Category Archives: Submitted / Servant

Guide, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Build a Faith that Holds Up (Exodus 26:15–30)

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Are you investing as much in the unseen foundations of your faith as you are in the parts other people can see?

Key Verse

“Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown on the mountain.” — Exodus 26:30 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25, YHWH began describing the tabernacle and its furnishings because He desired to dwell among His people. In Exodus 26:1–14, He gave Moses detailed instructions for the curtains and coverings that would form the visible portions of the sanctuary.

Now in Exodus 26:15–30, God describes what would support those coverings: wooden frames overlaid with gold, silver bases, rings, and crossbars. These pieces would provide the strength and stability necessary for the tabernacle to stand.

Once again, the passage concludes by reminding Moses that he was not designing the sanctuary himself. He was to erect it according to the plan YHWH had shown him on the mountain.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 26:15–30

Boards and Sockets

      15“Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16“Ten cubits shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17“There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18“You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side. 19“You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons; 20and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 22“For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23“You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24“They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25“There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.

      26“Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west. 28“The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29“You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30“Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain.

Reflection on Exodus 26:15–30:

Reading through the dimensions, frames, bases, and crossbars in this passage may not initially seem as spiritually significant as reading about the Ark of the Covenant or the mercy seat. Yet without this supporting structure, the beautiful curtains we read about in the previous section would have had nothing to hold them up.

God cared about what was underneath.

There is an important lesson there for us. Much of what sustains a faithful life happens where other people rarely see it. Public worship can be seen. Acts of service may be noticed. People may hear what we say about God or observe some of the choices we make. But underneath those visible parts of our faith should be something strong enough to support them.

Prayer when no one is watching matters. Regularly studying God’s Word matters. Learning His ways and actually practicing them matters. Repenting when He exposes sin matters. The choices we make privately matter. These things may receive little attention from others, but they help form the structure underneath the life they eventually see.

Yeshua gives us a similar picture at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. He describes two people who build houses that may initially appear similar. The difference becomes obvious when the storm arrives. The one who hears Yeshua’s words and acts on them is like someone who built his house upon the rock (Matthew 7:24–27). The strength of the house is ultimately revealed by what it was built upon.

That is especially important because outward appearance can temporarily hide a weak foundation. A person can know Christian vocabulary, participate in worship, appear knowledgeable about Scripture, or maintain a good reputation while neglecting obedience and private relationship with God. For a time, the visible covering may look fine. Eventually, however, pressure tends to reveal what is underneath.

The crossbars in the tabernacle also joined the individual frames into one structure. The frames were not intended to stand independently. God designed them to be connected and strengthened together.

There is a parallel principle elsewhere in Scripture regarding God’s people. Hebrews 10:24–25 tells believers to consider how to encourage one another toward love and good deeds and not to abandon gathering together. Our relationship with YHWH is personal, but Scripture does not present faithful living as entirely isolated. We need encouragement, correction, teaching, accountability, and opportunities to strengthen others.

Still, the most important statement comes at the end of the passage: “Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown on the mountain.”

The structure would be strong because it was built according to God’s design.

That brings us back to a theme we have encountered repeatedly in these chapters. We do not establish a strong spiritual foundation by deciding for ourselves what parts of God’s instruction are necessary. Where He has stated restrictions, we should not create an assumption of freedom to go against His ways. Where He has clearly spoken, we should not replace His instruction with our preferences.

If we want a faith that holds up under pressure, we need more than an attractive exterior. We need lives built upon YHWH’s truth, strengthened through obedience, and grounded in genuine relationship with Him.

The parts no one sees may eventually determine whether the parts everyone sees can stand.

Application

  • Invest consistently in the unseen foundations of your faith through prayer, Scripture, repentance, and obedience.
  • Examine whether your public expression of faith is supported by the way you actually live when no one else is watching.
  • Build according to what God has revealed rather than assuming you can disregard His instruction and still expect a strong foundation.
  • Stay connected with other faithful believers who can encourage, strengthen, and correct you as you follow YHWH.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me build a faith that is strong beneath the surface. Teach me to value the parts of my relationship with You that no one else sees and to seek faithfulness rather than merely the appearance of it. Show me where my foundation has become weak through neglect or compromise, and help me strengthen it through Your Word and obedience to Your ways. Surround me with others who will encourage me toward faithfulness, and help me strengthen them as well. May my life be built according to Your truth so that I remain faithful when difficulties come. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Hear God in the Details (Exodus 26:1–14)

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Are you careful to follow God only in the things you consider important, or do you take seriously the details He says matter to Him?

Key Verse

“Then you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit.” — Exodus 26:6 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25, YHWH explained why the tabernacle was being built: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” He then gave Moses detailed instructions for the ark and mercy seat, the table of the bread of the Presence, and the golden lampstand.

Now in Exodus 26, God turns from the furnishings to the structure surrounding them. Verses 1–14 describe layers of carefully constructed curtains and coverings. The inner curtains were made of fine twisted linen with blue, purple, and scarlet material and cherubim woven into them. Additional curtains and coverings were placed over these to form and protect the sanctuary.

