Exodus 24-40
To the Tabernacle: ​Worship and Presence

Exodus 24

prinatable lesson

This is an interesting chapter in that we are confronted with several odd incidents that interpreters have struggled to explain. Even so, this chapter will set the stage for the “Golden Calf Incident” which we will examine in a few more chapters.  Here are the strange incidents.
               Strange incident one concerns God inviting not only Moses, but Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the elders onto the mountain.  We are not sure why these individuals are being invited or who they are (there is no mention of elders having been chosen or appointed).  Also, if they are all going up on the mountain, why is only Moses allowed to draw near to the Lord?
               Strange incident number two concerns the very odd blood ceremony which Moses seems to have concocted out of thin air.  Recalling that Moses had received the words from God (which are at best a preliminary list of rules/regulations), Moses proceeds to ask the people if the they agree to be bound by these words (an action which God didn’t ask him to take). When the people answer in the affirmative, Moses builds an altar and sets up twelve pillars (again without any direction from God).  Moses then sacrifices animals and splashes half of the animal blood on the altar and half on the people (once again without any direction from God).  Alter, in his commentary on this text, suggests that this is a renewal of the Covenant with Abraham…sort of a second circumcision.  Kass, on the other hand, argues that Moses has decided on his own that the people need some physical ritual to bind them to this new word.  Unfortunately, again in Kass’ opinion, this adlibbing religious rules by bathing the people in blood will open the door for the community to adlib the worship of the golden calf.
               Strange incident number three concerns the picnic with God.  Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the seventy elders go up the mountain and “see” the God of Israel.  While there, the men see what appears to be a pavement of sapphire (no one really knows what this implies) and then proceed to eat and drink.  Does this imply that these people actually saw the invisible God? 

Does it mean that they had a picnic with God? Does it mean this is what God intended?  Finally, what are we to make of the comment that God “did not lay his hand on the chief men of Israel”?  Does this mean that God was displeased with the picnic? That instead the men ought to have lowered their heads and worshipped God? Been afraid of God? Not taken this moment so lightly?
               Strange incident number five concerns the sudden appearance and disappearance of Joshua.  Recall that Joshua was not among those listed to come up the mountain (unless he was one of the seventy), yet there he is with Moses headed up the mountain together when God made it clear that only Moses was to have approached the Holy One.  Then, after Moses tells the people to consult Aaron and Hur if they have any issues which need resolving (not a good choice as we will see), Moses proceeds alone to meet God and Joshua vanishes from the scene.  Why was Joshua there? Where did he go?
               Strange incident number six concerns Moses’ arrival on the mountain.  Once Moses arrives, he must wait six days to encounter God (six days of creation?).  Unfortunately, what follows, is God appearing as an all-consuming fire and Moses being gone for forty days and nights, making room for the people to assume that Moses has been consumed and will not return.
               Reflection: Human beings have always struggled with how to relate to the divine.  We have created rituals and rites that we believe will orient us to the divine in hopes of pleasing the gods we cannot see.  This is a natural process followed by people since the dawn of homo sapiens.  The question becomes for those of us who are recipients of “words”, how far should we go with our rituals and rites rather than simply allowing the “words” to guide our lives?
               Questions:

1. Which of these strange incidents intrigues you the most and why?
2. What church rites and rituals help to enhance your faith in and following of Jesus?
3. Have you ever encountered God?  If so how would you describe that encounter? 

