Exodus

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Exodus 39-40

One third of the Book of Exodus is devoted to the instructions regarding the building of the tabernacle and in the report of the carrying out of the building of the tabernacle. The sheer volume of material on the tabernacle shows us that worship is important to God.

The story of Exodus is a story of movement from slavery to worship. The children of Israel were enslaved to a man who thought he was a god—the Pharaoh of Egypt—and they were released from that slavery to worship the real God. Is that so far from everyone who comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? What is it Paul said? That the people who are in darkness worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator! And what happens in the new birth? You stop worshiping the creature and you start worshiping the Creator! Isn’t Exodus a paradigm of what happens to us when we come to grace, when we come to faith in Christ, when we come into a living relationship with Him? So the story of Exodus is a story of movement from slavery to worship. -- Moses' Benediction: Exodus 39:32-43: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/44a_exodus_39.32_43.htm

Exodus 39

Clothing for the Priests

⁽¹⁾ The craftsmen made beautiful sacred *garments of blue, purple, and scarlet cloth—clothing for Aaron to wear while ministering in the Holy Place, **just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

*garments: Instructions in Exodus 28

**just as: Go through chapters 39 and 40 and see how often this phrase is used - I've tried to put it in bold wherever I found it. When you see a phrase used over and over again, it is being emphasized so that we dummies get it - HEY, this is important! There were no deviations from God's instructions. Nothing was changed, nothing was left out and nothing was added. What’s the lesson here? If you want to be near to God, obey what God says. Do just what He says. Those who would find fellowship with the living God must come to Him by His word. Real worship is always in response to God’s word.

Making the Ephod

⁽²⁾ Bezalel made the ephod of finely woven linen and embroidered it with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

⁽³⁾ He made gold thread by hammering out thin sheets of gold and cutting it into fine strands. With great skill and care, he worked it into the fine linen with the blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

⁽⁴⁾ The ephod consisted of two pieces, front and back, joined at the shoulders with two shoulder-pieces.

⁽⁵⁾ The decorative sash was made of the same materials: finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁽⁶⁾ They mounted the two onyx stones in settings of gold filigree. The stones were engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, just as a seal is engraved.

⁽⁷⁾ He fastened these stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as a reminder that the priest represents the people of Israel. All this was done just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Making the Chestpiece

⁽⁸⁾ Bezalel made the chestpiece with great skill and care. He made it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

⁽⁹⁾ He made the chestpiece of a single piece of cloth folded to form a pouch nine inches square.

⁽¹⁰⁾ They mounted four rows of gemstones on it. The first row contained a red carnelian, a pale-green peridot, and an emerald.

⁽¹¹⁾ The second row contained a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone.

⁽¹²⁾ The third row contained an orange jacinth, an agate, and a purple amethyst.

⁽¹³⁾ The fourth row contained a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones were set in gold filigree.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Each stone represented one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe was engraved on it like a seal.

⁽¹⁵⁾ To attach the chestpiece to the ephod, they made braided cords of pure gold thread.

⁽¹⁶⁾ They also made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings and attached them to the top corners of the chestpiece.

⁽¹⁷⁾ They tied the two gold cords to the rings on the chestpiece.

⁽¹⁸⁾ They tied the other ends of the cords to the gold settings on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the inside edges of the chestpiece next to the ephod.

⁽²⁰⁾ Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the front of the ephod, below the shoulder-pieces, just above the knot where the decorative sash was fastened to the ephod

⁽²¹⁾ They attached the bottom rings of the chestpiece to the rings on the ephod with blue cords. In this way, the chestpiece was held securely to the ephod above the decorative sash. All this was done just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Additional Clothing for the Priests

⁽²²⁾ Bezalel made the robe that is worn with the ephod from a single piece of blue woven cloth,

⁽²³⁾ with an opening for Aaron’s head in the middle of it. The opening was reinforced with a woven collar so it would not tear.

⁽²⁴⁾ They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and attached them to the hem of the robe.

⁽²⁵⁾ They also made bells of pure gold and placed them between the pomegranates along the hem of the robe,

⁽²⁶⁾ with bells and pomegranates alternating all around the hem. This robe was to be worn whenever the priest ministered before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁽²⁷⁾ They made tunics for Aaron and his sons from fine linen cloth.

⁽²⁸⁾ The turban and the special head coverings were made of fine linen, and the undergarments were also made of finely woven linen.

⁽²⁹⁾ The sashes were made of finely woven linen and embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁽³⁰⁾ Finally, they made the sacred medallion—the badge of holiness—of pure gold. They engraved it like a seal with these words: Holy to the Lord.

⁽³¹⁾ They attached the medallion with a blue cord to Aaron’s turban, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Moses Inspects the Work

⁽³²⁾ And so at last the Tabernacle was finished. The Israelites had done everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Tabernacle is finally complete to the last detail.

⁽³³⁾ And they brought the entire Tabernacle to Moses: the sacred tent with all its furnishings, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases;

⁽³⁴⁾ the tent coverings of tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather; the inner curtain to shield the Ark;

⁽³⁵⁾ the Ark of the Covenant and its carrying poles; the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement;

⁽³⁶⁾ the table and all its utensils; the Bread of the Presence;

⁽³⁷⁾ the pure gold lampstand with its symmetrical lamp cups, all its accessories, and the olive oil for lighting;

⁽³⁸⁾ the gold altar; the anointing oil and fragrant incense; the curtain for the entrance of the sacred tent;

⁽³⁹⁾ the bronze altar; the bronze grating and its carrying poles and utensils; the washbasin with its stand;

⁽⁴⁰⁾ the curtains for the walls of the courtyard; the posts and their bases; the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs;< all the furnishings to be used in worship at the Tabernacle;

⁽⁴¹⁾ the beautifully stitched garments for the priests to wear while ministering in the Holy Place—the sacred garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to wear as they minister as priests.

⁽⁴²⁾ So the people of Israel followed all of the Lord’s instructions to Moses.

⁽⁴³⁾ Then Moses inspected all their work. When he found it had been done just as the Lord had commanded him, he blessed them.

Not until Moses is certain that everything was done EXACTLY according to God's instructions could Moses bless the people of Israel. God wants no deviations from His instructions and His Word.

Exodus 40

The Tabernacle Completed

⁽¹⁾ Then the Lord said to Moses,

⁽²⁾ “Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year.

When John describes the incarnation, he uses an image drawn from the Torah, saying that the Word became flesh and ‘pitched His tent’ among us (John 1:14). The phrase “pitch his tent” can also be translated as “tabernacled,” and refers to the sanctuary that Israel built when they came from Egypt. Jesus is the fulfillment of this sanctuary, the “Holy Place” where God dwells.

This indicates that it was a year since Israel came out of Egypt. This was an amazing year in the history of Israel. They could count the great works of God and measure their own spiritual growth. Some Christians never grow much beyond their initial experience with God. Some who have been Christians for 10 years have only the maturity of a one-year-old Christian - they simply repeat their first year over and over again.

They weren't informed that there was a deadline for the completion of all this, but there evidently was since the Tabernacle was to be set up on a specific day!

⁽³⁾ Place the Ark of the Covenant inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place.

⁽⁴⁾ Then bring in the table, and arrange the utensils on it. And bring in the lampstand, and set up the lamps.

⁽⁵⁾ “Place the gold incense altar in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Then hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

⁽⁶⁾ Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the Tabernacle entrance.

⁽⁷⁾ Set the washbasin between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water.

