"Just Like God Said (Exodus 35-39)" | 8/6/23
Exodus 35-39 | 8/6/23 | Thad Yessa
Exodus 35-39 may seem redundant. In chapters 25-31, God told the Israelites how to build the Tabernacle; in chapters 35-39, they actually built it. And since they built it exactly the way God told them to build it, large sections of materials are repeated almost verbatim. BUT repetition reinforces memory.
“We can apply these truths to our own spiritual experience. Since we are so forgetful, we need God to tell us the same things more than once. We need to read the Bible every day to be reminded of God’s goodness and grace, as well as our joyous duty to live for him by serving others. And since sometimes we fall into serious sin, we need to know that God hasn’t given up on us. The end of Exodus, with all its repetition, teaches us that there is hope for sinners. Even after all our rebellion, God wants to live in us and use us for His glory.” Philip Ryken (1081)
I cannot overstate what the Tabernacle would mean to the children of Israel, God’s dwelling with them. To put it in perspective, we have two chapters of the Bible detailing how God made the heavens and the earth and thirteen chapters dealing with the blueprints and constructions of this portable church. It’s significant, and it matters to God.
Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them,“These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. 2 Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.” Exodus 35:1-3
Rest in the Lord’s Provision (35:1-3)
Moses first commands from God as he is communicating to Israel their responsibility to work; he reminds them they are only to work six days a week. The seventh day was for rest. It was meant for Israel to express their dependence and trust in the provision of the LORD. Sabbath rest has been a constant command from God throughout the book of Exodus. The Sabbath was a big deal to God and His relationship with Israel…why?
EX 31:13, “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.
So that Israel will know that it is the Lord who sanctifies them, it is the Lord who will provide for them everything that they will need to be his distinct people.
The Sabbath was not the main thing; it was meant to be a sign of dependence on, trust in, and rest in the Lord himself for everything in life and godliness. Whether it was their next meal, the materials to construct the Tabernacle, safe journey in the promised land. God says, rest in my provision for you; that is what is to mark you out as my people.
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Wherever you may stand on Sabbath Day observance (Ask the Pastors Episode), most fundamentally, we have a call that is essential for every Christian; you are rest in God’s provision for you in Jesus Christ for everything that you need. Everything that you need to live in a covenant relationship with God: the forgiveness of sins, the grace to obey, the daily provision that is required for every good work that God wants you to do, He wants you to trust Him. All of that is provided through the saving work of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection it is not on our own merit; it is given to us as a gift. God does not call you to give or to work or to do or to be what He himself does not make provision for you to be or to do. If He wants you to do it, He will make the necessary provision for it. You are called to rest in that.
There is a call for every Christian; you are to rest in the Lord’s provision for you in Jesus Christ for everything that you need.
All of us are haunted by the work under the work – that need to prove ourselves, to gain a sense of worth and identity. But if we can experience gospel-rest in our hearts, if we can be free from the need to earn our salvation through our work, we will have a deep reservoir of refreshment that continually rejuvenates us, restores our perspective, and renews our passion. - Tim Keller
The placement of these verses is so critical to understanding that as God is going to have the people of Israel get to work, He first reminds them of the importance of resting/trusting in himself. We have seen over and over throughout the book of Exodus that God’s grace proceeds Israel and OUR obedience. The Tabernacle is another reminder of that. Where do you think Israel got all of those precious materials to build the Tabernacle? Gold, silver, linen, animal skin, oil, where did they come from? They did not come from the resourcefulness of the people of Israel in the wilderness Exodus 12:35. God had already made full provision before He even gave instruction for the building of the Tabernacle. He was not asking them to do anything that He hadn’t provided for.
Are you trying to do it on your own? Are you trying to earn favor with God? Are you trying to obey His commands to do great things for him? Are you trying to do that in your own strength and apart from Christ? If so, you are trying to carry a burden that you cannot bear and that God never intended for you to bear. God does not ask you to give or be without providing for you a way so that He might be praised and receive glory and honor. So rest in the Lord’s provision, trust in the Lord’s provision that He has provided through Jesus Christ, AND THEN GET TO WORK.
