175
174 The Tabernacle that can not be acquired by human skill. "Ye must be born again," our Lord said to Nicodemus many centuries ago-born again by the Spirit of God as He applies the living Word of God to the sinner's heart. (See John 3:3- 8.) Aaron and his sons had to meet God at the altar of sacrifice before they could approach the laver; and only by the way of the altar and the laver could they enter the sanctuary of God for communion and fellowship with Him. No man-made schemes for worship; no man-made schemes for service can please God. Would that all men everywhere would heed our Lord's own Word, "Ye must be born again!" Moreover, let us who have been regenerated by His precious blood not forget that we have been saved to serve. God has "no other plan" for making known "the unsearchable riches" of Christ. He is depending upon His own. "As the Father sent" Him, "so sendeth he" us who have been born again by His grace. That He expects fruit- fulness from our lives, we know, even as He said, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you" (John 15:16): No Cleansing-No Worship--No Service Repeatedly God said to Moses that Aaron and his sons should wash their hands and feet at the laver of brass, "lest they die." Without this cleansing, they dared not enter the sanctuary to worship; without it, they dared not seek to serve at the altar or in the Holy Place. There was no blood-shedding at the laver; yet the priests dared not worship without its cleansing! Again, the lesson is plain.
T be Tabernacle We can not approach God except with clean hands and a clean heart. If we would know His quickening power, we must confess our sins, that He may cleanse us from all unrighteousness. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John I :8). "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (I John 1: 10) • "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his so:11 unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation" (Psalm 24:3-5). "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word" (Psalm 119:9). Whatever the coldness of your heart, my Christian friend; whatever the lack of power and blessing in your life may have been; go to Christ in full and complete confession, and He will restore unto you the joy of your salvation. He will forgive and cleanse and empower you for worship and service. He will put a song in your heart to stay. "Though we are faithless, yet he abideth faithful!" Christ--Our Cleanser A perfect and beautiful picture of Christ, our Great High Priest, ministering at the !aver, is seen in the thir- teenth chapter of John, where He is the Girded One, wash- ing His disciples' feet. There He is our Advocate at work; and in this scene He gives us a glimpse of His present ministry of intercession before "the throne of grace." He had just partaken of the last passover with His disciples. He Himself was soon to be offered as the Pass-. over Lamb, the "Lamb of God, which taketh away the
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online