114 - No Swimming Allowed!

You pick up your Bible is more here than meets the is there something for me.

I mean it's just words printed on paper may look like just print on the page but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our as we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than 80 fragrant all you at Christmas time will come instantly thousand 300 was now tells you something special is coming and it's very unique to Chris today were going to have a fragrance is very to the tabernacle talk about today on more than Inc. well good having a great morning this is Jim and I'm Dorothy and I you joined us on and we are walking our way through Exodus marvelous passage of coming out of Egypt and going to the land of promise and now we're away.

How far through our exit will wear like three quarters of the way requires the way because where we are almost to the completion of all the instruction that Moses receives a break and in a couple of weeks we get to that famous scene when he comes down the mountain and finds people worshiping flexible boiler Where still, even on the mountain on the show now for weeks and weeks and we got to Egypt we crossed the Red Sea. We got to Mount Sinai. Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai.

Everyone will stay down to Joshua. He's got half done and and he's been up ever since you were still up to, but were coming right to the end of that now. Well, he got invited them up there back in chapter 24.

If you remember after that that covenant ceremony where they slaughtered the oxen they made the offering and Moses sprinkled the blood of people all said yes. We will obey what we believe you God and then God invites Moses and the elders crazy passage where it says and they saw the dinner supper up there and ate his present Moses stays on the mountain to receive the tablets from God the end of a long time since stay on the top of the mountain and and and it's been dominated in the last several weeks with God's instructions about God's tent is meant to be in their midst as they travel and what's going on. Once you look like what's our house decorated you know everything that's fitting an instructional band have is that they do so wrapped up last week with the discussion about the instance the incident set the altar of incense yeah yeah picturing our prayers to God. So today we we kind of pick up the last few pieces of the tabernacle instructions last few pieces next week will get to God's final words to us from atop the mountain. But this is really the last of about the tabernacle proper. So last few details were in chapter 30 if you're following with us were using the English standard version. If you want to read along with us, but we are going to pick up in the middle of chapter 30 because the incense talk we had last time the first 10 verses in the last handful verses or right in the middle sore looking at the census tax. Middle of chapter 30 verse 11 so she will just jump what does this strike you that this is a funny place to insert seems like it now after you pay for it, but you will see this does have an interesting connection to the tabernacle so that's why I think he's including it somewhere but this is a fun place to go but every old will talk about the three first verse 11 chapter 31 read I can bring my copy. I'm starting verse 11 the Lord said to Moses when you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord.

When you number them that there be no plague among when you number each one is numbered in census shall give this half shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary shekel is 20 carats half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. Everyone is numbered in the census from 20 years old and upward shall give the Lord's offering the rich shall not give more in the portion not give less than half shekel when they give the Lord's offering to make atonement for your lives. You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel, and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord so as to make a ton meant for your lives. So, census tax interesting combination of matters and found spiritual reality.

Yes, I mean, let's talk about practicality as this is a way in which I'm just very obviously you pay for the expense of what is going take the run tent tabernacle that makes a lot of sense, but it's interesting, is not a proportional tax is not like someone who was more money pays more for its it's like the same price for every man, it's tiny tiny it's 1/2 shekel well, you know, a few years ago we were Israel shekel is with what $0.24. Maybe just this is small so don't misread his own. He says that the this is I should give a ransom for his life. Using rank is a Holocaust like a dime when a company has a what you not actually purchasing your salvation is not, however, what does recess at the end says that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord just in kind of like a tokenized connection between right there connection with the tabernacle and what it's all about and and and there's another important thing here to not just cut symbolically ties them to the tabernacle, but it it says basically is a ransom for your life is something about the tablet that this little tiny piece of money is telling you right is responsible for you being alive right that's the connection outward ransom right you pay a ransom to slave life to life and you know I was attracted by that phrase that we just read in verse 11 about that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance the Lord now on first reading you might think that's to remind the Lord its it's not people to remembrance when he come before the people of Israel to remembrance before so that's something about the giving of this really a token it's a token offering them that they are God's ransom each and every one of them.

