 He made its seven lamps, its tongs and its trays of pure gold.24 The menorah and its utensils were made of sixty-six pounds of pure gold.
25 He made the altar on which to burn incense of acacia-wood, eighteen inches square and three feet high; its horns were a single unit. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold — its top, all around its sides and its horns; and he put around it a molding of gold. 27 He made two gold rings for it under its molding at the two corners on both sides, to hold the carrying-poles. 28 He made the poles of acacia-wood and overlaid them with gold.
29 He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of aromatic plant substances as would an expert perfume-maker.
38:1 (RY: iv, LY: vii) He made the altar for burnt offerings of acacia-wood, seven-and-a-half feet long and seven-and-a-half feet wide — it was square — and four-and-a-half feet high. 2 He made horns for it on its four corners, the horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.
3 He made all the utensils for the altar — its pots, shovels, basins, meat-hooks and fire pans; all its utensils he made of bronze. 4 He made for the altar a grate of bronze netting, under its rim, reaching halfway up the altar. 5 He cast four rings for the four ends of the bronze grate to hold the poles. 6 He made the poles of acacia-wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 He put the carrying-poles into the rings on the sides of the altar; he made it of planks and hollow inside.
8 He made the basin of bronze with its base of bronze from the mirrors of the women serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
9 He made the courtyard. On the south side, facing southward, the tapestries for the courtyard were made of finely woven linen, 150 feet long, 10 supported on twenty posts in twenty bronze sockets; the hooks on the posts and the attached rings for hanging were of silver. 11 On the north side they were 150 feet long, hung on twenty posts in twenty bronze sockets, with the hooks on the posts and their rings of silver. 12 On the west side were tapestries seventy-five feet long, hung on ten posts in ten sockets, with the hooks on the posts and their rings of silver. 13 On the east side were tapestries seventy-five feet long.14 The tapestries for the one side [of the gateway] were twenty-two-and-a-half feet long, hung on three posts in three sockets; 15 likewise for the other side — on either side [of the gate] were tapestries twenty-two-and-a-half feet long on three posts in three sockets.16 All the tapestries for the courtyard, all the way around, were of finely woven linen; 17 the sockets for the posts were of bronze; the hooks on the posts and their rings were of silver; the capitals of the posts were overlaid with silver; and all the posts of the courtyard were banded with silver.
(LY: Maftir) 18 The screen for the gateway to the courtyard was the work of a weaver in colors, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely woven linen. Its length was thirty feet and its height seven-and-a-half feet all the way along, like the tapestries of the courtyard.19 It had four posts in four bronze sockets, with silver hooks, capitals overlaid with silver and silver fasteners.
20 The tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard around it were of bronze.
21 These are the accounts of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, recorded, as Moshe ordered, by the L’vi’im under the direction of Itamar the son of Aharon, the cohen.
22 B’tzal’el the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Y’hudah, made everything that Adonai ordered Moshe to make. 23 Assisting him was Oholi’av the son of Achisamakh, of the tribe of Dan, who was an engraver, a designer and a weaver in colors — in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and in fine linen.
24 All the gold used for the work in everything needed for the sanctuary, the gold of the offering, weighed 29 talents 730 shekels [1,930 pounds], using the sanctuary shekel.
25 The silver given by the community weighed 100 talents 1,775 shekels [6,650 pounds], using the sanctuary shekel. 26 This was a beka per person, that is, half a shekel [one-fifth of an ounce], using the sanctuary shekel, for everyone twenty years old or older counted in the census, 603,550 men. 27 The hundred talents of silver were used to cast the sockets for the sanctuary and the sockets for the curtain — one hundred sockets made from the hundred talents, one talent [sixty-six pounds] per socket. 28 The 1,775 shekels [fifty pounds] he used to make hooks for the posts, to overlay their capitals and to make fasteners for them.
