I thought it would be interesting to pose this question on Facebook this morning (Sunday), "Why do we worship?" and my FB friends gave some great answers: we were created for it, HE is meant for it, it's our way of giving back to God, it starts our week right, He tells us to, He is worthy, it's wise to worship, and one of my favorites - if WE don't, the ROCKS will!
Today we look at the first instructions on worship. It's not the first TIME He's been worshiped, but it's the first time He's TOLD anyone how to worship. And it all began with... a TENT.
Did you ever wonder why our omnipresent God decided to come to earth and live in a tent? If He's everywhere all the time, isn't it pretty strange that the Creator of the Universe decided to come to earth and live under a tarp?
And yet... He DID. After He spoke the Ten Commandments to Moses, He gave him some specific instructions about constructing the place He would inhabit. Exodus chapter 25 is the beginning of those instructions and as we study the elements of the Tabernacle, we see some interesting parallels.
Let's look at the the Tabernacle. There was a courtyard that had a bronze altar and a basin. The altar was for the burnt offerings and the basin (or laver or sea) was a place for washing before the priests entered the Holy Place.
The Holy Place was the actual tent and housed the golden lampstand, the table of showbread where the bread of the presence was offered, and the altar of incense. There was also a veil that separated the Holy Place from the...
Holy of Holies. This is where God's presence dwelt and in this room was the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was a wooden box approximately 4' long, 2' tall and 2' wide. It was covered in gold with a solid gold lid called the mercy seat. On that golden lid was fashioned two cherubim with outstretched wings. The Ark would eventually hold three things: the stone tablets that God would soon give Moses, the container of manna they gathered earlier, and Aaron's staff. (If you want a GREAT read, click here and check out the account of Aaron's staff in Numbers 16-17) Each of those articles were a reminder of God's provision and protection. The tablets were His Law/Word, the manna was the bread from heaven that sustained them, Aaron's staff was a branch cut from a tree that showed that he was God's chosen priest. (btw - it had buds and leaves and almonds!!)
The Lord God also gave Moses specific instructions about the incense to be used, the oil for the lamps, the bread, the priests' clothes, the sacrifices, the fabrics, etc. and this structure would serve as a visible reminder to the Israelites that He was in their midst and that He alone was to be worshiped. But the Tabernacle was just a foreshadowing of what God's ultimate visible reminder would be... His SON Jesus Christ!
When Jesus came to earth, He completed and fulfilled God's plan to dwell AMONG US. See how the Ark of the Covenant represents Him:
- Tablets: He is the fulfillment of the Law (Matt 5:17), the Word made flesh (John 1:14)
- Manna: He is the Bread of Life (John 6:48)
- Aaron's staff: He is God's chosen one (Luke 9:35), our great high Priest (Heb 4:14), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
- Mercy Seat: Jesus Himself - like the gold, He is pure and unblemished (Heb 9:14); like the lamb, His blood was shed to atone for our sins (Heb 10:10); and covering His body were two angels (John 20:12, Luke 24:4)
When Jesus ascended to heaven and sent His Holy Spirit to live inside His followers, He completed and fulfilled God's plan to dwell IN US. 1 Corinthians 3:16 tells us that we ourselves are temples of God and His spirit lives within us, so see how the tabernacle represents us:
- Lampstand: Our character and countenance (Matt 5:14 - light of the world)
- Table: The platform(s) where we serve - job, family, ministry, community, etc. (Col 3:23 - whatever we do is for God's glory)
- Bread: Our good works (Eph 2:10 - we were created for them)
- Incense: Our witness (2 Cor 5:15-16 - we are the aroma of Christ in the world)
- Holy of Holies: Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16)
It's a fabulous set-up: God is worthy of worship, we are designed to worship, and Jesus made the way for us to worship. It would seem that our lives would be one big worship party that never ends, but... sadly it never even begins for many people. And for some Christians, it doesn't get very far or go very deep.
Our worship can be hindered by a LOT of things: doubt, disbelief, unconfessed sin, cares of the world, busyness, suffering, jealousy, unforgiveness, bitterness, pride, anger, selfishness, critical spirit, judgmental attitudes, stubbornness, distractions... Face it, we can ALL be spiritually ADHD at times!!
But those hindrances can be overcome by confessing our spiritual ADHD and also confessing and renouncing our sin, disciplining ourselves, wanting to overcome the hindrances... Many times I pray these phrases from Psalm 51: Create in me a clean heart, renew a steadfast spirit within me, restore to me the joy of my salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Then I can look back over our original list and start DOING them - praising Him, focusing on Who He is (and who I'm NOT), being thankful, remembering His faithfulness, getting in His Word, singing...
And Chris Tomlin can get you started with THIS...
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