Exodus 25 - 27

printable lesson

​These three chapters focus on the detailed instructions for the building of the Tent of Meeting. We are covering these as a single lesson because, while there has been much discussion over the centuries about the meaning of the size, shape, materials and design of the Tabernacle, those discussions contain more speculation than certainty.
               The instructions for building the Tabernacle begin with a request for materials.  There are four things to note here. First, God, unlike Pharaoh, does not demand that people participate. The gifts are to be voluntary. Second, the gifts are to be the best of what the people possess, which harkens back to the Cain and Abel story, in which Abel offered the best and Cain did not.  Third, God wants a portable place in which to appear to the people so that God can dwell with them as they journey.  Thus, God is not restricted to a single location such as the mountain where the Law is being given. Fourth, the Tabernacle is not God’s house, but a place in which God will “dwell” or “tent” with the people. This means God will come and go.
               The construction project manual begins not with the tent but with the contents.  The first content is the ark (this is the same word used to describe the ark in which Noah and his family were saved). The ark has two purposes. The first purpose is to house the covenant, perhaps as the life-giving words of God to save the people. The second purpose is to create the seat where God will “sit” and dispense more words to Moses.  This is a reminder of the continuing nature of revelation. One note about the cherubim. They don’t violate the command to not make graven images because they are not an image of a “natural” being, and they are not intended to be worshipped, but to worship God.
               The table of the bread of the presence offers a contrast with the worship of other nations. The bread for the table is not for God, but for the priests to eat (it is an offering of the earth) and the cups and bowls are never to be filled. Other nations bring food and drink to feed the gods, which YHWH does not require. Think of the table as representing the earth…what the earth produces.

​Though Moses is not given any explanation as to the purpose of the Lampstand, it has been suggested that it not only will illumine the tent, but that perhaps it represents the lights of the heavens, reminding the priests that the lights in the heavens are not gods, but creations of the one God.
               The text next turns to the Tabernacle itself.  The Tabernacle will be about fifteen feet wide and tall, and forty-five feet long. The inner hangings will be fit for royalty (gold, blues and fine linen). The exterior will weatherproof.  The cherubim will once again be woven into the fabric.  Inside the Tabernacle will be two smaller spaces, one will house the table and lampstand and the other (the Holy of Holies) will house the ark.
               The next set of instructions concern “the” altar. Moses is told not to construct “an” altar, but “the” altar.   This altar is “the” altar as opposed to the other altars Moses created without any instructions from God. We are not sure why there are horns on the altar (speculation is that since many other cultures worship bull gods, having horns places the bull as a creature serving God and not a god in itself).  Finally, the altar is created hollow so it can be portable.
                The final portion of the Tabernacle is the courtyard, where the altar will be housed.  The size of the courtyard is the same as the Tabernacle, which means the entire structure will be about half the size of a football field. 
               Reflections:  From the beginning of recorded history, human beings have made holy spaces; spaces in which to worship and meet with the gods. Some spaces have been trees, while others have been elaborate structures such as the pyramids in Mexico or the great cathedrals of Europe.  These spaces have allowed human beings to step out of ordinary life and step into the sacred world.
               Questions:

1. Where is your sacred space? Where do you encounter God?
2. What is your impression of the Tabernacle?
3. Do you think of a church sanctuary as a sacred place? If so why or why not?

Exodus 28-29

printable lesson

These two chapters focus on three aspects of the soon to be initiated worship life of the people of Israel.  They focus on the vestments for the priests, the ordination of the priests, and then the daily offerings that the newly ordained priests will offer in perpetuity.
               The first issue we examine are the priestly vestments.  The first thing we learn about the vestments is that they are to be “for the glorious adornment” of Aaron and the priests.  Why glorious? Though it is not specifically stated, we might assume because these priests serve a glorious God.  And note, the purpose is not to make the priests glorious, but the vestments which may be worn by generations of those who serve YHWH.  The vestments are merely the mark of the office. The second thing we learn is that Moses is to make (or have made) each portion of the vestments (“You shall make…). In some ways this forces Moses to understand that while he is the Lawgiver, he is not the priest. He must personally give that authority to his brother and nephews.
               The vestments consist of the ephod (like an apron covering the front and back of the wearer), the breastplate, a robe, a tunic, sashes, headdresses (including a rosette), and linen undergarments.  The ephod and the breastplate are the two items which are described in great detail. They are richly woven of colorful cloth. On each is carried precious stones which are inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes.  On the ephod there is a stone on each shoulder that contains six of the tribal names (for a total of twelve). This is a reminder that the priests are not there for their own glory but that they carry the weight of the entire community on their shoulders when they act as priests to YHWH. The stones on the breastplate are twelve individual stones with a single name on each. Each of the stones is a different type of jewel.  These jewels will be woven into the breastplate in such a way as to cover the heart of the wearer. This again reminds the priest that he is to care for the entire community.  Included in this outfit are the Urim and the Thummim, which are evidently intended to assist the High Priest in decision making. Next comes the robe which is to have bells on it to alert God to the approach of the priest (one was not supposed to sneak up on a king. One was to announce oneself).  The rosette on the turban, which says “Holy to the Lord” is another reminder to the priest that he is merely a functionary and not a god.  Finally there is the set of breeches, which are intended to cover the nakedness of the priests (many surrounding cultures had naked priests).

