Thursday, June 28, 2007

Bezaleel Exodus 37, 38, 39 The Doing

Exodus 37:1 "And Bezaleel made the ark... v6...and he made the mercy seat...v7 ...and he made two cherubim...v10...and he made the table v12..also he made thereunto a border v15 and he made the staves..v16...and he made the vessels v17 and he made the candlestick of pure gold v23 ...and he made his seven lamps v25...and he made the incense altar v27 and he made two rings of gold v28 and he made the staves v29 and he made the holy anointing oil..."

We revisit Bezaleel from chapter 31 verse 2. were the Lord told Moses about the call of the son of Uri, the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. Look at verse 3

"And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship."

In chapter 31 we have the call and the abilities given to do what is commanded. In chapter 37 and 38 we see that Bezaleel was indeed given the wisdom to do all manner of things. I started off as I did above to emphasize that this man was able to make all kinds of items needed to build the sanctuary.

We are starting to see a sort of division of tasks. Moses is the leader and the spokesman for the Lord to the people. Aaron is the priest and concerned with keeping the offerings and such in order. Bezaleel is given the job of making what is needed.

The phrase 'and he made' is prominent in many verses. That was his command and he was faithful. He did have someone with him Chapter 38 v23 his name was Aholiab who was an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.

Chapter 38:21"This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest. Witnesses are also listed.

Gold: v24 29 talents, thirty shekels
Silver:v25 200 talents, thousand,seven-hundred,threescore and fifteen shekels
Brass:v29 70 talents, 2400 shekels

Then as they put it together more people are involved. Many verses have ...and they..." to show this.

v30 "And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD."

V43 "And Moses did look upon all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them."

We have zipped through three chapters not because they are less important but because they should be read through. I believe one lesson from chapter 31 and these chapters is in Bezaleel who was called for a particular purpose and appropriately equipped to do the job. Also that the job was completed.

We should remember that the purpose for all this work is so the Lord will have a place among the people as they travel and camp on the way to the promised land.

It is unfortunate that sometimes we get so intent on the doing that we forget the purpose for the doing. It is not so the workman can be remembered but so that the Lord may be honored.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God."

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Sidenote

We are in the book of Exodus which is the second book of the Bible. The children of Israel have been delivered from Egypt and are at Mount Sinai receiving the commandments and building the sanctuary. The study may seem to go over the same ground several times but there are differences. In some places, it is the command to do, in others it is preparing to do and then there is the doing.

Reminders are given of things already said and we know that we must all be reminded from time to time.

Israel is doing new things now. They are doing very detailed work and so we often read things very familiar. It helps us learn and it did them.

We will go into the law and commandments in detail in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy and see the doing of those things that have been commanded.

It is not until we get to Joshua that we see the people moving to the promised land. They are now learning, and becoming established in the things they should be doing and their conduct in the future.

So we must have patience in our study. We are seeing a nation built of slaves. It seems now that they are unruly students but they will become grounded and take the teachings for their own beliefs.

Offering Exodus 35 and 36

Exodus 35:5-6 "Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass, And blue, and purple, and scarlet and fine linen and goats hair..."

It is a long list that is needed for the building of the tabernacle and other things. The people took to this task as if with new energy.

v25 "And all the women that were wisehearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple and of scarlet and of fine linen. v26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats hair."

This seems to be the attitude that prevailed in Israel. Everyone gave offerings and did that which would help with the job of building the sanctuary. So much so that in Chapter 36 verse 6 nd 7 they had to be stopped.

"And Moses gave commandment and they caused it to be proclaimed thoughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make anymore work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. v7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much."

So chapter 36 continues with descriptions of how the work went on.

It is great when people do so well that someone has to say that's all we need.

Psalm 31:23 "O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer."

New Tables Exodus 34

Exodus 34:1 "And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest."

I think I stated someplace that Moses had to write on the second tables but I have learned something already today. He did hew the tables but the Lord has said here that he would rewrite them. The broken ones are in the ark. I wonder where the second ones are now.

It appears that the Lord rewrote the part broken by Moses but then in verse 27 Moses does some writing "And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words; for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel."

In this chapter the Lord and Moses seem to have a personal conversation before the commands are given. Moses again pleads with the Lord to go among us, and admits that the people are stiffnecked as the Lord had said in our last chapter.

