Daily Reading: Numbers 7
Numbers 7:1
And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
The phrase it came to pass is a common phrase that speaks volumes. In today's verse it means that the Tabernacle is to be set up. Moses received the plans from God, he shared the plans with the builders of it, they raised the material for it, they built it according to the plan and now they set it up, anointed it and sanctified it. It came to pass. The thing which they had worked for, given for, hoped for, and anticipated came to pass. It happened, then it was over.
The use of the Tabernacle was not over, but this special time of celebration over it would be over. The offerings would be made, the people would be in attendance, the gifts to the tribe of Levi would be distributed according to their work needs, in short it came to pass. These are more than just words from which a tale is told. These words speak of a very great and almost overlooked truth.
Of all things it will one day be said it came to pass. In fact, in our Bible the phrase is used 452 times. It is used most often in the book of Genesis (63), the second most times that this phrase is used is found in the books of I Kings and Luke (40 times each). Throughout the Bible this phrase is used over and over again. All things will come upon the scene, and then pass away. Sometimes things pass away too soon like marriages, jobs, vacations, and even life. Sometimes things do not pass away quickly enough: suffering, difficulties, hardships, sickness, and the like. But mark it down, all things of this life will, sooner or later, of all things it will be known that it came to pass.
Of the earth itself, Peter wrote: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (II Peter 3:10) Yet there is one thing that will not pass, cannot pass, will never pass. Jesus said so. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Luke 21:33)
This Bible, God's Holy Word will never pass away. Even as the Psalmist said in Psalm119:89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in Heaven. Yes, the Scriptures that are so mistreated, misquoted, misinterpreted, mistaken, and maligned will remain. The only way the phrase it came to pass can honestly be used in relation to the Scriptures is that of all they promise, one day it will be said it came to pass.
Another thing that will not pass in that it will never be over is the soul of a person. Souls are eternal, living life eternally in the comfort of a heavenly home, or in the suffering of eternal torment. This once again proves the motto on my business card...Eternity is too long to be wrong.
So, this devotion was planned, constructed, read of you and it will now pass. Its time is over, tomorrow a new one will take its place, just like all things of this life.
Until tomorrow, live for Christ today.
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