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EXODUS 36 BUILDING THE TEN CURTAINS FOR THE TABERNACLE

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August 28

EXODUS 36

8 And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains. They were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked. 9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size.10 He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another. 11 He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of the first set. Likewise he made them on the edge of the outermost curtain of the second set. 12 He made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set. The loops were opposite one another. 13 And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole.

                                                                   – Exodus 36:8-13

EXODUS 36 BUILDING THE TEN CURTAINS FOR THE TABERNACLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After the Lord assigned all the craftsmen to work on the tabernacle

All the craftsmen began making the ten curtains of the house of the Lord

Blue, purple and scarlet yarns were used for the building of this place

All the curtains were similar in sizes and grouped in two sets of fives.

There were only specific types of materials used which were fine twined linen and only three colors which were blue, purple and scarlet. According to the inspired scripture.com website, the fine linens pointed toward the unified and purified body of Jesus.2 Peter 1:4 and Colossians 1:22,27 says that as a believer, Jesus has imparted some of His righteousness to believers by making them holy with his blood. Blue symbolizes heaven. It is only through Jesus that we can have access to heaven. Purple symbolizes his royalty as “King of kings.” As mentioned in Revelation. The scarlet material symbolizes his blood that was poured out to atone for our sins as revealed in Revelation 7:14 and Hebrews 9:14. The ten curtains joined together as one symbolizes the divine order that comes from living out of love and not obligations and the 50 loops and clasps symbolize the freedom from sorrow that comes from living within the protection of his Covenant.

REFLECTION

·       What can you learn from the making of the ten curtains by God’s chosen craftsmen?

EXODUS 36 OVERFLOWING CONTRIBUTION FOR THE SANCTUARY

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August 27

EXODUS 36

 “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.”2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4 so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. – Exodus 36:1-7

EXODUS 36 OVERFLOWING CONTRIBUTION FOR THE SANCTUARY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the Lord asked the Israelites to take part in building the sanctuary

He required them to give a contribution from their hearts & out of their generosity

The freewill offerings came every morning so that the task was done by the craftsmen

But it came to a point when the overflow was too much that they were restrained.

What an interesting account that proves God’s blessings on all those who contributed willingly and generously out of their hearts. The Lord God assigned craftsmen to execute his detailed plan for the sanctuary, but he also provided the materials that came from each of their plunder from the Egyptians when they were let go by them. I think that they realized that after they sinned against God with the golden calf, they can no longer use the material wealth given to them for their own purposes, but to give back to God what they have actually received from their Lord who provided everything for them.

Whenever we give out something from our hearts to glorify the Lord, He multiplies what we supply. Because the Lord is a generous God, he expects us to be like him too when we give. After all, everything belongs to him.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important for Christians to be generous to give for God’s work?

EXODUS 35 ARTISTIC GIFTS FROM GOD

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August 26

EXODUS 35

30 Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, 32 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. 34 And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer. – Exodus 35:30-35

EXODUS 35 ARTISTIC GIFTS FROM GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God assigns people to do his artistic design

He chose Bezalel and Oholiab from his various tribes of Israel

To Bezalel, he gave him talent to cut silver, bronze and gold

He was also given the ability to cut stones and carve wood

Oholiab was filled with engraving and embroidering skills

He is able to work with the various yarns and weave linens.

The two people whom God entrusted to oversee the building of the Tabernacle were Bezalel and Oholiab. They were filled with God’s Spirit so they can execute the ornate and very detailed design that God himself created. In order that a divine design can be implemented, he had to ensure that he equipped the people he assigned with the craftsmanship in the building of the Tabernacle. Aside from that, he also gave them the ability to teach and to be knowledgeable in God’s truth.

I am especially honored that not only God gave me the artistic abilities in painting, photography, theatre arts, musical and culinary arts, but also in the literary arts which I have been gifted with much later in life. I never thought that I could write poetry and commentaries for spreading God’s word until I was in my late fifties.  He also gave me a hunger for his word and a longing to know him deeply. All these gifts are from God and they need to be used to give him glory.

REFLECTION

·       How can God’s gifts be misused by some people?

