The people of Israel being making the different parts of the Tabernacle in Exodus 38-39. In Exodus 40, the people assemble the Tabernacle with Moses handling the final touches. The book of Exodus ends with God’s signaling His approval of the work of the people’s hands by visibly dwelling within the Tabernacle.
Category: Torah
https://hallel.info/wp-content/uploads/file/100820-Exodus-35-37-Shabbat-and-building-the-Tabernacle.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:26 — 12.0MB)Subscribe: RSSAs we continue going through the book of Exodus, Richard Agee discusses the building of the tabernacle according to God’s instructions in Exodus 35-37. He emphasizes that the artisans were not to follow their own artistic interpretations, but precisely follow God’s commands as revealed […]
The Book of Exodus records that the phrase “God spoke to Moshe…” occurs 150-plus times each in the TaNak (Torah, Prophets and Writings). God spoke to Moshe (Moses) more than any other person recorded in the entire Tanak. This gives us a small glimpse of how highly God esteemed Moshe and how Yeshua’s followers should hold Moshe in more high esteem than they do. When Moshe came back down the second time, he was changed forever.
Led by Richard Agee, the discussion examines Exodus 32–33 and Israel’s idolatry with the golden calf. Under pressure, Aaron fashions the idol from gold earrings. Moses returns, breaks the tablets in anger, and 3,000 die. God relents after Moses’ intercession, emphasizing humility and obedience.
This is a very heavy section of scripture. God tells Moses about the people’s rebellion and calls on Moses to check on the people. God tells Moses that he is willing to take very drastic measures to punish the people and promote Moses to an even higher level.
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.”
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.