29 The bronze in the offering came to 4,680 pounds. 30 He used it to make the sockets for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar, its bronze grate, all the utensils for the altar, 31 the sockets for the courtyard around it, the sockets for the gateway to the courtyard, all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and all the tent pegs for the courtyard around it.
Matthew 23:1 Then Yeshua addressed the crowds and his talmidim: 2 “The Torah-teachers and the P’rushim,” he said, “sit in the seat of Moshe. 3 So whatever they tell you, take care to do it. But don’t do what they do, because they talk but don’t act! 4 They tie heavy loads onto people’s shoulders but won’t lift a finger to help carry them. 5 Everything they do is done to be seen by others; for they make their t’fillin broad and their tzitziyot long, 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and they love being greeted deferentially in the marketplaces and being called ‘Rabbi.’
8 “But you are not to let yourselves be called ‘Rabbi’; because you have one Rabbi, and you are all each other’s brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘Father.’ because you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to let yourselves be called ‘leaders,’ because you have one Leader, and he is the Messiah! 11 The greatest among you must be your servant, 12 for whoever promotes himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be promoted.
13 “But woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! For you are shutting the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces, neither entering yourselves nor allowing those who wish to enter to do so. 14 [Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include verse 14: Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! For you swallow up widow’s houses while making a show of davvening at great length. Because of this your punishment will be all the worse!]
15 “Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P’rushim! You go about over land and sea to make one proselyte; and when you succeed, you make him twice as fit for Gei-Hinnom as you are!
16 “Woe to you, you blind guides! You say, ‘If someone swears by the Temple, he is not bound by his oath; but if he swears by the gold in the Temple, he is bound.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is more important? the gold? or the Temple which makes the gold holy?18 And you say, ‘If someone swears by the altar, he is not bound by his oath; but if he swears by the offering on the altar, he is bound.’ 19 Blind men! Which is more important? the sacrifice? or the altar which makes the sacrifice holy? 20 So someone who swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it. 21 And someone who swears by the Temple swears by it and the One who lives in it. 22 And someone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and the One who sits on it.--------------------
THE UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST Daily Devotional by Oswald Chambers of Crewe, England [Great Britain], United Kingdom "The Compelling Majesty of His Power" for Thursday, February 4, 2016
The love of Christ compels us…[2 Corinthians 5:14]
Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. “The love of Christ compels us….” When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person’s life.
When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8). Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, “…you shall be witnesses to Me….” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do— that is basic and understood— but “witnesses to Me….” We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it’s the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane— he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for— to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender to “the love of Christ” is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.---------------------
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS:The love of Christ compels us…[2 Corinthians 5:14]
Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. “The love of Christ compels us….” When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person’s life.
When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8). Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, “…you shall be witnesses to Me….” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do— that is basic and understood— but “witnesses to Me….” We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it’s the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane— he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for— to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender to “the love of Christ” is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.---------------------
Civilization is based on principles which imply that the passing moment is permanent. The only permanent thing is God, and if I put anything else as permanent, I become atheistic. I must build only on God (John 14:6). [The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 565 L]
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2 Corinthians 5:14 For the Messiah’s love has hold of us, because we are convinced that one man died on behalf of all mankind (which implies that all mankind was already dead),
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Bible in One Year: Exodus 34:1 (v) Adonai said to Moshe, “Cut yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones; and I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by morning; in the morning you are to ascend Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one is to come up with you, and no one is to be seen anywhere on the mountain; don’t even let the flocks or herds feed in front of this mountain.” 4 Moshe cut two stone tablets like the first. Then he got up early in the morning and, with the two stone tablets in his hands, ascended Mount Sinai, as Adonai had ordered him to do.
5 Adonai descended in the cloud, stood with him there and pronounced the name ofAdonai. 6 Adonai passed before him and proclaimed: “YUD-HEH-VAV-HEH!!! Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [Adonai] is God, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth;7 showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations.” 8 At once Moshe bowed his head to the ground, prostrated himself 9 and said, “If I have now found favor in your view, Adonai, then please let Adonai go with us, even though they are a stiffnecked people; and pardon our offenses and our sin; and take us as your possession.”
