The Second Veil

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; (Matthew 27: 50-51)

At the moment Jesus died on that wooden cross an actual curtain located in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, two inches thick, was ripped in two, torn from it's top all the way to the bottom.  This was significant because the curtain separated an inner chamber that was called the Holy Place from yet another inner chamber which was called the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies.

The Jewish temple was patterned after the design God gave Moses for the tabernacle in the wilderness.  It had an outer court which featured the burnt offering altar as well as an elevated pool or laver which the priests were to use to cleanse themselves before entering the inner court.  In the inner court or Holy Place was located a seven light oil lamp stand, the table of shewbread and standing in front of the veil to the Most Holy Place was an altar of incense which was considered part of the ministry of the Most Holy Place.

A veil or curtain completely covered the way to the Most Holy Place in which was placed the Ark or The Ark of Testimony.  This was a wooden box covered by gold which originally had three items.  These were the stone tablets onto which God's finger carved the ten commandments and which were thrown down by Moses when he returned from the mountain and found the people worshiping a golden calf.  This represented the law, given by God but always bound to be broken by sinful man.  Then there was the rod of Aaron which budded.  This represented both the priestly and the prophetic ministries, deliverance of a sinful people from the bondage's of the world.

And last there was a jar into which was placed some manna that God miraculously provided for almost 40 years to feed the Jewish people in the wilderness.  The manna would spoil if one were to try to keep it for more than a day except for the manna gathered the day before the Sabbath which was given another day of freshness.  The provision ended the day the Jewish nation crossed over the Jordan to enter the promise land.  The represented God's provision when accompanied by faith and obedience.

On top of the Ark was a golden lid with a golden cherubim or angel on both ends whose wings extended over the lid.  This was called The Mercy Seat and it was upon this Mercy Seat that the high priest would once a year sprinkle the blood of the offering for the sins of the nation.

The great temple built by Herold which existed at the time of Jesus had an ark in the Most Holy Place but this was not the original one with the actual contents.  That was lost or hidden many hundreds of years earlier during the end of the first temple era.  The Most Holy Place did not have a candlestick as part of it's design because it once was lighted by the glory of God which would reside over the Mercy Seat.  But as in all religious practices after time the importance is more on the practice instead of the presence so it mattered little to the current priesthood.

The Book of Hebrews talks about this in chapter 9 when it compares the priesthood of Christ to the earthly priesthood.

Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant;  and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat;

Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, but into the second only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

Please don't miss the importance of the next sentence;   

The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time.  accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,  (Hebrews 9; 3-9)

The reason for the veil being torn is now given in verses 11 and 12.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;  and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood.  He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Do you understand what this means for you and me?  Jesus took upon himself at the cross all the sins of man, past, present and future.  He did this for us as our high priest and as our high priest He reconciled us to the Father.  In Him doing so, if He is indeed our high priest, man now no longer has need for a priesthood or an earthly high priest or for daily offerings and sacrifices for sin.  In Jesus the veil between man and God has been removed and in Him we have now entered into the Most Holy Place.

The way that works is described by Jesus in His prayer to the Father in the 17th chapter of the book of John.

This is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (verse 3)

Now Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.  (verse 5)

for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.  (verse 8)

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;  that they may all be one;  even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.  (verses 21 and 21)

Our purpose in life is to know the Father.  We can do so because the Father is in Jesus as Jesus is in the Father and They can come to be in us if we only ask Jesus to come into our hearts as Savior and Lord.  In doing so we also get a nice little bonus.  Jesus tells us that He will teach us and guide us by His Holy Spirit.

But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak and He will disclose to you what is to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.  (John 16: 13-14)

God's gifts of the law and the priests and the prophets and the provisions are now available to us through the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is our high priest and we are priests of a new covenant.  The second veil has been torn by God, from top to bottom and now we can freely enter His presence.  Praise the Lord!

But Seriously

On the way into work this morning I'm telling Jackie that a lot of people I test will ask how long I've been doing this.  In the past I've always told them the truth but if someone asks me today I'm going to tell them that this is my first day and what has kept me in the past from being a road test examiner is a medical condition called the Incredible Hulk disease which only manifests itself if I get very nervous.

Sure enough my second client of the day, Isaiah, a very nice and genuine 18 year old boy who recently moved here from Minnesota, arrives for his test.  As we are going through the residential area I warn him about an approaching pot hole.  "Be careful of that one" I say.  "A mini cooper drove into that awhile back and it took a week to find it."  Isaiah responds, "Wow!"

Then a short while later he asks me how long have I been doing road tests.  I tell him about this being my first day and the Incredible Hulk disease and add that I'm pretty sure I have it under control as long as he doesn't do anything to get me too n n n nervous.  "OK sir" responds a concerned Isaiah.  "I will try my best".

