Dei Time

God’s Traveling Tent

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Exodus 37:1 – 40:38

Much of today's passage is a retelling, but we do see today the first inventory of exactly what went into building the tabernacle. One commentary says that the gold, silver, and bronze used could have weighed several tons, and most of this came from mighty Egypt.

Outside, the tabernacle looked like a large desert tent, but the interior coverings, altars and other furnishings demonstrated the holiness, glory, and majesty of God.

The ark was basically a chest containing the tablets of the Law, Aaron's rod, and a jar of manna. On its top was the mercy seat symbolizing God's presence. Cherubim are mentioned ninety-one times in the Old Testament. They are described in various ways, but always associated with the presence of God. And, the Cherubim were actual beings, not just imaginary characters.

The people camped at Mt. Sinai for over eight months. One commentator says that it appears that about six and a half months were spent building the ark and the tabernacle.

As Exodus ends, God is with His people. He has rescued them from Egypt twice, and led them into the wilderness. He has given the Law to Moses and has seen His people worship a false idol. The people have complained, rebelled and repented. This pattern of behavior will cycle throughout their history—a little like our own.

Chapter 40 says that even Moses could not enter the tabernacle when God's glory was present. For the remainder of their journey, whenever the cloud signifying God's presence lifted, the people would travel on, but as long as the cloud remained they would camp. Just think—you could look out the window and say, "God's cloud is still here, we're where we're supposed to be," or "Cloud's on the move. Guess it's time to take that new job offer." While that image sounds tempting, we do have a Guide in life. We have Jesus, and as long as we are focused on Him, we will do well.

Next time: Passing through Leviticus

      

Willing Hearts

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Exodus 35:1 - 36:38    

I like the New American Standard translation for this passage (35:5, 21). It expresses very well the Hebrew concept of the willing "hearts" and "spirits" of the givers rather than just saying that they were "willing". We are often willing to do something but our hearts may not be committed to the task. In this case the hearts of God's people were committed to the job. The willing "hearts" and "spirits" of the givers are mentioned seven times in these two chapters. The women are even mentioned apart from the men, surprising in a culture where women were considered far less important than men. Why were they so willing?

These people had rebelled against God only a short time before. Discovering that God would leave them because of their sin, they had begun to mourn and repent. Perhaps in our reading today, we see what repentance really is.

Repentance is not just saying, "I'm sorry", nor is it an ongoing sense of remorse. Both the Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) words strongly imply moving on from the sense of remorse and into an attitude of change. When we truly repent, we change our minds and we change our attitudes and we change our habits. That is what their experience had taught the people of Israel.

When the people repented, God could again use them in His plan. The gifts of ability and attitude that He had placed within them were active again. They brought too much for the construction of the ark and tabernacle. Moses told them, "Don't bring any more! We have too much already!" (36:6) They worked with smiles on their faces, knowing that they were in God's will.

What can we accomplish if we really repent in the truest sense of the word? We've all known Christians who are so wrapped up in how guilty they are that they never seem to get any ministry done. Maybe we should remind them that repentance involves getting back to the tasks God places before us. We are forgiven and enabled by our Savior.

Next time: God's traveling tent

Being God’s Friend

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Exodus 34:10–35

God has revealed to Moses that He is kind, gentle and forgiving. We know that these attributes of God are true because He has proclaimed them and He does not deceive, and He demonstrated these attributes in His relationship with Moses—Moses who could be defiant, bullheaded, and sinful. However, in our own culture it is hard for us to reconcile these descriptions of God with His revelation that He will destroy nations that defy Him and will punish the sin of individuals, even "to the third and fourth generation." He also warns Moses that God's people not join with the nations already settled in the Promised Land. We know that the consequences of sin can indeed cause a family to suffer for many years. We know, for instance, that people who abuse their spouses or children were often victims of abuse themselves. And, we can understand that nations can be deserving of God's condemnation, but there is more to God's words. The people needed to understand that sin absolutely separated anyone, even them, from God.