This continues the instruction YHWH had already given Moses in Exodus 25:40: “See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.”

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Reflection on Exodus 26:1–14:

The level of detail in this passage is striking. God specifies the number of curtains, their dimensions, the materials to be used, how they should be joined, the number of loops and clasps, and how the coverings should overlap. These were not decisions Moses was expected to work out according to his own preferences. YHWH had shown him the pattern, and Moses was expected to follow it.

We can sometimes divide God’s instruction into things we consider important and things we consider minor. We may take seriously commands that seem spiritually significant to us while becoming much more flexible with instructions we regard as details. But Moses was not given the authority to decide that the overall concept of the tabernacle mattered while its details did not.

That does not mean every detail of the tabernacle becomes a separate command for us today. Nor should we invent symbolic meanings for every loop, clasp, measurement, or material when Scripture does not provide them. The lesson is simpler: when God chooses to speak clearly about something, our responsibility is to take seriously what He has said.

Yeshua expressed a similar principle when He taught, “The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). Character is often revealed not only in dramatic acts of obedience but in the smaller choices where we may assume faithfulness does not matter very much.

The construction itself also required many individual pieces to be joined together. Verse 6 says the curtains were connected “so that the tabernacle will be a unit.” Different materials and individual components served a common purpose because they were assembled according to God’s design.

That offers a useful reminder about participating in God’s work. Not every assignment appears equally prominent. Someone had to craft beautiful inner curtains with cherubim, while someone else prepared coverings that would largely serve the practical purpose of protecting what was underneath. Yet both were necessary for the tabernacle God commanded Israel to build.

Paul later uses the human body to describe God’s people, explaining that there are many members with different functions, yet together they form one body (1 Corinthians 12:12–18). We should be cautious about claiming that Exodus 26 itself is teaching Paul’s body metaphor, but the principle helps us apply what we see here: God’s work includes different roles, and faithfulness matters even when our particular contribution is not the most visible.

There is another helpful perspective in the contrast between the inner beauty of the tabernacle and its protective outer coverings. What mattered most about this structure was not whether someone standing outside found it impressive. Its significance came from YHWH’s presence and from being constructed according to His instruction.

The same can be true of our obedience. Much of faithfulness happens where other people never see it. Integrity when no one is watching, private prayer, keeping our word, controlling what we allow into our minds, treating family members with patience, or doing an unnoticed responsibility well may never receive public recognition.

But God sees the details.

We should therefore be careful about calling something insignificant simply because it seems small to us. If God has spoken about it, it matters. If He has entrusted something to us, faithfulness matters.

Application

  • Take God’s instructions seriously even when a particular act of obedience seems small or unnoticed.
  • Examine whether you have labeled something “minor” primarily because obeying God in that area is inconvenient.
  • Be faithful in the role God has given you without measuring its importance by how visible or impressive it appears.
  • Resist inventing meaning God has not revealed, while being careful not to dismiss the details He actually has revealed.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me honor You not only in the decisions that seem important, but also in the details of everyday obedience. Guard me from dismissing something You have said simply because it seems small or inconvenient to me. Teach me to be faithful with whatever role or responsibility You place in my hands, whether others notice it or not. Give me humility to follow what You have revealed without adding my own meaning or removing what You have said. May the details of my life increasingly demonstrate that I belong to You. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Revelation, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

Hear the Invitation, Hold to His Word, and Be Ready (Revelation 22:17–21)

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After everything Revelation has shown us, are we responding to God’s invitation, holding faithfully to what He has said, and living ready for Yeshua’s return?

Key Verse

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost.” — Revelation 22:17 (NASB)

Background Context

In Revelation 22:1–5, John saw the river of life, the tree of life, and God’s servants dwelling forever in His presence. In verses 6–11, Yeshua called His people to keep the words of this prophecy and live ready for His return. Then in verses 12–16, He declared that He is coming with His reward and reminded us that our choices and deeds matter.

Now in Revelation 22:17–21, the vision reaches its conclusion. After warnings of judgment and extraordinary promises of restoration, Scripture ends with an open invitation to receive the water of life, a serious warning to preserve God’s Word faithfully, and a final promise from Yeshua that He is coming.

Revelation does not leave us merely wondering what we have seen. It calls us to respond.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 22:17-21

      17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

      18I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.

      20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

      21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Reflection on Revelation 22:17–21:

The first word of this final section is remarkably appropriate: “Come.” The Spirit and the bride say it, and everyone who hears is encouraged to join the invitation. Then the invitation becomes personal: “Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost.”

Throughout Revelation, we have encountered serious warnings about sin, compromise, deception, judgment, and the consequences of rejecting God. Yet the book does not close with God delighting in keeping people out of His kingdom. It closes with an invitation to come.

That invitation is offered “without cost.” This echoes Isaiah 55:1: “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat.” We cannot purchase the life God offers or earn our way into His kingdom. The Lamb has paid the price we could not pay. Those who thirst are invited to come and receive.

