Saturday, June 6, 2009

In Christ: Know It, Live It - 52 (Unity through Diversity - 7)

A wonderful OT picture of each member of the church being gifted and equipped for service is in the crafting and construction of the TABERNACLE (Exodus 31, etc.).

The tabernacle was to be the place of God's personal dwelling amongst His people. Over the ark and between the cherubim in the holy of holies was the shekinah glory of God. The tabernacle was to be constructed VERY specifically, according to God's instructions, so that He could be seen as who He is and worshipped in His required way.

Every part of the tabernacle had its divinely designed purpose: the color of the materials, the type of materials, the position of the furniture from outside to innermost, the dimensions of the rooms, what could be seen and what remained hidden, etc.

To craft each part of the tabernacle, God chose and anointed 2 men: Bezalel and Oholiab. Moses records that God "...called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft" (Exodus 31:2-5).

Bezalel and Oholiab and the other craftsmen they taught were like evangelists and pastor/teachers that equip the saints so that each one will be fitted to fulfill his or her purpose in God's living tabernacle, the church.

When EVERY saint is using his or her grace gifts, equipped by the equipping gifts that God has given the church, to serve God by serving His people...the church GROWS, the church is UNIFIED, and the church becomes the place God visibly dwells through the loving service of His people...with the result that He is WORSHIPED.

What a glorious plan...what a glorious church...what a glorious place each of us has as a living stone (1Peter 2:5) in the NT Tabernacle/Temple of the living God.

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