Monday, September 25, 2006

Jesus in the Bible

Sixty-six books written by more than 40 authors over thousands of years, the Bible is the best selling book in the world. No other book has inspired so much love, reverence, awe, curiosity, bafflement, skepticism, resentment and hatred.

Over the centuries, people have tried to ban it for its influential ideologies, burn it for its divine claims, and dismiss it as mere literary wonder. But the Bible has survived through history of man who has attempted to use it for his social agenda, spiritual, emotional and mental manipulation, and political platform.

It contains words of a living God, and words of men and angels - both the messengers of God and of the fallen one. It recounts the beginning of men and forewarns of certainty of his end.

But more than anything else, the wonder of these 66 books is that each gives stunning revelations of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Bible points to Him, to His work of salvation.

In Genesis, Jesus is the Ram sacrificed in Isaac's stead;
In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb;
In Leviticus, He is the Perfect High Priest;
In Numbers, He is the Rock from which water gushed forth;
In Deuteronomy, He is the Prophet like Moses;
In Joshua, He is the Scarlet Cord on Rahab's window;
In Judges, He is our Judge & Lawgiver;
In Ruth, He is our Kinsman Redeemer;
In 1 & 2 Samuel, He is our trusted Prophet;
In 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, He is our reigning King;
In Ezra, He is our faithful Scribe;
In Nehemiah, He is the Rebuilder of everything that is broken;
In Esther, He is Mordecai sitting faithfully at the gate;
In Job, He is our Redeemer that ever liveth;
In Psalms, He is my Shepherd, I shall not want;
In Proverbs, He is Wisdom of God;
In Ecclesiastes, He is the Source to which all things return;
In the Song of Solomon, He is our Lover and Bridegroom;
In Isaiah, He is our Suffering Savior;
In Jeremiah & Lamentations, He is our weeping Prophet;
In Ezekiel, He is the Son of Man who sitteth upon the throne;
In Daniel, He is the fourth Man in the fiery furnace;
In Hosea, He is our redeeming Husband;
In Joel, He is the Spirit poured out on all flesh;
In Amos, He is our Burden Bearer;
In Obadiah, He is our Mighty Savior;
In Jonah, He like the prophet remained in death for three days;
In Micah, He is the Messenger with beautiful feet;
In Nahum, He is the Avenger of God's elect;
In Habakkuk, He is the Great Evangelist;
In Zephaniah, He is God mighty to save;
In Haggai, He is the cleansing Fountain;
In Zechariah, He takes away our fithy clothes; and,
In Malachi, He is the Lord whom we are seeking.

In Matthew, Jesus is King;
In Mark, He is the Son of Man;
In Luke, He is the Savior;
In John, He is the Son of God;
In Acts, He is the Spirit poured out on Pentecost;
In Romans, He is the Justifier;
In 1 & 2 Corinthians, He is Love personified;
In Galatians, He is the One who sets us free;
In Ephesians, He is the Christ who enriches us;
In Philippians, He is our Joy;
In Colossians, He is the Fullness of the Godhead;
In 1 & 2 Thessalonians, He is the Coming King;
In 1 & 2 Timothy, He is the Mediator between God and man;
In Titus, He is our Faithful Pastor;
In Philemon, He is our Friend, closer than a brother;
In Hebrews, He is our High Priest & Intercessor;
In James, He is the Great Physician;
In 1 & 2 Peter, He is our Comfort in suffering;
In 1, 2 & 3 John, He is Love;
In Jude, He is our Lord coming with 10,000 saints; and,
In Revelation, Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Monday, September 18, 2006

mission: a heart after God

This is the last of the four-part message on the Mission of Nakwon EM.

You can clik on each slide to see a larger version.






















Our English Ministry will support the Gospel for Asia, an international native missionary support organization founded by K.P. Yohannan.

The excerpts I've shared about the realities of missions today can be read free online from Brother K.P's book, Revolution in World Missions, a very powerful and convicting book on missions. You will be astonished and blessed reading about how God can raise up one man in his poverty and hardship, and used him (and is still using him) for His work of saving the lost.

The first "Great Wave" or Movement among Christians was during the New Testament times ushered in by the outpouring and infilling of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

The Second Wave is recognized as during the time of William Carey whose pioneering work set aflame a flood of world missions in the 19th and 20th century.

