"Losing and Leaving" (Ruth 1:6-14)

"Losing and Leaving" (Ruth 1:6-14)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday PM, May 27, 2020
Ruth 1:6–14 (NIV)
6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”
Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”
11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons—13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”
14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
 
The “House of Bread” Has Bread Again (Ruth 1:6-7).
Ruth 1:6–7 (NIV)
6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
 
The Long Road Home after Loss (Ruth 1:8-10)
Ruth 1:8–10 (NIV)
8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”
Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”
 
Drinking the Bitter Cup of Loneliness (Ruth 1:11-14)
Ruth 1:11–14 (NIV)
11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons—13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”
14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
 
Main Idea: Even in our greatest seasons of loss and loneliness, God continues to provide for and providentially guide his people.

"Where Is God in Times of Distress?" (Ruth 1:1-5)

"Where Is God in Times of Distress?" (Ruth 1:1-5)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday PM, May 20, 2020 
Ruth 1:1–5 (NIV)
1 In the days when the judges ruled,  there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
Disorder
Deprivation
Disruption
Death
Where is God in Times of Distress?
 
Main Idea: Disorder, Deprivation, Disruption, and Death are our common lot in this fallen world, but none of these distressing circumstances falls outside the guiding providence of God.

"In the Presence of the King" (Psalm 24)

"In the Presence of the King" (Psalm 24)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday, May 13, 2020
Psalm 24 (NIV)
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God their Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, God of Jacob.,
7 Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
 
1. The King: The Creator of the Universe (1-2)
 
 
2. Coming to Meet the King (3-6)
 
 
3. The Entrance of the King (7-10)

"A Mother in Crisis" (2 Kings 4:1-7)

"A Mother in Crisis" (2 Kings 4:1-7)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, May 10, 2020
 
2 Kings 4:1–7 NIV
1The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” 2Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” 3Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” 5She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
A Mother’s Distressing Circumstances
A Mother’s Desperate Cry
A Mother’s Dependent Confidence
A Mother’s Divine Caregiver
Exodus 22:22–23 NIV
22“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 23If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.
 
Deuteronomy 10:18 NIV
18He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
 
Main Idea: We can trust in God and respond with simple dependent obedience in times of need, because our almighty Father is our generous and gracious Caregiver.

"The LORD Our Refuge" (Psalm 16)

"The LORD Our Refuge" (Psalm 16)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, April 19, 2020
Psalm 16 (NIV)
A miktam of David.
1 Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips.
5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Overview
A song of trust and confession of faith
A miktam of David
The LORD is worthy of our exclusive loyalty, because he alone is God (Psalm 16:1-4).
Only the LORD can be our refuge (Psalm 16:1).
Psalm 16:1 NIV
1Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
Only the LORD is to be worshiped (Psalm 16:2-4).
Confession of Faith (Psalm 16:2).
Psalm 16:2 NIV
2I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
Community of Faith (Psalm 16:3).
Psalm 16:3 NIV
3I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
Corruption of the Faith (Psalm 16:4).
Psalm 16:4 NIV
4Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
The LORD is worthy of our praise, because he has abundantly blessed us (Psalm 16:5-8).
The Blessing of God Himself (Psalm 16:5).
Psalm 16:5 NIV
5LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.
The Blessing of Provision (Psalm 16:6).
Psalm 16:6 NIV
6The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
The Blessing of Wisdom (Psalm 16:7).
Psalm 16:7 NIV
7I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
The Blessing of Peace (Psalm 16:8).
Psalm 16:8 NIV
8I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
The LORD is worthy of our abiding trust, because he will never abandon us (Psalm 16:9-11).
Complete trust in the LORD brings joy (Psalm 16:9, 11).
Psalm 16:9 NIV
9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
Psalm 16:11 NIV
11You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Complete trust in the LORD brings security (Psalm 16:9).
Psalm 16:9 NIV
9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
Complete trust in the LORD brings hope (Psalm 16:10-11).
Psalm 16:10–11 NIV
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Main Idea: The LORD alone is worthy of our worship, praise, and trust, because he alone is our security, provision, and hope.

