Ephod Of God

"Teach them the difference between the holy and the profane, between the clean and unclean. Teach them all the word God has given" (Leviticus 10:10). Emeralds, sapphires, diamonds? What do precious gems have to do with God? Everything, if you study the high priest breastplate and decode the message. Proverbs 25:2 says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search a thing out." There is much more buried deep in the scriptures than we know. It is a deep well of treasure waiting to be mined and just as precious as sapphires and diamonds. How does God see these jewels? Does the Hebrew name for ruby, written three thousand years ago, mean "flaming sword of light," and does it hint at the laser hidden inside its depths? Do these gems represent anything important and of great value? Absolutely! Is there a secret and mysterious meaning imbedded in the fact that God assigned a jewel to each tribe of Israel, accompanied by two very specific blessings and a tribal banner, which surprisingly has an astronomical significance? Jesus said that before He comes back, there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. Do these constellations, depicted in the tribal banners, tell us something of great import for the world? Are there warnings broadcast in the stars that we should be paying attention to them now? Buckle up and begin one of the most fascinating journeys into the mysteries of God.

The Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11: "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." This is not a call to dictatorship. Nor is it a declaration of the superiority of man. It is simply a doling out of responsibility. It is the husband and the father's responsibility to lead the family spiritually. What does this Biblical headship look like? What does it mean? How can a man fulfill the duties and responsibilities found therein? In this first book in the series, "Priest, Prophet, King" the author takes us on a journey to discover how the Biblical role of Priest relates to the man's roles and spiritual responsibilities as husband and father. There are a plethora of ideologies across denominations within Christendom and other religions as to what a priest should be. Unfortunately, the Biblical idea of a priest has been tarnished by many of these denominal and religious views. By definition, the essence of priesthood is to be a go-between from God to man and from man to God. Priests are mediatory agents between humans and God. In the Mosaic Law, it was only the High Priest who could enter into the presence of God on behalf of the people. Now in the New Testament dispensation, we are a kingdom of priests (Revelation 1:6). Each individual Christian has access to God on his or her own. However, the fact remains that man, as the spiritual head of the household, is still the one who represents the family to God and God to the family. In fact, there were certain garments that priests in the Bible were required to wear. These garments distinguished them from the rest of the people and identified them as the Priests ordained by God. One part of these garments is something called an "ephod." Upon this ephod were stones with the names of all the tribes of Israel engraved upon them. Therefore, when the priest went into the Most Holy Place, he carried the names of the people with Him. Thus we, as the priests of our homes, are ever to carry the names of our family members before the Lord. We must be "Wearers of the Ephod," by accepting responsibility to fulfill this God-ordained duty on behalf of our families. This book will help you learn how to step into your God-ordained position of priest of your home. Are you ready to be a "Wearer of the Ephod"?

From the creator of the bestselling and beloved Daily Bible® (more than 1 million copies sold) come 365 devotions that lead readers on a provocative chronological pilgrimage through Scripture--this time in trade edition. Readers can explore the riches and relevance of biblical stories, promises, and wisdom as they discover the commitment of ordinary people from Noah to Nathanael the faith and folly of heroes such as Abraham, Solomon, and Peter the power of prayer from the lips of saints and sinners the depth of trust exemplified by Moses, Deborah, and Mary the challenge of Jesus' teaching to reach for a higher standard F. Lagard Smith's observations and insights about the Bible provide readers with a rich experience. Whether read as a complement to The Daily Bible® or as an independent journey, these remarkable meditations reveal the purpose of a life built on God's Word.

"A masterpiece of contemporary Bible translation and commentary."—Los Angeles Times Book Review, Best Books of 1999 Acclaimed for its masterful new translation and insightful commentary, The David Story is a fresh, vivid rendition of one of the great works in Western literature. Robert Alter's brilliant translation gives us David, the beautiful, musical hero who slays Goliath and, through his struggles with Saul, advances to the kingship of Israel. But this David is also fully human: an ambitious, calculating man who navigates his life's course with a flawed moral vision. The consequences for him, his family, and his nation are tragic and bloody. Historical personage and full-blooded imagining, David is the creation of a literary artist comparable to the Shakespeare of the history plays.

Join author and minister David Murray as he introduces you to Jesus through the lens of the Old Testament. When you think of a son trudging uphill, carrying wood for his own sacrifice because his father has decided to give him up to death, what biblical event does this bring to mind? Is it Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22, or is it Christ's passion in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? The kinship between these two stories is deeper than mere coincidence, and the similarities don't end there. In fact, Murray argues that Christ isn't just present in the story of Abraham and Isaac--he's present on every page of the Old Testament. In Jesus on Every Page, Dr. Murray guides the reader down his own Road to Emmaus, describing how the Scriptures were opened to him, revealing Jesus from Genesis 1 all the way through Revelation 22. Dr. Murray shares his ten simple ways to seek and find Christ in the Old Testament, diving deep into: Christ's planet--discovering Jesus in the story of Creation Christ's people--discovering Jesus in the characters of the Old Testament Christ's promises--discovering Jesus in the covenants of the Old Testament Recognizing Jesus in the full breadth of scripture is important for every Christian. In this step-by-step guide to discovering Jesus in the Old Testament, Dr. Murray provides a framework that will help you start practicing this wonderful way of enjoying Jesus throughout the Bible. Whether you are preaching Jesus through Old Testament readings or just beginning to discover the reality of Christ in the Old Testament, Jesus on Every Page is an accessible guide to getting to know the Old Testament for what it truly is: full of Jesus.