⁽⁸⁾ Then set up the courtyard around the outside of the tent, and hang the curtain for the courtyard entrance.

⁽⁹⁾ “Take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all its furnishings to consecrate them and make them holy.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Anoint the altar of burnt offering and its utensils to consecrate them. Then the altar will become absolutely holy.

⁽¹¹⁾ Next anoint the washbasin and its stand to consecrate them.

⁽¹²⁾ “Present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and wash them with water.

⁽¹³⁾ Dress Aaron with the sacred garments and anoint him, consecrating him to serve me as a priest.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Then present his sons and dress them in their tunics.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Anoint them as you did their father, so they may also serve me as priests. With their anointing, Aaron’s descendants are set apart for the priesthood forever, from generation to generation.”

This custom continued among the Jews until the destruction of their city and temple because they hold it unlawful to sacrifice anywhere out of Jerusalem The true priest and the true sacrifice had come, making this system obsolete.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Moses proceeded to do everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

⁽¹⁷⁾ So the Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Moses erected the Tabernacle by setting down its bases, inserting the frames, attaching the crossbars, and setting up the posts.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Then he spread the coverings over the Tabernacle framework and put on the protective layers, just as the Lord had commanded him.

⁽²⁰⁾ He took the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant and placed them inside the Ark. Then he attached the carrying poles to the Ark, and he set the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of it.

⁽²¹⁾ Then he brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Tabernacle and hung the inner curtain to shield it from view, just as the Lord had commanded him.

⁽²²⁾ Next Moses placed the table in the Tabernacle, along the north side of the Holy Place, just outside the inner curtain.

⁽²³⁾ And he arranged the Bread of the Presence on the table before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him.

⁽²⁴⁾ He set the lampstand in the Tabernacle across from the table on the south side of the Holy Place.

⁽²⁵⁾ Then he lit the lamps in the Lord’s presence, just as the Lord had commanded him.

⁽²⁶⁾ He also placed the gold incense altar in the Tabernacle, in the Holy Place in front of the inner curtain.

⁽²⁷⁾ On it he burned the fragrant incense, just as the Lord had commanded him.

⁽²⁸⁾ He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle,

⁽²⁹⁾ and he placed the altar of burnt offering near the Tabernacle entrance. On it he offered a burnt offering and a grain offering, just as the Lord had commanded him.

⁽³⁰⁾ Next Moses placed the washbasin between the Tabernacle and the altar. He filled it with water so the priests could wash themselves.

⁽³¹⁾ Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons used water from it to wash their hands and feet.

⁽³²⁾ Whenever they approached the altar and entered the Tabernacle, they washed themselves, *just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

*just as: I counted eighteen times this phrase was used in chapters 39-40 - check for yourself in case I miscounted. Check also the King James version. He’s emphasizing to us the importance of obedience to God’s command if we’re going to come and find Him and enjoy fellowship with the living God.

⁽³³⁾ Then he hung the curtains forming the courtyard around the Tabernacle and the altar. And he set up the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard. So at last *Moses finished the work.

*Moses finished the work: As God finished His work on the seventh day in Genesis 2:2: On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.

When the tabernacle was finally assembled, it was an earthly model of a heavenly reality. Since Moses was instructed to build and arrange everything according to pattern, it isn't surprising that we see elements of this tabernacle arrangement in the Bible's descriptions of heaven:

In Revelation 4:1-6, the Ark of the Covenant (representing the throne of God), the lampstand, and the laver all correspond to a heavenly reality.

In Revelation 8:2-4, the altar of incense in heaven is mentioned.

In Isaiah 6:1-7, the tabernacle structure is implied by the mention of the temple, and the brazen altar is described.

In Hebrews 9:23-24, it tells us that at some point in time (after the cross), Jesus entered the heavenly reality represented on earth by the tabernacle, and appeared in the presence of the Father to offer a perfect atonement for our sins. Therefore, every time before this event, when the High Priest made atonement in the earthly tabernacle, it was looking forward to the perfect atonement the Son of God would offer.

The Lord’s Glory Fills the Tabernacle

⁽³⁴⁾ Then the *cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the **glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.

God gave his approval of the work and this was a sign to all the people that God was among them.

*cloud: Exodus 18:21-22, 14:19, 14:24, 16:10, 24:16-28, 33:9-10, 34:5.

1 Kings 8:10: When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 5:13-14: The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God.

Revelation 15:8: The Temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power. No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.

**glory: John 1:14: So the Word became human and made his home (tabernacled) among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

The function of the Tabernacle was stated in Exodus 25:8: “Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.

⁽³⁵⁾ Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle

Moses himself could not enter in because of the cloud and the glory. Precisely the same happened when Solomon had dedicated his temple; for it is said that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord; 1 Kings 8:10-11. Previously to this the cloud of the Divine glory had rested upon that tent or tabernacle which Moses had pitched outside the camp, but now the cloud removed from that tabernacle and rested upon this one, which was made by the command and under the direction of God himself.

Preparations and construction of the tabernacle have taken approximately six months. Now, at last, the tabernacle is being set up for the first time. Imagine the excitement of this day. The delight of seeing the tabernacle set up for the first time is intensified by the splendor of God’s glory descending upon that tent. The cloud, the visible manifestation of the glory of God descends upon the tabernacle, to dwell in the midst of this sinful people, and to guide them into the promised land. The cloud is no longer on Mt. Sinai, but among the people!

⁽³⁶⁾ Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it.

⁽³⁷⁾ But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted.

⁽³⁸⁾ The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.

This verse describes the dwelling of the Shechinah on the Tabernacle in the exact same terms used to depict the dwelling of the Shechinah on Mt. Sinai: Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. (Exodus 24:15-16).
God here deliberately parallels the descent of the Shechinah onto Mt. Sinai with the dwelling of the Shechinah on the Tabernacle. His presence there is a tangible sign that God is saying to His people ‘I accept what you have done. I receive your offering. I’m dwelling in your midst.’

The cloud is a visible reminder: ‘I’m here. I’m here, My people. I’m right in the midst of you; right in the midst of all your problems. I’m in the midst of all your trials. I’m not ‘out there’ somewhere, I’m right here in the middle of it. I’m in the thick of it with you, and what you’re going through, I’m in the thick of it with you, and I’m protecting you, and I’m guarding you, and I’m guiding you.’ -- The Glory Cloud: Exodus 40:34: http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/45a_exodus_40.34.htm Reminds me of when I was in the hospital when DJ was in a coma and I cried out to the Lord, "Where are You" and He responded into my mind, "I'm right here, right where I've been all along!" God is with us in the worst of our troubles and heartache - sometimes, He even makes His presence felt strongly by us. He's with us right now. He's with us when we're in despair. He's with us when our heart is broken. He's with us when we don't understand what's happening to us or to one of our loved ones. He's with us when we're on our death bed - all ASSUMING we're in Him and He is in us through Christ.

Charles Austin Miles wrote in 1912 the hymn, "In the Garden":

I come to the garden alone

While the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear falling on my ear

The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He gave to me

Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him

Though the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go; through the voice of woe

His voice to me is calling.

When the tabernacle became fixed in place, because the Israelites had obtained their inheritance, this mark of the Divine presence was no longer visible in the sight of all Israel, but appears to have been confined to the holy of holies, where it had its fixed residence upon the mercy-seat between the cherubim; and in this place continued till the first temple was destroyed, after which it was no more seen in Israel till God was manifested in the flesh.

