Exodus 35-40
THIS LAST section of the book tells how the people gladly responded to the directions God gave Moses as to building the tabernacle. If God had dealt with them according to the covenant which they had voluntarily entered into and quickly broken, then their history would have ended in judgment. But Moses interceded for them and God in His grace and mercy spared them.
Now we see their zeal as they work together in the construction and service of the tabernacle. But first of all God tells them they were to work only six days, for the seventh was to be “a sabbath of rest unto the Lord.” Whatever the work of the Lord might be, He will ever remind us that His rest remains for His people.
The call then goes out telling of the Lord’s desire to receive from His people an offering of materials, whether useful and ornamental, common or costly, for the making of the tabernacle. Their eager readiness is shown in that “They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold.... And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers’ skins, brought them.... And all the women that were wise-hearted 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.... And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; and spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.”
Also the Lord called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and filled them “with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in scarlet, and in fine linen.” These men must have loved the Lord and doubtless that is one of the reasons why God chose them and gave them wisdom to serve Him. He also gave them ability to teach others, and so what a lovely picture we have here of these workers, called of God, to be used of Him for His own glory, in the carrying out of His mind and will.
Surely this is a pattern for us, as it is for the people of God in all dispensations, so that we can find much encouragement, dear young Christian, in these scriptures. The Lord has a work for each of us to do, and He will give the wisdom and strength for it. How lovely it is to see believers happily working tether in the service of the Lord, seeking to please and glorify Him.
Chapter 36 shows us the chosen workmen engaged in their assigned tasks, and even begging Moses to check the over-abundant supplies the people were bringing in. Moses inspected all the work and ten times in chapter 39 we read it was done “as the Lord commanded,” then he blessed them.
We have the Word of God to guide us just “as the Lord commanded,” and now He is writing in His Book above as to how we are carrying out the “pattern” He has given us. Alas, we must all confess how we have failed, but there is a day coming when every believer will be just like our Pattern — just like Christ.
At last the work was finished and the tabernacle set up. Then the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, so that Moses could not enter in because of the cloud of glory that dwelt there. God had found at last a dwelling-place in the midst of His people redeemed from Egypt. And He deigned to journey with them, for the cloud by day and the fire by night was ever the token of His presence before Israel. “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.” Psa. 144:1515Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 144:15).
ML-04/18/1971