New Years Day

(Exodus 40:2) “On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.”

New Years Day the first day of the first month of a New Year and whether today is actually that day according to the Jewish calendar is not that important. The day on our calendar reads 1-1-2011 and is based on the death of our Saviour. We must then live in and where we find ourselves. Interestingly enough New Year’s Day for Israel was of great importance, it was the day that they were instructed to pitch the tabernacle, they were to stop what they were doing and give God the attention He required. It is a type and shadow of the New Jerusalem that we will be part of in the new heaven. God often uses examples in scripture to teach us that something greater is coming. He used the law to teach us that we were sinners and could never keep it and that is why we would need a Saviour.

Once they had erected the tent they then were to place the Ark of the Testimony inside the tent and then they had to screen it with a curtain. Even though they had received the law God made it clear that they could not look upon His glory without Him being veiled that is why a curtain needed to cover the Ark. We see God preparing them to receive a Saviour, everything God did was to point all His people to His beloved Son, Jesus Christ the Lord. Even as early as this we see Him preparing all that would call on Him to receive His Son as Saviour. How do see all of this by looking at a curtain you may ask? Do you remember when the Lord Jesus was on that cruel Roman cross and the sun was darkened and the grave gave up their dead. (Matthew 27:51-52) “And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised;”

Particular mention was made of the curtain that separated man from God, it was torn from top to bottom and if you stood on the one side of the room and looked through the curtain you would have been able to see the Ark (Jesus Christ) and because of Christ’s sacrifice we now have direct access to the Father through Him, and before He came to earth, it was never like that, the children of God always had to remain behind that curtain and only the High priest could enter into the presents of the Lord (the Ark of the Testimony), If was such a fiasco that they even tired a rope around the priest leg with bells on Him so that if God did not accept the sacrifices of His people because of their disobedience and the priest died that they could retrieve him by pulling on the rope. If anyone dare to venture into the holiest of holies they would also be struck down and die. It was a very serious thing that they had to contend with. However it is no longer like that, Jesus our phenomenal Saviour has paid the price for sin and has given all God’s children access unto the Father, we all now have direct access because of Him. We all have the ability to cry Abba Father, please understand the gravity of this truth; it is such a wonderful phenomenon. As gentiles we were never considered by God as a people but now we are the children of God and only because of Jesus Christ our Lord, God who became a man and paid the price for our sin by dying n our behalf, yet on the third day He rose again and now He make intersession for all the saints that the Father has given unto Him. There is no longer a curtain or a veil that separated us from the company of God almighty, praise the name of Jesus, but please remembers it wasn’t always like this, we owe our Saviour our lives and even if we lay everything down for His kingdom, we would never even begin to pay one iota back in association to what it cost the Lord you save us, and yet He did it willingly.

So therefore on the first day of this New Year may our resolutions be to lay down our selfish wills for the sake of the kingdom of God.

“I pray 2011 will be a year where all our plans fail and our desires are shattered so that God can fulfill His glorious purposes in us.” Scott Wheeler

Signing off

Tyrone