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  • Leviticus 4

    Leviticus 4

    Read Leviticus 4

    The Sin Offering

    4 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands—

    3 “‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord. He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the Lord. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and carry it into the tent of meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. 7 The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, 9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys— 10 just as the fat is removed from the ox sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines— 12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.

    13 “‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt 14 and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting. 15 The elders of the community are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the Lord, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord. 16 Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood into the tent of meeting. 17 He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it before the Lord seven times in front of the curtain. 18 He is to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 He shall remove all the fat from it and burn it on the altar, 20 and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the community, and they will be forgiven. 21 Then he shall take the bull outside the campand burn it as he burned the first bull. This is the sin offering for the community.

    22 “‘When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt 23 and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect. 24 He is to lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the Lord. It is a sin offering. 25 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 26 He shall burn all the fat on the altar as he burned the fat of the fellowship offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the leader’s sin, and he will be forgiven.

    27 “‘If any member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, when they realize their guilt28 and the sin they have committed becomes known, they must bring as their offering for the sin they committed a female goat without defect.29 They are to lay their hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering. 30 Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31 They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven.

    32 “‘If someone brings a lamb as their sin offering, they are to bring a female without defect. 33 They are to lay their hand on its head and slaughter it for a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. 34 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 35 They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.

    Go Deeper

    Leviticus 4 discusses the duties of the priest, the Israelites, a leader, and any member of the community when they sin and must perform a sin offering. Moses received instructions from God in the tent of meeting for the offerings mentioned in Leviticus because in the Old Covenant only priests were able to enter the holiest parts of the temple to sacrifice an animal. Priests, also known as Levites, could enter the temple to make a sacrifice because at that time God was separated from mankind due to sin. The sin originates from the fall in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Knowing the root of our sin explains the laws that God gave Moses for the animal sacrifices, such as the sin offering.

    The first twelve verses of Leviticus 4 walk through the details of how a priest is to make an animal sacrifice for a sin offering before God. Priests performed a separate ritual of cleansing for their sin, which shows the important role of sacrifices in the temple. The Levitical priest had great accountability before the Lord and was judged accordingly to a stricter measure. As the chapter continues the next audience is the “whole Israelite community.” Their directions for the sin offering were like a priest, but they had more people involved in the sacrifice. 

    The priest and Israelites both used a bull and the “anointed priest” in both atonements was in charge of the placement of the blood from the bull. A leader and any member of the community are explained in the remainder of Leviticus 4. The atonement for their sin is now a goat. A male goat is used for a leader’s sin and a female goat is used for the sin of a person in the Israelite community. The distinction between animals is not the focal point of this chapter, but it is the atonement of every person’s sin by the blood of an animal. Every purpose behind an offering is a foreshadowing of the good that is to come. What do you think is the good that is to come? Read verse 3 closely and ask yourself what the “young bull” is representing?

    Reading this through the lens of the Gospel, the “young bull” is representing Jesus. Jesus is the Savior who the people of Israel were expectantly waiting for because He put to death the law and gave every sinner the freedom of life in Him if they chose to believe that he died on the cross for their sins and rose so that they may have eternal life. We have this same gift of Salvation if we chose to believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Levites and every Israelite in Leviticus 4 were living hundreds of years before the coming of Jesus, so their only form of sanctification and salvation at the time was an animal sacrifice. When Jesus came to save the Jew and Gentile from their sin, He came upright, holy, and sinless. An animal could never equate to the righteousness that Jesus displayed while he walked this earth until the point of his death on the cross and resurrection.

    In Leviticus 4, a sin offering provided temporary forgiveness for their sins, but it was not until Jesus came that sins could be fully and eternally forgiven. The priest stood as the mediator between God and an Israelite in this passage. This was a result of the fall in the Garden of Eden because God, who is sinless, could not live among sin with us. We know that Leviticus 4 points towards the coming of Jesus as the Savior of the world who would reconcile the Israelites to God without the need for a priest. The sin offering in this passage reveals the forgiveness that God extends to us and provides hope for the eternal salvation we, as believers, have in Jesus. Our eternal hope in Jesus is seen in Leviticus 4 through Jesus as the animal who would come as the mediator between our sin and a perfect God and who invites us to live in Heaven with Him for eternity.