But receiving God’s gift does not mean we are free to redefine His truth. Immediately following the invitation comes one of Scripture’s strongest warnings about altering God’s Word. John warns anyone hearing the prophecy not to add to it or take away from it.

The immediate context is specifically “the words of the prophecy of this book,” so we should not ignore that original meaning. Revelation itself must not be altered to suit our preferences. Yet the principle is consistent with God’s earlier warnings concerning His instruction. In Deuteronomy 4:2, Israel was told, “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it.”

Both errors remain tempting. We can add requirements God has not commanded and present our traditions or preferences as though they carry His authority. But we can also take away from what God has said by ignoring, redefining, or creating an assumption of freedom where He has established restrictions. Faithfulness requires humility in both directions.

Our responsibility is not to reshape God’s Word into what we wish He had said. It is to hear what He actually says and respond accordingly.

Then, almost at the very end of Scripture, Yeshua speaks once more: “Yes, I am coming quickly.”

John does not respond with another question about the timing. He does not ask for another vision or a more detailed prophetic chart. His response is simple: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

That response carries greater weight after everything Revelation has shown us. For Yeshua to return means the defeat of His enemies, judgment of rebellion, resurrection of the dead, destruction of death itself, restoration of creation, and the fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell forever among His people.

Peter tells us that looking forward to God’s coming judgment and restoration should affect the way we live now: “What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11). Longing for Yeshua’s return is not merely excitement about future events. It should produce present faithfulness.

Revelation began by calling God’s people to hear and keep what was written. It ends by inviting the thirsty to come, warning us to preserve God’s words faithfully, and reminding us that Yeshua is returning.

The question at the end of Revelation is therefore not simply, “Do you understand the prophecy?”

It is much more personal: Have you come to Yeshua for life? Are you holding faithfully to God’s Word? And are you living in such a way that you can genuinely say, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”?

Application

  • If you are thirsty for the life God offers, respond to His invitation rather than assuming there will always be another opportunity to come.
  • Hold faithfully to what God has actually said, neither adding human requirements nor removing His restrictions to create freedom He has not given.
  • Let expectation of Yeshua’s return produce greater holiness, obedience, and faithfulness in how you live today.
  • Ask whether you are living in a way that allows you to sincerely pray, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the invitation to come and receive the water of life that I could never purchase or earn. Help me hold faithfully to Your Word without adding my own requirements or removing what You have commanded. Give me wisdom to recognize compromise and courage to obey even when Your ways conflict with my preferences or the world around me. Help me live ready for Yeshua’s return, faithfully serving You until He comes. May the desire of my heart truly be, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Holy / Set Apart, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Purposeful / Intentional, Revelation, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

Don’t Just Read Revelation – Live Ready (Revelation 22:6–11)

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Has studying Revelation changed the way you live, or has it simply given you more information about what is coming?

Key Verse

“And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” — Revelation 22:7 (NASB)

Background Context

In Revelation 21, John saw the new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem, where YHWH will dwell among His people. In Revelation 22:1–5, he saw the river of life and tree of life and learned that the curse will finally be gone. God’s servants will see His face, serve Him, and reign forever.

Now in Revelation 22:6–11, the book begins moving toward its final appeal. The angel assures John that these words are “faithful and true,” and Yeshua declares, “I am coming quickly.”

But Revelation does not end by encouraging God’s people merely to understand its visions. Verse 7 pronounces a blessing on the one who “keeps” the words of the prophecy. The message of Revelation calls for a response.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 22:6-11

    6And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.

      7“And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.”

      8I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9But he said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.”

The Final Message

      10And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11“Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.”

Reflection on Revelation 22:6–11:

The angel begins by assuring John, “These words are faithful and true.” That matters after everything John has witnessed. Revelation has shown events almost beyond imagination: beasts and kingdoms, tremendous judgments, Babylon’s fall, Messiah’s return, Satan’s final defeat, the resurrection and judgment, and finally the restoration of all things. God does not ask His people to build their hope upon John’s imagination. He assures them that what He has revealed can be trusted.

Then Yeshua says, “Behold, I am coming quickly.” Nearly two thousand years have passed since those words were recorded, so “quickly” should not be understood as though Yeshua were providing His disciples with a date on a calendar. Scripture repeatedly warns us that God’s perspective on time is different from ours. Peter writes that “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day,” before explaining that what may appear to us as delay reflects God’s patience and desire for people to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8–9).

The proper response, therefore, is not to calculate a date but to live ready.

Yeshua does not say, “Blessed is the one who successfully figures out every detail of this prophecy.” He says, “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Revelation was given to change how God’s people live.

That takes us back to the opening chapter. Revelation 1:3 pronounced a blessing on those who read and hear the words of the prophecy and “heed the things which are written in it.” Now, as the book closes, essentially the same message appears again. The blessing forms a frame around Revelation: hear what God has revealed and respond faithfully.

What have we repeatedly been told to do throughout this book? Worship YHWH rather than the powers of this world. Hold firmly to the testimony of Yeshua. Refuse the compromise represented by Babylon. Resist deception. Keep God’s commandments. Repent when we have wandered. Endure when faithfulness becomes costly. Remain ready for Messiah’s return.