Contribute to the Lord’s Work
He follows up the reminder of the Sabbath with a call for the people to give off their time, resources, and skill for the construction of the Tabernacle. The call was not to do this begrudgingly. They were to be given by each person’s own inclination own willingness of heart, and the people respond with overwhelming generosity. (35:4–9, 10, 20-22; 36:2-7
4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, 7 tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breast piece.
10 “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded:
20 Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD.
2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning,4 so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.
What a beautiful picture of God’s people contributing to the work that God had called them to do with the resources and skills that God had given them. And so God calls His people in all generations, as God calls His church, this church to contribute gladly, generously, willingly to His work upon the earth with the time, with the skills, with the gifts, with the resources, which He has entrusted to each one of us.
The resources given to make the Tabernacle were not their own resources. They were formerly the Egyptians’ materials. Remember, before the Israelites left Egypt, God promised they would not leave empty-handed (3:21-22). God kept His promises and sent the Israelites out of Egypt with great wealth (12:36). God provided these goods. Now the people were to return to Him a portion of what had been given to them.
The same holds true of us today. We give up our resources, but they are resources that God has entrusted to us. Sometimes our stinginess with money, time, and talent demonstrates that we do not believe this. We should see ourselves as entrusted with blessings from our great God. Then we would freely give as joyful worshippers.
What is that work? God has not commanded us as the church to construct a Tabernacle. So what has he called us to do? According to Matthew 28 we are to make disciples of Jesus through every nation. That is the work! His work right now upon the earth is to make disciples of Jesus from every nation. To give of our gifts to give of our resources, so that people hear the gospel of Jesus proclaimed. That they may trust in Jesus, that they may hear the good news of His salvation, know the hope of Jesus’ eternal life.
Vision statement - ”To make disciples who reach all of St. Louis and beyond with the good news of Jesus.”
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Willing heart to contribute, not asking what is the minimum but what is the maximum?
If you have no desire to make disciples, you are probably not a Christian. You need to find rest in Jesus and what He has done for you.
Remember, God, has not asked you to do something He hasn’t given you the grace to do it . God is asking you to be generous with what He has given you.
The people gave freely and generously as a result of what God had done/provided for them.
Obey the Lord’s Word
Exodus 39:32-43
32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did.33 Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 34 the covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins, and the veil of the screen; 35 the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; 36 the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37 the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38 the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screenfor the entrance of the tent; 39 the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin and its stand; 40 the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases,and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils forthe service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41 the finely worked garments forministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments ofhis sons for their service as priests. 42 According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work. 43 And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them.
As they gave of their resources, time, and Tabernacle, one of the points that are emphasized over and over again is that all of the work was done according to the word of the Lord, according to His command, according to His instruction.
“As the Lord commanded Moses.” occurs in verses 1,5,7,21,26,29 and 31. The point is that the Israelites made the Tabernacle just as God told them to. This is a powerful example of full obedience to God and of the blessing that comes to anyone who does his will. This moment has echoes of Creation. At the close of the sixth day, when God had finished making the universe and everything in it, he “saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Gen. 1:31; Ex. 39:42). Something similar happened when Israel finished making the Tabernacle. God saw that what the people made was very good, so He gave them His blessing.
The obedience of Israel in constructing the Tabernacle showed that they believed. There is a connection between belief and obedience and it isl a central part of the message of the Bible. Israel showed that they believed through their obedience, and you show that you believe through obedience.
But it is important to note that true obedience is not just something that happens in the heart; it is something that results in tangible actions. Obedience involves activity. It is not theoretical. Obedience, while involving the heart, is something that must be done.
The tangible action of Israel was connected to the physical construction of the Tabernacle. God had given them very specific instructions, and their obedience would be directly connected to their attention to doing it “as the Lord had commanded” (36:43).
What follows in the text is a listing of all the elements for the Tabernacle. Let’s get an overview:
36:8-15 – the Tabernacle structure and its coverings
37:1-9 – the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat
37:10-29 – the Table of Showbread, the Lampstand, and the Altar of Incense
38:1-8 – the altar of burnt offering and the bronze basin
38:9-19 – the exterior courtyard with its structures and curtains
39:1-31 – the priestly garments including the ephod, the breast piece, the robe, and the turban
Each of these elements had spiritual significance, and they were a vital part of the worship experience for the people of Israel. And each element was prescribed by God. God had told Moses exactly how the Tabernacle was to be constructed.
