This morning when I first woke up it occurred to me that the stories of the patriarchs seem to depict different pieces of the sanctuary furniture. Yesterday's reading covered Isaac's life and part of Jacob's and of course the day before covered much of Abraham's. I really like reading in this raceway fashion because it encourages me to see things from a different perspective. More like flying above the ground in a small plane and viewing your neighborhood from above. It's a very different view.
The first piece of furniture seems to be a reminder of Abraham's life. The altar. Abraham built an atar when he left Ur of the Chaldees. Then when the son of promise, Isaac, finally came---Abraham knew the distinct voice of God so well that he had no doubt whose voice it was who told him to offer Isaac on the altar of sacrifice. It so amazes me that Abraham's faith had grown to the point that he would knowingly raise up a weapon against his own son, the son of promise (albeit his second son--not his firstborn). He was willing to let go and let God. What faith he had. It makes me wonder now if when Abraham told Sarai to lie to Abimilech---was he hearing the voice of God there too? The only one who rebuked him was Abimilech. Seems God knew just how to approach Abimilech. No bible scholar has ever suggested this I'll admit. And it seems rather radical. But, I'm just saying that's how the story reads. Unless you add a lot of commentary.
But, back to the second piece of furniture. I do get sidetracked so easily which is why these flybyes are so critical to me refocusing. The second piece of furniture was the laver. Isaac dug wells with the help of his father. Then after Abraham died, the citizens of the land where they were sojourning filled the wells with dirt forcing him to find other sources for water. Isaac then dug many wells during his lifetime. The laver was full of water. And it seems to represent a well. The well is a beautiful metaphor. Incidentally, Jacob met his wife at a well---ok he met her inderectly through Eleazar. Jacob's favored son Joseph almost lost his life in a pit. One of those wells that had been filled with dirt? Makes me wonder. The well has always reminded me of new birth. Jacob's life started out with a very interesting birth (grabbing the heel of his brother). Also of interest is the seemingly mirror image story of the twins born to Tamar (Judah's daughter-in-law). There has to be something important for us to grasp in these two stories. But, how often do scholars discuss the second story?
The third piece of furniture was the table of shewbread. It held the wine and the bread. Two stacks of bread and one cup of wine if my memory serves me correctly. I guess when we get to Exodus and Leviticus I will be reminded once again. But for now, I'll just draw from my sketchy memory. Esau's life was about hunting and barbecuing. Jacob's life was about domestic cooking---he made the red pottage. Esau wanted the red pottage. That's all he could think about on that fateful hungry day when he lost his birthright to Jacob. Esau had many sons just like Jacob. And they were all tribe leaders called chiefs. The table of shewbread seems to point to the stories of Jacob and Esau.
Finally, the candlestick with the seven lights seems to depict Joseph. First of all the coat of many colors reminds me of a rainbow which is merely light bending or bowing. Joseph's famous dream was about the sheaves bowing to one in the middle. The candlestick is in the shape of a rainbow (well it's upside down I suppose--but the shape is still there). Also, the six lights are bent or bowed around the one center one. I guess there aren't twelve brothers around one center brother but then I wonder if the sons of the conqubines might be depicted elsewhere in the sanctuary? I have yet to check and see how many sons were born by the servants versus the wives. But, it does make me wonder. I've felt for a long time that the candlestick depicts Joseph's life and that studying the life of Joseph could help me understand this element of salvation. In a way, I guess I see the sanctuary as a large interactive story chart. Like a teacher uses to set up discussions. The type of chart that sorts information for study and discussion.
I can't wait to read tomorrow and see if there are any more icons that seem to line up with the sanctuary story board.
After previewing this post--I recall now that snugly inserted there somewhere after the story of Jacob is the story of Joseph's encounter with the butler and the baker. Seeing those two stories so closely together---I can't help but notice that the butler and the baker's stories seem to fall into the category of the table of shewbread. There's the glass of wine and the baskets of bread. One loses his life, the other one lives. The one with the wine lives. Not exactly what you'd expect. Wine and grapes are often symbols of something negative (from what I recall). More study for another day....
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