1.31 Exodus 35-40

Brandon Kainulainen

1.31.2020

Exodus 35-40

Today’s reading focuses on the creation of a temple area and the Tabernacle. This Tabernacle was a new “tent of meeting” for the Lord to come down and fill. The whole temple area consisted of the Tabernacle, the Ark, the Table, the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, the Altar of Burnt Offering, the Basin for Washing, and the Courtyard. Most of the objects were made of acacia wood and covered in pure gold. These each were created just as the Lord commanded them to be. Moses then inspects the Tabernacle and finishes the work by putting up the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard. The Glory of the Lord would fill the Tabernacle and clouds would cover over it. Whenever it was time to move the clouds would lift and the Israelites knew it was time to move.

Key Verses:

Exodus 36:3-7

 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. ⁴ So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing ⁵ and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

⁶ Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, ⁷ because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

These verses stand out to me because they show how dedicated the Israelites were to the creation of the Tabernacle and their dedication to God. The way the Israelites start giving and giving and giving, with not only gold and silver but with their skills which they credited to God, really shows the heart of the people. These verses make a good summary of these chapters because everything they were creating, they were doing it with gifts from God to worship God. 

How does what you read change your vision of God? 

What I read changed my vision of God by showing him as someone who asks you to do things. We are all asked to use our skills for the Glory of God and we are all asked to build up him kingdom and his presence in the world. It made me truly reflect on what God is asking me to do with my skills and with my life to honor him and make a home for him.

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others? 

My vision of myself changed from this reading in that I reflect on whether or not I’m giving everything in abundance to God. I wonder if I am giving so much that God is going to have to stop me from giving more. I know this isn’t true so I must reflect on what more I should be giving to what God has called me to do.

How will you Go With God because of this reading?

I will Go with God after doing this reading by intentionally using skills that God has given me to better his kingdom and to better his purpose. We all have a lot to give and a should be giving that in abundance. This is clearly shown in these chapters as the Israelites giving until they are asked to stop and create exactly as the Lord asks.

Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?) 

My immediate thought as I read through the verses about the curtains being made and the Tabernacle being built was the curtain/veil being torn in half as Jesus died. This can be found in Matthew 27:51 – “At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.” This happens immediately as Jesus died. This shows how with Jesus’ death on the cross we are now freely given a way to communicate with God. We don’t need a priest to go into the Tabernacle. We are living temples and Tabernacles through Jesus.