Of course I have to confess that I've actually been doing this for 15 years and Isaiah confesses that he's known to be pretty gullible and we go on from there.

Later on I mention to Isaiah that the only thing I really know about Minnesota are the Ollie and Lena stories.  He has not heard any of them before so I share one.

"Ollie and Lena are from the old country you know.  They are taking a drive one Sunday and pass by a little country airport that has a sign advertising biplane rides for $25 dollars.  'Oh Ollie' says Lena.  'I really would like to take a biplane ride'.  'No Lena' says Ollie.  'Not today'.  Lena persists so Ollie says; 'Lena, you know we don't have the money'.  'Oh please, please, please' says Lena.  'It's the only thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life!  Can't we just stop and look at the biplane?'

Ollie agrees and as they are walking around the plane the pilot strools up.  He asks them if they would like a ride and Lena tells him no, they don't have the money.  The pilot says that he has an idea.  He will take them up on a ride and if they don't say a peep then the ride is free but if he hears something then they need to cough up the $25.  Lena looks at Ollie and promises that she will keep quite and so the three get into the biplane, pilot in the front and Ollie and Lena in the back seat.  The pilot then proceeds to do the barrel rolls and loop de loops and sure enough, not a peep out of Ollie and Lena.

When he lands and starts to taxi the pilot yells back that he is very impressed that he did not hear a peep.  'Ya' says Ollie.  'And it wasn't easy when Lena went flying out' ".

The punch line given I look at Isaiah and his mouth drops open, a total look of both shock and surprise on his face.  I debate for a brief second if now is the time to remind him that this was only an Ollie and Lena story and decide that no, one confession a day was all that I'm required.

Two Fer

This cold, cold winter has got me thinking that, like Sam McGee on the marge of Lake Lebarge, cremation might be a fine option when my time comes.  Jackie and I have actually talked about this quite a bit.  We do  believe in the resurrection of the dead but since most of the world gets laid in the ground without being pumped full of preservatives, with worms crawling in and out the nose and snout, and nothing being left after a year, cremation shouldn't be a problem for the dead in Christ.

The other day I heard on the radio that the biggest change in the end of life business has been that so many more people are now choosing cremation.  I told this to Jackie on our way to the road test site Friday and she replies;  "Oh crap.  Now I guess the price for cremation is going to go way up."  Like me Jackie is half Dutch and although price is not the main reason we have liked the option we are also ones not to pass up on a good deal.

"Perhaps we should watch for specials on cremation" I suggest to Jackie and she counters with "Maybe they have deals on two fers."  Since this sounded like a plan I bring up the subject with my first client of the day Orlando, a 47 year old black man who looks like he might have had better days.  "If my wife and I can get a deal on a two fer" I tell Orlando "then there is no reason that we couldn't get a better deal on a four fer.  Are you in?"

Orlando agrees that this is smart thinking and that he will judiciously broach the subject with his girl friend.  "Honey, I've got good news and bad news.  The good news is that I've found a way that we might save a lot of money.  The bad news is that you might not get that vacation you were planning. You're just going to have to trust me on this."

When Jackie and I get a few minutes later on I tell her that it's been a good day and that I've already got 3 black couples signed up with us.  Can anyone say "group rate".

My dad use to tell me that when his time came he wanted to be laid out on his sailboat, pushed out into Lake Michigan and then we could set the boat afire.  Finally realizing that local laws prohibited this (and my mother frowning on the Viking idea of a two fer) he at least wanted to have some input on how he would be laid out.
"When you go to the funeral home and see the body in the casket everybody always says how nice the person looks.  Bob, they never look good.  They usually look like hell.  They look dead for pete's sake."

Bill wanted us to record his voice, place the cassette player in the casket, and then stand casually nearby holding our little play button.  When someone would remark; "Oh, Bill looks so good" we were to push the button and Dad would reply; "And you don't look so bad yourself."  I think my sister Char is still upset that we didn't pull this one off.

The first time we brought our young kids to a funeral home we get waylaid by some friends while coming in and our 8 year old Missy wanders off into the next room.  We realized this when we heard her scream at the top of her voice; "OH - MY - GOSH!"  Oops, we hadn't really prepared her for what she might see there.

After 64 years I think I am better prepared for how I want things to be after I tell my last story.  If you don't feel you have closure because you didn't see me laid out in a box, that's OK.  I'm really on vacation.  In Florida.  Telling the Pig With The Wooden Leg joke to guys with green pants hiked up to their mid bellies.

I still have hope that I might get the golden ticket and fly out of here at the rapture not smelling of smoke.  With Jackie coming with we will have a much better deal than the two fer we discussed.  Hey, how about that group package?  Love to see you there with us. 

