Title: Noble Covenant
Contents
noble covenant
(2006.11.12. Week) (1 Kings 8:9)
Everyone has things they value.
However, there are times when you can make a big profit because of that precious thing, but on the other hand, there are times when you suffer a big loss because of that precious thing.
What do you value color vision right now?
It is really precious, so I earnestly pray that it will be of great benefit.
*Lot's family lived quite wealthy in the city of Sodom. But the city of Sodom will be destroyed, so I heard the command not to look back and to get out of Sodom quickly. Lot really lived because he ran away without looking back. However, Lot's wife was different - how precious the house he lived in, and how precious the household items he left behind - because of that regret, he looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. - No matter how precious your house or living is, is it more precious than your life? Is it more precious than God's commands?
*Abraham had a son who was irreplaceably precious - But God asked him to sacrifice him - Abram thought, “No matter how precious a son is - God’s commands are more precious” - So he sacrificed his son I was going to give it to you - God saw his heart and raised his son back to life and blessed Abram even more.
What do you value? What is the most valuable?
1. The Ark of the Covenant of the Tabernacle
Even though they were children of God, God saved the Hebrews who lived with their heads bowed down to the power and oppression of the world, and God saved them and gave them freedom.
Until then, God has finally given a set law to the people who lived under the guidance of God, who guides them from time to time, rather than a set law.
Those were the Ten Commandments and other laws. Gradually, through the prophets and apostles, he gave the now complete Bible.
Also, the place of worship has changed in various forms with each era, and now we worship in the church.
When the people of Israel first took the form of a nation, they built a tabernacle and held worship centered on the tabernacle.
In the tabernacle era, the most central one among the various holy things in the tabernacle was the Ark of the Covenant.
What was in the Ark of the Covenant in the Age of the Tabernacle?
(Hebrews 9:4) -“There was a golden censer and the ark of the covenant wrapped around it with gold, and in it were the golden jar containing the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded and the stones of the covenant.” , ③ Covenant Plate - These three were included.
1) The covenant plate that was placed under God's direction.
Of these three, there is only one that God instructed to put into the ark of the covenant.
(Exodus 25:21) - “Put the mercy seat on the ark, and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark.”
This is a command to put in the Ark of the Covenant the Testimony (plate of the covenant) on which the Word of God that God's people must keep is written.
The most important thing for God's people to live is the Word of God, so keep it well.
Since the basis of serving God is the Word of God, it is important to keep it most preciously.
Even now, I hope that God's people should cherish the Bible, knowing that the most important thing is the Word of God.
2) Two added.
Fashionable people don't just wear clothes - they dress up with various accessories besides clothes.
Cars aren't the same as they came out of the factory - there are a lot of people who have tweaked them to look great.
Believers are no exception. So did the Hebrews.
God told us to put the plates of the covenant in the ark of the covenant - the people didn't even do it - but when and where we found out later, there are two other things besides the plates of the covenant.
① A jar of manna - It was a miraculous food that God gave to save the people when there was no food in the wilderness - So there was a time when he said to put the jar of manna in front of the testimony (Exodus 16:34). - It means not to forget the grace of God. It means that there is nothing that God cannot do if He wants to do it. It means to remember the miracles God has given you - but no matter how precious the miracle manna is, it is not equivalent to the plates of the covenant. They were not to be put together in the ark of the covenant.
②Aaron's rod that budded - When God gave the Levites a noble office and gave the priesthood to Aaron and his descendants - To the people who complained that God's treatment was unfair - Do not challenge the priesthood and take God's action As a lesson not to complain about the church, he showed the miracle that only Aaron's rod sprouted, blossomed, and produced fruit, especially among the staff of the 12 tribes. So, He told us not to challenge God and not to challenge the priests. He told us to put it in front of the ark (Numbers 17:10) - That lesson was valuable, but it was also not enough to be kept in the ark of the covenant - it was not equivalent to the plates of the covenant.
Accessories are precious, but not as desperate as clothes.
Neither miracles like the manna that fell in the wilderness, nor the miracles of buds and flowers on a dry stick - are not equivalent to the Word of God. - The value is only as precious as the accessories of clothes.
2. The Ark of the Covenant in the Temple
The era of the Hebrew people's wandering has passed, and the war period has passed - when they settle down and lead a stable life - God has put an end to the age of the tabernacle, a temporary dwelling place, and made it possible to build a beautiful temple.
Today's text is the record of when the temple was completed and all the holy things in the tabernacle were finally moved to the temple.
(8:9) - "There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone, which Moses put into it at Horeb when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel after they came out of the land of Egypt." - Amen.
Neither the jar of manna that commemorates the miracle God has given nor the staff that showed the miracle of sprouting from a dry staff - when and where they disappeared - have disappeared.
These were the things that the Israelites treasured so much, but they are all gone.
However, despite wandering around for a long time and fighting countless battles - what did not disappear and remained in existence was the covenant plate on which the Word of God was written.
These are the stone tablets that God directly commanded to put into the Ark of the Covenant. These are the stone tablets that Moses himself put in.
3. Noble Words
Neither the manna jar nor the staff that sprouted were all gone - only the stone tablets of the covenant were left and preserved in the temple. What does it teach us?
(Matthew 5:18) - “Truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle of the law will pass away, but all will be fulfilled.” The lesson is that there is nothing in the world that is as precious as the Word of God.
(Matthew 23:3) - "Therefore, whatever they say, do and observe it, but do not imitate what they do. They speak only and do not act." Even if they preach, if you preach the Bible, you should receive that lesson.
It teaches us how precious the Word of God is.
Words that are more noble than any miracle or power, words that do not disappear until heaven and earth pass away - I pray that you will cherish the Bible, the Word of God, and live according to the Bible to receive blessings.