Still, a loving God determined that this people would be His. He established His covenant with them, but in order for that relationship to be eternal, the people had to be free of sin. Throughout the Old Testament, God showed them what had to be, but He was also teaching them that only He could make the impossible possible. Those who lived by faith recognized that only God could be their Savior. All of the sacrifices that they offered were shadows of what would be completed in Christ.

When Moses again returned from the mountain his face literally glowed. He had been in the presence of the glory of God. In Chapter 34 Moses writes that God stood beside him and spoke to him. In John 4 Jesus says that God is Spirit, and in John 6 He says that only He has seen the Father. That doesn't mean that Moses did not see God, but it does mean that it was a special kind of appearance that God created for him.

Next time: God's Glory Fills the Tabernacle (Exodus 35-40)

Traveling with God

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Exodus 33:1-34:9

God's people had suffered for building and worshipping the golden calf. Three thousand were killed by sword and a plague killed many more. There were around two million people in the nation, so many were not involved in the idolatry, but even the faithful were bound to the sinful nation. Author Moses indicates that an attitude of repentance settled over the camp.

When Moses had the "tent of meeting" pitched away from the camp, it was an act symbolic of their separation from God. He would still give them the land that He had promised, but He would not go among them, for their sinful tendencies would lead to His anger which would lead to their destruction. The idea that God would leave them seems to have sobered the people to the seriousness of their sin. When Moses left the camp to meet the Lord, they gazed after him and then worshiped and prayed by their own tents. Jewelry and rejoicing was set aside as they considered their sin.

Moses pleaded with God not send them on without His presence. What would we do if God announced that He would no longer walk with us? One time, when some followers of Jesus were leaving Him, Jesus asked His disciples, "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:67-68) Moses' people led seem to have had the same question, "Where will we go?"; "What will we do?"

God again allowed Moses to "persuade" Him in His judgment of the people. Today, Christians have the wonderful assurance that God will never leave us. His Son has broken the power that sin had to separate us from Him. But, this story reminds us that sin is serious; without Christ it would separate all people from God eternally. This is the good news that we have to share with everyone we meet.

As chapter 33 ends, Moses boldly asks to see the glory of God, and Chapter 34 begins with God's instructions to Moses to cut stone tablets to replace those that he had smashed, and come again to the mountain.

Next time: Being God's friend

    

Switching gods

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Exodus 31:12 – 32:35

Back in the land of Midian when Moses offered many excuses as to why he should not rescue God's people, God finally said that Aaron would be allowed to be the one to speak for Moses. Did you wonder why God didn't just appoint Aaron to be the man by whom He would rescue His people? In today's reading we see Aaron as the priest who did not challenge the people's demand for a golden god to worship. The best that we can say for him is that he may have tried to combine the worship of the idol with the worship of the true God by building an altar in front of the idol and declaring that there would be a feast to the Lord. Meanwhile Moses' true compassion for the people, who were known to frustrate him so much, was pouring out before the Lord in an effort to dissuade Him from destroying the Hebrews. Though Moses fought against leading the people in the beginning, his love and courage in their behalf far outweighed that of Aaron.

God responded to Moses' plea by "relenting". One commentary says that the word could be better translated "took another course of action." God commands us to pray and tells us that as we pray we do make a difference. We don't understand why God would allow us the honor of praying on behalf of one another, but He does. Of course He already knows what our prayers will be and that our prayers will desire His true will.

What about the people who turned to idolatry instead of waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain? Second Corinthians 5:7 says that "We live by faith, not by sight." These early Israelites were not doing that. Moses had disappeared and all of the idol-smashing miracles done in Egypt were forgotten. The Hebrew words used in this passage indicate that great immorality went on before the golden calf—probably imitating the fertility rites practiced in the surrounding pagan religions. They had broken the covenant with God, and Moses graphically demonstrated their sin by smashing the tablets that God had inscribed.