The Third Wave which many missionaries and international missions organizations are recognizing is the Native Missionary Movement, in which through foreign financial support, native men and women are sent in as missionaries to their own people - a movement that has been proven far more effective than any foreign missionary endeavors.

As the Presentation showed, thousands die every day without ever having heard the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

K.P. Yohannan put it this way: each pulse we feel in our wrists - that represents someone in Asia dying without having heard the Gospel even once, condemned to eternal hell.

That is a shocking and heart-rending reality.

Even as believers, we live in such luxury and self-indulgence, having little or no experience of ever being persecuted for our faith, compared to millions in the 10/40 Window who must live in less than habitable conditions, suffering for their simple declaration of love for Jesus.

May our hearts beat with the heart of our Savior who has commissioned us to go into the world with His Gospel.

Our situation may not allow us to pack our bags and catch the next flight to Bombay, but we can reach out in different ways: prayer, for one, and most importantly; but also through financial support of native missionaries in organizations like Gospel for Asia where men and women actually suffer physical persecution for their service to God.

-from September 17th Sunday 10am EM Service

the simpler answer...where is the Tabernacle?

I reread the question and I realized, the inquirer is young, so here is a simpler answer to the question of the whereabouts or the discovery of the orginal Tabernacle:

No. No one has come so far claiming to have found the real Tabernacle.

It was built around the time of Moses and though it was carried into the Promised Land of Canaan during the time of Joshua nearly forty years after it was built in the desert, during the time of the judges in which the Israelites were mostly fallen away from God, at some point the Tabernacle is no longer mentioned, but only the Ark of the Covenant which was placed into the First Temple ever built - the more permanent Tabernacle built with beautiful and costly Lebanon wood, stones, gold and other costly materials by King Solomon in 950 B.C.

However, the Temple, a more extravagant version of the Tabernacle, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., its furnishings and costly things all carried away to Babylon just as God had told the people through His prophets.

We have no record of the Ark ever returning to the Land of Israel, though we know the temple was rebuilt many years later.

where is the Tabernacle?

An interesting question in regard to the Tabernacle was raised, and I started writing out a response in the comment section, but I realized it was getting too long, so I think it more practical and helpful to post it:

The question was: "Did they ever find the Tabernacle?" And I am understanding that as in the original Tabernacle the Israelites built during the time of Moses.

That is an interesting question: one I have not heard so far in regard to the Tabernacle.

People tend to be far more interested in finding Noah's Ark...

In any case, to my knowledge, the answer is No, the Tabernacle was never found - not even a piece of it.

The Bible gives no record as to what happened to the real Tabernacle the Israelites had built during the time of Moses.

Immediately after entering Canaan, the promised land under Joshua (Moses's successor), the Tabernacle was located at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19), and the area of Shechem and Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:30-33).

The Tabernacle was then established firmly at Shiloh for many years (Joshua 18:1-10), continuing through all the period of the Judges.

Because of their sinful behavior, God allowed the Israelites to be defeated at Shiloh, at which time the Ark was captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3,11). It was at this point that the Ark and the original Tabernacle parted company for many months, perhaps permanently.

When the Ark was recovered from the Philistines 7 months later (1 Samuel 6:1-2), it was taken to Abinadab's house in Kiriath Jearim (1 Samuel 6:19-7:1).

Although the Ark is again mentioned in the Tabernacle of The Lord when it was later relocated at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39), there is some doubt as to whether it was the original Tabernacle.

When the Ark was later moved to Jerusalem by King David (2 Samuel 6:1-2), after temporarily staying in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite (2 Samuel 6:6-17), it was just placed "inside the tent that David had pitched for it."

Even if the original Tabernacle had survived to Gibeon, it obviously hadn't made it to Jerusalem - otherwise, David would almost certainly have used it.

Later, the Ark was placed in the new Temple that was built in the time of King Solomon around 950 B.C. (later destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.) which was a lavish (and definitely more permanent) version of the Tabernacle with wood, stone, gold and costly materials during his prosperous reign.

I think it's safe to assume that the perishable portions of the Tabernacle, especially the ropes, cloths, and wooden parts along with leather (animal skins for covering of the Tabernacle) most likely wore out over the centuries and the Levites who were in charge of the Tabernale probably stored it away somewhere.

But since Solomon had built a more "permanent" place of worship and sacrifice for the Israelites, the original components of the tabernacle (whichever actually survived the times) were most likely forgotten and perhaps even lost and abandoned (except the ark).

