Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:30-33

30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the Lord hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;

31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

Moses reveals to the Israelites that the Lord has already chosen His chief artificer, the foreman who will oversee the work of building the tabernacle. I’m sure that Bezaleel was already a skilled craftsman, but that wasn’t the only reason why he was right for this work. Moses makes it clear that the man has been divinely inspired as well. Thus, no man is called to the work simply by virtue of personal achievement. We can make ourselves worthy vessels and useful resources, but we do not decide what purpose that the Lord has for us. He does.

I do wonder what the experience leading up to this moment was like for Bezaleel. It sounds like he was already being filled with creative visions, even before Moses made this announcement. Had he been receiving urges to build something without knowing exactly what it was? Did he have an inexplicable sensation that something important was coming his way? Or did he already know exactly what he was about to do, and just needed the formal announcement to get started?

I also wonder whether he knew that this was a work that would immortalize his name. We do not know the names of most of the people that have ever lived, but due to the work of his hands, Bezaleel became a name that has been preserved for thousands of years, appearing right alongside titans like Moses and Aaron.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:29

29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

Over the last three days we read how every common man and woman, and every ruler had the opportunity to combine their various talents and resources to the building of the temple. No one was compelled to, but anyone whose heart was so moved would have a way that they could volunteer for this great work.

I mentioned earlier that God would have had the omniscience to know whether His people would bring forth sufficiently to fulfill His vision, but also, He would have had access to their hearts, being able to whisper into those that were devoted to Him, inspiring them to bring what they had. Thus, even as the people brought what parts that they could, they were doing so with the Lord burning in their bosom.

This is an important theme in the Bible, that God not only sets the standard, but inspires and empowers the fulfillment of it. He calls us to righteousness, then works within our hearts to help us live so, as well as makes atonement for when we fall short. It is not just God reaching from one side and man from the other to meet in the middle, it is God reaching from both sides, and man joining in on one half of that.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:27-28

27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;

28 And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.

Yesterday we saw how men and women came together, combining their different talents and expertise to create something greater than what they could have accomplished on their own. That pattern is now continued, as the efforts of the common men and women are now further adorned by the jewels, spices, and oils of the wealthy. We are seeing a synergy not only between the sexes, but also across the classes.

Also note how the giving of precious rarities to God allows for equal benefits to all. For the sparsest of resources, there literally may not be enough for everyone to have their own, but dedicating those to the Lord would allow all to share equally in the blessings of the Lord’s presence at the tabernacle.

When done intelligently, there is merit in the wealthy distributing their riches to the less fortunate. As theses verses illustrate, though, there is also the option for the wealthy to invest in infrastructure and beauty that elevates everyone together.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:25-26

25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.

26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair.

In the last passage we heard how the men brought raw materials and now we hear how the women used their craft to spin and create thread and canvas. Once again, each demographic is bringing what they can, using their God-given talents and their learned expertise, devoting all of these to the Lord that He might have the best of them.

What is more, see how the purpose of the Lord is unifying the separate talents of the people. What man does on his own, and what woman does on her own, are being brought into one whole, to create something that neither of them accomplished individually.

Of course, men and women can unite together for other reasons, such as survival or to prosper, but today’s verses show that the cooperation of the two sexes is one of the specific objectives of the Lord also. Today’s passage reinforces God’s original intent, which Adam summed up nicely for us: “a man shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Thus, any philosophy or ideal or trend that would divide the two, and set them at odds to one another, and advocate for one side going it alone or just not needing the other, is spiritually perverse. It is arguing for the one thing that God pronounced “not good” in all of creation: that “man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18).

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:22-24

22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord.

23 And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers’ skins, brought them.

24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the Lord’s offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it.

I mentioned yesterday how God trusted that there would be enough Israelites who joined this project that the tabernacle could be built. Part of us trusting the Lord is trusting His plan, and that even the parts which are dependent upon mortals will work out. We have to trust that enough of our brothers and sisters will come forward to make the vision a reality, and that God knew that they would do so because of His omniscience.

Over the next few days, we will read how emphatically positive of a response God’s invitation found among the Israelites. His plan was not in vain, and more than enough Israelites did, indeed, make a willful offering.

The record divides the contributions of the Israelites according to their various stations. First, we hear the contribution of the common men (verses 22-24), then of the common women (verses 25-26), and then of the rulers (verses 27-28). All brought forward according to their unique status and capability, each having their own part to play.

In today’s verses we cover the contributions of the men. They provided all of the raw materials. The wood, the precious metals, the skins, and the linen. These were things that men would chop, dig, and hunt for, the fruits of sheer brute labor. The contributions of the common man came “by the sweat of their brow.”

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:20-21

20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.

21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

Now it was time for each individual Israelite to examine his situation and desire. Surely not all had enough to offer to the tabernacle. Surely some, too, could give but simply did not want to. They had no obligation to. The Lord had only asked for those who had the means and a willing heart, so this would be entirely voluntary or not at all.

But what if not enough people chose to make offerings and they couldn’t build the tabernacle? God’s plans depended on the willful involvement of these people, and they could very well let Him down. This is but one example in the scriptures of how God puts trust in mortal people, fallen as we are. In fact, God’s entire enterprise with the Earth, His plan to assimilate it into the Kingdom of Heaven, is dependent upon there being souls down here that are willing conduits for His work.