The ordination process begins with dressing the priests in their garb. This is followed by a laying on of hands, not on the priests but on the sacrificial bull and ram. It is important to note that the first offering, the bull, is intended as a sin offering, which allows for the priests to be consecrated and then to offer sacrifices for the people’s sins.  The bull and the ram will be slaughtered with the flesh of the bull being burned outside the camp and the ram divided into its various cuts with each used for a different purpose.  The blood of these animals is used in a variety of ways (some placed on the horns of the altar, some splashed on the sides of the altar, some poured at the base of the altar, some sprinkled on the vestments, with other dabs being placed on the toes and thumbs of the priests). There is then a consecration meal in which only the priests take part.
               The daily offerings are to be done in perpetuity. These include the sacrifice of a lamb in the morning and a lamb in the evening.  The implication of the offerings is not that they are a reminder of what God has done for the people, but that somehow it makes possible God dwelling with God’s people; that only if the people show up to sacrifice will they meet the God who dwells with them.  Finally, the Tabernacle and the priests (and their garments) will be sanctified not by rituals, but by God’s presence. And in the end the people will be reminded that the God to whom they sacrifice is the God who brought them out of captivity.
               Reflections:  The scriptures are not clear as the purpose of each element of the priests’ vestments, the sacrifices or the ritual actions taken with the blood of the animals.  What perhaps we can take from all of this is that Israel as a nation will not ultimately be formed by the Law, the Priesthood, or the rituals. The nation will be formed by the presence of YHWH in their midst.  In a sense what matters in the end is the relationship between God and people, based on God’s deep and abiding care for them.
               Questions:

1. What is your impression of the design and purpose of the priests’ vestments?
2. How is the “weight” of the life of the people carried by clergy today?
3. How does God dwell with God’s people today? 

Exodus 30-31

printable lesson

These chapters will bring to conclusion the plans for the design, support, and consecration of the tabernacle along with examining some concluding issues.
               The first additional item needed for the tabernacle is a second altar. This is the altar of incense.  Unlike “the altar” which was to be used for animal sacrifices, this altar is used only for the burning of incense.  It is to be made of gold and have four horns just as “the altar.”  What is interesting about this altar is that it is used twice daily, morning and evening at the same time as the lighting of the candelabras. While it has been speculated that this incense would help offset the smell of burning animal flesh, Kass argues that the smoke coming from the incense is a reminder to the priests that they enter and leave God’s presence through a cloud of smoke, just as Moses does on the mountain. This smoke then would be a reminder that the priests are just priests and not gods themselves. 
               The second item discussed is the half shekel which each male over the age of 20 must give when they come to be registered as a “ransom” for their lives.  The connection with the altar of incense is that both of these (altar and half-shekel) are tied to ransom/atonement.   Just as a drop of the blood of the annual atonement offering is dabbed on the altar of incense, this half-shekel is to atone for the sin of registering/counting the people.  Why is it a sin to register/count the people?  There are three possibilities. First, counting is a preparation for war, and so one is atoning for the killing that will take place. Second, counting reduces every man going to war as no more than a number, an interchangeable “thing” so one is atoning for dehumanizing God’s creatures.  Third, counting shows a lack of trust in God, that perhaps God has not provided enough men to meet the challenge, so one is atoning for not trusting God.  Note that everyone, rich or poor, gives a half shekel.  This not only equalizes all those involved in the offering, but it also makes all interdependent.
               The third item discussed is the bronze basin. This is simply used by the priests to ritually prepare themselves to meet God.  It is one more way in which the priests are reminded that they are about to encounter and serve the holy.
               The fourth item discussed are the anointing oil and incense. This oil and incense are to only be used for holy things (priests, tabernacle, and incense to God).  Again, these are a reminder that the priesthood and tabernacle are separate spaces in which God is encountered and so they ought to be anointed and treated as such.  This will help the priests to remember that they are involved in a sacred act and it will remind the people that there is a sacred space in which God dwells.

