History's Mysteries - Exodus 37:9

Exodus 37:9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover of the Ark. (NIV)

            Like most people, I never really gave much thought to the Ark of the Covenant until I saw the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which starred Harrison Ford in the lead role of Indiana Jones. The excitement of that film captivated me completely and so each time I come across the descriptions of how the Ark was made, I can’t help but think about the fables concerning the holy artifact. I know that most of them are non-Biblical and more science fiction fantasy than sacred scripture story, but the history of the Ark – how it was made, where it was carried, and how it disappeared – still intrigues me to this day.

            The artist in me also resonates with the beautiful imagery and craftsmanship that Bezalel used to create and construct the Ark. His skills must have been amazing and the Hebrew people would surely have been proud of what he made. Out of all the lost artifacts of ancient civilizations, Bezalel’s Ark is the one that I would most like to see. I hope when we all get to Heaven, there will surely be some sort of Hall of Fame Museum where all of those ancient items like the Ark of the Covenant, Aaron’s Rod, and the original stone tablets with the Ten Commandments, can be seen forever.

            I like the fact that the Bible has yet some mysteries which cannot be found or factualized. It means that faith is still necessary for us to become connected to God and His continuing work of salvation. I also prefer that God has all the answers which means that we are continually learning new things about His words, ways, and works. This is what attracts me to the scriptures and my faith; this is what unites me to Christ’s Spirit.

Point to ponder

What mysteries in the Bible still intrigue me? What have I newly learned about God recently?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, we don’t know everything, but we believe You do. Draw us closer to You through the stories in the Bible and with Your sacred teaching. Bless us this day with Your Holy Presence. In Your sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. If you would like to send join an email, write to him at Traqair@aol.com. John enjoys reading your feedback 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Bible drawings. It’s called “And God Said.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Creation.

Daily devotions: A Wasted Life - 1 Kings 14:9

1 Kings 14:9   You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back.

            When I read some parts of the Old Testament, I get bothered by the punishment that is inflicted upon leaders, kings, and people who do wrong. It makes me wonder that if I was alive in those days and lived according to my current ways, would I have been forgiven or condemned by God?  I find it very unsettling and it makes me feel really guilty about my sins. I feel unworthy of God’s grace and separated from His love. I feel like I have created an insurmountable gap between myself and God. I feel unholy and alone.

            In today’s passage, 1 Kings 14:1-11, King Jeroboam is cursed and condemned by God for following idolatrous and self-serving ways, as well as for being ungrateful about the original blessings that God had bestowed upon him. Jeroboam was chosen by God to lead the ten tribes of Israel that had severed themselves from Judah. It was supposed to be an honor for him and a blessing for his descendants. Sadly, however, Jeroboam wasted this God-given opportunity. Instead of praising God, he set up false idols. Rather than give thanks to God, he made up his own new religion and consecrated his own priests. Jeroboam turned out to be a worse character than the misguided king that he had replaced.

            I know that God is both slow to anger and immensely patient, but I wonder how long He will put up with our sins and wicked ways. People feel sexually liberated and independently free, however, instead of using those rights and gifts to make the world a better place, young naïve people are being exploited and trafficked across the world; society has also become more selfish and uncaring to the point that if someone stumbles and falls in a busy street, people just walk on by.

            Jesus has the power to forgive us of all of our sins, but we've sadly reached a stage where most folks don’t feel the need to repent or even recognize that our behavior is sinful. As I've written several times before, what is morally right in the world’s eyes is everything that gets a person whatever they want; what is morally wrong is anything that gets in the way of obtaining that desire – which, of course, means that the true Church of Christ will always be confronting cultural morality and personal lifestyle choices.

Questions for personal reflection

Am I truly aware of how badly my sins damage my relationship with God? Am I willing to truly repent of those sins?

Lord Jesus, sometimes we treat You as if You’re our biggest pal and indulgent friend instead of acknowledging You as both our Judge and Savior. We all sin constantly, but we forget to repent or even cast aside our need to confess to You. Forgive us for taking You for granted; help us to truly distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, honesty and falsehood. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of my Good Friday drawings called ‘Cross Bound.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the link: Cross Bound.

Bible Devotion: What is an Ephod? - Exodus 39:2-3

Exodus 39:2-3                        They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen--the work of a skilled craftsman.

What’s an Ephod?

There are some words in the Bible that only belong to the ancient cultures represented in its pages. ‘Ephod’ is one of them. The ephod was the metallic breastplate or vest that Aaron the High Priest wore when he entered the holy tabernacle to intercede on behalf of the Hebrew people. It was part of his uniform and a badge of his authority. The ephod was squarely shaped and contained twelve jewels on its surface which represented the twelve tribes of Israel. It must have been both a beautiful and an amazing piece of jeweled clothing for the high priest to wear.

By the way, some people believe that the arrangement of colors, threads, and squares was an ancient inspiration to the making of the first plaid/tartan cloths.

The ephod’s significance had many meanings. By wearing it, the high priest was recognized by God as being the one who could make confessions and prayers for all the people. Its precious stones represented the well-being of the whole community and signified God’s authority through Aaron to the people. It was also an expensive vestment, festooned with gold and rich jewels, with which the wearer honored God’s kingly, royal, and majestic presence. The people could confidently have their prayers of confession presented to God because the ephod wearer was welcomed into God’s sacred presence.

As Christians, we have a high priest, but instead of an ephod, He bears the marks of crucifixion on his head, chest, hands and feet. When we make our confessions in Christ’s Name, He stands before God as our both our Holy Savior and God’s Sacred Son. He is given the authority to forgive our mistakes, to pardon our messed up lives, and to allow us the precious opportunity of beginning again. We are a fortunate people because we are forgiven; we are exceptional creatures because Christ saves us.

Questions for personal reflection

How many times in the day to I ask Christ to intercede on my behalf? What does He do that makes Him my Savior?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for being our High Priest. We are grateful that You are willing to intercede on our behalf each day, to forgive our many sins, and to restore us to God’s favor and kingdom. Without You, we would be lost to God forever. With You, we are blessed eternally. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

If you enjoyed this devotion, you can read more in John's devotional e-books like "The Light of Love" which has forty-two devotions inspired by the Gospel of John. You can find the book at this link: 

"The Light of Love."

Today’s image is of the High Priest in Aaron’s time wearing the ephod and other vestments.