Exodus 35-37: “The Law Recounted & The Tabernacle Construction Begun”

By

Jim Bomkamp

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1.                  INTRO:

 

1.1.            In our last study in the book of Exodus, we looked at Exodus 33:18-34:35.

 

1.1.1.      We looked again at the Lord declaring all of His goodness to Moses when Moses asked to see His glory, and we concentrated at that time on the fact of God’s holiness and justice and that the Lord told Moses to make and hold the tablets with the 10 commandments on them when he revealed Himself to him.

 

1.1.2.      We saw that Moses interceded to the Lord for Israel so that the Lord dwell in their midst and go with them up to take possession of the land, and the Lord promised to him that He would enter into a covenant with Israel.

 

1.1.3.      The Lord also told Moses that He would go with them and drive out all of the inhabitants of the land before them.  We discussed spiritual warfare and how the Lord must fight our battles for us.

 

1.2.            In our study today, we are going to look at Exodus 35-37.

 

1.2.1.      Before the Lord tells the people to now begin to construct the elements in the Tabernacle, we will see that the Lord begins to recount the law to Israel, beginning with a Sabbath admonition,  We will see the implications to first resting in the Lord before working for Him, and having Him do a work in us before we do a work for Him.

 

1.2.2.      Then, we will see that the Lord tells the people that whoever desires to do so can bring their contributions for the construction of the various elements of the Tabernacle.  We will look at the fact that the Lord never wants us to give to Him unless we do it from our hearts.

 

1.2.3.      Next, we will see that the people respond by giving generously.

 

1.2.4.      Then, the people will begin to build the Tabernacle following the instructions that the Lord had given to them.

 

1.2.5.      We are not going to look in depth at the individual elements in the Tabernacle, nor their symbolism or significance, because we already did that in this book study.

 

1.2.6.      To me it is a bolster to my faith to see this incredibly complex set of design constraints commanded by the Lord actually come into fruition and be built just as the Lord commanded that it should be built.  Seeing God’s plan fulfilled in this way reminds me that I am to trust in Him with all of my heart, just as the scripture commands and instructs me to do, and regardless of how bleak the future for our country may seem to be.  I received this humorous notice in an email this week which was in response to the signing of this bill by the president to bail out the bad sub-prime mortgages which are being referred to as being “illiquid”:

Due to recent budget cuts,
and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil 
 
The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off. 

We apologize for the inconvenience.

 

1.2.7.      Here are some promises from God’s word that encourage us to trust in the Lord:

 

1.2.7.1.Psalm 115:11:  “11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.” 

1.2.7.2.Psalm 118:8-9:  “8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in princes.” 

1.2.7.3.Psalm 119:42:  “42 So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.” 

1.2.7.4.Psalm 125:1:  “1 Those who trust in the Lord Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.” 

1.2.7.5.Psalm 146:3:  “3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.” 

1.2.7.6.Isaiah 26:4:  “4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.” 

1.2.7.7.Proverbs 3:5:  “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.” 

1.2.7.8.Proverbs 26:4:  “4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him.”

 

2.                  VS 35:1-3  - “1 Then Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do: 2 “For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a sabbath of complete rest to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 “You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day.”” -  The Lord reminds Moses and the children of Israel not to do any work on the Sabbath and to not even kindle a fire in their dwellings on the Sabbath day

 

2.1.            The exhortation to not kindle a fire in their dwellings on the Sabbath I believe is an indication to us from the Lord that the Sabbath is not to be just about staying at home and family life.  The children of Israel were to be involved in corporate worship around the Lord and be together, not just snuggled up around the fire at home.

 

2.2.            It seems odd that the prohibition of working on the Sabbath is given before the declaration of how the children of Israel completed all of the furnishings for the Tabernacle.  I would point out a principle that is illustrated here in this, and that is that we as Christians must first rest in the Lord before we work for Him.  Before we give to Him we must first receive from Him.  We need to have Him do a work in our lives before we begin a significant and visible ministry for Him. 

 

2.2.1.      In the Calvary Chapels, we are taught that when new people come into the fellowship that there needs to be a time for them to be ministered to before they are allowed to minister.  It is also important for the people in the fellowship to get to know you and become of one mind with you in Christ, before you can be trusted with ministry and leadership.  The amount of time that is required for this waiting and resting period varies from fellowship to fellowship, and when your church is smaller that period of time is typically shorter because we get to know one another much quicker.

 

2.3.            Another principle to be seen here regarding the Sabbath observance before working for the Lord is that those who minister for the Lord must first learn to crucify their flesh before they can truly receive His blessings and are prepared to minister for Him, just as it says in Colossians 3:5:  “5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”  Christians must never minister in the flesh, and we must realize that the end does not justify the means in the things that we do for the Lord.  We must do God’s will His way if we are to see Him bless our work for Him.