I don't know of anyone who has ever made an archaelogical discovery of the Tabernacle or even the Ark of the Covenant, though some have come forward for discovery of Noak's Ark.

And most likely the reason for that is there are many who doubt the historical accuracy of the Great Flood during Noah's times and so the Christian Archaelogists are eager for some discovery that would confirm such catastrophic event thousands of years ago, whereas no one doubts the existence of the Tabernacle - deeply rooted in Jewish history (though some may doubt glory of God coming down in cloud or fire, etc).

No one questions that the Israelites had built a Tabernacle for their God. That in itself doesn't challenge anyone's beliefs, whether he or she be a foreign god worshiper or an atheist. But it matters a great deal that a Great judgmental Flood destroyed every breathing thing on earth including sinful men by God.

Whew! That was a long-winded answer!

I know - the answer was way too long, but before anyone is impressed I could find all the references, I cheated and got most of the reference portion of my response from an internet source. Thank God for www!

But it is interesting to read the book of the Judges which gives a tragic yet comic history of the Israelites who in their fallen state completely missed the whole purpose and meaning of the Ark of the Covenant and viewed it only as a means for worldly victory and protection from harm (as if just "having" it in their possession meant they were in favor with God), instead of the means by which God desired to communicate, govern and relate to His chosen people.

Hope this helps!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

revival - most holy place



The Ark of the Covenant was to be made also with acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. It was not a huge box, and in fact insignificant in size or perhaps even shape, except it was where the glory of the Lord came down and rested upon the Atonement Cover (or called Mercy Seat) where two gold-carved cherubims sat amidst God's very presence.

This is where God met with His people.

And this is where God meets the praying believer.

The Most Holy Place is where we hear the very voice of God, that still small voice. And it does not happen the moment we begin praying, just as the High Priest could not enter the Most Holy Place without having gone through the entire procedure starting from the entrance to the courtyard.

Pastor Kim taught of various ways God speaks to His people.

She emphasized that literal, audible voice of God is very rare, and more often than not the voice of the devil enticing us through confusion. Perhaps once or twice in a person's life will he or she ever hear the audible voice of God.

Mostly, God speaks to us through different means such as the Word of God, through our conscience, through other people's exhortations, and through prayer or praise.

The more earnestly we seek to hear the voice of God, unhindered by our preferences and prejudices, the more clearly we can hear His voice. Our willingness is the key issue. Are we prepared to obey Him no matter what He says?

Many believers have walked difficult paths because they "heard God wrong."

God is always speaking to us. But so is the devil.

The Accuser of the brethren is always out to confuse and torment us, to keep us away from seeking and finding the truth, to hearing God's voice.

But we will find that when we come before God without personal agendas, selfish, impure motives or desires, we will hear from the very heart of God in that Most Holy Place.

Prayer brings us to the very presence of God. It is a place where our boasts will sound flat in our own ears, our confidence melts in the presence of a humble God who gave up everything to make us His own. No one can boast and be cocky in His presence. Anyone who has entered that awesome presence will tell you: You don't thumb your nose in God's presence; you bow your head and fall on your knees.

May we enter His presence daily with a heart full of confidence in what Jesus has done - making a way for us to approach our Maker and King!

revival - altar of incense


In Exodus 30:1-10, God instructed Moses to build an altar about waist high and gave specific instruction as to how He wanted to maintained.

The incense was to be burned every morning and at twilight.

Three times in the book of Revelation (5:8, 8:3, 8:4), incense is referred to as prayers of the saints.

The High Priest entered the Most Holy only once every year on the Day of Atonement and only with the blood of the sacrificial animal.

The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the LORD. The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover. (Leviticus 16:1-2)

Before he would enter, the High Priest would light the incense and take it just at the bottom of the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place and allow it to fill the Most Holy Place with smoke so thick, it would veil the Ark of the Covenant, the only object in the small square room. Then and only then would the High Priest dare enter the Most Holy Place.

The incense (prayers) opened the way to the holy presence of the Living God. It was true then. It is true now.

Notice also God's specific instruction that they were never to bring their own concocted potion for incense (Exodus 30:34-38).

When coming before God, we are not to come with our own notion of holiness, our own prejudiced understanding of God. And most especially, we are to approach Him with pure motive and sincere heart that is broken and contrite in His way, willing to be broken His way, not as we prefer or think.

