Then God gave the people all these instructions. (Exodus 20:1 NLT)
The big ten. The ten commandments. We typically think of them when we think about the law. We think about them when we think of what God wants from us. We think of them when it comes to rule following. But do we ever think of them in terms of relationship? Probably not. But this is what God had in mind when he gave them to his people.
God has just brought his people out of a 430 year stay in Egypt. They arrived there as one man's family & are leaving a nation, God's own special people. These commandments are set in that context. And it's this context that gives us their meaning. We tend to focus on these ten but did you know there are over 600 commands that follow the big ten? Why don't we focus on them?
All of these commands (especially the ten commandments), reveal something about God & his people. These commands display what it is to be God's people. They answer the question, "What does it look like for holy God to dwell among sinful man?"
The answer is one word with two parts. The one word is relationship & the two parts are love God & love people. These commands are about how God's people should live in relationship with him & how they should live in relationship to others. That order is very important, for it is a right relationship with God that enables a right relationship with others.
Jesus said this in the gospels when he was asked which commandment is the greatest. He responded with "To love the Lord your God will all your heart, soul, mind, & strength. And the second one is like it, love your neighbor as yourself." If we love God with every part of our being we will live in right relationship with him. If we love others like ourselves, we will treat them like we want to be treated & therefore not commit any of there crimes that the 10 commandments forbid. Simple enough right?
God not only gave his people the big ten but he also gave them the tabernacle. Why? Because he knew they couldn't keep his commands. He knew that they couldn't love him & others perfectly so they would need someone to have intercession for them. Something between them & God. The tabernacle was God's solution.
John 1:14 says, "The Word became flesh & dwelt among us." The word translated "dwelt" literally means tabernacle. The Word became flesh & tabernacled among us. The tabernacle points to how a holy God can dwell among imperfect, law breaking sinners. How can God be holy & still dwell among sinners? The tabernacle. How can a righteous God not punish sinners for their wrongdoing? The tabernacle. One life for another to make atonement for the wrong committed.
Jesus is our tabernacle. He is the perfection of the tabernacle. He is the fulfillment of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was temporary, Jesus is eternal. The tabernacle was for one nation, Jesus is for all nations. The tabernacle is no longer in use, Jesus intercedes for us even now.
He makes it possible for us to live in right relationship with God. He makes it possible for us to love God & love people. He makes it possible for a holy God to dwell among unholy people. It's all because of Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment