Did you notice the repetition of the phrase, “as the Lord
had commanded Moses”? He had been told
to be careful to build the tabernacle and all its accoutrements exactly
according to the Lord’s commands and here we see that Moses did what he was
told. Also, he was the one who put all
things in place. There is something a
bit like Noah about this process isn’t there?
God told Noah how to build the ark and Noah did what he was told and
when it was prepared he, his family and all the animals got on board and were
safe. Here Moses does what God tells him
to do and when it is ready the nation will now be safe so long as needed in the
wilderness. What a sight it must have
been to see the glory of the Lord filling that tabernacle, God dwelling among
His people. The procession behind the
pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night would truly have been
inspiring or frightening depending on perspective.
Not only are we not to resist the one who is evil, we are to
love them. I can hardly get past the
idea of turning the other cheek should someone strike me and Jesus says even
that isn’t enough, we are also to love that person. How could anyone hear and apply such teaching
then or now? I know that it isn’t
natural for me to act that way, I want to strike back at the one who strikes
me, whether I do so in person or behind their back to ruin their
reputation. Aggressive and
passive-aggressive are simply two sides of the same coin. Jesus meant this teaching and lived this
teaching. He did so not by living from
human nature but by the Spirit, the same Spirit He gives us. It requires the work of abiding, which seems
like a paradox, to live into the commandments here. Like the tabernacle, we are filled with the
glory and the presence of God, as Paul says, we are the temple of the Holy
Spirit. Let us take refuge in that truth
as we live in this world.
Paul speaks particularly of sexual purity because it has
always been a problem for humankind.
There is a passion more difficult to tame in sexual things than any
other. If we rely on the Holy Spirit we
can begin to overcome those passions not that they be done away with but that
they be turned to their proper channels.
We are called to actively engage with the battle of controlling those
desires, not passively waiting on the Lord to do something about them. Life matters, how we live and walk among
others is a witness to them that there is another, better way of living. This goes all the way back to Genesis 4 when
God said that sin was crouching at the door desiring to rule over Cain and he
had to master it. We are given the
master plan for living by the one who created us and our job is rely on His
Spirit to conform our lives to that plan that His glory may shine through us to
the world.
Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus they march, their pillar leading,
light by night, and shade by day;
daily on the manna feeding
which he gives them when they pray.
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus they march, their pillar leading,
light by night, and shade by day;
daily on the manna feeding
which he gives them when they pray.
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