El Olam-Friday

As we wrap up the week on El Olam, our Eternal God, I wanted to share a thought from my personal study.

I have been reading through the Bible again, which is always such a blessing when I do. If you haven’t taken the time to read through the Bible, let me encourage you to do so. Find a plan, any plan, and commit to reading a few chapters a day. You will be so blessed. I am currently doing the Bible Recap on the Bible App; it is a chronological plan, and the leader has some great insights. But if all you can do is one chapter a night, do that. We encouraged our son to read one chapter a night when he was in high school. It took him a while, but he did it, and I can see a difference in him from when he started.

Anyway, in my reading this morning, I was reading about Moses. That man had the patience of a saint because I know there are several times in the story where I would have thrown my hands up and just told the Children of Israel to figure it out because I was done with them.

Now Moses had a tent that was called the “Tent of Meeting.” He would pitch this tent outside of the camp, and he would go into this tent and talk to God. Face to face. Not really “face to face” because no one can look on God’s face and live, but he would spend time with God there. Think of what we now call a “War Room,” thanks to a popular movie a few years ago.

The children had decided that they needed an idol, and they just made a mess of things. God, the Father, was upset with them. Rightfully so. (I can see this story playing out in my own parenting.) God said, “Y’all can go to the promised land, but I’m not taking you there. Good luck; I’m done with your foolishness.”

(Forgive my southern interpretation and loose paraphrasing of scripture.)

Moses talked to God and reminded God of his promise that he would be with them in this journey. Moses said, “If you don’t go, then we aren’t going either. How will people know we are set apart if you aren’t with us?”

This is where I paused. (Ex. 33:17) Yahweh said, “I will do what you have asked, because I am pleased with you, and I KNOW YOU BY NAME.”

This is why we are studying His names, because we want to know HIM by name and for HIM to know us. It’s called a relationship.

Moses wanted to see God’s face. God told him to meet him on a rocky cliff, and when he passed by, he would cover Moses with his hand, and after he passed, he would allow Moses to see his back because if he saw his ‘face,’ he would surely die. Moses did this, and when he came down from the mountain, his face glowed. His face was shining so much that he had to wear a veil when he talked to the people.

Can you imagine a relationship so strong with God that you shone, like physically had a glow about you? Or what if you were so intune with God that people “felt” the presence of God when you were around? Have you ever felt the presence of God in a worship service? (I have, and it’s amazing and intense.)

Our God, our Elohim, is inviting us, you and me, into that kind of relationship. El Olam assures us that this relationship isn’t just “a seasonal” type of relationship. He is here for the long haul, and if you know him, you get to live with him for eternity!

John 3:16 (say it with me): “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Only the Eternal God can promise eternal life!

1 John 5:11: “This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is found in his Son. (vs. 20) We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we know the real God. We are in the one who is real, His Son Yeshua Christ. This Yeshua Christ is the real God and eternal life.”

I have loved learning about El Olam and His eternal nature this week. It has both challenged me and brought me reassurance.

(Side note: something I started a few years ago but made a conscious effort to implement is whenever I am faced with things, whether it be a broken plate, mess, disagreement, or just life stuff, I approach it with these words, “in the light of eternity.”

Did the thing matter “in the light of eternity“? If not, then I tried to let it go. If it did, then I faced it with scripture. What I have found is that there are a lot of things that truly don’t matter on the grander scale. I can protect my peace when I am not worried about the junk, and I focus more on the eternal. Maybe that will help someone. I just felt spurred to share.)

Be blessed today, stay warm, and have a great day with Jesus!