Pastor Skip Heitzig: So nice to see you all, we're going to finish Exodus next week, do you believe that?
Participants: No.
Pastor Skip Heitzig: Some of you have no faith, oh you have little faith. You'll see why tonight probably while we finish the Book of Exodus next week but we will finish the Book of Exodus next week it will be our last study in this book, you brought your bibles yes? Good thinking, Exodus Chapter 35. We were texted a message that was a little bit unrelated because it deals with Genesis but -- we'll throw it up anyway because it does segway with something that we read about with Moses in Exodus so we'll begin with that instead of usually how we normally begin, since the text question came up it says "Did Adam and Eve see God's face?"
It's a good question, it's asked because the bible declares no one no man has seen God at any time, so the question is what about Adam and Eve did they see God's face? I don't believe they did, first of all we're not told they saw His face, it's not even mentioned at all, but what is mentioned is they heard God's voice, God walked with them in the cool of the day we're told, we're not told how or what form He took, whether there was some like -- with Abraham some form that He took like the Angel of the Lord, that's a possibility, but to see God in His total glory, no one has ever seen, so the Lord walked with Adam and with Eve but it doesn't record that they saw his face but they did hear his voice.
Okay enough said with that let's begin with prayer. "Heavenly Father we turn our hearts toward you tonight. Bibles open hearts open, and in sitting here Lord we make a commitment, that our bodies are surrendered as living sacrifices. Holy and acceptable which is our reasonable act of worship, Lord with that commitment to tune in, we don't want anything or anyone to distract from how the Spirit of God might seek to apply truth to our hearts, some of us Lord are just starting out in the Christian Faith, like one that I just read in the chat room joining us via the internet who has recently come to faith in Christ, others are veterans here, they have served you and walked with you for a long time. All of us Lord at different levels still need to hear from you, still need the touch of your Spirits, still need the voice of the Spirit speaking to our hearts. You know our needs, you know our situations, you know where we have come from, the things that are causing anxiety if anything at all in our lives, that we surrender to you and -- rather than being destructed by those things we are determined to tune in, to listen as you speak through your word, help us Lord to apply this truth in Jesus name. Amen."
I had a wonderful experience yesterday, I met with a man that I haven't seen since fourth grade, I don't even know he was in town we grew up in Southern California, I remembered his name. Joe e-mailed me and then gave us a call and I set up a lunch -- I met him in first grade. And the last time that I remember seeing him was fourth grade, that's a long time ago, obviously Joe looks a lot different today than he did in fourth grade, as do I now -- he told my assistant what he looked like, you know what -- his hair and his beard didn't have that in fourth grade.
What it looked like, but as I walk into the restaurant and I saw him, it was an instant recognition which fascinated me that I recognized him, not because of a beard or hair which had totally changed and I have totally changed but there are certain features that are recognizable that even as a first and fourth grader, I still remembered. I remembered the shape of his eyes and his nose and his mouth and -- the way the lower lip was formed I remembered thinking that as I studied his face in first grade, and it just came back I recognized him.
It's like when we meet somebody, we construct a facial map that enables us to recognize that person for months and years to come. The way the features are set in the face and the way they communicate with each other relate to each other it's very unique, we all have that unique capability.
We relate to each other by looking at each other, face to face that's when a relationship is at its best not in an e-mail, not in a letter not even in a phone call but to be able to see the face and the body language created by the face while the words are coming is always the best way to communicate. It's the most intimate form of fellowship, a face to face kind of communication. So I find it interesting when somebody comes up to me and they'll say "I have listened to you for years on the radio, you're not what I pictured in my mind," and I always feel like I'm disappointing them.
I don't know what they pictured. And so I often say "Well I'm sorry." But when we can see the face and put the voice with the face, the picture is complete, and so the bible speaks about the communication or relationship with God along the same lines the solemnest, said "Hide not thy face from me oh Lord," or "May the Lord's face shine upon us." Psalm 61. Now Moses wanted to see the face of God, show me your glory God did not let him see His face, and we've gone through why.
He was however allowed to see something less than the full manifestation of God -- God put it in this fashion, I'm going to pass by you, I'm going to put my hand over where I hide you in the cleft of the rock and -- you'll see me after I pass by you'll see my back or the after glow of the effect of the Divine Presence.
Well even that had enough fuss fluorescence in it to make Moses' face glow, he came down from the mountain and the bible says back in Chapter 34 where we were able to end last week -- though we get through 35, but it says in two verses that Moses' face shown, and we started going through a little litany of what that shining face meant what it confirmed. We mentioned first of all that Moses' glowing face confirmed God's choice Moses was picked by God to be His representative. He was the mediator of the covenant, this is the guy no one else, and there was some question and there will be some question by a few as to, "Is Moses the right leader?"
