SCRIPTURE: Exodus 40
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [John 14:16-17]
The cloud that filled the temple and led the people through the wilderness symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
The Tent of Meeting and its furnishings symbolizes the restored personal relationship we can have with God through Jesus, by the Spirit.
• Tent of Meeting: we meet face to face with God, through Jesus
• ark of the Testimony: God’s communication of truth, of Himself
• altar of incense: our communication of faith, prayer
• altar of burnt offering: the sacrifice for atonement, Jesus’ death
• water for cleansing: baptism, for forgiveness and renewal
• anointing oil: the Holy Spirit renewing, sanctifying us
We may meet with God, hear God and talk with God because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit. Continue reading the Spirit of glory

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 39
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. [Matthew 6:28-29]
What a lot of attention is given in Exodus 38-39 to the temple furnishings and the priestly garments.
It makes you wonder why God makes a big deal of clothes here, and yet Jesus seems to have a different spin. Continue reading dressed like Jesus

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 38
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. [Mathew 6:19-20]
Moses provides us with a very detailed list of the valuables used to build the tabernacle.
But where is it now?
What is left of these ‘treasures’? Continue reading moth and rust and thieves

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 37
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. [Mark 2:27-28].
As I read this list of furnishings being made for the tabernacle, I think about a high school friend whose mother kept the living room immaculate.
She even had plastic on the chairs.
I once sat on it, when his mom wasn’t at home, but that was exceptional – normally it was reserved for only special company, if ever. Continue reading enjoying God’s furniture

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 36
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well [Matthew 6:33].
If we put God first, He will provide everything we need to fulfill His purpose.
The “all these things” that Jesus refers to are the daily things we think we need to survive (food, clothing, work, health).
The promise is this: God will provide us everything we need to do everything He asks of us. Continue reading more than enough

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 35
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ‘As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.’ [Luke 21:5-6]
The substance of the giver is more important than substance of the gift.
It is not weightiness of the gift, but the willingness of the giver that God values. Continue reading the heart of the giver

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 34
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. [Matthew 28:16-17].
What an amazing moment this must have been for the disciples to see the resurrected Jesus.
We can forgive them for doubting, because it just doesn’t happen.
And we can understand that they worshiped Him – what else do you do with someone who was dead, and came back to life.
This was a huge God-moment for them. Continue reading they’ve been with Jesus

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 33
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’ [John 14:8-9].
Moses asks, ‘show me Your glory’, and Philip asks, ‘show us the Father’.
They were asking the same thing.
The ironic thing is that both of them had already seen remarkable evidence of God’s glory.
But they wanted more. Continue reading show us Your glory!

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 32
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. [Luke 13:2-3].
There is a time for mercy, and a time for judgment [see Ecclesiastes 3:1-8].
Although Jesus represents the grace of God, He also makes it clear that eventually, if we do not repent, we too will perish. Continue reading it’s time to repent

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 31
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. [Matthew 25:29]
God has not been stingy. He has given us (collectively) all that we need to fulfill His good purpose for our lives.
Our ‘poverty’ of spirit and life is not because He has failed to give us what we need, but because we have failed to receive it. Continue reading God’s good gifts