sep/dec2012 - CWRthe Holy of Holies. God told Moses the materials needed to build the tabernacle and the exact way it should be put together. Why did God go into such detail? He was

Memories of camping at different stages of my

life vary! As a young child, I camped with my

family in France for just about every holiday I

can remember, mostly following my big brothers

around flying wooden toy planes and having

beach balls bounced on my head. I tried to

recreate the memories with friends during my

teens, when we would camp as a youth group –

but the focus had moved on to who could strum

the most chords on their guitar, and who could

play the craftiest trick on the tent ‘next door’!

Late teens, and camping was synonymous with

summer festivals: and as I grew into a sensible

adult (!?) my camping experiences became very

pleasant opportunities to cook and eat outside,

watch the most glorious sunrises and sunsets,

and experience some of my closest times with

God. And now? Well, a comfortable bed, an oven

and running water are quite appealing …

Whatever your experiences of camping and tents,

I hope our opening section on ‘God’s Tent’ will give

you a better understanding of what the Tabernacle

is, what it meant in Old Testament times, and what

it means for us today. Super Dan and Timid Tim

also make appearances with their own unique

contributions, helping all you YP’s-ers to get to YP’s-ers to get to YP’sgrips with God’s Word. Wonderful stuff, amazing grips with God’s Word. Wonderful stuff, amazing

truths … not to be missed!truths … not to be missed!truths … not to be missed!

editorial

sep/dec2012

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OTHER CWR DAILY BIBLE-READING NOTES:FOR YOuNG pEOpLE FOR ADuLTSPens for 3- to 6-year-oldsPens for 3- to 6-year-oldsPens Every Day with JesusTopz for 7- to 11-year-oldsTopz for 7- to 11-year-oldsTopz Inspiring Women Every DayMettle for 14- to 18-year-oldsMettle for 14- to 18-year-oldsMettle Life Every Day (Jeff Lucas)

Cover to Cover Every Day

YP’s (formerly Young People’s Every Day with Jesus) Young People’s Every Day with Jesus) Young People’s Every Day with Jesusis published by CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8EP, UK © CWR, 2012. All rights reserved. This ‘heroes thrive where they’re sent, let’s have a look at God’s tent’ issue would never have happened if it wasn’t for … Text: Paul Thompson @ Digital Dimensions • Senior Editor: Lynette Brooks • Concept development, editing, design and production by CWR • Photographs: Vetta/Ranplett (cover) • Printed in England by Linney Print •

The text in YP’s is republished every four years, working to YP’s is republished every four years, working to YP’sa rolling four-year programme for 11- to 15-year-olds.

www.ypsonline.org.uk

When Moses Met up With God on Mount sinai he Was Given God’s rules for livinG – the Ten Commandments. But there was more … much more. God made Moses’ face shine with the news that He was coming to live with His people. Did you get that? God had decided to rough it with the Israelites! And as the Israelites were on the move, God was happy to live in a tent – right in the middle of their campsite.

Wherever they pitched the special tent, or tabernacle as the Jews called it, God would come down and join them. They couldn’t see God face to face but there were signs He was there in the inner compartment of the tent – the Holy of Holies.

God told Moses the materials needed to build the tabernacle and the exact way it should be put together. Why did God go into such detail? He was putting more than a mobile home together. He wanted a huge visual aid to show people how to get right with Him. All the sizes, measurements, colours and layout of this wonderful tent have special meaning and we’re going to go under cover to puzzle them out.

The Israelites didn’t realise it at the time but God was preparing them for Jesus. Each detail of the tent was a picture of what Jesus would do to make us friends with God. Let’s ask God to show us the hidden meanings of His special camping kit so we can appreciate His love for us.

UNZIP

God’sCAMPING KIT.

Holy of Holies!

the canvas onthe Great tent

God asked Moses to Make in the Wilderness.

We’re GoinG to loiter With intent and

discover the special MeaninGs of

it Was God’s choice to live in Was God’s choice to live in Wthe Middle of the caMpsite. and Where does God proMhere does God proMhere does God pro ise to be When tWo or More christians pray? riGht in the Middle! Why’s that? think about it. God Wants Wants Wto Get involved in your life – riGht Where the action is.

engage//

lord, thank you for you for y WantinWantinW G to be involved in My life, help Me not to hold back any of My life froMfroMfro you. you. y aMen.

PRaY//

Ho

ly

It’s tIMe to

2

Sat 1 SepEXODUS 25:1–9

‘then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.’

Exodus 25:8

‘‘

TenT

CLOTHES

FOR GODS

GoD’s CAMPING KIt

When God gave the Israelites their marching orders out of Egypt He announced the beginning of a new year. A new calendar would start from that date (Exod. 12:2). Exactly a year later the tent was set up.