John himself then demonstrates how easily even someone receiving extraordinary revelation can become confused. Overwhelmed by what he has seen and heard, he falls down to worship the angel. The angel immediately stops him: “Do not do that.” He identifies himself as a fellow servant and gives John the proper instruction: “Worship God.”

John had already made essentially the same mistake in Revelation 19:10 and received the same correction. That repetition is instructive. No messenger, teacher, spiritual leader, experience, or created being should receive the devotion that belongs to YHWH. Even when God uses someone powerfully, our attention should ultimately be directed toward Him.

Finally, John is told, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” This contrasts with Daniel, who was told to seal up portions of his prophecy until the time of the end (Daniel 12:4). Revelation is not presented as a message God’s people should hide away until some future generation. Its warnings, encouragement, and calls to faithfulness were meant to be heard.

That remains true for us. We can become so fascinated with identifying symbols, arranging timelines, and debating interpretations that we miss one of Revelation’s clearest purposes. Understanding prophecy matters, but knowledge that does not produce faithfulness has missed something essential.

After everything we have studied in Revelation, the question is becoming increasingly personal: What difference has this book made in how we live?

Yeshua is coming. We may not know when, but we know what He has told us to do while we wait.

Application

  • Study Revelation to understand God’s truth, but continually ask how what you learn should change the way you live.
  • Live ready for Yeshua’s return rather than becoming consumed with trying to determine a date God has not given us.
  • Keep worship directed toward YHWH rather than allowing spiritual leaders, messengers, or experiences to receive devotion that belongs to Him.
  • Identify one recurring instruction from Revelation—repentance, endurance, obedience, rejecting compromise, or faithful witness—that God is calling you to apply more deliberately.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for giving us Revelation not merely to tell us what will happen, but to teach us how to live faithfully while we wait for Yeshua’s return. Help me hear Your Word and keep it rather than being satisfied simply with understanding more about prophecy. Guard me from deception, compromise, and misplaced worship. Show me where the message of Revelation needs to change the way I live today, and help me remain faithful and ready whenever Yeshua returns. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Humility, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Follow God’s Pattern, Not Your Own (Exodus 25:31–40)

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When God has shown us how He wants something done, do we follow His instruction—or assume our own way is just as good?

Key Verse

“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.” — Exodus 25:40 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25:1–9, YHWH began giving Moses instructions for the tabernacle because He desired to dwell among His people. In verses 10–22, He described the Ark of the Covenant and mercy seat, where He promised to meet with Moses. In verses 23–30, He described the table that continually held the bread of the Presence.

Now in Exodus 25:31–40, YHWH gives instructions for a lampstand made from pure gold. It would have seven lamps and elaborate branches decorated with cups shaped like almond blossoms.

As with the other parts of the tabernacle, its design did not originate with Moses. God revealed the pattern, and Moses was responsible for following it.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 25:31–40

The Golden Lampstand

      31“Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32“Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. 33“Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; 34and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35“A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36“Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37“Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. 38“Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39“It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. 40“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

Reflection on Exodus 25:31–40:

The lampstand was an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship. It was to be hammered from a single talent of pure gold, with six branches extending from its central shaft. Cups shaped like almond blossoms, bulbs, and flowers were incorporated into the design. At the top were seven lamps positioned to provide light within the sanctuary.

Later passages explain that the priests were responsible for keeping these lamps burning before YHWH (Exodus 27:20–21). In a place without ordinary windows providing natural light, God provided a lampstand for the place where His priests would serve.

There is rich imagery associated with light throughout Scripture, and it is natural for Christians to think of Yeshua’s declaration, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). We should be cautious about assigning symbolic meanings to every flower, branch, or measurement when Scripture does not explain them, but the broader biblical connection between God’s presence, truth, and light is unmistakable.

Yet the final verse may contain one of the most important lessons for this particular passage. After giving Moses all these detailed instructions, YHWH says, “See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.”

Moses was not being asked to improve God’s design.

He might have been able to imagine another arrangement that seemed more attractive, efficient, or practical. Skilled craftsmen might eventually have had their own creative ideas. But when God had specifically revealed what He wanted, their responsibility was not to substitute what seemed better to them. Their responsibility was faithful obedience.

Hebrews later returns to this exact point when discussing the earthly tabernacle. It says that the priests served “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things,” and then quotes God’s instruction to Moses: “See that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain” (Hebrews 8:5). The pattern mattered because the tabernacle was communicating truths greater than Moses could fully see.

That principle should give us humility when approaching God’s Word. There will be times when we understand why God commands something and times when we do not. We may even believe another way would make more sense according to our culture, preferences, or circumstances. But our limited understanding does not make us wiser than the One who gave the instruction.

At the same time, we should distinguish between what God has actually commanded and human traditions we have added ourselves. Following God’s pattern means carefully learning what He has said, not treating every religious custom as though God personally commanded it.

