Exodus 36-40

The Israelites who had been chosen by God to build the tabernacle (Bezalel, Oholiab and others) were given craftsmans skills.  Moses summoned people to come help both with building (if they had the skills) and providing materials (through freewill offerings).  Amazingly, the Israelites continued to bring offering after offering until Moses had to tell them to stop because there was already enough material.

Bezalel, Oholiab and the other skilled workers began building all the parts of the tabernacle, the Ark, the table, the lampstand, altars, basins for washing, the courtyard, and all the priestly garments (ephod and breastplate) exactly to God's specifications (as outlined earlier in the chapter).

Moses inspected their work, saw that it was good and to God's specification, and he blessed them.  God then gave them explicit instructions on how to set it up.  When this all done, a cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  No one could enter while the Lord was there.

As they went along on their journey, they would always wait until the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle.  Then they would pack up and move.  By day, the cloud was above the tabernacle, by night, it was a flame.

Some Useful Background Information

Tabernacle: a portable "dwelling place" for God, and derives from the Latin word tabernaculum, which means "tent."  Interestingly, most Jewish synagogues in the last 2000 years have been inspired and/or modeled off of this ancient description of the tabernacle in the Bible!

Ark: made out of acacia wood, this was a vessel that carried the stone tablets, Aaron's rod, and manna.

Lampstand: if you read the description of the lampstand, it sounds like the Jewish menorah.

Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other.

Exodus 33-35

So God told Moses to lead the people to the promised land flowing with milk and honey. The Lord, however, will not go with them because they are a "stiff-necked" people and He might just be angry and destroy them on the way. It's quite distressing to hear of God's anger on the people!! But even though the people committed the greatest sin (worshipping man-made gods!) - God extended His grace and promised to send an angel to be with them to protect them along the way.

Now the tent of meeting is where Moses talked to God. it's quite amazing to see how God actually could talk to Moses "as a man speaks with his friend". Moses boldly asked God to continue to show him favor - and asked God to show His glory. God said that no one could see his face or they would die - but He would let Moses see his back...

God also told Moses to bring 2 more stone tablets so that He could write again the commandments. As God passed by Moses, He proclaimed his compassion and grace and love and faithfulness - but also stated that he would not leave the guilty unpunished.

Moses pleaded to God to forgive the people's sin and wickedness, to which God has made yet another covenant--that He would drive out all the pagans, but the Israelites were not to worship any other Gods, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. (NB: I thought it was an interesting choice of word to describe God is a jealous God.) Then God told them how to celebrate the Passover, how to observe the Sabbath, and how people are to bring the first fruits of their soil to the Lord.

So Moses was with God for 40 days and 40 nights (without eating and drinking), writing down the 10 commandments. When Moses came back down from Mount Sinai, his face was radiant because he met with God. So he put a veil on him when he spoke with the people.

Moses told the people about the Sabbath, and he also told what God commanded: for all the skilled and willing-hearted to make the tabernacle the way that God has envisioned/designed. (NB: I didn't detail how the design of the tabernacle would be - but I did a Sunday school class before on the tabernacle, using this model: http://www.the-tabernacle-place.com/) It's actually quite amazing how every little thing has a meaning to it!)

Exodus 31-32

The Lord instructs us to observe the Sabbath beacuse it is a holy day and doing work on that day will result in death (but this is the old testament laws right?) Israelites were instructed to obey the Sabbath for generations to come.

So Chill out and Relax on Sunday and Rest =)

Moses went up to the mountain to get the tablet. the people he led did not know if he was coming back. Aaron gathered all the gold and made idols out of them for them to worship. They started worshiping the idols and made God angry. He was going to destroy them. Moses however pleaded on their behalf and asked Him to remember the servants he promised he will give numeours descendants. God relented and did not destroy the idol worshippers.

When Mosses himself saw the worshippers going amok, he too was very angry. He rallied his troops that were with the Lord and destroyed sent them out to kill those who were against the Lord. Mosses asked for forgiveness on behalf of the idol worshippers and God promised to be with him and his people as they go to the promise land.

Exodus 29-30

Exodus 29 starts by describing procedure to ordain and consecrate Aaron's line as priests. Then the chapter describes how to do sin offering, burnt offering, wave offering, and fellowship offering. Only the ordained priests can eat the ram and bread made for ordination and offering. God was very specific about how to make the altar holy and consecrated, and how frequent the offerings are to be done. He promises that as these instructions are followed, He would dwell among the Israelites and the tent of meeting will be consecrated.

Exodus 30 continues with the specific instruction about the altar where incense is to be burned. Every day the priest will have to burn a specific incense twice, once in the morning and once at twilight. Annual atonement also needs to be done (for sin). Every Israelite over twenty years old has to pay half shekel as an offering to God. For atonement of life, everyone, no matter how rich or poor, would give the same amount. This amount will be used for service of tent of meeting.

God also instructed them to make a bronze basin for priests to wash their feet and hands as they would not die. God also tells them specific formulas to make anointing oil and incense - the same formula is considered as "holy". Using these things as enjoyable items (e.g. as perfume or as something to "enjoy fragrance) is prohibited.

Exodus 27-28

Now they are to make an altar of burnt offering, but this altar is to be hollow and made out of boards. The instructions are just as detailed as before.

Then they are instructed to make a courtyard with curtains. Also, everything else used in the tabernacle need to be made of bronze.

He tells Moses to tell the Israelites to bring olive oil for the lamps (ooh must smell good!). In the Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons are told to keep the lamp burning throughout the night. Him and his sons are to serve as priests. God says that all the skilled men are to make sacred garments for Aaron to give him dignity and honor. He's to wear "a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests." An ephod is a priestly vest, and it closely resembles the shape of an apron. God goes into detail again about how the garments should be made.

What's strange is that God directs Moses to put the clothes on Aaron and his sons, consecrate them so they can serve as priests, and then make linen undergarments. Shouldn't the undergarments be made first and worn first??

Aaron and his sons have to wear the sacred garments "whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants." Die? What??

Exodus 25-26

The Lord wanted an offering from the Israelites and gives Moses a laundry list of what they can give. Then he wanted a tabernacle built, which is portable dwelling place/sanctuary for God. There is a lot of debate about the tabernacle, but mainly the tabernacle is a symbolic one. God didn't actually live there.

God gives very elaborate plans on how to build this tabernacle, how long everything should be and what materials to use. Then he says to place the ark the Testimoney inside the tabernacle.

They are also instructed to build a table for offerings and to have bread of the Presence there at all times. They also are to make a lampstand, curtains, and a tent.

Exodus 23-24

Exodus 23 continues the teaching/laws that God laid down for His people:

• Be fair and be honest. Do not look at a person's outside and decide on whether he/she is guilty.
• Observe the Sabbath - work for 6 days/years and rest on the 7. Worship only the true God. Celebrate 3 times a year - and present to God the best (for sacrifice/worship).

God promised that He would send an angel to protect His people and prepare a way for them. He told them to drive out the pagans because they worship other gods.

Exodus 24 describes how Moses confirmed the covenant with God by sprinkling blood onto the altar, and everyone said that they would do all that God said. God then told Moses to go up to the Mountain where God would give him the tablets of stone with laws and commands. So Moses went up and stayed there for 40 days and 40 nights. (it's funny how numbers tend to repeat in the bible. There's the 7's; 3's and then 40's....)