In Exodus 31, we meet the two men (beside Moses) whose work and talent were used to make the Tabernacle which began as the “pattern shown on the Mountain” a living, functional reality. However, he gives them a reminder that they are still supposed to keep the Sabbath, no exceptions. They can’t break the sabbath, even for the sake of building the Tabernacle or they will be “cut off from their people.”
Author: Richard
Moses was shown many wonderful things on the Mountain, including the ritual to anoint his older brother Aaron and Aaron’s four sons as priests before Him. The overall theme of these two chapters is atonement: atonement for the people and for Aaron and his sons. Even inanimate objects, such as Aaron’s wardrobe, the altar and the Tabernacle itself have to be atoned before they can perform a sacred use.
There is a lot of information in these next two chapters. We are continuing learn more about the template of the Tabernacle that God gave to Moses on Sinai. “… as it was shown to you in the mountain, so they shall make it” (Ex. 27:8).
We will learn about the altar, the utensils of the altar and the architecture of the outer courts. God also calls upon Aaron and his sons to serve Him as High Priests in the Tabernacle. They were called to be the intermediaries between God and the people. The people are commended to their own service for the Tabernacle as well.
The LORD gave Moshe very specific instructions for the design of the tabernacle, God’s house in the midst of Israel. These are not just meaningless details. Rather, they are symbols that give us understanding into God’s plan to restore the face-to-face interaction between mankind and Himself.
Sometimes we have an idea that the only purpose of prophesy is to predict the future. God is telling us, through a human agent, what He is doing. The true prophet is not guessing or extrapolating from context, he is simply stating a fact. Matthew 24, Revelation 6 and Revelation 12 show us how the “appointed times” are a roadmap for the end of time.
We continue to study the judgements God revealed at Sinai after He revealed by His word the 10 commandments. Remember that the people of Israel were hearing these judgements for the first time. They didn’t have the advantage of the foresight we have and they haven’t been written down yet. They didn’t have the clarifications and admonitions from the Messiah Yeshua.