"The LORD our Help" (Psalm 121)

"The LORD our Help" (Psalm 121)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday, March 22, 2020
Psalm 121 (NIV)
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
1. The LORD is our source of help; therefore, we should look to him (vv. 1-2).
2. The LORD is our vigilant help who never fails to watch over us (vv. 3-4).3. The Lord is our protector who ensures the safety of his people (vv. 5-6).4. The Lord is faithful and eternal, and he will never stop caring for us (vv. 7-8).Main Idea: In times of trouble and uncertainty, we may trust the LORD, who is our vigilant, faithful, protecting helper.

“The Lord Our Helper” (Psalm 124)

“The Lord Our Helper” (Psalm 124)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, July 28, 2019
Psalm 124:1–8 (NIV)
A song of ascents. Of David. 1 If the Lord had not been on our side—        let Israel say— 2 if the Lord had not been on our side        when people attacked us, 3 they would have swallowed us alive        when their anger flared against us; 4 the flood would have engulfed us,        the torrent would have swept over us, 5 the raging waters        would have swept us away. 6 Praise be to the Lord,        who has not let us be torn by their teeth. 7 We have escaped like a bird        from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken,        and we have escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,        the Maker of heaven and earth.
1. Take a moment to contemplate the thought: “What if God had not been for us?” (verses 1–5).
a. Don’t take God and his help for granted (verses 1a, 2a).
b. Without God’s help we would have been defeated (verses 1–3).
c. Without God’s help we would have been overwhelmed (verse 4).
Psalm 69:2 I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.
Psalm 69:1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
Psalm 144:7 Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners
d. Without God’s help we would have been lost, gone forever (verse 5).
Psalm 94:17 Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
2. Take a moment to rejoice in the thought: “Our God is for us!” (verses 6–8).
a. Because the Lord helped us, he is worthy of praise.
b. Our Lord helped us and accomplished an unimaginable rescue (verse 7).
c. The Lord who helped us is the one who made the universe! (verse 8).
Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Jeremiah 32:17 "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
d. The Lord, our Helper and our Creator, is for us!
Main Idea: “We live in a world full of dangers and snares, but we have a God who is our faithful helper and will never abandon us.”

“Robbing God” (Malachi 3:6–12)

“Robbing God” (Malachi 3:6–12)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, July 28, 2019
Malachi 3:6–12 (NIV)
6 “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.
“But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
1. God is unchanging, and it is because of his faithfulness to his promises that we are saved (v. 6).
2. The problem is not with God’s faithfulness; the problem is with our unfaithfulness (v. 7).
a. Our track record of unfaithfulness (7a)b. God’s openness and faithfulness to restore (7b)c. Our blindness and cynicism toward our own unfaithfulness (7c).
3. Our unfaithfulness may be manifested in our lack of giving to God and the work of the ministry (8–9).
a. Withholding tithes and offerings from God is robbing from God what rightfully belongs to him (8).b. Withholding tithes and offerings from God may result in discipline (9).
4. A return to faithfulness to the Lord will result in God’s abundant blessings (10–12).
a. The solution to our unfaithfulness: repentance/turning (7b, 10a)b. God’s openness to our returning (10b)c. God’s abundant blessing on those who give generously to the Lord (10b–12)
Main Idea: The Lord promises to take care of his people if they demonstrate faithfulness to him in their stewardship; but he warns his people that he will withhold his blessing if they are ungrateful.

“Faithless People and the Faithful God” (Psalm 12)

“Faithless People and the Faithful God” (Psalm 12)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday PM, July 24, 2019
1. Prayer for Deliverance (Psalm 12:1–4)*
1 Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;         those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. 2 Everyone lies to their neighbor;        they flatter with their lips        but harbor deception in their hearts.
3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips        and every boastful tongue— 4 those who say,        “By our tongues we will prevail;        our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
2. Promise of the LORD (Psalm 12:5)
5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,        I will now arise,” says the Lord.        “I will protect them from those who malign them.”
3. Reflection on God’s Promises (Psalm 12:6)
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,        like silver purified in a crucible,        like gold refined seven times.
4. Prayer for Deliverance (Psalm 12:7–8)
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe        and will protect us forever from the wicked, 8 who freely strut about        when what is vile is honored by the human race.
*This lesson’s outline is taken from Willem A. VanGemeren, “Psalms” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 5, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991), 135.