(vi) 10 He said, “Here, I am making a covenant; in front of all your people I will do wonders such as have not been created anywhere on earth or in any nation. All the people around you will see the work of Adonai. What I am going to do through you will be awesome!11 Observe what I am ordering you to do today. Here! I am driving out ahead of you the Emori, Kena‘ani, Hitti, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi. 12 Be careful not to make a covenant with the people living in the land where you are going, so that they won’t become a snare within your own borders. 13 Rather, you are to demolish their altars, smash their standing-stones and cut down their sacred poles; 14 because you are not to bow down to any other god; since Adonai — whose very name is Jealous — is a jealous God. 15 Do not make a covenant with the people living in the land. It will cause you to go astray after their gods and sacrifice to their gods. Then they will invite you to join them in eating their sacrifices,16 and you will take their daughters as wives for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves to their own gods and make your sons do the same!
17 “Do not cast metal gods for yourselves.
18 “Keep the festival of matzah by eating matzah, as I ordered you, for seven days during the month of Aviv; for it was in the month of Aviv that you came out from Egypt.
19 “Everything that is first from the womb is mine. Of all your livestock, you are to set aside for me the males, the firstborn of cattle and flock. 20 The firstborn of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb; if you won’t redeem it, break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you are to redeem, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed.
21 “Six days you will work, but on the seventh day you are to rest — even in plowing time and harvest season you are to rest.
22 “Observe the festival of Shavu‘ot with the first-gathered produce of the wheat harvest, and the festival of ingathering at the turn of the year. 23 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Lord, Adonai, the God of Isra’el. 24 For I am going to expel nations ahead of you and expand your territory, and no one will even covet your land when you go up to appear before Adonai your God three times a year. 25 You are not to offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, and the sacrifice of the feast of Pesach is not to be left until morning. 26 You are to bring the best firstfruits of your land into the house of Adonai your God.
“You are not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
(vii) 27 Adonai said to Moshe, “Write these words down, because they are the terms of the covenant I have made with you and with Isra’el.” 28 Moshe was there with Adonai forty days and forty nights, during which time he neither ate food nor drank water. [Adonai]wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words.
29 When Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, he didn’t realize that the skin of his face was sending out rays of light as a result of his talking with [Adonai]. 30 When Aharon and the people of Isra’el saw Moshe, the skin of his face was shining; and they were afraid to approach him. 31 But Moshe called to them; then Aharon and all the community leaders came back to him, and Moshe spoke to them.32 Afterwards, all the people of Isra’el came near; and he passed on to them all the orders that Adonai had told him on Mount Sinai.
(Maftir) 33 Once Moshe had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But when he went in before Adonai for him to speak, he would take the veil off until he came out; then, when he came out, he would tell the people of Isra’el what he had been ordered. 35 But when the people of Isra’el saw Moshe’s face, that the skin of Moshe’s face shone, he would put the veil back over his face until he went in again to speak with[Adonai].
35:1 Moshe assembled the whole community of the people of Isra’el and said to them, “These are the things which Adonai has ordered you to do. 2 On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a holy day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest in honor of Adonai. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death. 3 You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on Shabbat.”
4 Moshe said to the whole community of the people of Isra’el, “Here is what Adonai has ordered: 5 ‘Take up a collection for Adonai from among yourselves — anyone whose heart makes him willing is to bring the offering for Adonai: gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen, goat’s hair, 7 tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia-wood;8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ritual vest and the breastplate.
