His Presence
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The Presence and Testimony
The Presence and Testimony
This sermon comes from watching the parading of the shrines and researching the meaning of them.
My understanding shows that there are many similarities to the Ark of the Covenant.
The Ark
i.
“They are to make an ark of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. Overlay it with pure gold; overlay it both inside and out. Also make a gold molding all around it. Cast four gold rings for it and place them on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. Make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark with them. The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it. Put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark. Make a mercy seat of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat. The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat. Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark. I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.
This explains how it was built, the importance that God emphasized on what he wanted to dwell in at this time.
With the similarities though there are key differences how people could be in His presence.
Only High Priest could approach
Priests had to go through purity rites, wear holy linen garments
Different sacrifices had to occur
Incense was burned to cover the ark so nobody could see the presence of God, because if they did, they would die.
(There have been countless, books, Bible studies, and sermons on the ark, and rituals, that we don’t have time to go through all of them. Leviticus 16, Numbers 10, 1 Samuel 4, 2 Samuel 6, 1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5, are just a few)
The NET Bible Chapter 5
5:9 But after it had been moved the
But the Lord struck down some of the people of Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord; he struck down 50,070 of the men. The people grieved because the Lord had struck the people with a hard blow. The residents of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”
But when they got up early the following day, Dagon was again lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and his two hands were sheared off and were lying at the threshold. Only Dagon’s body was left intact.(For this reason, to this very day, neither Dagon’s priests nor anyone else who enters Dagon’s temple step on Dagon’s threshold in Ashdod.)
The Lord attacked the residents of Ashdod severely, bringing devastation on them. He struck the people of both Ashdod and the surrounding area with sores. When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel should not remain with us, for he has attacked both us and our god Dagon!”
So they assembled all the leaders of the Philistines and asked, “What should we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” They replied, “The ark of the God of Israel should be moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
But after it had been moved the Lord attacked that city as well, causing a great deal of panic. He struck all the people of that city with sores. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
But when the ark of God arrived at Ekron, the residents of Ekron cried out saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel here to kill our people!”
The NET Bible Chapter 6
6:6 When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 6:7 The LORD was so furious with Uzzah,
By people becoming ill, God showed his power, by people dying by doing something that God told them not to do, He was showing how His holiness could not be touched by the imperfections, by the sin of people, how separated we were from him.
Why does this matter?
God was showing the testimony of Himself and at the same time He showed mankind their testimony.
The Ark is known as the Ark of Covenant but in Hebrew it refers to the “Ark of Testimony”
Why do I talk about all these different types of dwelling places for God?
It is something that is needed to show how everyone has a desire to be in the presence of God.
The nature of people that want to worship a higher power, who want blessing, who want someone/something on their side in crisis.
Lets look at a few items about the ark
cherubim are to face each other
These are to face each other towards the mercy seat.
a. The cheribums would face the mercy seat of God.
Who else allowed people to come to be in their presence?
The answer is Jesus
For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
The mercy seat is contained within these verses when God says that Jesus is not here to condemn the world but to save it.
When it came to the ark of the covenant two cheribums were facing the mercy seat, but they were holy. Jesus being in the middle of two unholy people was another way that the Father showed mercy because we don’t have to be Holy to come to him any longer because Jesus is Holy.
In Matthew 11:28-29 you see mercy being placed upon us again.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
The shrines are not light, and having to sway it to get something in return is very tiring, and then you’re doing it for hours at a time.
His Testimony
People wanted to be in his presence, and they remained there up until his death on the cross.
Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them. And large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan River.
After he resurrected they searched for him because they loved him and like most people you love, you want to be in their presence.
What are individuals holding onto now?
They still want his presence, but it His testimony that lives on.
Presence is a sense of feeling, but God will heal, bring people to salvation, etc with his presence.
Testimony is what continues to be preached. His Gospel message.
The Gospel is a love letter to the world. - Pastor Richard Rub; which changed my view from; if I was in his presence he will just strike me dead, to I get to be in his presence because of what he has already sacrificed for me.
Your Testimony
When you’re preaching the Gospel, the way Jesus did, then the world will watch. Even the spiritual realm takes notice.
You’re drawing a line in the sand that will have you being praised by many and hated by many who are lost.
The level of hatred and evilness that is upon the world was revealed.
Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!”
Matthew 27: 27-41
On your own time read it. This talks about how people mocked him prior and while he was being crucified.
When Jesus passed, the world felt it, as there was a great earthquake that shook the world. It removed the requirements of gaining access to the Father.
Each one has a testimony here, and when you put Christ first...
people are going to feel His presence, and when you’re in eternity, your testimony is what people are going to remember.
The world saw this recently with the murder of Charlie Kirk. One side mourns his death and another side mocks and celebrates it.
People who never knew him felt it, it shook many to their core because they saw the evil that plays out, but you see Christians being bold and preach the gospel and many are returning to their faith in Jesus.
Questions to ask yourself:
Will your presence be missed?
Will your testimony be remembered?
Will they both be remembered for their grace and mercy you showed to others?
Do you want your testimony and presence remembered or do you want to be another forgotten person?