“God’s Justice and Faithfulness” (Malachi 2:17–3:5)

“God’s Justice and Faithfulness” (Malachi 2:17–3:5)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, July 21, 2019
Malachi 2:17–3:5 (NIV)
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”
3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
5 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.
1. Questioning the administration of God’s justice is presumptuous and wearisome to God (2:17).
2. Instead of questioning, we should trust in the justice of God and wait patiently for him; because, God will send his messenger, and he will send his Messiah—but in his own time (3:1).
a. The messenger (John the Baptist) will prepare the way for the Messiah (Jesus).b. The Messiah (Jesus) is God and will come to his temple.
3. When the Messiah comes, he will come in judgment, and everyone will be accountable to him (3:2–5).
a. When the Messiah comes, he will judge them AND you.b. The Messiah will purify his true people in preparation for the kingdom of God.c. The Messiah will punish his false people in preparation for eternal judgment.
Main Idea: God is God, and the administration of his justice is completely within his sovereign will. When God does send his Messiah, he will judge everyone, and everything will be made right and just.

"A Prayer: Asked and Answered" (Psalm 28)

"A Prayer: Asked and Answered" (Psalm 28)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchWednesday, July 17, 2019Psalm 28 (NIV)
Of David.
1 To you, Lord, I call;
you are my Rock,
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.
4 Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back on them what they deserve.
5 Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord
and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.
6 Praise be to the Lord,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.
1. A Desperate Prayer (Psalm 28:1–2)2. Trust in the Lord’s Justice (Psalm 28:3–5)3. A Desperate Prayer Answered (Psalm 28:6–7)4. The Lord’s Blessings Shared (Psalm 28:8–9)

“The Lord Comes Home” (Exodus 40)

“The Lord Comes Home” (Exodus 40)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, July 14, 2019
Exodus 40 (NIV)
40 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. 3 Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
6 “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 7 place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.
9 “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. 10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.
12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics. 15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.” 16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him.
17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. 18 When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. 19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the Lord commanded him.
20 He took the tablets of the covenant law and placed them in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded him.
22 Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain 23 and set out the bread on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded him.
24 He placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 25 and set up the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord commanded him.
26 Moses placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded him.
28 Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings, as the Lord commanded him.
30 He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar, as the Lord commanded Moses.
33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.
1. God delights in proper worship (vv. 1–15).             ...Therefore, we should worship God in the manner that he prescribes.2. God delights in our full obedience (vv. 16–33).             ...Therefore, we should joyfully and reverently obey him.3. God delights in dwelling with his people (vv. 34–35).             ...Therefore, we should delight in dwelling with God.4. God delights in guiding and protecting his people (vv. 36–38).             ...Therefore, we should follow God's guidance in our lives.

“Covenant Breakers” (Malachi 2:10–16)

“Covenant Breakers” (Malachi 2:10–16)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, July 14, 2019
Malachi 2:10–16 (NIV)
10 Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?
11 Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. 12 As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove him from the tents of Jacob —even though he brings an offering to the Lord Almighty.
13 Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
15 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.  So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”  says the Lord Almighty.
So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
1. God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God who is faithful to us; therefore, we ought to be faithful to him (v. 10).
2. When we are unfaithful to God, it inevitably leads us to be unfaithful to one another (vv. 11–14, 16a).
a. The people of Malachi’s day were guilty of violating God’s covenant by intermarrying with pagan idolaters (vv. 11–12).b. The people of Malachi’s day were guilty of violating God’s covenant by breaking their marriage covenants with their spouses through divorce (vv. 13–14, 16a).
3. God desires that his people honor him by protecting and honoring our marriage covenants with our spouses (vv. 15, 16b).
a. For the sake of the glory of Godb. For the sake of godly children and families

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 52: “The Ultimate Conclusion” (Isaiah 66:1–24) [7/10/19 WedPM]