The challenge is therefore not simply to become more rigid. It is to become more attentive to YHWH’s Word. Where He has given freedom, we should not invent unnecessary restrictions. Where He has stated restrictions, we should not create an assumption of freedom to go against His ways. Where He has clearly spoken, we should not replace His instruction with our preferences.

Moses did not need to understand everything the lampstand represented before obeying the pattern God had shown him. Sometimes understanding grows after obedience begins.

When God has clearly spoken, faithfulness means trusting that His pattern is wiser than ours.

Application

  • When Scripture clearly teaches something that conflicts with your preferences, choose God’s instruction rather than reshaping it around what seems better to you.
  • Study God’s Word carefully so that you can distinguish His actual commands from traditions or expectations people have added.
  • Resist assuming that you must fully understand God’s reason for an instruction before you can faithfully obey it.
  • Remember that God’s perspective reaches beyond what you can presently see, giving you reason to trust His wisdom over your own.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for giving me Your Word rather than leaving me to determine Your ways for myself. Help me listen carefully to what You have actually said and distinguish Your instruction from human traditions or my own preferences. When Your ways differ from what seems best to me, give me humility to trust that Your wisdom is greater than mine. Teach me to follow faithfully even when I do not yet understand everything You are doing. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Giving, Humility, Money / Finances / Wealth, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Give Willingly to What God Is Building (Exodus 25:1–9)

When God gives you an opportunity to participate in His work, do you see it primarily as something being taken from you—or as a privilege to contribute to what He is doing?

Key Verse

“Tell the sons of Israel to take a contribution for Me; from everyone whose heart moves him you shall take My contribution.” — Exodus 25:2 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 19–23, YHWH brought Israel to Mount Sinai and taught His redeemed people how they were to live. In Exodus 24, Israel formally entered into covenant with Him, and Moses was called farther up the mountain, where he remained in God’s presence for forty days and forty nights.

Now in Exodus 25, YHWH begins revealing what Moses is to receive during that time on the mountain. Chapters 25–31 will contain detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle, its furnishings, the priesthood, and Israel’s worship.

But before God gives Moses the construction details, He explains the purpose: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” The God who delivered Israel from Egypt desires to dwell in the midst of the people He has redeemed.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 25:1-9

Offerings for the Sanctuary

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. 3“This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, 4blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, 5rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, 6oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9“According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.

Reflection on Exodus 25:1–9:

God begins the instructions for the tabernacle by asking Israel to contribute materials: gold, silver, bronze, fabrics, animal skins, wood, oil, spices, and precious stones. Yet notice whom Moses is instructed to receive these contributions from: “everyone whose heart moves him.” The tabernacle would be built from gifts willingly offered by God’s people.

That is significant because YHWH certainly did not need Israel’s wealth. Everything ultimately belonged to Him already. In fact, much of what Israel possessed had come from the Egyptians when God brought them out of slavery (Exodus 12:35–36). They were being invited to return a portion of what God had provided and use it for His purposes.

That principle reaches beyond money. God gives us time, abilities, possessions, experience, opportunities, and other resources, and then allows us the privilege of using those things in His work. David later expressed this beautifully when Israel gave toward the future temple: “For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14).

Giving therefore reveals something about our hearts. If we believe everything we possess belongs entirely to us, giving can feel primarily like losing something. But when we recognize YHWH as our Provider, giving becomes an opportunity to participate in what He is doing.

Paul teaches a similar principle in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “God loves a cheerful giver.” He tells believers to give as they have purposed in their hearts, “not grudgingly or under compulsion.” That does not mean Scripture never commands God’s people to give or support His work. Rather, God is interested in more than the transfer of resources. He cares about the heart from which the gift comes.

But the greatest statement in Exodus 25 is the reason for the offering: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” The gold and silver were not the real treasure of the tabernacle. God’s presence was.

This continues the story we have been following throughout Exodus. YHWH heard Israel’s cries in Egypt, delivered them through the Passover, brought them through the sea, provided for them in the wilderness, and established covenant with them at Sinai. Now He announces His desire to dwell among them.

The tabernacle was therefore not simply a religious building project. It was part of God’s plan to live in the midst of His people while also teaching them how sinful people could approach a holy God. That is why God tells Moses to build everything “according to all that I am going to show you.” Israel could contribute willingly, but they could not decide for themselves how God’s dwelling place should be constructed. Their generosity still needed to operate within God’s instruction.

There is a helpful balance here for us. God invites us to participate willingly in His work, but we do not define His work according to our preferences. We bring Him what He has entrusted to us, with willing hearts, and seek to use it according to His purposes.

Ultimately, the question is not merely How much am I giving? A better question is: Am I willing to place what God has given me back into His hands for what He wants to build?