Leviticus 10:1-3 records tragic deaths of Aaron's two sons, Nadab and Abihu because they burned an unauthorized incense fire before the Lord. They were consumed by the "fire from the Lord."

We take so lightly today this approaching the Throne of Grace. Jesus did not make a way for us to approach our Holy God so we could come with arrogant impudence.

No. The same holy God to whom the children of Israel approached with trembling fear is the one whom we serve and know. I think we could do a lot today with a healthy dosage of holy fear in coming to our Heavenly Father.

Yes, there are moments when God feels so close, I can talk to Him about anything and even laugh and joke with Him (God has a great sense of humor, by the way, in case some of you never thought of that - He has made me laugh until tears came out of my eyes with his humor), but it ought never been forgotten that He is our awesome Creator, so holy and pure that He cannot look on evil. And no matter how "close" we feel with Him, we are not on the same "level" as Him. I am amazed at how much impudence God puts up from His children us.

But no man who stands before God can ever stand for long. He will soon fall on his knees before His holy presence. I don't know of any character in the Bible, from kings to slaves) who was able to stand before God (in both sense of the word).

We serve a holy God, who expects nothing less than our best, and then some.

It is when we are in awe of His presence, our prayers like incense rising to cloud the Ark of the Covenant, that we now enter the Most Holy Presence.

...to be continued...

revival - lampstand


The Lampstand (Golden Candlestick) was to be made of hammered gold, or beaten gold (Exodus 25:31-40).

While the Lampstand represents Jesus as the Light of the World, it also represents us, who are commanded to shine for Him. And the only way we can is when we are "beaten" into shape and form God desires and has designed for us. It is a painful process, but prayer, as part of that shaping discipline, is an essential part of that transformation into Christ's image, to shine as He did and does.

We learn far more about God in our times of hardships than in our times of comfort and ease. It is the struggle that shapes us, molds and makes us into His image.

The flames on the Lampstand in the Tabernacle were never to go out. It was to burn regularly for generations to come as the only source of light inside the Tabernacle.

In Revelation 2:4-5, Jesus gives a frightening warning to the church in Ephesus that He would remove the Lampstand from its place if they did not repent from their spiritual stagnation having lost their first love.

It represented the very presence, anointing and commission of God in the Body of Christ - indiviually and corporately.

Today, we are admonished to keep alert and be vigilante while the world lulls us to complacency and laziness, repeatedly bombarding and manipulating our minds via mass media to seek our own pursuit of "happiness" and self-actualization. We are called to continuously shine for Jesus at all times, all day, and at all seasons.

...to be continued...

revival - table of bread


In Exodus 25:23-30, God gives instruction to Moses to build a table out of shittim wood (acacia wood) and overlay it with pure gold.

It is interesting to note that everything outside the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place is made of materials other than gold; Gold is used exclusively inside the tabernacle.

The bread on the Table had to be replenished regularly, later to be consumed only by the priests who served inside the tabernacle. It was their daily provision.

Pastor Kim did not give any specific teaching on the Table of the Bread of Presence, so I will mention a little insight I personally received while preparing for EM Sunday worship service.

When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13, he told them to pray for daily bread.

One of the most critical lesson God wanted to teach the children of Israel during their wandering in the desert was daily provision of God. He sent a snowy flakes of food they called manna (which simply means 'what is it?'), which they were instructed to gather each day enough for the day only.

Some disobeyed through unbelief in the faithful provisional God and gathered more than could be consumed in that day, thinking to save up for the next day.

But they found the saved manna was full of maggots and stench.

Jesus commanded us to pray for our daily provision, not because God would not give it otherwise, but because this was how we established our relationship with our Heavenly Father, the Provider. The importance of making petition with God is not in receiving the needed provision, but in coming to know the Provider, and learning and eventually trusting in his faithfulness in all provision.

...to be continued...

revival: tabernacle - day 3 - 5 (am & pm)

This is what happens when you don't have internet at home...

Sorry about the huge gap in posting time, but I wasn't at work yesterday. But here I am!

Frankly, the last day of the revival was a haze of activities for me, (not to mention the fact I was burnt out from lack of sleep and rest) so I don't think I can summarize very effectively. That is not to say it was not a blessing.

In fact, it was awesome!

Many who attended got blessed, and their prayer "life" was restored.

I will mention just a few of the main points Pastor Kim gave on Friday, Saturday and Sundays.

Let me make a short note here to say, there was not a lot of teaching, per se; instead, she gave a lot of illustrations to help us understand the importance of and how to restore and build our prayer life.

