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KÂBÔD: Weighty, Glory

And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. 1 Kings 8:10-11

These verses were written at the dedication of the temple that king Solomon built for the Lord. Two items stand out in this chapter: Atonement through massive sacrifice (1 Kings 8:5, 63), and much prayer. In this atmosphere of blood atonement and prayer, we find God drawing near to His people—His glory—as a cloud—filling the temple.

Christ was the temple of God in whom all the fullness of God dwelt in bodily form (Col 2:9) even as His body offered the blood atonement that we needed for God to draw near (Heb 10:19-20). And so as Scripture says: God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corth 4:6

Pastor Tim Kerr

 


KÂBÔD: Weighty, Glory

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.” 1 Sam 4:21-22

Kâbôd is the Hebrew word for glory. It means “weightiness” or “heaviness”. It signifies that which is of supreme importance. The exact opposite of “light-weight” and inconsequential. In the final days of Eli the priest, Israel was led by his sons who were sexually immoral (1 Sam 2:22) and treated the offering of the Lord with contempt (1 Sam 2:17, 1 Sam 2:30b). Because of their ungodly leadership, the people of Israel had drifted from God and no longer had the blessing of God to fight their enemies. Their losses in battle were enormous (1 Sam 4:10) and the ark of the covenant was captured. They thought that using the ark would repel the Philistines “magically” in spite of their sin. When Eli’s sons are judged for their wickedness and killed in the battle, the wife of one of the sons gives birth to a son that she calls “Ichabod” which means literally “no glory”

The truth is that sometimes the glory of God departs from His people. His favour is withdrawn. Blessings cease. The protection they have enjoyed through the hand of God is withdrawn and they are plundered by the enemy. Faith gives way to fear, panic, and despair (1 Sam 7:2)

This sad state for the Israelites lasted 20 years (1 Sam 7:2). The breakthrough came through Samuel leading the people to repentance, fasting, and the necessity of atonement (1 Sam 7:9). And all of it was saturated with much prayer and intercession (1 Sam 7:8-12, Ps 99:6).

The glory not only departs, but it returns when sin is put away; the cross is put functionally front and center; and desperate prayer is made to the God who is “for” his people.

Pastor Tim Kerr

 

KÂBÔD: Weighty, Glory

Moses said, “This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.“…And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Lev 9:6, 23

These verses occur in a section (Lev 8-9) detailing the consecration and ordination of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood of Israel. What stands out from these two chapters arethe heavy requirements of sacrifice that had to be offered before God’s glory would appear to either the priests or the people. We find sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace offering, wave offerings, and grain offering prescribed in detail.

The lesson is clear. We are unclean and unable to face the radiant purity of God’s glory without a comprehensive atonement covering. The cross of Christ must be believed and applied to our lives in earnest, if we ever hope to have God’s glory appear to us.

Pastor Tim Kerr

KÂBÔD: Weighty, Glory

Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel….And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exod 24:17; 40:35

No one yawns when encountering glory. It is terrifying to the extreme. Listen to the description of such an encounter written in the book of Hebrews:

For you have not come to…a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” Heb.12:18-21

Note especially that Moses “was not able to enter the tent of meeting” because the glory of the Lord filled it. Do we need to make any adjustments to a casual approach to God in prayer? Does the way we approach God matter? How can we cultivate a better sense of God’s transcendence in our lives? (It is hard to show apathy at the trivialization of God’s name and at the same time tremble before His glory)

Pastor Tim Kerr

 

 

 

 

RACHAM: Tender Mercies – The Wonder of God’s Mercy

My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. Psalm 59:10

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. Psalm 59:16-17

Psalm 59 is a powerful Scripture for those experiencing attack from others. In it, David expresses alarm at the relentless attack of his enemies, along with profound faith in the steadfast love of God toward him. This is so instructive for us. We can become overwhelmed with sin and fail to see the God who is ever above it and unstained by it. Can there be anything better than the promise that “God in his steadfast love will meet me”? The heights of heaven touching the depths of earth. What else can we do but praise him!!

Pastor Tim Kerr

 

 

RACHAM: Tender Mercies – The Wonder of God’s Mercy

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. Psalm 57:2

Here is Divine sovereignty and human responsibility woven together into a package of providential mystery. He who decrees the details of my life, also decrees that prayer be part of the outworking of his plan. But in the end it is HIS purpose not mine that is being unfolded. Here, then, is a call to trust. Trust shown in prayer, and trust shown in surrender, to Him who is the commander and chief of everything. God Most High. There is nothing higher. Is it not amazing to ponder that such a being has plans for us at all?!

Pastor Tim Kerr

 

RACHAM: Tender Mercies – The Wonder of God’s Mercy

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Psalm 56:8

I am not a detail person. But I’m married to one. She has seemingly hundreds of small details stored in her mind that she can call up whenever they are needed—whether it be phone numbers, special dates, what she fed people the last time they visited, or if the exchange rate on my expense sheet was accurate to the day, etc. I stand in awe of detail people. But there is one detail person that makes everyone pale in comparison. He knows when we sit and when we rise. He has counted the hairs on our head. And he counts every time I toss and turn on my bed when I am distressed. He counts my tears and saves them so as not to forget the pain they express. He records every thing about every part of my life—not expressed here as a threat of judgement—but as a comfort. God cares about what we care about. That is part of what makes him great! He is so great that he can give attention to the smallest details of our life as an expression of his loving care and mercy.

Pastor Tim Kerr

RACHAM: Tender Mercies – The Wonder of God’s Mercy

He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. Psalm 55:18

Here is hope. Battles are dangerous things. People get hurt, especially if the odds are stacked in favour of one side. When “many” are attacking one “soul”, we may be sure the one likely to get hurt is not the many but the one. That is inevitable, unless a champion comes to the rescue and fights for the one in the midst of battle. This verse tells us that this is what God, our champion, does for us. But did you notice the “means” of this deliverance? Deliverance from overwhelming odds is done by “redemption”—“He redeems my soul in safety”. A price is paid. Blood is spilt. The deliverer dies, that the soul under attack may live! What love!!

Pastor Tim Kerr

 

RACHAM: Tender Mercies – The Wonder of God’s Mercy

Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. Psalm 50:15

See the sequence? Trouble comes our way. We call out to God in prayer for help. God hears our prayers and delivers us. We are overcome with gratitude, and praise God. The Creator is glorified and the creature is delivered. So what is keeping us from prayer? Why do we worry, when we can pray instead? God is so willing to hear us! But are we willing to pray?!

Pastor Tim Kerr

RACHAM: Tender Mercies – The Wonder of God’s Mercy

But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Psalm 49:15

Before God receives us, he ransoms us. There was a great price paid for the welcome mat in heaven. And the same gospel ransom is the basis of our reception of others!

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (Rom 15:7)

Pastor Tim Kerr