The first New Year’s Day after leaving Egypt was a special event for the Israelites. God’s tent was set up! Not only could they celebrate the anniversary of the end of their slavery but also the great news that God was with them.

The months leading up to the New Year celebrations were spent making the tent. They’d been loaded with gifts of gold, silver, quality clothes and timber by the Egyptians when they left. So now, it was decision time.

Should they keep their fancy jewellery and clothes or donate them to make God’s special tent? They were so pleased to be free and be with God they just emptied their wardrobes … jewellery boxes … piggy banks and gave, gave, gave. In the end, Moses had to tell the Jews to stop giving!

The New Testament says that God loves a cheerful giver. The word ‘cheerful’ in the original Greek means ‘hilarious’. And these campers were over the moon at the chance to please God.

Our attitude is so important when we give to God. Be a hilarious giver! Enjoy – really enjoy – giving your time, talents and gifts to God.

Clothes

When you’re set free by Jesus you have a neW anniversary to W anniversary to Wcelebrate. a second birthday – the day you Were born into God’s Were born into God’s WfaMily. don’t Worry if you can’t reMreMre eMeMe ber the exact date. take take tthe chance to celebrate your freedoMfreedoMfreedo noW.

engage//

3

Sun 2 SepEXODUS 40:17–19

‘So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in

the second year.’Exodus 40:17

‘

The tabernacle was put up with its entrance

facing east, towards the rising sun. The twelve

tribes of Israel pitched their tents, three tribes on

each side of the tabernacle. The tribe of Judah

was given the special honour of camping on the

east side near the entrance to God’s tent. They

were nearest the rising sun that signalled the

beginning of a new day. Why Judah?

Jesus, God’s Son, would later be born into

the tribe of Judah. Both Mary and Joseph were

descendants of this tribe who camped at the

entrance to the tabernacle. The Bible calls

Jesus the ‘Sun of Righteousness’. A light for

our world to show people the way to God.

How do you start each day? A bleary-eyed

look in the mirror? A moan about not being

able to find your PE kit? A snack, crackle and

flop into your cereal? Why not sunbathe for a

while. Yes, sunbathe! Roll out your Bible,

relax and soak up the Sun of Righteousness.

Talk with Jesus and get the day off to a

good start. Ask God to show you the hidden

meanings of His special camping kit … so you

can appreciate His love for you.

PRaY//Why not crash out With your bible More often? Whether it’s a half-hour sun creaM factor 8 session or a shorter five-Minute factor 2 session, soakinG in it Will do you Good. Make every day a sunday – sonday!

lord God, thank you for you for yspeakinG to Me throuGh the bible. please help Me to Get into the habit of spendinGtiMe With you, readinyou, readiny G the bible, every day. aMen.

When the IsRaelItes set uP camP, theRe Wasn’t a fRee-foR-all WIth eveRYone PushIng to get the best sPot on the sIte. god IntRoduced oRdeR Into the camP bY allocatIng Places aRound hIs tent.

engage//

4

Mon 3 SEPnUmbers 2:1 –6

‘on the east, towards the sunrise …’

NumbErs 2:3

if you really knoW Jesus as W Jesus as Wyour saviour there’s no need saviour there’s no need sto feel Grubby. the book of revelation says christians are ‘dressed in fine linen’ – a Way Way Wof sayinG We are Made holy. believe it; God has Made you stunninGly clean – thank hiM!

engage//

let’s take a quick tour round the

Have you ever run 100m? Well the outer courtyard of God’s tent was half that distance in length and nearly 25m wide. Any energetic priest wanting to jog round the outside would cover 150m – or ten laps for 1,500m. But what would you see if you jogged round the tabernacle? A long wall of pure white linen supported at intervals by posts, twenty posts down the length and ten posts across the width.

The posts and linen were 3m high so you couldn’t see over the top into the courtyard. As you jogged round to the east side there was a break in the linen. An entrance – the only opening – with a special curtain made of three colours.Anyone looking at the campsite would have seen masses and masses of dark tents belonging to the Israelites. Most of these were a hotch-potch of grubby animal skins stitched together. Then in stark contrast, right in the middle of these dirty-looking tents was this linen fence – brilliant white in colour.Why did God choose white for the outside of His courtyard? White is a picture of holiness. The linen reminds us of God’s purity. And the motley collection of old tents is us – grubby with disobedience.

Those on the outside of the tabernacle couldn’t see over the linen and were shut out from God’s presence – just as we are cut off from God until we ask Him to forgive us.Great news about the entrance though. God put a single route through the linen. And God still has just one way for us to come to Him – that is through Jesus.