Next time: Traveling with God

Priests of God

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Exodus 28:1 – 31:11

The priests demonstrated God's relationship with His people through their appearance and actions. The tribes saw their names go before the Lord through the stones on Aaron's clothing. Along with the Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle, the priests assured the people that God's presence and caring love would never leave them.

The Urim and Thummim puzzle historians. By them Aaron received God's answers for the people, but how the answers were determined was never written in scripture. The use of Urim and Thummim disappeared a few hundred years later around the time the prophets began proclaiming God's word. Why would God use the Urim and Thummim? Perhaps it was so that the people would have a visual demonstration of God working in their midst.

The clothing and actions of the priests demonstrated the holiness of God. The people learned that sin separated them from God and that special actions were required in order to be worthy of entering His presence. Not only did the priests dress in symbols, they were consecrated to their duty through a special ceremony. Again the people saw the seriousness of sin and the uniqueness of their God.

As we look back on these practices we should remember that we have the historical perspective of people who already know the fulfillment of all of these images of God's promises. We know that only God could perform the actions required to become worthy of His presence. Our picture is the reality of what the people of the Old Testament saw symbolically. We know Jesus and the cross. He was the final unblemished lamb of sacrifice.

Much of the symbolism in these chapters will stay foggy in our minds, but the main concepts that God is holy and separate; that seeking His answers is of great importance; that sin must be dealt with in order to approach Him; that the final sacrifice through which God would meet His people was fulfilled in Jesus. These are realities in which we rejoice.

Next time: Switching gods

    

   

Ark and Tabernacle

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Exodus 25:1 - 27:21

God gave Moses very detailed instructions for building the tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant. The construction of these items was important because they would symbolize God's presence with the people. The tabernacle and ark would be constant reminders of the glory, power, and holiness of God.

The construction work and material came from the people. However, like our own gifts to God, these gifts were provided by God Himself (remember when He commanded the people to ask the Egyptians for gifts?). Much of the linen used would be Egyptian, which was known as the finest linen in the world. The talents needed were also arranged by God. Many of the Hebrews had worked as craftsmen in Egypt, becoming skilled artisans and able workers for the construction of the tabernacle and ark.

The veil to the entrance to the holy of holies was later adapted into the great temple in Jerusalem. The historian Josephus wrote that the veil then was four inches thick and that horses could not pull it apart. However, that veil separating the people from the presence of God would be split apart when Christ died on the cross, the final Sacrifice of atonement, opening the way to God for all people.

Here is a synopsis of today's reading: 25:1-9—contributions from the people and the command to build; 10-22—the ark and the mercy seat where God will meet with His people; 23-30—the table; 31-40—the lampstand (the "talent" of gold was somewhere between 58 and 80 pounds); 26:1-30—the tabernacle to surround the furnishings and the ark of the covenant; 1-30—how the tabernacle will be built ; 31-34—the veil and the holy of holies where the ark will be placed; 35—placement of the lampstand and table; 36-37—entrance to the tabernacle; 27:1-8—altar overlaid in bronze; 9-19—tabernacle courtyard (courtyard was about 150 ft x 75 ft—the actual tabernacle occupied only a small part of that area); 20-21—lamp to be filled with clear, smokeless oil.

Next time: Priests of God

An Involved Life

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Exodus 23:1 - 24:18

Some of the laws that seem obscure to us were not so obscure to the Hebrews. Not boiling a kid in the milk of its mother (vs.19), for instance, related to pagan religions. This practice was common to the Canaanites as part of their fertility religion. What were the "hornets" in verse 28? Some commentators think they were the Egyptians who made regular incursions into Canaan. This would weaken the Canaanites' defenses.

The second part of the chapter begins instruction for entering the Promised Land. God's angel would lead them, and God would defeat the enemy. This was His battle. As we read about the conquest in the coming weeks, we'll look more closely at the peoples of Canaan to discover why God would "wipe them out" or as some translations say, "completely destroy them."

