Before and After...

Read Exodus 25:10-22

Shittim wood was an essential wood used in the making of the Tabernacle of Moses; it was part of the furniture of the holy place and the holy of holies. We know that wood and trees in the word of God speaks of humanity (i.e. tree's of righteousness) and so it is interesting that the part of the ark that speak of deity (the mercy seat above the ark) is solid gold but the part that housed the commandments, the manna and Aaron's almond rod that budded was made of shittim wood and overlaid with solid gold. 








This is very interesting once you see the shittim tree (the before picture on the left); of all the wood to use it seems the most unlikely candidate for use in the Holy Tabernacle of God. It is very very hard and it is very twisted and contorted, almost a tormented wood. Here is a quote from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) - SHITTAH; TREE "...They are most picturesque trees with their gnarled trunks, sometimes 2 ft. thick, their twisted, thorny branches, which often give the whole tree an umbrella-like form...) Yet this twisted, contorted wood was what God commanded Moses to use to make the very ark of of the covenant which speak of the literal presence of God. It is a quite beautiful wood once proceesed (the after picture on the right).

There is a distinct message here and it is one of reclamation and being straightened for use; this wood speaks to us of the contorted and even twisted nature of man (even after salvation) and yet God uses man in His plan and to be a part of His holy dwelling place. This wood must have been very difficult to work with and required someone with a long suffering nature as it would have to be painstakingly straightened for use (this process of straightening wood usually requires heat, moisture and pressure) . This process tells us what God does to deal with mankind in the construction of His temple, He takes the crooked and makes them straight. God was the one who made it this way (He planted the Shittah tree at Sinai and required Moses to use it). Now the intent of this little commentary is to encourage us all; we all have twists and turns in our nature and have to be straightened out for use. This process is illustrated for us in people like Jacob who was deceitful with his brother and his father and yet he was so straightened out by the dealings of God that at his end he reflected the nature of God. We might think that Jacob was unique but he represents us all to a certain degree because we all have fallen short of the glory of God and we all have turned to our own way and the iniquity of of us all was laid upon Christ. He had to atone for every man woman and child. 

You may feel at times like this: "O' God, I have so many flaws in my nature and in my character, how can you ever use me?" But, in actual fact God seems to have indicated to us that we all have natures that need straightened and issues that need to be dealt with and we must conclude that He has committed to work with such people because He told us so in the Tabernacle of Moses through the use of the shittah tree . So be encouraged, yield to the workings of the Holy Spirit, cry out for grace as God brings you through His straightening process because in the end you will reflect the nature of Jesus Christ.