Dear Church Family,

These are exciting days at Lakeside! I am looking forward to having a new preschool wing and a new look in our sanctuary. And thank you for those who have given and prayed for these things. I believe the LORD will bless your generosity as His people desiring to see others come to Christ. Please pray for good weather on March 30th as we gather for one service outside on our sports field. This will be a great time of unity and fellowship and also allow for our construction transition to be complete in the sanctuary.

I found this great description of the tabernacle and temple I thought you’d enjoy:

The tabernacle and later the temple of Yahweh were alive with angelic, animal, and plant images. As such, visiting the sanctuary was like visiting the replacement Garden of Eden for the worshiping Adams and Eves of God’s people.

Here are some examples:

• two golden cherubim, with outstretched wings, were atop the mercy seat.
• images of cherubim were embroidered into the veil outside the Holy of Holies
• the walls of the temple had carved images of cherubim, palm trees, and flowers
• bronze water stands in the temple had panels with images of lions, oxen, and cherubim
• the temple’s giant bronze “sea,” was upheld by 12 oxen and its brim was like the flower of a lily
• the menorah resembled a tree with a trunk and six branches with cups like almond blossoms

Far from a plain, stark, no-frills sanctuary, God’s residence was purposefully designed to be vivid, artistic, and beautiful. The Lord’s house was a feast for the eyes.

The beauty of the Lord’s earthly residence, therefore, testified architecturally to the tabernacle and temple as the ongoing Eden, where his people continued to have access to his presence.

This beauty also served to mirror the fact that God himself is a lover of the beautiful. He created beauty, after all. All that is lovely in creation bears a silent but powerful message, not only of God’s existence, but his care, precision, order, glory, and goodness.

Though in this life we must endure all manner of ugliness, disorder, imprecision, and badness, there remains the promise, from God himself, that one day we Christians shall inhabit the New Jerusalem, a city dazzling in beauty, where we shall behold The Beautiful One face to face, all because of Christ.

Press On!

Mark