Day 042 (Exodus 36-38) - Year 8

Hey, Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap. Yesterday, we left off with Moses telling the people what was needed to build the tabernacle where God would dwell in their midst, and God said anyone who wanted to could contribute. Today, we open with God putting intelligence and skill into the craftsmen so they could build the sanctuary just like He wanted it. Then we see loads of people bringing stuff to donate. They're dropping things off every morning. They are decluttering their tents like crazy. So much so that Moses has to tell them to stop. I love how God over-provided here. This really signals repentance on their parts. And it's fitting because Romans 2, 4 tells us God's kindness leads us to repentance. And he has certainly been kind to them in sparing their lives after that golden calf debacle and renewing his covenant with them. We have some lengthy passages that may seem redundant to you since we just read this a few days ago when God gave these instructions, but the point of this repetition is to highlight that the people who just rebelled were actually following God's instructions to the letter. Don't miss that. We are going to have plenty of opportunities to be frustrated with their sins so let just take a moment to enjoy and appreciate this rare moment of obedience It might be boring but it glorifying to God nonetheless Not only that, but each of these pieces of furniture, and even the way they're arranged in the tabernacle, paints a divine picture for us. Some scholars say the furniture was actually laid out in the shape of a cross. All of this, the tabernacle and its furnishings and all the rituals associated with it, Hebrews 9-10 tells us that this is all just a shadow of the good things to come. This, right now, is foreshadowing Christ. Each piece of furniture symbolizes some aspect of our relationship with God. The brazen altar, which is the first piece you encounter, represents the sacrifice of Christ. The bronze laver, which is the wash basin, represents being washed clean. The table of showbread represents feasting on the word. The altar of incense represents prayer. The menorah or candlestick represents the light of the Holy Spirit constantly aflame in us. And of course, the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat, where God dwells, represent his presence with us. And we don have time to unpack this fully but they also parallel the seven days of creation You may have noticed that there are seven pieces of furniture the seventh piece being the mercy seat on which God presence rests, much like Him resting on the seventh day of creation. When you're reading about these pieces, don't forget what they represent. All of this construction was worth it to the Israelites. They donated their plunder, they melted down their shekels, they wove fabrics and crafted curtain rods, all so that God could dwell in the midst of them. Surely you already recognize yourself in these people a little bit. You've had moments of rebellion and golden calf parties, and you've had moments where you'd give away all your best possessions if it meant the nearness of God. I have a feeling you're in more of the second place right now. The fact that you're here listening after reading what many would consider a very dry passage of scripture, it tells me a little bit about that lampstand in your heart, that continual fire of the Spirit burning even when you can't detect it. And that's where my God shot comes in for today. I see him here with us, drawing us near, even on the days when there's nothing flashy about it. Even in the spaces that feel routine or humdrum, he's in the ritual. He's in the ordinary. I bet there were days when these priests were mixing the incense and slaughtering the animals when they didn feel any closer to God than they did beforehand Was it really even doing anything But they kept at it trusting beyond their own understanding that doing these things over and over really did serve some kind of purpose, even when they couldn't see it. They trusted his word. They followed his commands. I hope you do too. Drawing near to God bit by bit will always be worth the slow days, because he's where the joy is. Okay, Bible readers, it's time for our weekly check-in. How are you doing? What have you learned so far? Today, we saw God's presence in everyday life when nothing was new or exciting. Things were just routine and common. The same is true now. God is still here with us day in and day out. He's with you as you're reading through His Word. He's with you as you recap. He's with you as you talk with other people about what you're learning. And He's with you when you're washing dishes, when you're filling up your gas tank, when you're changing diapers, and when you're scrolling social media. I'm praying that we'll all be more aware of His presence, that we'll learn to trust Him and His Word as we draw near to Him. We're learning a habit of being in God's Word. It's not just for a year. It's for the rest of our lives. I don't want to stop drawing near to Him ever because He's where the joy is.