 |
|
Vol. 11 No. 12 December 2009 |
Page 14 |
|
|
Vol. 11 No. 12 December 2009 |
Page 14 |
The Redemption Foundation
Mark McWhorter
When the Israelites were at Mount Sinai, God gave them directions for building the Tabernacle. One of the specifics was to make 100 silver sockets. These sockets would be the foundation for upholding the walls of the Tabernacle.
God required that every man give a coin of silver for a ransom for his soul, this being for their redemption. When all the coins were collected, the total came to 100 talents of silver. Each socket weighed just around one talent. Thus, the ransom money collected was just the right amount to make the sockets. The very foundation of the Tabernacle was made from a ransom, and thus was representative of redemption. The posts and boards for the walls fit into the sockets. The joints for the socket had to be made just right so that the posts and boards would fit them properly. This proper fit would also keep the walls from coming out of contact with the sockets, and thus fall over.
Every man, whether poor or rich, was to give the same amount as a ransom. God did not see one man as any different from another. Every man’s soul was just as valuable as another man’s soul.
The Tabernacle is a fore picture of Christ, the church and heaven. In 1 Peter 1:18, we are told that we are not redeemed with silver and gold. Instead, we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. Christ gave his life for our ransom. Christ is the very foundation of our salvation. He is the foundation of church.
The Israelites were not at liberty to use something else for the foundation sockets. If they had used brass instead of the ransom silver, God would not have accepted the Tabernacle and would not have used it for His presence among the Israelites. People today are not at liberty to use some other foundation for their ‘professed’ Christianity. Unless they use Jesus as their foundation, God will not accept them, nor be with them. To use Jesus as the foundation, one must obey what He has commanded.
Study your Bible. Learn what is necessary to obey Jesus. Learn how to contact the blood of Jesus that is the foundation for the church. Learn how you can be made to fit just right into Jesus, and thus not fall out of contact with Him. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
Mark McWhorter
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17).
Jesus Christ is our King. He reigns on the throne in heaven.
He is eternal. He existed before the creation of the universe. He will continue to exist when the universe is gone.
He is immortal. The Greek word translated as immortal actually means unstained and pure. Jesus exists in purity. He has never sinned. He has absolutely no corruption.
Jesus is the only wise God. There is no other God. There is no person as wise as God is. There is no angel as wise as God is. He knows everything. He knows what is right for mankind. He gives perfect counsel on how we should live.
All glory and honor should be given to our King. The first way to do that is to study His Word, the Bible. Learn everything you can from it. Then obey Him. Teach others about Him. Encourage others to live for Him, and if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.