Application

  • Recognize your money, abilities, time, and opportunities as resources YHWH has entrusted to you rather than possessions that exist only for your benefit.
  • Give willingly to God’s purposes rather than allowing generosity to become merely an obligation performed reluctantly.
  • Ask God whether there is something He has already placed in your hands that could be used more intentionally for His work.
  • Remember that the greatest treasure is not what we give to God, but the privilege of knowing Him and living in His presence.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for everything You have placed in my hands. Help me remember that what I possess ultimately comes from You. Give me a willing heart that sees generosity not merely as losing something, but as an opportunity to participate in what You are doing. Show me how You want me to use my time, abilities, resources, and opportunities for Your purposes. Most of all, help me value Your presence above anything I could ever possess or give. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Fear / Reverence for God, Guide, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Don’t Just Hear God’s Word—Commit to Live It (Exodus 24:1–11)

Is your response to God’s Word simply to agree that it is true, or are you committed to actually living according to what He says?

Key Verse

“Then he took the book of the covenant and read it as the people listened; and they said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!'” — Exodus 24:7 (NASB)

Background Context

Exodus 24 brings the covenant at Mount Sinai to a significant moment of confirmation. YHWH had already redeemed Israel from slavery before bringing them to Sinai. He then revealed the Ten Commandments and continued explaining how His people were to live.

Now Moses writes down “all the words of the LORD.” He reads the Book of the Covenant to the people, and Israel publicly agrees to obey what God has spoken.

The covenant is then confirmed with blood, followed by a remarkable meal in God’s presence. Redemption had brought Israel not merely out of Egypt, but into covenant relationship with YHWH.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 24:1–11

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

      1Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 2“Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.”

      3Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” 4Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

      9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

Reflection on Exodus 24:1–11:

Twice in this passage Israel makes a strong declaration.

First they say, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” Later, after Moses reads the Book of the Covenant aloud, they respond again: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”

Notice the progression.

They heard God’s Word and then committed themselves to do what He said.

Scripture consistently challenges us not to separate those two things. James later writes, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves” (James 1:22).

It is possible to study Scripture, agree with Scripture, discuss Scripture, and even defend Scripture while resisting what it tells us to do. God’s Word was never intended merely to increase our knowledge. It should shape how we actually live.

But we should also remember the order of events in Exodus.

Israel did not obey God in order to persuade Him to rescue them from Egypt. He rescued them first. He delivered them from slavery, brought them to Himself, and then taught them how His redeemed people should live.

That pattern matters.

Obedience is not the price we pay to purchase redemption. It is the faithful response of people who have been redeemed.

Then Moses confirms the covenant with blood. Half is sprinkled on the altar, and the other half on the people as Moses declares, “Behold the blood of the covenant.”

The seriousness of covenant is unmistakable. Relationship with a holy God is not casual. Sin and reconciliation carry a cost. This imagery also points us forward to Yeshua, who at the Last Supper spoke of His own blood as “My blood of the covenant” (Matthew 26:28).

Then the passage ends with an extraordinary scene.

Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders ascend the mountain, and Scripture says, “they saw the God of Israel.” Under His feet was something like a pavement of sapphire, “as clear as the sky itself.”

Yet God did not destroy them.

Instead, “they saw God, and they ate and drank.”

The covenant culminates in fellowship.

That helps us see the larger purpose behind everything we have been reading. God did not deliver Israel merely to give them a collection of rules. He was forming a people who belonged to Him and could live in relationship with Him.

The commandments showed them how a redeemed people should walk with a holy God.

The same should shape how we approach God’s Word today. We should not ask merely, What does this passage say? We should also ask:

What has God shown me that I now need to live out?

Because hearing God’s Word is only the beginning. Faithfulness means allowing what He says to change how we live.

Application

  • When you read Scripture, ask not only what it means but what God is calling you to do differently because of it.
  • Remember that obedience is a response to God’s redemption and grace, not a way of earning them.
  • Take your commitment to God seriously rather than treating obedience as optional whenever His instruction becomes inconvenient.
  • Remember that God’s goal is not merely rule-keeping but a redeemed people living faithfully in relationship with Him.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for redeeming me and inviting me into relationship with You. Help me not to be satisfied merely with hearing, studying, or agreeing with Your Word. Show me where I need to put what You have taught me into practice. May my obedience flow from love and gratitude for what You have already done for me. Teach me to take Your Word seriously and to live faithfully as someone who belongs to You. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Purposeful / Intentional, Sabbath / Rest, Submitted / Servant, Thankfulness

Build Your Life Around God, Not God Around Your Life (Exodus 23:10–19)

Does your schedule reflect that God is central to your life, or do you try to fit Him into whatever time remains?

Key Verse

“Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me.” — Exodus 23:14 (NASB)

Background Context

YHWH has been teaching Israel how His people should live. Exodus 23:1–9 focused on truth and justice. Now the instructions turn toward the rhythms of Israel’s life.

God establishes a seventh-year rest for the land, reinforces the seventh-day Sabbath, and identifies three annual pilgrimage festivals: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering.

These weren’t merely breaks from work. God was teaching Israel to organize its work, rest, worship, and calendar around Him.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 23:10–19

The Sabbath and Land

      10“You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

      12“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves. 13“Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.

Three National Feasts

      14“Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15“You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16“Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

      18“You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor is the fat of My feast to remain overnight until morning.

      19“You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God.
“You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother.

