Exodus 25 -40

 

Tonight we will be covering a great deal of information. I would encourage you to read these chapters on your own in order to really get a deeper understanding of all the details.

Last week we ended with Moses being upon the mountain for 40 days and 40 night in which he did not eat or drink. During this time he received the 2 tablets of stone which contained the 10 commandments that were written by God himself. He also received very detailed instruction on how to build the portable tabernacle and all the things that go along with it that the Children of Israel would take a long with them on their journey into the wilderness. All of these detailed instructions are given in Chapters 25-30 and then you can read in detail of how these things were constructed according to Gods commands in chapters  36 – 40. For the sake of time I will summarize what is involved in this portable tabernacle but before I do that I want to  begin in Chapter 32 which tells us what the children of Israel do while Moses is gone for those 40 days and 40 nights.

 

 Exodus 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."  2 And Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."  3 "So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.  4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!"  5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD."  6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

 

This is truly amazing. Here we have the children of Israel who heard the voice of God and saw all the miracles and they all agreed whatever the Lord says we will do. Not even a month has passed by and now they are already breaking Gods commands that they said they would keep. It’s really sad that they turned to a man made idol to give their praise to. But this very thing happens to Christians today as well. Some will be faithful for a while but then for whatever reason they will turn back to the worldly things.

 

Exodus 32:7 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.  8 "They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!' "  9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!  10 "Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."

 

God could see what they Children of Israel was doing and he informs Moses about it and basically tells Moses that he ready to destroy these them for their sin. In verse 11-14 Moses pleads God not to destroy them.

 

Exodus 32:15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.  16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

 

This is one of those little details that you can miss really easy. Notice that the tablets of stone where written on both sides. I think most people would probably think that they were just written on 1 side.

 

In vrs 17-29 Moses meets up with Joshua  and make their way down the mountain. They hear all kinds of noise going on in the camp and then when Moses sees with his eyes of how sinful the children of Israel are being he gets angry and throws down the 2 tablets of stone and they break he goes and burn the golden calf and then asks his brother Aaron why in the world all of this was happening. Aaron tries to cover up his  lack of leadership by blaming everything on the children of Israel saying that set on evil. Aaron was just as guilty as the children of Israel and he should have taken a stand but he did not. There a lot of people today that are like Aaron because they don’t want to take responsibility for their own actions they always have a excuse or a reason why its someone else’s fault. Some will blame satin for their weakness others will blame their friends or loved ones but they can never seem  to open there eyes to the fact that they are responsible for their sin. Things of the world and people around us can entice us to sin but ultimately we make the decision of whether or not we sin.

 

Exodus 32:30 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."  31 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold!  32 "Yet now, if You will forgive their sin -- but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."  33 And the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.  34 "Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin."  35 So the LORD plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

                                                                                                

Moses once plead for the children of Israel that God not blot them out of his book  of life. However, this time God punishes them with  a plague for their sin.

 

In Chapter 33:1-7 God gives the command for the Children of Israel to start the journey to the promise land of  milk and honey and he promises to send his angel before them to drive out their enemies.

 

In verses 8-23 Moses sets up a tent that God in the form of a cloud would speak with Moses as the people would see this they would worship God from their own tents. God promises Moses that his presence would go with him and Moses request to see Gods  glory but God informs Moses that he cannot see him in full glory but he does allow him to see part of his glory.

 

Exodus 34::1 And the LORD said to Moses, "Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke.  2 "So be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain.  3 "And no man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain; let neither flocks nor herds feed before that mountain."  4 So he cut two tablets of stone like the first ones. Then Moses rose early in the morning and went up Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him; and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone.

 

Once again Moses goes up on the mountain to receive the 10 commandments again. The first time God provided the stone tablets this time since Moses broke them he had to cut the tablets out stone himself but God was still going to write the commandments on the stones  and also Moses was to rewrite some of the same words or commandments down that he was told to write down  earlier by God. God once again reminds Moses to tell the people when they engage their enemies not have anything to do with their false God and to make sure and tear down all their alters and he retells them about keeping the Sabbath  and various other laws.

 

Exodus 34:28  8 So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

 

Just like the first time Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 night and he did not eat or drink.

 

Exodus 34:29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.  30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.  31 Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them.  32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.  33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.  34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded.  35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.

 

I find this really interesting. Since Moses had been in the presence of God his face was shinning and it scared the people so much that he would have to wear a veil while he was around them. No doubt Moses glowing face would be a reminder the children of Israel that Moses was truly a prophet of God. Just imaging if you will how much greater Jesus brightness was on that day on the mountain when he was there with Elijah and Moses. It wasn’t just his face it was his whole body and even his clothes. Jesus is so much greater than Moses and is glory or brightness will last forever. Notice what Paul says about this in

 

2 Corinthians 3:12-16  12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech --  13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.  14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.  15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.  16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

 

This of course refers to the temporary nature of law of Moses and how it was replaced with the law of Christ.