    Questions

    1. How would you describe Jesus in light of how he has shown up in your life?
    2. Do you believe Jesus paid the ultimate price for your sins when he died on the cross and rose again?
    3. If your answer was “yes” to the question above, how are you living your life free of the law and in freedom of the eternal life you have in Jesus? If “no,” then what is holding you back from believing and following Jesus?

    By the Way

    Hebrews 9:13-14 is a cross reference to Leviticus 4:3. The sin offering mentioned in Leviticus is symbolic of the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for our sins. Hebrews outlines the same sin offering that is instructed in Leviticus by mentioning that the animal sacrifices show an external cleanliness, but Jesus would purify the heart through “the blood of Christ.” These two passages reveal how the only true form of salvation is through Jesus’ death and resurrection that saved us from every sin. Rejoice today in the hope we have in Jesus whose death and resurrection has us set free from the law of animal sacrifices and has given us new life in Christ.

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  • Leviticus 3

    Leviticus 3

    Read Leviticus 3

    The Fellowship Offering

    3 “‘If your offering is a fellowship offering, and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect. 2 You are to lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash the blood against the sides of the altar. 3 From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is lying on the burning wood; it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

    6 “‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. 7 If you offer a lamb, you are to present it before the Lord, 8 lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 9 From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 11 The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord.

    12 “‘If your offering is a goat, you are to present it before the Lord, 13 lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 14 From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 16 The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s.

    17 “‘This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.’”

    Go Deeper

    Another day, another set of instructions regarding sacrifices to God. As we have read in the previous two chapters, God has a very specific set of guidelines and expectations for the Israelites to follow. This offering (known as a “peace” or “fellowship” offering, depending on your translation of scripture) was meant to symbolize the importance of the personal relationship between God and the individual sinner. This type of offering was voluntary and was meant to celebrate a restored fellowship (or peace) between God and man. As we read this passage, this should serve as a reminder to us that fellowship with God is not something that we should ever take for granted but instead is something that we should celebrate and express our gratitude for daily!

    As we dive into the specifics of the sacrifice, there are a couple of important things for us to take note of. First, the sacrificed animal was to be “without defect” (v. 1, v. 6). Other translations might say “without blemish.” The point was simple: God wanted the sacrificed animal in the peace offering to be spotless; God wanted the best that the person had to offer. Later on in the passage, there are instructions about what to do with the specific parts of the animals (specifically the fat and the blood). The final verse in this chapter makes it clear: the fat and the blood are God’s. But why? Pastor and commentator David Guzik of the Enduring Word commentary describes it this way:

    “There was a spiritual significance to this command relevant to the peace offering. We enjoy peace with God by giving Him the best and our energy (represented by the fat), and by giving Him our lives (represented by the blood).”

    As followers of Jesus, there are several reminders in this passage that we should keep in mind as we go about our days. First, this passage is a reminder of what 1 Peter 1:19 tells us: Jesus was the ultimate, perfect sacrifice. His willingness to be the sacrificial lamb on our behalf two thousand years ago allows us to have fellowship with God today. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

    It also reminds us that each and every day, we are to give God the very best that we have. We want to do all things in our lives to the glory of God (Colossians 3:17) and live as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) in a way that helps everyone follow Jesus. We want to show others what peace with God looks like. We want to show others what it’s like to find fellowship with the God who created everything around us. As we go about our days today, let’s be people that celebrate the goodness of God.

    Questions

    1. What details stuck out to you in today’s reading? Why?
    2. Do you take the time to celebrate the fact that you have fellowship or peace with God? If not, what is a way you can celebrate that today?
    3. How can you show the people around you today what it looks like to have peace with God?

    Did You Know?

