Exodus 35-39

Exodus 35-39

It may appear as if a large section of Scripture is being taken up in this discussion; however, these chapters are mainly a repeat of God’s instructions to him during his first forty days on the mountain. God had previously given Moses all the instructions for making everything that would be associated with the tabernacle. He also gave Moses instructions on how the Israelites were to be involved in constructing these pieces. Some were to give what they could so that they would have the materials to begin the construction. Others were commanded to be the ones who built the tabernacle. Still others, such as Aaron, were chosen to work inside the tabernacle after its construction.

So after Moses returned from his second trip on the mountain, he found that the Israelites had not turned their backs on God this time. Unlike the first instance when he came back only to find them worshipping a golden calf, Moses found them dedicated to assist him in anything he needed. So Moses told them all that God had commanded, and they responded immediately. They had already had their rounds of disobedience, and this time they were sure not to be found disobeying God. They brought forth all the materials that would be needed to begin construction, and the amount that they brought was more than was needed. Moses had to put a restriction on their giving, requiring them to keep some for themselves for they had received too much.

What a problem to have when the people of God are giving so much that the leaders have no idea how to handle the excess. It seems that today’s society is so selfish that even the church sometimes suffers monetarily from our self-centered ways. At times, churches suffer because its members refuse to be obedient to the Lord in giving their tithes to Him. Sadly, most churches never have an opportunity to experience these joys of having too much. The people of God today should be just as willing as these Israelites to give all that they have over to the Lord. The Israelites finally understood all that God had done for them and realized that the least they could do was give all they could back to Him. Our society (our churches) need to realize this truth. God continues to work in this world, doing miracles in our lives every day. He continues to provide for us in ways that we do not even realize, and yet we are selfish and refuse to give back to Him. We must learn to give in obedience.

The rest of these five chapters revisit the specific instructions that God had given Moses. Moses and the Israelites were careful to follow even the smallest details. Lengths and measurements along with the amounts of the different ingredients were followed exactly. It is easy to get bogged down in all of the details of these chapters, but these details express the Israelites’ obedience to God. They show how closely they were paying attention to all of God’s commands. It is so easy to miss out on the details of God’s commands and plans for our lives. We must take the time to sit still and listen to God as He lays out His plans, careful not to miss each and every detail.

Matt