 

3.                  VS 35:4-9  - “4 Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying, 5 ‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze, 6 and blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goats’ hair, 7 and rams’ skins dyed red, and porpoise skins, and acacia wood, 8 and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece.” – The Lord tells the children of Israel who are of a willing heart to bring as the Lord’s contributions the various items necessary for the construction of the Tabernacle and the priest’s apparel

 

3.1.            In Exodus chapter 25, we saw that the Lord told the people, whoever was of a willing heart, to bring these very items for the building of the Tabernacle.  Here we are merely seeing the beginning of the fulfillment of the exhortations for building the Tabernacle.

 

3.2.            The Lord tells Moses that only those ‘of a willing heart’ were to bring the contributions that the Lord had commanded that be collected from the people.  This is an indication that whatever it is that we may do for the Lord or give to the Lord  must be done from the heart and because we want to do it.  The Lord would rather us not give than to give under compulsion.  In 2 Corinthians 9:5-7, we read that the Lord tells us that He loves a ‘cheerful giver’:  “5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness. 6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  Note also however that there is a promise here that if we in our giving sow bountifully that we will also reap bountifully, but if we sow sparingly we will also reap sparingly.

 

3.3.            Arthur Pink quotes a Mr. Dennett as saying the following about not pressuring people to give but rather letting the Lord work in their heart and give them the desire to give:  “It is therefore of the first importance to remember that everything offered to God must proceed from hearts made willing by His Spirit, that it must be spontaneous, not the result of persuasion or of external pressure, but from the heart. The church of God would have been in a very different state today if this had been remembered.  What has wrought more ruin than the many worldly schemes of raising money?”  Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of the movement of which we are part, has said, “Where God guides He provides.”  We try to take these exhortations to heart and not emphasize giving or try to come up with worldly schemes for raising money for the church.  We trust that God will provide, and we here in the church don’t pass a plate or a hat, but rather we just keep a tithe box in the back where you can place your tithes and offerings.  God constrains the hearts of the people to give because they want to give not because we strong-armed them, heaped guilt upon them, or tried to manipulate them into giving. 

 

4.                  VS 35:10-19  - “10 ‘Let every skillful man among you come, and make all that the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; 12 the ark and its poles, the mercy seat, and the curtain of the screen; 13 the table and its poles, and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the doorway at the entrance of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court and their cords; 19 the woven garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.’ ”” – The Lord calls all of the men with various skills necessary for the construction of the Tabernacle items to come together and manufacture those items per the regulations given to Moses

 

5.                  VS 35:25-29  - “20 Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from Moses’ presence. 21 Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments. 22 Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 Every man, who had in his possession blue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats’ hair and rams’ skins dyed red and porpoise skins, brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the Lord’s contribution; and every man who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. 25 All the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen. 26 All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece; 28 and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the Lord.” – Those whose heart stirred him and spirit moved him came together and brought all that the Lord had asked for

 

5.1.            Notice here that it is mentioned in verse 22 that both men and women were moved in their hearts to bring items for the construction of the implements of the Tabernacle. 

 

5.2.            Then, in verse 25-26 for the first time we see that the women in Israel were also working on the furnishings of the tabernacle, for they were spinning the linen and goat hair for the curtains.  Everyone had their part to perform in the construction of the Tabernacle.

 

5.3.            Note in verse 27 that it was the ‘rulers’ who brought onyx stones and stones for the ephod and breastplate of the priest.  Leaders of God’s people need to always be examples in their serving and sacrifice, for if they serve in this way the rest of God’s people will follow their godly example.  Note that this is exactly what Paul’s exhortation was to pastors Timothy and Titus:

 

5.3.1.      1 Timothy 4:12:  “12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” 

 

5.3.2.      Titus 2:7:  “7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified.”

 

6.                  VS 35:30-35  - “30 Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31 “And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship; 32 to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze, 33 and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. 34 “He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 “He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs.” – Moses tells the children of Israel who it was who was called to come and to work on the Tabernacle, even Bezalel and Oholiab

 

6.1.            Note here that thought Bezalel could do all of the work himself for the creation of the various elements of the Tabernacle which are constructed of gold, silver, and bronze, that the Lord has ‘put in his heart to teach.’  The same is true of Oholiab.

 

6.2.            I would mention here that it is God’s will for us as His people not to remain children in our faith but to grow up in our faith and become coaches and mentors of others.  The body of Christ needs leaders, coaches, and mentors in order to disciple and send out labors into God’s harvest and equip and instruct the saints for the work of service.