EXODUS 35 THE LORD PROVIDES WHAT HE REQUIRES

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August 24

EXODUS 35

10 “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 12 the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; 13 the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; 19 the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.” – Exodus 35:10-19

EXODUS 35 THE LORD PROVIDES WHAT HE REQUIRES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God requires his people to build details for building his church

He also provides every item and gives all resources for them to build it

Because he created everything, he is also the source of all things

When he asks us to do something, he wants our obedience in doing it

He could have done it all himself, but he also makes us his co-creator

Let us trust and obey the Lord when he requires us to do something.

This account is almost synonymous to Exodus 31 instructions in building the altar, tabernacle and the Most Holy of Holies. The focus on this chapter is mostly on how God gives us a part in being co-builders of his church. He could have built the church himself and not involve anyone in doing so. He made the whole creation by himself so why involve people in building the church? God is love and therefore he wants to be in a relationship with his people. When he instructs us, he is building a relationship with us and making us involved in his plans. He requires obedience and trust which he himself gives us as well. I think that he wants us more to learn trust and obedience when he gives us details in order to execute his salvation plan.

REFLECTION

  • Why is trust and obedience important virtues to exercise in the Christian Walk?

EXODUS 35 ON SABBATH & ON BUILDING THE CHURCH

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August 23

EXODUS 35

Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. 2 Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.”4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, 7 tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. – Exodus 35:1-8

EXODUS 35 ON SABBATH & ON BUILDING THE CHURCH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord created all things in six days then rested on the seventh day

Since he made us in his likeness, he wants us to work and also rest

When we work, we get wrapped up in our toil and may forget to praise God

The seventh day is a holy day so we can honor and praise the Giver of life

All believers must participate and contribute to build the church of God

The Lord gives us resources not for our own use but to build God’s church.

This was the third time God mentions the Sabbath in his holy book aside from Ex. 20:8-11 and in Dt. 5:12-16. It must be very important to him. Jesus also talks about the Sabbath in Matthew 2:27-28 and says that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Why do you think God made the Sabbath? We are sinful people and if we constantly work all week, we will surely forget to rest and give thanks and glory to the Lord. It is easy for us to forget what God has done when we keep on working. Our focus shifts to our efforts and our achievements instead of on God who gave us the capacity to work and the resources to do so. When we rest, we get a respite from toil and remember our Source and Giver of Life. We also get refreshed after rest. Some people get sick when they constantly work because they get obsessed with what they do and be out of balance.

REFLECTION

  • Why is the Sabbath one of the most ignored laws of God nowadays?

EXODUS 34 WRITING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

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August 21

EXODUS 34

25 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover remain until the morning. 26 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

                                                                     – Exodus 34:25-28

EXODUS 34 WRITING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord asked Moses to stay with him in writing the covenant

He was with the Lord forty days and forty nights

He didn’t eat bread or drake water as he wrote the words

It is God who told him what needs to be written on those tablets.

According to inspiredscriptures.com In Canaan, if one wished to gain favor with a deity, he or she would slay a young goat in milk and present it to the deity (The Ras Shamra tablets, Archeology and Bible History, by Joseph P. Free. pg 105). Orthodox Jews, however, now interpreted these verses to prohibit serving animal meat with cheese. But this interpretation is incorrect. Abraham once served a meal with meat and cheese (milk and curds) (Gen. 18:7-8).In Exodus 23:19 the Israelites were commanded to bring the best of the firstfruits of their soil to the house of God and they were prohibited to cook a young goat in its mother’s milk. In Deuteronomy 14:21, they were prohibited to eat anything that they found already dead. They can give it to foreigners in their town or sell it to these foreigners, but they were not to eat it.

When Moses fasted forty days and forty nights, it was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ fasting those same number of days and nights in the desert and he was tempted by the devil. When Moses was told to write the words of the covenant, he needed to be pure. If we serve the Lord, we also need to be holy and pure as God is holy.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Moses fasted when he was writing the ten commandments?

EXODUS 34 COVENANT RENEWED & COMMAND TO DESTROY IDOLS

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August 19

EXODUS 34

10 And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.11 “Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 12 Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. 13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim 14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.17 “You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.– Exodus 34:10-17

EXODUS 34 COVENANT RENEWED & COMMAND TO DESTROY IDOLS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord gave his people requirements for the renewed covenant

He will bless them and give them favor so all nations will know he is God

He promised to drive out all those living in Canaan so that they can occupy it

They were to destroy all the altars and pillars and cut down their Asherim

He is a Jealous God and wouldn’t want them idolizing other gods

They were not to yoke with pagans or make images to make idols.

