Scripture reading: Exodus 30:1-10
I pray that God might open our eyes that we might see His work in this hour, for I believe that those who behold will receive. I believe that God is making us to see the thing, and then to walk in it and receive it. I believe that He has begun to tell us in direct terms that we can now enter in. Formerly, we looked forward to the firstfruits and the resurrection of the Christ within us as something in the far future. But I am seeing that it is being offered to us as something that has already been done in the heavenlies, and that we are being encouraged to enter in.
Today, I want you to remember the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament times, when the priest would go through the veil. He had been preparing for this moment for a whole year. The day had come when he should go through the veil, and it was a fearful place. He had done all that was necessary in the tabernacle: the lamp was lit, the bread was changed, and he was now before the golden altar for the last time before going into the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God.
The Golden Altar was the place of the offering of the soul. The priest takes out a handful of incense and places it on the fire. The incense goes up into smoke, which tells him that God has accepted his prayers; and he says to God, “This is for my sins and for the sins of Israel.” He was offering his soul, because Israel had laid their hands on him to be their scapegoat, and he became their sin bearer. He was now ready to give up all, totally, to go through the veil. He might not return alive, because he was going into the very presence of God. He wanted to see God manifest His pleasure in his offering by shining forth in the Shekinah glory. It would shine from between the cherubim, but he was not able to look upon it. He would fall upon his face and worship God when the power of God came upon him.
We should notice that there is a deeper, inner work being done now in the hearts and lives of believers. Those who are really going on with God are going into a fullness they have never experienced before. The lamb was chosen ten days before he was offered and so there seems to be a selection going on in the Spirit as never before. Something in the individual seems to be saying, “I do not have much interest in the things of this life anymore.” It seems to me that there is something more important among the brethren, that their hearts are turning away from the world and turning more to God.
The hand of God is offering the people of God that fullness which we so long prayed for. “THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE…” seems no longer to be in the far future, but is being activated by the Spirit right now. I see God whipping His people into shape, because He must have a people without spot or wrinkle.
(Excerpt from The Omega Message, April 1997, pg. 1-2)
Thought for today: Let God’s deeper, inner work be done in your heart and life so that you may experience the fullness that is awaiting His people just round the corner. May your prayer today be, “Not my will, but thine be done.”
Sonlight Devotional 