Exodus 25-27

Day 26

No school today.  I wasn't going anywhere anyway! :)   Heard sleet hitting the door early, early this morning....after I let the dog out I saw that it is snowing too, now.  That's MUCH MORE fun to try and play in than ice!  

Chapter 25-27  Details, details, details!   I am sooooo NOT a detail person!  I don't like to measure things, I don't like to do the little fine details. I'm the "big picture" kind of person. I'll have the idea and the vision but to do the little details and thinking through and working it all out...that's Dusty! :)   I'm glad, for more reasons than one, that I wasn't Moses at the top of that mountain taking notes as the Lord spoke! I asked Dusty, "what....was Moses just sitting there writing as fast as he could....getting all of this down?  Now wait Lord....what color did you say?  How big?  Tell that to me again.  Could you repeat that, please? My stars! I took good notes in seminary and can type fairly fast (sorry for the daily typos) but this list the Lord gave to Moses was long and waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too detailed for me! God told Moses that the Israelites were to bring Him an offering....gold, silver, bronze, linens, goat hair, sea cow hide, acacia wood, olive oil, spices and stones!  Then God told the Israelites to make a sanctuary for the Lord.  Why did God need a sanctuary? So that He could "dwell among them" (v. 8).  My notes that I wrote in the margin from a Beth Moore Bible study state, "what's the Bible all about?"  "God coming to dwell with us so we can come to Him!"  That's it.   We were created to be dwelt with...not just dealt with!!!   

These 3 chapters are the "floor plans" and blueprints if you will as to how the talented Israelites are to build the Ark, the Table, the Lampstand, the Tabernacle, the Altar, and the Courtyard.  See the pictures below that have been added today! My mother always puts these in for us!   Thanks mom!  Hey...do you like the music too?  If you can't read the blog and listen to music at the same time.....click on the player to make it pause.  There should be a green circle with two whites lines on the top left of the player.  Or the volume is on the right of player....pull it down to turn down the music.  To find the music player, scroll ALL THE WAY DOWN to the bottom of the page ....just above the pictures!  

These holy items are all to be made with gold. As Dusty and I read this I said, "where are they going to get all of this gold?"  They are to make all of this as an offering to the Lord but where can they come up with all of this gold?  They've been slaves for so long?!  But...I remembered reading back in Exodus 12 that the Israelites plundered the Egyptians as they were leaving town.  So...they had plenty to offer up.  My footnotes says that over 2,000 pounds of gold went into the construction...just of gold!  

From my New Interpreter's Bible Commentary:

The purpose of the ark is to provide a place for the "testimonies" that give Israel its membership into a community with God.  The ark offers signs, assurances and reminders of belonging to community in a mass of displaced persons.  Quite important to a people who have been slaves!   

The mercy seat has its purpose of receiving commandments and "covers" up the sins while offering reconciliation and forgiveness.  It goes hand in hand with obedience and communion!

The table has on it the Bread of Presence.  It is the symbolic life, an enduring sign and promise of nourishment.  It needs to be seen, held up (blessed and broken) in order to remind the community that it is always enough...and even some left over!

The lampstand provides light for the priests, but even moreso proves that God pushes back the darkness and chaos...for the Israelites are no strangers to that, but God will keep them from it.  It will be God's light giving presence and the light of the world!

The altar is essential to the liberated, covenanted community.  They needed a place to regularly submit offerings in gratitude to the sovereignty of God!

I asked Dusty....why were there so many details?  What's up??  Well...it is the LORD!  It's for Him!  It's not just some Super Walmart they are constructing!  It's the place where the Lord will dwell amongst the people!  The place where He will make His presence known!  A place where He will come and meet with the people!  He will "tabernacle" with them...He will dwell among them!    Just like Jesus does today!  He is the Word made flesh....He makes His dwelling with us.....among us.....in us.  He "tabernacles" among us!  The details had to be there for there was a lot at stake!  Let the Lord tabernacle with you today!  Be in His presence.  Let His light shine in you...and dwell with you. Amen?  Amen!