Numbers 9:18-22: In this way, they traveled and camped at the Lord’s command wherever he told them to go. Then they remained in their camp as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle. If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed and performed their duty to the Lord. Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days, as the Lord commanded. Then at the Lord’s command they would break camp and move on. Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and lifted the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and moved on. Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on.

For most of the Sinai wandering years, The Tabernacle was at Kadesh (Deuteronomy 1:46). Immediately after entering the promised land under Joshua, The Tabernacle was located at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19), and the area of Shechem and Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:30-33). The Tabernacle was then established firmly at Shiloh for many years (Joshua 18:1-10), continuing through all the period of the Judges. Because of their sinful behavior, God allowed the Israelites to be defeated at Shiloh, at which time The Ark was captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3,11). It was at this point that The Ark and the original Tabernacle parted company for many months, perhaps permanently. When The Ark was recovered from the Philistines 7 months later (1 Samuel 6:1), it was taken to Abinadab's house in Kiriath Jearim (1 Samuel 7:1).

When The Ark was later moved to Jerusalem by King David (2 Samuel 6:2), after temporarily staying in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite (2 Samuel 6:10), it was just placed "inside the tent that David had pitched for it." (2 Samuel 6:17). Even if the original Tabernacle had survived to Gibeon, it obviously hadn't made it to Jerusalem - otherwise, David would almost certainly have used it. Later, The Ark was placed in the new Temple that was built in the time of King Solomon.

So what was the fate of the original Tabernacle? The Bible does not state specifically what happened to it, and there are a number of possibilities, but in all likelihood, its ropes, wooden bars, and leather materials had simply worn out after so many years of use, and the Levites respectfully retired it in some way.

Ezekiel 43:2-7 tells us of His future dwelling on earth and the new Temple He will build, I believe during the Millenium: The Lord said to me, Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory. This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground. And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.
Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me.
“Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.

1 Peter 2:5 tells us that we born again believers in Christ are being made into a temple, indwelt by the Holy Spirit: And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Ephesians 2:19-22: So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Revelation 21:3-4: I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelation 21:22-23: I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.

The events of Exodus chapter 40 are an introduction to the Book of Leviticus. If the Book of Exodus contains the description of the “parts” of the tabernacle, as well as providing the assembly instructions for its erection, the Book of Leviticus is the “owner’s manual,” which tells the Israelite how they are to take advantage of the mediatory role of the tabernacle, the sacrifices, and the priesthood, which enable them to draw near to God.

This concludes our brief study of the Book of Exodus. It opened in the gloom of the brickyards of Egypt and it closed in the glorious presence of the Lord in the tabernacle. It was His presence that led them through the wilderness. And God wants to deliver us from the gloom of the slavery of Satan and sin and bring us into the glory of His presence and into the center of His will where He can lead and guide us. We will be going next to the Epistle to the Hebrews.

Later, we find Israel leaving this area: Deuteronomy 1:6: “When we were at Mount Sinai, the Lord our God said to us, ‘You have stayed at this mountain long enough.

On-Line Sources:

BibleGateway - Exodus 39: www.bible.org/netbible/exo39.htm

BibleGateway - Exodus 40: www.bible.org/netbible/exo40.htm

Bible Tools: bibletools.org/

Blue Letter Bible - Chuck Smith Commentary on Exodus 35-40:
www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/chuck_smith_c2000/Exd/Exd035.html

Clarke's Commentary - Exodus 39: www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo39.htm

Clarke's Commentary - Exodus 40: www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo40.htm

Crosswalk: http://bible.crosswalk.com

David Guzik's Commentary on Exodus: www.enduringword.com/commentaries/02.html

Diagrams of the Tabernacle and Basic Layout: www.the-tabernacle-place.com/tabernacle_articles/tabernacle_basic_layout.aspx

Exodus 39-40, Leviticus 1: www.keyway.ca/htm2007/20070719.htm

Exodus 40: The Completion of the Tabernacle: www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0240.htm

Exodus Archive Index: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/

Exodus - From Egypt to the Sanctuary: www.bibleexplained.com/moses/Exod/Exo.htm

Law and Covenant: Chapters 31:12 - 40:38: www.wcg.org/lit/bible/law/exodus5.htm

Moses' Benediction: Exodus 39:32-43: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/44a_exodus_39.32_43.htm

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Exodus: www.ccel.org/h/henry/mhc2/MHC02000.HTM

Net Bible: http://www.bible.org/netbible/index.htm

Priestly Garments: Exodus 38:21 – 39:31: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/43bExo.htm

Responding to Grace (Exodus 35:1-40:38): www.pbc.org/library/files/html/exo030.html

Selected Bibliography of Exodus: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=133

Temple Institute Gallery: www.templeinstitute.org/gallery.htm

The Consecration of the Tabernacle and the Presence of God - Exodus 40: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=203

The Glory Cloud: Exodus 40:34: http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/45a_exodus_40.34.htm

The Lord’s Dwelling Place (Exodus 35-40:) www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Exodus/exodus_71.htm

The Lost Ark of the Covenant: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ark.html

The Tabernacle Home Page: www.domini.org/tabern/tabhome.htm

The Tabernacle Overview: www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4Overview.htm

The Tabernacle, the Dwelling Place of God: (Exodus 36:8–39:43): www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=202

The Tent of Meeting Set Up: Exodus 40:1-33: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/44b_exodus_40.1_33.htm

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House

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- Thomas Nelson Publishers

"The Ten Commandments" (1956 film) from
Paramount Pictures, directed by Cecil B. DeMille,
starring Charlton Heston as Moses

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Exodus 37-38

The Sacrifice of the Lamb

The Brazen Altar of Burnt Offerings

The Laver

The Golden Candlestick (Menorah)

The Holy place

The Golden Altar of Incense

The Table of Showbread

The Ark of the Testimony of God containing the 10 commandments

The Holy of Holies

Everything mentioned in chapters 37 and 38 has been covered from a different perspective in previous chapters in Exodus. The two articles of furniture in the outer court were the brazen altar and the laver. When you stepped inside the Holy Place, there were THREE articles of furniture: the golden lampstand, the table of showbread and the altar of incense. In the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. There were THREE compartments to the tabernacle and THREE entrances to the tabernacle.

The brazen altar speaks of the Cross of Christ where we receive forgiveness of sin. The laver or washbasin speaks of the fact that Christ washes or cleanses those who are His own. The laver or washbasin is where we confess our sins and receive His forgiveness and cleansing.

The Holy Place is the place of worship. In it is the golden lampstand typifying Christ, the Light of the World. The table of showbread is a pictures of Jesus as the Bread of Life . The altar of incense is the place of prayer. It speaks of the fact that Christ is our Intercessor.

Hebrews 9:2: There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place.

The Holy of Holies pictures Jesus Christ in the presence of God. In Hebrews 4:16, we are told to come "boldly" to the throne of grace. The mercy seat pictures this, and this is where we find grace to help and mercy in time of need. There is a mercy seat for believers in heaven.

Hebrews 4:16: So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 9 (New Living Translation):

That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now. When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use. This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established. So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead. The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect. That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal. For after Moses had read each of God’s commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool. Then he said, “This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you.” And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship. In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals. For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

The Basic Layout of the Tabernacle

The tabernacle consisted of a tent-like structure (the tabernacle proper) covered by rug-like coverings for a roof, and an external courtyard (150 feet by 75 feet). The whole compound was surrounded by a high fence about 7 feet in height. The fence was made of linen hangings held by pillars. The tent was divided into the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The tent was made of acacia wood boards overlaid with gold and fitted together to form the walls, measuring 45 by 15 feet. On top, four layers of curtains acted as a roof to shield the tabernacle from sun and rain: The innermost layer was woven with fine linen and embroidered with figures of cherubim (angels), the second layer was made of goat’s hair, the third layer was made of rams’ skins dyed red, and the outermost layer was made of porpoise or badger skins. The curtains were pinned to the ground with loops and clasps. The specific layout of the tabernacle and its courtyard is significant because it illustrates God’s prescribed way for man to approach Him.