They needed to have the right hearts but action was the key. . . doing exactly what the Lord commands. Obedience was tangible.
It is the same in the New Testament. Having a personal relationship with Christ not only means that you have been rescued from your sin through the gospel. It also means that there is a different conduct, different actions, and a different lifestyle. The gospel works!
“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:5–7, ESV)
Make no mistake about it: true belief and obedience go together. If the people would not have obeyed, it would have been yet another example of their hard-hearted lack of belief. Their tangible obedience verified that their heart was in the right place.
True obedience is always complete.39:43 records that after Moses had observed the result of Israel’s labor, he was very pleased. They had followed God’s instructions, and the result was that the text said, “Then Moses blessed them.”
We do not know what this blessing entailed. But the most famous blessing in the Old Testament
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
(Numbers 6:24–26, ESV)
Moses was reflecting the pleasure of God in his blessing of the people. No doubt this must have been an amazing moment for him. He had delivered to the people very specific instructions from God. Now he was able to see with his own eyes, the beauty of the Lord’s instructions carried out by God’s people. What a difference this day was from what he saw when he came down the mountain! His dismay at the sight of the golden calf was eclipsed by the joy of their total obedience.
There is something profoundly joyful about knowing that people whom you love are doing what is right. No one wants to be the parent of a fool. No one enjoys watching a friend or a loved one’s life fall apart because of disobedience. 3 John 4 says this: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4, ESV)
For Israel and for you, the very best way to show that you believe is by obedience. Now that may raise a bit of a problem because you may take a look at your life and realize there is no way that I really believe in Jesus, given how I live. There are no perfect Christians, that is for sure. But you cannot claim to be a follower of Jesus if obedience is not a real and tangible part of your life.
We have talked a lot about God’s graciousness in the book of Exodus. We have observed God’s gracious deliverance of the people from slavery, His tolerance of their complaining, and His choice to give the people a second chance. But it is important to note that there is another side to this coin. Obedience to God’s command was and is very important.
I want to wrap up this section in Exodus by pulling back a bit further and looking at why obedience would be so essential. Why does obedience to God really matter?
This is not a theoretical question. It is practical for all of us because every time we are tempted, we are faced with the question of whether or not obedience is really essential.
The Ten Commandments begin with these words: “I am the Lord your God…” (Ex 20:1). The reason God starts there is because the commands that follow are rooted to His place as God. In other words, God has the right to prescribe behavior and require obedience because He is God. Therefore, when we submit to His commands and obey, we are giving evidence that we understand who He is and who we are. Disobedience is a statement about what we think about God, His authority, and our desire to rule our own lives.
I’m going to jump from the Old Testament to the New Testament with this point, although it is present in elementary form in the Old. The gospel is the simple message that we are saved by faith, not by our works. The beauty of the gospel is its grace – the way that God has treated us despite our obedience. But it does not stop there. St. Augustine said it like this: “Faith alone saves, but the kind of faith that saves is not alone.” Obedience verifies that true faith has come.
My favorite text that speaks to the double-sided nature of grace and obedience is Ephesians 2:8-10.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8–10, ESV)
The purpose of the gospel is to save us from our sins in the future and now, allowing us to be in a relationship with God. Obedience gives evidence that the gospel really works.
Obedience to what God commands is the best way to live. If God is the Creator of the world and if He has told us how to live, then living according to His commands is the best way to live. Through obedience, God offers us true life.
“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:18–19, ESV)
Obedience takes hold of that which is truly life! There is no better way to live than to be a grace-receiving, sin-killing, and obedience-embracing human being. God’s commands are not designed to restrict our freedom but to maximize our happiness.
Obedience is essential, and there are essentials to obedience. Israel’s response to God’s command gave evidence that their hearts were on fire for Him. It is the same for us today. Obedience shows that you believe.
Israel was making a sanctuary for worship, and their obedience was a vital part of this story. In the New Testament, God does not inhabit a physical sanctuary; He dwells inside people. And in doing so, He makes them holy and empowers them to want more holiness.
We are called to submit ourselves to the Word of God completely. Grace does not give us the freedom to pick and choose among God’s commands. Grace instructs us and empowers us to strive for obedience to every Word of the Lord, not as a way to earn salvation but as a fruit flowing from our salvation in Christ, flowing from the gift of the Holy Spirit.