The story now shifts to three concluding concerns: who will construct/create the tabernacle, does the sabbath still matter and how is Moses to remember all of this.  First, the tabernacle will be created by men (Bezalel and Oholiab) who have been gifted by God for this work. In other words, the tabernacle and all its beauty are not created by human ingenuity, but by Godly gifts.  This will prevent those who create it from taking excessive pride in their work.  Also, it allows these men and their co-workers to be co-creators with God (like Noah) in God’s saving work.
               Second, the sabbath remains the most important reminder of the covenant. Even with all the Tabernacle beauty and holy functionality, it is the sabbath that is the “sign forever” between God’s and God’s people as a mark of the covenant. Though in the past, sabbath has been linked to freedom from Egypt (people are not to be worked like slaves), here it is a sign that humans, who are made in God’s image, should be able to rest like God rested.
               Finally, there are the stone tablets on which all these laws and building plans have been written by God. Thus no one can change or alter them.  They are God’s words to the people.
               Reflections: The primordial sin of human beings is idolatry; meaning we pretend to be gods, or at least as wise as God.  The instructions in this section of Exodus are intended to prevent idolatry.  They are all reminders that there is a gulf between humans and the divine, even when the divine dwells with us. This reminder might be useful for human beings in our current age when we believe that we can speak for God without humility; when we believe that we can save ourselves; when we treat God as a “buddy” and not the divine; and when we believe that what we have accomplished is solely our doing.
               Questions:

1. How do you separate the sacred/holy from ordinary life?
2. Has Jesus changed your understanding of this separation?
3. How do you maintain your humility and give God at least partial credit for your accomplishments?

Exodus 32

printable lesson

               This chapter contains one of the most famous, or perhaps infamous, events in the book of Exodus, the golden calf incident.  To set the stage for this event, we need to remember that Moses has been gone for quite a while.  He has gone up the mountain that is covered in fire and smoke supposedly to meet with YHWH, the mysterious and invisible God. The question that confronts the people is how will they respond when their leader, Moses, is gone?  Remember that these people are only recently removed from 400 years of slavery and exposure to Egyptian gods and worship practices. 
               The response of the people to Moses’ disappearance is a natural one. It is the same one as that of Adam and Eve in the garden. A choice is made to ignore God’s commands (Don’t make idols/don’t eat of the fruit of the tree) and to take matters into their own hands.  The people, now “on their own” seek a more user-friendly God.  It is not clear why Aaron does not resist the impulses of the people. It could be fear.  It could be that he too had believed that Moses was not coming back, and that God had consumed him.  Regardless, Aaron asks the people for a sacrificial gift (recall again that Moses had been told to ask for similar gifts for building the tabernacle) in order to make an idol. The people agree, give up their rings and earrings, and Aaron crafts a golden calf (golden calves have been found in digs in Israel). Aaron then declares that the calf is the god who brought them up out of Egypt.  This is followed by sacrifices and a wild, spring-break like party. Granted, the people had agreed to not make idols, but as of this moment, there was no declaration from God about a punishment for so doing.
               God responds to these events in the same way God responded to the sins of the world in the time of Noah (I will destroy all except Noah and his family) and the event at Sodom (I will destroy all the people in the town) by planning on destroying the people and then choosing one person to carry on (Noah, Abraham, Moses). Much like Abraham, Moses resists this divine destructive impulse.  