The whole compound was surrounded by a high fence with only one entrance. A person could not simply come from any direction into the tabernacle as he pleased — he had to enter through the one gate, which was always located to the east (so that people were facing west when they entered the tabernacle — a direct opposition to the pagan sun worshippers of the day who always faced east). Upon entering the gate, he encountered the brazen altar, where he was to present his animal offering, and then hand the reigns over to the priests, who make atonement and intercession for him in the tent.

This setup informed the Israelites that they could only come to God in the way He prescribed. There was no other way. As we will see even more clearly in the following sections, God is using the Old Testament tabernacle to tell us that we, too, must come to Him only through the way He has provided for us — Jesus Christ

-- Diagrams of the Tabernacle and Basic Layout: www.the-tabernacle-place.com/tabernacle_articles/tabernacle_basic_layout.aspx.

Building the Ark of the Covenant

⁽¹⁾ Next Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

Exodus 25:10-20

Hebrews 9:4: In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

⁽²⁾ He overlaid it inside and outside with pure gold, and he ran a molding of gold all around it.

⁽³⁾ He cast four gold rings and attached them to its four feet, two rings on each side.

⁽⁴⁾ Then he made poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

⁽⁵⁾ He inserted the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.

⁽⁶⁾ Then he made the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold. It was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.

⁽⁷⁾ He made two cherubim from hammered gold and placed them on the two ends of the atonement cover.

⁽⁸⁾ He molded the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold.

⁽⁹⁾ The cherubim faced each other and looked down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they protected it.

Ark of the Covenant: A Temporary Means of Forgiveness: The Ark of the Covenant was more than just a special furnishing with supernatural powers -- It was also the Israelites' means of relating to God. The Ark of the Covenant could only be approached once a year by the high priest on "Yum Kippur"- the Jewish Day of Atonement. On this day, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of a sacrificed lamb. It was also only on this day that God's presence manifested between the two Cherubs. The high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed lamb on the Mercy Seat. Once received by God, the blood of the lamb atoned (covered) for the sins of the high priest and the entire nation of Israel. This ritual was performed continuously, year after year. The Ark of the Covenant played a key role in the forgiveness of sins.

Ark of the Covenant: Foreshadowing the Coming Messiah: At first glance, the blood sacrifices associated with the history of the Ark of the Covenant may seem somewhat disturbing. Slaughtering animals and offering their blood on an altar begs of the occult. It is important to note, however, that these sacrifices were not intended to appease the wrath of a bloodthirsty deity. God does not desire the blood and suffering of helpless lambs (Hebrews 10:8). The biblical text repeatedly shows that where there is sin, the unavoidable result is death. The sacrifice of the lamb points to the severity of sin. Sin must always be atoned (paid) for in order for God to be just (Hebrews 9:22). God's compassion enabled the sins of Israel to be transferred upon the lamb. More importantly, these sacrifices were foreshadowing a greater sacrifice yet to take place -- the sacrifice of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ. God knew that these continual sacrifices would be insufficient to pay for the sins of Israel, much less the sins of all humanity. Therefore, God provided Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrificial lamb, which became the greatest act of love in all history. A Roman cross became the ark on which Christ was sacrificed. The blood of Christ, once and for all, atoned for the wrongs of all who would accept Him as their Savior (John 3:16).

Ark of the Covenant: Replaced by God's New Covenant: The Ark of the Covenant disappeared from the Jewish Temple somewhere before or during the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem in 586 BC. In anticipation of the Ark's disappearance, the prophet Jeremiah wrote: "And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more" (Jeremiah 3:16). Even before Jesus, Jeremiah's prophecy revealed that there would be no more need for the Ark of the Covenant in the future. God had a better covenant He would bring to pass -- the new covenant in His Son, Jesus Christ.

-- Ark of the Covenant: www.ark-of-the-covenant.com

History of the Ark:

The Ark accompanied the Jews throughout their time in the desert, traveling with them and accompanying them to their wars with Emor and Midian. When the Jews crossed into the land of Canaan, the waters of the Jordan River miraculously split and the Ark led them through (Joshua 3). Throughout their conquest of the land, the Jews were accompanied by the Ark. The most dramatic demonstration of its power comes when the Jews breached the walls of Jericho merely by circling them, blowing horns and carrying the Ark (Joshua 6).

After the conquest was completed, the Ark, and the entire Tabernacle, were set up in Shiloh (Joshua 18) . There they remained until the battles of the Jews with the Philistines during the Priesthood of Eli. The Jews, after suffering a defeat at the Philistines' hands, took the Ark from Shiloh to Even-Ezer in hopes of winning the next battle. But the Jews were routed, and the Ark was captured by the Philistines. Back in Shiloh, Eli, the High Priest, immediately died upon hearing the news (I Samuel 4).

The Philistines took the Ark back to Ashdod, their capital city in the south of Canaan, where they placed it in the temple of their god Dagon. The next day, however, they found the idol fallen on its face. After replacing the statue, they found it the next day decapitated, with only its trunk remaining, and soon afterward, the entire city of Ashdod was struck with a plague. The Philistines moved the Ark to the city of Gath, and from there to Ekron, but whatever city the Ark was in, the inhabitants were struck with plague. After seven months, the Philistines decided to send the Ark back to the Israelites, and accompanied it with expensive gifts. The Ark was taken back to Beit Shemesh.

From Beit Shemesh, the Ark was transported to Kiryat Yearim, where it remained for twenty years. From there, King David transported it to Jerusalem. En route, however, the oxen pulling it stumbled, and when Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark, he died immediately. As a result of this tragedy, David decided to leave the Ark at the home of Obed-edom the Gittite. Three months later, he moved it to Jerusalem, the seat of his kingdom, where it remained until the construction of the First Temple by David's son Solomon (I Sameul 5-6).

The only remnant of the Ark in Jewish life today is the Ark in which Torah scrolls are kept in synagogues. These Arks often are decorated with copies of the Tablets, reminiscent of the contents of the actual Ark of ancient times. The Ark itself plays no role in Jewish life today. Nonetheless, it remains a potent symbol of the Jewish peoples' past, and of the messianic era many believe is waiting in the future.

-- The Lost Ark of the Covenant: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ark.html

Of course, there is much speculation as to where the Ark might be today.

Building the Table - Exodus 25:23-29; 40:22

⁽¹⁰⁾ Then Bezalel made the table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.

⁽¹¹⁾ He overlaid it with pure gold and ran a gold molding around the edge.

⁽¹²⁾ He decorated it with a 3-inch border all around, and he ran a gold molding along the border.

⁽¹³⁾ Then he cast four gold rings for the table and attached them at the four corners next to the four legs.

⁽¹⁴⁾ The rings were attached near the border to hold the poles that were used to carry the table.

⁽¹⁵⁾ He made these poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Then he made special containers of pure gold for the table—bowls, pans, jars, and pitchers—to be used in pouring out liquid offerings.

Building the Lampstand - Exodus 25:31-39

⁽¹⁷⁾ Then Bezalel made the lampstand of pure, hammered gold. He made the entire lampstand and its decorations of one piece—the base, center stem, lamp cups, buds, and petals.