But God confirmed His choice, Moses' face was glowing, also, we saw last week it confirmed God's presence, Moses had been in the presence of the Lord, his face is glowing as he comes down the mountain, confirming that God's presence as seen in the mediator is going to be with them on the rest of the journey, God is not forsaking them, but His presence is going to go with them. We saw also that it confirmed God's greatness. Moses with Yahweh and his face shined, what other person was ever in the presence of a false god, a pagan god or a goddess and came away from that experience with their face glowing, no one, and that's simply because there are no other gods, they're all invented by people, they're all made up. And so people will say "Well your God is a lot like my God" no He's not.
There's only one true and living God, all the rest are wannabes. They're falsifications invented by mankind, so it showed God's greatness he was in the presence of God, and he was visible, I heard a story of a man -- a missionary in India. He was traveling around and a Hindu walked up to him and said "What do you put on your face to make it shine?" The missionary said I don't know what you're talking about I don't put anything on my face to make it shine and he goes "Oh no that's not true." he says "Everyone that I meet like you believers in Jesus, you all have that same look about you." I've seen that he said from the cities around Agra to the streets of Mumbai. Then the missionary understood that what that Hindu was seeing was the reflection of the light of God's truth. That piece, that confidence that comes in a relationship with God that is visible to some and obviously to that Hindu man.
Now I had an interesting thing happened to me when I was up -- relatively new believer I was going to college and medical training and there was a UCLA program, I went home to my apartment, I knew that I had an older lady that worked in a hospital that lived right across the drive way from me in that apartment, he knocked on my door that evening, and he said to me "I've never have this happen ever before, he said I've watched you in the hospital," he says "Its like your face is glowing." it was the oddest visit I've ever had, as I said I've never had anyone ever tell me that before. I've had people say "Smile or don't smile as much." -- but never "Your face is glowing." so I immediately left the front door and went to the bathroom to look and see what I've been exposed to after all I was working and radiology who knows an isotope perhaps.
So I decided to use that opportunity to share the gospel with -- I thought if my face is glowing and he noticed it, I might get a little bit of his background, what was most interesting is that he was a self-proclaimed Satan worshipper, but he at least enough interest peak that he wanted to find out why my face was glowing, and I said "Look, I don't think my face is glowing but deep down inside my heart is glowing and here's why," and by the end of that conversation I was privileged to lead him to Christ, not because I glowed but because God is true.
So God confirmed His choice God confirmed His presence, God confirmed His greatness also we saw last week God confirmed His power. Moses had been in the presence of God, he had changed because of it and in coming back down to the camp they could see there was a change because he was in the presence of God, but then we gave you a cliffhanger last week I said there's a fifth confirmation but I don't have enough time to finish it, so that's where we begin tonight.
The glowing face of Moses, fifth of all confirmed God's plan, you see the glowing face of Moses, and the reason He put a veil over his face one of the reasons we're told is because the glow wasn't staying as strong as the days went by, the glow was fading off of Moses. Now the people were blown away and intimidated by glowing face so it says Moses put a veil over it, but apparently Moses and Aaron could tell that the glow is fading and so put a veil over it, the people are enjoying this experience, they're seeing the presence and power of God, but the glory is fading away so put a veil over it, how much did it turn to a scripture in the New Testament to see that so turn with me 2nd Corinthians Chapter 3.
Second Corinthians Chapter 3 Verse 12, therefore since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech unlike Moses who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away, here is God's plan and the glowing face revealed the plan of God, the law was temporary it was not permanent. The New Testament was permanent.
And it would over shadow and over take the Old Covenant and when Paul wrote these words, he was at that shoulder period that transition period, that overlapped between the Old and the New Testament, the Old was fading away the New Testament was permanent, that was God's plan from the beginning it was never meant to be a permanent relationship or a permanent covenant, and when he wrote these words, there was still a temple in Jerusalem, sacrifices were ongoing in that temple every single day, but very soon, that would all be done 70 A.D. you know what happened the Romans came in destroyed the city destroyed the temple and since A.D. 70, sacrificial formal Judaism has come to a complete end, did you know that? There are no sacrifices since 70 A.D. the Jewish system has had no means to atone for their sins and they're in a little bit of a dilemma because the bible says in the Old Covenant the Old Testament the Torah, without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.
The Old was passing away it was designed to be temporary, the New Testament is permanent, also when Paul wrote these words using this experience of Moses there was a group of people inside the church known as Judaizers, some of you have heard that term before Judaizers were people who said they were Christians and many of them probably were but what they were trying to do is combine two covenants, the Old and the New, the Law of Moses and the New Testament and it kind of merge them -- make a syncretistic system out of two covenants.
