(The previous post covered voluntary offerings concerned with offenses towards God. The progression went from atoning for sins (Leviticus 1: God alone), recognizing what God had given (Leviticus 2: God and priests), sharing with God (Leviticus 3: God, priests, giver). Salvation, Reward, eternal life: The Gospel.)
(The first three chapters dealt with the individual and God. Next, God spoke about other people. Chapters 4-7 covered mandatory offerings concerned with offenses towards man.)
Leviticus 4
(Verses 1-2: the purpose of the Sin Offering.)
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any one shall sin unwittingly, in any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and shall do any one of them:
(The stage was set that this chapter concerned sinning without knowing. The implication was that the person later found out they had sinned, either through guilt or confrontation.)
(Verses 3-12: the sin offering for a priest.)
3 if the anointed priest shall sin so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto Jehovah for a sin-offering.
4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tent of meeting before Jehovah; and he shall lay his hand upon the head of the bullock, and kill the bullock before Jehovah.
5 And the anointed priest shall take of the blood of the bullock, and bring it to the tent of meeting:
6 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah, before the veil of the sanctuary.
7 And the priest shall put of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Jehovah, which is in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bullock shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting.
8 And all the fat of the bullock of the sin-offering he shall take off from it; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
9 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away,
10 as it is taken off from the ox of the sacrifice of peace-offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of burnt-offering.
11 And the skin of the bullock, and all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, and its inwards, and its dung,
12 even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt.
(God told Moses the details for how a priest should handle their sin. Notice, God began with the leader: young bull (male), lay hand, sprinkle blood before Lord seven times, put some blood on horns of altar, burn fat/kidneys/etc (like peace offering), and take the rest of the bull outside the camp to a clean place to burn with wood. God wanted the sin offering not burned on the altar.)
(Verses 13-21: the sin offering for the whole congregation of Israel.)
13 And if the whole congregation of Israel err, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and are guilty;
14 when the sin wherein they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bullock for a sin-offering, and bring it before the tent of meeting.
15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before Jehovah; and the bullock shall be killed before Jehovah.
16 And the anointed priest shall bring of the blood of the bullock to the tent of meeting:
17 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Jehovah, before the veil.
18 And he shall put of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before Jehovah, that is in the tent of meeting; and all the blood shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting.
19 And all the fat thereof shall he take off from it, and burn it upon the altar.
20 Thus shall he do with the bullock; as he did with the bullock of the sin-offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.
21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bullock: it is the sin-offering for the assembly.
(God covered the details for how a priest should handle the sin of the whole congregation. It was basically the same as for the priest. However, it was spelled out that this offering happened only once the sin was known.)
(Verses 22-26: the sin offering for a ruler of the people.)
22 When a ruler sinneth, and doeth unwittingly any one of all the things which Jehovah his God hath commanded not to be done, and is guilty;
23 if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, be made known to him, he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a male without blemish.
24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt-offering before Jehovah: it is a sin-offering.
25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering; and the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering.
26 And all the fat thereof shall he burn upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin, and he shall be forgiven.
(God covered the details for how a priest should handle the sin of a ruler/leader. He brought a kid of the goats (male). Otherwise, it was handled the same as the sin offerings except it did not mention burning the animal outside the camp. It did not mention burning anything other than the fat.)
(Verses 27-35: the sin offering for a common man or woman.)
27 And if any one of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and be guilty;
28 if his sin, which he hath sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and kill the sin-offering in the place of burnt-offering.
30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering; and all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar.
31 And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.
32 And if he bring a lamb as his oblation for a sin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and kill it for a sin-offering in the place where they kill the burnt-offering.
34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering; and all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar:
35 and all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, upon the offerings of Jehovah made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
(God explained the details for how a priest should handle the sin of a common person. He could bring a kid of the goats (female) or a lamb (female). It was handled like the ruler/leader. However, it was mentioned that the fat of the goat was burned for a sweet savor to the Lord.)
Leviticus 5
(This chapter continued the theme of chapters 4-7 which covered mandatory offerings concerned with offenses towards man.)
(Verses 1-13: Specific occasions requiring the sin offering.)
1 And if any one sin, in that he heareth the voice of adjuration, he being a witness, whether he hath seen or known, if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
2 Or if any one touch any unclean thing, whether it be the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it be hidden from him, and he be unclean, then he shall be guilty.
3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever his uncleanness be wherewith he is unclean, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
4 Or if any one swear rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall utter rashly with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these things.
(God identified specific sins: not testifying, touching an unclean animal, touching an unclean human, not fulfilling their vow.)
(Verses 5-13: How to make the sin offering.)
5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that wherein he hath sinned:
6 and he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin-offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin.
7 And if his means suffice not for a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass-offering for that wherein he hath sinned, two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, unto Jehovah; one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering.
8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin-offering first, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not divide it asunder:
9 and he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin-offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin-offering.
10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin which he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven.
11 But if his means suffice not for two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, then he shall bring his oblation for that wherein he hath sinned, the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering: he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon; for it is a sin-offering.
12 And he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, upon the offerings of Jehovah made by fire: it is a sin-offering.
13 And the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in any of these things, and he shall be forgiven: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as the meal-offering.
(God covered the details for how the person should handle these sins. They first confess: female lamb or goat, two turtledoves or pigeons if he cannot afford flock animals, flour with no oil and no frankincense if he cannot afford birds. One was a sin offering and the other was a burnt offering.)
(Verses 14-19: the Guilt Offering, including its procedure.)
14 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
15 If any one commit a trespass, and sin unwittingly, in the holy things of Jehovah; then he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass-offering:
16 and he shall make restitution for that which he hath done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and he shall be forgiven.
(God covered sinning in the holy things of the Lord: ram and restitution for damage plus 20%.)
17 And if any one sin, and do any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done; though he knew it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation, for a trespass-offering, unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing wherein he erred unwittingly and knew it not, and he shall be forgiven.
19 It is a trespass-offering: he is certainly guilty before Jehovah.
(God covered the details for sins done against things the Lord had forbidden and the person was not aware of it. Again, this was a guilt or trespass offering. The ram was a symbol of power. The sins against the "things of the Lord" were atoned for by an animal that symbolized power. Some people say the ram was also a symbol of "reproducing," so it got tied to things that had monetary value.)
Leviticus 6
(This chapter continued the theme of chapters 4-7 which covered mandatory offerings concerned with offenses towards man.)
(Verses 1-7: More situations that required the guilt offering.)
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 If any one sin, and commit a trespass against Jehovah, and deal falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or have oppressed his neighbor,
3 or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these things that a man doeth, sinning therein;
4 then it shall be, if he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he hath gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
5 or any thing about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in full, and shall add the fifth part more thereto: unto him to whom it appertaineth shall he give it, in the day of his being found guilty.
6 And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation, for a trespass-offering, unto the priest:
7 and the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah; and he shall be forgiven concerning whatsoever he doeth so as to be guilty thereby.
(The Lord explained sinning between people. They needed to bring restitution plus 20% to the person. The offering was a ram which could be due to the issue having had monetary value.)
(Verses 8-30: Specific instructions for the priests regarding the offerings.)
(Verses 8-13: the burnt offering, mentioned in Leviticus 5:5-13.)
8 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt-offering: the burnt-offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night unto the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereon.
10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes whereto the fire hath consumed the burnt-offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
12 And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning thereon, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning: and he shall lay the burnt-offering in order upon it, and shall burn thereon the fat of the peace-offerings.
13 Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.
(Offering: remained on the altar all night and kept burning, directions for what the priest wore and how to handle the ashes.)
(Verses 14-23: the meal-offering, mentioned in Leviticus 5:5-13.)
14 And this is the law of the meal-offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before Jehovah, before the altar.
15 And he shall take up therefrom his handful, of the fine flour of the meal-offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meal-offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor, as the memorial thereof, unto Jehovah.
16 And that which is left thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: it shall be eaten without leaven in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it.
17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as the sin-offering, and as the trespass-offering.
18 Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as his portion for ever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Jehovah made by fire: whosoever toucheth them shall be holy.
(Offering: fine flour, oil, frankincense, burnt on the altar as a sweet savor, Aaron and sons could eat the rest as long as it was not baked with leaven and eaten in the tent of meeting. It was interesting that the priests actually gained from this offering. Would this have motivated the priests to confront people on the sins from Leviticus 5:1-4?)
19 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
20 This is the oblation of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto Jehovah in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half thereof in the evening.
21 On a baking-pan it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked, thou shalt bring it in: in baken pieces shalt thou offer the meal-offering for a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
22 And the anointed priest that shall be in his stead from among his sons shall offer it: by a statute for ever it shall be wholly burnt unto Jehovah.
23 And every meal-offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
(God covered the offering from Aaron and his sons on the day when one was anointed/consecrated: meal-offering that was wholly burned and not eaten.)
(Verses 24-30: the sin offering.)
24 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin-offering: in the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before Jehovah: it is most holy.
26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in a holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tent of meeting.
27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy; and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in a holy place.
28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled shall be broken; and if it be boiled in a brazen vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water.