 

Now it time for use to backtrack and a take a summarized look at what God tells  Moses to do in regard to building the tabernacle. First lets pick up in the book of Hebrews 8 so that we can see why its important for us to study about the tabernacle. Lets pick in verse 4 where is talking about Jesus.

 

Hebrews 8:4-5  4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law;  5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

 

Notice the tabernacle is a type or shadow of heavenly things. So there are a lot of comparison that can be made between the earthly tabernacle and heaven  itself. You will also notice that Moses had to make all things  according to the pattern that was shown him. God has always had a certain way he wants things done and expects us to follow these instruction. It would be good for people to understand this today. To many people want to worship God there way they  want to build the church their way. The only way to be pleasing to God is to do it by the pattern he has given  us in his  word. In Exodus 25 – 30 you will find some very specific detail on how God want the children of Israel to make this  portable tabernacle and he is emphatic that they make it according to his pattern and no other way. First of all he wants the children of Israel to give willingly from their heart various items that will be needed to construct this tabernacle.

 

 The ark of the testimony

Exodus 25:10-22 was the ark of covenant which is viewed God thrown and covered by a lid which was is referred to as the mercy seat which had 2 cherubims that faced each other and the high priest would sprinkle blood on this mercy seat once a year. The ark was located in the most holy of holies and only the high priest selected that year could enter into this portion of the tabernacle. The ark contained Hebrews 9:4  e golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

 

The table for the show bread

Exodus 25:23-30

This  was short table only 3 feet long and  was used to hold the 12 loves of bread which would be put each Sabbath  day.

 

The Gold lamp stand

Exodus 25:31-40

The lamps stand had 7 shafts and ever evening and morning pure olive oil was added to keep the lamp continually burning. The number 7 symbolizes completion or perfection.

 

The tabernacle :

Exodus 26

The tabernacle was pretty elaborate design and was made it such a way that it could  be easily taken down and moved and rebuilt again. It consisted of a wood frame and gold and many different kinds of curtains made from differing materials and there was a veil that seperated the holy place from the most holy place. 

 

The Alter of burn offering

Exodus 27:1-8

This was a square shaped alter with horns on the corner it was used for burning the bodies of animals offered up for sacrifice and was located in the courtyard of the tabernacle

 

The court of the tabernacle

Exodus 27:9-21

was structure that was build around the tabernacle itself  where people would gather on a  feast day but it was not big enough to  hold  everyone so most of the people would gather on the outside of the courtyard.

 

Garments  for the priesthood

Exodus 28

God had specific way he wanted his priest to be dressed there a basically 6 parts to their out fit.

Ephod was like a beautiful  apron

The Breast piece which was attached to the ephod contained 12 gemstones  which contained the 12 names of the tribes of Israel. This breastplate also contained Urim and Thummim.

The robe Ephod was a blue type of dress without sleeves that was worn under the ephod.

The tunic or coat was an under garment worn under the robe of Ephod

The turban was made for Aarons head and contained the words HOLY TO THE LORD

The sash which held the ephod and the robe of the ephod close to the body.

Exodus 29 gives the details on how  Moses  was to appoint and consecrate the priest. You really should read this chapter and see all that had to be done it is quite interesting we also  learn from the chapter that  were to bring  daily offerings.

                         

The  Alter of  Incense

Exodus 30: 1-10

This was a small alter set next to the veil so that the incense would make it way into the the holy of holies. The incense had to be a specific kind and they were burned morning and evening when sin offering was made. The NT describes our prayers a being an incense to God Rev. 5:8. Just as the incenses was burnt morning and night we should offer up our prayers to God on continues basis.

 

The Ransom Money

Exodus 30:11-16

This  was to  given by all when a census was taken both the rich and the poor 20 years old and over were to give half a  shekel.

 

The Bronze Laver

Exodus 30:17-21

This  was used by the priest and they would  always wash up before they went into the holy place. In similar manner before one enters in to Gods kingdom they to must be washed made pure by the blood of Jesus Christ at the point of baptism.

 

After all these instruction are given we learn from Exodus 31 that 2 main men were selected by God  Bezalel from tribe of Judah and Aholiab tribe of Dan. God gives them the spirit of wisdom  on how to construct all God has specified. In Exodus 36 we find out that the people were very willing to give all that was need  for the making of tabernacle in fact that gave to much and had to be told don’t give any more. One thing you can say they were defiantly a giving people.

 

In Exodus 36 -40 you read about the construction and completion of the tabernacle and how they were to set this tabernacle up on the first day of the first month of their new year. When  everything was complete  according to God pattern God blesses the place with his presence. 

 

Exodus 40:34  Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys.  37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up.  38 For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.