How to Build a Tabernacle: Part 1

Today's Reading: Exodus 35

Direction regarding how to proceed with the Tabernacle construction Initial thoughts: I will be proceeding with a chapter study over the next week or so and this is quite different that the personalize it method of devotional study, or any other method of devotional study. This will begin more academic and conclude back at the personalize it method for direct application to my life. I will be filling in and/or modifying the blank sections toward the bottom as I proceed. Prayer:  Lord please reveal yourself to me in your Word today and over the next week or however long you lead me to study this chapter. Please give me patience and let me be content in staying put on this chapter for some time. Please let me not miss something that you want me to apply to my life Lord. let me tremble at your Word and I pray that you would blow me away with how the entirety of your Word is connected and interrelated and how you can speak to so many different things at once. Please just reveal to me what you would have me learn and let me put down any performance expectation from myself and simply enjoy drawing near to you Lord. Please let me take ample time each day to reflect and to pray and to sit quietly before you.  Thank you for the message yesterday from the book Power Through Prayer: "The pride of learning is against the dependent humility of prayer". Please Lord let me have a humble heart and understand my dependence on you and therefore let me devote myself to prayer as much as to study. In Jesus name I pray, amen. Exodus Chapter 35

Context/Setting: The previous section was talking about how the people would listen to Moses and be amazed at the glow of his face as he reflected the glory of the Lord. Moses would cover his face after he spoke to them so that nobody would see the glow fade (moses experienced God from the outside under the Mosaic Covenant while the new covenant allows us to experience God from within and his glory will not fade as He dwells within us 24/7) Chapter 35 begins with God explaining the Sabbath and then goes into a new command.  The Lord gives command to bring offerings and to construct the tabernacle according to His previous instructions in Chapter 26.  The chapter concludes with the understanding of how to proceed with the project and rolls into Chapter 36 where they actually begin construction.  Moses ends up having to tell the people to stop bringing contributions because he receives more than is needed. Breakdown: Verses 1-3 He covers the Sabbath regulations Verses 4-9 He gives the overview of the command to build the tabernacle from their contributions Verses 10-29 He describes who will bring what or do what in preparation (their different roles) Verses 30-35 He describes how they will transition from preparing to actually constructing Observations: Verses 1-3 He covers the Sabbath regulations It seems from the outset that He wanted to give them limitations so they did not work 24/7 on what He was about to command them to do. Verses 4-9 He gives the overview of the command to build the tabernacle from their contributions He asks that those of generous hearts bring contributions as a general broad call Verses 10-29 He describes who will bring what or do what in preparation (their different roles) God asks those with certain things to offer (skills, resources) Those that are stirred then seem to have a secondary impact of being moved. The heart is stirred, willing, moved in various verses The spirit is only moved  God tells them to do this but leaves it to those whose heart in generous. Verse 29 summarizes that those whose heart moved them contributed.  Verses 30-35 He describes how they will transition from preparing to actually constructing God now calls specific people (by name) to do the actual building His Spirit fills and gives skill, intelligence, knowledge, craftsmanship, inspiration to teach These people actually teach others how to help These people are specifically filled and skilled for their purpose Questions- Why build a tabernacle? Why build it now? God told them a few chapters back (26) how to build it but waited until now to command that they get going... Why build it using this method? Is there anything being said with the people bringing offerings to build the tabernacle versus them purchasing items or trading to acquire the goods? What does this chapter teach me about Jesus? How does this tabernacle construction relate to me being His temple under the new covenant? Is there a connection/statement being made about God's sovereignty vs man's free will? Is there a difference between what the heart does and what the spirit does? (vs. 21-29) Is there a difference in what the women vs the men are commanded to offer? Would this speak to actual differences in the genders or more a reflection of the general variety of the calling? Is there anything special about the variety of items required? What is the significance of the general and the specific calling seen here? Are these among the earlier group and God somehow called them further or were they from the beginning called out specifically? What is the significance of the different stages (the call/the prep/the doing)? What is the significance of the sabbath command at the beginning as it relates to the construction of this tabernacle (or my body under the new covenant)? Study:   Conclusions: Lessons/Takeaways: Personalize It lead from the Spirit: Application and Prayer: