Today's readings from the One Year Chronological Bible Reading Plan are Exodus 37:1-39:31. Click here to read online.
Today's readings come very close to finishing off the the details of the tabernacle as well as the book of Exodus itself.
This commentary discusses the tabernacle and it's characteristics. The tabernacle was a functional facility serving as the meeting place between God and man. It solved the problem of having a holy God dwell among sinful people by being portable and by it's design - the curtains separating the people from God's presence, the tabernacle being sanctified and the sacrifices so that their sins could be atoned for (though not permanently) providing communion between God and His people.
The tabernacle displayed amazing wealth and artwork - 1,900 lbs. of gold, 6,437 lbs. of silver, and 4,522 lbs. of bronze.
The tabernacle involved all the people - either through their donations, their skilled labour or both.
The tabernacle's excellence (in material and workmanship) and holiness reflected the excellence and holiness of God.
Though the tabernacle was made with various elements, its unity was emphasized over all - unity in design, unity in function and unity in purpose.
The tabernacle was designed and built to last, and it was designed by God Himself. It was His idea, His initiative, His design.
God gave very specific instructions to Moses who managed the project.
From the Life Application Study Bible...
In building the tabernacle, Moses laid out the steps, but Ithamar supervised the project. We all have different talents and abilities. God didn't ask Moses to build the tabernacle but to motivate the experts to do it. Look for the areas where God has gifted you and then seek opportunities to allow God to use your gifts.
Throughout the entire book of Exodus we see how Moses has grown. He started off simply wanting God to pick someone else, and by the end he has grown in faith and confidence. He fasts for 40 days, communes with God, experiences righteous anger at the sin of the Israelites, and expertly manages the construction of the tabernacle - inspiring the workers and ensuring that everything was done right down to the last detail. God has turned him into a leader. God will not call us to do something without giving us the strength to do it.
So much detail in these chapters! The Creator of the universe is also concerned with the little things. Matthew 10:30 tells us that God even knows the number of hairs on our heads. Nothing in our lives is too small to take to God. He is greatly interested in every detail of our lives.
Tomorrow's passage: Exodus 39:32-40:38, Numbers 9:15-23.
3 comments:
Great comment about God being concerned about the little things. So often we think He's got so much to see/hear/consider with the entire world that he couldn't possibly be interested in the details of our everyday lives. Thanks for the reminder that He cares about everything, great or small, tragedy or triumph, pain or joy.
your hairs on the head comment reminded me of a fun spontaneous thing i did with my six year old son on google earth. we were looking at the updated footage of our town and neighborhood, and his schoo, even his classroom. i was saying "isn't it amazing that inside that little room is a little boy in a desk who God cares so much for, he even knows the hairs on his head!" Then we backed out very slowly to see how big his town, the state of Ca, the country, the earth, were" As I zoomed in slowly again I just repeated each step with "God sees the whole massive earth (very tiny speck in the universe in the palm of God's hand), and somewhere there is a country God knows all about, and a state, and a town, and a little school, and a small classroom, where there sits that little boy that he sees learning and growing every day."
He really liked that and it was a good journey for me too.:)
awww what a cool idea that was Mrs Oz!!
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