As interestingly, I still find people today trying to do that, trying to go back to the Laws of Moses back to the practices of Judaism, and so what Paul will write here in Galatians in other places is why on earth would you want to go back to something that is faded away and was designed to be temporary, when you have a freedom and something permanent in Christ. And here's just a little footnote of interest, in the Hebrew when it says that Moses' face shown, the word literally is Moses' face horned, it's related to the word horn like the horn of an animal, and it's because the word literally means "raid" or showed "race".
So its translated here shown but it could be translated horn, it just simply emanated race, when Jerome translated the bible in to the Latin vulgate, he was living in Bethlehem when he translated it from Greek into Latin, he actually translated it "horned" -- Moses' face horned, now I'm sharing that with you because if you ever see ancient depictions of Moses by different artist, they often depict Moses with horns coming out of his head, seriously, you'll find some of the greatest artists during the Renaissance period painted Moses -- look it up, Google it tonight. Look at for depictions or art work of Moses and you'll see the horns because of Jerome's translation instead of showing it was horns, so that's just a little bit of trivia if you're interested.
Now let's go back, back to the Old Testament. Verse one where I promised we'll be done next week, but watch. Then Moses gathered all of the --I'm just kidding--then Moses gathered all the congregation -- it's like will take me a month to get through it, okay, backtrack. Then Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together and said to them "These are the words which the Lord has commanded you to do, work shall be done for six days but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord, whoever does any work on it shall be put to death." Now God has already gone through the Sabbath Laws why is it coming up again? Why is it repeated again? Well this is the repetition of the Sabbath Law for the tabernacle builders, who probably were thinking that perhaps they were exempt in some way because they're doing God's work.
And so I want you to notice something, this is the only time it's mentioned in relationship to the Sabbath but it's mentioned on the last and so look at Verse 3, "You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day." Evidently, there was a thinking going around that to kindle a fire really wasn't work, it was like preparation for the work. It was pre-work so it's Sabbath day but we can light a fire because after all we're eventually going to do the Lord's work and were going to need it for our meals during the Sabbath anyway. But now is the prohibition and it's the only time that's written up to this point anyway, you will kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.
Now later on the Rabbis will comment on this verse, and they will say "What this means is, you are not permitted before the Sabbath to light any kind of a fire." -- Or I'm sorry "On the Sabbath to light any kind of a fire." So before the Sabbath begins, light a fire in your home to provide light in your dwellings but you can add no fuel to it later on in the middle of the Sabbath. So that today the Modern Orthodox Jew will not turn on a light switch on the Sabbath, because it's kindling a fire, it's starting the spark, it's creating light. They won't turn on their oven, because it's Shabbat so, in Israel you can buy Shabbat or Sabbath lights, and they're on timers they begin the glow of the light before Sabbath and they'll turn off at the end. You can also have timers for all your appliances so you can get them going and then you can have heat.
If you ever go to Jerusalem and you're -- they're on the Sabbath on a Saturday, and you go to one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, Mea Shearim. If you try to drive your car through Mea Shearim, you'll be surprised, because the Orthodox Jews will throw stones at your car, because you are violating the Sabbath, your kindling a fire on the Sabbath by driving the car. That's how the law reads, that's how they live, you can do it before or after but not on the Sabbath, which to me brings up something interesting in the Light of seventh-day Adventism, if you're familiar with that.
Seventh-day Adventist will say "I keep the Sabbath and we worship on Saturday, not on Sunday" like those who take the mark of the beast that's what they use to call it, worshipping on Sunday, we worship on Saturday, we go to church on Saturday, now when they tell me that I like to say "Really? How do you get to church? I drive my car," I think you may breaking the Sabbath, because as the coil provides electricity to the spark plug, that enables the spark -- the ignition spark and then the explosion of the gas in the air and that compressed cylinder, you've started a fire on the Sabbath -- that's breaking the Sabbath you don't keep the Sabbath. And so here is the prohibition even for tabernacle workers, "no fire shall be kindled on the Sabbath."
Verse 4 Moses spoke to the congregation of the Children of Israel saying "this is the thing which the Lord commanded saying take among you and offering to the Lord whoever has a willing heart let him bring it as an offering to the Lord, gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple et cetera." Now we have seen this command back in Chapter 25, God told it to Moses -- Moses is back down from the mountain the second time, now they are actually taking up the offering. Note, this is not votive, this is the freewill offering, this is above and beyond the tide, they will be commanded votive this is a separate offering, a freewill offering from the heart -- separate from votive.