29 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.
30 And no sin-offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt with fire.
(The priest who offered it where the burnt offering was offered should eat it. Whoever ate of this must have been dedicated and made clean. Directions were given for how to handle garments and vessels touching the offering. No sin offering that was meant to make atonement in the Holy Place was to be eaten. This would be something that was intended to cleanse the entire nation of Israel. It must be wholly burned with fire because this was completely given to God.)
(This post covered mandatory offerings concerned with offenses towards man.)
Day 32
Day 30: Leviticus 1-3
(Leviticus was the third of five books written by Moses that made up the first section of the Old Testament known as the Torah. This third book of the Old Testament documented some of God's procedures necessary to carry out the Law presented in the Book of Exodus. This book was called "Leviticus" because God began with the leaders, the levitical priests.)
(Chapters 1-3 covered voluntary offerings concerned with offenses towards God.)
Leviticus 1
1 And Jehovah called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying,
(Verse 1 began the entire book by saying, God called to Moses out of the tent of meeting. A "wild" God had been speaking to Moses from a "wild" setting. Now, God spoke to Moses in fellowship while living among the people. This book showed how God wanted to bring people into fellowship with Him through a covenant. This book was directed towards the priesthood. It could be seen as the job description for the Levites.)
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man of you offereth an oblation unto Jehovah, ye shall offer your oblation of the cattle, even of the herd and of the flock.
(Verses 3-17: the procedure for the burnt-offering.)
3 If his oblation be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer it a male without blemish: he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before Jehovah.
(A male without blemish offered of his own voluntary will.)
4 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
(Laying his hand upon the animal represented the transference of guilt.)
(Verses 5-9: the procedure for offering a bull as a burnt-offering.)
5 And he shall kill the bullock before Jehovah: and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall present the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.
6 And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it into its pieces.
7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire;
8 and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
9 but its inwards and its legs shall he wash with water: and the priest shall burn the whole on the altar, for a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(God told Moses these details for how to offer an animal from the herd: male, with both hands on it to signify atonement, burned completely.)
(Verses 10-13: the procedure for offering a sheep or a goat as a burnt-offering.)
10 And if his oblation be of the flock, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt-offering; he shall offer it a male without blemish.
11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before Jehovah: and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood upon the altar round about.
12 And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
13 but the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water; and the priest shall offer the whole, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(God told Moses these details for how to offer an animal from the flock: male, north side of altar, burned completely.)
(Verses 14-17: the procedure for offering a bird as a burnt-offering.)
14 And if his oblation to Jehovah be a burnt-offering of birds, then he shall offer his oblation of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons.
15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be drained out on the side of the altar;
16 and he shall take away its crop with the filth thereof, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes:
17 and he shall rend it by the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(God told Moses these details for how to offer birds: turtledoves or young pigeons, feathers to east side of altar, not cut in two, burned completely.)
(Each of these offerings gave a "sweet savor" to God, which appeased His anger. God alone received these offerings.)
Leviticus 2
(Verses 1-10: the procedure for the meal-offering, also known as grain-offering.)
(Verses 1-3: the presentation of the meal-offering.)
1 And when any one offereth an oblation of a meal-offering unto Jehovah, his oblation shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
2 and he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests; and he shall take thereout his handful of the fine flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn it as the memorial thereof upon the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah:
3 and that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire.
(God explained the details for how to offer grain/meal: fine flour, frankincense, burn a portion, rest goes to priests.)
(Verses 4-10: Different types of meal-offering.)
4 And when thou offerest an oblation of a meal-offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5 And if thy oblation be a meal-offering of the baking-pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meal-offering.
7 And if thy oblation be a meal-offering of the frying-pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8 And thou shalt bring the meal-offering that is made of these things unto Jehovah: and it shall be presented unto the priest, and he shall bring it unto the altar.
9 And the priest shall take up from the meal-offering the memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
10 And that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire.
(Moses was told details for how to offer grain/meal baked in an oven: unleavened, brought to the bronze altar, portion burned.)
(Verses 11-16: Special instructions regarding the meal-offering.)
11 No meal-offering, which ye shall offer unto Jehovah, shall be made with leaven; for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
(No meal-offering brought to the Lord was to be made with leaven. They were not to burn leaven or honey. Leaven symbolized sin. Honey symbolized prosperity. Honey is the only food that has no expiration date.)
12 As an oblation of first-fruits ye shall offer them unto Jehovah: but they shall not come up for a sweet savor on the altar.
(First-fruits were to be offered. However, the procedure was different in that thy would not be burned on the altar.)
13 And every oblation of thy meal-offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meal-offering: with all thine oblations thou shalt offer salt.
14 And if thou offer a meal-offering of first-fruits unto Jehovah, thou shalt offer for the meal-offering of thy first-fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear.
(More detail was given on how to offer grain/meal offerings: seasoned with salt, grain, oil, frankincense. Every oblation (offering) should be seasoned with salt. The salt served as a preservative.)
15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meal-offering.
16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the bruised grain thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
(Each of these offerings gave a "sweet savor" to God, which made Him happy, except for the offering in verse 12. It appeared these offerings also went to the priests.)
Leviticus 3
(This chapter covered the peace-offerings.)
(Verses 1-5: Offering a bull or a cow as a peace-offering.)
1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offerings; if he offer of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before Jehovah.
2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
4 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.
5 And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt-offering, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(The details for a peace-offering from the herd: male or female, with both hands, at the door of the tent of meeting, burned completely.)
(Verses 6-11: Offering a sheep as a peace-offering.)
6 And if his oblation for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto Jehovah be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.
7 If he offer a lamb for his oblation, then shall he offer it before Jehovah;
8 and he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it before the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat thereof, the fat tail entire, he shall take away hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
10 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.
11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
(The details for a peace-offering that was a lamb: male or female, with both hands, before the tent of meeting, food offering to the Lord.)
(Verses 12-16: Offering a goat as a peace-offering.)
12 And if his oblation be a goat, then he shall offer it before Jehovah:
13 and he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
14 And he shall offer thereof his oblation, even an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
15 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.
16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savor; all the fat is Jehovah's.
(The details for a peace-offering that was a goat: this did not specify male or female, with both hands, before the tent of meeting, burned on the altar as food, all the fat was the Lord's.)
17 It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood.
(They were told to eat neither fat nor blood. The herd and goat offering were said to give a "sweet savor." It did not say this about the lamb offering.)
(This series of offerings were also known as "fellowship offerings." This offering was not to make peace with God, it was to enjoy peace with God, which is fellowship. Some people believe the person who brought the offering and the priests ate of everything except the blood and fat, they had fellowship.)
(This post covered voluntary Offerings concerned with offenses towards God. The progression went from atoning for sins (Leviticus 1: God alone), recognizing what God had given (Leviticus 2: God and priests), sharing with God (Leviticus 3: God, priests, giver). Salvation, Reward, eternal life: The Gospel.)
Day 31
(Chapters 1-3 covered voluntary offerings concerned with offenses towards God.)
Leviticus 1
1 And Jehovah called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying,
(Verse 1 began the entire book by saying, God called to Moses out of the tent of meeting. A "wild" God had been speaking to Moses from a "wild" setting. Now, God spoke to Moses in fellowship while living among the people. This book showed how God wanted to bring people into fellowship with Him through a covenant. This book was directed towards the priesthood. It could be seen as the job description for the Levites.)
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man of you offereth an oblation unto Jehovah, ye shall offer your oblation of the cattle, even of the herd and of the flock.
(Verses 3-17: the procedure for the burnt-offering.)
3 If his oblation be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer it a male without blemish: he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before Jehovah.
(A male without blemish offered of his own voluntary will.)
4 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
(Laying his hand upon the animal represented the transference of guilt.)
(Verses 5-9: the procedure for offering a bull as a burnt-offering.)
5 And he shall kill the bullock before Jehovah: and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall present the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.
6 And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it into its pieces.
7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire;
8 and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
9 but its inwards and its legs shall he wash with water: and the priest shall burn the whole on the altar, for a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(God told Moses these details for how to offer an animal from the herd: male, with both hands on it to signify atonement, burned completely.)
(Verses 10-13: the procedure for offering a sheep or a goat as a burnt-offering.)
10 And if his oblation be of the flock, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt-offering; he shall offer it a male without blemish.
11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before Jehovah: and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood upon the altar round about.
12 And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
13 but the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water; and the priest shall offer the whole, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(God told Moses these details for how to offer an animal from the flock: male, north side of altar, burned completely.)
(Verses 14-17: the procedure for offering a bird as a burnt-offering.)
14 And if his oblation to Jehovah be a burnt-offering of birds, then he shall offer his oblation of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons.
15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be drained out on the side of the altar;
16 and he shall take away its crop with the filth thereof, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes:
17 and he shall rend it by the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(God told Moses these details for how to offer birds: turtledoves or young pigeons, feathers to east side of altar, not cut in two, burned completely.)
(Each of these offerings gave a "sweet savor" to God, which appeased His anger. God alone received these offerings.)
