Exodus 30-31
The incense
There are 4 parts for Exodus.
Chapters -
1-12: Israel in bondage
13-18: journey to Sinai
19-24: Book of covenants
25-40: worship of Jehovah in the tabernacle
The Tabernacle has five furniture - each of it signifies something about Jesus.
Altar of burned sacrifices
Bronze basins
are used to:
Purify the heart
Clean your hands
When we come to God in worship, we wash ourselves with the blood that Jesus shed on the cross.
Bezalel and Oholiab - two names mentioned here reminds us who God considers important. Remember the names of the midwives in Exodus 1.
Again, watch who gives them skill - 31 verse 3 - Holy Spirit
The gifts were given for God's use. Not to increase your self worth.
For Israel, the Sabbath was kept on the 7th day (Saturday). For us, after the resurrection, we celebrate it on the first day of the week (Sunday). This was changed by the apostles themselves (Acts 20:27, 1 Cor 16:1-2).
Although the moral principles expressed in the commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament, the command to set Saturday apart as a day of rest and worship is the only commandment not repeated. There are very good reasons for this.
New Testament believers are not under the Old Testament Law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:24-25; 2 Corinthians 3:7, 11, 13;Hebrews 7:12).
By Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1), His continued appearances on succeeding Sundays (John 20:26), and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Sunday (Acts 2:1), the early church was given the pattern of Sunday worship.
The early church met on Sunday regularly (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).
Sunday worship was further hallowed by our Lord who appeared to John in that last great vision on "the Lord's day" (Revelation 1:10)
It is for these reasons that most Christians worship on Sunday, rather than on the Jewish Sabbath.
Exodus 32
The Golden Calf
Israel turns its back on God at the earliest possible time (40 days after Red sea miracle). It is a sad reality of life. Apart from the redemptive work of Christ, we are bent on doing wrong always - the doctrine of total depravity.
If man is left to himself, he is enslaved to sin. He is unable to change his nature, without the supernatural act of God. Proverbs 14:12
They were eating Manna every single day while they were doing the golden calf. Just seeing miracles is no surety against unbelief. Despite seeing so many miracles on a regular basis, they lose faith in the Lord. This happened with Jesus' ministry too.
Israel was violating the first two commandments of the 10 commandments. They either wanted 'Gods' to be made, or they wanted a visible representation of Jehovah. Both were in violation of the first two commandments.
When Aaron tried to link the idolatry with Jehovah's worship, they violated the third commandment. Always check if we are violating this commandment, when we try to go for 'tolerance' and 'dialogue'.
The 'adultery' commandment went down the tube in verse 6.
Sin is like this. One thing leads to another. We end up down the drain quicker than we expected. Rebellion againts the one true God is serious business. It cannot be taken lightly. 3000 Israelites who died that day would testify to that.
Aaron too failed miserably. He then concocts the lamest excuse - the people made me do it (see chapter 3 too). But for the fervent intercession of Moses, Israel would have been history. Moses could have taken the offer from God (that he will be made a great nation). This is a remarkable representation of all the saints who have prevailed before God. Remember John Knox who pleaded for Scotland?
Did God change his mind based on Moses' pleading? If we think yes, that's against 1 Samuel 15:29, for instance. God does not change his mind. He is never taken by surprise (Malachi 3:6). Jonah 3, Jeremiah 18 are other passages were God accomodates to the thoughts of his saints.
Exodus 33-34: 1-28
Face-to-Face with God
Moses sees the glory of the Lord.
When the Lord says he will not go with Israel, Moses pleads before him boldly and persistently. Here we see God accomodating Moses' requests.
Surprisingly, in verse 18, Moses asks God to be shown the glory of God. He has an especially intimate revelation. Maybe something similar to what Paul saw when he was taken to the third heaven.
God responds to a man who draws near to him. But it demands obedience. It demands living for others, not for yourself. How much do you want to know God? Your answer lies in your response to the question: 'How much are you willing to live in obedience?'
Moses smashed two most precious things God ever made for man. God does not seem to rebuke him for that. Moses did it in anger. Did God approve Moses' response in anger?
34:2 Moses is asked to go meet God in the morning. So should we. Meet him early in the morning. This is something I do not follow, but intend to try. I would try to wake up in the morning to meet God through the Word.
34:6-7 - And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Why would God punish children for the parents sin? Do your home work on this most important question. What is God saying through this passage? Contrast his love to his wrath - his love is maintained through thousands of generations, as compared to his wrath to 3rd or 4th generation. His wrath is still dealt with through love, that which we saw in the Cross of Calvary where his Son, Jesus Christ, took our penalties of sin and died for us.