The Prophecy of Isaiah: A Bible StudyLesson 52: “The Ultimate Conclusion” (Isaiah 66:1–24)*
1. Judgment and Restoration of Jerusalem (Isaiah 66:1–14a)
a. The Sovereign Lord Delights in the Humble (Isaiah 66:1–2)
1 This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? 2 Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. (Isaiah 66:1–2, NIV)
b. The Lord Encourages the Faithful (Isaiah 66:3–6)
3 But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; 4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.” 5 Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. 6 Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve. (Isaiah 66:3–6, NIV)
c. The Lord Brings about Jerusalem’s Rebirth (Isaiah 66:7–14a)
7 “Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. 8 Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. 9 Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. 10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. 11 For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.” 12 For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. 13 As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” 14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass... (Isaiah 66:7–14, NIV)
2. Final Wrath and Glory of God (Isaiah 66:14b–24)
a. Judgment against All Sin (Isaiah 66:14b–17)
14 ...the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes. 15 See, the Lord is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For with fire and with his sword the Lord will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the Lord. 17 “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 66:14–17, NIV)
b. The Sending of Messengers (Isaiah 66:18–19)
18 “And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory. 19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. (Isaiah 66:18–19, NIV)
c. The Blessing of Nations (Isaiah 66:20–23)
20 And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels. 21 And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the Lord. 22 “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. 23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 66:20–23, NIV)
d. Final Warning to the Wicked (Isaiah 66:24)
24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:24, NIV)
*The outline for this lesson is from Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Book of Isaiah: A Historical and Theological Survey, Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007).

"Holy Garments for Holy Priests" (Exodus 39)

"Holy Garments for Holy Priests" (Exodus 39)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, July 7, 2019
Exodus 39 (NIV)
The Priestly Garments
39 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.
The Ephod
39:2–7pp—Ex 28:6–14
2 They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 3 They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands. 4 They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. 5 Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.
6 They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. 7 Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.
The Breastpiece
39:8–21pp—Ex 28:15–28
8 They fashioned the breastpiece—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 9 It was square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 11 the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 12 the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; 13 the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
15 For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. 16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. 17 They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 18 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 19 They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 20 Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 21 They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the Lord commanded Moses.
Other Priestly Garments
39:22–31pp—Ex 28:31–43
22 They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver—23 with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear. 24 They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. 25 And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. 26 The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the Lord commanded Moses.
27 For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen—the work of a weaver—28 and the turban of fine linen, the linen caps and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. 29 The sash was made of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn—the work of an embroiderer—as the Lord commanded Moses.
30 They made the plate, the sacred emblem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: holy to the Lord. 31 Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Moses Inspects the Tabernacle
39:32–41pp—Ex 35:10–19
32 So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses. 33 Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather and the shielding curtain; 35 the ark of the covenant law with its poles and the atonement cover; 36 the table with all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 37 the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its accessories, and the olive oil for the light; 38 the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; 40 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41 and the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.
42 The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
1. Being made of the same materials as the tabernacle, the priestly clothing signifies their close association with the worship of God in the tabernacle.
2. The materials and care with which the garments are made signify the holy and consecrated status of the priests.
3. The High Priest’s garments were unique and pointed to his special role as mediator between God and the people.
a. Ascending mediation – representing the people to God, primarily through atoning sacrifices and prayers.b. Descending mediation – representing God to the people, primarily through teaching the Word, rendering wise, biblical decisions, and blessings.
4. The Ephod and the Breastpiece symbolized Aaron’s representative role for all Israel.
5. The Breastpiece with the Urim and Thummim symbolized Aaron’s role as conveyer of God’s Word and counsel.
6. The Ephod Robe, with its pomegranates and golden bells, symbolizes the solemn responsibility of ministering before a holy God.
7. The golden diadem, with its inscription "Holy to the Lord," symbolizes the high priests unique role as being a holy mediator between a sinful people and a holy God.
8. The Tunic, turban, linen caps, sash symbolized the priests consecration to God as a holy and distinct group, with special roles.
9. The undergarments symbolize the need for sinners’ guilt to be covered when approaching a holy and righteous God.
10. The Lord blesses those who obey His Word and walk in holiness before him.
Main Idea: God is holy. Those who serve in his presence are to be holy. The clearest demonstration of our holiness to the Lord in this age is our obedience to His Word.