Leviticus 2
(Verses 1-10: the procedure for the meal-offering, also known as grain-offering.)
(Verses 1-3: the presentation of the meal-offering.)
1 And when any one offereth an oblation of a meal-offering unto Jehovah, his oblation shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
2 and he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests; and he shall take thereout his handful of the fine flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn it as the memorial thereof upon the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah:
3 and that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire.
(God explained the details for how to offer grain/meal: fine flour, frankincense, burn a portion, rest goes to priests.)
(Verses 4-10: Different types of meal-offering.)
4 And when thou offerest an oblation of a meal-offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5 And if thy oblation be a meal-offering of the baking-pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meal-offering.
7 And if thy oblation be a meal-offering of the frying-pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8 And thou shalt bring the meal-offering that is made of these things unto Jehovah: and it shall be presented unto the priest, and he shall bring it unto the altar.
9 And the priest shall take up from the meal-offering the memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
10 And that which is left of the meal-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire.
(Moses was told details for how to offer grain/meal baked in an oven: unleavened, brought to the bronze altar, portion burned.)
(Verses 11-16: Special instructions regarding the meal-offering.)
11 No meal-offering, which ye shall offer unto Jehovah, shall be made with leaven; for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
(No meal-offering brought to the Lord was to be made with leaven. They were not to burn leaven or honey. Leaven symbolized sin. Honey symbolized prosperity. Honey is the only food that has no expiration date.)
12 As an oblation of first-fruits ye shall offer them unto Jehovah: but they shall not come up for a sweet savor on the altar.
(First-fruits were to be offered. However, the procedure was different in that thy would not be burned on the altar.)
13 And every oblation of thy meal-offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meal-offering: with all thine oblations thou shalt offer salt.
14 And if thou offer a meal-offering of first-fruits unto Jehovah, thou shalt offer for the meal-offering of thy first-fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear.
(More detail was given on how to offer grain/meal offerings: seasoned with salt, grain, oil, frankincense. Every oblation (offering) should be seasoned with salt. The salt served as a preservative.)
15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meal-offering.
16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the bruised grain thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
(Each of these offerings gave a "sweet savor" to God, which made Him happy, except for the offering in verse 12. It appeared these offerings also went to the priests.)
Leviticus 3
(This chapter covered the peace-offerings.)
(Verses 1-5: Offering a bull or a cow as a peace-offering.)
1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offerings; if he offer of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before Jehovah.
2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
4 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.
5 And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt-offering, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
(The details for a peace-offering from the herd: male or female, with both hands, at the door of the tent of meeting, burned completely.)
(Verses 6-11: Offering a sheep as a peace-offering.)
6 And if his oblation for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto Jehovah be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.
7 If he offer a lamb for his oblation, then shall he offer it before Jehovah;
8 and he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it before the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat thereof, the fat tail entire, he shall take away hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
10 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.
11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
(The details for a peace-offering that was a lamb: male or female, with both hands, before the tent of meeting, food offering to the Lord.)
(Verses 12-16: Offering a goat as a peace-offering.)
12 And if his oblation be a goat, then he shall offer it before Jehovah:
13 and he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
14 And he shall offer thereof his oblation, even an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
15 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.
16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savor; all the fat is Jehovah's.
(The details for a peace-offering that was a goat: this did not specify male or female, with both hands, before the tent of meeting, burned on the altar as food, all the fat was the Lord's.)
17 It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood.
(They were told to eat neither fat nor blood. The herd and goat offering were said to give a "sweet savor." It did not say this about the lamb offering.)
(This series of offerings were also known as "fellowship offerings." This offering was not to make peace with God, it was to enjoy peace with God, which is fellowship. Some people believe the person who brought the offering and the priests ate of everything except the blood and fat, they had fellowship.)
(This post covered voluntary Offerings concerned with offenses towards God. The progression went from atoning for sins (Leviticus 1: God alone), recognizing what God had given (Leviticus 2: God and priests), sharing with God (Leviticus 3: God, priests, giver). Salvation, Reward, eternal life: The Gospel.)
Day 31
Day 29: Exodus 37-40
(The previous post covered God's reconfirmation of the Covenant and the Israelites carrying out of God's instructions to Moses while he was on the mount with God.)
Exodus 37
(This chapter continued showing how God's directions for the tabernacle were completed, specifically the tabernacle furniture.)
(Verses 1-5: the Ark of the Covenant (as was commanded in Exodus 25:10-16).)
1 And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
(Bezalel made the Ark. Click here to see an image of the Ark. It was about 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.)
2 and he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.
3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, in the four feet thereof; even two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
4 And he made staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
5 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
(Verses 6-9: the mercy-seat; the golden lid to the Ark of the Covenant (as was commanded in Exodus 25:17-22).)
6 And he made a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
7 And he made two cherubim of gold; of beaten work made he them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat;
(The two cherubim were beaten out of one piece of gold.)
8 one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat made he the cherubim at the two ends thereof.
9 And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat were the faces of the cherubim.
(Verses 10-16: the Table of Showbread with its utensils (as was commanded in Exodus 25:23-30).)
10 And he made the table of acacia wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:
(The table was about 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.)
11 and he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereto a crown of gold round about.
12 And he made unto it a border of a handbreadth round about, and made a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
(The table was decorated with a 3 inch border.)
13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that were on the four feet thereof.
14 Close by the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
15 And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
16 And he made the vessels which were upon the table, the dishes thereof, and the spoons thereof, and the bowls thereof, and the flagons thereof, wherewith to pour out, of pure gold.
17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, it knops, and its flowers, were of one piece with it:
18 and there were six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:
19 three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower, and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a knop and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the candlestick.
20 And in the candlestick were four cups made like almond-blossoms, the knops thereof, and the flowers thereof;
21 and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it.
22 Their knops and their branches were of one piece with it: the whole of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
(Another part (knops and their branches) was formed from one piece of gold.)
23 And he made the lamps thereof, seven, and the snuffers thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, of pure gold.
24 Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
(Verses 25-28: the Altar of Incense (as was commanded in Exodus 30:1-10).)
25 And he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, foursquare; and two cubits was the height thereof; the horns thereof were of one piece with it.
(The altar of incense was about 18 inches square and 36 inches high.)
26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: and he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
27 And he made for it two golden rings under the crown thereof, upon the two ribs thereof, upon the two sides of it, for places for staves wherewith to bear it.
28 And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
(Verse 29: the anointing oil and incense (as was commanded in Exodus 30:22-38).)
29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
(Bezalel not only made most of the furniture, he made the fragrances as well.)
Exodus 38
(This chapter continued showing how God's directions for the tabernacle were completed.)
(Verses 1-7: the altar of burnt-offering (as was commanded in Exodus 27:1-8).)
1 And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
(The altar was approximately 7½ feet wide, 7½ feet long, and 4½ feet high.)
2 And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of one piece with it: and he overlaid it with brass.
3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, the flesh-hooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
4 And he made for the altar a grating of network of brass, under the ledge round it beneath, reaching halfway up.
5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grating of brass, to be places for the staves.
6 And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with brass.
7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, wherewith to bear it; he made it hollow with planks.
(Verse 8: the brass laver (as was commanded in Exodus 30:17-21).)
8 And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the ministering women that ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.
(Women assembled at the door of the tabernacle.)
(Verses 9-20: the court with its pillars and linen fence (as was commanded in Exodus 27:9-19).)
9 And he made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits;
10 their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11 And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
(The curtains for the south and north sides of the courtyard were about 150 feet long.)
12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
(The curtains for the west and east sides of the courtyard were about 75 feet long.)
14 The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;
15 and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
(The curtains on both sides of the gate were about 22 ½ feet long.)
16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
(All of the curtains hanging in the courtyard were made of fine twined linen.)
17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18 And the screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
(The curtain (screen) for the entrance of the courtyard was about 30 feet long and 7½ feet high.)
19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.
20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
(Verses 21-23: the leaders of the work.)
21 This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
22 And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Jehovah commanded Moses.
23 And with him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skilful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen.
(Verse 24: the inventory of gold.)
24 All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
(The gold used was about 2,193 pounds.)
(Verses 25-28: the inventory of silver.)
25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
(Israel gave approximately 7,545 pounds of silver.)
26 a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that passed over to them that were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
(There were 603,550 men over twenty years old.)
27 And the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; a hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
(The support for the curtains was made from about 7,500 pounds of silver, about 75 pounds for each base.)
28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.
(There was about 45 pounds of silver left over which was used for hooks and rings.)
(Verses 29-31: the inventory of brass.)
29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
(About 5,310 pounds of brass was offered.)
30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tent of meeting, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grating for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
31 and the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
Exodus 39
(Verses 1-31: clothing for the priests.)
1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 2-7: the ephod for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:5-14).)
2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of the skilful workman.
4 They made shoulder-pieces for it, joined together; at the two ends was it joined together.
5 And the skilfully woven band, that was upon it, wherewith to gird it on, was of the same piece and like the work thereof; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
6 And they wrought the onyx stones, inclosed in settings of gold, graven with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel.
7 And he put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 8-21: the breastplate for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:15-29).)