This Is How We Roll

Tirael gets behind the wheel of the car he is renting from us for his driving test, a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu.  Eighteen year old Tirael is wearing driving gloves which he clamps down firmly on the steering wheel of the Malibu and announces to me with his big white smile; "I've been waiting to get my driver's license my whole life!"

After we get going I ask Tirael if he has taken any formal driver's training and he tells me no but that he has spent many hours practicing driving on his video game set, including two hours just before he came today.  "You mean like Grand Thief Auto?" I respond, thinking about cars smashing other cars, hitting people, dogs, cats, trash cans, going airborne and shooting cops.  He tells me yes but that he likes to play such and such a game (I can't give you the name here because I could only understand about half of what Tirael was saying).

"You're beginning to make me worried" I tell Tirael.  "Oh, I cut da speed way down and just cruise around town, nice and easy like" he assures me.  The test goes on and we didn't hit any objects or shoot any cops and Tirael does well enough to pass so maybe he's on to something.

I had a 16 year old guy today who did take driver's training and promptly blew through a four way stop early in the test.  Just before we went through his dad said; "Sam, watch it!" and Sam responds; "Dad, quiet.  I'm taking my test!". 

Then there was another 18 year old guy who didn't take any formal instruction who drove one handed the entire way (actually one palm on the wheel which he would remove to use the turn signal, which meant a second here and there when no hands or palms were on the wheel).  That was fun. The concept of traffic checks, where to stop, actually stopping, turning into the correct lane and a bunch of other stuff was quite foreign to him.  Lucky I carry a spare pencil for my score sheet.

One twenty year old woman arrived for her test today driving an old Pontiac Grand Am which was filled with trash.  The front passenger side seat where I plop my rear end had about three dollars worth of change on it (actually didn't feel too bad).  The floor in front of me had empty pop cans, food wrappers and other crap, both center cup holders had large but empty Styrofoam cups and I had to take a bulky box out of the open glove box so we could close it (ended up somewhere in the back seat).  Periogan had a thick stack of papers that she pulled from the glove box because she was looking for her insurance and registration documents and somehow they couldn't be stuffed back in so the stack also ended up in the back seat amongst all the other garbage. 

My mom always told me not to wear underwear with holes in it because if I got into an accident she didn't want me (actually her) to end up embarrassed.  Thinking about it, Jackie thinks the same as my mom.  This has never been a big concern for me however and after a while I actually felt comfortable riding in that cluttered Pontiac.

This is how we roll. 

The Word

In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God
He was in the beginning with God.

All things came into being through Him
and apart from Him nothing came into being
that has come into being.

In Him was life
and the life was the Light of men.

The Light shines in the darkness
and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There came a man sent from God
whose name was John.
He came as a witness to testify about the Light
so that all might believe through him.

He was not the Light
but came to testify
about the Light.

There was the true Light
which coming into the world
enlightens every man.

He was in the world
and the world was made through Him
and the world did not know Him.

He came to His own
and those who were His own
did not receive Him.

But as many as received Him
to them He gave the right
to become children of God
even those who believe in His name,

    who were born
    not of blood
    nor of the will of man
    but of God.

And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us

and we saw His glory
glory as of the only begotten from the Father
full of grace and truth.

John testified about Him and cried out, saying
This was He of whom I said
He who comes after me has a higher rank than I
for He existed before me.

For of His fulness
we have all received
and grace upon grace. 

(John 1: 1 - 16) 

O Me! O Life.

The new commercial for Apple's iPad Air features part of a Walt Whitman poem that Robin Williams quoted in the movie Dead Poets Society and ends with the refrain:  That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.  That the powerful play goes on and you will contribute a verse.  Apple and Williams then asks; And what will your verse be?

I think I found out today after Ben showed up for his driving test.  He was a huge 24 year old man sporting a full red beard, construction worker boots and large calloused hands.  After he squeezes himself into our rental car Ben looks me square in the eye and confides; "I suck at parallel parking".

"What a perfect title for when I compile my stories and publish a book about all of my road tests adventures" I think.  I SUCK AT PARALLEL PARKING could be my contribution to the recurring questions Whitman asks.

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish,  Those are my average customers!

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)  I'll admit, even after doing this for 15 years I've still got a lot to work on.

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd,  If this isn't referring to parallel parking then nothing is.

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,  O Me!  O Life!  Day after day they roll through stop signs, the same stop signs, the same right turns at red lights, over and over.  Does not one mortal man understand that stop means stop!  Your car should not move, the seconds must tick like sonic booms warning of impending disaster. Be like the frozen waves off the shores of Lake Michigan in the winter of 0 14.  You stand above it all, watching, thinking, amazed that while you are suspended above the raging forces of man and nature, time has waited for you.  And you, you have contributed a verse!