10 “‘Then let all the craftsmen among you come and make everything Adonai has ordered:11 the tabernacle with its tent, covering, fasteners, planks, crossbars, posts and sockets;12 the ark with its poles, ark-cover and the curtain to screen it; 13 the table with its poles, all its utensils and the showbread; 14 the menorah for the light, with its utensils and lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 the incense altar with its poles; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entranceway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar for burnt offerings, with its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its base; 17 the tapestries for the courtyard, with their posts and sockets; the screen for the gateway of the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle; the tent pegs for the courtyard, with their ropes; 19 the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; and the holy garments for Aharon the cohen and the garments for his sons, so that they can serve in the office ofcohen.’”
20 Then the whole community of the people of Isra’el withdrew from Moshe’s presence;(LY: ii) 21 and they came, everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit made him willing, and brought Adonai’s offering for the work on the tent of meeting, for the service in it and for the holy garments. 22 Both men and women came, as many as had willing hearts; they brought nose-rings, earrings, signet-rings, belts, all kinds of gold jewelry — everyone bringing an offering of gold to Adonai. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn; fine linen; tanned ram skins or fine leather brought them.24 Everyone contributing silver or bronze brought his offering for Adonai, and everyone who had acacia-wood suitable for any of the work brought it. 25 All the women who were skilled at spinning got to work and brought what they had spun, the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and the fine linen. 26 Likewise the women whose heart stirred them to use their skill spun the goat’s hair. 27 The leaders brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set, for the ritual vest and the breasplate; 28 the spices; and the oil for the light, for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 Thus every man and woman of the people of Isra’el whose heart impelled him to contribute to any of the work Adonai had ordered through Moshe brought it to Adonai as a voluntary offering.
(RY: ii, LY: iii) 30 Moshe said to the people of Isra’el, “See, Adonai has singled out B’tzal’el the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Y’hudah. 31 He has filled him with the Spirit of God — with wisdom, understanding and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry.32 He is a master of design in gold, silver, bronze, 33 cutting precious stones to be set, woodcarving and every other craft. 34 [Adonai] has also given him and Oholi’av the son of Achisamakh, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with the skill needed for every kind of work, whether done by an artisan, a designer, an embroiderer using blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen, or a weaver — they have the skill for every kind of work and design.
Matthew 22:23 That same day, some Tz’dukim came to him. They are the ones who say there is no such thing as resurrection, so they put to him a sh’eilah: 24 “Rabbi, Moshe said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother must marry his widow and have children to preserve the man’s family line.’[Matthew 22:24 Deuteronomy 25:5–6] 25 There were seven brothers. The first one married and then died; and since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second brother, and the third, and finally to all seven. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 Now in the Resurrection — of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all married her.”
5 Adonai descended in the cloud, stood with him there and pronounced the name ofAdonai. 6 Adonai passed before him and proclaimed: “YUD-HEH-VAV-HEH!!! Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [Adonai] is God, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth;7 showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations.” 8 At once Moshe bowed his head to the ground, prostrated himself 9 and said, “If I have now found favor in your view, Adonai, then please let Adonai go with us, even though they are a stiffnecked people; and pardon our offenses and our sin; and take us as your possession.”
(vi) 10 He said, “Here, I am making a covenant; in front of all your people I will do wonders such as have not been created anywhere on earth or in any nation. All the people around you will see the work of Adonai. What I am going to do through you will be awesome!11 Observe what I am ordering you to do today. Here! I am driving out ahead of you the Emori, Kena‘ani, Hitti, P’rizi, Hivi and Y’vusi. 12 Be careful not to make a covenant with the people living in the land where you are going, so that they won’t become a snare within your own borders. 13 Rather, you are to demolish their altars, smash their standing-stones and cut down their sacred poles; 14 because you are not to bow down to any other god; since Adonai — whose very name is Jealous — is a jealous God. 15 Do not make a covenant with the people living in the land. It will cause you to go astray after their gods and sacrifice to their gods. Then they will invite you to join them in eating their sacrifices,16 and you will take their daughters as wives for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves to their own gods and make your sons do the same!
17 “Do not cast metal gods for yourselves.