    There are parallels between this offering and when we take communion. Dr. Thomas Constable, a retired DTS professor, made this note:

    “There are several similarities between this offering and the Lord’s Supper: Both celebrations commemorate a covenant, both involve rededication to God, and both feature blood.”

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  • Leviticus 2

    Leviticus 2

    Read Leviticus 2

    The Grain Offering

    2 “‘When anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour. They are to pour olive oil on it, put incense on it 2 and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.

    4 “‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with olive oil. 5 If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. 6 Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7 If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. 8 Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. 9 He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 10 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.

    11 “‘Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. 12 You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13 Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

    14 “‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. 15 Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as a food offering presented to the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    In Leviticus 2, we find God’s regulations regarding the grain offering. On its face, it looks relatively similar to the blood offering discussed in the prior chapter but digging deeper gives us fresh insight as to the significance behind the grain offering.

    In our culture, finding a bag of finely sifted flour is as easy as checking a box online for grocery delivery. But let’s consider the setting within which this offering is occurring. In Leviticus, the Children of Israel are not living in the promised land (Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey). They are in the midst of a 40-year stint in the wilderness and desert. A place so inhospitable to crops that God had to provide manna from Heaven daily as sustenance for his people to simply survive. And while it is understood that the Israelites left Egypt with herds of animals that they could graze throughout their journey, the opportunity to actually plow and sow a wheat field much less reap a harvest must have been almost non-existent. This, added to the wandering nature of God’s pillar of fire, made putting down literal and figurative roots a problem.

    As such, a wheat or barley offering must have carried much more significance in how precious a commodity was being laid on the altar. In contrast to the sin sacrifice of the animal, there was not a stipulation on the grain offering as to how much should be offered. There was only a stipulation that it be finely ground. There was no transference of sin by the placing on of hands for atonement. In short, the grain offering was much more of a gesture of gratitude to God rather than a sacrifice for sin. It was not to cover over failures, but was, rather, to express thankfulness to God as a first-fruits gift from the heart. For it to be pleasing to God, it needed to be finely ground. Manually grinding wheat with a millstone was a laborious process. Five cups of flour could take up to an hour to grind by hand. It was an act of love, an act of service, a product of intention and care to honor a most holy God. It was a precious commodity crafted with diligent intention to lavish on a deserving God.

    As we read Leviticus 2 through the lens of the Good News of Jesus, this all makes more sense. God knew how that painful crushing of an offering would foreshadow the redemption and reunification of God to man through Christ’s sacrifice. 

    Questions

    1. What most stuck out to you about this passage as you read it? 
    2. In what ways is your giving to God dutiful instead of lavish?
    3. If you were to evaluate your driving force for sacrifice to Him, is it primarily driven by obedience or by gratitude?

    By the Way

    Read Isaiah 53 for a description of the suffering servant and look at the corollaries between our offering to God and His offering for us.

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  • Leviticus 1 + Preview

    Leviticus 1 + Preview

    Leviticus Introduction

    The book of Leviticus picks up where Exodus leaves off. As a refresher, God had delivered His people out of slavery and established a covenant with them (known as the Mosaic Covenant). As is common throughout scripture, God’s people ultimately rebelled and broke the covenant, splintering their relationship with God. Because of Israel’s sin, they were cut off from being in the presence of God. Not even Moses, their leader, could enter into the tent where God’s presence was. 

    Leviticus, at its most basic level, is a collection of instructions given from God to Moses that Moses then passed on to priests with the intention of instructing the Israelites how to live in relation to a holy God. Sin, as it always does, had caused destruction and harm. The book of Leviticus outlines how the Israelites could live holy (or set apart) lives.

    As we read this book, it is important to note a couple of things. First, we’ll see time and time again that the details matter to God. He gave Moses and the Israelites specific instructions and He cared about the small details in Leviticus in the same way that He cares about the seemingly small details of our lives today. Second, because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we get to read this book through the lens of the Gospel. We have a different access to God than the Israelites had back then. Praise God! But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pay attention to this book. 