“Faithfulness in Word and Works” (Malachi 2:1–9)

“Faithfulness in Word and Works” (Malachi 2:1–9)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, July 7, 2019
Malachi 2:1–9 (NIV)
2 “And now, you priests, this warning is for you. 2 If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.
3 “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. 4 And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. 5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.
7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. 8 But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty. 9 “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”
1. The Lord Established a Covenant of Life and Peace with His People (v. 5a).
2. This Gracious Covenant Demands that His People Honor Him in Their Worship (v. 5b).
3. Honoring the Lord Demands Faithfulness to His Word (vv. 6a, 7, 8b).
4. Honoring the Lord Demands Faithfulness in Our Works (vv. 8a, 8c, 9b–c).
5. Refusing to Honor the Lord Brings the Lord’s Chastening Hand of Judgment (vv. 1–4, 9a).
Main Idea: God has loved us; let us love him in return. God has shown us grace by giving us a covenant of life and peace; let us honor him in return. We honor him through right worship, right words, and right works.

“Worship that Dishonors God” (Malachi 1:6–14)

“Worship that Dishonors God” (Malachi 1:6–14)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, June 30, 2019
Malachi 1:6–14 (NIV)
6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.
“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.
“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
7 “By offering defiled food on my altar.
“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’
“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.
9 “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty.
10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.
12 “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty.
“When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.
1. When we bring worthless things to the Lord in the name of worship, we dishonor him (vv. 6–8).
a. God is worthy of honor. He deserves our adoration and reverence (v. 6).
i. He is our Father.ii. He is our Lord.iii. He is the ultimate authority over all earthly authorities.
b. Offering worthless gifts to God shows contempt for God (vv. 7–8).
i. Worthless worship dishonors God’s name.ii. Bringing God our leftovers (instead of our best) is worthless worship and dishonors God.
2. The only proper response for God’s people when guilty of worthless worship is to repent and seek the Lord’s favor (v. 9).
a. God desires our obedience (1 Samuel 15:22).b. God desires our hearts (Psalm 51:17).c. When we fail to give God our best, we may find forgiveness through the all-sufficient life and sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
3. If we don’t worship God in a worthy manner, He will remove his blessing and find others who will worship him rightly (vv. 10–14).
a. God’s Name will be honored.b. If some refuse to honor God, He will turn to others who will glorify Him.
* God turned his attention away from the hard-hearted Jewish people and turned to the Gentiles (Luke 13:28–29; Romans 11:11).
c. The full realization of God’s worldwide honor is still to be fulfilled in His future kingdom.d. There is only one “Great King” – the Lord our God.
Main Idea: God graciously saved us to worship him. As our Father and Lord, he is worthy of the very best that we can offer to him, but he is dishonored when we give him our leftovers.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Lesson 51: “Judgment and Salvation” (Isaiah 65:1–25)

The Prophecy of Isaiah: A Bible StudyLesson 51: “Judgment and Salvation” (Isaiah 65:1–25)
1. Two Paths, Two Destinies (Isaiah 65:1–16)
a. God’s Boundless Kindness: The Lord’s call to those who had not previously sought or known him (Isaiah 65:1)
1 “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ (Isaiah 65:1, NIV)
b. Israel’s Rebellion Problem: The Lord’s requital on those who have rebelled and followed cults (Isaiah 65:2–7)
2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations— 3 a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; 4 who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat; 5 who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day. 6 “See, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps— 7 both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,” says the Lord. “Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.” (Isaiah 65:2–7, NIV)
c. God’s Rescued Remnant: A preserved remnant, his servants, who will inherit his land (Isaiah 65:8–10)
8 This is what the Lord says: “As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live. 10 Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me. (Isaiah 65:8–10, NIV)
d. Two Kinds of People (Isaiah 65:11–16)
1) Destined for Destruction: Those who forsake the Lord and follow cults are destined for slaughter because he called and they did not answer but chose what did not please him (Isaiah 65:11-12).
11 “But as for you who forsake the Lord and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, 12 I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will fall in the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.” (Isaiah 65:11–12, NIV)
2) Destined for Joy: Joys for the Lord’s servants in the new creation (Isaiah 65:13-16).
13 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. 14 My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. 15 You will leave your name for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. 16 Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes. (Isaiah 65:13–16, NIV)
2. All Things New (Isaiah 65:17–25)
a. The new creation (Isaiah 65:17–18b)
17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create... (Isaiah 65:17–18b, NIV)
b. The new city (Isaiah 65:18c–20)
18 ...for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. 20 “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. (Isaiah 65:18c–20, NIV)
c. The new society (Isaiah 65:21–25)
21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 65:21–25, NIV)