8 And he made the breastplate, the work of the skilful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9 It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being double.
(The chest piece was about 9 inches square.)
10 And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row;
11 and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;
12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13 and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jaspar: they were inclosed in inclosings of gold in their settings.
14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, for the twelve tribes.
15 And they made upon the breastplate chains like cords, of wreathen work of pure gold.
16 And they made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.
18 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, in the forepart thereof.
19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them upon the two ends of the breastplate, upon the edge thereof, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.
20 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, in the forepart thereof, close by the coupling thereof, above the skilfully woven band of the ephod.
21 And they did bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be upon the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 22-26: the robe for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:31-35).)
22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.
23 And the hole of the robe in the midst thereof, as the hole of a coat of mail, with a binding round about the hole of it, that it should not be rent.
24 And they made upon the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe round about, between the pomegranates;
26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, upon the skirts of the robe round about, to minister in; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 27-29: Tunics, turbans, sashes, trousers, for all the priests (as was commanded in Exodus 28:39-43).)
27 And they made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,
28 and the mitre of fine linen, and the goodly head-tires of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen,
29 and the girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 30-31: the turban for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:36-38).)
30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like the engravings of a signet, HOLY TO JEHOVAH.
31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it upon the mitre above; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 32-43: Moses looks over the work.)
32 Thus was finished all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting: and the children of Israel did according to all that Jehovah commanded Moses; so did they.
33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the Tent, and all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, it bars, and its pillars, and it sockets;
(Everything was brought to Moses once it was completed.)
34 and the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of sealskins, and the veil of the screen;
35 the ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat;
36 the table, all the vessels thereof, and the showbread;
37 the pure candlestick, the lamps thereof, even the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for the light;
38 and the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door of the Tent;
39 the brazen altar, and its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base;
40 the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, the cords thereof, and the pins thereof, and all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting;
41 the finely wrought garments for ministering in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.
42 According to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work.
(All that God commanded Moses regarding the tabernacle was completed by the Israelites.)
43 And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it; as Jehovah had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
(Moses blessed them.)
Exodus 40
(This chapter dealt with the completion of the tabernacle.)
(Verses 1-5: How to arrange the furniture within the tabernacle.)
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.
4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
5 And thou shalt set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
(Verses 6-11: How to arrange the items in the courtyard.)
6 And thou shalt set the altar of burnt-offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.
9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the furniture thereof: and it shall be holy.
10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and sanctify the altar: and the altar shall be most holy.
11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it.
(One year after leaving Egypt, the tabernacle was set up. A "cross" was formed with the placement of everything. The laver was between the doors of the tent of meeting and the altar of burnt offering. At the foot of the "cross" was the altar (complete surrender). The laver represented our cleansing through which we pass to enter in the "door" (Jesus) to the Holy of Holies (God).)
(Verses 12-16: Anointing Aaron and his sons to minister as priests.)
12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water.
13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments; and thou shalt anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them;
15 and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: and their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
(Aaron and his sons were washed and anointed so they could serve God in the priest’s office.)
16 Thus did Moses: according to all that Jehovah commanded him, so did he.
(Verses 17-19: the tent of meeting goes up by setting up the boards and covering it with the curtains.)
17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up its pillars.
19 And he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 20-21: the Ark of the Covenant was set in the Most Holy Place, and the veil was set in place.)
20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark:
21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 22-23: the Table of Showbread was put in the Holy Place.)
22 And he put the table in the tent of meeting, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the veil.
23 And he set the bread in order upon it before Jehovah; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 24-25: the lampstand was put in the Holy Place.)
24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of meeting, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
25 And he lighted the lamps before Jehovah; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 26-27: the golden Altar of Incense was put in the Holy Place.)
26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil:
27 and he burnt thereon incense of sweet spices; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verse 28: the screen was hung at the entrance of the tabernacle.)
28 And he put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
(Verse 29: the brass altar was put in its place.)
29 And he set the altar of burnt-offering at the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meal-offering; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 30-32: the laver was put in between the altar and the tent.)
30 And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water therein, wherewith to wash.
31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat;
32 when they went into the tent of meeting, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet before entering the tent of meeting.)
(Verse 33: the outer court was set up.)
33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.
(Verses 34-38: the completion of the tabernacle.)
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.
(After Moses finished this work, God’s Glory cloud filled the tabernacle.)
35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.
36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys:
37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
(The glory cloud directed the Israelites. They moved when the glory cloud moved; they stayed when the glory cloud stayed.)
38 For the cloud of Jehovah was upon the tabernacle by day, and there was fire therein by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
(When the Israelites traveled by night, they were led by fire.)
(This post documented that the people fulfilled all of God's instructions for the tabernacle.)
(Exodus was the second of five books written by Moses that made up the first section of the Old Testament known as the Torah. The Book of Exodus documented Israel's redemption which covered the events from the Israelites' request to worship God in the wilderness and leaving Egypt to the setting up of the tabernacle so they could worship God in the wilderness. These events occurred in the span of just over a year. The Book of Exodus presented the circumstances that concluded the 4th Dispensation and introduced the 5th Dispensation. This Dispensation of the Law was in place throughout the rest of the Old Testament. Prior to the events recorded in this book, there was not an objective set of rules for societal behavior. We will see God put procedures in place in response to these rules. The next book showed God began with the leaders of society to explain the sanctuary and its relation to man.)
Day 30
Exodus 37
(This chapter continued showing how God's directions for the tabernacle were completed, specifically the tabernacle furniture.)
(Verses 1-5: the Ark of the Covenant (as was commanded in Exodus 25:10-16).)
1 And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:
(Bezalel made the Ark. Click here to see an image of the Ark. It was about 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.)
2 and he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.
3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, in the four feet thereof; even two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
4 And he made staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
5 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
(Verses 6-9: the mercy-seat; the golden lid to the Ark of the Covenant (as was commanded in Exodus 25:17-22).)
6 And he made a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
7 And he made two cherubim of gold; of beaten work made he them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat;
(The two cherubim were beaten out of one piece of gold.)
8 one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end: of one piece with the mercy-seat made he the cherubim at the two ends thereof.
9 And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy-seat were the faces of the cherubim.
(Verses 10-16: the Table of Showbread with its utensils (as was commanded in Exodus 25:23-30).)
10 And he made the table of acacia wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:
(The table was about 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.)
11 and he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereto a crown of gold round about.
12 And he made unto it a border of a handbreadth round about, and made a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
(The table was decorated with a 3 inch border.)
13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that were on the four feet thereof.
14 Close by the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
15 And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
16 And he made the vessels which were upon the table, the dishes thereof, and the spoons thereof, and the bowls thereof, and the flagons thereof, wherewith to pour out, of pure gold.
(Verses 17-24: the gold lampstand (as was commanded in Exodus 25:31-40).)
18 and there were six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:
19 three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower, and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the other branch, a knop and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the candlestick.
20 And in the candlestick were four cups made like almond-blossoms, the knops thereof, and the flowers thereof;
21 and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it.
22 Their knops and their branches were of one piece with it: the whole of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
(Another part (knops and their branches) was formed from one piece of gold.)
23 And he made the lamps thereof, seven, and the snuffers thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, of pure gold.
24 Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
(Verses 25-28: the Altar of Incense (as was commanded in Exodus 30:1-10).)
25 And he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, foursquare; and two cubits was the height thereof; the horns thereof were of one piece with it.
(The altar of incense was about 18 inches square and 36 inches high.)
26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: and he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
27 And he made for it two golden rings under the crown thereof, upon the two ribs thereof, upon the two sides of it, for places for staves wherewith to bear it.
28 And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
(Verse 29: the anointing oil and incense (as was commanded in Exodus 30:22-38).)
29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.
(Bezalel not only made most of the furniture, he made the fragrances as well.)
Exodus 38
(This chapter continued showing how God's directions for the tabernacle were completed.)
(Verses 1-7: the altar of burnt-offering (as was commanded in Exodus 27:1-8).)
1 And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
(The altar was approximately 7½ feet wide, 7½ feet long, and 4½ feet high.)
2 And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of one piece with it: and he overlaid it with brass.
3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, the flesh-hooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
4 And he made for the altar a grating of network of brass, under the ledge round it beneath, reaching halfway up.
5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grating of brass, to be places for the staves.
6 And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with brass.
7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, wherewith to bear it; he made it hollow with planks.
(Verse 8: the brass laver (as was commanded in Exodus 30:17-21).)
8 And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the ministering women that ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.
(Women assembled at the door of the tabernacle.)
(Verses 9-20: the court with its pillars and linen fence (as was commanded in Exodus 27:9-19).)
9 And he made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits;
10 their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11 And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
(The curtains for the south and north sides of the courtyard were about 150 feet long.)
12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.
13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
(The curtains for the west and east sides of the courtyard were about 75 feet long.)
14 The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three;
15 and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
(The curtains on both sides of the gate were about 22 ½ feet long.)
16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
(All of the curtains hanging in the courtyard were made of fine twined linen.)
17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
18 And the screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
(The curtain (screen) for the entrance of the courtyard was about 30 feet long and 7½ feet high.)