Reflection on Exodus 23:10-19

The passage begins with the land itself. Israel could sow and harvest for six years, but during the seventh year the land was to rest. What grew naturally was available particularly for the needy and even the animals.

Following that command required trust.

Leaving productive land uncultivated could easily feel wasteful. Israel had to believe that obedience to YHWH was more important than squeezing every possible bit of production from what He had given them.

Then God returns to the weekly Sabbath:

“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor.”

The Sabbath had already been established clearly in Exodus 20 as the seventh day, rooted in God’s own pattern at creation. Here God highlights another benefit: rest was not only for the landowner. The ox and donkey rested, and servants and foreigners were refreshed.

God’s rhythm of life restrained the endless demand for more work and more production.

Then YHWH turns to Israel’s annual calendar. Three times each year the men of Israel were to appear before Him at His appointed festivals.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread reminded them of their deliverance from Egypt. The Feast of Harvest acknowledged God as the source of the firstfruits of their labor. The Feast of Ingathering celebrated His provision at the completion of the agricultural year.

Notice what God was doing.

Week after week, year after year, He was building reminders of Himself into the lives of His people.

Israel could not simply say, We believe in YHWH, while structuring life exactly like the nations around them. Their calendar itself testified that they belonged to Him.

That challenges us because our lives can easily become organized around everything except God. Work has its place. School has its place. Vacations, appointments, sports, entertainment, projects, and countless responsibilities all claim space on our calendars. Then we sometimes try to fit God into whatever remains.

God’s pattern points in the opposite direction.

We should build our lives around Him rather than trying to build Him into our lives.

That does not mean every moment is spent in a religious activity. Israel still worked six days. They planted fields, raised families, conducted business, and lived ordinary lives. But God established rhythms that repeatedly interrupted ordinary life and redirected their attention toward Him.

Those interruptions also reminded Israel that their prosperity ultimately came from YHWH. They could work diligently, but crops still depended upon God’s provision. They could harvest faithfully, but the firstfruits belonged to Him.

The same is true for us. We should work diligently and steward what God gives us well, but we should never become so consumed with the gifts that we forget the Giver.

A life centered on God doesn’t merely give Him leftover time. It allows Him to shape the rhythm of everything else.

Application

  • Examine your schedule and priorities honestly: does God receive deliberate priority, or mostly whatever time remains?
  • Honor God’s pattern of work and rest rather than allowing productivity to become your master.
  • Build regular reminders of God’s faithfulness into your life so that His past provision is not forgotten.
  • Receive your work, possessions, and provision gratefully while remembering that everything ultimately comes from YHWH.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me build my life around You rather than trying to fit You around everything else. Teach me to work faithfully, rest according to Your wisdom, and regularly remember all You have done for me. Guard me from becoming so consumed with responsibilities, productivity, or possessions that I forget the One who provides them. May the way I use my time demonstrate that You are not merely part of my life, but the One around whom my life is centered. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Fear / Reverence for God, Purposeful / Intentional, Revelation, Submitted / Servant

Stay Awake (Revelation 16: 10-16)

Are you living each day as though you are ready for the Lord’s return?

Key Verse:

“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.” — Revelation 16:15 (NASB)

Background Context:

The fifth bowl plunges the kingdom of the beast into darkness, yet instead of repenting, people continue to curse God. The sixth bowl then prepares the way for the kings of the earth to gather for the great battle that Scripture calls Armageddon. Unclean spirits go out to deceive the rulers of the world, drawing them into open rebellion against God.

Right in the middle of this unfolding scene, the narrative pauses. Before describing the gathering of the nations, Yeshua gives a personal warning and a blessing to His followers. In a chapter filled with judgment and deception, His concern is that His people remain spiritually awake and faithfully prepared for His coming.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 16:10-16

     10Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, 11and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.

      12The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.

Armageddon

      13And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15(“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”) 16And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

Reflection on Revelation 16:10–16:

The sixth bowl reminds us that deception is one of Satan’s greatest weapons. John sees unclean spirits performing signs to gather the kings of the earth for battle against God. They believe they are acting wisely, but they are actually being led into destruction.

That pattern has existed throughout history. Sin rarely presents itself as rebellion. More often it disguises itself as wisdom, freedom, or progress. The enemy’s goal has always been to draw people away from trusting God by convincing them that another path is better.

In the midst of this deception, Yeshua suddenly speaks:

“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes…”

The imagery is striking. A thief does not announce his arrival. Likewise, believers are called to live in continual readiness, not because we know the day or the hour, but because we know our Lord will return.

To stay awake is more than remaining alert to world events or trying to decipher every prophetic detail. It means remaining spiritually watchful. It means guarding our hearts, remaining faithful to God’s Word, and refusing to drift into spiritual complacency.

Yeshua gave a similar warning during His earthly ministry:

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:42)

His concern was never to produce fear but faithfulness.

The picture of keeping one’s clothes also carries rich biblical imagery. Throughout Scripture, clothing often represents righteousness, purity, and readiness before God. While our righteousness comes through Yeshua alone, believers are repeatedly called to live lives worthy of the calling they have received.

