I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.
Today’s passage is a detailed description of the plans for building the Tabernacle. As I read this I became impressed by the attention to detail called for in this. The craftsmanship necessary to follow these directions is impressive, although what it calls for is not great artistry but rather painstaking attention to detail. This passage is definitely one of those which led me to start this blog. There are two things I saw in here to highlight. The first is that Moses was given the detailed description of how various parts of the Tabernacle should be built, the detailed description was followed at several points with instructions to make it as he was “shown on the mountain.” Indicating that the earthly Tabernacle was based on a heavenly Tabernacle which was shown to Moses. The other thing I want to highlight is that the Israelites (in particular the priests) were to maintain lights in the Tabernacle at night. There was always to be light in the Tabernacle, during the day from the sun and at night from the lamps that Moses was instructed to have made.
Today’s passage contains two parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. The first parable is about 10 women waiting for their bridegroom to come. Five of them prepared for a long wait and brought extra oil for their lamps. The other five were foolish and assumed he would come before the oil in their lamps ran out. Then while all ten waited, they became drowsy and fell asleep. Suddenly they were awoken by word of the bridegroom’s coming. Those who had prepared added oil and trimmed their lamps. The unprepared asked to borrow some oil from them, but the prepared brides explained that they did not have enough for both themselves and the unprepared. They sent the unprepared out to get more oil, but by the time they returned it was too late. Jesus tells us that we should remain prepared, no matter how long the delay, because when we see Him coming it will be too late to prepare.
The second parable tells us to make the best use of the resources which God has given us. This parable has always been a challenge to me because I have been given many talents in this life, yet I have always struggled with knowing how and where to apply them. I will continue to strive to find the ways to use the gifts God has given me to please Him. All too often I feel like I am the man given the five bags of gold acting like the man given just the one bag.
I desire to be as the psalmist and turn to the Lord for protection. I will not turn to idols or worship other things in the hope that they will protect me. I will not rely on the government, myself or anything else for my protection. I will trust in the Lord. God will be my rock and my fortress. If I follow the path He guides me on I will not fall into any of the traps set for me. I will commit my spirit and all that I am into God’s hands, for He will protect me.
Wisdom calls out to us. The proverb writer tells us that wisdom is there for anyone willing to listen. Anyone who does not possess wisdom has chosen not to listen to wisdom calling out to them. Not listening to the wisdom that is there for us to acquire as we experience life is like leaving precious metals or gems lying on the road as we walk along. Yet all too many people make that choice everyday, treating the wisdom they could acquire like a penny that is not worth their trouble to bend over and pick it up.