Exodus – Page 3 – Jim Gallagher

Got Talent

February 13, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagher1 Comment

Exodus 38:22
“Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord had commanded Moses.”

Six times in Exodus we read of a man named Bezalel, and five times of Aholiab. These men are recipients of the highest of all honors; their names and accomplishments are recorded in the eternal Word of God. When heaven and earth have passed away, and all of this life is but a distant memory, the accomplishments of these two men will remain forever chronicled alongside Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel and Paul. They are honored even though there is no reference to them ever wielding a sword like Joshua, having a face to face encounter with God, like Moses, writing worship songs like David, or winning others to Christ, like Paul. These men are honored because they took the talents they had received from the Lord and used them for His kingdom, and His glory. In order for the Tabernacle to be built, talented men must give of their time, effort and energy. Bezalel and Aholiab rose to the call. We read,

Exodus 36:2
“Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work.”

Notice that “gifted men” were called. One of the ways we can recognize the call of God on our lives, is to look at the need and the gifts we have. If a need arises for plumbing and you are a plumber, you have an opportunity to respond to the call of God. Notice also, their hearts were stirred. Sometimes, even before an opportunity arises, a desire is birthed within us; that can be the call of God. The important thing is, they responded and offered their talents to be used for the kingdom..

Exodus 31:2-3
“See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship”

Once these men responded to the call of God, they received the enabling of God. Their natural gifts, while important, must be met with the power of the Spirit. Often we neglect to make ourselves available to God because we feel powerless. It was in response to the call of God that they received the Spirit of God. Just as Moses’ staff parted the Red Sea after it went into the water, so these men were equipped, once they responded to the call.

Exodus 35:34
“And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.”

Finally, their service was an opportunity to make disciples. They were called to serve and to teach others. The building of the Tabernacle was not a one man job. If it was to be accomplished, others must be taught and given opportunity to serve. Bezalel and Aholiab were given the task of training others to be part of the work of God.

Don’t think because you are not an evangelist, pastor, missionary or worship leader, that there is no place for you in the church. There are a multitude of ministry opportunities for people who are gifted artisans. Much of what happens in the ministry today is because faithful men and woman take their talents and give them back to the Lord.

Pastor Jim

Utensils

February 13, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagher1 Comment

Exodus 37:16
“He made of pure gold the utensils which were on the table: its dishes, its cups, its bowls, and its pitchers for pouring.”

Here in the closing chapters of Exodus, the focus is upon building an elaborate tent designed as the focal point for Israel’s worship. This tent went by many names; it is called the Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle, and the Holy Place. Each of the titles reveals something of the purpose of this structure. The term, Holy Place, helps us to understand what holiness actually means.

It seems holiness is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the Bible. If we go back to the time of Jesus, we find holiness was defined by the clothes a person wore, the food they ate, and the time of day they chose to pray. The Pharisees became the embodiment of holiness, and all others in Israel were considered to be somewhat common. Things have not changed much as the years have passed. Today, it seems holiness is still defined by what we don’t do, rather than by who we are. I think a quick glance at the utensils designed for the Tabernacle might help us better understand what it means to be holy.

Aholiab and Bezalel were instructed to take common earthly materials like silver, gold, wood, and a variety of fabrics, and construct them into what would become a holy place, filled with holy instruments. It was not the material the objects were constructed from that made them holy, but the fact that they were dedicated to the Lord. One spoon stood out above all other spoons, because it had been given to the work of God. Holiness then, is more about dedicating ourselves to the Lord, than it is about the kind of food we refrain from eating.

Years later we will read of these utensils no longer being treated as holy. Belshazzar, king of Babylon, will use the cups that were once dedicated to God, as common drinking cups to hold his liquor. His actions will invite the judgment of God upon himself and his nation.

Perhaps today it is time to take inventory of your life and the way you are living. Have you dedicated yourself to God and His glory? Are each of your members being used for His service?

When life has passed, only what we have done for God will last.

Pastor Jim

The Hideout

February 12, 2015February 12, 2015pjimgallagherLeave a comment

Exodus 34:5
“Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.”

Something happened in Moses that made him desire to know God better. Faced with the opportunity to ask anything from The Lord his sole desire was to see the glory of God. In response to this God had a plan, Moses would get away from the people, hide in the cleft of a rock and listen as God passed by declaring His true character. This event serves as a pattern for how every believer can discover the glory of a God.

Moses rose early and found a secluded place where he could hear the word of God. If we will follow that pattern we too will have glorious encounters with The Lord. It is in the secret place where we learn to abide in Christ and discover the hidden truths of His Word.