Earlier in Revelation, those who remained faithful were described as wearing white garments because they had overcome through the Lamb (Revelation 3:4–5; 7:14). Here, Yeshua encourages His people not to become spiritually careless but to continue walking faithfully until He comes.

As the world becomes increasingly deceived, it is easy to become distracted by speculation about prophetic timelines, political events, or identifying every possible fulfillment of prophecy. Revelation certainly encourages us to pay attention, but its greater emphasis is on our own faithfulness.

The question is not simply, “Can I identify Armageddon?”

The greater question is, “Will I still be faithfully following Yeshua when He comes?”

That is the blessing Revelation offers.

Those who remain spiritually awake, faithfully clothed, and steadfast in their walk with the Lord have nothing to fear. While the nations gather in rebellion, God’s people continue walking in hope, knowing that their King is coming.

Application:

  • Cultivate spiritual alertness through regular prayer and time in God’s Word.
  • Guard your heart against deception by measuring every teaching against Scripture.
  • Live each day in joyful expectation of Yeshua’s return.
  • Focus more on faithful obedience than on speculation about prophetic details.
  • Encourage other believers to remain steadfast and watchful.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for warning us to remain spiritually awake as we await the return of Yeshua. Protect me from deception and from becoming spiritually complacent. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You rather than becoming distracted by the things of this world. Strengthen me to walk faithfully each day, clothed in the righteousness of Messiah and living in joyful expectation of His coming. May I be found ready whenever that day arrives. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant, Wise

God Made Us Upright (Ecclesiastes 7:23–29)

Where does the brokenness we see in ourselves and in the world come from?

Key Verse:

“Behold, I have found only this, that God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” —Ecclesiastes 7:29 NASB

Background Context:

As Solomon concludes Ecclesiastes 7, he reflects on the limits of human wisdom and the reality of mankind’s sinful condition. Although he has devoted himself to seeking wisdom and understanding, he recognizes that there are mysteries only God fully comprehends. His search ultimately leads him to a profound conclusion: God created humanity upright, but people have continually chosen their own paths instead of God’s.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Ecclesiastes 7

      23I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. 24What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it? 25I directed my mind to know, to investigate, and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness. 26And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

      27“Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, 28which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. 29“Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

Reflection on Ecclesiastes 7:23–29:

Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon repeatedly reminds us that human wisdom has limits. In this closing section of chapter seven, he admits that despite all his searching, some things remained beyond his understanding. This is a refreshing reminder that even the wisest man who ever lived recognized that God’s wisdom is infinitely greater than his own.

There is great humility in admitting that we do not have all the answers. Our culture often celebrates self-confidence and independence, encouraging us to trust our own understanding. Yet Scripture consistently points us in the opposite direction. Proverbs 3:5–6 tells us:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

The more we grow in our knowledge of God, the more we recognize how much we still have to learn.

Solomon’s search eventually brings him to one of the most important conclusions in the entire book:

“God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

This verse beautifully summarizes the story of Scripture. In the beginning, God created mankind in His image and declared His creation to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Humanity was designed to live in fellowship with God, reflecting His character and walking in His ways.

The brokenness we experience today did not originate with God.

It originated when mankind chose to depart from His design.

Beginning with Adam and Eve in the garden, people have continually pursued their own wisdom instead of trusting God’s. We devise our own plans, redefine right and wrong according to our preferences, and convince ourselves that our way is better than His. Solomon describes these pursuits as “many schemes”—countless attempts to find fulfillment, purpose, and wisdom apart from the One who created us.

Paul describes this same reality in Romans 3:23:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

The problem is not that God’s design was flawed.

The problem is that humanity has repeatedly rejected it.

Yet the good news of Scripture is that God did not abandon His creation. Through Yeshua, He has made a way to restore what sin has broken. Paul writes:

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The Gospel is not merely about forgiveness.

It is about restoration.

God is transforming His people into the likeness of His Son and restoring us to the purpose for which we were created.

As Ecclesiastes 7 comes to a close, Solomon leaves us with both a warning and a hope. The warning is not to trust our own schemes or imagine that we can improve upon God’s design. The hope is that our Creator has not given up on us. His wisdom remains perfect, His ways remain good, and through Christ He invites us back into the life He intended from the beginning.

The wisest path we can take is not creating our own way.

It is humbly walking in His.

Application:

  • Trust God’s wisdom even when you do not fully understand His ways.
  • Examine your life for areas where you may be following your own plans instead of God’s.
  • Remember that sin originates from humanity’s rebellion, not from God’s design.
  • Rejoice that through Yeshua, God is restoring His people to Himself.
  • Commit yourself to walking in God’s ways rather than pursuing your own schemes.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for creating me with purpose and for never giving up on Your creation. Forgive me for the times I have trusted my own understanding instead of Your perfect wisdom. Help me to reject my own schemes and to walk faithfully in the path You have set before me. Thank You for the restoration You offer through Yeshua and for continuing to transform me into His likeness. May my life reflect Your wisdom and bring glory to Your name. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.