Today we don't don armor and sword and fight the nations who deny God. We are called to deal with individual people—people who need God's love. Our task is to reach out to the people of our world with the news that Jesus is the Savior of every person who will believe in Him. Someday, Jesus will return and He will do the judging—we are to do the loving.

Loving, however, does not mean to give in to the world's beliefs. Standing firm for the truth, and witnessing the truth by our lives, is part of loving people with the love of Christ. That truth is that Christ is the only way to the Father, even in a culture that insists that having only one way to God is intolerant, unloving, and even ignorant.

God also told the Hebrews not to worship the gods surrounding them. We don't have little stone idols standing in the homes of America today, but we do have a lot of gods trying to usurp God in our lives. It's hard for Christians to remember that the focus of our lives is the holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the midst of our "Get More, Want More, Do More, Go More" society. Our weapon in all of our battles is this—the gospel message that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Next time: Ark, Tabernacle, Priests

A Better Way

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Exodus 21:1 - 22:31

Most of these laws have to do with daily living in the community, and were reflected in other cultures of the time. Some of them make perfect sense to us and others baffle us because the culture is just too far removed from our own realm of life.

The concept of slavery was somewhat different than what we are used to hearing about, although in other nations the treatment of slaves could be far more harsh. In Babylon around the same time, for instance, laws concerning slaves said nothing about taking care of the slave, but dealt only with protecting the master's financial investment. The admonishment in 21:16 demonstrates that our definition of slavery wasn't under consideration in the laws regarding the practice among the Hebrews. In 21:7, for instance, the release of a woman slave with no support could have been disastrous for her since in her culture she would have had no means of support.

In 21:21 some translations can be read to mean that the slave dies in a day or two, but should read that after a day or two the slave recovers. Likewise In 21:22 some translations use the word "miscarriage", but it should be noted that the Hebrew word used indicates that the law refers to a situation in which the child was born and survived.

In 22:1 the punishment for stealing an ox or sheep is five for one. In the old Babylonian law code of Hammurabi, restitution was as high as thirty for one, since one's livelihood depended upon livestock, especially the oxen. The condemnation of sorcery in 22:18 was not unique to the Hebrews. The Babylonians, Hittites, and Assyrians demanded the same retribution.

The kind of law code that we find in these chapters was not unique to the Hebrews, but the basis of the code was. These codes were given by God and the emphasis on both justice and mercy reflects His love. As harsh as some of these edicts appear to us in the twenty-first century, they were very moderate compared to man's treatment of man in the surrounding cultures.

Next Time: An Involved Life

On the Mountain

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Exodus 19:1 - 20:26

The instructions and warnings to the people awaiting God's presence may seem harsh. We are accustomed to knowing God's Son as our Lord and as our Friend. We don't think of God as someone to fear. In Moses' time God was teaching His newly formed nation to trust Him, obey Him, and understand His power. He was teaching them to hold Him in awe. God is not just a friend and Lord; He is the all-powerful ruler of the universe. His people needed to understand this.

In 19:6 God said His people would be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." In a non-religious context the word for "priest" indicated one of the king's closest representatives, available to his command at all times. The word for "holy" might be translated "different". God is different from anything else we experience; His goodness and mercy are unique. The Ten Commandments would help God's people understand how to be His priests and His holy nation.

The Commandments were meant as guidelines to a new way of life. Jesus summarized them in Matthew 22:36-40. Asked which of the commandments was the greatest, He replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" and He added "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." A simple statement, but what commandment could be broken if one lives by these two directives?

By living according to God's guidelines His people could demonstrate His reality to the nations. All could hear that there was only one God, and by the actions of His people they could know a better way to live. God's people, however, began to use the commandments as tools for salvation. As we travel through the Old Testament, we'll see how they came to believe that if they could obey every word perfectly, then God would have to save them. By the time of Jesus, they had even added hundreds of laws in order to further define the commandments. They concentrated on themselves, forgetting that the King's representatives were to live by His words and take His message to the world.

Next time: A Better Way