Even though God has promised to make Moses a great people, Moses pleads for the people. In so doing Moses appeals first to God’s reputation (what will the Egyptians think?) and second, Moses appeals to God’s covenant promises (remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).   These pleas cause God to change God’s mind and reveals one more aspect of Moses’ leadership abilities. Moses is willing to risk everything for the people he is leading.
               Moses, however, does not remain calm for long.  When he sees the extent of the revelry, he breaks the tablets of the law given him by God, burns the calf, grounds it to powder, makes the people drink it, then confronts Aaron. Arron responds as did Adam and Eve, the people made me do it.  This is all too much for Moses, who then asks for volunteers to indiscriminately go through the camp killing people.  Though this mass killing may have been necessary to restore order, it is not Moses’ finest hour.  Even so, Moses returns to God and asks that God take Moses’ life (as a sacrifice) if God will not forgive the people.  God ignores the offer and returns to the reality of the situation; the people have sinned and need discipline, which comes in the form of a plague (they acted like Egyptians so God will treat them as Egyptians).  In the end though, God’s covenant faithfulness prevails, and God sends the people on their way to the Land of Promise.
               Reflections: while we may desire to see this story as an isolated event of “unfaithful” people, it is the refrain in the hymn of human existence.  Human beings listen to God, try their best to be faithful, and then they falter, going after more user-friendly gods. Calvin writes that idolatry is at the heart of all sin; the idolatry of making gods who will give us what we want and whom we can control.  We can see this in the Word of Faith Movement which claims that God must do what we want if we give enough money to certain ministries.  This is simply a modern version of the golden calf.
               Questions:

1. Where have you seen God’s people worshipping a “golden calf” rather than the living God?
2. What do you think about God changing God’s mind?
3. What is your impression of Moses after this incident?

Exodus 33

printable lesson

               Chapter 33 begins where the previous chapter left off, with God commanding the people to begin their journey once again to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This time the command comes with some good news and some bad news.  The good news is that God will drive out all the people who inhabit the land. The bad news is that God will no longer accompany the people on the journey.  God will not go with them because God is ticked off at the Hebrews and may destroy them. This news comes as such a shock to the Hebrews that they not only mourn God’s choice, but they obey Moses/God’s command to strip off all their ornaments. We might wonder at this point if the action of stripping the ornaments was necessary not only because some of the ornaments had been melted to form the golden calf, but because they were one of the last connections the people had with Egypt (remembering that the ornaments were gifts from the Egyptian women).  In some ways this stripping of the ornaments is a stripping of the old life.
               The question that now confronts the people is, “Will God be available at all?”  The answer to this question is yes, God will be available, but outside, rather than inside, the camp.  God will make God’s presence known not in the beautiful Tabernacle, but in the Tent of Meeting.  The tent of meeting quickly becomes a portable Mt. Horeb/Sinai.  Only Moses (and perhaps Joshua) is allowed to approach God at the tent/mountain. There the cloud of God’s presence descends on the tent and the people remain at a safe distance (not wanting God to destroy them) and worship.   Moses, on the other hand, enters an intimate friendship with God, where they can both speak frankly.
               Though we are not sure what was discussed between these friends, it is evident that Moses is not pleased with this new arrangement. So, Moses bargains.  Moses begins by pointing out that while God knows Moses, Moses does not really know God; especially the “ways” of God, meaning what God wants for Moses and the people.  Therefore, Moses wants more insight into God and God’s ways.  God ignores this request and simply reminds Moses that God will be with Moses, so Moses is not to worry about knowing God’s ways or about what will happen to the people.  Moses is undeterred.  He feels for these people.  His retort to God is that unless YHWH is willing to “go with” Moses and the people, then Moses and the people will be no different than anyone other group of people. We can assume Moses’ argument makes sense, and so YHWH gives in and promises to do as Moses requests.

