THEME OF THIS DEVOTION:
THE VOICE ABOVE THE MERCY SEAT IS “THE WORD OF THE LORD” THAT CAME TO THE PROPHETS. (1 Samuel 3:7)
THIS IS “THE WORD THAT HAS BEEN MADE FLESH” FOR US IN THE INCARNATION. (John 1:1-14) THIS IS ALSO THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO “RECEIVES OF MINE AND SHOWS IT UNTO YOU.” (John 16:14)
THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS. (1 Corinthians 12)
HE IS OUR DOWN-PAYMENT ON THE FULNESS WE WILL RECEIVE FROM THE LORD AT HIS RETURN. (Ephesians 1:14)
WE ARE NEVER ALONE IN THE WORLD, FOR THE WORD AND THE SPIRIT ARE WITH US AND IN US FOREVER. (John 14:16-18)
U’VE’BO MOSHE EL-OHEL MO’EYD LE’DA’BEYR ITO
And when Moses came to the tent of meeting to speak to him
VA’YISH’MA ET-HA’KOL MID’DA’BEYR EY-LAIV MEY’AL HAC’CAPORET ASHER
he heard the Voice speaking with him from above the covering (the mercy seat)
AL-AROHN HA’EY’DUT MIB’BEIN SHNEI HAC’CERUVIM
above the Ark of the Testimony from between the two Cherubim
VA’YE’DAB’BEYR EY’LAIV
and He spoke to him
(Numbers 7:89, leading into 8:1 which begins this weeks’ parashah concerning instruction for making the Menorah. For this week’s devotion from Be’Ha’Alotcha I am focusing on the last sentence from Parashah Nasso since it is part of the communication concerning the menorah. I am doing so because This Voice is crucial to understanding the life in the Spirit that is the essence of the Christian life.)
THIS VOICE is a parallel to the Voice that spoke to Ezekiel “in the Spirit” in Ezekiel 43:6 “out of the house” while “the man stood by me.”
The Tent of Meeting. The Man stood by me.
This is direct revelation from God-the-Word to Moses just as we see in Mark 9 on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Read the “Theme” portion at the top of this devotion again. Our life in the Spirit is the essence of the “Eternal Life” that Jesus repeatedly promised, as in John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son
that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have everlasting (eternal) life.”
This is the life we have: a never-ending and never-interrupted Fellowship with God in the Spirit, the blessed Holy Spirit who has been given to us forever. (John 13-17) As the THEME section of the devotion makes clear, this continuing Presence within us and alongside us is an eternal gift from the Father that we have because of our union with the Son—in earnest now, in fulness at the resurrection.
Cherish his fellowship. Cultivate it continuously. He is closer to you than your breath. Commune with him in prayer and you will discover that these words are true.