    Dr. Chuck Swindoll, a pastor and scholar, said this about the book of Leviticus: 

    “Today’s readers are often put off by the book’s lists of laws regarding diet, sacrifice, and social behavior. But within these highly detailed directives we discover the holiness—the separateness, distinction, and utter “otherness”—of God. And we learn how sin devastates humanity’s relationship with their Creator.”

    As you read this book, take good notes. Read closely and carefully, paying special attention to the sequence of events that are unfolding before you. Get to know the characters in these stories. What does each chapter in this book teach you about God’s character? What does it teach you about humanity? What are the implications for you today? These are the questions we’ll be seeking answers to.

    Read Leviticus 1

    The Burnt Offering

    1 The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.

    3 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord. 4 You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. 5 You are to slaughter the young bull before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 You are to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. 9 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

    10 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, you are to offer a male without defect. 11 You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 12 You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. 13 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

    14 “‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon. 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 He is to remove the crop and the feathers and throw them down east of the altar where the ashes are. 17 He shall tear it open by the wings, not dividing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    Leviticus is a difficult, complex book with a bunch of laws that don’t seem to apply to Christians today. Didn’t Jesus free us from the Law? What does it matter? If we keep in mind that all of Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), that God looks to show us who He is through all of what we know as the Bible, then there must be something here for us, right?

    We might not have burnt sacrifices needed for atonement anymore, thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus, but we do still see the character of God showing through in this chapter. Notice that God gives His people options on what animals to bring as their offering (v. 2), “When anyone among you brings an offering to the LORD, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.” This doesn’t seem like a huge detail to us now, so far removed from the burnt offerings, but this is very significant. Giving up an animal in a herding culture would’ve been financially huge for many, some weren’t even wealthy enough to have a flock. Notice, however, that the LORD says they can bring a sacrifice from the herd (cattle), the flock (sheep or goats), or they could bring a burnt offering of birds.

    What does this tell us about God and His character? It tells us that, even all the way back in Leviticus, God was interested in letting all who desired a relationship with Him to come to Him. The invitation was open to whoever would bring their offering in obedience. God’s character has not changed from then to now; He is the same God in the Old Testament as He is in the New Testament and beyond. The entirety of Scripture points to this fact! God has always offered His grace to every human; we see it here in Leviticus, we see Paul write about this (while quoting the prophet Joel) in Romans 10:13, “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

    Jesus is the offering now; He stands as our offering to God and He shows that God is offering us Himself. Let us not refuse this offer.

    Questions

    1. When was the last time you thought or reflected on Jesus as our offering before God? Take some time this week and write down some thoughts on what this means for your life. 
    2. Is there something in your life that you feel is keeping you from accepting Jesus as the offer? What is it? If you have a trusted Christian in your life to discuss this with, set up a time to meet with them.
    3. What is one way this week that you can seek to draw nearer to God? Set aside a time or two and do it!

    Watch This

    For a preview of what’s to come as we read through Leviticus together, check out this video from The Bible Project.

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Exodus 35-40)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Exodus 35-40)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Listen to This

    Listen to this five minute podcast from Pastor David Platt based on Exodus 40 about following God’s guidance! 

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Exodus 35-40 Family Guide!

  • Exodus 40

    Exodus 40

    Read Exodus 40

    Setting Up the Tabernacle

    1 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 “Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. 3 Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

    6 “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 7 place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.

    9 “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. 10 Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

    12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics. 15 Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.” 16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him.

    17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. 18 When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts.19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the Lord commanded him.

    20 He took the tablets of the covenant law and placed them in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded him.

    22 Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain 23 and set out the bread on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded him.

    24 He placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 25 and set up the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord commanded him.

    26 Moses placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded him.

    28 Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings, as the Lord commanded him.

    30 He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

    The Glory of the Lord

    34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

    36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

    Go Deeper

    What an ending to Exodus! Almost exactly a year from their freedom from Egypt, the tabernacle is ready. But, before we jump to the end, let’s sit with anticipation for a few moments. Remember where we started? A group of slaves without a way out. A people with no leader. Darkness, misery, and oppression. Enter, a reluctant leader who asks for another to be sent in his place. Then, a story ensues of supernatural deliverance, disobedience, forgiveness, provision, instructions, obedience, faithfulness, and ultimately the preparation of the tabernacle for God’s presence. 