It's not about how much they're worth right, but it's about the fact that God ransom yeah and so as you look at the larger camping of the tents of Israel with God middle in his tent. You could look at this token that you give and say there's something about my very existence that is owed to the presence of the Scott in this tent so that it's his life connection then nice, although the amount seems trivial. What is purchased is not true. Now their lives have been purchased by God himself, and this is a reminder that there was a price paid on their behalf.

That's worth doing this but but it's silly to think that the actual shekel half shekel really doesn't talk and I know I looked around little bit if you look in Psalm 49, he says, you know, truly, no man can ransom another or give to God. The price for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice.

Based on the rich people can't buy their way out. So this really is a tokenized connection about a price that was paid for them and you know we go fast forwarding the New Testament and the price it was paid for, as was the blood of Christ himself right and all through the Old Testament God proclaims himself as being the Redeemer and redeem always means to pay the price of the room and he's the one that doesn't. So this is the constant reminder when they're counted about the fact that their lives are there is because of what God has done for them, there's another interesting connection we Mrs. many times and that that's the fact that in ancient times you only numbered what belong to you as a possession kind of thing. So if you had a flock of sheep you count your sheep you don't count some mountain sheep. It's a sign of ownership. In that sense and here God one to make sure that when the people's heads were counted that they didn't misrepresent this and think will Moses is counting so Moses must own us like a shepherd is emphasized again again again this is given to the Lord.

This is given to the Lord. So when they are counted in this half shekel is given Bill say this is because Moses because in a real sense I belong to God himself. So that's okay. So let's talk for just a minute back in verse 12 says that to give the ransom for his life to the Lord. When you number them that there be no playing yeah so there's something protective coming here or a reference to something else in another place and in numbers when it's describing the Levites camping around it says there would be no wrath. Among them, so it is this money goes to the Levites for the actual cost of the service of the tabernacle, but but the presence of the Levites encamped around the tabernacle serves as a reminder to people they are guardians of the holiness and if you transgress the holiness of God. God responds and there are couple of biblical accounts of that I will take the time going to hear about it, but it's worth thinking about. Right here and in the know in their in their most recent memory. Well okay right when weather played well in Egypt. And that's when Egypt was defying God himself. It's a larger statement of the fact that life that's lived in concert with God's plan for us in his life. Life lived apart from God is a plague so that's that's well and according to Romans we live under the wrath of God live under the wrath of God. So this is it's his way of saying don't don't ever forget that in your midst, I camp in your midst in your midst, and I'm the one that got you out of Egypt and the one life.

So remember, you are my grandsons.

People remember and you know it occurs to me as well. Much later on King David's reign lateness ring right he numbers numbers the people, even his chief commander, Joe… Do you really want to do this. Okay, so why does he ask that question will yeah and why is David counting people.

That's right. And, and he's counting people again the Lycos and it implies a fact that he owns them, and he's counting his strength and stuff like that right. But in that particular case I'm thinking of. He never takes a ransom.

I mean, he never takes a shot. Counting his soldiers to war. And so in a way he sing on the King I own you, your mind right. You might you're my chauffeur and I'm strong because look out for me just point out even in the whole process and that's a bad motivation. Taxes don't count your strength. You know, but it is even that motivation he never actually asked for the census tax. David didn't know yeah so it's a can is well now, because what the large Edison for was for relying on his strength exactly exactly makes me wonder if he done that, counting, and had he taken this this half shekel test to remind people that their life comes from God may be his motivations would've been so twisted, but that speculation, but joy of his commanders is David you don't really want to do this so they knew they knew that was wrong. Well should we push on that. I think we have to learn space and you have to because I we just want to run out of time is messy when we get any of the last specified things in the tabernacle.

So we go to this new item that's found in the courtyard outside. This is very late in the right stuff in will let me read the bronze basin. Verse 17 the Lord said to Moses, shall also make a basin of bronze and with its standard bronze for washing and you shall put between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you should put water in it and with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come to the altar to minister to burn to burn a food offering to the Lord.

