Month: January 2024

By Seth Myers Via Bulletin Gold

Without controversy, one can declare that God does not change (Mal.3:6).
But what many may not realize is that the same is true of God’s
spiritual principles. Among these is the exclusive nature of God’s
“positive” commands-that is, “When God says,’Do THIS, it means,
Don’t do THAT.”” Let us briefly consider the clearest possible example of this
spiritual truth.

Leviticus 10 opens with the account of the divine execution of two
men who were in charge of the incense-burning portion ofOT worship
(la), which, naturally, required fire. But the fire they offered on this
occasion is said to have been “strange” (1b | ASV) to God, or
unauthorized” (ESV) by God. That kind of statement naturally leads
the reader to ask this question: “Why was this fire ‘unauthorized’?
What was it that made this fire ‘strange” in God’s sight?” According to
the Holy Spirit, the reason it was “unauthorized” is because it was “fire
that [God] had never prescribed for them” (1SV)-fire “which he had not
commanded them [to make]” (lc).

When it comes to the manner in which we worship God: if it is not in
His word, it better not be in our worship.

This terminology is extremely significant for it was NOT that God
had said, You shall NOT make that kind of fire,” and that these two
men made that kind of fire anyway; rather, God had simply said, “You
shall make THIS kind of fire,” and, therefore, to make any other kind
of fire was sin. Unfortunately for these two men, they did just that: they
made “Fire B” when God had prescribed “Fire A,” and He repaid their
fire with a fire of His own (2). Not one Israelite would have failed to
get the point-you and I had better “get it,” as well! He didn’t have
to specifically condemn or prohibit every single particular thing of
which He disapproves. All He has to say is: *Do THIS,”and everything
which the mind of man could possibly imagine besides “THIS” is
direct rebellion against the word of God.

The spiritual principle that resulted in the death of Nadab & Abihu
has not changed. When it comes to the manner in which we worship
God: if it is not in His word, it better not be in our worship. For, if we
want our worship to be acceptable to God, we “must worship him in
example spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

By J. Randal Matheny Via Bulletin Gold

We meet together today as God’s holy people, purified
by His word of truth and cleansed by the blood of Christ
in baptism.

Our meetings reflect our character, which in turn
determines our thoughts given to the mercies of Christ,
our gratitude thrown upward to God, our praises louder
for new life in the Spirit, our prayers fervent that others
might come to this knowledge.

In our meetings, we acknowledge our churchness,
that we are a people, that no one walks alone, that
purification leads to fellowship, that God’s word unites
us.

Our meetings, like all parts of our life, private and
public, show who we are: faithful to the command of
God, bound together as followers of Jesus, empowered
to serve in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

In them, ineffable joy breaks out, peace infuses each
soul, love finds expression, compassion turns to
generosity, and to need is granted fullness.

Be present, and be a celebrant of the God who reigns
and blesses.

By Joe Slater Via Bulletin Gold

What do you suppose God’s people were doing on New Year’s
Day roughly 3500 years ago? Would you believe they were
putting up the tabernacle? “On the first day of the first month,
you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting” (Exodus
40:1) “And it came to pass in the first month of’ the Second year,
on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up”
(40:17)

Earlier in Exodus (chapters 25-31) God had given Moses
explicit and detailed instructions about the tabernacle and all of
its furnishings, beginning with this exhortation: “According to
all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the
pattern of all its furnishings, just so shall you make it” (25:9).
The Lord repeated this command several times as He specified
the dimensions, materials, design, etc., of the tabernacle and its
furnishings,. “And see to it that you make them according to the
pattern which was shown you on the mountain” (25:40), “And
you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern which
you were shown on the mountain” (26:30), “As it was shown
you on the mountain, so shall they make it” (27:8)

Moses and the Israelites took God seriously! Thus Moses
did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he
did” (Exodus 40:16).

The tabernacle and things associated with it were a shadow of
the better things Jesus Christ established in the New Covenant.
The Hebrews writer taught that we ought to be even more
diligent to be faithful in the New Covenant than Moses and the
Israelites were in the Old Covenant (Hebrews 2:1-4; 10:28-31).

In this new year, let us renew our determination to follow
God’s pattern set forth in the New Testament!