Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits*, and its width a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height… He made the table of acacia wood. Its length was two cubits, and its width was a cubit, and its height was a cubit and a half… He made the lamp stand of pure gold. He made the lamp stand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it… He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its width a cubit. Its height was two cubits. Its horns were of one piece with it.”
(Exodus 37:1, 10, 17, 25)
^{{*A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.}}

“For the love of Christ compels us; because we judge thus: that one died for all, therefore all died. He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again. Therefore we know no one according to the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.“
(2 Corinthians 5:14-21)

Bezalel made the instruments of the tabernacle. The holy symbols with great significance. The ark containing God’s instruction for His covenant. The table upon which is the daily food (spiritual and physical) we need. The lamp stand (menorah), which reflected their obligation to spread the Light of the Word. And the altar of incense, representing our need to offer up to God our prayers and thanksgiving. All were designed to be portable, going where they went. An ever-present symbol of the centre of their lives.

In the same way, Jesus is OUR symbol. Our representation of who we are meant to be: holy and reconciled to God. Jesus performed the act. He designed it to be perfect. And in HIM we become the righteousness of God that we were always meant to be. Jesus did the work. We accept the work. Daily putting ourselves to death in His death and allowing Him to raise us to life in His life. Putting Jesus before us, taking Him everywhere we go, Making Him the centre pivot on which our lives turn.

Summary

It is not OUR efforts, but JESUS’ efforts. It is not OUR work, but JESUS’ work. It is not OUR righteousness, but JESUS’ righteousness. It is in HIM that we gain reconciliation to the Father. It is through HIM that we become what He is. We are not treated according to what WE deserve, but what JESUS deserved. It is only in HIM that we get this. Only in HIM that we inhabit it. In JESUS we are made anew.