⁽¹⁸⁾ The lampstand had six branches going out from the center stem, three on each side.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Each of the six branches had three lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.

⁽²⁰⁾ The center stem of the lampstand was crafted with four lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.

⁽²¹⁾ There was an almond bud beneath each pair of branches where the six branches extended from the center stem, all made of one piece.

⁽²²⁾ The almond buds and branches were all of one piece with the center stem, and they were hammered from pure gold.

⁽²³⁾ He also made seven lamps for the lampstand, lamp snuffers, and trays, all of pure gold.

⁽²⁴⁾ The entire lampstand, along with its accessories, was made from seventy-five pounds of pure gold.

Building the Incense Altar - Exodus 30:1-5

Revelation 8:3-4: Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.

Psalm 141:2: Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
and my upraised hands as an evening offering.

⁽²⁵⁾ Then Bezalel made the incense altar of acacia wood. It was 18 inches square and 36 inches high, with horns at the corners carved from the same piece of wood as the altar itself.

⁽²⁶⁾ He overlaid the top, sides, and horns of the altar with pure gold, and he ran a gold molding around the entire altar.

⁽²⁷⁾ He made two gold rings and attached them on opposite sides of the altar below the gold molding to hold the carrying poles.

⁽²⁸⁾ He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

⁽²⁹⁾ Then he made the sacred anointing oil and the fragrant incense, using the techniques of a skilled incense maker.

All of those instruments are going to be used as part of a sacrificial system. This is to remind Israel that the only way they can enjoy the presence of God is through the penalty for sin being symbolically meted out over, and over and over again. The mercy seat simultaneously speaks of God’s nearness to His people, and the fact that they can have no communion with Him apart from the atoning blood of sacrifice. Those two things at the same time are spoken of in every instrument that’s made in this passage.

Exodus 38

Building the Altar of Burnt Offering - Exodus 27:1-8

⁽¹⁾ Next Bezalel used acacia wood to construct the square altar of burnt offering. It was 7½ feet wide, 7½ feet long, and 4½ feet high.

⁽²⁾ He made *horns for each of its four corners so that the horns and altar were all one piece. He overlaid the altar with bronze.

*horns: The horns on the altar speak of strength - the ability of Jesus Christ to save.

⁽³⁾ Then he made all the altar utensils of bronze—the ash buckets, shovels, basins, meat forks, and firepans.

⁽⁴⁾ Next he made a bronze grating and installed it halfway down the side of the altar, under the ledge.

⁽⁵⁾ He cast four rings and attached them to the corners of the bronze grating to hold the carrying poles.

⁽⁶⁾ He made the poles from acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze.

⁽⁷⁾ He inserted the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar. The altar was hollow and was made from planks.

The altar was the place for burning animal sacrifices. It showed the Israelites that the first step for sinful man to approach a holy God was to be cleansed by the blood of an innocent creature. For a sin offering, a person had to bring an male animal without blemish or defect to the priest at the tabernacle gate. By laying his hand upon the head of the offering, the person was identifying with the sacrifice. His sin and guilt was being moved from himself to the animal. The priest would then slaughter the animal, sprinkle its blood in front of the veil of the Holy Place, burn the sacrifice, and pour the rest of it at the bottom of the altar. Blood is a significant agent of atonement (covering for sin) and cleansing in the Old Testament. Although the blood of the sacrifices covered over the sins of the Israelites, they had to perform the sacrifices year after year, for they were not freed permanently of a guilty conscience. However, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, came as the ultimate and last sacrifice for mankind when He offered up His life. As Isaiah prophesied, Christ would be like a lamb that is led to slaughter and pierced for our transgressions. His blood was sprinkled and poured out at the cross for us.

Leviticus 1:4: Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him.

Leviticus 17:11: for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.

Hebrews 9:22: In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

Mark 14:24: And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.

1 Peter 1:18-19: For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

Hebrews 9:13-14: Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 10:10, 14, 18: For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

2 Corinthians 5:21: For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

John 6:53-56: I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.

-- The Brazen Altar of the Tabernacle: www.the-tabernacle-place.com/tabernacle_articles/tabernacle_brazen_altar.aspx

Building the Washbasin - Exodus 30:18

⁽⁸⁾ Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who *served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Ephesians 5:25-27: For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

Hebrews 10:22: let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

The mirrors represent the Word of God - it is the Bible that shows the believer his need for cleansing. The washbasin was there for cleanings. We have the same thing in our bathrooms today. We have a mirror and beneath the mirror is a wash basin. The mirror does not wash the dirt off, and neither can the Law save you.

*served: The word for “served” is not the ordinary one. It means “to serve in a host,” especially in a war. It appears that women were organized into bands and served at the tent of meeting. This may have meant washing, cleaning, or repairing.

1 Samuel 2:22: Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Such were employed about the house of the high priest in Jesus' time; for a woman is actually represented as keeping the door of the palace of the high priest, John 18:1: Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in.

Where are these women dwelling? Next to the doors of the tabernacle. Doesn’t it make you think of David’s statement in Psalm 84:10: I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.

Building the Courtyard - Exodus 27:9-19

⁽⁹⁾ Then Bezalel made the courtyard, which was enclosed with curtains made of finely woven linen. On the south side the curtains were 150 feet long.

The white linen fence shut out man from God and God from man.

⁽¹⁰⁾ They were held up by twenty posts set securely in twenty bronze bases. He hung the curtains with silver hooks and rings.

Brass is the metal of judgment. Silver is the metal of redemption.

Revelation 1:15: His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.

⁽¹¹⁾ He made a similar set of curtains for the north side—150 feet of curtains held up by twenty posts set securely in bronze bases. He hung the curtains with silver hooks and rings.

⁽¹²⁾ The curtains on the west end of the courtyard were 75 feet long, hung with silver hooks and rings and supported by ten posts set into ten bases.

⁽¹³⁾ The east end, the front, was also 75 feet long.

⁽¹⁴⁾ The courtyard entrance was on the east end, flanked by two curtains. The curtain on the right side was 22½ feet long and was supported by three posts set into three bases.

⁽¹⁵⁾ The curtain on the left side was also 22½ feet long and was supported by three posts set into three bases.

⁽¹⁶⁾ All the curtains used in the courtyard were made of finely woven linen.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Each post had a bronze base, and all the hooks and rings were silver. The tops of the posts of the courtyard were overlaid with silver, and the rings to hold up the curtains were made of silver.

⁽¹⁸⁾ He made the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard of finely woven linen, and he decorated it with beautiful embroidery in blue, purple, and scarlet thread. It was 30 feet long, and its height was 7½ feet, just like the curtains of the courtyard walls.

⁽¹⁹⁾ It was supported by four posts, each set securely in its own bronze base. The tops of the posts were overlaid with silver, and the hooks and rings were also made of silver.

⁽²⁰⁾ All the tent pegs used in the Tabernacle and courtyard were made of bronze.

Inventory of Materials

⁽²¹⁾ This is an inventory of the materials used in building the Tabernacle of the Covenant. The Levites compiled the figures, as Moses directed, and Ithamar son of Aaron the priest served as recorder.

⁽²²⁾ Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁽²³⁾ He was assisted by Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman expert at engraving, designing, and embroidering with blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth.

⁽²⁴⁾ The people brought special offerings of gold totaling 2,193 pounds, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. This gold was used throughout the Tabernacle.

⁽²⁵⁾ The whole community of Israel gave 7,545 pounds of silver, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel.

