Today’s Scripture Reading (August 15,
2015): Psalm 90
The Roman
Coliseum was built as a physical symbol of the glory of Rome. And it was a
major engineering undertaking even for the knowledgeable Romans. It is
estimated the Coliseum would have held up to 80,000 people, rivaling some of
the modern sports stadiums. It was more than 157 feet tall and 620 feet long. But
it was more than just a box where people could gather to watch ancient sporting
events. The coliseum was a significant architectural achievement. It is likely
that the Roman Coliseum was built as a celebration of a major military victory
by Emperor Vespasian – possibly even as a celebration of his own ceasing of
power in Rome. If it was built to honor Vespasian’s rise to power, it is also
very possible that Vespasian never actually saw the completed building – the very
one who started the project died before the Coliseum, which took about a decade
to build, was completed.
Psalm 90 was
written by Moses, and as with many of the Psalms it is hard to date accurately
when the Psalm was written. But it makes some sense to place Psalm 90 here
after the close of the book of Exodus. Up until this point, the building of the
tabernacle – this movable temple – was the most complex construction project
that Israel had attempted. The cost had been high, but it was finally finished.
And unlike Vespasian, Moses was able to contemplate the finished structure. And
it is possible that as Moses was taking his first trip through the completed tabernacle
that the seeds of this Psalm formed in his mind, and especially this closing
thought - God, may you bless us, and bless the work of our hands – this tabernacle
that we have just finished for you.
And this
might be one of the biggest differences between the Coliseum and the tabernacle
– the underlying reason why these ancient building projects were started. The
Roman Coliseum was built to be a symbol of the glory of Rome while the
tabernacle was designed to be the glory of God. So Moses prayer was not just an
adornment to the process, it was an essential ingredient for all that was to
come. Unless God answered Moses prayer, then everything that was accomplished
by all of the artisans involved in the project was a waste. God needed to
establish what the Israel had completed with the work of their hands.
It might be
that principle that we have forgotten in the contemporary church. Whatever task
it is that we decide to undertake, it can’t be for our own glory. Everything
that we set our hands to must glorify God, and our prayers needs to echo the
prayer of Moses as we ask God to “establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of
our hands.”
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:
Leviticus 1
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