It is true that God can speak to us anywhere. Many of us have testimonies of times when our world was interrupted by the unexpected voice of God. We may have heard His voice in the middle of a crowded room, hiking a hill, or even when we were stuck in traffic. While it is true that we may unexpectedly hear from God anywhere, it is also true that we can expect to hear from Him if we will rise early, get in a secluded place, and open the pages of His Word.

Every morning there is a cleft of a rock waiting for the child of God to hide away in and hear the voice of God. Take the time to discover it for yourself.

Pastor Jim

Foundations Of Faith

February 12, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagher1 Comment

Exodus 36:30
“So there were eight boards and their sockets—sixteen sockets of silver—two sockets under each of the boards.”

The Tabernacle was designed in Heaven, and serves as a picture of the work of salvation. Each article is pregnant with symbolism and serves to illustrate various aspects of salvation and sanctification. The roof of the Tabernacle was supported by wooden walls overlaid with gold, and the walls were held in place by silver sockets or foundation stones. Two interesting facts about these silver blocks are worth our attention.

First, it interests me how the blocks were obtained. Earlier in Exodus, we read of a tax of half a shekel placed upon every person. No matter what a person’s socio-economic condition, they were all required to bring the same amount. This redemption money, as it is often called, serves as a picture of what is required of us in the process of salvation. No person was required to pay for, or build, the Tabernacle on their own, that would be accomplished by a work of the Spirit of God, but each person was required to invest their half shekel. In the same way, the work of salvation was accomplished by Jesus upon the cross. He paid a price much too high for any man to pay. All that is required of us is simple faith. When we choose to trust in the work of Jesus on the cross, we in turn, receive the fullness of salvation. The silver sockets then are a picture of the importance of faith.

Second, I am intrigued by the fact that, as important as these blocks were, they would go unseen. Once the Tabernacle was erected, the silver blocks were completely hidden. However, the proof that they were there, would be evident to all. In the same way, faith, although invisible, can be clearly seen. James spoke of a faith that works (James 2:20-24), and Paul referred to faith that was heard around the world (Romans 1:8). While we cannot see faith, we can certainly see the evidences that faith has upon the person who exercises it. Since faith puts us into relationship with God, a person who has truly believed, will see their life being transformed. Old habits, actions, thoughts, and speech will begin to be replaced with new ones. It is not so much that a person is trying to conform to a new standard to live by, as they are being transformed by the work of God from within.

Just as the Tabernacle was held up by unseen silver sockets, so our lives will be put on display to the world around us as we trust in Christ, and grow in relationship with him.

Pastor Jim

Willingness

February 12, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagher1 Comment

Exodus 35:5
“Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze; . . .”

Moses had been instructed to build the Tabernacle. It was to be an elaborate facility with a solid silver foundation, golden walls, intricately woven tapestries and highly detailed furnishing. Every detail was given to Moses, including it’s size, shape, and purpose. However, two things had been left out; materials and labor.

At one time, Moses, as a prince of Egypt, had been an extremely wealthy man with all the resources of Egypt at his disposal. For a nation that had erected structures like the pyramids, building the Tabernacle would not be beyond their means, and Moses could have underwritten the entire project.

However, those days were passed. Moses had forsaken all the riches of Egypt. In a word, Moses was broke. Where would the resources come from to build? The answer is found in two words that are repeated over and over in Exodus 35: stirred and willing. After explaining to the people the vision he had received from God regarding the building, he instructed them to go back to their tents. It was there, as families gathered together, that their hearts were stirred by the Lord. They determined to offer the Lord a portion of what had been given to them. We read, those with a willing heart brought a free will offering to the Lord. For some it was golden earrings, for others necklaces, rings or other jewelry. Some brought precious stones, while others brought their abilities as an offering; making themselves available to be part of the construction team. In each case, we read they brought willingly of what the Lord had given them, and that all the labor was directed and empowered by the Spirit of the Lord. As the project gets underway, the leaders find they are facing an interesting problem. They examined the plans and realized the people had given too much. Moses has to instruct the people to stop giving to the Lord. They had more than enough supplied to accomplish the task.

We learn some very important lessons about giving and receiving from this text. First, note that Moses was only interested in building what he had received directly from the Lord. He did not take on a additional projects that were more than the Lord wanted. He sought the Lord and built what the Lord desired. Second, Moses did not attempt to coerce the people. He allowed each man to go home to his family and determine what they would willingly give to the Lord. In the church today, too much pressure is being placed upon God’s people to give. We need to encourage people to seek the Lord, and give willingly. Finally, people gave a variety of things. Those who had wealth, gave gold and other precious things, those who had skills, gave their abilities, but all who gave were richly blessed as the Tabernacle was completed, and served as a place for people to meet with God.