18 “Keep the festival of matzah by eating matzah, as I ordered you, for seven days during the month of Aviv; for it was in the month of Aviv that you came out from Egypt.
19 “Everything that is first from the womb is mine. Of all your livestock, you are to set aside for me the males, the firstborn of cattle and flock. 20 The firstborn of a donkey you must redeem with a lamb; if you won’t redeem it, break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you are to redeem, and no one is to appear before me empty-handed.
21 “Six days you will work, but on the seventh day you are to rest — even in plowing time and harvest season you are to rest.
22 “Observe the festival of Shavu‘ot with the first-gathered produce of the wheat harvest, and the festival of ingathering at the turn of the year. 23 Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Lord, Adonai, the God of Isra’el. 24 For I am going to expel nations ahead of you and expand your territory, and no one will even covet your land when you go up to appear before Adonai your God three times a year. 25 You are not to offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, and the sacrifice of the feast of Pesach is not to be left until morning. 26 You are to bring the best firstfruits of your land into the house of Adonai your God.
“You are not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
(vii) 27 Adonai said to Moshe, “Write these words down, because they are the terms of the covenant I have made with you and with Isra’el.” 28 Moshe was there with Adonai forty days and forty nights, during which time he neither ate food nor drank water. [Adonai]wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words.
29 When Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, he didn’t realize that the skin of his face was sending out rays of light as a result of his talking with [Adonai]. 30 When Aharon and the people of Isra’el saw Moshe, the skin of his face was shining; and they were afraid to approach him. 31 But Moshe called to them; then Aharon and all the community leaders came back to him, and Moshe spoke to them.32 Afterwards, all the people of Isra’el came near; and he passed on to them all the orders that Adonai had told him on Mount Sinai.
(Maftir) 33 Once Moshe had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But when he went in before Adonai for him to speak, he would take the veil off until he came out; then, when he came out, he would tell the people of Isra’el what he had been ordered. 35 But when the people of Isra’el saw Moshe’s face, that the skin of Moshe’s face shone, he would put the veil back over his face until he went in again to speak with[Adonai].
35:1 Moshe assembled the whole community of the people of Isra’el and said to them, “These are the things which Adonai has ordered you to do. 2 On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a holy day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest in honor of Adonai. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death. 3 You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on Shabbat.”
4 Moshe said to the whole community of the people of Isra’el, “Here is what Adonai has ordered: 5 ‘Take up a collection for Adonai from among yourselves — anyone whose heart makes him willing is to bring the offering for Adonai: gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen, goat’s hair, 7 tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia-wood;8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ritual vest and the breastplate.
10 “‘Then let all the craftsmen among you come and make everything Adonai has ordered:11 the tabernacle with its tent, covering, fasteners, planks, crossbars, posts and sockets;12 the ark with its poles, ark-cover and the curtain to screen it; 13 the table with its poles, all its utensils and the showbread; 14 the menorah for the light, with its utensils and lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 the incense altar with its poles; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entranceway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar for burnt offerings, with its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its base; 17 the tapestries for the courtyard, with their posts and sockets; the screen for the gateway of the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle; the tent pegs for the courtyard, with their ropes; 19 the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; and the holy garments for Aharon the cohen and the garments for his sons, so that they can serve in the office ofcohen.’”
20 Then the whole community of the people of Isra’el withdrew from Moshe’s presence;(LY: ii) 21 and they came, everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit made him willing, and brought Adonai’s offering for the work on the tent of meeting, for the service in it and for the holy garments. 22 Both men and women came, as many as had willing hearts; they brought nose-rings, earrings, signet-rings, belts, all kinds of gold jewelry — everyone bringing an offering of gold to Adonai. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn; fine linen; tanned ram skins or fine leather brought them.24 Everyone contributing silver or bronze brought his offering for Adonai, and everyone who had acacia-wood suitable for any of the work brought it. 25 All the women who were skilled at spinning got to work and brought what they had spun, the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and the fine linen. 26 Likewise the women whose heart stirred them to use their skill spun the goat’s hair. 27 The leaders brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set, for the ritual vest and the breasplate; 28 the spices; and the oil for the light, for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 Thus every man and woman of the people of Isra’el whose heart impelled him to contribute to any of the work Adonai had ordered through Moshe brought it to Adonai as a voluntary offering.