 

7.                  VS 36:1-7  - “1 “Now Bezalel and Oholiab, and every skillful person in whom the Lord has put skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work in the construction of the sanctuary, shall perform in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” 2 Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every skillful person in whom the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to perform it. 3 They received from Moses all the contributions which the sons of Israel had brought to perform the work in the construction of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. 4 And all the skillful men who were performing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work which he was performing, 5 and they said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the construction work which the Lord commanded us to perform.” 6 So Moses issued a command, and a proclamation was circulated throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman any longer perform work for the contributions of the sanctuary.” Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more. 7 For the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it.” – The people responded from the heart and brought to Moses more than enough for the construction of the Tabernacle, so much so that Moses had to restrain the people from bringing anything more

 

7.1.            Moses called out Bezalel and Oholiab and ‘every skillful person in whom the Lord has put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him’ to come to help manufacture the various elements of the Tabernacle.  Everyone was to play a part, each according to his gifting or skill, in order to complete the work of God. 

 

7.2.            This is an exact parallel in how the Lord gives gifts to everyone in the body of Christ and each of us are to use what God has given us:  1 Peter 4:10, “10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

 

8.                  VS 36:8-19  - “8 All the skillful men among those who were performing the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material, with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman, Bezalel made them. 9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains had the same measurements. 10 He joined five curtains to one another and the other five curtains he joined to one another. 11 He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set; he did likewise on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set. 12 He made fifty loops in the one curtain and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set; the loops were opposite each other. 13 He made fifty clasps of gold and joined the curtains to one another with the clasps, so the tabernacle was a unit. 14 Then he made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven curtains in all. 15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits and four cubits the width of each curtain; the eleven curtains had the same measurements. 16 He joined five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves. 17 Moreover, he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the first set, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outermost in the second set. 18 He made fifty clasps of bronze to join the tent together so that it would be a unit. 19 He made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of porpoise skins above.” – The skillful men of the children of Israel came together and made the curtains for the Tabernacle as the Lord commanded that they be built

 

9.                  VS 36:20-34  - “20 Then he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 21 Ten cubits was the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 22 There were two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus he did for all the boards of the tabernacle. 23 He made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side; 24 and he made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons. 25 Then for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards, 26 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 27 For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, he made six boards. 28 He made two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 29 They were double beneath, and together they were complete to its top to the first ring; thus he did with both of them for the two corners. 30 There were eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets, two under every board. 31 Then he made bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 32 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west. 33 He made the middle bar to pass through in the center of the boards from end to end. 34 He overlaid the boards with gold and made their rings of gold as holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.” – The skillful men of Israel constructed the boards for the various sides of the Tabernacle, including their sockets and tenons

 

10.              VS 36:35-38  - “35 Moreover, he made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 36 He made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold, with their hooks of gold; and he cast four sockets of silver for them. 37 He made a screen for the doorway of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver; 38 and he made its five pillars with their hooks, and he overlaid their tops and their bands with gold; but their five sockets were of bronze.” – The skillful men of Israel made the veil for the Tabernacle along with the screen for the entrance

 

11.              VS 37:1-9  - “1 Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits; 2 and he overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding for it all around. 3 He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet; even two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 4 He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry it. 6 He made a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 7 He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat; 8 one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at the two ends. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.” – Bezalel made the ark, with the cherubim over the mercy seat, and the poles of the ark

 

12.              VS 37:10-16  - “10 Then he made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long and a cubit wide and one and a half cubits high. 11 He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding for it all around. 12 He made a rim for it of a handbreadth all around, and made a gold molding for its rim all around. 13 He cast four gold rings for it and put the rings on the four corners that were on its four feet. 14 Close by the rim were the rings, the holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. 16 He made the utensils which were on the table, its dishes and its pans and its bowls and its jars, with which to pour out drink offerings, of pure gold.” – Bezalel made the Table of Showbread, including the poles for carrying it, and the dishes, pans, and bowels that were used with it

 

13.              VS 37:17-24  - “17 Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work, its base and its shaft; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 There were six branches going out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand from the one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it; 19 three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 In the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers; 21 and a bulb was under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 22 Their bulbs and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was a single hammered work of pure gold. 23 He made its seven lamps with its snuffers and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold.” – Bezalel made the golden lampstand, or Menora, including its snuffers and utensils

 

14.              VS 37:25-28  - “25 Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit long and a cubit wide, square, and two cubits high; its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns; and he made a gold molding for it all around. 27 He made two golden rings for it under its molding, on its two sides—on opposite sides—as holders for poles with which to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.” – Bezalel made the incense altar, including the poles for carrying it

 

15.              VS 37:29  - “29 And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense of spices, the work of a perfumer.” – Bezalel made the holy anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the incense altar

 

16.              CONCLUSIONS:

 

16.1.        When we see the work being completed in the building of the Tabernacle, we need to remember that God will also see the fulfillment of everyone of His promises in the word of God, and therefore we must not let our hearts be troubled.

 

16.2.        Each of us has a spiritual gift which is to be used for serving each other.

 

 

16.3.        Press on to become mentors and coaches of others.

 

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