Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You Who lead Joseph like a flock! You Who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth!...Stir up Your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God. Let Your face shine that we may be saved! (Verses 1-3)
The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Thus you shall bless the people of Israel. You shall say to them: 'The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.'
So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them." Numbers 6
The traveling tabernacle in the wilderness became the dwelling place of God. The ark of the covenant was set up there. In it were the tablets with the commandments, Aaron's rod and some manna. Above it were two golden angels (cherubim) whose wings touched each other in an arc. God appeared as blinding light between the angels to bring His presence to the men and women of Israel. The same light that led them through the long nights as a pillar of fire. The same light that made the face of Moses unbearable to look at when he came down the mountain from his conversation with the God of Israel.
It's interesting to me the three things God chose to preserve in the ark. Manna. What is it? The miraculous daily provision for His people. Holy bread. The commandments. The second set of tablets since the first were thrown down when Moses saw the people worshipping a cow when he came down the mountain with their rules to live by. Aaron's rod. The one that budded. The Israelites complained. About everything. But the Levite family of Korah rebelled against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Accused them of trying to be princes over the Jewish people. Of course, this actually tested God. Moses immediately fell on his face before God, Who told Him to get out of the way while He destroyed the whole lot of them. "This is about one man, Lord!" cried Moses. "Don't kill them all over his hubris!" They were further instructed to stay away from Korah and all he possessed. Korah's tent fell into a sinkhole along with his family and their stuff. But that wasn't enough for God. He had each tribal leader of the twelve tribes of Israel place a rod in the tent of meeting where God met with Moses in light. The staff of the one God chose to be priest over Israel would bud. "Thus I will make to cease from Me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which grumble against you." Aaron's rod budded. And was left in the ark of the covenant to symbolize not only the grumblings of the people, but also God's sovereignty over His choices. When He dwelt there in glory, it was over these three reminders.
When the priests sprinkled the blood on the ark, it was sprinkled on what is called the mercy seat. The top of the ark, slathered with gold. The sacrificial offering covered the sins represented by the articles in the ark. When God came as the shakina glory, He saw the blood instead of the sins it covered. If He forgave the sins of Israel, they lived. His face shone upon them for another year. This was all done behind the thick veil that hid the presence of God from all but the priest. The same veil that tore from top to bottom when the Lamb of God was killed, allowing entrance to the Holy of Holies to all who are covered now by holy blood.
Shine forth, O God! Lead us. Forgive us. Keep us. Save us. The fire of His presence is what made Israel, and makes us, His people. It is Holy Spirit fire. Resting atop the heads of the disciples on Pentecost when the divine plan revealed that fire will live in us. The holy favor of God. The DNA that makes us His children. Enthroned over all the wrongs we have committed because the blood is what He sees. I can't imagine what living without the light of His face is like. Not that I've grown accustomed to the Holy Spirit. But because I haven't. I remember interior darkness. The despair that accompanies it. I know even now when I have quenched the light, the shakina glory in my own life. But it doesn't go out. God's Spirit intercedes for me. Convicts me because He is the voice of Christ to my spiritual ears. Holy Spirit leads me to God's sovereign will for me. Not only does my Father's face shine upon me, it is aglow within me by His great mercy. By His great love.
Our Father's name is on us. We are covered in the light of His blessing. The Father Himself loves us. John 16. We no longer have to cry out for His face to shine upon us for the Light of the world came forth out of darkness and imparted that light to us. We are the light now. To a world living ever increasingly in darkness and confusion. We must shine like stars. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2. We don't turn on our own bulbs, though. Like Moses, it is the presence of God that increases our wattage. Giving more and more room for His indwelling light to take over the dark places in us. It is my constant prayer that His Spirit has a larger, cleaner space to live in me. Tearing down cobwebs and opening windows to let in the light. That is the only way I can be light. Connect to the source. Plug in. And shine.
Therefore, brothers (and sisters), since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is through His flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, full of assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10
The Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Thus you shall bless the people of Israel. You shall say to them: 'The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.'
So shall they put My name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them." Numbers 6
The traveling tabernacle in the wilderness became the dwelling place of God. The ark of the covenant was set up there. In it were the tablets with the commandments, Aaron's rod and some manna. Above it were two golden angels (cherubim) whose wings touched each other in an arc. God appeared as blinding light between the angels to bring His presence to the men and women of Israel. The same light that led them through the long nights as a pillar of fire. The same light that made the face of Moses unbearable to look at when he came down the mountain from his conversation with the God of Israel.
It's interesting to me the three things God chose to preserve in the ark. Manna. What is it? The miraculous daily provision for His people. Holy bread. The commandments. The second set of tablets since the first were thrown down when Moses saw the people worshipping a cow when he came down the mountain with their rules to live by. Aaron's rod. The one that budded. The Israelites complained. About everything. But the Levite family of Korah rebelled against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Accused them of trying to be princes over the Jewish people. Of course, this actually tested God. Moses immediately fell on his face before God, Who told Him to get out of the way while He destroyed the whole lot of them. "This is about one man, Lord!" cried Moses. "Don't kill them all over his hubris!" They were further instructed to stay away from Korah and all he possessed. Korah's tent fell into a sinkhole along with his family and their stuff. But that wasn't enough for God. He had each tribal leader of the twelve tribes of Israel place a rod in the tent of meeting where God met with Moses in light. The staff of the one God chose to be priest over Israel would bud. "Thus I will make to cease from Me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which grumble against you." Aaron's rod budded. And was left in the ark of the covenant to symbolize not only the grumblings of the people, but also God's sovereignty over His choices. When He dwelt there in glory, it was over these three reminders.
When the priests sprinkled the blood on the ark, it was sprinkled on what is called the mercy seat. The top of the ark, slathered with gold. The sacrificial offering covered the sins represented by the articles in the ark. When God came as the shakina glory, He saw the blood instead of the sins it covered. If He forgave the sins of Israel, they lived. His face shone upon them for another year. This was all done behind the thick veil that hid the presence of God from all but the priest. The same veil that tore from top to bottom when the Lamb of God was killed, allowing entrance to the Holy of Holies to all who are covered now by holy blood.
Shine forth, O God! Lead us. Forgive us. Keep us. Save us. The fire of His presence is what made Israel, and makes us, His people. It is Holy Spirit fire. Resting atop the heads of the disciples on Pentecost when the divine plan revealed that fire will live in us. The holy favor of God. The DNA that makes us His children. Enthroned over all the wrongs we have committed because the blood is what He sees. I can't imagine what living without the light of His face is like. Not that I've grown accustomed to the Holy Spirit. But because I haven't. I remember interior darkness. The despair that accompanies it. I know even now when I have quenched the light, the shakina glory in my own life. But it doesn't go out. God's Spirit intercedes for me. Convicts me because He is the voice of Christ to my spiritual ears. Holy Spirit leads me to God's sovereign will for me. Not only does my Father's face shine upon me, it is aglow within me by His great mercy. By His great love.
Our Father's name is on us. We are covered in the light of His blessing. The Father Himself loves us. John 16. We no longer have to cry out for His face to shine upon us for the Light of the world came forth out of darkness and imparted that light to us. We are the light now. To a world living ever increasingly in darkness and confusion. We must shine like stars. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2. We don't turn on our own bulbs, though. Like Moses, it is the presence of God that increases our wattage. Giving more and more room for His indwelling light to take over the dark places in us. It is my constant prayer that His Spirit has a larger, cleaner space to live in me. Tearing down cobwebs and opening windows to let in the light. That is the only way I can be light. Connect to the source. Plug in. And shine.
Therefore, brothers (and sisters), since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is through His flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, full of assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10
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