TABERNACLE

5

TUES 4 SEPeXodUs 27:9–15

‘… curtains of finely twisted linen ...’

Exodus 27:9

God didn’t design His tent with a small entrance.

The opening was 9m wide. You could have literally

driven a couple of buses through there. The priests

(who didn’t drive buses) had plenty of room to enter

the tabernacle courtyard. Although there is only one

way into heaven, it’s open to anyone who trusts Jesus.

The linen curtain covering the entrance was vivid –

blue, scarlet and purple. This way in was way out – a

multi-coloured ‘door’ set in the white linen sides of the

tabernacle that shouted ‘This Way’. So, why did God go in

for this décor?

Some colours in the Bible have a special meaning. Blue

paints an image of heaven. Scarlet paints a picture of

earth and us. Now let’s look at God’s colour scheme again.

We have already seen that the entrance to the We have already seen that the entrance to the

tabernacle is a picture of Jesus. He even called Himself tabernacle is a picture of Jesus. He even called Himself tabernacle is a picture of Jesus. He even called Himself

‘the Door’, the only way to God. And the colours of that ‘the Door’, the only way to God. And the colours of that ‘the Door’, the only way to God. And the colours of that ‘the Door’, the only way to God. And the colours of that ‘the Door’, the only way to God. And the colours of that

tabernacle ‘door’ hint at the Lord Jesus too.

God says that althouGh our sins are like ‘scarlet’ (unholy) he can Make theMake theMake the White as snoW(holy). and Jesus caMe to Make that possible for anyone in the World... includinG you! is that aMazinG or What?

engage//

THAnK yoUon oUr ToUr We Come To

THe only ‘door’ To THe

TAbernACle.

blue shows where He came from – heaven. He is God’s Son. shows where He came from – heaven. He is God’s Son. shows where He came from – heaven. He is God’s Son. shows where He came from – heaven. He is God’s Son. shows where He came from – heaven. He is God’s Son. shows where He came from – heaven. He is God’s Son.sCarlet shows that He became human and lived in our world. shows that He became human and lived in our world. shows that He became human and lived in our world. shows that He became human and lived in our world. shows that He became human and lived in our world. shows that He became human and lived in our world. shows that He became human and lived in our world.PurPle (a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.(a mixture of blue and scarlet) show us that Jesus is both God and Man.How does that colour your opinion of Him?

6

WED 5 SEPeXodUs 27:16; JoHn 10:7–11

‘… a curtain … of blue, purple and scarlet yarn

and finely twisted linen …Exodus 27:16

Jesus carried his oWn Wooden altar, the cross, then Gave Gave G his life for us. take titake tit Me out to thank hiM for all he’s done for you and then thank hiM aGain – Gain – Greally thank hiM!

engage//

If you wanted to be forgiven you chose a young bull, male sheep or goat to take the death penalty for your wrongdoing. And you couldn’t choose a duff animal that had failed its MOT; it had to be in top condition. At the entrance to the tabernacle you placed your hand on the animal – a sign that it was carrying your sin. The priests then slaughtered it and sprinkled its blood on all four sides of the altar. After being cut into pieces it was burnt on the altar.

If you wanted to be forgiven you chose a young bull,

The first thing you see is an altar, 2.3m square and




1.4m tall. Its bronze coating glints in the sun. It looks




heavy, and strong enough to hold the weight of a




large bull. Yet, although it looks like solid metal, it has



a hollow wooden frame so it can be lifted and carried



on poles when it’s time to break camp.



Why have an altar inside the entrance to the

Why have an altar inside the entrance to the

tabernacle? It was God’s idea! He sketched out the plans



and showed them to Moses on Mount Sinai. God wanted



people to learn that they couldn’t come to Him without a

people to learn that they couldn’t come to Him without a

sacrifice being made for their sin.

It sounds gruesome doesn’t it? But sin carries a death penalty and God teaches that you can’t be forgiven without blood being shed. God was once again preparing people for the coming of Jesus – the perfect ‘Lamb of God’ would die as a once-and-for-all-time sacrifice for our failings. We don’t have to sacrifice innocent animals now because Jesus shed His blood on the cross so you and I could be forgiven.

THAnK yoUnoW leT’s pUT on oUr priesT disgUise And go THroUgH THe TAbernACle enTrAnCe.

7

THURS 6 SEPeXodUs 27:1–8

‘Make the altar … just as you were shown on the mountain.’

Exodus 27:8

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sep/dec2012 - CWRthe Holy of Holies. God told Moses the materials needed to build the tabernacle and the exact way it should be put together. Why did God go into such detail? He was