They shall wash with water so that they may not shall wash their hands and their feet so that they may not die since again it shall be a statute for ever to them even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations. So there's a big washbasin there between the altar where they burned animals and the entry into the tabernacle proper. There was a big piece of the water will have a very practical point of view, the slaughtering of animals is messy work. Well, you know so very very city a place of washing there would be blood all over the precollege place but also symbolically write the work of the priests is offering the sacrifice to make atonement for the people to cleansing of sin yes and so there's a symbolic thing very symbolic, very symbolic, very symbolic and does it strike you that that says they shall wash their hands and their feet. In verse 19 when they going to the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister said there there going on their feet and hear the coming year to minister with hands, and then it's reiterated again in verse 21 wash their hands and their feet is very specific, so maybe that connects back to the census tax here today to the kind of the wrapping up of all things this morning against transgressing the holiness of God is his penalty. Yeah right.

That the plague among them. Here wash so that you may not die and then even when we get to the anointing oil.

Anybody who uses it in any other fashion will be cut off. Yeah, it's because of peculiar just to this purpose only does the business you know just out of curiosity, gyms, and trivia. I know this well well I look for you know from from here on out in the book actually going to start making this stuff and broadcasters and then will dominate the book to the end of the end of Exodus, but in the part with her making the size footboard to see about the actual narrative when erection making this bronze basin and you know they got the source of the bronze to make the basin.

The hand mirrors of the women I there's something in that I don't like the Egyptian women that they they brought those brothers and themselves and they they were being used by women. Commencement set right, but it was those bronze mirrors and so that's an interesting sense that they gave up their ability to like a mess halls in order to make this bronze basin for washing. Okay so let's track that for just a minute as long as her into the chair.

This is a big open basin and have clear a basin full of clear water that's top conservative mere looking to heaven yeah yeah this also reminded the you know in the Psalm 24. It says no who shall ascend stand in his presence right here know he was clean hands in your heart so yeah this imagery here is not lost on Israel from this point forward you, you cannot come in the presence of God I messed up like well clean hands symbolic of cleansed of what you are doing clean actions yeah work.

So anyway it's it's worth noting before we leave the bronze basin since her chortle to it.

It's only to cleanse the hands and feet of the priests right is not a general washing station on a general washing station and there are no baptisms here. So just want to be clear about the fact that this has a peculiar use and it specified right here very important right here in a culture where we yes but just in case you're wondering about it so that's what this is for social remove the last details about the tabernacle stuff you want to read. Okay so starting in verse 22 the Lord said to Moses to finest spices of liquid murder 500 shekels of sweet smelling cinnamon half as much. That is 250 and 250 F aromatic King and 500 of Cassie according to the shekel of the sanctuary and hidden olive oil. So again we have a recipe recipe again with it and you shall make these as sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer.

It shall be a anointing oil with it. You shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony at the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils altar of incense and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils in the basin and stand shall consecrate them that they may be most holy. What ever touches them will become holy. You shall anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them that they may serve me as priest and you shall say to the people of Israel. This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. It shall not be poured in the body of an ordinary person and you shall make no other like it in composition is holy and it shall be holy to you whoever compounds any like it. Whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his people, so this is a warning very exclusive formula used for one purpose yeah like it's very heavy sweet sweet murder is not particularly sweet smelling cinnamon cinnamon, aromatic caning, Cassie does her sweet smelling it isn't Cassie, a kind of Sinemet is right I yeah I'm not sure terms are you sure sign here.

They said things, but we can buy Cassie cinnamon today, but the point is this is this is a formula that God does not want used for any other beret thusly called holy that means set apart for purpose you'll only use it for this anointing and it's it's anointing not only people in priests, but it's anoint furniture everything all the stuff of the building that is most holy right is used in the service of holy God and and so in the imagery right here this this anointing oil in the sense as a way of God's order putting his fingerprint saying this is mine and being used.

For me this is mine being used. For me this is mine, so everything he's putting his thumbprint on with this anointing oil is something that he has established and is for his purposes.

That's why told it so hard for him.

