Copycat

Exodus 25:40 “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.”

Man has always tried to copy a good idea. Corporate espionage has been alive since the dawn of time. One finds a more efficient way of doing something or an innovative machine or method, and everyone wants the blueprints.

We are no different today. Man’s desire to ‘do it himself’ is his undoing when it comes to God.

God tells us; “Do it My way and it will all work out.

We say; “Why can’t I do it my way?”

Throughout God’s Word, we find the answer unfold. We cannot come to God our way because He is holy, and those that approach Him must be holy.

The law was given not as a set of rules to follow to be holy. No, it was given as a mirror into our lives to see that we could never become righteous on our own. God’s way was to provide a high priest – Aaron being the first human to represent God.

God’s instructions for the high priest were detailed and extensive.

It was to show us, even then, that man could never emulate or copy what was needed to take away a man’s sins. That high priest was God’s intermediary; our Advocate. He wore special clothing. He went through a unique cleansing process to prepare himself to be clean when he came before God.

Exodus 28:36 “And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.”

He was set to bear the sins of the Israelite people before God to offer a sacrifice for their sins and be cleansed and accepted.

Exodus 28:38 “And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.”

The instructions given to Moses those forty days and forty nights there on the mount were detailed and lengthy. God said that they were a pattern of what was in Heaven, and must be followed precisely. He was given exact measurements; specific colors and materials to be used to construct the tabernacle.

Hebrews 9:23 “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

There is only one way; God’s way. It may seem right to us, but it is the end of the matter that we must consider.

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

It may look right. It may feel right. The majority may even accept it, but if God says, “No,” He means “No.” If He says “This way” and we want that way, we are wrong, and He is always right.

If God is always good – and He is, and He is always right – and He is; then why would we ever trust our way in anything?

By doing things God’s way, you will find blessing, peace, mercy, grace, forgiveness, provision, protection, and power.

If you are a saved, child of God, He will lovingly guide you back to His way when we’ve taken a wrong turn or played the rebel and ran.

Throughout history, we find that we do not learn from history. The mistakes of one are repeated to try and force a different outcome. To repeat the same pattern over and over, expecting a different result is called ‘insanity.’

You and I would be insane to try to depart from what God tells is the way of blessing, the way of protection, and the way of acceptance.

We would do it if the outcome were desirable to us. If I told you to stand on a particular corner and shout at the top of your lungs that you are a fool and in so doing, I would give you a million dollars (purely fictitious, of course!), you would not hesitate – no matter what anyone would say.

But that which God tells us, we view as abnormal; out of the ordinary. We claim it is outdated, out of touch with the times or just old fashioned. Jeremiah told the Israelites of God’s way and His plan for them, and they had much the same response.

Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”

Copy His way. Model His methods. Follow His path. It is tried and true. He promises that you will be blessed if you do it God’s way. Take Jesus at His Word:

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”