The Color of Worship - Gold

Exodus 25 through Exodus 26

Gold signifies the holiness of God. It was used to adorn and cover items within the tabernacle:

The poles to carry the Ark of The Covenant were overlaid with gold and four golden rings were made to carry the poles. Exodus 25:10-16

The Ark of The Covenant was covered by the Mercy Seat, which was also covered in gold; plus it had two solid gold cherubim attached to the top, which faced the Mercy Seat. 

The poles to carry the Ark and the rings into which these poles fit were also covered with gold. Exodus 25:17-22

The Table of Showbread was completely covered in gold. In addition, the plates and dishes which sat upon it were also covered in gold. These rings and carrying poles were also overlaid in gold. Exodus 25:23-30

               The Lampstand, the last specific item designated for the inside of the tabernacle is also made of hammered gold. None of these items were fastened together, nor were they welded or mixed with anything to hold together. That took God-given craftsmanship: beaten, hammered out sheets or blocks of gold, seamless, to produce each of these specially-designed pieces. 

    God had given Moses the plans, blueprints, for each part of the tabernacle when he was on the mountain with God. And God gave each one involved in the making thereof special knowledge to create the items. 

    These, however, were not the only things made of gold or gold overlay. Exodus 26:6 'hooks of gold to hold the tabernacle curtains up'. Exodus 26:31-33 describes the veil which separated the room where the Ark of The Covenant would be and the outer room where the Table and the Lampstand would be. The curtain for the door required hooks of gold set in brass sockets, and the pillars of the door had to be covered in gold. Exodus 26:37. 

    Yet, these are not all of the gold items within the Scriptures that reference the holiness of God. The prophetic verses in Zechariah 6:11-13 tells us (11) Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;  (12) And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaks The LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of The LORD: (13) Even he shall build the temple of The LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 

    Isaiah 9:6-7

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of The LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

    Isaiah 11:1-5

(1) Then a Shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. (2) The Spirit of The LORD will rest on Him—The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and strength, The Spirit of knowledge and fear of The LORD. (3) And He will delight in the fear of The LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear, (4) but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips. 

(5) Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.

    Revelation 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a Name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. 

    In order for gold to be used purposefully, it first must be purified in fire. It must be tested until the refiner is satisfied with the result. Even when it is God's people who are being refined as gold. 

Malachi 3:3 tells us that the sons of Levi, the priestly lineage, will be refined like silver and gold. As God's people, we see this happen time and again in our lives: that God is testing us in various fires until we "come forth as gold" in His eyes Job 23:10. 

 Revelation 3:18 The Word of God is compared to gold: I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. How do we buy from Christ that which we cannot afford? With out obedient faith in His Word, by trusting in His promises, and that He is, indeed, a faithful God. By believing that God is truly trustworthy: worthy to receive our trust in Him. 

    Unlike manmade gods, which have no value and cannot see, nor hear, nor eat, nor receive  what is presented to them by the people who made these metal or brass or wooden or silver or gold or bejewelled idols and icons. Psalm 115:4-8; Psalm 135:15-18; Isaiah 44:9-20; Jeremiah 10:3-5; Habakkuk 2:18-19; Jeremiah 2:27-28. 

    When we offer our hearts and surrender our bodies and our minds to God's service and kingdom, we present such--to us--unworthiness. Yet, in His time and with His love, God transforms the sinner into the saint by the power of His Holy Spirit. He breathes on us, empowering us to become more like Jesus. We are refined in the fires of tests that we might have a faithful testimony > The Lord delivered me from all of my fears, my doubts, my weaknesses. >The Lord saved me from a horrific death and punishment: the grave and hell. >The Lord lifted me up from the miry clay, the things which threatened to bring me down and keep me down. 

    With this knowledge and understanding, we bow our knees to King Jesus and praise His Holy Name now, while we till draw breath. For we know that the time is near when "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:9-11.

    

    

  

Ruler In Israel

 

THE PROPHECY

 MICAH 5:2

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little amongst the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth to Me that is to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY

Matthew 2:1, 2

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.  

THE PROPHECY

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY

John 12:14, 15

Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written:  “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion. See, your King is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.” 

 

PROPHECY

Revelation 19:16

And He has on His robe and on His thigh a Name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 

        As you can see, this last prophecy about The Ruler of Israel has not yet been fulfilled. That day is coming. And soon. Are you ready for The King's return?

     

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - His Name Shall Be Called

 

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 5059

Wonders: a miraculous wonder, done to elicit a reaction from onlookers; an extraordinary event with its supernatural effect left on all witnessing it, i.e. a portent from heaven to earth.