Pastor Jim

February 11, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagher1 Comment

Exodus 33:18
“And he said, ‘Please, show me Your glory.’”

While most of Israel seemed satisfied with their present experience of God, Moses had a longing for more. His past experiences of being commissioned directly by God at the burning bush, seeing the miraculous hand of God work through the plagues, watching the Red Sea part, tasting Manna from heaven and water from a rock, hearing the voice of God from the mountain, and seeing the Shikinah glory abide in his own tent, were not enough to satisfy the longing in Moses’s heart for more of God.

He desired a deeper and fuller experience of God than he ever had. He is illustrating the words of Jesus when He declared, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Moses is not alone in his desire for more of God. We read that Joshua did not depart from the Tabernacle. Later, David would cry out, “One thing I desire of the Lord and that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord forever. . .” (Psalm 27:4). And again, “As the deer pants for the water so my so longs after You, oh God.” (Psalm 42:1). Elisha would cry out for a double portion of the Spirit of God that was on his predecessor (2 Kings 2:9), and Paul declared that his greatest desire was to know Christ, even if that meant great suffering (Philippians 3:10).

Oh, that our hearts would long to know Christ better. That the experiences of the past would only work as fuel to drive us closer to Him, that we might see His glory. For Moses, the longing to experience the glory of God, began with a desire expressed in prayer, but it did not stop there. To truly encounter the Lord, he must go from prayer, to the Word. It was through His Word that God revealed Himself to Moses. He did not see Him, but heard Him. The same will be true of us. If you are yearning for more of God, the place to go is His Word. There He reveals Himself as the merciful, gracious, patient, true, good, forgiving and just, Lord of all.

Pastor Jim

Fill Me Up

February 10, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagher2 Comments

Exodus 31:3
“And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,”

Fuel Gauge When the time came to make the articles for the Tabernacle, God selected two men, and filled them with the Spirit of God. Under their leadership, this vast and elaborate project was completed. Normally, we associate the need for the Holy Spirit with intrinsically spiritual tasks, like leading worship, teaching the Bible, or witnessing to the lost. However, here, we discover that the empowering of the Spirit is required for designing the facility and making the building. It seems a pattern develops within Scripture, where God chooses common men, fills them with the Spirit of God, and accomplishes uncommon works. Instead of focussing on what makes us common, we should fix our attention on being filled with the Spirit.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church regarding the work of the Holy Spirit, he gave them a series of exhortations. First, he told them to earnestly desire or covet the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31). It is when we step out of our comfort zone and into ministry that we will begin to covet the gifts. As long as we only serve Jesus where we are comfortable, we will never find ourselves desperate for His work in our lives. If you want to covet the gifts, begin to look for new ways to serve.

Second, he wrote that the desired gifts are received through prayer. He used the example of tongues and interpretation of tongues and wrote “if someone speaks with a tongue, pray that you might interpret”(1 Corinthians 14:13). In other words, the gifts are acquired through prayer. When we step out to serve the Lord, and become aware of our shortcomings, all we need to do is ask for His Spirit. When we do, we will be filled with what is lacking, in order to accomplish the work of ministry.

Third, he wrote that while the gifts are given to individuals, they are designed to build up the entire church. God’s method of reaching the world is through His church. He designed it, built it, and energizes it with His Spirit. The church has its greatest Impact when each member is being filled with the Spirit and stepping into the areas of ministry to which God has called them. We can only imagine what a tremendous impact your local church would have, if each person surrendered completely to the Lord, and stepped out in the power of the Spirit to serve Him.

Jesus exhorts us to pray for laborers to be sent into the harvest (Luke 10:2). Those who will be sent are like Bezalel and Aholiab, who are filled with the Spirit of God, to accomplish the task at hand.

Pastor Jim

Past Due

February 10, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagher2 Comments

Exodus 32:3
“So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.”

More than a month before this event, Moses had ascended Mount Sinai, disappearing into the thick smoke. As the weeks passed, the people began to believe Moses must have died. In their fear and confusion, they approached Aaron, seeking spiritual counsel. They realized they needed a worship service. However, their time in Egypt had left them very confused about who God really is. Aaron instructed them to bring financial gifts, then he made a god they could worship. The cost of their sinful activity was great.

The initial cost of their sin was financial. They took of their gold and gave it away; sin always has a financial cost. Even so, this was not the highest price they paid for their sin. Their sin also had a moral cost. It was not long before their false worship led to bad behavior. What began as a worship service, soon became a wild party with drinking and sexual misbehavior. The people who were chosen by God, to be blessed by God, found themselves under the judgment of God, due to their actions. Sin had a very high price tag that day, and people actually died as a result of their disobedience.