Though many of us might have been satisfied at this point, Moses is not.  He continues to press his luck and his relationship with God. And Moses does so by asking to see God’s glory…God’s very presence.  This request is only partially granted. God will show Moses only a glimpse of God’s self or glory. Just as in the garden where Adam and Eve, as limited human beings, are overwhelmed by the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil; God knows that Moses cannot “know” God’s ways/glory fully either. Moses would be overwhelmed and die as well.  Even so, Moses receives a bit of insight. God is a God who can and will show mercy and compassion, though God will not reveal the why and the wherefore of such grace. The story ends with Moses being promised only a glimpse of God’s glory.
               Reflection: Human beings are filled with curiosity.  We want to know the answer to questions such as how? and why?  We want to know what makes others do what they do. This curiosity often extends to God. God, why is there suffering? God, why is there evil? God, what do you want me to do and how do you want me to do it?  Unfortunately, God is often silent, allowing us to try and make sense of the world and our choices in it on our own. However, we have been given a gift that the Hebrews did not receive. We have been given the gift of seeing God, in and through Jesus. In this way, we can more fully discover who God is and what God desires of us.  Though the answers to our questions are not always clear, we may be able to see more of God through Christ, than Moses could even speaking with God face to face.
               Questions:

1. Have you ever had to make a break with your past? Why did you and how did it change you?
2. Have there ever been times when it seemed as if God was playing favorites?  How did you deal with those moments?
3. How do you go about trying to know God’s ways better?        

Exodus 34

printable lesson

This chapter can be divided into three segments. These segments are God’s self-revelation, the new covenant, and Moses’ shining face. 
               We begin with the self-revelation of God.  Moses has been trying to get a handle on God’s identity and God’s “ways” ever since the burning bush.  The central question in this moment is, is God the kind of God who can forgive (and by extension travel with the Hebrews once again)?  The answer to that question is only answered after Moses remakes the Ten Words on stone tablets. In a sense this is a reminder that God’s self-revelation and God’s ways will be defined not only by what Moses is about to hear, but by what is written on the tablets. The self-revelation of God is that God can forgive because God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love…forgiving iniquity, transgressions and sin…” God however is not a softie in that God does not “clear the guilty” but visits the iniquity of the parents on the children.  This does not mean that God directly punishes the children, but that what the parents do wrong has lasting effects on the children. In response Moses asks for the forgiveness not of the people’s sins, but of “our” sins and asks that God take “us” for an inheritance.  Moses now identifies with the people.
               The second section of this chapter has to do with the covenantal renewal.  This is a two-way covenant. God will perform certain acts and the people are to respond by obeying God’s rules.  This is a covenant similar to a king-vassal agreement. God will perform marvels including driving out all the people presently occupying the land which has been promised to the Hebrews. The rules which shall govern the people can once again be summed up under ten headings. 1) Don’t make covenants with other people/gods. 2) Don’t make molten gods. 3) Keep the feast of unleavened bread. 4) the first born belong to God. 5) keep the sabbath 6) Keep the Feast of Weeks (first fruits). 7) Males shall appear before God three times a year. 8) No sacrificial blood and leavened bread/no Passover sacrifice left till morning. 9) the best of everything will be offered to God.

10) you shall not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.  These ten rules/words can then be divided into three categories. The first category (1-2) are rules which will assist the Hebrews in not falling prey to the Canaanites. They focus on not being absorbed into a culture which worships other gods and follows other practices. This separateness includes no inter-marriage. The second category (4) focuses on insuring that God is seen as creator and that there is no worship of creation itself.  The third category (5-10) focuses on insuring that the sabbath and time itself is not ruled by nature, but by God’s commands.  In other words, it is God that sets the idea of time, not the sun, moon, stars, and seasons.
               The third section of this chapter has to do with the strange glow emanating from Moses after his encounter with God.  The word translated as shining, can be translated as beam, beaming light rays, or horns (Michelangelo carved Moses with horns). More to the point, the description implies that the very creative light of God is being transmitted by Moses to the people.  In this way, the people who could not go to God (too dangerous), are approached by God through Moses and the new covenant (where their fear can be set aside). 
               Reflections: Each of us carries with us an image of the “Old Testament” God.  Often this image is of an angry, wrathful God, who is about war and death.  This text reminds us that God is the God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  This is the God who forgives. At the same time though this is the God who allows people to suffer the consequences of their iniquities (violations of God’s loving law).  This is the God who cares about people and about God’s plan for the redemption of the world. Thus, we have one God in both testaments…who is love.
               Questions:

1. How would you describe God to someone who has never read the scriptures?
2. Which of the ten new rules makes the most/least sense to you, and why?
3. Who transmits God’s “light” to you?

