“You shall make a table of acacia wood…You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs…You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me regularly.”
Exodus 25:23-30
These instructions, to make not just a table but one overlaid with gold, and not just plates and cups for offerings, but those made of pure gold – they are extravagant. And they are meant to be. Not to bring glory to the people, showing off what they can afford and what they can do.
But displaying what their God is worthy of.
There is a singular glory that is our God’s. Such that descriptions of His throne room and His being can’t even be captured in words. Conveying mystery, power, and indescribable beauty, they speak of smoke and fire and comparisons to precious stones and metals – clear with their purity and perfection.
“And they saw the God of Israel. There was under His feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.” (Exodus 24:10)
“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.” (Isaiah 6:1-4)
“And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of His waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of His waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around Him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the glory of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 1:26-28a)
“At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne. And He who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald…From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.” (Revelation 4:2-6a)
Such a God deserves the best of what we have. He deserves everything we have. How often do we become complacent in our day-to-day? Fitting Him in a box, painting Him with the lesser colors of our broken world, neglecting to dwell on the unsearchable greatness and incomprehensible majesty of the God who has called us to Himself. This God who draws near to us.
This morning, I just want to dwell on His glory. Praying that He will show us His glory, opening our eyes to see that He is worth our very best, our everything, captivating and stirring our hearts to love Him more and to worship Him wholly, in spirit and in truth. Transforming us to become more like Christ as we fix our eyes on the One who is worthy of our attention and all of our praise.
Because there is none like Him. “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like You?” (Psalm 71:19). “There is none like You, O LORD; You are great, and Your name is great in might…the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes; and the nations cannot endure His indignation” (Jeremiah 10:6,10).
O Lord, may we not withhold from You our all. As the widow who offered her two mites – everything she had, although it was barely a drop in the bucket of the treasury – may we recognize that You are worthy of all that we have and all that we are. You deserve it all because of who You are. The sovereign, all-powerful, all-glorious King who created all things and holds everything in His hands. And because You are merciful, and kind, and faithful, You see and honor our sacrifice. You delight in our worship, because You delight in our relationship. You promise provision of our needs, and You go above and beyond all that we can imagine in Your plans for us. Break us of those things that hold us back. The fear, the distraction, the lesser glories that we run after. May our hearts cling to You alone, knowing that You will be faithful to take care of the rest, and that it is in seeking You first and clinging to You above everything we become our best selves. Our love, our passion, our energy, our focus, our joy – all of it is purified and made whole in our relationship with You. May we set You before our eyes regularly, as You instructed for the bread of the Presence – studying Your Word, listening to Your Spirit, coming before You in fervent, consistent prayer. That our eyes would be continually fixed on You, our God of all glory, honor, blessing, and praise. Because You are worthy, and there is none like You.
In Pleasant Places 