I went as far as the Laver in the courtyard of the Tabernacle in my last blog post.

She spoke of the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.

Above is a cut-off view from the north side. So to the right of the picture would be entrance the Priest or High Priest would use to enter the Holy Place.

Below is a good rendering of the three things placed inside the Holy Place:

To the right, on the north side was the Table of the Bread of Presence (Also called, Shewbread). Then going counterclockwise, you would see the Altar of Incense (also called Golden Lampstand), placed just before the Veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Finally, on the south side of the Holy Place was the Golden Lampstand that illuminated the entire santuary.

...to be continued...

Friday, September 08, 2006

day 2 (pm) - continued

Fourth and final significance of the Altar of Burnt Offering involves the five articles used in service at the altar:

Make all its utensils of bronze — its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. (Exodus 27:3)

The Firepans...
The fire at the altar were never to be put out. Regular sacrifices were made at the altar and this fire that consumed these offerings had to be maintained. Hence, whenever the Tabernacle needed to be transported upon God's command to be set up again in another place, the designated consecrated levite made sure the fire was carefully moved to the firepan.

In the body of Christ, there are those who, like these Levites, carry the fire of God within them - the fire of the Holy Spirit. These "fire-carriers" can survive anywhere; they are not preoccupied with criticizing church leadership or other shortcomings of the body of Christ.

May we always be fire-carriers, filled with the Holy Spirit!

The Pots & Shovels...

In the Altar, although there was a bronze grating, the accumulation of ashes at the altar from burnt sacrifices risked the fire. So the priest would use the bronze shovel to remove the ashes and put them into the pot for disposal.

The ashes represent the "dirt" within the church, or the burden a believer unloads to another in confidence. When someone shares their troubles and unburdens on us, we must remember to shut the cover on the top of the "pot." If the cover is not placed, the ash will be tossed into open by the capricious wind of gossip, resulting in dissention and injury within the body of Christ. In other words, what one believer has entrusted to us in confidence, keep our mouths - the cover - tightly closed.

But that is not the end of the matter.

The ashes had to be disposed of properly outside the camp.

Jesus was crucified outside "the camp," on the Hill called Golgotha, away from the Temple and the heart of the city of Jerusalem.

We must bring those ashes before Him and pour it out to Him alone. We must empty our minds bombarded with the refuse consisting of conglomerate of complaints and burdens from others before Christ, and allow Him to cleanse our minds and thoughts so that it does not fester in our souls. When we neglect to empty our minds before God, our soul will either shrivel up in silent agony, leading to our own spiritual decline, or we will find means for release by gossiping or backstabbing the very person who had placed their confidence in us.

The Meat Forks...

When the sacrifical animal has been killed and skinned, it is slippery; hence, the need for meat forks. In a sense, new believers are like these "skinned meats" ready to be sacrificed to God, their lives now dedicated for God's purposes. And mature believers need to have the grace of God overflowing in their lives to carry them from one place to the next; one level of spirituality to the next. It often requires a lot of faith to keep these "slipper Christians" in the churches, and takes a lot of love and patience.

It is amazing how many things we could learn from one brazen altar of sacrifice.

day 2 (pm) - continued

The Haunting Remembrance...

Third, the shittim wood for the Altar of Burnt Offering (or also called Brazen Altar) was to be "overlayed" or covered with bronze - most likely a melted down bronze in liquid form to cover the shittim wood boards which made up the four-sided Altar.

So where - in the desert - did the Israelites get the bronze? Not to mention the gold, silver and all other precious metals and costly materials in constructing the huge Tabernacle.

When the Israelites was freed after 430 years of slavery under God's might hand of judgment upon theie oppressors, the Egyptians, God made sure they were repaid plenteously for centuries of toil without reward: He moved the hearts of the Egyptians so that they poured their wealth to the departing freed nation of Israel:

The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.(Exodus 12:33-36)

A bit more background material needs to be presented here.

Numbers 16 records one of the most horrific demonstration of how God deals with the rebellious - especially those rebelling against established apiritual authority.

Korah and his followers, most of whom were descendants of Levi (whose tribe was designated to ministering before God in the Tabernacle) rebelled against Moses' leadership.

Pastor Kim admonished how being in some form or manner of church service can often lead to arrogance and conceit if not checked by others, especially when one does not submit himself to church leadership and authority, and to guard our hearts against spiritual solitude - of being "set apart" in a way God had not intended.

