The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Bread of life, light of the world" for Wednesday, 7 September 2016Exodus 25:23 “You are to make a table of acacia-wood three feet long, eighteen inches wide and eighteen inches high. 24 Overlay it with pure gold, and put a molding of gold around the top of it. 25 Make around it a rim a handbreadth wide, and put a molding of gold around the rim. 26 Make four gold rings for it, and attach the rings to the four corners, near its four legs. 27 The rings to hold the poles used to carry the table are to be placed close to the rim. 28 Make the poles of acacia-wood, overlay them with gold, and use them to carry the table.
29 “Make its dishes, pans, bowls and pitchers of pure gold. 30 On the table you are to place the bread of the presence in my presence always.
(S: iii) 31 “You are to make a menorah of pure gold. It is to be made of hammered work; its base, shaft, cups, ring of outer leaves and petals are to be of one piece with it. 32 It is to have six branches extending from its sides, three branches of the menorah on one side of it and three on the other. 33 On one branch are to be three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; likewise on the opposite branch three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a ring of outer leaves and petals; and similarly for all six branches extending from the menorah. 34 On the central shaft of the menorah are to be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its ring of outer leaves and petals. 35 Where each pair of branches joins the central shaft is to be a ring of outer leaves of one piece with the pair of branches — thus for all six branches. 36 The rings of outer leaves and their branches are to be of one piece with the shaft. Thus the whole menorah is to be a single piece of hammered work made of pure gold.
37 “Make seven lamps for the menorah, and mount them so as to give light to the space in front of it.
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It may be hard to visualize the desert sanctuary just from the Biblical text. Click here to view a web page with photos of a full-size model of the sanctuary built in the desert in Israel. In the barren wilderness, God miraculously fed the Israelites (cf. Exodus 16:11-15, 31, 35). Inside the sanctuary, a gold-covered table held “the bread of the presence” as a sign that God nourished them spiritually as well as physically. Similarly, the physical light from the seven-branched lampstand (Hebrew menorah) reminded Israel that their God provided the spiritual light to guide
their steps on the path of true life.
• Jesus drew directly on the symbolism of both the Tabernacle’s table and lampstand. John reported that Jesus said explicitly, “I am the Bread of Life,” and elaborated on the image in ways that shape our understanding of the meaning of the bread we eat at the Lord’s Supper (cf. John 6:47-51). How much hunger do you feel for the Bread of Life? What are some of the ways that you can feed your spiritual life on Jesus?
• Remembering the lampstand, Jesus twice announced, “I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12, 9:4-5). The second time, John said, came as he gave a blind man sight—a physical sign that underlined his power to give spiritual sight to all who desire it. That led to the formerly blind man’s well-known statement to skeptical religious leaders, “Here’s what I do know: I was blind
and now I see” (John 9:25). In what ways has Jesus given you clearer spiritual sight, and
brought heaven’s light more fully into your life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I am empty and hungry inside, be the Bread of Life for me. When I’m confused and in the dark, be the Light of my world. Amen.
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Insights from Steven Blair
Rev. Steven Blair is the Congregational Care Pastor of Live Forward and Live Well Emotional Wellness Ministry. www.cor.org/liveforwardApparently, God is a detail person. God is involved with more details in the tabernacle than a Type A micromanager who is building their own home. The number of lampstands is specific. Cups shaped like almond blossoms, instead of those other lesser types of blossoms. The result, however, is a beautifully ornate holding place where God will dwell.
Fast forward.
Paul writes to a church in Corinth “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
Your body is a temple/tabernacle of the Holy Spirit. Your body is as valuable to God, and designed with even more detail, than the tabernacle and the later temple. Your body/soul is also where God still chooses to dwell.
As you read the description of the tabernacle’s grandeur, ponder the reality that God sees your body/soul in the same way. . .but even better.
Respect your body and see its beauty.
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It may be hard to visualize the desert sanctuary just from the Biblical text. Click here to view a web page with photos of a full-size model of the sanctuary built in the desert in Israel.-------
It may be hard to visualize the desert sanctuary just from the Biblical text. Click here to view a web page with photos of a full-size model of the sanctuary built in the desert in Israel.-------
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