Details From GOD

When we look at the Old Testament, we see that our God is a God of details.  He was very specific with His people about what He wanted.  We see this in the book of Exodus where God gives His directions to the people about how to build a place of worship, the Tabernacle, and how worship was to be done.  The details are tedious...the reading is tedious...but one can see the point of this by reading Exodus chapters 25-30.  Here is an excerpt:

"You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood.  A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width-it shall be square--and two cubits shall be its height.  Its horns shall be of one piece with it.  And you shall overlay its top, its sides all around, and it horns with pure gold; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around.  Two gold rings you shall make for it....."  This is the description that God gives for this one small part of the worship place, the Tabernacle.

Another example, speaking of the clothes that the priest shall wear:

"And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash.  So they shall make holy garments for Aaron you brother and his sons, that he may minster to Me as priest."  The writing goes on to give great detail in the making of each one of these items. 

One might ask why there is so much attention given to these items of worship.  There could be several answers.  But the first would be that this is what God wanted.  And He wanted to be praised.  He wanted anyone coming in worship to Him to be perfect in dress, appearance, and in the manner of worship.  He is God, and He deserves to be worshiped in His own way.  He also wanted obedience, wanted to see obedience in His people.

But then we go to the New Testament and look at the development of Christianity there, looking at the words of Jesus as He brought us a new way.  The question arises, Is God different in the new age?  And why don't we see this kind of detail being described in the NT?  The immediate answer is that God certainly isn't changed.  He is the same always.  But the NT does describe to us a new kind of law.  Here our Lord wants us to be priests, all of us (Revelation 1:6).  Just as the OT priests, a small percentage of the people,  were to approach God in a special way, a way beautiful to Him, the NT priests (we, as followers of Him) are now the priests that must approach God in a very special way.  But the new way isn't in the details of the OT.  The new way is in spiritual perfection.  He wants us to be spiritually beautiful.  We see this in the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7, as Jesus taught the people to be special in heart, in nature, and in love.

Those of us who are followers need to be very careful in our approaching our Lord, to do so in great respect and praise, knowing that He is a God who cares about details, details of our lives, our hearts, our nature, our love....and our obedience.

Thanks for reading and have a great week.  Feel the love.....