PART 2 (of 2): Impure Spoils
Last time, we began a look at the building of the Wilderness Tabernacle. Remember, it's a great study, with lots of hidden gems, far too many to handle in this blog; and it can be found in the Book of Exodus. We drew out two particular nuggets to discuss:
- The relativity of the sacrifice. (Last post)
- The impurity of the spoils. (This post)
Today, we turn our thoughts toward that second nugget - Impure Spoils. Now, let me explain what I mean there, as it helps to understand where we are going with this. Impure Spoils does not refer to an error of character or judgment made by the Israelites in taking the goods of Egypt with them when they left. That was all part of God's plan and it is an awesome part of the story. Neither am I suggesting that those items carried a particular spirit, like a supernatural poison working against God and His people during the exodus. By impure spoils I simply mean that the items themselves were extracted from a culture that was tainted by the idolatry and arrogance of a very God-less people. Israel was adorned in her deliverance by the very items that symbolized her bondage.
If you know me at all, then by now, you are already thinking, "Aaaah, there it is...Chris' nugget!" (Yeah, I know...the bold, italicized type doesn't hurt either.) And you are RIGHT! So many of us struggle with the leftover parts of our "old life." We may see a scar, remember a story, have a stray thought and wonder, "Will I ever be free?!" The answer is an emphatic, "YES!" You will be...and you are. The "impure spoils" we carry with us are often the very same spiritual materials that the Father will melt down and re-purpose into forming our very own personal meeting place with Him. They are fitted together to become our "wilderness tabernacle." And it is beautiful! Intricately detailed, perhaps quite large, and sometimes, heavy as "all get out." But it is OURS! Our taylor-made, customized worship center. Complete with our own mercy seat, where His presence burns within us. We must learn to harvest the spoils of our previous bondage and use those same memories and experiences to fashion and decorate the Master's Bedroom in our hearts. Walking in freedom is more about forsaking the bondage of our past, than forgetting it. We, like the Israelites can adorn God's tabernacle in our deliverance with the very symbols of our past bondage. When we do, the enemy gets egg on his face, we are freed from orphan shame, and Papa God gets all the glory!
If you know me at all, then by now, you are already thinking, "Aaaah, there it is...Chris' nugget!" (Yeah, I know...the bold, italicized type doesn't hurt either.) And you are RIGHT! So many of us struggle with the leftover parts of our "old life." We may see a scar, remember a story, have a stray thought and wonder, "Will I ever be free?!" The answer is an emphatic, "YES!" You will be...and you are. The "impure spoils" we carry with us are often the very same spiritual materials that the Father will melt down and re-purpose into forming our very own personal meeting place with Him. They are fitted together to become our "wilderness tabernacle." And it is beautiful! Intricately detailed, perhaps quite large, and sometimes, heavy as "all get out." But it is OURS! Our taylor-made, customized worship center. Complete with our own mercy seat, where His presence burns within us. We must learn to harvest the spoils of our previous bondage and use those same memories and experiences to fashion and decorate the Master's Bedroom in our hearts. Walking in freedom is more about forsaking the bondage of our past, than forgetting it. We, like the Israelites can adorn God's tabernacle in our deliverance with the very symbols of our past bondage. When we do, the enemy gets egg on his face, we are freed from orphan shame, and Papa God gets all the glory!
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