The Sealing Part Three

The Sealing Part Two

The Sealing Part One

Finding God in the End Times

I'm going to create an additional thread. I will still continue to address the Old Testament Sanctuary/Tabernacle, but I wanted to touch on some end time issues from time to time. I am sure all of us are aware of the solemn events that are shaping our world for the return of Jesus. We should not be ignorant of these facts nor should we underestimate them. Yet, in all of the outcry over end time events there seams to be a missing ingredient. Many are more interested in the things that spook us, then the things that can become the greatest blessing of our lives.

We need to remind ourselves that God is not waiting for bad things to happen, as if the devil helps God out. In another words God is not waiting for an economic collapse, earthquakes, religious oppression or a time of trouble. While these things are apart of our end time scenario, we forget that the winds of strife have been ready to blow for some time--held in check until God has a people who are ready to stand for Him. Did you catch that? God is looking for people who are ready to stand firm, not run and hide!

I believe final events are about standing up for someone we know and love. This is the goal: God becoming everything to us. This perspective on eschatology (lit. "study of the last things") is rooted in the Sanctuary Message, rather then a viewpoint that allows our curiosity about the end times to divert us into paranoia and fear. The issue is about explaining God during the most confusing time of earth's history.

The missing element has been a people through whom God can freely work. This is not something we do on our own, its something we do only through the power of Christ. I want to be apart of those people, as I am sure you do, but far too often we present a dooms day scenario that actually becomes our hang up. Have you ever had an updated bus schedule and still missed the bus? Knowing end time events is like that--knowing the events is not enough!

Sacrifices Part 1

When we read Exodus and Leviticus most of the details go over our head's. It's heavy stuff. We just do not see why God gave us the Tabernacle. Some may even be disappointed to find the Tabernacle appearing in the last book of the Bible. These think God should have updated such an ancient building and moved on to more advanced ideas.

There is simply no way arround it. If we do not understand the pictures God gave to us in the Old Testament then we will not get much out of Jesus. To help us really appreciate Jesus we need to first understand why He gave us the Tabernacle. The regular Christian approach looks something like Jesus dying so God can forgive us. Are we supposed to look at every piece and just imagine our views of Jesus, or is their something that God wanted us to understand?

God gave us the Tabernacle because He wanted to be with us (Ex.25:8). God did not give us all this stuff just for His own benefit, He really love's us. Because of our sin we were sent from the Garden, but we don't see God punishing us. Instead we see Him coming to be with us, in the midst of our separation. You can almost sense God's frustration. If His wayward children don't want to be with Him, then He is going to follow after them.

We see God coming to dwell among us in the Tabernacle. His Glory filled the Tabernacle completely (Ex.40:34-35). The Tabernacle worked! The Almighty God was right there inside the Holy of Holies, but there was a problem. No problem with God or the Tabernacle, just with us. The problem was that no one could come to where God was. With this disparity comes an answer. God Himself provided a way into His presence. The solution to the problem of approaching God is what the sacrifices are all about.