⁽²⁶⁾ This silver came from the tax collected from each man registered in the census. (The tax is one beka, which is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel.) The tax was collected from 603,550 men who had reached their twentieth birthday.

⁽²⁷⁾ The hundred bases for the frames of the sanctuary walls and for the posts supporting the inner curtain required 7,500 pounds of silver, about 75 pounds for each base.

⁽²⁸⁾ The remaining 45 pounds of silver was used to make the hooks and rings and to overlay the tops of the posts.

⁽²⁹⁾ The people also brought as special offerings 5,310 pounds of bronze,

⁽³⁰⁾ which was used for casting the bases for the posts at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and for the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all the altar utensils.

⁽³¹⁾ Bronze was also used to make the bases for the posts that supported the curtains around the courtyard, the bases for the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard, and all the tent pegs for the Tabernacle and the courtyard.

The total weight in precious metals the Israelites carried out of Egypt was about 15,000 pounds!, or about 0.025 pounds for every adult male.

It is easy to see in the New Testament that the tabernacle and its belongings were considered as typical. However, it is doubtful if many of those who worshipped at the door of the tabernacle saw beyond the sacrifice. The law and the tabernacle considered as a whole, foreshadowed good things to come (Hebrews 8:1-5 Hebrews 9:1-10; Hebrews 10:1):

The court was a type of the world (Exodus 27:9-18; Revelation 11:1,2);

The altar of burnt sacrifices was a type of the Cross of Christ (Exodus 40:29; John 12:32,33);

The laver was a type of Christ (Exodus 30:18-21; 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:22);

The first veil or door was a type of the dividing line between the world and the Church (Exodus 26:36,27; John 3:5; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 12:13);

The holy place was a type of the Church (Exodus 26:33; Hebrews 8:2);

The showbread was a type of Christ (Exodus 40:4; Leviticus 24:5-9; Matthew 28:20; John 6:48-63);

The candlestick was a type of Christ and the light of the gospel in the Church (Exodus 40:7; Leviticus 24:1,2; John 1:4-9; John 3:20,21; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6);

The altar of incense was a type of our worship (Exodus 30:1-10; Malachi 1:11; Revelation 8:3);

The second veil was a type of the dividing line between the Church and heaven (Exodus 26:39; Hebrews 10:19-21); the holy of holies was a type of heaven (Exodus 26:33; Hebrews 9:24);

The mercy seat was a type of our mercy seat which is in heaven (Exodus 25:10-22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 4:14-16);

The light that filled the tabernacle was a type of the Holy Spirit who fills the Church (Exodus 40:33-38; 1 Corinthians 3:16,17).

On-Line Sources:

Ark of the Covenant: www.ark-of-the-covenant.com

BibleGateway - Exodus 37: www.bible.org/netbible/exo37.htm

BibleGateway - Exodus 38: www.bible.org/netbible/exo38.htm

Bible Tools: bibletools.org/

Blue Letter Bible - Chuck Smith Commentary on Exodus 35-40:
www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/chuck_smith_c2000/Exd/Exd035.html

Clarke's Commentary - Exodus 37: www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo37.htm

Clarke's Commentary - Exodus 38: www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo38.htm

Crosswalk: http://bible.crosswalk.com

David Guzik's Commentary on Exodus: www.enduringword.com/commentaries/02.html

Diagrams of the Tabernacle and Basic Layout: www.the-tabernacle-place.com/tabernacle_articles/tabernacle_basic_layout.aspx

Exodus 35-38: www.keyway.ca/htm2007/20070718.htm

Exodus Archive Index: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/

Exodus - From Egypt to the Sanctuary: www.bibleexplained.com/moses/Exod/Exo.htm

Law and Covenant: Chapters 31:12 - 40:38: www.wcg.org/lit/bible/law/exodus5.htm

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Exodus: www.ccel.org/h/henry/mhc2/MHC02000.HTM

Net Bible: http://www.bible.org/netbible/index.htm

Progress of Construction: Exodus 36:8 – 38:20: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/43aExo.htm

Responding to Grace (Exodus 35:1-40:38): www.pbc.org/library/files/html/exo030.html

Selected Bibliography of Exodus: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=133

Temple Institute Gallery: www.templeinstitute.org/gallery.htm

The Gospel in Exodus: www.gracegems.org/LAW/Exodus.htm

The Lord’s Dwelling Place (Exodus 35-40:) www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Exodus/exodus_71.htm

The Lost Ark of the Covenant: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ark.html

The Tabernacle Home Page: www.domini.org/tabern/tabhome.htm

The Tabernacle Overview: www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4Overview.htm

The Tabernacle, the Dwelling Place of God: (Exodus 36:8–39:43): www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=202

Off-Line Sources:

"Archaeological
Study Bible", NIV Version - Zondervan Publishing
House

"Breath
of the Holies: Secrets of Moses' Tabernacle"
- DVD by Perry Stone

"Cruden's
Complete Concordance" - Zondervan Publishing
House

"Exodus
Chapters 19-40: The Law" - J. Vernon McGee -
Thomas Nelson Publishers

"Life
Application Study Bible" - New Living Translation
version - Tyndale House Publishers

"The
Companion Bible" by E. W. Bullinger - Zondervan
Publishing House

"The
Defender's Study Bible" -World Bible Publishers

"The
NIV Life Application Commentary - Exodus"
– Peter Enns – Zondervan™

"Unger's
Bible Dictionary" - Merrill F. Unger -
Thomas Nelson Publishers

Vine's
Complete Expository Dictionary - W. E. Vine
- Thomas Nelson Publishers

"The Ten Commandments" (1956 film) from
Paramount Pictures, directed by Cecil B. DeMille,
starring Charlton Heston as Moses

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Exodus 35-36

Exodus 35

⁽¹⁾ Then Moses *called together the whole
**community of Israel and told them, “These are the instructions the Lord
has commanded you to follow.

*called together: Hebrew Qahal.
It is frequently used throughout the Hebrew Bible as a noun for the “assembly”
of Israel, referring to the entire people of Israel - the people of God.
When the “Old Testament” was translated into Greek via the
Septuagint, the Hebrew word Qahal was rendered by the Greek word ekklesia, rarely translated into English
as “assembly” but was rather rendered as “church”.

**community: The Hebrew word translated as “community”
is the word eidah. When this word was translated into Greek it was represented
by the word sunagogay.

⁽²⁾ You have six days each week for your ordinary * work, but the seventh day must be a
Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord. Anyone who works on that day must be put to death.

* work: The Hebrew word for forbidden work is melacha. The rabbis of the Talmud counted 39 categories of forbidden work.

⁽³⁾ You must not even* light a fire in
any of your homes on the Sabbath.” Offerings for the Tabernacle

* light a fire: Kindling a fire receives special attention
here because the people thought that kindling a fire was not work, but
only a preparation for some kind of work. The Law makes sure that this
too was not done. The debate by some "observant" Jews is whether this includes the gas furnace which "lights" itself! On one site, I read, When my father was growing up, he was paid by an orthodox Jewish family to light the lamps and stoke the furnace on the Sabbath. In fact, you might want to glance through the 551 page "Concise Code of Jewish Law" Volume 2 by Rabbi Gersion Appel, which is previewed by Google Books at books.google.com/books?id=XGEMTh6xCV4C&pg=PA207&lpg=PA207&dq=sabbath+light+fire+furnace&source=web&ots=H4NHYMcYcr&sig=5fc15yyY2qPlV00jKrXP8gmNk-o#PPR9,M1. There you'll find thousands of rulings. For example, you can use a soft brush to comb your hair on the Sabbath, but not a hard brush because you might remove some hairs and that would constitute "shearing" which is not allowed on the Sabbath! No wonder Jesus was so upset with the Pharisees when He said that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath..

