This week we finish up Exodus and have some introductory pieces from the middle of Numbers. Part 2 will tackle the start of Leviticus, which has a very abrupt beginning. On with Exodus!
We have read about the design of the tabernacle and the furnishings for it; now we read about Bezalel, the skilled craftsman who gathered the material to create the tabernacle and furnishings. There is no tabernacle, no temple, today in Jerusalem. But a full scale model of the tabernacle has been built in Israel and you can see pictures of it at http://www.bibleplaces.com/tabernacle.htm and http://www.bibleplaces.com/tabernaclemore.htm. (There is also an advertisement on how to purchase pictures, just to let you know.)
Moses then assembled the tabernacle, all by himself, all in one day. Remember, the Israelites were living in the desert at this point and the tabernacle had to be taken apart and re-assembled whenever the glory of the Lord would choose to move to another location.
The priests were dressed, the sacrifices were made, and the tabernacle was built, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. It’s beautiful, no? A fabulous ending to the story of the exodus. We sang a song last year that talked about God bringing us out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. He had done this with the Israelites, brought them out of the darkness of slavery and into the marvelous light of freedom. How wonderful to se His glory in the tabernacle!
What we read next is a few transitional chapters from the book of Numbers. We see the cloud on the tabernacle again, and read one veeerrrryy long chapter about the offerings for the dedication of the tabernacle. If I was asking questions, I would ask: What did each tribe bring as an offering?
And then I would duck. :)
See you next time!
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