In this account, we see God’s mercy for his people. Because they repented of their idolatry of the golden calf, they were given another chance to prove their faithfulness to the Lord. So, God renewed his covenant with them but reiterated his command to destroy the poles, altars and images that were created of other gods. God was clearly teaching his people how important it is to do this so that they can stay faithful to him. In turn, the Lord will bless them and grow them into a prosperous nation that other nations will know that it was God who gave them all these favors. God was very clear about his character about being jealous and so the Israelites were prohibited from participating in their paganism.

REFLECTION

  • Why were they prohibited from participating in worship of other gods?

EXODUS 34 THE NEW STONE TABLETS

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August 18

EXODUS 34

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” – Exodus 34:1-9

EXODUS 34 THE NEW STONE TABLETS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Moses got mad at the idolatrous sin of the Israelites

He threw the tablets of stone at their unfaithfulness

The Lord God instructed Moses later to cut two tablets of stones after

Then God wrote again in those new stone tablets what was in the first tablets.

It is interesting to know that there was no mention of God confronting Moses when he threw the stone tablets at the Israelites upon the discovery of their worship of the golden calf. I would surmise that Moses’ anger was legitimate to God because he knew that they had committed a grievous sin. He hated that they were unfaithful to God when they idolized that golden calf. God showed his approval of his anger when he instructed Moses to get two new stone tablets so he could write again his laws on it.

REFLECTION

·       How does God manifest his mercy in this account?

EXODUS 33 MOSES REQUESTS TO SEE GOD’S GLORY

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August 17

EXODUS 33

17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” – Exodus 33:17-23

EXODUS 33 MOSES REQUESTS TO SEE GOD’S GLORY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Moses desired so much to see the glory of the Lord

He requested to be given favor to see the God he served

Because the Lord knew that if Moses sees his glory, he would die

So, he told him to go and hide in a cleft of a rock as he passed by

Moses was granted to see God’s back even though he didn’t see his face

What a privilege it was for Moses to be given that favor to see God’s presence!

Have you ever desired to see or know someone so closely and so intimately? This was Moses’ request to God. After years of obeying God and being used by the Lord to deliver his chosen people, Moses’ hunger to know his Master grew deeper as well. His relationship with the Lord grew through those forty years that he led the Israelites in the wilderness. What a big shift it was from the first time God showed himself to him in the burning bush. Moses was reluctant when he was instructed to talk to Pharaoh to release the Israelites from bondage. He didn’t know the Lord then, but after God had used him to do miracles and wonders, Moses’ desire to want to see the Lord was insatiable.

There were only a few people in the Old Testament whom God showed himself to. Jacob wrestled with God, who assumed the form of an angel. Moses was able to be shielded from dying by God himself when he saw God’s back by instructing him to hide in the cleft of a rock. God made sure that he was safe from dying.

REFLECTION

  • Share an experience when the Lord showed or made himself known to you.

EXODUS 33 MOSES’ PRAYER FOR ASSURANCE

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August 16

EXODUS 33

12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”  – Exodus 33:12-16

EXODUS 33 MOSES’ PRAYER FOR ASSURANCE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Moses trusted the Lord so much and asked for assurance

Because he had a relationship with God, he could ask him favor

Even if Moses didn’t know the rest of God’s plan

He was reassured by God that they will give them rest.

Trust is an important ingredient in a relationship. In Exodus 3, we recall how God appeared to Moses in the burning bush. Moses was reluctant to go to Pharaoh to ask him to release the Israelites, but God also reassured him that he will be with Moses as he delivers the people from the Egyptians and lead them to the Promised Land. Moses was given all the powers and signs during the ten plagues in Egypt. From that time, we can surmise that Moses has developed his trust in the Lord by this time. Although this account happened after the great sin of the golden calf, we can still witness here God’s faithfulness. He could have just annihilated the Israelites for worshiping that calf, but the Lord still shows mercy and favor to his people.

The Israelites travelled 40 years in the wilderness and those number of years must have built that trust that Moses have for the Lord. In verse 13, Moses was still asking the Lord to make himself known to him. God’s ways are not our ways. He will reveal himself to anyone who would want to deeply know him, but not necessarily understanding God’s ways. It’s God prerogative how much understanding he wants to happen.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important to trust God even if we don’t understand things?