This was a strict call to obedience. Before they did
the work of building the tabernacle, God first called Israel to the work
of simple obedience. Basic obedience is a pre-requisite for doing work
for the Lord.

Numbers 15:32-36: One day while the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they discovered a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day. The people who found him doing this took him before Moses, Aaron, and the rest of the community. They held him in custody because they did not know what to do with him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must be put to death! The whole community must stone him outside the camp.” So the whole community took the man outside the camp and stoned him to death, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Colossians 2:16-17: So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.

Galatians 3:24: Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.

Romans 3:20: For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

⁽⁴⁾ Then Moses said to the whole community
of Israel, “This is what the Lord has commanded:

Now it was time to do what God originally commanded
Moses in Exodus 25-31 regarding the building of the tabernacle and its
associated items.

⁽⁵⁾ Take a sacred offering for the Lord. Let those with generous hearts present the following
gifts to the Lord:
gold, silver, and bronze;

⁽⁶⁾ blue, purple, and scarlet thread;
fine linen and goat hair for cloth;

⁽⁷⁾ tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather;
acacia wood;

⁽⁸⁾ olive oil for the lamps;
spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense;

⁽⁹⁾ onyx stones, and other gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest’s chestpiece.

⁽¹⁰⁾ “Come, all of you who are gifted craftsmen. Construct everything that the Lord has commanded:

⁽¹¹⁾ the Tabernacle and its sacred tent, its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases;

⁽¹²⁾ the Ark and its carrying poles; the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement;
the inner curtain to shield the Ark;

⁽¹³⁾ the table, its carrying poles, and
all its utensils; the Bread of the Presence;

⁽¹⁴⁾ for light, the lampstand, its accessories, the lamp cups, and the olive oil for lighting;

⁽¹⁵⁾ the incense altar and its carrying poles;
the anointing oil and fragrant incense;
the curtain for the entrance of the Tabernacle;

⁽¹⁶⁾ the altar of burnt offering;
the bronze grating of the altar and its carrying poles and utensils;
the washbasin with its stand;

⁽¹⁷⁾ the curtains for the walls of the courtyard;
the posts and their bases;
the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;

⁽¹⁸⁾ the tent pegs of the Tabernacle and courtyard and their ropes;

⁽¹⁹⁾ the beautifully stitched garments for the priests to wear while ministering
in the Holy Place—the sacred garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to wear as they minister as priests.”

⁽²⁰⁾ So the whole community of Israel
left Moses and returned to their tents.

Moses wasn't into "high-pressure" giving
where people were asked to make quick, public decisions about giving,
or asked to make an immediate pledge. There was no manipulation at all
in Moses' request. Moses didn't have contests pitting one tribe against
another, to see which tribe could raise the most money, or any other such
nonsense. God did the work in the hearts of the people.

⁽²¹⁾ All whose hearts were stirred and
whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the
Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle, for the
performance of its rituals, and for the sacred garments.

2 Corinthians 8:3-5: For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

⁽²²⁾ Both men and women came, all whose
hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—brooches,
earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold
objects of every kind as a special offering to the Lord.

⁽²³⁾ All those who owned the following items willingly brought them: blue, purple, and
scarlet thread; fine linen and goat hair for cloth; and tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather.

⁽²⁴⁾ And all who had silver and bronze objects gave them as a sacred offering to the Lord.
And those who had acacia wood brought it for use in the project.

⁽²⁵⁾ All the women who were skilled in sewing and spinning prepared blue, purple, and scarlet
thread, and fine linen cloth.

⁽²⁶⁾ All the women who were willing used their skills to spin the goat hair into yarn.

⁽²⁷⁾ The leaders brought onyx stones and the special gemstones to be set in the ephod and
the priest’s chestpiece.

⁽²⁸⁾ They also brought spices and olive oil for the light, the anointing oil, and the
fragrant incense.

⁽²⁹⁾ So the people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had
given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the Lord.

⁽³⁰⁾ Then Moses told the people of Israel, “The Lord has specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri,
grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

⁽³¹⁾The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.

⁽³²⁾ He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze.

⁽³³⁾ He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood.
He is a master at every craft.

⁽³⁴⁾ And the Lord has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan,
the ability to teach their skills to others.

⁽³⁵⁾ The Lord has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue,
purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsmen and as designers.

Exodus 36

⁽¹⁾“The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary. Let them construct and furnish the Tabernacle, just as the Lord has commanded.”

⁽²⁾ So Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and all the others who were specially gifted by the Lord and were *eager to get to work.

*eager: This isn't just a "job" to them - they're thrilled to be part of God's work!

⁽³⁾ Moses gave them the materials donated by the people of Israel as sacred offerings for the completion of the sanctuary. But the people continued to bring additional gifts each morning.

⁽⁴⁾ Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work.

⁽⁵⁾ They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!”

⁽⁶⁾ So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings.

Any surplus could only have been used for personal gain by Moses or the other elders, and Moses distanced himself from such an accusation.

⁽⁷⁾ Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project.

Roughly a ton of gold, four tons of silver, and three tons of bronze.

They didn't respond out of guilt or duty; they responded out of love -- love for the Lord, who had loved them so. They respond freely and eagerly. The New Testament also speaks of people who were touched by the grace of God and gave extravagantly (Matthew 26:7, Philippians 4:14-19).

A First Century woman, most likely a prostitute, whose name we do not know, was an extravagant follower. In appreciation of Jesus, she fell at Jesus' feet, wetting them with her tears, wiping them with her hair, kissing them with her lips and anointing them with expensive perfume (Luke 7:36-50). This was an extremely expressive, humble and expensive display of the customary habits of hospitality. What caused this extravagant response? Jesus says to Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7:47: I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love. Her love for Jesus didn't earn her forgiveness; rather, her love followed from her forgiveness. She was extravagant because she understood that Jesus forgave her -- even her, a prostitute, the lowest of the low. It was God's grace that motivated her overwhelming response to the Lord, just as it is God's grace that motivates the Israelites overwhelming response to the Lord.

- Responding to Grace: www.pbc.org/library/files/html/exo030.html

Building the Tabernacle

⁽⁸⁾ The skilled craftsmen made ten curtains of finely woven linen for the Tabernacle. Then Bezalel decorated the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.

The Cherubim embroidered covering also formed the ceiling of the Tabernacle, looking up from inside the Sanctuary. Exodus 26:1-6.

The Cherubim are there reminding us, perhaps, of two things: (1) the Cherubim were placed at the east of Eden "to keep the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24). To 'keep' in Hebrew means to observe, keep watch over, preventing Adam and Eve from returning to partake of the tree of life; here in the Tabernacle, the Cherubim are over-seeing what goes on inside the Sanctuary; (2) the Cherubim are among those in heaven who bow the knee to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ (Philippians 2:10; Revelation 5:11-14), so He is truly Head over all things to the Church. John, one of the disciples closest to Jesus, declares "We beheld His glory, glory as of an only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:17). As we progress closer and closer to the presence of God in the Tabernacle, we too need to behold His glory, setting our minds on the things which are above where Christ is, not on the things that are on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2), and realize that what we can see is but a small part of the whole.
www.domini.org/tabern/embrcovr.htm

⁽⁹⁾ All ten curtains were exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Five of these curtains were joined together to make one long curtain, and the other five were joined to make a second long curtain.

