I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 39-40.

    Today’s passage describes the making of the priestly garments. In describing how they made the garments according to the directions which God had given Moses earlier in this book this passage provides us with a little more detail about how those garments would have looked. I find it interesting how the subtle differences between the instructions on how it should be made and how it was made following those instructions provide additional insight into how it would have actually looked. Those differences and details suggest that this was recorded by someone who actually witnessed the events in question rather than by someone who heard informal stories about them.

    The passage tells us that on the first day of the year following the completion of constructing the pieces for the Tabernacle, Moses set it up for the first time. As I read the passage, I pictured Moses doing this all by himself while the rest of the Israelites looked on. I suspect that Moses had helpers to do this, setting up the tent of the Tabernacle would have been hard enough, but I think the gold cover for the Ark of the Covenant would have been rather heavy for one man to pick up and put in place. However, the image of him, an 80 something year old man, setting up the poles, draping the various curtains and then connecting them all by himself amuses me. I can imagine him rushing around to get it all done before the end of the day, biting his tongue to avoid cursing when the poles fell down for the third time while he as trying to get the curtains spread across them so he could make the attachments, waving off every one who offered to help because this was going to be where God was and no one else could be sanctified to touch it until it was set up. As I said, I don’t think that is how it happened, but I find the image amusing.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 36-38.

    This passage describes the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. At the beginning of the passage it lists two craftsmen as being the primary artisans who made these items with a reference to their being other, anonymous (at least to us) craftsmen also chosen to help. However, as we continue in the passage only one of the two is mentioned by name. That one is Bezalel. This suggests to me that Bezalel was the master craftsman while Oholiab coordinated the other workers on the project. The other point I want to take note of is the fact that the Children of Israel gave so much towards building the Tabernacle and its furnishings that the craftsmen had to ask Moses to stop them from bringing any more.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 33-35.

    I read an article about a Christian congregation in Minneapolis holding an interfaith service this week during the run up to the Super Bowl. Then I read today’s passage and God’s command that the Israelites not make a treaty with any of the people living in the land to which they were traveling. Further God warns against taking the daughters of those people as wives for their sons. However, it is important to note the wording of that prohibition, “you will accept their daughters, who sacrifice to other gods, as wives for your sons.” Carefully reading this indicates that the prohibition is against marrying those who worship other gods. If someone truly converts to Christianity, the beliefs of their parents are irrelevant. In addition, God warns against taking part in the sacrificial meals of pagans. All in all, a reading of God’s instructions concerning the Israelites making treaties with the people currently living in the Promised Land shows us the danger of “inter faith dialogue” and joining forces with organizations of other faiths to accomplish a mission. If we do so, we may allow them to draw us into advancing their priorities rather than God’s priorities.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 30-32.

    This passage describes the census tax which later became the Temple tax which Jesus had Peter pay for both of them by taking money from the mouth of a fish. I also find it interesting that when God gives Moses the recipe for the Tabernacle incense and the priestly anointing oil, He gives strict instructions that no one shall make incense or oil similar to those for any other usage or purpose. The importance of this comes from the subliminal impact which scents have on our thoughts and emotions. Things we smell can have a subtle effect on how we think and feel. God knew that if people experienced the scents of the anointing oil or the incense in other settings it would have one of two results. The first would be to cause people to feel worshipful towards whatever was the focus of activity in that other setting, which would be idolatry. The second would be to cause people to associate those scents with something other than worshiping God so that when they smelled them during worship they would be reminded of that other thing and be distracted from worshiping God.

    Initially, when Moses went up on to the mountain the people felt that it was a good thing to stop where they were and begin getting their lives organized (reading between the lines on this). However, after a while they began to feel like it was time to begin moving forward again but Moses had not yet returned. So, they went to Aaron for guidance. Aaron had no idea what they should do next, nor did he believe that he had the ability to keep the people unified. So, Aaron did what many leaders throughout history have done, he created a visual representation of God. I find it interesting that this visual representation was a calf. What is interesting is that later, when Jeroboam led the Northern Tribes to separate from the Southern Tribes, he built two golden calves at the place of worship he intended to replace Jerusalem. The other interesting thing is that it was a calf, not a bull. Many ancient peoples worshiped a bull god and/or a cow god, but when the Israelites made an idol it was a calf. I am unsure of the significance of this, but I am sure that it tells us something about their understanding of God.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Exodus 28-29.

    I really struggle with what lessons we can take from the descriptions of the clothing God instructed to be made for Aaron and his sons. Perhaps the biggest lesson is the complexity of the ordination process for priests and how Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplished the same purpose. What I found interesting is that the directions were very explicit for the outermost garments, and progressively less explicit as you move inward so that all that is said about the innermost undergarments is that they should cover from their hips to their thighs. In addition, this passage contains detailed instructions regarding the ordination ceremony, which would encompass multiple sacrifices performed over seven days of time.