“The Holy Vessels (Revisited)” (Exodus 37–38)

“The Holy Vessels (Revisited)” (Exodus 37–38)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday PM, June 23, 2019
Exodus 37–38 (NIV)
The Ark
37 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 3 He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.
6 He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 7 Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.
The Table
10 They made the table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. 11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. 12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. 14 The rings were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.
The Lampstand
17 They made the lampstand of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.
23 They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent of pure gold.
The Altar of Incense
25 They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. 26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 27 They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
29 They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.
The Altar of Burnt Offering
38 They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. 2 They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze. 3 They made all its utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. 5 They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. 6 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.
The Basin for Washing
8 They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
The Courtyard
9 Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely twisted linen, 10 with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11 The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts.
12 The west end was fifty cubits wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 13 The east end, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits wide. 14 Curtains fifteen cubits long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 15 and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases. 16 All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen. 17 The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.
18 The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high, 19 with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver. 20 All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and of the surrounding courtyard were bronze.
The Materials Used
21 These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law, which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. 22 (Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23 with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.) 24 The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.
25 The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel—26 one beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more, a total of 603,550 men. 27 The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base. 28 They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.
29 The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. 30 They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils, 31 the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.
1. The Ark of the Covenant reminds us that:
a. God will be present in the midst of his people.b. God is the great King of all Creation and is enthroned between the Cherubim, the earthly ark being a model of his heavenly throne over the universe.c. In order for God to be present in the midst of his people, propitiatory, atoning blood is required.
2. The Table of Presence reminds us that:
a. God is home in his holy dwelling.b. God eats with his people and offers hospitality to his people.c. God sustains and nourishes his people. (Man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word of God.)d. God is in covenant with his people.
3. The Lampstand reminds us that:
a. God is the source of light.b. God is the source of life.
4. The Altar of Incense reminds us that:
a. God welcomes and receives the prayers of his people.
5. The Altar of Burnt Offering reminds us that:
a. God deserves the best of our sacrificial gifts.b. God is holy and can only be approached through sacrifice.
6. The Basin for Washing reminds us that:
a. God desires and works for the purity of his covenant people.
7. The Courtyard and different sections of the Tabernacle complex remind us that:
a. God is holy and can only be approached in worship in the manner he prescribes.b. God has made provision for all people to worship him and enjoy his presence.c. The boundaries have now been taken down in the cross. Gentiles are not relegated to the court of the Gentiles. Jews are not relegated to the inner courtyard. Priests are not limited to the holy place outside the curtain. We may all now approach God’s presence with humility and praise because Christ has torn the veil through the giving of himself at Calvary.
8. The amount of materials collected teaches us that:
a. God deserves the very best of our possessions.b. The worship of our holy God is more important than the riches of this world.
This whole passage teaches us that:
a. God is holy.b. A Holy God can only be approached through atoning sacrifice.c. God’s holiness demands holiness from his people.d. God graciously chooses to dwell in the midst of his covenant people.e. God’s Word is determinative in the purpose and design of worship.f. God cares about order, design, and beauty.g. As the highest and greatest good in the universe, God is worthy of the most precious substances on earth to provide a place for his glorious presence.

“The LORD’s Unfailing Love” (Malachi 1:1–5)

“The LORD’s Unfailing Love” (Malachi 1:1–5)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, June 23, 2019
Malachi 1:1–5 (NIV)
A prophecy: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.
2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord.
“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’
“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
4 Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.”
But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!’
1. The LORD’s Love for His People Declared
2. The LORD’s Love for His People Doubted
3. The LORD’s Love for His People Determined
4. The LORD’s Love for His People Demonstrated
5. The LORD’s Love for His People Displayed