The Korah and his followers, over a period of time while serving in such holy duties as maintaining the articles within the santuary of God, considered themselves above the others. Perhaps even above their own brother Levites who were given other tasks, seemingly less-significant tasks. Pride ensnared them.

In response to their rebellion (not a small group comprising of about 250 men), Moses instructed them to prepare 250 censers, one for each, with fires in them - fire from the Altar of Burnt Offering. Moses assured them that the next morning God will show who is justified before God, and whom God has chosen: Moses or the 250 rebellious men following Korah.

The next morning, when the foolish rebels gathered in a huge group (stupidity in numbers) before the Tabernacle entrance and this was God's reaction:

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." (Numbers 16:20-21)

He is angry, to say the least. And God was ready to kill all Israelites if Moses' plea is anything to go by:

But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, "O God, God of the spirits of all mankind, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?" (v.22)

God relents and tells Moses and Aaron and all those right in the head to separate themselves from Korah and the rebels.

Not only were Korah and his household swallowed up by the earth instantly, fire from the Lord came down and consumed all 250 men holding the censers in their hands. (Numbers 16:31-35)
The 250 censers were made of bronze, Scripture tells us.

Every times the Israelites saw the Altar of Burnt Offering, they were given a stark, visual reminder of that day and Korah and his destroyed followers. They were exposed to vivid reminder, a haunting reminder of what rebellion against God and his established authority meant and costs.

...to be continued...

revival: tabernacle - day 2 (pm)

I remembered to bring my frantically scribbled notes from the revival meetings this morning to work.

So here a bit more detailed introductory comment Pastor Kim gave in the beginning of her message the first night.

The Tabernacle teaches us about the progression of Spirit-filled and led prayer by showing us how to:

1. ...encounter God
2. ...receive forgiveness
3. ...worship God
4. ...enter into the presence of God
5. ...have peace with God


---------------------------

Last night (Thurs., 9/7), Lee MSN spoke about the Altar of Burnt Offering taking the passage from Exodus 27:1-8.



The altar is symbolic of three things: Jesus who paid the ultimate price as the sacrificial Lamb on the cross, the Church, and believers like you and me. And she taught focusing on the last two representation: the Church and the beliver.

(Notice verse 8 in which God reminds Moses again that it is to be done precisely as He had commanded and shown him.)

First of all, the material for constructing the Altar was shittim wood, or also called acacia wood (not the same acacia tree with flowers that we are familiar with today). Shittim is a tree indigenous to desert regions, consequently very unappealing having grown in sandy soil, enduring years of harsh desert weathers which results in crooked, gnarly and bent branches. It is, basically, a very insignificant type of lumber and far removed from the beauty of oaks we appreciate today.

So why did God instruct Moses to use such lumber? For practicality, obviously, since shittim wood was in abundant supply in the desert. But on the spiritual level, God was showing the children of Israel and us that we are useless on our own. We are not chosen (like the shittim wood) because we are special and so good; we are chosen because He has chosen us.

Hence, Jesus exhorts us in John 15 to abide in Him, for without Him, we are nothing.

Second, God instructed the Altar be made hollow: "Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain." (27:8)

Jesus said in Matthew 5:3 - Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

We need to be "emptied" just like the Altar if God is to do what He wants and needs to do so in our lives: emptied of ambitions, greed, personal aspirations, anxieties, etc.

... to be continued...

Thursday, September 07, 2006

revival: tabernacle - day 2 (am)


This morning, Pastor Kim spoke about the positioning of the tabernacle and the surrounding courtyard.

When one enters into the outer courtyard through the entrance (which is on the east side of the structure), he is facing west as he walks in. This is significant in that when we appraoch presence of God, we come in our failures and weaknesses - in essence our burden of sin, represented by the setting sun of the west; things in life may be falling apart, promises unkept, failed marriages, relationships, personal shortcomings, etc.

But when that same person leaves, he faces east - the direction of the rising sun - facing the "Son" of hope, having laid our burdens down, our sins forgiven, atoned for.

God gave specific instructions to Moses about how and where he wanted each of the items of the Tabernacle for a reason.

Exodus 26:9-11 says:
Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits long [that is, 150 feet] and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. The north side shall also be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.


The posts represent each individual believer in a church, the body of Christ. Interesting thing about these posts is that they are stationary: they do not move around, except when the tabernacle was pulled apart for transport. And as such, believers need to learn to stay in a church they serve, be a - in a sense - a steadfast pillar in the church of God.