The Lord goes on to describe to Moses how he will prepare the promised land for Israel. He also reminds Moses of the necessity not to mix with the people of that land because of the danger of temptation to worship their gods. The Lord uses the name Jealous in verse 14 saying "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a Jealous God:"

In the Bible names are very descriptive of who the person is. Different names of the Lord are given us throughout the Bible revealing more of who he is to us.

After the great disappointment in the actions of the people in making the image while Moses was gone on the mount, a wonderful verse is given us verse 6 And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, lonsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth."

It would take all those qualities to put up with us: mercy, grace, lonsuffering
Then we are told of his goodness and truth. We can trust him to do right and tell us the truth.

Then he deals with the firstborn belonging to him and feast.

v29 "And it came to pass when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testiony in Moses hand, when he came down frm the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him."

So much did he shine that he the people were afraid and Moses put a veil on his face when he talked with them but removed it when he talked with the Lord again.

Proverbs 3:26 "For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken."

If you are reading please leave a note

Doing this study keeps me on a sort of schedule to read so I will continue as long as my health allows. I hope it helps someone do the same. Feel free to leave a note that you were here. It is very encouraging. Thanks.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Exodus 33 Moses Prays

Exodus 33:13 "Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people."

v14 "And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."

v15 "And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence."

The situation is very tense here. Moses has come down and found the people deep in sin. The Lord is pretty disgusted with the people and the Moses sets up the tabernacle outside the camp. He and Joshua go into the tabernacle but at one point Moses goes outside the tabernacle and Joshua remains. It is outside the tabernacle that the conversation between the Lord and Moses takes place.

In verse 3 the Lord tells Moses that he will take them to the land promised but will not go in midst of the people but rather he will send angels to prepare the way for them.

Here the phrase used often since is born "v5 "...Ye are a stiffnecked people..."

Moses seeks to see the Lord and is hid in a cleft of the rock v21-23 and sees part of the Lord but not his face.

v17 "And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name."

I find this a very beautiful chapter. The situation is bad. The people are out of fellowship with the Lord. Moses, in the midst of this trouble, finds comfort from the Lord.

Psalm 22: 10-11 "I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou are my God from my mother's belly, Be not far from me; for trouble is near, for there is none to help."

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

False Gods Exodus 32

Exodus 32:1 "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him."

Contrast this verse with the promise of the people back in chapter 20 verse 23

"Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold."

chapter 19 verse 8 "And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord."

Imagine for a moment our forefathers working feverishly on the Declaration of Independence and coming up with a good plan for the people and the country. Exhausted and excited they come to the people only to find they had went over to the enemy. Perhaps Moses felt emotions and disappointment similiar to what they would have felt when he came from talking with God and found false gods in the camp.

We know now that Israel survived but at that point in time they were on the verge of nonexistence.

verse 9-10 "And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people and behold it is a stiffnecked people; Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

It sounds like the Lord was saying, never mind all the plans from Abraham, Issac and Jacob and the rescue from Egypt. I'll just start all over with you Moses.

Not only is the Lord angry but Moses is very unhappy as well.

verse 19-20 "And it came to pass, as soon, as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he casst the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, a made the children of Israel drink of it."

The people are guilty and they have no defense. Between them and the wrath of God stands one man. Moses. Three thousand men v28 fell that day under the judgment of God but the nation survived because of Moses and the mercy of the Lord.

verse 31-32 "And Moses returned unto the Lord and said Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee out of thy book which thou has written."

But the Lord did not put the peope's sin on Moses but rather plagued them v35 "And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made."

In another time and another place, another man stood before God in defense of people who had sinned. This time the sins of the people were placed on the man and a way of salvation was made.

Romans 5:19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. v21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Psalm 6 1-2 "O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed."

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

A Dark Day

Moses has been on the mountain taking instructions from the Lord for the tabernacle and how the people are to live. Meanwhile, the people complain that he has been gone a long time. They go after Aaron to satisfy their boredom. What Moses finds upon his return is enough to make even him mad.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Bezaleel Exodus 31

Exodus 31:1-3 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur, and the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship."

We should note that God called Bezaleel by name.
We should note that God called him for a purpose.
We should note that God gave him the ability (filled him with wisdom and understanding).
We should note that God spoke to the man in charge so Bezaleel would have the authority.
We should not v6 that God gave Bezaleel some help. (Aholiab)

Verses 12-17 is the command to keep the sabbath. They may work six days but are to rest on the seventh. It is a reminder to Israel that God created six days and rested the seventh.

V18 "And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God."