    God commanded every detail about the tabernacle’s construction and purpose. Moses had delivered every word to the Israelites. All instructions had been given and carried out and now… the anticipation of glory. Not any glory, no. Shekinah glory. The glory of the One and only God, His divine presence.

    Imagine the emotions of the Hebrews. Awe and wonder. Accomplishment and purpose. They worked diligently to finish the work God commanded them to do. The Israelites had moments of failure and disobedience over the course of their year of freedom, but God is faithful to His Word, not ours. And since He deemed the tabernacle as acceptable and holy, He did what He promised. He filled the dwelling place with His glory. 

    Exodus doesn’t end with a description of how beautiful the tabernacle is or the materials in it. We couldn’t comprehend it if it did. Exodus ends with a description of how its purpose was fulfilled. The tabernacle was built so that God could dwell among the Israelites. God in their midst. The only God of His kind. The only religion where God comes down to the people. 

    Because God can’t stay away from His people. He is with us. He loves us with an everlasting love—a never stopping, unbreaking, never giving up, always and forever love. Let’s be people who are beautiful dwelling places of the Holy Spirit. People who fulfill the purpose for which we were made—to love God and love others. 

    Questions
    1. What do you think the first year of freedom was like for the Israelites? For Moses? 
    2. What do you learn from the Israelites? From Moses?
    3. How do others know you are set apart for God?
    Watch This

    Now that we’re at the conclusion of Exodus, re-watch this video from The Bible Project about the back half of Exodus! 

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  • Exodus 39

    Exodus 39

    Read Exodus 39

    The Priestly Garments

    1 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    The Ephod

    2 They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 3 They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands. 4 They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. 5 Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    6 They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. 7 Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    The Breastpiece

    8 They fashioned the breastpiece—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 9 It was square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 11 the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 12 the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; 13 the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

    15 For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope.16 They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. 17 They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, 18 and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. 19 They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. 20 Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. 21 They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the Lord commanded Moses.

    Other Priestly Garments

    22 They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver— 23 with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear. 24 They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. 25 And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. 26 The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    27 For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen—the work of a weaver— 28 and the turban of fine linen, the linen caps and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. 29 The sash was made of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn—the work of an embroiderer—as the Lord commanded Moses.

    30 They made the plate, the sacred emblem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: holy to the Lord. 31 Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban, as the Lord commanded Moses.

    Moses Inspects the Tabernacle

    32 So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses. 33 Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 34 the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather and the shielding curtain; 35 the ark of the covenant law with its poles and the atonement cover; 36 the table with all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 37 the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its accessories, and the olive oil for the light; 38 the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent; 39 the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; 40 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; 41 and the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

    42 The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 43 Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

    Go Deeper

    So much of our reading over the past couple of weeks has been focused on instructions and details and in Exodus 39 (finally) the work is done! While the beginning of Exodus 39 describes the garments worn by the priests, by the end of this chapter we see that the tabernacle is completed. Not only is it completed, the passage tells us something else: it was done just as the Lord commanded (v. 32 & 42).

    There are a couple of lessons we can learn from this chapter. First, it’s really important for us to do whatever it is that the Lord commands us to do. Too often we let pride get in the way. We decide we know best. We look for workarounds and loopholes. God has given us both scripture and the Holy Spirit to serve as a guide for us. Think about that! James 1:22 tells us that it’s not enough to simply hear the word–we have to do what it says. The last 39 chapters in Exodus have shown us the importance of not wandering or straying away from what God has instructed and here, at the culmination of the construction of the tabernacle, the Israelites nailed it. 

    The second principle we can pull from this chapter is that God is honored by excellence. The construction of the tabernacle wasn’t thrown together with duct tape and shoestring–it was a masterpiece. When we work hard and do things with excellence with our hearts in the right place, God receives the glory in that. Proverbs 22:29 says that someone skilled in their work will stand before kings. When we do things with excellence and we’re faithful with the skills and abilities God has entrusted to us, He entrusts us with even more. This is a theme we see repeated continuously throughout scripture and the Israelites are yet another example of that. 

