Daer Bob:
Could you please tell me if any of my comments on the Ark of the covenant confound you.
I once thought that God dwelled in the Ark that being the way that He was able to dwell with His chosen people. That somehow, He was able to confine himself there in a comfortable manner, and satisfied His yearning to have a people.
Now I know that the Ark was a meeting place. It was kept separate and apart from the people of God because it represented His holiness and His righteousness to a people that were far from holy OR righteous.
How ludicrous to think that God would confine himself to a box. But just as man would never be able to measure up to God's holiness: also the Ark represents to me how mankind can not even measure up to a holy article that is used of God.( Then and Now )
We then would be doomed to see the face of God; this fact has not changed under the efficacy of grace. Just as Moses under the law was never permitted to see the face of God. So true would still be this precept.
We are doomed to continuously and willfully sin under grace. The sufficiency of grace does not extend past the boundaries of the law.
For if the law was severe in it's punishment; should punishment in the dispensation of grace be LESS severe. NAY. Every argument should be made that the penalty for repudiation of grace should be more severe.
Just as each believer must decide in His own heart whom GOD is ; so must each believer decide whom we are; and I speak that collectively; as a Christian people. And, the mystery of the Ark; that I know many times confounds me; must be established . For not only the Ark was holy but also the altar and the cups and bowls and utincils that the high priest used were also holy; with just as great a penalty for touching these objects.
I am holy, my hands and mind , and my feet are used for holy purposes. The holy spirit dwells within me, I speak in an unknown tongue. Would you be afraid to touch me? I know much about you. I know much about others on these threads. To be honest with you I WOULD be afraid to touch many of you; because God has said touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm. But a friendly touch , a hug, a handshake, a kind gesture; why of course.
So where do I think the Ark is ? And of what significance does it still have.?
I believe it has great significance. I believe it still exists. But there are other things that have a great significance to me, also. I have an old family bible, passed down for generations, I have a kneeling bench that my grandfather used for prayer, a dining room table where our family has said many an effectual prayer; These to me are my Ark, My meeting place; should I assume that they are MORE or LESS or AS Holy than the Ark of the Covenant ?
In Christ ..gregor |