Notice that the word is tables not tablets. They will end up in the ark of the covenant later. Also that these two were written by the finger of God.
Later after trouble in the camp and Moses goes back to the mountain, I believe we will find that Moses had to bring tables and write down what God said himself rather than God writing with his finger. We'll get to that later.

Moses has been alone on the mountain with the Lord for a long time. Chapter 19-31. God has given Moses a lot of instructions to carry out. I expect Moses was pretty excited and eager to tell the people what he had heard but there is not joy upon his return.

Psalm 119:97 "Oh how love I the law! it is my meditation all the day."

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Altar Exodus 30

Exodus 30:10 "And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements; once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord."

The Lord repeated himself that the blood was to be applied to the altar once a year. It is noteworthy that when the Lord repeats something it is very important. Of course, the whole Bible is important but we should pay attention when it is repeated.

In this chapter the elaborate making of the altar is described. It sits before the ark where the Lord comes to meet with the high priest in the most holy place. There is a great process of cleansing as one enters the front gate and approaches the veil. Inside is where the atonement is made by blood for the sins of the people.

In the new testament and speaking of Christ things are different "Hebrews 7:22-25 "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

In our chapter the blood was applied once a year. Christ blood was applied for all eternity.

Location of the altar: v6 "And thou shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee."

Note that the ark is called the ark of the testimony.

The chapter also discusses how the tabernacle is to be supported financially. An offering of 1/2 shekel was to be given by everyone 20 years old and above. v14, 15, 16

v23-38 deals with making of oil and a perfume and how to make it to be used to anoit the priest and no one else. The formula was not to be copied.

v38 "Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people."

Proverbs 25:19 "Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint."

Monday, June 04, 2007

Hallow the Priest Exodus 29

Exodus 29:1-3 "And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock and two rams without blemish And unleavened bread and cakes unleavened tempered with oil and waffers unleavened anointed with oil, of wheaton flour shalt thou make them And thou shalt put them into one basket and bring them in the basket with the bullock and the two rams."

Outline:
-The sacrifice and ceremonies of consecrating the priests v1
-The continual burnt offering v38
-God's promise to dwell among the children of Israel. v45

We have seen the precise building of the tabernacle and the garments for the priest. The offerings are just as precise. First of all, before the priest can minister to the Lord and represent the people, they must be consecrated. Some offering is to be burned as a burnt offering v25 unto the Lord. Some is for a wave offering v26-27. Then there is the continual sacrifice of the two lambs. I'd like to zero in on verse 20-21 where the priest and their garments are consecrated.

Exodus 29:20-21 "Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons and upon the thumb of their right hand and upon the great toe of their right foot and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar and of the anointing oil and sprinkle it upon Aaron and upon his garments and upon his sons and upon the garments of his sons with him: an dhe shall be hallowed and his garments and his sons' garments with him."

The last part of the chapter contains the promise. If you will do all this I(the Lord) will dwell with you. We must remember that a holy God is making arrangements to live among a sinful people. Although they are chosen for a purpose, there is still the sinful nature that must be dealt with.

v43 "And there I will meet with the children of Israel and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory." v45 "And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God."

In review, we should be aware that Moses is on the mountain top receiving all this from the Lord. He is on Mt Sinai and there are "thunders and lightenings and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud..." 19:16. It is a serious, historical time in the lives of the children of Israel. They have only recently come from under 400 years of slavery.

I should also remind us that the promise of Abraham still carries within the children of Israel.

The events hear lead us to an understanding of events many years later when Christ comes to earth and becomes our high priest to plead our case before God the Father.

Hebrews 9:11-14 "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy palce having ordained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to purifing of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

So, in all these instructions and the years of practice that follow, they are but a very real and necessary practice to teach the redemption process and give us understanding of the final sacrifice for sin: the Christ.

Psalm 33:20-22 "Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee."

Friday, June 01, 2007

Priest garments Exodus 28

Exodus 28:6 "And thou shalt make a plate of gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet HOLINESS TO THE LORD."

The colors and materials reflect those used in the building of the tabernacle leaving me the impression that the two parts (garments of the priest and tabernacle) are all one.

I'd like to point out two verses that I find very touching. They show that the Lord ever had the children of Israel on his mind.

Exodus 28:11-12 "With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial."

What a difference time makes. It seems that in our day many (but not all) ministers do not bear their people before the Lord. By their living standards, they appear to be living above their people. Something is the matter when a preacher buys a luxury car from the pennies of the widows and poor.

Psalm 119:89 "Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."