Conversations with Dr. Els

We must grow a little bit every day, sincerely trying to perfect ourselves inside and out. That way we can become holy vessels for the word of god and serve a prominent role in His worship and service.

 

Have the people make an ark of Acacia wood- A sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it." Exodus 25:10-11

 

There are messages for our lives encoded in these divine blueprints.

Scripture specified that the Holy Ark, which contained the ten commandments, must be made out of wood, but coated in gold âÐ" both on the inside and outside. Why must there be gold on the inside too? No one would even see that part! The instructions about the inlay of gold teach us that "a person's outside must match what is inside." In other words, don't be a hypocrite! Even though no one can see what we truly feel or how we behave behind closed doors, the way we are beneath the surface must reflect the way we are above it. We can fool the world, but there is no fooling God. As the scripture says, "people look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

This leads us to another question: So why not make the entire ark out of gold? What's the point of wood? The use of wood teaches us another important insight about becoming prope vessels for God's use. Wood comes from a tree, a living creation that both changes and grows. This teaches us that we also need to always be changing and growing. No one can become thoroughly golden overnight. But if we persist and constantly pursue it, we will eventually grow into our best selves. The gold and wood prescribed for the Holy Ark are exactly the prescription that we need for our lives: We must grow a little bit every day, sincerely trying to perfect ourselves inside and out. That way we can become holy vessels for the word of god and serve a prominent role in His worship and service.

We must grow a little bit every day, sincerely trying to perfect ourselves inside and out. That way we can become holy vessels for the word of god and serve a prominent role in His worship and service.

 

Have the people make an ark of Acacia wood- A sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it." Exodus 25:10-11

 

There are messages for our lives encoded in these divine blueprints.

Scripture specified that the Holy Ark, which contained the ten commandments, must be made out of wood, but coated in gold âÐ" both on the inside and outside. Why must there be gold on the inside too? No one would even see that part! The instructions about the inlay of gold teach us that "a person's outside must match what is inside." In other words, don't be a hypocrite! Even though no one can see what we truly feel or how we behave behind closed doors, the way we are beneath the surface must reflect the way we are above it. We can fool the world, but there is no fooling God. As the scripture says, "people look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

This leads us to another question: So why not make the entire ark out of gold? What's the point of wood? The use of wood teaches us another important insight about becoming prope vessels for God's use. Wood comes from a tree, a living creation that both changes and grows. This teaches us that we also need to always be changing and growing. No one can become thoroughly golden overnight. But if we persist and constantly pursue it, we will eventually grow into our best selves. The gold and wood prescribed for the Holy Ark are exactly the prescription that we need for our lives: We must grow a little bit every day, sincerely trying to perfect ourselves inside and out. That way we can become holy vessels for the word of god and serve a prominent role in His worship and service.