Fragrance clings clings exactly so and you know if you think about that smell can invoke in us a tremendous sense of memory Association motion right straight at a number of ways, but we have certain seasons of the year when you smell so you smell ever. Great Christmas turkey and you have anything Thanksgiving right so that this touches us at it since she will since her resume so God's connecting us to his tabernacle more than just visual sensory finance in a sensory way you and I have to believe that as you walked to the camp of Israel in the camp, God's 10 is in the center of if you walked on the edges of the camp you smell little people cook and stuff but when you got to the center. The smell would come up with something something different is going on. You smell stronger you start and when his preacher walked past you going between the tents you could smell it. They been doing something important in terms of intercessory for the people themselves so it would remind them constantly whether they Psalm not remind them something is going on for the benefit. This is not the only smell you would smell right you would smell the scent of burning flesh I start cooking depending on whether it was a whole burnt offering Laura offering that was meant to be eaten enough all of those things mingled and that may be some significance of the murder here, which was a spice that was used in burials.

So Jesus well he was getting waves given yeah yeah yeah it's a very particular fragrance and it goes on everything it says when you smell this.

This is holy yeah and and it's good it's actually a very stable recipe so I say go on from generation to generation to generation they will smell the same thing though associated with a variety of kids will associate in your grandchildren associated this is all connected in the presence of God in our midst and what the priest do on our behalf in order to allow us to have life with God in our midst and and so that's why saying this is very exclusive. I don't want you to associate this with anything else you do.

So if you go out to a fancy dinner you know you decide to smell really good. Don't use this protracted process is not.

This is not for you and that's what he's trying to say. This smell is not for you. This is for me this glorifies who I am and you're not going use it for anything else to glorify anything else gets poured grabbed or applied to those who are being consecrated to serve the Lord God priests that they may serve me as priests. This is going on sources like gods thumbprint on them. He's put his thumbprint on them. Anointing oil with the responses. This one is serving me. That's the purpose that's why they're holy that's whether set apart for something else and this won't be associated with any other actions or any other purpose, except for serving me thinks a great picture. So if you take your concordance and you look for fragrance or aroma and look at the New Testament references it will take you straight to second Corinthians to 608 we've been saying all along that everything about this tabernacle points to God in the person of Jesus Christ his son. So as you read this to you. Second Corinthians 214 to 16. Thanks be to God who always leads us in his triumph in Christ and manifests through us through this sweet aroma of knowledge of him in every place. For we are fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing to the one in aroma from death to death to the other in aroma from life to life, who's doing the sniffing ideas. It smells good to God that we as people who are called to be priests. As Peter says, where kingdom of priests to serve God. We smell like something to God we smell like Jesus. And yet people pick up this fragrance they did and for some it's very good news. And for some it's very bad news.

The imminence of judgment comes in as well so so yeah we in our thinking. When you're quoting that I think about but were not ironic priests were not related to Aaron and yet we have this fragrance that here it says if you put this Brigance on anyone but the priests are going to die well you mentioned that we are all that's right, Peter says we are royal priesthood, clarity, excellency of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. In areas where ransomed people and we smell like that when science is just like these priests right here who have a knowledge of the presence of guy we do to and that fragrance envelops us as well and communicates to world that we been in contact with the living God and only can be applied to those who are designated by God, voted to God, set apart as holy for his yeah so we probably can't finish without saying that the New Testament explains to us that the oil this this fragrance is the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit that God himself applies right indwells us and smells through us that way brings the fragrance to life and that indeed is the newness of the new covenant the pouring out of the spirit that more next week we'll talk a lot lower come in short on time and were also coming short to Moses his time on the top and and next time will actually get some closing words from God as he closes out this dialogue with Moses more like a monologue else is he closes on the top amount and he'll pick up a few topics that are not trivial at all. I mean there there great emphasis. But I ask you this before we get to that if God was going to have a closing comment about something he wanted to doubly emphasize before Moses turned around and went back to Obama. What would he emphasize and will see what he does next week going to chapter 31 find out what's got closing words before Moses goes down to the bone mountain everything falls upon the stone to stone tablets in the whole 9 yards so that will come up next week you want to miss this really the exciting conclusion of Moses with God mountain again will see why later. But this is the large section of God telling him how to build the tabernacle and how to support God's presence. So I'm Jim and I'm glad you're with us.

We hope you enjoy this. I am just having a blast so we come down the mountain next week.

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