Vayak’hel “And assembled” Exodus 35:1–38:20 1 Kings 7:51–8:21 Mark 15 A Perfect Dichotomy What does the Torah readings and the Renewed Covenant reading share in common this week? At first glance you may say nothing. In truth, these two readings together may tell the story of man's history and struggles from the beginning of time. In the Torah we read of a people coming together without agendas, giving from a willing heart to the purposes God has laid out for them. The account must truly be what the psalmist was thinking of when he penned the words of Psalm 110:3, " Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power.." It must have been an amazing sight to see the people coming together to work for one purpose. They brought their gifts and their God given talents and laid it all at the feet of their leader Moses. Their only thought was to be a part in the great work God was doing in their midst. We do not have any records of grumbling and complaining, of power struggles or squabbles, of committees and boards of directors being formed. It seems that each person lost interest in his or her own lives so as to give their all unto HaShem. As we will read next week, it seems that it all worked, for God filled the Tabernacle with His presence, which was the goal in the first place. There would now be in the midst of the people a tent for God to dwell in their midst, a place where man could meet His creator, a place of true worship. So how does the readings of Mark:15 compare with the Torah? Again, we see a tent or tabernacle in the midst of the people, one that again is the dwelling place of God Himself. What is different in these scriptures is not the materials used to make the tent, fabric verses flesh, but it is what is in the hearts of the people. In the Torah, the hearts of the people were toward building a tent so God could dwell with them, in Mark it is about tearing down and literally killing the tent so God would not interfere with their own earthly kingdoms. The war between the attitude of the Hebrews and the attitudes of the religious leaders during the time of Yeshua continues to rage on today. We see this manifested when people are confronted with the truths of Torah and it's lack of regard for tradition and man made doctrines. We also see this manifested where organizations and ministries become an end to themselves as private clubs and kingdoms. The war however is many times closer to home than we desire to admit. Paul talked at length in his letters about this war that rages. It is a war between our desire to lay everything of our own lives down to be but a simple and willing part of God's work, verses our own desire to do things our own way. It is truly the war of the ages. So what is the answer for our lives today? How do we walk not in the spirit of the Pharisees, but rather in the spirit and power of the Hebrews? Maybe the first answer lies in remembering our failures. Allow me to explain. The Hebrews were not too many days from one of the greatest failures they would ever have to remember, the day of the golden calf. There is nothing like good failures to humble you and bring you back to true priorities in life. They had failed big time, but in the end had seen the forgiveness and restoration of the awesome God they served. This failure caused them to walk in a new sense of humility and respect for God. With this, their hearts were in the right place for the task at hand. The Pharisees on the other hand had never known such forgiveness and humility as they were too caught up in their own kingdoms to even think about God's. Remembering where we came from can be a humbling experience, but in the end it may be just the thing we each need to keep us right in the place God desires us to be, humble, willing and ready to take our part in building His Kingdom and not caring a thing about our own, This way we never seek to place our agendas above His agenda and run the risk of fighting or even trying to put to death what He desires to do in our midst.