Exodus 36, 37
We have already talked about the tabernacle, and its furnishings, and the priests’ clothes, but there are some things we must notice in these, and the following chapters.
Chapter 36, verse 3: Every morning they brought free offerings, which they gave to God. Should we not, too?
Do you say. “What can we give to God?”
I answer, “Everything!”
We haven’t much, it’s true, to give to Him, when we think of how great God is, but let us think if there are not a few things which we can give Him. In Acts 17:25,25Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (Acts 17:25) we read that God “giveth to all, life, and breath, and all things.” That is for every body—everyone.
Rom. 12:1 Says, “I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”
Putting all these passages together, what have we? Well, I should say that every morning when we wake, we ought to ask God for help to spend the day for Him. No bad tempers should be allowed or anything else that we know we would be ashamed of, if we remembered that God is listening, and looking on, but instead, we should be kind, thoughtful, for everyone, and ready obedience at home, and at school. These are ways for God’s children to give to Him, but you will find much more if you open your Bibles at Col. 3, for instance.
In reading the 25th, chapter, we came to the ark first, and upon it, the mercy seat, which was a symbol of God’s throne. In the next chapter, we found the tabernacle. Now in chapter 36, the tabernacle comes first; and then in chapter 37, the ark. Why? Because in the earlier chapters it was God speaking to Moses. and He had to begin from Himself and come down to man, to us. But in the later chapters, which tell of the work being done, the tabernacle was made before the ark, just as the Church, which in the Bible includes all Christians, had to be formed for God, the Holy Spirit, to make His home in it. (Acts 2, Ephesians 2:21,2221In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:21‑22)).
Chapter 37 tells about the making of the ark; the table for the twelve loaves: the golden candlestick, and the altar of incense. SO far everything speaks of God, and what was suited to Him.
Except for two uses for silver, all the metal work was of gold, the most precious metal that is in general use. In the next chapter we have the making of what was needed for men to draw near to God, and then we find brass—God dealing with sin.
ML 10/15/1922