Thursday - 2nd Chronicles 4 - Holy Furniture; Holy Vessels

Furniture is functional. And, depending on what the function is of a room, the furniture in it will be more (or less) evidently useful. In this chapter, we find a breakdown of the pieces of furniture that were placed into the main room in the temple. While it must have looked impressive, the pieces weren't just for looks. There were tables, bowls (or large basins... we might say, tubs or large sinks), large candle holders and an altar. Each one of those items had a specific purpose in the rituals of worship.

Notice that there were no chairs in the temple. When the priests entered there, they were there for a purpose, and they continued in that business without pausing to sit idly by as spectators. I find it mildly ironic that our houses of worship today have more chairs than anything else. I'm not opposed to seating or sitting in the assembly, but there is an intriguing message in the fact that there was an absence of a place to sit in Solomon's temple.

In Revelation 4:8 we find that in THE temple in heaven there are 4 heavenly creations... angelic beings... which hover constantly in watchful worship. John says that they rest not day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Isaiah saw those same wonderful beings... seraphim... standing in midair, declaring the prophecy that God's glory will prevail over the earth (Isaiah 6:1 - 3). What I find most interesting is the fact that they were not, and are not, sitting. They never rest. They fly above the throne; standing in the air; doing service to their King and ours.

So, the temple was a place of activity. Tables, basins, candles, an altar, pots, shovels, tongs, snuffers, spoons and censors were all there to be used in ritualistic worship, service and sacrifice to God. Here again we are reminded that, in the body of Christ, every member has a place and a function. And, we are all valuable to God. All those gold pieces in the temple represented to some extent the value of every part of God's church. With His own precious blood, Jesus paid for your place.