In Exodus 37-38 we read of the construction of the inside content of the Tabernacle: The Ark of the Covenant, the Table, the Lampstand, the Incense Altar, the Altar of Burnt Offering, the Washbasin, and the Courtyard. In intricate detail we’re told of the size of each item and the materials with which it was made. Under Bezalel’s leadership, the craftsmen worked diligently. Reading through this text, we can’t help but be amazed by the attention to detail, and the massive undertaking it was. We’re offered an inventory of the materials, and just the precious metals included 2,193 pounds of gold, 7545 pounds of silver and 5,310 pounds of bronze. The silver was raised through a tax on each of the men of fighting age, which numbered 603,550 men! The rest was given through free-will offerings, which shows how fully the people were committed to the project.
In Exodus 39 we read of the priests’ clothing being made. Once again, Bezalel headed up the project, and once again we find the process described in intricate detail. Just to describe the chest piece that went on the ephod, took fourteen verses. When everything was complete, Moses inspected the work. We read the list of the Tabernacle, its content, and the priests’ clothing all being brought before Moses. When he determined it was all completed just as God had instructed, Moses blessed the workers. Can you imagine how long that inspection took? It shows us how important it is to do God’s work faithfully, and that it’s worth the time to inspect our work, and celebrate work well done.
In Exodus 40 “Moses” sets up the Tabernacle. We’re told when everything had been set up “So at last Moses finished the work.” We often emphasize teamwork, and the importance of every person’s work to the task. That is true. Dozens, if not hundreds, of workers contributed to the construction of the Tabernacle, its contents, and the priests’ garments. Yet, we hear mainly of Bezalel and Oholiab doing the work, and in the end Moses alone is given the recognition for having finished the work. This is not to minimize the other workers’ work. Rather it underscores the responsibility God placed on Moses. At the end of the day, Moses was the one God held responsible for the construction of the Tabernacle. The reminds us how important it is to recognize the leadership roles of those who lead us, whether at work, school, home, or in the church. What amazes me about Moses is we’re told even though he held such great responsibility, and was given such great recognition, he was an extremely humble man. Humility is a great quality to have in a leader whom God uses to accomplish great things. It reminds the leader all he or she did was obey the instructions of God. Thus, God gets all the glory, even as the earthly credit goes to the leader.
When the work had all been completed, God’s glory entered the Tabernacle. What an incredible moment that must have been. We’re told from that point forward, when God’s glory lifted from the Tabernacle, the people would tear it down and follow the glory, which showed itself as a cloud. When the cloud stopped the people would stop and rebuild the Tabernacle. Then they would stay in that place until God “moved” again. How incredible it must have been to have such a visible reminder of God’s presence!
As we return again to Mark 10, we find this to be a chapter filled with important interactions between Jesus and the religious leaders of Israel, small children, a rich young man who sought eternal life, His disciples, and a blind man, named Bartimaeus. We already covered Mark 10 extensively on Day 10, so you can go back there and read through the post for that day. I do want to re-emphasize one point from Mark 10 here: Jesus took time to address many hard and unconventional topics. Just in Mark 10 He addressed marriage and divorce; the importance of children in a culture that didn’t see children as all that important; the vital distinction between being rich in Spirit and rich in material goods; the importance of following God’s purpose in our lives even, as in Jesus’ case, it means following it to our deaths, and the reality that faith can heal physical ailments including blindness. Jesus was not a “nice” man. He stirred up controversy, and created enemies as well as friends. We sometimes present Jesus as soft and loving. He was definitely loving, but not soft in the sense of weak. He never shied away from taking a hard stand when it was needed, but the hard stand was always to focus on the goodness of God, and to bring light where there was spiritual or physical darkness. We must remember this aspect of our faith, in a time when so many look at Christians either as haters, or as weak, or both. To follow Jesus, will always meaning loving others, and that love will sometimes be tough, and will go against the inclinations of our culture.