Oh No! Not Global Cooling

Below is from an article by Noel Sheppard published on 7/12/12.

"A new study published in the journal Nature Sunday completely debunks all previous claims that temperatures in recent decades are in any way historic demonstrating instead that things were much hotter on this planet during Roman times:

Here, we present new evidence based on maximum latewood density data from northern Scandinavia, indicating that this cooling trend was stronger (−0.31 °C per 1,000 years, ±0.03 °C) than previously reported, and demonstrate that this signature is missing in published tree-ring proxy records. The long-term trend now revealed in maximum latewood density data is in line with coupled general circulation models indicating albedo-driven feedback mechanisms and substantial summer cooling over the past two millennia in northern boreal and Arctic latitudes. These findings, together with the missing orbital signature in published dendrochronological records, suggest that large-scale near-surface air-temperature reconstructions relying on tree-ring data may underestimate pre-instrumental temperatures including warmth during Medieval and Roman times.

Here's a nice little graph to demonstrate what's really happened in the past 2,000 years:

 

The new study indicates that . . . the current warming (is) less serious than the Romans and others since have seen - and the overall trend actually down by a noticeable 0.3°C per millennium, which the scientists believe is probably down to gradual long-term shifts in the position of the Sun and the Earth's path around it."

I remember talking in the 1970's with a good friend of mine about Lake Michigan water levels.  He lived most of his life along that lake and he explained the various cycles that affect water levels.  There are short term, intermediate term and long term cycles, each bringing with them their highs and lows.  Thinking about that is one reason I love the graph above.  It covers over 2100 years yet if you take any smaller segment of it and then try to extrapolate from that information a prediction about the future you may end up being very wrong.

'But surely climate scientist's have factored in these fluctuations into their computer models' you may say to me, and I would reply, "No, and don't call me Shirley."

Here is what I know.  Are things in general warming up around here in West Michigan from when I was a boy 60 years ago?  Maybe yes, Holland had to move her Tulip Time festival up a week to help alleviate  more "stem fests".  You can't reason with an elderly angry tourist (although most of their buses are now hitting the casino's instead).  Does that mean that the seasons are changing because of emissions of man made carbon dioxide?  Maybe no, there are a lot of other factors involved and name calling to stifle any serious debate has always been a major pet peeve of mine.

First you have to know something about scientist.  Group think is the norm not the exception.  The reason is, as I've opined before, that grant funding, the life blood of scientists, depends on agreeing with what in reality is an establishment.  They are known to eat their babies.  Gradually some group manages to upset the apple cart and new thought can arise but now our graph is firmly (though becoming transitional)  in the man made carbon dioxide is bad for us camp.

What are "other factors"?  Well, sun spot cycles for one.  There happens to be direct correlation, traceable for centuries, which show the impact of sun spot activity on the earth's temperature.  Another is volcanic activity.  An active volcano by itself can emit more CO2 than all the cars, trucks, factories and buildings in the world combined.  Man made production of carbon dioxide, depending on who you believe, is anywhere from 3 1/2 to 7% of the total.  All the emission regulations in the world will barely affect the per cent of CO2 in our climate.  It even seems that there are benefits to the presence of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.  It makes plants grow, it shields our planet from being toasted to a crisp by the sun and here increased levels may actually be a factor in the cooling, not heating of our planet.

Before I go any farther I must admit that there are obviously some bad side effects to man made emissions (my own included) and that sensible regulations are wise.  Smog in closed environments such as LA or Mexico City is a health hazard and must be addressed.  Yet the politics involved today promoting so called global warming, with solutions such as the Kyoto Treaty and regulations that will close all of our coal production is really crazy and the purpose behind it is not the health of mankind but rather social engineering.

Consider excerpts from a speech given today by our Secretary of State, John Kerry in Indonesia (perhaps the cause of this rant).  

"Climate change may be the most fearsome weapon of mass destruction."  (Well, that and a bad Hersey bar)  

"Urgent action is needed".  (before I leave office)  

"Those who deny it are flat earthers"  (with my head proudly in the sand)

"We should not allow a tiny minority of shaky scientists and sever and extreme ideologues to compete with scientific facts". (hey, I know some of those quacks)  

"Nor should we allow any room for those who think the costs associated with doing the right thing out weigh the benefits".  (don't you love this most open of administrations)

"The science is unequivocal".  (and I've got some investments with my buddy Al in green technology)

And my favorite; "The solution is a new global energy policy".  (carbon credits, the intention of which is income redistribution but the reality is that the rich will get richer as will the ruling elite and the poor will be even more dependent on government and the middle class will suffer the lion share of the burden, at least in our country)