Also, the posts are supported by bronze bases. Bronze in the Bible represents judgment. A believer must have a healthy fear of God. It is good that we come to know a loving God, but God is also a God of Judgment. The necessity for a God-fearing Christians is desperate in this postmodern world of relativism and self-actualization.

The posts also are linked from one to another with silver hooks and bands. This represents "shared grace" among believers.

A Christian with a healthy fear of God, linked to other believers in grace, will stay established, trustworthy and responsible in furthering the Kingdom of God through his or her life within the Body of Christ.

revival: tabernacle - day 1 (pm)


Last night was something of an eye opener.

I had come expecting some sort of theological study on the Tabernacle.

Instead, I got to hear from the very heart of Jesus.

The children of Israel were freed from 430 years of slavery, and thought they would immediately see the Land of the Promise - Canaan. But God had other plans.

For forty years they wandered the desert.

And so is true for every believer that after we are saved, God puts us through the desert experience. It comes to all who claim Christ in myriad of different forms, seaons, and durations, but it comes.

And just as it was true for the children of Israel, it is true for us: Not all will make it to the Promised Land.

Everyone 20 and older perished in the desert, never to even behold the land flowing with milk and honey. The same is true for us. Only those who come forth from the desert experience with a heart of a child will enter the Promised Land.

The Tabernacle was to be a dwelling place for God. It represents many things - most of all Jesus Christ Himself. But within this magnificent structure we see what a Church should look like, and what the individual Christian should look like - all reflecting the glory of Christ.

This is a simpler blueprint of the Tabernacle:


Here is a real model version of the Tabernacle:

Once you enter the courtyard, the first thing we see is the Altar of Burnt Offering. In the discipline of prayer, this is where we learn to cry out to God. This is where we are "endued with power" from on High.

After that is the Basin of Water, which is where we learn of repentant prayer - a Spirit-led repentance.

Then we enter the Holy Place, the place of Intercession.

Until finally we arrive at the Most Holy Place where we learn to hear the voice of God.

Our aim through this revival is to enter that Holy of holies and hear the still small voice of God speaking to us...

revival: tabernacle - an intro

At our church, we are currently holding a Revival (from Wed. 9/6 to Sun. 9/10) on the Tabernacle, based on Exodus 25-31.


[By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Exodus 13:21-22]

The speaker, Pastor Rok Ee Kim, repeatedly emphasized that God commanded Moses and the people of Israel in the desert to build the Tabernacle exactly as He had instructed, to the last minute detail.

No detail was trivial. Nothing was approximate or optional.

In this Revival, Pastor Kim said, the Tabernacle will be used as a motif, a pattern, to learn of a progression of deeper and more spiritual prayer that ushers us into the very throne room of God.

So ultimately, this revival is about the discipline of prayer.

She began with a testimony of how God used her, but I won't belabor the details here.

Suffice it to say, she knows what she's talking about.

Our own EM had begun on Monday of this week the 21-Day Dinner-Fasting Prayer meetings (using Bishop Oh's Prayer-Driven Life) held each morning at 6:05am.

And what a timely revival this is!

Throughout the next three weeks we will be focusing on prayer - allowing the Holy Spirit to discipline us so that we may live a life of prayer.

Reading, meditating or studying the Word of God without a disciplined life of prayer can easily becomes a snare for intellectual arrogance and snobbery.

Praising worship songs to Jesus without a disciplined life of prayer often demonstrates no more than hype.

Pastor Kim emphasized the necessity of all three disciplines - prayer, praise, Word - coming together in harmony in the life of a true believer. For such a child of God, nothing can hinder his or her relationship to the Father.

Over the next several posts, I will do my best to regurgitate what Kim MSN taught during the evening meetings and morning prayers (she leads these also).

May our lives be one of ceaseless prayer to our living God!

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

You're the love of my life

You're the love of my life
You're the joy of my morning
You're the song of my heart
And I will praise Your Holy Name

Singing, hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! And I will praise Your Holy Name.

"I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips." Psalm 34:1

ambassadors for Christ everywhere

This is Part 3 of a 4-part message on the Mission of Nakwon EM: being Ambassadors for Christ at home, in the community and in the world as servant-leaders.

In 2 Cor. 5:16-6:2, Paul implores belivers to live as ambassadors for Christ through being reconciled to Him.