19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver.
20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
(Verses 21-23: the leaders of the work.)
21 This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
22 And Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Jehovah commanded Moses.
23 And with him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skilful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen.
(Verse 24: the inventory of gold.)
24 All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
(The gold used was about 2,193 pounds.)
(Verses 25-28: the inventory of silver.)
25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
(Israel gave approximately 7,545 pounds of silver.)
26 a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that passed over to them that were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
(There were 603,550 men over twenty years old.)
27 And the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; a hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
(The support for the curtains was made from about 7,500 pounds of silver, about 75 pounds for each base.)
28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.
(There was about 45 pounds of silver left over which was used for hooks and rings.)
(Verses 29-31: the inventory of brass.)
29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
(About 5,310 pounds of brass was offered.)
30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tent of meeting, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grating for it, and all the vessels of the altar,
31 and the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
Exodus 39
(Verses 1-31: clothing for the priests.)
1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 2-7: the ephod for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:5-14).)
2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of the skilful workman.
4 They made shoulder-pieces for it, joined together; at the two ends was it joined together.
5 And the skilfully woven band, that was upon it, wherewith to gird it on, was of the same piece and like the work thereof; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
6 And they wrought the onyx stones, inclosed in settings of gold, graven with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel.
7 And he put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 8-21: the breastplate for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:15-29).)
8 And he made the breastplate, the work of the skilful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
9 It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being double.
(The chest piece was about 9 inches square.)
10 And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row;
11 and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;
12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13 and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jaspar: they were inclosed in inclosings of gold in their settings.
14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, for the twelve tribes.
15 And they made upon the breastplate chains like cords, of wreathen work of pure gold.
16 And they made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate.
18 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, in the forepart thereof.
19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them upon the two ends of the breastplate, upon the edge thereof, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.
20 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, in the forepart thereof, close by the coupling thereof, above the skilfully woven band of the ephod.
21 And they did bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be upon the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 22-26: the robe for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:31-35).)
22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.
23 And the hole of the robe in the midst thereof, as the hole of a coat of mail, with a binding round about the hole of it, that it should not be rent.
24 And they made upon the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe round about, between the pomegranates;
26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, upon the skirts of the robe round about, to minister in; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 27-29: Tunics, turbans, sashes, trousers, for all the priests (as was commanded in Exodus 28:39-43).)
27 And they made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,
28 and the mitre of fine linen, and the goodly head-tires of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen,
29 and the girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 30-31: the turban for the high priest (as was commanded in Exodus 28:36-38).)
30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like the engravings of a signet, HOLY TO JEHOVAH.
31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it upon the mitre above; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 32-43: Moses looks over the work.)
32 Thus was finished all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting: and the children of Israel did according to all that Jehovah commanded Moses; so did they.
33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the Tent, and all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, it bars, and its pillars, and it sockets;
(Everything was brought to Moses once it was completed.)
34 and the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of sealskins, and the veil of the screen;
35 the ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat;
36 the table, all the vessels thereof, and the showbread;
37 the pure candlestick, the lamps thereof, even the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for the light;
38 and the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door of the Tent;
39 the brazen altar, and its grating of brass, its staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base;
40 the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, the cords thereof, and the pins thereof, and all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting;
41 the finely wrought garments for ministering in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.
42 According to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work.
(All that God commanded Moses regarding the tabernacle was completed by the Israelites.)
43 And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it; as Jehovah had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
(Moses blessed them.)
Exodus 40
(This chapter dealt with the completion of the tabernacle.)
(Verses 1-5: How to arrange the furniture within the tabernacle.)
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.
4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
5 And thou shalt set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
(Verses 6-11: How to arrange the items in the courtyard.)
6 And thou shalt set the altar of burnt-offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court.
9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the furniture thereof: and it shall be holy.
10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and sanctify the altar: and the altar shall be most holy.
11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it.
(One year after leaving Egypt, the tabernacle was set up. A "cross" was formed with the placement of everything. The laver was between the doors of the tent of meeting and the altar of burnt offering. At the foot of the "cross" was the altar (complete surrender). The laver represented our cleansing through which we pass to enter in the "door" (Jesus) to the Holy of Holies (God).)
(Verses 12-16: Anointing Aaron and his sons to minister as priests.)
12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water.
13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments; and thou shalt anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them;
15 and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: and their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
(Aaron and his sons were washed and anointed so they could serve God in the priest’s office.)
16 Thus did Moses: according to all that Jehovah commanded him, so did he.
(Verses 17-19: the tent of meeting goes up by setting up the boards and covering it with the curtains.)
17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up its pillars.
19 And he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 20-21: the Ark of the Covenant was set in the Most Holy Place, and the veil was set in place.)
20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark:
21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 22-23: the Table of Showbread was put in the Holy Place.)
22 And he put the table in the tent of meeting, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the veil.
23 And he set the bread in order upon it before Jehovah; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 24-25: the lampstand was put in the Holy Place.)
24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of meeting, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
25 And he lighted the lamps before Jehovah; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 26-27: the golden Altar of Incense was put in the Holy Place.)
26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil:
27 and he burnt thereon incense of sweet spices; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verse 28: the screen was hung at the entrance of the tabernacle.)
28 And he put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.
(Verse 29: the brass altar was put in its place.)
29 And he set the altar of burnt-offering at the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meal-offering; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Verses 30-32: the laver was put in between the altar and the tent.)
30 And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water therein, wherewith to wash.
31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat;
32 when they went into the tent of meeting, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as Jehovah commanded Moses.
(Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet before entering the tent of meeting.)
(Verse 33: the outer court was set up.)
33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.
(Verses 34-38: the completion of the tabernacle.)
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.
(After Moses finished this work, God’s Glory cloud filled the tabernacle.)
35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.
36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys:
37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
(The glory cloud directed the Israelites. They moved when the glory cloud moved; they stayed when the glory cloud stayed.)
38 For the cloud of Jehovah was upon the tabernacle by day, and there was fire therein by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
(When the Israelites traveled by night, they were led by fire.)
(This post documented that the people fulfilled all of God's instructions for the tabernacle.)
(Exodus was the second of five books written by Moses that made up the first section of the Old Testament known as the Torah. The Book of Exodus documented Israel's redemption which covered the events from the Israelites' request to worship God in the wilderness and leaving Egypt to the setting up of the tabernacle so they could worship God in the wilderness. These events occurred in the span of just over a year. The Book of Exodus presented the circumstances that concluded the 4th Dispensation and introduced the 5th Dispensation. This Dispensation of the Law was in place throughout the rest of the Old Testament. Prior to the events recorded in this book, there was not an objective set of rules for societal behavior. We will see God put procedures in place in response to these rules. The next book showed God began with the leaders of society to explain the sanctuary and its relation to man.)
Day 30
Day 28: Exodus 34-36
(The previous post covered the conclusion of God's instructions to Moses during the forty days and forty nights Moses and Joshua were on the mount. When Moses returned he found the people were worshipping a golden calf that Aaron had made. God's Will was to destroy the people and make a new nation for Moses. Moses changed God's Mind by approaching God the way God approached others. From that time on, Moses spoke with God as a friend and got to see God's Glory.)
Exodus 34
(This chapter dealt with the renewal of the covenant that the people broke while Moses was with God on the mount.)
1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables, which thou brakest.
(God wrote on a second set of tables the same words that were on the first set in which Moses broke.)
2 And be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me on the top of the mount.
3 And no man shall come up with thee; neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as Jehovah had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.
(Moses brought two new tables of stone with him. Moses broke the first two just as Israel broke their covenant with God.)
5 And Jehovah descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah.
6 And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth,
7 keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
(The Lord professed His Name. What was the value of God professing His own Name? God was making Himself known to Moses. The word name meant "causes" which would be God's Nature. God was also building Moses' faith by giving him a list of attributes/effects (merciful, gracious, etc.) of Himself.)
8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
9 And he said, If now I have found favor in thy sight, O Lord, let the Lord, I pray thee, go in the midst of us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been wrought in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of Jehovah; for it is a terrible thing that I do with thee.
(God began naming the part of this covenant that was His responsibility.)
11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
13 but ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim;
(God also named the responsibilities that were required from the Israelites, such as destroying the altars and pillars of other gods.)
14 for thou shalt worship no other god: for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
("Jealous" in this verse was the Hebrew word qanna. This word was specifically attached to the verses that described God. Other uses of the word "jealous" do not use this Hebrew word. This meant it was a word that was uniquely assigned to an attribute of God. This word was used of God as not bearing any rival. The word "jealous" occurred nineteen times in the KJV Bible and only six of those times was the word qanna used.)
15 lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot after their gods, and sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice;
16 and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters play the harlot after their gods, and make thy sons play the harlot after their gods.
(God said not to intermarry. Remember though, anyone who followed God's Law was included in the Israelites' community.)
17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
(Israel was reminded to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This symbolized their sanctification.)
(Verses 19-28: Various laws, mostly concerning Israel's separation from other nations and to the Lord.)
