We are in chapter twenty-three of Exodus with our word for today which is actually a phrase used for the first time in the Bible. בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה house of the LORD or house of YWHW. It is used 256 times in the Old Testament. Let’s start with the first use in the Bible which so happens to be in our chapter for today. Exodus 23:19 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה into the house of the Lord your God. We see the exact same wording later in Exodus 34:26. So right away we see this is a location where one is to bring gifts and offerings to God as part of worship. Here are some of the things that could be brought as an offering. The spoils in battle we find this in Joshua 6:24. Hannah had promised God that she would give her son to serve him at his house. 1 Samuel 1:24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her … and she brought him בֵית־יְהוָ֖ה to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. Here are some restrictions for brining offerings and gifts. Deuteronomy 23:19 You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a male prostitute בֵּ֛ית יְהוָ֥ה into the house of the Lord your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God. We find people traveling to this location to worship. 2 Samuel 12:20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went בֵית־יְהוָ֖ה into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Judges 19:18 I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going בֵּ֤ית יְהוָה֙ to the house of the Lord. People would do this on a regular basis. 1 Samuel 1:7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה to the house of the Lord. God allowed Solomon to build a more permanent location in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 7:11 Thus Solomon finished בֵּ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה the house of the Lord and the king's house. All that Solomon had planned to do בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֛ה in the house of the Lord...he successfully accomplished. The items the Priests used as part of the sacrificial worship were used and stored there (1 Kings 7:45, 48, 51). Joash, the kings son, was hidden and protected there (2 Kings 11:3-4). This place was desecrated. 2 Kings 21:4-5. This place was neglected, in need of cleansing and restoration (2 Chronicles 24:18; 2 Chronicles 29:18, 35). The people polluted this place and as a result it was burned by the King of Babylon and its contents were taken away to Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:14, 18; 2 Kings 25:9). God made himself known in a special way there. 1 Kings 8:10-11 A cloud filled בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽהthe house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה the house of the Lord. God makes his presence known in a special way today through the church that is made up of individuals who have accepted the forgiveness of sins through Christ and the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. John 7:37-39 Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? I’ll close with these great Psalms. Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell בְּבֵית־יְ֝הוָ֗הin the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 27:4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָהin the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣הthe house of the Lord!”