⁽¹¹⁾ He made fifty loops of blue yarn and put them along the edge of the last curtain in each set.

⁽¹²⁾ The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain matched the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain.

⁽¹³⁾ Then he made fifty gold clasps and fastened the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the *Tabernacle was made of one continuous piece.

*Tabernacle: Hebrew mishkan = dwelling place indicating that it contains the Shekinah glory.

⁽¹⁴⁾ He made eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle.

Exodus 26:7-13. This was one of four layers that covered the tabernacle. The Bible doesn't give a color but one author noted that hair of goats from Cashmere and from Angora goats was woven. Both are white. White means purity.

⁽¹⁵⁾ These eleven curtains were all exactly the same size—45 feet long and 6 feet wide.

⁽¹⁶⁾ Bezalel joined five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, and the other six were joined to make a second long curtain.

⁽¹⁷⁾ He made fifty loops for the edge of each large curtain.

⁽¹⁸⁾ He also made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the long curtains together. In this way, the tent covering was made of one continuous piece.

⁽¹⁹⁾ He completed the tent covering with a layer of tanned ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather.

Exodus 26:14

⁽²⁰⁾ For the framework of the Tabernacle, Bezalel constructed frames of acacia wood.

Exodus 26:15-30

⁽²¹⁾ Each frame was 15 feet high and 27 inches wide,

⁽²²⁾ with two pegs under each frame. All the frames were identical.

⁽²³⁾ He made twenty of these frames to support the curtains on the south side of the Tabernacle.

⁽²⁴⁾ He also made forty silver bases—two bases under each frame, with the pegs fitting securely into the bases.

⁽²⁵⁾ For the north side of the Tabernacle, he made another twenty frames,

⁽²⁶⁾ with their forty silver bases, two bases under each frame.

⁽²⁷⁾ He made six frames for the rear—the west side of the Tabernacle—

⁽²⁸⁾ along with two additional frames to reinforce the rear corners of the Tabernacle.

⁽²⁹⁾ These corner frames were matched at the bottom and firmly attached at the top with a single ring, forming a single corner unit. Both of these corner units were made the same way.

⁽³⁰⁾ So there were eight frames at the rear of the Tabernacle, set in sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.

⁽³¹⁾ Then he made crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames, five crossbars for the north side of the Tabernacle

⁽³²⁾ and five for the south side. He also made five crossbars for the rear of the Tabernacle, which faced west.

⁽³³⁾ He made the middle crossbar to attach halfway up the frames; it ran all the way from one end of the Tabernacle to the other.

⁽³⁴⁾ He overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. Then he overlaid the crossbars with gold as well.

⁽³⁵⁾ For the inside of the Tabernacle, Bezalel made a special curtain of finely woven linen. He decorated it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.

Exodus 26:31-33, 36-37

⁽³⁶⁾ For the curtain, he made four posts of acacia wood and four gold hooks. He overlaid the posts with gold and set them in four silver bases.

⁽³⁷⁾ Then he made another curtain for the entrance to the sacred *tent. He made it of finely woven linen and embroidered it with exquisite designs using blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

*tent: Hebrew obel = tent. Translated tabernacle in the KJV.

⁽³⁸⁾ This curtain was hung on gold hooks attached to five posts. The posts with their *decorated tops and hooks were overlaid with gold, and the five bases were cast from bronze.

The lampstand alone was about 75 pounds. Furthermore, the Israelites would need to carry the tabernacle with them, albeit in a broken-down form, when they traveled. In other words, they were carrying seven metric tons of equipment with them on their journeys. Assuming the average horse can carry approximately 200 pounds -- a number, I hasten to add, that I found by only cursory research -- the Israelites would need at least 75 horses to carry the equipment for the tabernacle.

On-Line Sources:

Concerning Contributions: (Exodus 35:1–36:7): www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=201

BibleGateway - Exodus 35: www.bible.org/netbible/exo35.htm

BibleGateway - Exodus 36: www.bible.org/netbible/exo36.htm

Bible Tools: bibletools.org/

Blue Letter Bible - Chuck Smith Commentary on Exodus 35-40:
www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/chuck_smith_c2000/Exd/Exd035.html

Clarke's Commentary - Exodus 35: www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo35.htm

Clarke's Commentary - Exodus 36: www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo36.htm

Concise Code of Jewish Law by Rabbi Gersion Appel: books.google.com/books?id=XGEMTh6xCV4C&pg=PA207&lpg=PA207&dq=sabbath+light+fire+furnace&source=web&ots=H4NHYMcYcr&sig=5fc15yyY2qPlV00jKrXP8gmNk-o#PPR9,M1

Crosswalk: http://bible.crosswalk.com

David Guzik's Commentary on Exodus: www.enduringword.com/commentaries/02.html

Exodus 35-38: www.keyway.ca/htm2007/20070718.htm

Exodus - From Egypt to the Sanctuary: www.bibleexplained.com/moses/Exod/Exo.htm

Gifts and Craftsmen: Exodus 35:20-36:7: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/42bexo.htm

Law and Covenant: Chapters 31:12 - 40:38: www.wcg.org/lit/bible/law/exodus5.htm

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Exodus: www.ccel.org/h/henry/mhc2/MHC02000.HTM

Net Bible: http://www.bible.org/netbible/index.htm

Progress of Construction: Exodus 36:8 – 38:20: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/43aExo.htm

Responding to Grace: www.pbc.org/library/files/html/exo030.html

Sabbath and Construction: Exodus 35:1-19: www.fpcjackson.org/resources/sermons/exodus/Exodus%20Vol%205%20&%206/42aexo.htm

Selected Bibliography of Exodus: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=133

Temple Institute Gallery: www.templeinstitute.org/gallery.htm

The Gospel in Exodus: www.gracegems.org/LAW/Exodus.htm

The Lord, a God Merciful and Gracious: www.soundofgrace.com/piper84/100784m.htm

The Lord’s Dwelling Place: www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Exodus/exodus_71.htm

The Tabernacle Home Page: www.domini.org/tabern/tabhome.htm

The Tabernacle Overview: www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4Overview.htm

The Tabernacle, the Dwelling Place of God: Exodus 36:8–39:43: www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=202

Wikipedia - Exodus: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus

Off-Line Sources:

"Archaeological
Study Bible", NIV Version - Zondervan Publishing
House

"Breath
of the Holies: Secrets of Moses' Tabernacle"
- DVD by Perry Stone

"Cruden's
Complete Concordance" - Zondervan Publishing
House

"Exodus
Chapters 19-40: The Law" - J. Vernon McGee -
Thomas Nelson Publishers

"Life
Application Study Bible" - New Living Translation
version - Tyndale House Publishers

"The
Companion Bible" by E. W. Bullinger - Zondervan
Publishing House

"The
Defender's Study Bible" -World Bible Publishers

"The
NIV Life Application Commentary - Exodus"
– Peter Enns – Zondervan™

"Unger's
Bible Dictionary" - Merrill F. Unger -
Thomas Nelson Publishers

Vine's
Complete Expository Dictionary - W. E. Vine
- Thomas Nelson Publishers

"The Ten Commandments" (1956 film) from
Paramount Pictures, directed by Cecil B. DeMille,
starring Charlton Heston as Moses

Exodus

Monday, December 17, 2007

Exodus-Chapter Links

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Exodus 39-40

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Exodus 37-38

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Exodus 35-36

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