19 All that openeth the womb is mine; and all thy cattle that is male, the firstlings of cow and sheep.
20 And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.
21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first-fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.
(God named the three feasts for males to observe. The three feasts were also known as Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.)
23 Three times in the year shall all thy males appear before the Lord Jehovah, the God of Israel.
24 For I will cast out nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou goest up to appear before Jehovah thy God three times in the year.
25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.
26 The first of the first-fruits of thy ground thou shalt bring unto the house of Jehovah thy God. Thou shalt not boil a kid in its mother's milk.
27 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
28 And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
(Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights, no food or water. This has been referred to as a "miraculous fast" since it would have been impossible to accomplish this apart from God. According to Matthew 4:2, Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights in the desert before being tempted of the devil.)
29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of the testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.
(Moses' face shone.)
30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses spake to them.
32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that Jehovah had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
33 And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
34 But when Moses went in before Jehovah to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Exodus 35
(This chapter was concerned with offerings for the tabernacle.)
(Verses 1-3: the command to keep the Sabbath.)
1 And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said unto them, These are the words which Jehovah hath commanded, that ye should do them.
2 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put to death.
(Breaking the Sabbath resulted in death. Remember, doing work on the Sabbath meant the person was being the first cause instead of letting God (through the Law) be the first cause. This made working on the Sabbath akin to idolatry.)
3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
(Verses 4-9: Receiving what was needed to build the tabernacle.)
4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which Jehovah commanded, saying,
5 Take ye from among you an offering unto Jehovah; whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Jehovah's offering: gold, and silver, and brass,
(The materials used for making the things God commanded Moses were willing offerings from those whose hearts were stirred.)
6 and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
7 and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood,
8 and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,
9 and onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
(Verses 10-19: Coordinating the labor and planning the work for the tabernacle.)
10 And let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that Jehovah hath commanded:
11 the tabernacle, its tent, and its covering, its clasps, and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;
12 the ark, and the staves thereof, the mercy-seat, and the veil of the screen;
13 the table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the showbread;
14 the candlestick also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for the light;
15 and the altar of incense, and its staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle;
16 the altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of brass, it staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base;
17 the hangings of the court, the pillars thereof, and their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court;
18 the pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords;
19 the finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.
(Verses 20-29: Receiving the offering for building the tabernacle.)
20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and brought Jehovah's offering, for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all the service thereof, and for the holy garments.
22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man that offered an offering of gold unto Jehovah.
23 And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, brought them.
24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought Jehovah's offering; and every man, with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it.
25 And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen.
(Wise-hearted women made the linen for the temple.)
26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats' hair.
27 And the rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;
28 and the spice, and the oil; for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
29 The children of Israel brought a freewill-offering unto Jehovah; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which Jehovah had commanded to be made by Moses.
(Verses 30-35: the call of the master craftsmen.)
30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, Jehovah hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
(Bezalel was identified specifically.)
31 And he hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
32 and to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
33 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of skilful workmanship.
34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
(God put it in both craftsmen's hearts that each may teach.)
35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of workmanship, of the engraver, and of the skilful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any workmanship, and of those that devise skilful works.
Exodus 36
(This chapter showed that the Jews intended to follow the directions given by God to Moses while on the mount. The tent of meeting would be built.)
1 And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work, and every wise-hearted man, in whom Jehovah hath put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Jehovah hath commanded.
(People other than Bezalel and Oholiab helped with this work.)
2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
3 and they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, wherewith to make it. And they brought yet unto him freewill-offerings every morning.
4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they wrought.
5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which Jehovah commanded to make.
(The people brought "much more than enough.")
6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
(The people were restrained from bringing any more offerings for the work of the sanctuary. The ministry only received what was necessary, nothing more.)
7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
(The amount of supplies they had was "too much." The rest of this chapter stated all of the directions were completed.)
(Verses 8-13: the curtains of an artistic design of cherubim (as was commanded in Exodus 26:1-6).)
8 And all the wise-hearted men among them that wrought the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, Bezalel made them.
9 The length of each curtain was eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains had one measure.
(All the fine twined curtains were the same size: approximately 42 feet long and 6 feet wide.)
10 And he coupled five curtains one to another: and the other five curtains he coupled one to another.
11 And he made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second coupling.
12 Fifty loops made he in the one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling: the loops were opposite one to another.
13 And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the tabernacle was one.
(Verses 14-18: the curtains of goat's hair (as was commanded in Exodus 26:7-13).)
14 And he made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.
15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of each curtain: the eleven curtains had one measure.
(All the goat's hair curtains were the same size: approximately 45 feet long and 6 feet wide.)
16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
17 And he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which was outmost in the second coupling.
18 And he made fifty clasps of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.
(Verse 19: the curtains of ram's skins dyed red and sealskins (as was commanded in Exodus 26:14).)
19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above.
(Verses 20-34: the boards and connecting bars for the frame and walls of the tabernacle (as was commanded in Exodus 26:15-30).)
20 And he made the boards for the tabernacle, of acacia wood, standing up.
21 Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.
(Each board was about 15 feet high and 27 inches wide.)
22 Each board had two tenons, joined one to another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
(Tenon meant "hand." In this case, the tenons were pegs underneath each board.)
23 And he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward.
24 And he made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.
25 And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards,
26 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
27 And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.
28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder part.
29 And they were double beneath; and in like manner they were entire unto the top thereof unto one ring: thus he did to both of them in the two corners.
30 And there were eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; under every board two sockets.
31 And he made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the hinder part westward.
33 And he made the middle bar to pass through in the midst of the boards from the one end to the other.
34 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
(Verses 35-38: the veil with its four pillars, and the screen with its five pillars (as was commanded in Exodus 26:31-33, 36-37).)
35 And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, made he it.
36 And he made thereunto four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; And he cast for them four sockets of silver.
37 And he made a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer;
38 and the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their capitals and their fillets with gold; and their five sockets were of brass.
(This post covered God's reconfirmation of the Covenant and the Israelites carrying out of God's instructions to Moses while he was on the mount with God.)
Day 29
Exodus 34
(This chapter dealt with the renewal of the covenant that the people broke while Moses was with God on the mount.)
1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables, which thou brakest.
(God wrote on a second set of tables the same words that were on the first set in which Moses broke.)
2 And be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me on the top of the mount.
3 And no man shall come up with thee; neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as Jehovah had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.
(Moses brought two new tables of stone with him. Moses broke the first two just as Israel broke their covenant with God.)
5 And Jehovah descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah.
6 And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth,
7 keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
(The Lord professed His Name. What was the value of God professing His own Name? God was making Himself known to Moses. The word name meant "causes" which would be God's Nature. God was also building Moses' faith by giving him a list of attributes/effects (merciful, gracious, etc.) of Himself.)
8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
9 And he said, If now I have found favor in thy sight, O Lord, let the Lord, I pray thee, go in the midst of us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been wrought in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of Jehovah; for it is a terrible thing that I do with thee.
(God began naming the part of this covenant that was His responsibility.)
11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
13 but ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim;
(God also named the responsibilities that were required from the Israelites, such as destroying the altars and pillars of other gods.)
14 for thou shalt worship no other god: for Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
("Jealous" in this verse was the Hebrew word qanna. This word was specifically attached to the verses that described God. Other uses of the word "jealous" do not use this Hebrew word. This meant it was a word that was uniquely assigned to an attribute of God. This word was used of God as not bearing any rival. The word "jealous" occurred nineteen times in the KJV Bible and only six of those times was the word qanna used.)
15 lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot after their gods, and sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice;
16 and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters play the harlot after their gods, and make thy sons play the harlot after their gods.
(God said not to intermarry. Remember though, anyone who followed God's Law was included in the Israelites' community.)
17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
(Israel was reminded to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This symbolized their sanctification.)
(Verses 19-28: Various laws, mostly concerning Israel's separation from other nations and to the Lord.)
19 All that openeth the womb is mine; and all thy cattle that is male, the firstlings of cow and sheep.
20 And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.
21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first-fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.
(God named the three feasts for males to observe. The three feasts were also known as Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.)
23 Three times in the year shall all thy males appear before the Lord Jehovah, the God of Israel.
24 For I will cast out nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou goest up to appear before Jehovah thy God three times in the year.
25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.
26 The first of the first-fruits of thy ground thou shalt bring unto the house of Jehovah thy God. Thou shalt not boil a kid in its mother's milk.
27 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
28 And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
(Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights, no food or water. This has been referred to as a "miraculous fast" since it would have been impossible to accomplish this apart from God. According to Matthew 4:2, Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights in the desert before being tempted of the devil.)
29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of the testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.
(Moses' face shone.)
30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses spake to them.
32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that Jehovah had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
33 And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
34 But when Moses went in before Jehovah to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Exodus 35
(This chapter was concerned with offerings for the tabernacle.)
(Verses 1-3: the command to keep the Sabbath.)
1 And Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said unto them, These are the words which Jehovah hath commanded, that ye should do them.
2 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be put to death.
(Breaking the Sabbath resulted in death. Remember, doing work on the Sabbath meant the person was being the first cause instead of letting God (through the Law) be the first cause. This made working on the Sabbath akin to idolatry.)