Of course, God does not require our help to persist as the Supreme Being of the universe. If we all abandoned Him, He would still be who He is, but He and we would exist in isolation from one another until we went extinct. But if, instead, there is to be an overlap of heaven and earth, it is going to require willful effort on both sides, and so God trusts in the good of people and we trust in the good of Him.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:16-19

16 The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,

17 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court,

18 The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,

19 The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office.

Yesterday we got the first half of Moses listing out everything for the tabernacle and now we get the second half. As I said yesterday, the scope and grandeur of God’s idea for worship far surpasses the Israelite concept of a single golden calf.

Not only was God’s vision better in terms of size and decoration, but He also asked much more from the people in terms of expertise and craft. Presumably the golden calf had required the work of some skilled metalworker, but so far as we know, no special consideration after that. God’s vision required entire teams of metalworkers, woodworkers, needleworkers, and perfumers.

And that would just be for the initial labor. Then, after the place was finished, there would have to be a special priest class forever devoted to the management of the worship practice. Bread would have to be cooked, lamps trimmed, animals slaughtered and for the golden calf as well, but I assume it was on a much smaller scale given the simplicity of its subject.

Even today we seek idols that require less from us than the Lord. We want to work just enough to buy our vanities, without caring whether we are building something that actually matters. We want to virtue signal for social acceptance, without ever taking a position against majority wrong. We want to gain notoriety for doing something flashy before all the world, without doing good deeds that no one will see.

God does not call for a one-time or transactional effort from us. He calls us to become His hands, to do His labor, and to live His life. He was asking His chosen people not only to give their riches or temporary labor. He was asking them to give their whole selves to this worship. Previously, the people had a golden calf, but now they would be disciples of the Lord.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:10-15

10 And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the Lord hath commanded;

11 The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets,

12 The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the veil of the covering,

13 The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and the shewbread,

14 The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,

15 And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle,

Moses speeds through each of the elements required for the tabernacle. Seeing how long this takes to summarize highlights how involved of a project this is going to be. Today we are only looking at the first half of the list, which includes the body of the tabernacle itself and all of its interior.

What stands out to me is just how much grander the vision of God is than that of man. When Israel longed for objects of worship, they were willing to content themselves with a single golden calf. Now look at how much more structure, and effort, and riches, and beauty there is in God’s vision for where they would worship! A mercy seat, a house for it to rest in, two altars, a golden lampstand, a table, an outer courtyard, priestly robes, incense and perfume!

Today I believe this pattern continues when consider the objects of our devotion. When we choose our own, we settle for relatively cheap and easy things. Money, fame, social acceptance, and hedonistic pleasure. These are paltry when compared to the deep and abiding ambitions of the godly life: family, dignity, eternal purpose, and contentment of the soul. What the Lord has in store for us doesn’t come cheap. It asks so much more of us, but also it gives us so much more.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:4-9

4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying,

5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass,

6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,

7 And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,

8 And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,

9 And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

We have had verses that show God reinstated instructions from the time Israel was led out of Egypt and from the time Moses first ascended Mount Sinai, and today we see instructions repeated from the second ascension also. Thus, every major period of lawgiving has been touched in these verses, which I believe is meant to represent that all of the commandments from all of these periods were re-established.

What we specifically see repeated today is the invitation for the Israelites to donate their precious materials for the building of the tabernacle. Once again, this is to be a voluntary offering, only from those who can afford it and are moved to do so, not a general requirement for all.

We, the readers, are already familiar with these instructions, but so far as we know this is the first time that the Israelites heard them, given that Moses previously broke the tablets when he saw their idolatry. I wonder how the Israelites felt, being asked to give gold for the crafting of the tabernacle, when they had just previously given gold to the creation of their shameful idol. Perhaps they saw this as an awkward reminder, or perhaps as an opportunity for redemption.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 35:1-3

1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the Lord hath commanded, that ye should do them.

2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.

These first three verses are a continuation of God’s laws being extended anew to Israel. God had repeated the sabbath day commandment to Moses in the mountain, and now Moses repeated it to the people.

Interestingly, this description of the commandment contains a detail that we haven’t seen before: that the Israelites are not to light a fire on the sabbath day. Other scholars have noted that while this requirement was not explicit in our previous records, it was implied by Exodus 16:23’s instruction that the people cook their double-portion of manna on the day prior and use the extra for the sabbath.

We have already discussed how the sabbath day commandments prohibit the performance of “work” in terms of pursuing one’s livelihood, but this extra restriction seems to suggest that even household labor, such as cooking, was meant to be avoided. One has to wonder just how far this expectation extended. Would a person really be expected to go through the day without performing a single household chore? Not even to pick something up off the floor and put it away? Or was this restriction only meant to apply to more strenuous activity, since lighting a fire was much more difficult then than today’s turning a knob on today’s appliances?

Suffice it to say that there are opinions and interpretations up and down the spectrum on this matter. The fact is, it seems doubtful that we have anywhere in the Old Testament the full transcript of the Lord’s commands, nor the commentary of the day that would explain whether these were eternal laws or contextual ones only. Moses was in the mountain for a full forty days, so there is definitely room for him to have received much more exhaustive detail than what we have today. Today we must depend on our own conscience, good intentions, and any divine whisperings to decide what specifications still apply to us in our age.