04/07/13

Gold and silver, both are valued by the Lord

Ezra 8:28, 29 - And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.


In the message before last the message was about silver and gold, silver representing earthly riches and gold the heavenly riches. The message also said that silver was not bad but having only silver and no gold would make a person worthless for one does not take the silver to heaven but does take the gold to Heaven. Silver is not evil but craving of silver more than gold and more than what is needed is evil. That is why Jesus said it is near impossible for a rich man to enter Heaven.

Sometimes an object or symbol can be used in different ways to symbolize different message unto us. For example Satan is symbolized as a serpent which in turn symbolizes deceit because the serpent moves in a zigzag direction. Even though it is going in one direction its body may appear to be moving in another.

But we see Christ was represented as a bronze serpent and put on a pole high up. In the book of Moses any person bitten by a snake was told to look up to the bronze serpent and they were saved from death. Here we see a snake represented curse because it moves on its belly in dust which represents vanity. Jesus Christ became cursed for us on the cross such that anyone who looked up to Him would be saved from death.

In today's message the Lord speaks about silver and gold being holy through Ezra. Ezra and Paul both say we are the vessels which are holy unto the Lord. Paul says we are earthen vessels but Ezra compares us to gold and silver vessels.

In the Tabernacle there were metal vessels made of iron, brass/copper, tin, lead, silver and gold. We see all were considered concentrated unto the Lord and were kept in the treasury when the Israelites went astray.

Iron is used to illustrated slavery, strength, obstinacy, fortitude, affliction, etc. It symbolized all those who although being set free by the Lord, have made themselves slaves unto the Lord, those who are ready to suffer for the Lord, those who are strengthened in the Lord.

The Hebrew word for tin comes from the root word divided or separated and symbolizes one who is separated unto the Lord.

The Hebrew word for lead comes from the root meaning to be pulverised or to be nothing, symbolizing one who considers oneself nothing when serving the Lord.

The Hebrew word nechosheth is translated 'copper' in Ezr 8:27, where it is said to be 'precious as gold.' Brass is used as a symbol for righteousness according to the claims of God upon man, as in the brazen altar; the Lord as seen in the vision in the Revelation has feet like fine brass, 'burning as in a furnace': that is, righteous judgment according to responsibility. Thus the bronze serpent represented righteousness that became cursed and was lifted up for us.

The word silver comes from the root word meaning desire. The Lord is saying if our desire is for the Lord then like the silver vessels we too are concentrated unto the Lord and the Lord considers us as holy vessels.

The Hebrew word for gold comes from the word to slimmer, brilliance or splendour. Gold by itself does not shine when kept in the dark but if even a slight light falls on it, it shows its brilliance. When we shine under the light of God and people see the glory of God in us we are like gold. Some vessels of the Tabernacle were made of wood but overlaid with gold. Wood represents flesh; cedar wood was used for sacrifice for it never got termites or any corruption representing the human body of Christ; shittim wood or wood of the gum tree, the Hebrew word for shittim mean scourged thus represent suffering so also were the other woods symbolizing something. The wooden vessels were overlaid with gold symbolizing even though we may be weak inside yet we can have the glory of God shine on us.

In today's message God considers silver as valuable as the gold and both are considered separated unto the Lord. Those who have a desire for God's Kingdom and those who let the glory of God shine on them are both considered holy unto the Lord.

The Lord is telling all if we may not be a gold vessel, we can always be a silver vessel having a desire for the Lord Kingdom and His mission yet we will be valued the same. When the silver is a freewill dedication to the Lord then even the silver is considered holy.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, many have a desire to serve You but since they do not have a calling they do not come forth. Lord we prayer that people know You love your silver vessels as much You love your gold vessels. In your wisdom You given every one a part in the body of Christ, the Bride You are preparing for your glory...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Numbers 31:22-23
22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

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