One week down, only 83 days of reading left. In Exodus 29-40, the Israelites quickly stray from God and build a golden calf as a god, but face severe consequences for their actions. The speed in which the Israelites go from we have been delivered to we have no God, He has left us is at lightning speed. The Israelites build the tabernacle to the specific instructions from the Lord. The one thing that I had never really heard before was that Moses’s face glows! He spent so much time with the Lord, his face literally glowed. When we spend time with the Lord, our faces don’t glow, but we do glow through our actions. So, here’s to letting our lights shine!
“The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7
Passage:
Exodus 29-40
Discovered:
- Chapter 29: describes the process of sacrifices needed to consecrate (make holy) Aaron and his sons and their garments, a 7 day process for ordination.
- Everyday they were to sacrifice 2 lambs, one morning, one in the evening with a grain and a drink offering.
- They were to build an altar for incense to be burned.
- Census tax: when taking the census everyone 20 years and older would pay half a shekel as an offering to the Lord.
- They were also to create a bronze basin for washing within the tabernacle and given instructions on how to make anointing oil and incense.
- Bezalel and Oholiab were given skills and knowledge on how to build the tabernacle.
- There was to be no work on the 7th day, the Sabbath.
- Moses was given 2 stone tablets with the testimony of God carved by God into the stone.
- Golden Calf: In Moses’s absence, the people grew restless and asked Aaron to make them a god. Aaron took their golden rings and made a golden calf, they were celebrating with a feast.
- When Moses found out, he grew angry and threw the stone tablets, breaking them. He melted down the calf, ground it into powder, sprinkled it into the water and forced the Israelites to drink it. Moses asked those who were on the side of God to kill some of their neighbors who had strayed. As punishment, those who strayed would face death. There was a plague against those who made/worshipped the calf.
- Moses asked to see the Lord (face to face), but was only granted a view of him walking away.
- The Lord recreated the two tablets, Moses broke the covenant and the 10 Commandments. Moses was with God 40 days & 40 nights. Moses’s face glowed as a result of the time he spent with the Lord. He would often wear a veil to cover his face (otherwise would freak out the Israelites).
- Out of their generosity, the Israelites gave more than was needed to build the tabernacle and create the priest’s garments/
- Ithamar, Bezalel, and Oholiab lead the craftsman to create the tabernacle, ark, table, lamp stand, altar of burnt offerings, bronze basin and court.
- They used gold: 29 talents & 730 shekels; silver: 100 talents & 1,775 shekels; bronze: 70 talents & 2400 shekels.
- The holy garments worn by Aaron and his sons were made according to the instructions from the Lord. Moses blessed their work.
- The tabernacle was erected on 2nd year, 1st month, 1st day by Moses.
- The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, cloud by day, fire by night.
- They would know it was time to move on when the Lord would leave the tabernacle.
Help me to remember:
that You, the Lord are merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin.
Lord, I ask that
I am able to keep your commandments and keep your character: a loving, merciful, forgiving God in my heart. I as, that you help me to worship and honor you always.
Heavenly Father, I am thankful for . . .
your forgiveness of my sins through the sacrifice of your son.
