Today's Reading:

Exodus 37
Exodus 38
Exodus 39
Exodus 40

 

WOW- you finished your 3rd book in the Bible, you are 1-1/2 months in; I hope you are loving it and setting your heart on God. I am so proud of you and glad you are continuing to read! This is a living book and each time you go through it, God will speak to you in a different way; there are always new tidbits of information to find.  

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is often celebrated as a time to express love, especially to your family. As a Christian, it can serve as a reminder of the deepest form of love: God’s unconditional love for us. In the New Testament, 1 John 4:8 declares, “God is love.” He demonstrated His love as shown in John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” Do not forget that we “love others because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). This Valentine's Day, let love motivate you to continue to dive into the scripture to see the perfect love and grace moments given from Him as a gift to you. You are deeply loved by the One who matters the most! 

 

Continuing in the actual building of the sacred furniture for the Tabernacle, Chapter 37 covered the Ark of the Covenant with the cherubim-covered mercy seat, the Table of Showbread, the Golden Lampstand, and the Altar of Incense. Each item was covered in pure gold and crafted with the precise measurements given by God. Materials given for a holy purpose — Much of the massive amount of gold used to overlay the ark, table, lampstand, and altar (over a ton!) came from the earrings the people had willingly given to make the idol golden calf just months ago. In a move of grace, God did not reject them; instead, He redirected them—melting down the symbol of their betrayal and rebellion. He turned the gold into the most sacred pieces of His dwelling place, like the mercy seat where He would meet and atone for sin. This powerful act showed that God's forgiveness was so complete that He could take the very pieces of our worst failures and transform them into His glory and presence. 

Chapter 38 described the Bronze Altar for sacrifices, the Bronze Basin for the priests to wash and the Courtyard. In Chapter 39, it focused on the elaborate priestly garments: the Ephod, Breast piece with the 12 gems, the Robes, Tunics, and Golden Plate for the Turban.  

After everything was crafted and assembled, Moses inspected the entire structure and items down to the clasps and tent pegs. Each measurement, design, and material was commanded by God to reflect His heavenly presence and to teach that God cares about precision, workmanship and obedience. On the first day of the first month in the second year of leaving Egypt (1 year after Passover), Moses set up the entire Tabernacle and arranged the furniture then anointed everything. He consecrated Aaron and his sons as the priests. Everything was complete.  

Throughout Exodus 37-39 the repeated phrase “they made” highlighted the unified effort of the Israelite community where countless skilled men and women worked together with Spirit- given wisdom and knowledge by the generous offerings to craft the sacred items. The individual contributions made a collective gathering place for God to dwell. As the book of Exodus ended with the cloud of God’s glorious presence filling the finished Tabernacle we are left to think: If God still wants to live in the middle of His messy people today- making our hearts and churches His home through the Holy Spirit- what would it look like if we got as excited, gave freely, and followed His instructions just as carefully so everyone around us could say, “Wow, God is really here with us, and He LOVES us!”  

 

Today's Discussion question: 

If God still wants to live in the middle of His messy people today, making our hearts and churches His home through the Holy Spirit, what would it look like if we got as excited, gave freely, and followed His instructions just as carefully, so everyone around us could say, “Wow, God is really here with us, and He LOVES us!”?

 
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