From the Greek word 'teras' (pronounced ter'-as)

WONDER: KINGDOM & DOMINION ARE HIS
Daniel 4:3

How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation.
WONDER: SAVED BY GRACE, SEATED WITH CHRIST
Ephesians 2:4-9

4. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 

5. made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

6. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

7. in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8. For by grace you are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

WONDER: FOUND IN CHRIST

Philippians 3:8-

8. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 

9. and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

10. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,

11. and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

WONDER: LOVE OF GOD

1 John 4:9, 10

9. This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins.

A CHILD

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel" (which means, "God with us").

A SON

Luke 1:35

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Psalm 89:27

I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

KING OF KINGS

Isaiah 9:7

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

Psalm 93:1, 2

1. The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty; the LORD has clothed and armed Himself with strength. The world indeed is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

2. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.

Revelation 19:16

And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

WONDERFUL

John 1:14, 18

14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

18. No one has seen God [His essence, His divine nature] at any time; the [One and] only begotten God [that is, the unique Son] who is in the intimate presence of the Father, He has explained Him [and interpreted and revealed the awesome wonder of the Father]. {AMP}

COUNSELLOR

Psalm 91:15

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.

Isaiah 65:24

Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Romans 10:13

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

THE MIGHTY GOD

Psalm 24:8

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

Exodus 15:3, 6

3. The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is His name.

6. Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has shattered the enemy.

Psalm 50:1

A Psalm of Asaph. The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Psalm 145:3

Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.

THE EVERLASTING FATHER

Deuteronomy 6:4

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.

John 1:12

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 10:30

I and My Father are one.

THE PRINCE OF PEACE

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.

He is all of this and more. Signs and wonders done in the power of the Holy Spirit reveal God to His people. Some will believe that the Christ is God's Son, but many more will not. What is it going to take to convince people that Jesus of Nazareth is God's promised Messiah? is God's only begotten Son? Faith. Trusting in the Word of God to be True and Faithful. 

God does not deceive. The one who performs signs and wonders without the power of God is not from God but is against God. That one will be destroyed by the Mighty Right Hand of God: Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, Son of the Most High God. 

God's plan of salvation is to be greatly desired. It is more valuable than gold and silver, more highly prized than fine jewels. It is not corruptible, neither is it temporal, but rather it is eternal. If we want life eternal, we need to believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son and that there is no other Name under heaven (on this earth at any given point in time) by which we can be saved. 

So, the question is proffered: Do you believe?

He Shall Be Called

Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Way In A Manger

Isaiah 7:14

 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 226

Sign: miracle, attestation of God's divine presence and interposition (mediation)

Matthew 1:23

"Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel" (which means, "God with us").

On the surface of the Scripture a person may wonder what this verse and the many verses we will touch on this month have to do with being born again. Christ is our foundation of living. Without His arrival to this world there would be no born again experience. The world would still be awaiting God's promise of a Messianic kingdom to be set up. 

THE WAY

To be born again is to believe that Jesus Christ is God's Messiah, that God's plan of salvation is enacted in Him and through Him. He is the gospel of salvation. He is the Way (John 14:6a): the Way in which we are to walk out our daily lives (Isaiah 30:21), the Way which God has provided for us to reach The LORD God Himself (John 14:6d). 

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

IN A MANGER

Luke 2:11, 12

11. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! 

12. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.

THE LIGHT

He was born on this Earth of humble birth. After all, what could be a more humble birth than to be born in a stable, a barn? Mary had prepared for the birth of her son by bringing the necessities required to wrap him up after His birth, but the place of one's birth can never really be planned for. 

Babies are born in taxicabs, hotel lobbies, hospitals, at home; very seldom are human babies born in a barn stall surrounded by sounds of barn animals. But this was a special baby, this was The Light of God's Love given to a dark world. It is only fitting then, that He should be born in a dimly lit stable. 

John 1:5

And The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

John 8:12

Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, "I am The Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have The Light of Life."

John 9:5

"While I am in the world, I am The Light of the world."

Has The Light of God's Love made Himself at home in Your heart? If not, are you ready to believe in God's Messiah, to have The Light take up residence in the darkness of your hearts? 

Dear God,

I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. Please forgive me of all my sins and help me to walk in Your Way, in Your Light. Come live in my soul: in my heart, in my thoughts, in my emotions, my attitude. Lead me through Your precious Holy Word into Your marvelous Light. Forgive me, Father, of all my unrighteousness; forgive me for trying to do things my way, instead of Your Way. To You, O Lord, I surrender my all. 

As in days of old, when they who had been forgiven much by kings of the realm, I pledge my allegiance to You. May my feet go where You lead. You have promised never to leave nor forsake Your people. I would that I were one of Your people. Come live in me that I might live in You. Forever. 

In Jesus' Precious Name, I pray,

Amen

THE WAY MEDLEY