Justin Houtz

Exodus 40, John 19, Proverbs 16, Philippians 3

DateVersionReading Plan
@March 29, 2024ESV (2016)M’Cheyne Plan 2024

Exodus 40

Exodus 40:34–35 (ESV) 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Moses erected the tabernacle and setup all of its components, but when the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle he was not able to enter. It is fascinating to think that Moses did all of this work to put this structure together only to be shut out from its entry. However, it is crucial to grasp how the ultimate reward for Moses’ efforts was not that he could marvel at the achievement but that God would dwell with them.

John 19

John 19:16–18 (ESV) 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

It is providential to be reading John’s account of Jesus death through crucifixion on Good Friday. Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. This means me and this means you. We called Him to be crucified. We lashed and scourged Him. We drove the nails through His hands and feet. We mocked and jeered at Him. We watched our Lord take His last breath and give up His spirit. His bloodguilt is on our hands. But this was God’s plan from the beginning, before the foundation of all things. Jesus had to die to be our once-for-all sacrifice because only by the shedding of His blood and the taking of our deserved punishment are we made clean. The most horrific event in history was always to be the greatest display of God’s grace. But this is not the end of the story. Good Friday is good not only that He died on our behalf, but because of what happened next…

Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16:6 (ESV) 6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

Atonement comes by steadfast love and faithfulness. No more is this love and faithfulness exemplified than by our Lord in His atonement for our sin. Atonement is the reconciliation or reparation of a broken relationship between God and humanity, achieved exclusively by Christ’s death on the cross.

Philippians

Philippians 3:7–8 (ESV) 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

As a Pharisee and Hebrew of Hebrews, Paul had great gain and reason for confidence, but counted it all as loss for the sake of Christ. Paul knew that there is nothing to be compared to the all-surpassing worth of knowing and following our Lord. Let this be for us today as we remember the death of Jesus on our behalf, that we may suffer for His sake and count all things as rubbish, knowing that to gain Christ is far better.

Resources