The final cost of sin is even greater than the cash that comes out of our pockets, or the lives that are ruined by it. Paul declared the ultimate cost of sin is death.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Bible speaks of two deaths. The first is physical; defined as the spirit being separated from the body. The second is spiritual; defined as a person being separated from God. When we live apart from Christ, we live separated from God. To die in that condition is to suffer eternal judgment.

The great promise of the Gospel is that NO ONE has to live or die separated from God. Christ came to set us free from sin and give us eternal life. Christ paid the cost for our sin on the cross. To receive Him is to have your account paid in full.

Pastor Jim

Word Art

February 9, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagherLeave a comment

Exodus 30:1
“You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood.”

The book of Exodus not only tells the story of the building of the Tabernacle and it’s furnishing, it also serves as a wonderfully detailed illustration of the New Testament work of salvation. The altar serves as a portrait of the cross, which provides atonement for sin and access to God. Each of the remaining articles illustrate some aspect of our walk with God.

The incense altar was situated inside the first room of the tabernacle, and serves as a portrait of the beauty of prayer. Morning and evening the priest would bring incense to burn upon this altar, and the fragrance would rise up to the heavens. In the same way, when we take the time to lift our praise, petition and intercession to the Lord it rises up and fills the throne room of heaven like a sweet aroma.

Every adult in Israel, no matter how rich or poor, was required to bring a half shekel of silver as an offering for the sanctuary. By some estimates, the Tabernacle would have cost in excess of fifty million dollars. This was an impossible sum for any one man, but everyone could afford half of a shekel. This offering serves as a picture of the need for and value of faith. Our simple offering of trust in Christ is all that is required for us to receive the benefit of salvation.

Just outside the door of the Tabernacle sat the bronze laver. It was a big bowl used by the priests to ceremonially wash themselves whenever they approached the tent. This cleansing is a picture of the importance of the Word of God. Jesus spoke of the Word as a cleansing agent in the life of the believer. Each time we open the Bible it is like taking a shower, and the dirt of living in a fallen world is washed away.

Finally, the priests were anointed with a fragrant oil. This oil symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit that makes ministry possible. Before Jesus began His public ministry He was baptized with the Holy Spirit, and before the ministry of the church began the believers were also baptized with the Spirit. We see in Scripture that the work of the Lord is energized by the work of the Spirit on individuals. It is also worth noting, they were not to alter the fragrance. A false incense would not serve as a proper anointing oil. In the same way, we must be careful not to confuse hype and emotion with a work of the Spirit of God.

As we continue through Exodus, we will see more and more of these beautiful portraits of our relationship with the Lord. Keep in mind, Jesus said the entirety of the Bible testifies of Him.

Pastor Jim

Stained Garment

February 9, 2015December 28, 2016pjimgallagherLeave a comment

Exodus 29:20-21
“Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar. And you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his garments, on his sons and on the garments of his sons with him; and he and his garments shall be hallowed, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.”

The Lord went to great detail to explain the garments that the High Priest would wear. He referred to them as holy garments, designed for glory and for beauty. In other words, they were designed to both look beautiful and to reveal some aspect of the Lord’s glory. These garments included a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. The most highly skilled artisans in all Israel were commissioned to create them. Once the day of consecration arrived, Aaron and his sons were dressed in the most beautiful and highly technical attire the world had ever seen, but as they approached the altar, something quite striking took place. An innocent ram was killed, it’s flesh offered upon the altar, it’s blood mixed with anointing oil, and this mixture placed upon the Priest. Imagine how shocking to see the High Priest all dressed up, then have blood splattered upon his garments. No longer would our attention be drawn to his beautiful turban, breastplate or sash, now all we would notice was the stain.

God wanted the people, then and now, to understand that access to God is never based upon what we try to do to earn it. All the skilled artisans on the planet could not create attire clean enough to grant access to God. Access to God is only granted when sin is covered by the blood of the innocent. This was symbolized by the blood stained garments of the Priests, and pointed to the time when Christ would make a way for all to have access to God.

Hebrews 9:12
“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

The blood was also placed upon the ear, toe and thumb of the Priest. This was symbolic of a cleansing of all that he had done, and preparation for where he would go. How often have we laid our head on our pillows at night only to be consumed with guilt, for the things we have heard, seen or touched. We live in a fallen world, and sin is always around us. It is so comforting to know there is cleansing available to free us from sin and guilt.

Pastor Jim