The Amazing Detail of Worshipping God in the Bible
Probably one of the more astounding chapters of the Bible is Exodus 36:8-38. This is a very complex and detailed description for the building of the Old Testament Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was the portable temple where the people could meet and offer their sacrifices to God. There is so much detail in this passage that it is almost impossible to read. It is simply overwhelming. Try reading it and see what I mean. The question is: why would God be so interested in making this portable Temple so exact?
It even gets worse in the Book of Leviticus. Except for a few chapters, the entire book is God speaking and giving extremely detailed instructions on animal sacrifices, the priesthood, and various laws for the people. Many people skip Leviticus because the detail becomes overwhelming and seems to have no meaning for today. Again the questions is: why all the extreme detail when it comes to worshipping God?
It is common today for people to say that HOW we approach and worship God is not important. God is fine with however we want to approach him. Sometimes we hear that all that matters is God's goodwill and acceptance of everyone and their way of 'worship'. If I worship in a church that is fine. If I worship outdoors in nature that is fine. God is sort of that old cosmic grandfather who is a bit senile and is happy with whatever one does. Just be good is all that he asks. This common view is as far from the scriptural view as one can get. The God of the Bible is extremely concerned as to how we approach and worship him as the Exodus 38 passage and Leviticus reveal. What is clear throughout the whole of the Bible is everything is on his terms and not ours. He simply does not accept doing whatever we want in relating to him. There are terms that are unchangeable.
This is also true of the New Testament. Jesus makes some very unnerving statements. He says, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father (God the Father) except through me' (John 14.6). 'Whoever does not honour the Son (meaning Jesus) does not honour the Father who sent him' (John 5.23). 'Enter by the narrow gate (the Gospel gate): for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life and there are few who find it' (Matthew 7.13-14). The way to everlasting life and fellowship with God is always on his terms and not ours. People, of course, get very angry with such statements, 'You Christians are so smug and arrogant. You think you the only ones that are right with God and are going to heaven'. This kind of a statement reveals an ignorance of God, They reject his supreme holiness and how serious our condition and situation is with him. We are rebels who deserve nothing but his judgment and this for all of eternity. Eternity here is the key. Anyone can also spend all eternity in everlasting fellowship with God, but how is this accomplished? I don't want to miss this, so I want detailed instructions as to what I have to do. I don't want generalized vague statements because the issue and the consequences are infinitely important. So God does make sure we know how. He cares for us too much to make vague, unclear instructions and we could not really worship a God who is so unclear and uncaring about such an important issue as everlasting life. So, God says, 'Here is the way. the way through Jesus, and is guaranteed, certain, and exact'. 'You can't miss it', says God. 'The way is clearly marked because it is MY way, and that way is through Jesus'.
Monday, June 17, 2019
Thursday, June 13, 2019
The Return to Chaos
When ancient cultures heard Genesis 1, they understood that in the beginning the earth was in a chaotic state. There was no purpose or order in the darkness and lifeless waters. So, God brings it out of chaos by bringing in light, order, and life. What the flood of Noah represents is a return to chaos. The world is covered again in water and once more there is no order or life. With Noah there is a return to spiritual light, order, and life. Once again the world goes forward. The Satanic plan is to always take the world backwards, back to disorder, darkness, and chaos. This is probably what is happening to America and our world today.
This backward drift towards darkness and chaos is brought about by abandoning God and his good laws and precepts. The world according to Genesis 6.5 was in chaos. The wickedness of the people was very great and their thoughts were continually evil. God also brought about the chaos flood because the earth was filled with violence according to Genesis 6.13. The flood is also a washing away of the sin and violence, a 'cleansing' so to speak, but again it represents a return to chaotic confusion and violence.
America, at present, is in desperate state of chaos and we are going backwards. The government is in disarray almost like it is caught up in a fog and can't find ways to go forward. The division in our country is perhaps the worse we have seen in modern times, at least since the Civil War. Things seem to be getting more chaotic all the time and the reason for it, I believe, is our disregard and contempt for God. Through abortions since 1973 we have killed millions of babies without cause except on the basis of total irresponsibility and selfishness. No one really has to get pregnant in this day and age. We have also seen since 1969 a steady acceptance of homosexuality and same sex marriage ideas which whether we like it or not are not accepted by scripture. I don't really believe that the LBGT movement is about civil rights. What people want to do in their own homes is their business and I think everyone is fine with that though they may not agree with what is being done. There are no states today that can discriminate legally on the basis of LBGT beliefs. The LBGT movement is rather about making any disagreement with them a crime, and, in my opinion, is a movement that hates Biblical Christianity and seeks to destroy it through compromise or direct attack. The issue of violence has become an epidemic whether in mass shootings or violence on our TVs. movies, or video games. Violence is now a virtue and our heroes are those who can hurt or kill or can take the most revenge on those who oppose them.
Our defiance and disregard of God and his laws will always take us backwards into chaos and this will continue until the day when we turn back to God. Until then the chaos will grow deeper unless God intervenes. Pray that he will.
When ancient cultures heard Genesis 1, they understood that in the beginning the earth was in a chaotic state. There was no purpose or order in the darkness and lifeless waters. So, God brings it out of chaos by bringing in light, order, and life. What the flood of Noah represents is a return to chaos. The world is covered again in water and once more there is no order or life. With Noah there is a return to spiritual light, order, and life. Once again the world goes forward. The Satanic plan is to always take the world backwards, back to disorder, darkness, and chaos. This is probably what is happening to America and our world today.
This backward drift towards darkness and chaos is brought about by abandoning God and his good laws and precepts. The world according to Genesis 6.5 was in chaos. The wickedness of the people was very great and their thoughts were continually evil. God also brought about the chaos flood because the earth was filled with violence according to Genesis 6.13. The flood is also a washing away of the sin and violence, a 'cleansing' so to speak, but again it represents a return to chaotic confusion and violence.
America, at present, is in desperate state of chaos and we are going backwards. The government is in disarray almost like it is caught up in a fog and can't find ways to go forward. The division in our country is perhaps the worse we have seen in modern times, at least since the Civil War. Things seem to be getting more chaotic all the time and the reason for it, I believe, is our disregard and contempt for God. Through abortions since 1973 we have killed millions of babies without cause except on the basis of total irresponsibility and selfishness. No one really has to get pregnant in this day and age. We have also seen since 1969 a steady acceptance of homosexuality and same sex marriage ideas which whether we like it or not are not accepted by scripture. I don't really believe that the LBGT movement is about civil rights. What people want to do in their own homes is their business and I think everyone is fine with that though they may not agree with what is being done. There are no states today that can discriminate legally on the basis of LBGT beliefs. The LBGT movement is rather about making any disagreement with them a crime, and, in my opinion, is a movement that hates Biblical Christianity and seeks to destroy it through compromise or direct attack. The issue of violence has become an epidemic whether in mass shootings or violence on our TVs. movies, or video games. Violence is now a virtue and our heroes are those who can hurt or kill or can take the most revenge on those who oppose them.
Our defiance and disregard of God and his laws will always take us backwards into chaos and this will continue until the day when we turn back to God. Until then the chaos will grow deeper unless God intervenes. Pray that he will.
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