3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
(Verses 4-9: Receiving what was needed to build the tabernacle.)
4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which Jehovah commanded, saying,
5 Take ye from among you an offering unto Jehovah; whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Jehovah's offering: gold, and silver, and brass,
(The materials used for making the things God commanded Moses were willing offerings from those whose hearts were stirred.)
6 and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
7 and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood,
8 and oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,
9 and onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
(Verses 10-19: Coordinating the labor and planning the work for the tabernacle.)
10 And let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that Jehovah hath commanded:
11 the tabernacle, its tent, and its covering, its clasps, and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;
12 the ark, and the staves thereof, the mercy-seat, and the veil of the screen;
13 the table, and its staves, and all its vessels, and the showbread;
14 the candlestick also for the light, and its vessels, and its lamps, and the oil for the light;
15 and the altar of incense, and its staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle;
16 the altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of brass, it staves, and all its vessels, the laver and its base;
17 the hangings of the court, the pillars thereof, and their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court;
18 the pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords;
19 the finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.
(Verses 20-29: Receiving the offering for building the tabernacle.)
20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and brought Jehovah's offering, for the work of the tent of meeting, and for all the service thereof, and for the holy garments.
22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man that offered an offering of gold unto Jehovah.
23 And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, brought them.
24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought Jehovah's offering; and every man, with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it.
25 And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen.
(Wise-hearted women made the linen for the temple.)
26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats' hair.
27 And the rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;
28 and the spice, and the oil; for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
29 The children of Israel brought a freewill-offering unto Jehovah; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which Jehovah had commanded to be made by Moses.
(Verses 30-35: the call of the master craftsmen.)
30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, Jehovah hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
(Bezalel was identified specifically.)
31 And he hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
32 and to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
33 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of skilful workmanship.
34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
(God put it in both craftsmen's hearts that each may teach.)
35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of workmanship, of the engraver, and of the skilful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any workmanship, and of those that devise skilful works.
Exodus 36
(This chapter showed that the Jews intended to follow the directions given by God to Moses while on the mount. The tent of meeting would be built.)
1 And Bezalel and Oholiab shall work, and every wise-hearted man, in whom Jehovah hath put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Jehovah hath commanded.
(People other than Bezalel and Oholiab helped with this work.)
2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
3 and they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, wherewith to make it. And they brought yet unto him freewill-offerings every morning.
4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they wrought.
5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which Jehovah commanded to make.
(The people brought "much more than enough.")
6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
(The people were restrained from bringing any more offerings for the work of the sanctuary. The ministry only received what was necessary, nothing more.)
7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
(The amount of supplies they had was "too much." The rest of this chapter stated all of the directions were completed.)
(Verses 8-13: the curtains of an artistic design of cherubim (as was commanded in Exodus 26:1-6).)
8 And all the wise-hearted men among them that wrought the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, Bezalel made them.
9 The length of each curtain was eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains had one measure.
(All the fine twined curtains were the same size: approximately 42 feet long and 6 feet wide.)
10 And he coupled five curtains one to another: and the other five curtains he coupled one to another.
11 And he made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second coupling.
12 Fifty loops made he in the one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling: the loops were opposite one to another.
13 And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the tabernacle was one.
(Verses 14-18: the curtains of goat's hair (as was commanded in Exodus 26:7-13).)
14 And he made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.
15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of each curtain: the eleven curtains had one measure.
(All the goat's hair curtains were the same size: approximately 45 feet long and 6 feet wide.)
16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
17 And he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which was outmost in the second coupling.
18 And he made fifty clasps of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.
(Verse 19: the curtains of ram's skins dyed red and sealskins (as was commanded in Exodus 26:14).)
19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above.
(Verses 20-34: the boards and connecting bars for the frame and walls of the tabernacle (as was commanded in Exodus 26:15-30).)
20 And he made the boards for the tabernacle, of acacia wood, standing up.
21 Ten cubits was the length of a board, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each board.
(Each board was about 15 feet high and 27 inches wide.)
22 Each board had two tenons, joined one to another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
(Tenon meant "hand." In this case, the tenons were pegs underneath each board.)
23 And he made the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side southward.
24 And he made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.
25 And for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty boards,
26 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
27 And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.
28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the hinder part.
29 And they were double beneath; and in like manner they were entire unto the top thereof unto one ring: thus he did to both of them in the two corners.
30 And there were eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; under every board two sockets.
31 And he made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
32 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the hinder part westward.
33 And he made the middle bar to pass through in the midst of the boards from the one end to the other.
34 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
(Verses 35-38: the veil with its four pillars, and the screen with its five pillars (as was commanded in Exodus 26:31-33, 36-37).)
35 And he made the veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, made he it.
36 And he made thereunto four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; And he cast for them four sockets of silver.
37 And he made a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer;
38 and the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their capitals and their fillets with gold; and their five sockets were of brass.
(This post covered God's reconfirmation of the Covenant and the Israelites carrying out of God's instructions to Moses while he was on the mount with God.)
Day 29
Day 27: Exodus 31-33
(The previous post covered God's instructions to Moses concerning the dress of the priesthood, ceremonies, rites, and implements used within the tabernacle. Moses and Joshua went up to the mount with God for forty days and forty nights. The next chapter concluded what God stated during that time and then we will find out what the people did during that same forty days and forty nights.)
Exodus 31
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
(Bezalel was the craftsman. Bezalel meant "in the shadow (i.e. protection) of God.")
3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
(Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God.)
4 to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship.
(Bezalel was a master craftsman.)
6 And I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee:
(Oholiab was Bezalel's chief helper.)
(Verses 7-11: the list of items to be built in the construction of the tabernacle, including its furnishings.)
7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the Tent,
8 and the table and its vessels, and the pure candlestick with all its vessels, and the altar of incense,
9 and the altar of burnt-offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base,
10 and the finely wrought garments, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office,
11 and the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.
(Talk about master craftsmen, they made everything.)
(Verses 12-17: the command to respect the Sabbath.)
12 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you.
(The Sabbath was a sign to the people to remind them that God had sanctified them. For six days people could be a first cause. People could do what they wanted to do (work) as long as it did not violate God's Laws. On the seventh day, the people were to rest from their work, they were to cease from their occupation of being a first cause, just as God did in Genesis 2:1-3. On the seventh day, they allowed God's Laws to be the first cause and guide their actions. On the Sabbath, a person could only do what God's Laws told him to do.)
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
(The tables of stone were written by the Finger of God. Next, we will see what the people did during the forty days and forty nights Moses and Joshua were on the mount with God.)
Exodus 32
1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
(The people asked for idols and wanted to leave Moses.)
2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
3 And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
4 And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
(Aaron made a golden calf. The people chose that as their god.)
5 And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah.
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
(The people "rose up to play." Notice, this was work and it was not rest. Paul referenced this verse in 1 Corinthians 10:7.)
7 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, that thou broughtest up 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 them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
(No wonder God was taking them the long way to the Promised Land. The people were still very immature. They "turned aside quickly," away from God's commands.)
9 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
10 now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
(God's Will was to wipe them out and make of Moses a great nation. This was because Moses was Just before God; Moses had enough reward/value from Justice to begin a new nation.)
11 And Moses besought Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, that thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
(Moses approached God by first asking two questions. Then Moses told God to repent of the evil He thought to do, to turn from the destruction God justly wanted to do. Moses did not want to use his reward/value to create a new nation. This was Moses' choice and it was in opposition to God's Will.)
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
14 And Jehovah repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.
(GOD CHANGED HIS MIND in response to Moses' questions and Moses' request that God remember.)
15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, with the two tables of the testimony in his hand; tables that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
(The tables were written on both sides.)
16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
(Joshua was with Moses and said he heard sounds of war. Imagine how loud the people must have been for Joshua to think this!)
18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
(Moses said it was not for victory or defeat but singing.)
19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
(When Moses brought the Ten Commandments into the presence of the people, this formally began the 5th Dispensation: The Law. However, Moses then threw the tables and broke them. Moses was on the mount confirming the Covenant with God and then broke the confirmation of that Covenant. This meant he would need a second confirmation of this Covenant if it continued. This was similar to God forming His first Covenant with Abram and then forming the everlasting Covenant with Abraham.)
20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
(The Israelites had to drink the golden calf. The gold was ground into powder and strewed (dispersed/mixed) with water. This was done as a punishment for the Israelites in response to their idolatry.)
21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?
22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on evil.
23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off: so they gave it me; and I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
(Aaron said a calf just came out of the fire. Aaron lied. Verse 4 showed that Aaron himself "fashioned it with a graving tool." Throughout Genesis, every time someone was proven to be in sin, they admitted it: Adam, Eve, Cain, Judah, etc. However, since the beginning of the Book of Exodus, we see that people can be proven to be in sin and they chose to rationalize their sin instead of admit it. Pharaoh was repeatedly proven wrong and he responded by justifying himself. Here, Aaron justified himself as well.)
25 And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies,)
26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoso is on Jehovah's side, let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
(The sons of Levi sided with Moses.)
