Was God A Minimalist?
The “Holy Place” of the temple contains only three pieces of furniture. Except for my bathrooms, not one of the rooms in my house contains just three pieces of furniture. I have unrealistic minimalist dreams. The Holy Place is empty except for three pieces. Is God a minimalist? Minimalism is about simplicity, and if you look just at that room, you’d say that he is. However, if we consider the infinite intricacies in God’s creations, they tell another story. God is masterfully complex from the expanse of the universe beyond what we know as the tiniest part of matter.
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[a] in the things that have been made…
Romans 1:20
God’s Complexity
A “quark” is the smallest piece of matter known to man. Its radius is a million times smaller than a grain of sand”. * The quark is a tiny piece of the many parts that make up everything we see. On the flip side, there are over 100 thousand million stars in our galaxy. Scientists have discovered that over 2 trillion galaxies before coming to the end of technology, not creation. Since the beginning of scientific study and philosophy, humankind has yet to reach the end of the universe. So far, the limitations to this belong to us, not God. There’s no limit to the outer reaches of God’s mind; we haven’t even found the limit to his creation in the largest or the smallest since. How, then, can God be minimalistic? There’s another side to him that is extremely minimalistic, and it’s all for our sake.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Mark 10:14-15
God’s Simplicity
When it comes to God’s plan for our salvation and relationship to us, he makes it as simple as possible. He crafted one beautiful crimson path that leads through our galaxy of sins to communion with a holy God. It was a hard path for Christ, but his sacrifice made it simple for us, who he loved. It’s not a restrictive path for only the rich, the brilliant, or the elite. This may be a challenge for those who find our value in what we do or who we are. My mom always said that the ground at the foot of the cross is even. God designed it to be so simple; a child could do it. Jesus even said to let the little children come to him, not to forbid them. The path to him in salvation and relationship is reflected in his temple design.
“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
John 3:16
God’s Design
The Holy Place had a specific design. It was twice as long as it was wide. Could that be symbolic of the cross? There was only one entrance, also symbolistic of Jesus as seen in John 10:7. Four pillars were holding up the curtain to the Holy of Holies. It’s a likely symbol of the four gospel books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The gospels frame and uphold the story of Jesus’ life and death on the earth for us.
So Jesus said again, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I am [a]the Door for the sheep [leading to life].
John 10:7
God’s Furniture
There are only three pieces of furniture in this exclusive room called the Holy Place. If the Holy Place is God’s living room, it would be the epitome of the minimalist style. Everything in this room serves a specific purpose. There was the Golden Lampstand, Table of Shewbread, and the Altar of Incense. Like the trinity, each of the three pieces of furniture in the Holy Place points to one God. Each week we will examine one piece, first the Golden Lampstand, next we will look at the Table of Shewbread, and then finally the Altar of Incense. The furniture, how it’s made, and what it is and does are simple but beautiful, easy but deeply symbolic. See you next week for the Golden Lampstand.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks…
Proverbs 1:20-21
Pray With Me
God, we thank you for making the way clear and easy enough for a young child to come to you. As a result, it challenges our pride, as we understand that you love us perfectly and accept us unwaveringly through the blood and not for what we can do for you. We pray that you would give us the wisdom to walk the simple crimson path to redemption and a relationship with you. Help us not to get the complexity of your glory mixed up with the ease of the path to salvation. Wisdom calls out to us, and we answer the call, humbling ourselves to the wisdom of the master Creator and opening ourselves to the wonders of your word. Amen.