    Questions
    1. What does Exodus 39 teach you about God’s character?
    2. Have there been times that you have been more of a hearer of the word than a doer? How can you make sure you are someone who lives out what you say you believe?
    3. When was the last time you honored God with excellence?
    Did You Know?

    The end of the creation narrative ends with a blessing (Genesis 1:28), and so does the end of the tabernacle construction (Exodus 39:43). The text tells us that Moses blessed them as a result of a job well done.

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  • Exodus 38

    Exodus 38

    Read Exodus 38

    The Altar of Burnt Offering

    1 They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. 2 They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze. 3 They made all its utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. 5 They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. 6 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.

    The Basin for Washing

    8 They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

    The Courtyard

    9 Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely twisted linen, 10 with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11 The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

    12 The west end was fifty cubits wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 13 The east end, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits wide. 14 Curtains fifteen cubits long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 15 and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases. 16 All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen. 17 The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.

    18 The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high, 19 with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver. 20 All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and of the surrounding courtyard were bronze.

    The Materials Used

    21 These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law, which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.22 (Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23 with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.) 24 The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

    25 The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel— 26 one beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more, a total of 603,550 men. 27 The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base. 28 They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.

    29 The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. 30 They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils, 31 the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.

    Go Deeper

    In Exodus 38 we read about the materials used to build everything we learned about throughout the book of Exodus. Chapter 38 seems like another irrelevant, “Why am I reading this?” chapter of the Bible. Often we’re left wondering what we should do with what we read. Is this chapter prescriptive and should we go build our own altar, basin, and courtyard?  Furthermore, you might wonder where God’s people got all these materials to build the tabernacle, the bronze basin, the table, and all the utensils. Did the land around Mount Sinai have bronze, silver, and gold-producing trees?

    A few weeks ago we read about the Ten Plagues in Exodus chapters 7-11. In Exodus 11:2-3, right before the exodus, we read: “Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)” We know the people did what God commanded because of what we read in Exodus 12:35: “The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.”

    These were the very materials God’s people used to carry out the Lord’s instructions. He provided exactly what His people needed. Because of the Lord’s provision through the Egyptians, God’s people had all the materials they needed to complete the construction detailed by the Lord.

    Sometimes we get frustrated by the Word. Things that seem irrelevant to us are actually very intentionally communicated by the Lord through His Word. It’s no accident that God told His people to ask the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold. In His omniscient, all-knowing power (1 John 3:20, Matthew 10:29-30, Psalm 139:15-16), God knew exactly what His people would need to build and create the tabernacle and everything in it.

    Our God is not a weak, random, thoughtless god. Rather, He is the Creator of the universe (Isaiah 42:5), the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), and the one true God, one in nature and three in person (Matthew 28:19). What seems irrelevant to us is divine to Him.

    Questions
    1. What intrigues you the most about the descriptions of how the courtyard and tabernacle were made?
    2. How can you grow your trust for the Lord as you read details in the Word that might seem irrelevant to your life?
    3. What does Exodus 38 reveal to you about the nature of man and the character of God?
    Did You Know?

    The materials described in this chapter included over a ton of gold, almost four tons of silver, and about two and a half tons of bronze. This is an estimated 15,000 pounds of gold, silver, and bronze!

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  • Exodus 37

    Exodus 37

    Read Exodus 37

    The Ark

    1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 3 He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

    6 He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 7 Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

    The Table

    10 They made the table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. 11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. 12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. 14 The rings were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.

    The Lampstand

    17 They made the lampstand of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

    23 They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent of pure gold.

    The Altar of Incense

    25 They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. 26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 27 They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

    29 They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.

    Go Deeper

    Let’s be honest: this is a chapter that you may have skipped over if you weren’t so committed to the Bible Reading Plan, right? Why read a passage that’s just filled with descriptions about an arc? How can that help you grow in your love for Jesus? But skipping over this chapter would have been such an ironic mistake. The very lesson that we learn from Exodus 37 is that the Israelites didn’t skip a single detail when it came to their relationship with God. The instructions had been clearly given to them of what they were to build and specifically how they were to build it.