This idea of reconciliation is foreign to our world that emphasizes and fosters "just due" and "If-I-don't-like-you-I-don't-have-to-see-or-deal-with-you" mentality.

But Jesus answers Peter who posed the question about how many times a child of God must forgive a brother with a parable about an unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35.

A servant who owed his master far more than he could ever repay in his lifetime goes on his knees begging for time. It is interesting how he never things to ask for mercy by having his debt canceled, eventhough it is so blatantly obvious he can never repay fully.

But the merciful king cancels the entire debt.

Up until this point, we-as believers now set free from our own past sins-can identify with that moment of forgiveness and redemption.

But the story has just begun.

The same servant who was forgiven a million demands a repayment of a debt from a fellow servant who owed him a measly amount which could have been paid in a few months.

How odd that the first servant who was forgiven millions just moments ago would in anger throw his fellow servant into prison that day demanding his debts be paid in full!

How is his fellow servant supposed to pay back anything from prison?

But the tenet of Jesus' parable is here: Hate, anger, bitterness and resentment from being unable to extend the mercy we ourselves received from our Heavenly Father will make us irrational, unreasonable, and oftentimes cruel in ways we do not expect or imagine ever saying or doing under any other circumstances.

You have been hurt. Unjustly. Cruelly. And your soul festers in your anguish of having been so ill-treated - some hurtful words intended to cut to the heart and leave you bleeding...

Once you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, Paul reminds us that we are a new creation. But you are far from perfect.

Yes, your sins are forgiven you - and yet you sin.

You sin by being unable to forgive someone a great wrong done against you.

The secret, Jesus is ultimately saying, to forgiving others is to turn your focus away from the one who has wronged you, to the One who took up the cross because of what you had done.

The fact is, God will never ask you to give more grace to anyone than He has given you.

When you do not forgive, it is not only the one you resent and hate that ends up in the confines of the prison of your mind: You yourself are imprisoned. The Master in the parable ordered the first servant who showed no mercy to his fellow servant be thrown into prison and tortured.

You may wonder at the injustice or the difficulty of such request to forgive so readily when your heart is still bleeding in pain. And the fact is more often than not the perpetrator who has injured you may not even know or bother to ask for your forgivess.

But that's the catch, isn't it?

Romans 5:8 tells us "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

God asks us - no, commands us - to do the same.

Forgiveness is not an option; it is a command. And forgiveness has nothing to do with emotion, but everything to do with will.

When Jesus said at the end of the parable that this is how our Heavenly Father will treat us if we do not forgive our brother from our hearts, He was not referring to some emotion or sentiment.

First, obey. Will yourself to extend mercy they don't deserve, for that is what mercy is.

When we do our part, God will do His.

Just like He did for Corrie ten Boom when years after her release she was face to face with one of the cruel prison guards at the Ravensbruck Concentration camp during World War II where her beloved sister Betsie died of slow painful death.

She extended her hand toward the prison guard's awaiting proferred hand, asking her for a reassurance that, as she had just spoken before the congregation testifying of God's mercy and grace, indeed his sins are forgiven as well.

It took everything within her, but when she obeyed - though she did not want to - God flooded her heart with sense of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Do you desire to be an Ambassador for Christ? Then do not just put on smiles in Church: Live it! At home, first! Most people are near "angelic" at Church, but tragically demonic at home. And sometimes, the hardest thing is to be merciful to those closest to us.

Be Ambassadors for Christ everywhere!

Be reconciled to God through what Christ has done, not by your own efforts; but also be a tool of reconciliation for other people by extending that hand of mercy, remembering always how God in Christ forgave you.

-From September 3rd Sunday 10:00AM EM Service

Friday, September 01, 2006

corie ten boom

This Saturday during Bible Study, we will be continuing our study on being Just Like Jesus (Max Lucado)- A Forgiving Heart.

And I don't know of any greater illustration than the story of Corie ten Boom.

For those of you unfamiliar with the true story of Corie and her family who were arrested and sent to concentration camp for hiding Jews from Nazis during the second World War, here is a shortened version of the story based on her book The Hiding Place.

There is also a movie based on the book, and for once, the movie doesn't spoil it for the book (I saw the movie before reading the book), as the book covers and tells so much more behind the scene details.

It is a heart-rending and convicting book that will change your perspective of life and God's providence in our lives, and teach you a soul-piercing lesson about forgiveness.