27 And he said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.
28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
(The 5th Dispensation began with 3000 people dying. Notice, the 6th Dispensation began on Pentecost and Acts 2:41 stated 3000 souls were saved that day. The beginning of the Dispensation of the Law brought death to 3000 people, while the beginning of the Dispensation of Grace brought eternal life to 3000 people.)
29 And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to Jehovah, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto Jehovah; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin.
31 And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin-; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
(Moses put Aaron's sin on his own head. Moses attempted to spend some of the reward/value that was due him.)
33 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
(God did not let Moses spend his reward/value for the salvation of others. Salvation is only between God and the individual.)
34 And now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.
35 And Jehovah smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
(God justly smote/plagued the people because of what they did. God did not respond to Aaron as a person but approached Aaron from the perspective of his office.)
Exodus 33
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
2 and I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
3 unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiffnecked people, lest I consume thee in the way.
4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
(God told Moses the plan. Even though it was a good result, the how (God not being in the midst) and why (people were stiffnecked and would end up dead if God went with them) caused the people to mourn.)
5 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.
(Verses 7-11: Moses led the nation in worship.)
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp.
8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the Tent.
9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent: and Jehovah spake with Moses.
(God talked to Moses and everyone was aware of it. Aaron was not involved. Was this a demotion for Aaron?)
10 And all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man at his tent door.
(All the people worshipped.)
11 And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.
(God spoke to Moses face to face as to a friend. Joshua was present. Was this a "promotion" for Joshua?)
12 And Moses said unto Jehovah, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found favor in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee, to the end that I may find favor in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
(Although Moses interacted with God as a friend, it was not enough. Moses wanted to know God more.)
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?
17 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found favor in my sight, and I know thee by name.
(Moses wanted to know God was with him or he did not want to carry out the plan. The Lord agreed to do what Moses had spoken.)
18 And he said, Show me, I pray thee, thy glory.
(Moses wanted to see God's Glory: His weightiness, power, majesty, splendor, honor, riches, authority. God's Glory becomes manifest as an effect of His agreement. God's Glory is a form of confirmation.)
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
(Paul referenced this verse in Romans 9:15.)
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.
(Moses did not see God's Face.)
21 and Jehovah said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock:
22 and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand until I have passed by:
23 and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen.
(Moses did see God's Back.)
(This post covered the conclusion of God's instructions to Moses during the forty days and forty nights Moses and Joshua were on the mount. When Moses returned he found the people were worshipping a golden calf that Aaron had made. God's Will was to destroy the people and make a new nation for Moses. Moses changed God's Mind by approaching God the way God approached others. From that time on, Moses spoke with God as a friend and saw God's Glory.)
Day 28
Exodus 31
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
(Bezalel was the craftsman. Bezalel meant "in the shadow (i.e. protection) of God.")
3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
(Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God.)
4 to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship.
(Bezalel was a master craftsman.)
6 And I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee:
(Oholiab was Bezalel's chief helper.)
(Verses 7-11: the list of items to be built in the construction of the tabernacle, including its furnishings.)
7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the Tent,
8 and the table and its vessels, and the pure candlestick with all its vessels, and the altar of incense,
9 and the altar of burnt-offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base,
10 and the finely wrought garments, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office,
11 and the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.
(Talk about master craftsmen, they made everything.)
(Verses 12-17: the command to respect the Sabbath.)
12 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah who sanctifieth you.
(The Sabbath was a sign to the people to remind them that God had sanctified them. For six days people could be a first cause. People could do what they wanted to do (work) as long as it did not violate God's Laws. On the seventh day, the people were to rest from their work, they were to cease from their occupation of being a first cause, just as God did in Genesis 2:1-3. On the seventh day, they allowed God's Laws to be the first cause and guide their actions. On the Sabbath, a person could only do what God's Laws told him to do.)
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
(The tables of stone were written by the Finger of God. Next, we will see what the people did during the forty days and forty nights Moses and Joshua were on the mount with God.)
Exodus 32
1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
(The people asked for idols and wanted to leave Moses.)
2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
3 And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
4 And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
(Aaron made a golden calf. The people chose that as their god.)
5 And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah.
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
(The people "rose up to play." Notice, this was work and it was not rest. Paul referenced this verse in 1 Corinthians 10:7.)
7 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, that thou broughtest up 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 them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
(No wonder God was taking them the long way to the Promised Land. The people were still very immature. They "turned aside quickly," away from God's commands.)
9 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
10 now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
(God's Will was to wipe them out and make of Moses a great nation. This was because Moses was Just before God; Moses had enough reward/value from Justice to begin a new nation.)
11 And Moses besought Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, that thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
(Moses approached God by first asking two questions. Then Moses told God to repent of the evil He thought to do, to turn from the destruction God justly wanted to do. Moses did not want to use his reward/value to create a new nation. This was Moses' choice and it was in opposition to God's Will.)
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
14 And Jehovah repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.
(GOD CHANGED HIS MIND in response to Moses' questions and Moses' request that God remember.)
15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, with the two tables of the testimony in his hand; tables that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
(The tables were written on both sides.)
16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
(Joshua was with Moses and said he heard sounds of war. Imagine how loud the people must have been for Joshua to think this!)
18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
(Moses said it was not for victory or defeat but singing.)
19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
(When Moses brought the Ten Commandments into the presence of the people, this formally began the 5th Dispensation: The Law. However, Moses then threw the tables and broke them. Moses was on the mount confirming the Covenant with God and then broke the confirmation of that Covenant. This meant he would need a second confirmation of this Covenant if it continued. This was similar to God forming His first Covenant with Abram and then forming the everlasting Covenant with Abraham.)
20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
(The Israelites had to drink the golden calf. The gold was ground into powder and strewed (dispersed/mixed) with water. This was done as a punishment for the Israelites in response to their idolatry.)
21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?
22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on evil.
23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off: so they gave it me; and I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
(Aaron said a calf just came out of the fire. Aaron lied. Verse 4 showed that Aaron himself "fashioned it with a graving tool." Throughout Genesis, every time someone was proven to be in sin, they admitted it: Adam, Eve, Cain, Judah, etc. However, since the beginning of the Book of Exodus, we see that people can be proven to be in sin and they chose to rationalize their sin instead of admit it. Pharaoh was repeatedly proven wrong and he responded by justifying himself. Here, Aaron justified himself as well.)
25 And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies,)
26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoso is on Jehovah's side, let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
(The sons of Levi sided with Moses.)
27 And he said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.
28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
(The 5th Dispensation began with 3000 people dying. Notice, the 6th Dispensation began on Pentecost and Acts 2:41 stated 3000 souls were saved that day. The beginning of the Dispensation of the Law brought death to 3000 people, while the beginning of the Dispensation of Grace brought eternal life to 3000 people.)
29 And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to Jehovah, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto Jehovah; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin.
31 And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin-; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
(Moses put Aaron's sin on his own head. Moses attempted to spend some of the reward/value that was due him.)
33 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
(God did not let Moses spend his reward/value for the salvation of others. Salvation is only between God and the individual.)
34 And now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.
35 And Jehovah smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
(God justly smote/plagued the people because of what they did. God did not respond to Aaron as a person but approached Aaron from the perspective of his office.)
Exodus 33
1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
2 and I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
3 unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiffnecked people, lest I consume thee in the way.
4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
(God told Moses the plan. Even though it was a good result, the how (God not being in the midst) and why (people were stiffnecked and would end up dead if God went with them) caused the people to mourn.)
5 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.
(Verses 7-11: Moses led the nation in worship.)
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp.
8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the Tent.
9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent: and Jehovah spake with Moses.
(God talked to Moses and everyone was aware of it. Aaron was not involved. Was this a demotion for Aaron?)
10 And all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man at his tent door.
(All the people worshipped.)
11 And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.
(God spoke to Moses face to face as to a friend. Joshua was present. Was this a "promotion" for Joshua?)
12 And Moses said unto Jehovah, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found favor in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee, to the end that I may find favor in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
(Although Moses interacted with God as a friend, it was not enough. Moses wanted to know God more.)
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?
17 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found favor in my sight, and I know thee by name.
(Moses wanted to know God was with him or he did not want to carry out the plan. The Lord agreed to do what Moses had spoken.)
18 And he said, Show me, I pray thee, thy glory.
(Moses wanted to see God's Glory: His weightiness, power, majesty, splendor, honor, riches, authority. God's Glory becomes manifest as an effect of His agreement. God's Glory is a form of confirmation.)
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
(Paul referenced this verse in Romans 9:15.)
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.
(Moses did not see God's Face.)
21 and Jehovah said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock:
22 and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand until I have passed by:
23 and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen.
(Moses did see God's Back.)
(This post covered the conclusion of God's instructions to Moses during the forty days and forty nights Moses and Joshua were on the mount. When Moses returned he found the people were worshipping a golden calf that Aaron had made. God's Will was to destroy the people and make a new nation for Moses. Moses changed God's Mind by approaching God the way God approached others. From that time on, Moses spoke with God as a friend and saw God's Glory.)
Day 28
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