Thursday, February 9, 2012

A Woman's Heart Bible Study! Week 4: Hearts Approaching the Altar

Day 1: Breaking Ground for Construction

God gave Moses instructions for the tabernacle virtually from the inside out.  Because this sacred dwelling place reflected  God's approach to humans.

Today we attempt to draw the tabernacle! Find the instructions God gave Moses here.



 (Mine is not as nice of this but you get the idea!)

God may have had countless reasons for choosing the  east as the entrance to His presence; but surely, not the least is the fact that His perfect light interrupts the darkness every morning  from the east.  At the break of every new day, light shone on the gate for the tabernacle, beckoning the people to find refuge in God.

Psalm 30:5  says "His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;  weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
We will discover quickly that the children of Israel were on the roughest battlefield of their nation's history, facing the most vicious enemy of all:themselves.


Day 2: The Altar of Sacrifice
Today we take our first steps through the tabernacle gate.  We come face to face with the altar of sacrifice, which occupied front-and-center priority in the tabernacle courtyard.  Elevated off the ground, the five-cubit-square alter constructed of acacia wood.  Acacia wood was well known for  its incorruptibility because it resisted decay.


One of the most remarkable similarities  between acacia wood and our Savior was that it bore heavy, sharp thorns--a likeness that deserves our attention.
Leviticus 6:12-13 God had lit the fire from His own holy hand.  Only fire originating from Himself could truly purify and consume, or approve, and offering. Therefore, the fire must never be allowed to go out.  Wood had to be added continually so that the original, divine flame would never be exhausted.  God lit the fire, but humans had to fuel it


2 Timothy 1:6-8 reminds us what our responsibility is after God lights the fire within us.
Power is up to God.  Participation is up to us!



Day 3: Acceptable Offer
All Salvation rests on this precept: Acceptance is always based on atonement.  Do not allow this fact to escape your mind for a moment throughout this study.

Guilt was  the emotional  tie between the Israelite and the animal.  Unspeakable love was the emotional tie between God and His Son.

The ashes invariably fell at dawn. Ancient Hebrew history records that the moment the last ash fell, the priests blew the trumpets in celebration, shouting, "It is finished!"  When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished!"  With that, he bowed his head and gave up His Spirit. (John 19:30)

Day 4: Clean Hands and a Pure Heart
The first act of cleansing was initiated for them.  The second was initiated by them.  God was consecrating the priests for service in a one-time experience in which they were sanctified and deemed acceptable.

How fitting that the basin of cleansing was from mirrors!  The women contributed these costly mirrors to offer something that represented vanity,  It was a beautiful Old Testament expression of dying to self.

before we can truly come before God for cleansing, we must examine ourselves to discover how we have erred.

The crucial message is that the full cleansing they had  received on accepting Him (God) concerned regeneration.  The partial cleansing of their feet concerned relationship.   See John 13 to read where Jesus washed the feet of the disciples.  When we witness the disciples being forced to confront their egos, we may be strangely moved to confront our own.

LET CHRIST LOVE YOU TODAY!

Until you learn to let Him serve you at the point of your need,  you will never be truly to free to serve others.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, 

   the Mighty Warrior who saves. 
He will take great delight in you; 
   in his love he will no longer rebuke you, 
   but will rejoice over you with singing

Day 5: Contentment in the Calling

Psalm 84


1 How lovely is your dwelling place, 
   LORD Almighty! 

2 My soul yearns, even faints, 

   for the courts of the LORD; 
my heart and my flesh cry out 
   for the living God. 

3 Even the sparrow has found a home, 

   and the swallow a nest for herself, 
   where she may have her young— 
a place near your altar, 
   LORD Almighty, my King and my God. 

4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; 

   they are ever praising you.

 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, 
   whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. 

6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka, 

   they make it a place of springs; 
   the autumn rains also cover it with pools. 

7 They go from strength to strength, 

   till each appears before God in Zion.

 8 Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty; 
   listen to me, God of Jacob. 

9 Look on our shield, O God; 

   look with favor on your anointed one.

 10 Better is one day in your courts 
   than a thousand elsewhere; 
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God 
   than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 

11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; 

   the LORD bestows favor and honor; 
no good thing does he withhold 
   from those whose walk is blameless.

 12 LORD Almighty, 
   blessed is the one who trusts in you.



If you struggle with your importance in God's Kingdom,realize that one day at the task God has personally assigned only you is better than a thousand days at someone else's.

Only God's chosen task for you will ultimately satisfy.

Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your Holy temple. (Psalm 65:4)


Have a Beautiful Week! 

Christina




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