Ark of the Testimony
Exodus 25:10~22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. (22)
♬ Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #265 Christ, Our Redeemer (#199 in previous version)
We sometimes ask the following questions: How should we live our lives? What should we do when we are faced with great troubles? When faced with difficulties, what should we do? What should we do when nothing seems to be working? How do I walk down a path I’ve never gone down before? Every time we ask such questions, God gives us His Word. God tells us to follow the Ark of the Testimony along the path of life that has never before been walked down. What significance does this bear?
1. Hold first to the realistic evidence!
Moses, Joshua and Caleb all knew the reason why the Israelites had been enslaved by the Egyptians and the reason why they would suffer as they walked through the wilderness; moreover, they knew the truth that no matter what problems or sufferings they faced, they simply had to enter the land of Canaan. As long as they held onto this covenant, amazing works of God took place in every time of crisis. God destroyed the 10 cultures of Egypt, allowed them to cross the Red Sea, and led the Israelites through the wilderness with the pillar of cloud and fire. No matter what the problem or incident, if we are honest to ourselves as we hold onto the truth, we will see the work of God. It is vital that we possess the eyes to see the truth. If we truly peer into the truth with the Gospel- not with a subjective perspective that changes with our relative situation- we will receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
2. Hold to the spiritual evidences!
In every step of the Israelites’exodus, we see a scene in which Moses prays. At a dire situation when the Israelites found themselves before the Red Sea, the population was divided in two groups: those who prayed, and those who were simply resentful. In the middle of the wilderness, God had the Israelites wait for 40 days at Mount Sinai. What was the reason for this? God was telling them to begin after praying. When we hold deeply to the truth as we pray, we will absolutely see sure answers. If we pray holding onto the Gospel and the truth, God will show us accurate things.
3. Hold onto the complete Word of God!
Holding onto the Ark of the Testimony means to hold onto the Word of God. Though the standards and values of the world may change, the Word of God stands eternally. Within history, the Word of God is being fulfilled even now in the present. If we are scarred by our family situations or whenever we look out to the world, we will fail. But if we instead see the same things and begin to pray, not only will we see that the Word of God is indeed living and working, we will experience the works of God.
● Forum Topic- Let us resolve to hold onto the Gospel and the truth within the Word of God. God is working even now in my field. He desires for me to know it, as well.
Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 1st Service / 2009.11.22