34: 10 - Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you.
Incidentally, I read this passage on a day when I met for an exit-interview with my chief of division. He told me that I had done an outstanding work. In fact, he thanked me for helping him and the division with administrative tasks this past year. Truly, the people I lived among saw that the work that Lord did for me was awesome. It's a testimony, small but packed and fully loaded with six years of working in hostile atmosphere. When God takes you to a place, and his favor is upon you, he will do awesome things through you. Praise the Lord. Glory to him only.
Exodus 34: 29-35; 39:32-40; 38
How it was done
Here we read how the tabernacle was constructed. Earlier we had read about how it should be made.
We will not read chapters 35-37 and 39-40 because those are essentially repetitions of what we have already studied.
See how Moses' face shone when he was with God. Often we have seen people who experience God on such a personal level that their face shines with reflected glory.
The Veil becomes Moses' regular dress from here forth - except when he was with God, or when Moses has a special revelation from God for the Israelites.
Apostle Paul interprets the veil thus: 2 Cor 3:13-18
- Typifies the veiled glory of the old covenant in contrast to the unveiled and abiding glory of the new covenant (2 Cor 3:13)
- Typifies the veil that was upon the heart of the Jews - 2 Cor 3:14-16 - spiritual blindness that prevents them from seeing Jesus as the Messiah
- 2 Cor 3: 18 - the unveiled vision given to the believer through the ministry of the Holy Spirit
Instead of fading glory as it is in Moses' case (which was probably why God clothed him in a veil), we can increase in reflected glory as we draw near to Him.
Israel follows God as the cloud lifts up from the tabernacle. Instead of that we walk and expect God to follow us. Am I running with you Lord? Do I follow you where you lead me?
Exodus ends here:
One main person - MOSES
One theme - REDEMPTION
Psalms 99; 2 Cor 3:7-18; Hebrews 9
Exodus explained
Psalms 99 has several references to Exodus. It starts with "The Lord reigns". He truly does. Let the nations tremble.
"enthroned between cherubim"
"pillar of cloud"
"holy mountain of God"
"for the Lord our God is Holy"
2 Cor 3: 7-18 explains how vast his Glory has been revealed in the new covenant of Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection.
Hebrews 9 points to the finality of Christ's death.
The incense
There are 4 parts for Exodus.
Chapters -
1-12: Israel in bondage
13-18: journey to Sinai
19-24: Book of covenants
25-40: worship of Jehovah in the tabernacle
The Tabernacle has five furniture - each of it signifies something about Jesus.
Altar of burned sacrifices
Bronze basins
are used to:
Purify the heart
Clean your hands
When we come to God in worship, we wash ourselves with the blood that Jesus shed on the cross.
Bezalel and Oholiab - two names mentioned here reminds us who God considers important. Remember the names of the midwives in Exodus 1.
Again, watch who gives them skill - 31 verse 3 - Holy Spirit
The gifts were given for God's use. Not to increase your self worth.
For Israel, the Sabbath was kept on the 7th day (Saturday). For us, after the resurrection, we celebrate it on the first day of the week (Sunday). This was changed by the apostles themselves (Acts 20:27, 1 Cor 16:1-2).
Why SUNDAY instead of SATURDAY?
Reference: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/rhodes-sabbath.htmlAlthough the moral principles expressed in the commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament, the command to set Saturday apart as a day of rest and worship is the only commandment not repeated. There are very good reasons for this.
New Testament believers are not under the Old Testament Law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:24-25; 2 Corinthians 3:7, 11, 13;Hebrews 7:12).
By Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1), His continued appearances on succeeding Sundays (John 20:26), and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Sunday (Acts 2:1), the early church was given the pattern of Sunday worship.
The early church met on Sunday regularly (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2).
Sunday worship was further hallowed by our Lord who appeared to John in that last great vision on "the Lord's day" (Revelation 1:10)
It is for these reasons that most Christians worship on Sunday, rather than on the Jewish Sabbath.
Exodus 32
The Golden Calf
Israel turns its back on God at the earliest possible time (40 days after Red sea miracle). It is a sad reality of life. Apart from the redemptive work of Christ, we are bent on doing wrong always - the doctrine of total depravity.
If man is left to himself, he is enslaved to sin. He is unable to change his nature, without the supernatural act of God. Proverbs 14:12
They were eating Manna every single day while they were doing the golden calf. Just seeing miracles is no surety against unbelief. Despite seeing so many miracles on a regular basis, they lose faith in the Lord. This happened with Jesus' ministry too.
Israel was violating the first two commandments of the 10 commandments. They either wanted 'Gods' to be made, or they wanted a visible representation of Jehovah. Both were in violation of the first two commandments.
