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The Daily Word of Righteousness
From Imputed to Actual Righteousness, #9
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10—NIV)
If you are experiencing an awakening concerning the sins of your personality, and perhaps some sort of imprisonment, be encouraged. You are not in a grave but a tunnel. You will come out into the light when God is finished reconciling you to Himself. Nothing will be destroyed by the fire except your bondages. You are part of the advance guard that is passing from imputed to actual righteousness of personality and behavior.
The separating of the Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. (I Chronicles 16:1—NIV)
We are discussing biblical portrayals of the temporary dividing of the Christian Church into two groups: a godly, warlike remnant drawn from the whole, and the remainder of the Church. The idea is that the remnant will be the first to pass from imputed righteousness to actual righteousness. Next, the remainder of the Church will be released into righteousness. Finally the entire saved world will be delivered from the bondages of sin.
The first portrayal we mentioned is that of the two presentations of the Wife of the Lamb, found in the Book of Revelation.
The second portrayal is drawn from Gideon's battle with the Midianites.
The third portrayal has to do with the separating of the Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
The reader most likely is familiar with the Tabernacle of the Congregation, described in the latter part of the Book of Exodus. If you recall, the Ark of the Covenant was located in the Holy of Holies, behind the sacred Veil.
While the Tabernacle was at Shiloh the Ark was removed from its resting place in the Most Holy Place and carried to the scene of a battle with the Philistines. Soon it was brought back to Israel, not to the Tabernacle but to the home of an Israelite family.
In the meanwhile, the Tabernacle of the Congregation, minus the Ark, was removed to the high place at Gibeon—several miles north of the city of Jerusalem.
When David brought back the ark from the Israelite family, he pitched a tent for it in Zion, David's city, a suburb of Jerusalem.
This was unheard of—to put the Ark of the Covenant somewhere other than in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
But David was a prophet and the Spirit of God was directing him.
David then stationed one group of priests with the Ark at Zion, and a second group of priests with the remainder of the Tabernacle at Gibeon.
David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister there regularly, according to each day's requirements. (I Chronicles 16:37—NIV)
David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon to present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the LORD, which he had given Israel. (I Chronicles 16:39,40—NIV)
To be continued.