(RY: ii, LY: iii) 30 Moshe said to the people of Isra’el, “See, Adonai has singled out B’tzal’el the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Y’hudah. 31 He has filled him with the Spirit of God — with wisdom, understanding and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry.32 He is a master of design in gold, silver, bronze, 33 cutting precious stones to be set, woodcarving and every other craft. 34 [Adonai] has also given him and Oholi’av the son of Achisamakh, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with the skill needed for every kind of work, whether done by an artisan, a designer, an embroiderer using blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen, or a weaver — they have the skill for every kind of work and design.
Matthew 22:23 That same day, some Tz’dukim came to him. They are the ones who say there is no such thing as resurrection, so they put to him a sh’eilah: 24 “Rabbi, Moshe said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother must marry his widow and have children to preserve the man’s family line.’[Matthew 22:24 Deuteronomy 25:5–6] 25 There were seven brothers. The first one married and then died; and since he had no children, he left his widow to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second brother, and the third, and finally to all seven. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 Now in the Resurrection — of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all married her.”
29 Yeshua answered them, “The reason you go astray is that you are ignorant both of theTanakh and of the power of God. 30 For in the Resurrection, neither men nor women will marry; rather, they will be like angels in heaven. 31 And as for whether the dead are resurrected, haven’t you read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz’chak and the God of Ya‘akov’?[Matthew 22:32 Exodus 3:6] He is God not of the dead but of the living!”
33 When the crowds heard how he taught, they were astounded; 34 but when the P’rushimlearned that he had silenced the Tz’dukim, they got together, 35 and one of them who was a Torah expert asked a sh’eilah to trap him: 36 “Rabbi, which of the mitzvot in the Torah is the most important?” 37 He told him, “‘You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.’[Matthew 22:37 Deuteronomy 6:5] 38 This is the greatest and most important mitzvah. 39 And a second is similar to it, ‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself.’[Matthew 22:39 Leviticus 19:18] 40 All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two mitzvot.”
41 Then, turning to the assembled P’rushim, Yeshua put a sh’eilah to them: 42 “Tell me your view concerning the Messiah: whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.”43 “Then how is it,” he asked them, “that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord,’ when he says,
44 ‘Adonai said to my Lord,
“Sit here at my right hand
until I put your enemies under your feet”’?[Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1]
45 If David thus calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?” 46 No one could think of anything to say in reply; and from that day on, no one dared put to him another sh’eilah.---------------------
33 When the crowds heard how he taught, they were astounded; 34 but when the P’rushimlearned that he had silenced the Tz’dukim, they got together, 35 and one of them who was a Torah expert asked a sh’eilah to trap him: 36 “Rabbi, which of the mitzvot in the Torah is the most important?” 37 He told him, “‘You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.’[Matthew 22:37 Deuteronomy 6:5] 38 This is the greatest and most important mitzvah. 39 And a second is similar to it, ‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself.’[Matthew 22:39 Leviticus 19:18] 40 All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two mitzvot.”
41 Then, turning to the assembled P’rushim, Yeshua put a sh’eilah to them: 42 “Tell me your view concerning the Messiah: whose son is he?” They said to him, “David’s.”43 “Then how is it,” he asked them, “that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord,’ when he says,
44 ‘Adonai said to my Lord,
“Sit here at my right hand
until I put your enemies under your feet”’?[Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1]
45 If David thus calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?” 46 No one could think of anything to say in reply; and from that day on, no one dared put to him another sh’eilah.---------------------
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