Exodus 35-40

printable lesson

The final six chapters of Exodus can be taken as a whole. They are the story of the construction and completion of the Tabernacle, the plans for which had already been given to Moses.  There are aspects of this the story which are worth noting, yet the rest is merely a repeat of what has been covered before. 
               First, the instructions for the building of the Tabernacle begin with a reminder that the sabbath is to be maintained throughout its creation. This may be because human beings often invest “things” with value beyond their use. This was what happened with the golden calf. The “thing” was a golden calf, but people declared it to be a god. Here the “thing” is a dwelling for the presence of God, and not something godly. By maintaining the sabbath, the people are reminded that they are making the tabernacle for God, not as a god.
               Second, the people are invited to bring to this project what they possessed. In a sense this is very much a community project in which men and women, young and old, are all invited to participate. This gives the people a sense of their own agency. They are no longer slaves commanded to go make bricks, but they are a free people invited by their creator and liberator to participate in the building of God’s dwelling. 
               Third, the people all participate. They bring all the gold, bronze and cloth required for the creation of the tabernacle. In fact, they are so willing to participate that Moses must call a halt to the fund-raising campaign.  This excitement demonstrates that the people had turned a corner in their relationship with YHWH and wanted to express their gratitude for liberation and provision. 
               Fourth, Moses wants there to be complete transparency in terms of the accounting of the resources brought by the people (38:21ff).  He does not want anyone to accuse him of profiting from the construction and so he has someone else keep track of what comes in and how it is used.
               Fifth, the work was an expression of faithfulness.  Once the work is completed, and before Moses puts all the pieces in place, it is said that “When Moses saw that they had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded, he blessed them.”  This blessing signifies that the Hebrew people made good use of their second chance, offered following the golden calf incident. They have demonstrated that they are both capable and willing to be faithful.

Sixth, with the completion of this project, Moses will no longer be allowed in the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle will become the sole venue of the priests.  While Moses will still hear from God, Moses will receive God’s words outside of the tent of meeting.  The differentiation between priest/leader is now complete.  In that sense Moses is like all the other people, needing to bring his offerings to the priests for them to mediate (be an intermediator) between him and YHWH.
               Seventh, God will dwell in the midst of the people. God will no longer live outside the camp, but will be present to teach, lead and bless the people.
               Reflections: In the creation story of Genesis 1, each day/part of creation is deemed to be “good” except human beings.  “Good” in the sense used in Genesis means “fit for a particular purpose.” We might speculate that human beings not being declared “good” is because the verdict is still out on whether they will live into their created purpose of caring for God’s creation.  As the only creatures with a will, or the ability to choose between faithfulness/unfaithfulness to their purpose, human beings have the capacity to choose wrongly.  How then can humanity learn to choose wisely?  Exodus has attempted to answer that question through bringing a chosen people through separation/liberation from other powers, offering Law and worship, and through providing for a continuing encounter with the creator God through the Tabernacle. Kass puts it this way.  “Creation produced a hospitable world in which human beings can live. God’s Law sets forth a Way under which they can live. God’s Tabernacle, built for Him by human beings, offers rituals by which they can aspire to be holy, as the Lord is Holy.” (pg. 598)
               Questions: 

1. Where have you seen people worship the “thing” as much as the one for whom the “thing” was created?
2. How have you freely given of your resources to glorify God?  What was/is that like?
3. Is there something special about being in a holy space that draws you closer to God?