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Commentary on "Rejoicing Before the Lord: The Sanctuary and Worship"
Day 3: Monday, July 18, 2011 - Willing Hearts
Overview
This lesson looks at the instructions and the process for building the tabernacle. Israel was instructed that all who were willing were to bring their jewels and gold they had received from the Egyptians as an offering for the construction of the temple. Moreover, people with skill in weaving and design volunteered to to work on creating the furnishings for the tabernacle.
The lesson ends by asking the reader to contemplate his or her own tithes and offerings, whether of money or of time and talent, and to consider how he or she has been “enriched in return”.
Observations
The Teachers Comments point out that the word “tabernacle” comes from a Hebrew word that is translated in Latin (from when it came into English) that means literally “tent”. This meaning is no accident. In John 1:14 we read that “The Word became flesh and dwelt [literally ‘tabernacled’] among us.” Moreover, 2 Corinthians 5 explains that we live in mortal tents and do not wish to be unclothed but long to be clothed with our heavenly dwellings.
Our bodies are considered “tents”...not permanent buildings. The Lord Jesus, The Word—indwelt a human, mortal tent and thus tabernacled among us. The God of Heaven took a mortal tent as His body to become our Substitute and Sacrifice. God’s placing His glory in a tent was a foreshadowing of His becoming incarnate in a mortal tent for our sake.
He revealed Himself by taking on the physical, temporary trappings of a portable tent and then a portable, mortal body.
People participated in making the tabernacle because God was doing something new: He was revealing Himself to and making His glory present among men. This phenomenon was a first in human history; God’s presence and glory dwelt among them. He wasn’t establishing Himself in splendor as would an earthly king, but He glorified Himself in a nomadic setting exactly as the Israelites lived. He revealed Himself to them as a personal God, and He desired them to know Him and relate to Him personally.
The people’s willingness to give for the tabernacle was a foreshadowing of our willingness to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) to the Living God who makes us alive with His Spirit.
It was an act of worship for them to give their riches to God for His tabernacle...but the point of our giving is not to enrich ourselves or to enhance our worship. Our giving is to be a response to God. Our giving is actually an act of obedience to Him when we are already born again.
Romans 12:1 says:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
And 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 says,
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
When we have been made alive through our faith in the Lord Jesus, part of our living for Him includes giving as He provides. Unless we are born again, however, giving tithes, offerings, time, and talent merits absolutely nothing. It is ultimately self-serving for people to give as natural humans because without the life of Jesus in us, our best works are as filthy rags, or rubbish.
This lesson misses the point that “willing hearts” do not constitute worshipful hearts unless they have first been made alive by the Spirit.
One of the most troublesome aspects of Adventist theology is that is uses all the “normal” Christian admonitions, but it presents them as ways to become close to God instead of presenting the Gospel as the way to become right with God.
Jesus said He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn. 14:6). He is not the “way-shower”; He Himself IS the way. Nothing we do enhances our relationship with Him. Only our submission to Him in repentance and acceptance of His blood results in our having a relationship with Him.
This lesson again puts “the cart before the horse”. Speaking of enhancing our experiences and worshiping by giving misses the point. Without being in Jesus, we have no way to the Father.
Summary
- The word “tabernacle” means “tent”.
- The wilderness tabernacle foreshadowed Jesus becoming incarnate in a mortal human “tent” as per 2 Corinthians 5.
- Giving is not an act of worship unless a person is born again.
- When we are born of the Spirit, then giving is our obedience to God’s commands to us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices and to give as He blesses us in order to give.
- Our giving apart from being born again is “filthy rags”.
- Adventist theology puts the cart before the horse; we cannot please God or experience closeness to Him by generous acts unless we have first been born again.
- Jesus Himself is the Way to experience a relationship with the Father. He does not show us the way; He IS the way.
- We must be made alive and be IN Him in order to be right with God or to worship Him.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised July 17, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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