    So they did it. Exactly as they were instructed to. They wanted to serve and honor Him in each and every way. So these men and women made sure to dot every i and cross every t. They even cared about the details of a lampstand. The Israelites simply didn’t cut any corners in their walk with God. 

    For us though, it can be easy to skip over the hard parts of following Jesus. We know we’re supposed to get up early to pray, but do we really have to? Does God really care if we skip it?  Does God really care about that little sin in our lives? Do we really have to confess it? Do we really have to do every little detail that God asks of us? In a word, yes. 

    He’s given us detailed instructions in His word because he wants us to have life to the full. Simply put, God doesn’t want us to miss out on His grace in any area of our lives. The more we follow His instructions (even the most detailed ones that we might not even understand), the more we’ll get to experience his goodness. So today, let’s not cut any corners in our walk with Jesus. Give your entire life to him. Surrender every nook and cranny of your heart. Because when we’re fully devoted to Him, we get to better experience His full devotion to us.  

    Questions
    1. How hard is it for you to follow instructions or rules you don’t understand?
    2. Where have you cut corners in your walk with Jesus?
    3. What does it mean to you when you hear that our God is a God of the details?
    Keep Digging

    Bezalel and Oholiab played an important role in the construction of the tabernacle (and the furniture inside of it). To learn more about these two, check out this article from GotQuestions.org!

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  • Exodus 36

    Exodus 36

    Read Exodus 36

    1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”

    2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 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.

    The Tabernacle

    8 All those who were skilled among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by expert hands. 9 All the curtains were the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. 10 They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five. 11 Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set. 12 They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 13 Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.

    14 They made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. 15 All eleven curtains were the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. 16 They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set. 17 Then they made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 18 They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit. 19 Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.[c]

    20 They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 21 Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, 22 with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 23 They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle 24 and made forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 25 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames 26 and forty silver bases—two under each frame. 27 They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 28 and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end. 29 At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike. 30 So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

    31 They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 32 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 33 They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. 34 They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

    35 They made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. 36 They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases. 37 For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer; 38 and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

    Go Deeper

    Throughout most of Exodus, we’ve seen the Israelites complain, rebel, and question God (or God’s appointed leader). So, when we get a glimpse of their obedience and generosity, we’d be wise to pay attention. After all, we are more like the Israelites than we care to admit. We’ve had plenty of our own golden calf moments of rebellion, and other times, we’d give away our best possessions if it meant the nearness and presence of God. 

    Exodus 36 reads a little like an instruction manual—and one we’ve already read no less. It’s redundant and mundane and dare we say boring. Tedious tasks and repetitive instructions, yet, the Israelites are following God’s instructions to the letter. Everything God asked or commanded, they did. So, what do we learn here? We aren’t building a tabernacle so that God’s presence can dwell among us. We don’t have blueprints or instructions to follow that require gold, goat hair, acacia wood. However, God has asked us to build His church, make disciples, obey His instructions, and follow Him.

    Our lives are often more mundane and repetitive than miraculous and extraordinary. The Israelites had moments of miracles—the parting of the Sea, the provision of manna, the plagues—but, their everyday lives were categorized by steady, repetitive obedience and faithfulness. We, too, have moments of the miraculous where God shows up and shows off, but it’s mostly in the mundane and ordinary everyday life of faithfulness and obedience where courage, perseverance, love, joy, peace, and godliness is built. 

    Questions
    1. What are you learning about the character of God throughout the book of Exodus?
    2. In what ways do you relate to the Israelites? In what ways are you different? 
    3. How can you be more generous with your talents, resources, time, and finances?
    By the Way

    God’s people are often generous when their hearts are stirred. In Philippians 4:14-19 we can see Paul’s gratitude for the generosity of the church at Philippi as they supported him financially.

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