When Aaron tried to link the idolatry with Jehovah's worship, they violated the third commandment. Always check if we are violating this commandment, when we try to go for 'tolerance' and 'dialogue'.
The 'adultery' commandment went down the tube in verse 6.
Sin is like this. One thing leads to another. We end up down the drain quicker than we expected. Rebellion againts the one true God is serious business. It cannot be taken lightly. 3000 Israelites who died that day would testify to that.
Aaron too failed miserably. He then concocts the lamest excuse - the people made me do it (see chapter 3 too). But for the fervent intercession of Moses, Israel would have been history. Moses could have taken the offer from God (that he will be made a great nation). This is a remarkable representation of all the saints who have prevailed before God. Remember John Knox who pleaded for Scotland?
Did God change his mind based on Moses' pleading? If we think yes, that's against 1 Samuel 15:29, for instance. God does not change his mind. He is never taken by surprise (Malachi 3:6). Jonah 3, Jeremiah 18 are other passages were God accomodates to the thoughts of his saints.
Exodus 33-34: 1-28
Face-to-Face with God
Moses sees the glory of the Lord.
When the Lord says he will not go with Israel, Moses pleads before him boldly and persistently. Here we see God accomodating Moses' requests.
Surprisingly, in verse 18, Moses asks God to be shown the glory of God. He has an especially intimate revelation. Maybe something similar to what Paul saw when he was taken to the third heaven.
God responds to a man who draws near to him. But it demands obedience. It demands living for others, not for yourself. How much do you want to know God? Your answer lies in your response to the question: 'How much are you willing to live in obedience?'
Moses smashed two most precious things God ever made for man. God does not seem to rebuke him for that. Moses did it in anger. Did God approve Moses' response in anger?
34:2 Moses is asked to go meet God in the morning. So should we. Meet him early in the morning. This is something I do not follow, but intend to try. I would try to wake up in the morning to meet God through the Word.
34:6-7 - And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Why would God punish children for the parents sin? Do your home work on this most important question. What is God saying through this passage? Contrast his love to his wrath - his love is maintained through thousands of generations, as compared to his wrath to 3rd or 4th generation. His wrath is still dealt with through love, that which we saw in the Cross of Calvary where his Son, Jesus Christ, took our penalties of sin and died for us.
34: 10 - Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you.
Incidentally, I read this passage on a day when I met for an exit-interview with my chief of division. He told me that I had done an outstanding work. In fact, he thanked me for helping him and the division with administrative tasks this past year. Truly, the people I lived among saw that the work that Lord did for me was awesome. It's a testimony, small but packed and fully loaded with six years of working in hostile atmosphere. When God takes you to a place, and his favor is upon you, he will do awesome things through you. Praise the Lord. Glory to him only.
Exodus 34: 29-35; 39:32-40; 38
How it was done
Here we read how the tabernacle was constructed. Earlier we had read about how it should be made.
We will not read chapters 35-37 and 39-40 because those are essentially repetitions of what we have already studied.
See how Moses' face shone when he was with God. Often we have seen people who experience God on such a personal level that their face shines with reflected glory.
The Veil becomes Moses' regular dress from here forth - except when he was with God, or when Moses has a special revelation from God for the Israelites.
Apostle Paul interprets the veil thus: 2 Cor 3:13-18
- Typifies the veiled glory of the old covenant in contrast to the unveiled and abiding glory of the new covenant (2 Cor 3:13)
- Typifies the veil that was upon the heart of the Jews - 2 Cor 3:14-16 - spiritual blindness that prevents them from seeing Jesus as the Messiah
- 2 Cor 3: 18 - the unveiled vision given to the believer through the ministry of the Holy Spirit
Are you reflecting His glory? Are you drawing near to Him?
Instead of fading glory as it is in Moses' case (which was probably why God clothed him in a veil), we can increase in reflected glory as we draw near to Him.
Israel follows God as the cloud lifts up from the tabernacle. Instead of that we walk and expect God to follow us. Am I running with you Lord? Do I follow you where you lead me?
Exodus ends here:
One main person - MOSES
One theme - REDEMPTION
Psalms 99; 2 Cor 3:7-18; Hebrews 9
Exodus explained
Psalms 99 has several references to Exodus. It starts with "The Lord reigns". He truly does. Let the nations tremble.
"enthroned between cherubim"
"pillar of cloud"
"holy mountain of God"
"for the Lord our God is Holy"
2 Cor 3: 7-18 explains how vast his Glory has been revealed in the new covenant of Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection.
Hebrews 9 points to the finality of Christ's death.
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