Bibledoorajar: Glory Set Aside

When the seeker (priest) looked up in the tabernacle, he saw he was covered by a red covering made from  slaughtered lambs.Thank you Jesus for providing a blood bought covering for me.

"Mild, He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die;

Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth...

Come. Desire of nations, come,

Fix in us Thy humble home."

Charles Wesley

Merry Christmas.

Bibledoorajar: Glory Enhanced

The cherubim weaved beautifully and with great cunning (skill) into the veil woos the seeker (priest) to vault his thinking of celestial greatness. The cherubim are angels of the highest order and service to God. They live and serve in realms of glory and support His Throne. The fact that God included them in the design of the veil reflects their eternal use and importance to Him. It also reflects their great benevolence toward men. They are amazed at God's plan for mankind and desire to understand it more fully (1 Peter 1:12). Perhaps that is because they worship God day and night and mankind  rarely meets that standard. King David blessed the Lord for the way he created and employed His angels.

Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and announced John's birth. He told Zechariah that he (Gabriel) stood in the presence of God. Later, he appeared to Mary also and told her she would give birth. And, at that birth, many angels came from the realms of glory to herald His birth and to give honor to the salvation plan God had for men. Today, the congregation where I worship sang of those Heavenly hosts that were a part of the glory streaming from Heaven.

                                             Silent night, Holy night
                                             Shepherds quake, at the sight
                                           Glories stream from heaven above
                                            Heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah.
                                             Christ the Savior is born,
                                              Christ the Savior is born.

                                                                       Josef Mohr


Certainly makes my Christmas Merry and my greatest hope is that it does yours too.

             

Bibledoorajar: About Those Colors

     Where have I seen these colors before? That might be what the Hebrew priest (seeker) said to himself  as he pulled back the blue, scarlet and purple veil and stepped within.  As it turns out he would have had to pay attention to them when he saw the High Priest because the garb of Aaron displayed the same colors. And, the same colors were also on the one and only door where the people entered. The door was a hanging of fine linen wrought with beautiful needlework using the same colors in the same order as the veil. However, there is one interesting difference in the needlework between the two. The veil needlework is described as having been intricately embroidered in such a way that cherubim could be seen, whereas the other was varied only. Clearly, God wanted those colors to make an impression to all, but to particularly draw those set aside to serve within. To enter the tent, all must recognize the Door with its royalty colors, but to be a priest in the tabernacle one must recognize not only the royalty colors but also sense the presence of cherubim. It was the glory of God calling men to be seekers and to come close to him. The priests were dressed in white linen so as to be given a symbolic purity and beauty they did not really possess within themselves.  We can see in the story of later Israel that many of their priests were corrupt and, not impressed with the royalty colors and the cherubim,  were not true seekers. They lacked the desire to live as priests of God on earth. The royalty colors and the cherubim ministry did not impress them while they lived among men.
     However, there was One who would come and live among men. He would never forget His role or true dominion and his followers would number many over time.

"I am the Door"       Jesus (John 10:9)

"... seen by angels..."      Timothy speaking of Jesus (1st book 3:16)

"...Great High Priest..." writer of Hebrews speaking of Jesus (4:14)

Jesus, thank You for coming to earth and making it possible for me to be a part of Your royal priesthood. I confess that God exalted You to the highest place following your resurrection. I see Your royalty colors; I sense Your ministering angels, and, I have gladly received my robes of white to offer you praise! Help me (us) remain strong and always committed to Your service.

Bibledoorajar: Blue and Scarlet Make Purple

     Son Of Man
Son of Righteousness
King of the earth
For sinners slain…
              Bless the Lord (Son of Man)
              Lyrics by Tye Tribbett

    As the Hebrew seeker continued to look at the vail, he would see a band of purple above a band of scarlet and both below the blue band. Scarlet is a color often associated with the earth. Even now as we humans look just below the blue heavens, we will see scarlet in the earthly terrain. Earthly kings have often been robed in scarlet, but that was not to be the case for the Jewish King. Failing to receive God who became Man, the Jews provided Him with no robes of scarlet. But as the song above reads, the Son of Man was a king. He was a King for sinners slain.
     Scarlet as a description of sin is now considered an archaic definition of the word. Some of us may remember the book, The Scarlet Letter. In that story, a woman was forced to wear a scarlet A on her forehead so that all would know of her particular sin. The Bible is very familiar with this word scarlet and references both earthiness and terrible sin with it. There is a story in the Bible about a birth in the earthly family line of Jesus. The mother was going to have twins. It was imperative that the firstborn and heir be identified. When a baby stuck out his arm from the womb, the midwife tied a scarlet string around the arm. But the baby drew the arm back into the womb and he arrived second in the birth order. In that way the midwife's earthly efforts were thwarted in favor of God's. He ensured that Pharez, the rightful heir, came first. In another passage, Rahab exhibited her faith by letting down the scarlet cord for the Israeli spies. Perhaps the most noted passage about sin and scarlet, is the Isaiah passage that reports.."though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."
    A royal colored robe was  scornfully put on The Son of Man at his crucifixion by the soldiers. Matthew calls it scarlet and Mark calls it purple. God knows blue. God knows scarlet and God knows purple. And, he knows the perceptions of men. No secrets. When the colors of blue and scarlet are mixed together one gets purple. All was planned for us to see our Savior with cleansed hearts and to make Him Lord of All.  One day those soldiers will bow their knee to Him.

"Man of Sorrows, what a name..."

                                                                       P.B. Bliss