Sometimes people will say "Well I take my votive and I give it to different places every month, depending on how I feel led." That's good, but that's not your votive. I give my votive to my local fellowship and then above and beyond as the Lord promised my heart toward other things, I'll also give. That's the idea here, the idea of votive is different, the idea of votive is that you relinquish control, it sounds like as I feel led. You and the Old Testament would give votive to the priest as they feel led, you are losing control, you are trusting the Lord, that the Lord's worth will be carried out to maintain through that votive.
This is separate as above and beyond that -- now here's the question, "Where did they get the silver and the gold, and all the purple and all the rest of these stuff?" From? From Egypt -- from the Egyptians. Back in Genesis 15, God told Abraham way before any of this was even on the radar screen said "your descendants will be afflicted for 400 years, there'll be in service to foreigners, there'll be in a land not their own, but I will punish that nation and bring them out with great wealth.
So that in the book of Exodus, and we've already covered them just refreshing your memory of that I'll just read to you I marked it on my bible. This is Exodus Chapter 12, listen to this "Now the Children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold and clothing" they just asked for them. And the Lord had given the people favor in the side of the Egyptians so that they granted them what they requested thus they plundered the Egyptians, this is wild, it's like the Lord just opened up their hearts because the Egyptians hated the Hebrews, but the Hebrews could go up to an Egyptian go, "I love that bracelet, it's solid gold isn't it? Oh yes it is, it could cost my husband a lot, I'd like it. Okay, and she gave it away," anything they asked for and now by the time they ask for it the Egyptians were happy to get rid of the Hebrews -- "take it, take everything get out of here, you've cost enough havoc in our nation," so thus they plundered them so all of that spoil they have and they're going to give in this offering.
Verse 10, "All who are gifted artisans, among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded, the tabernacle extend its coverings, class boards, bars, pillars, sockets. The ark with it's poles" et cetera down in Verse 20 and all the congregation of the Children of Israel departed and the reason I'm skipping is because this is repeated material, all that you read in Chapter 25-31, this is saying "they did that," and this is them doing that, so our refresh a little worth pertinent but I'll skip over material that is repetitive.
Verse 20 the congregation of the Children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses and everyone came whose heart was stirred and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord's offering, it was the Lord's offering, for the work of the tabernacle of meeting for all of its service and for the holy garments, that's how the Lord wants--I believe all of us to give, not out of pressure, but out of praise. It's to be a part of our worship, or did do it with a generous heart not with a guilty conscience, 2 Corinthians nine says "So let every man give as he purposes in his heart not grudgingly, nor of necessity for God loves a cheerful giver." "Hileron" is the word cheerful, hilarious giver. God loves him we go "Lord you gave it to me to begin with? I'm happy, I'm happy" hilariously joyful to see your work continue. That's how the Lord wants us to give. So rather that how much, the Lord is interested in how when gifts. Do you remember in Mark Chapter 12, it says that "Jesus sat opposite the treasury, and watch." listen to the wording "Watched how people put their money into the treasury." not what, not how much, not what the amount was, how they did it. Did they do it simply? Did they do it ostentatiously? Did they do it to be recognized or to be seen by men?
And so I don't believe base upon biblical text, that anybody should be pressured in to giving, or should be done with great fan fare, I don't have huge pledge drives, or I don't resort to --"wait a minute I'm getting a word from the Lord there are 20 people that have a $1,000 each halleluiah." I believe that is patently wrong, but as the Lord moves to the heart, and as you decide in your heart, so a person should give. Jesus said "when you give or do a charitable did, you shouldn't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." Did you know that Mark Twain used to go to church he didn't speak to favorably of church if you read his writings.
But he said he went to church, and he had planned it, put money in the offering but he heard the preacher go on, begging and begging for money that -- not only did he not give what he was going to give, but when the offering plate come around he actually took money out of it and put it in his pocket, he's got sick of hearing that stuff, that's why we have a guppy boxes so you can't do that.
Verse 22 -- just kidding -- they came both men and women as many as had a willing heart and brought earrings and nose rings -- yup they had those back then -- rings and necklaces all jewelry of gold that is every men who made an offering of gold to the Lord, every men with whom was found blue and purple and scarlet et cetera. They gave, they gave three lay, and that's how we ought to give, it's true that no significant work of the Lord is ever done without the contribution or the volunteerism of God's people. And we ought to see finances as -- well we're stewards of whatever the Lord has placed in our hands, we're stewards of it, we don't own it. God owns it. All of it is his, he's just saying "Give 10% and then some," as the Lord lays it on your heart, but it's all his, he let you keep 90%, be happy. Now back in the Old Testament it was a requirement for the tide, this is a freewill offering, in the New Testament it's totally freewill, there is no mandatory amount, there's no mandatory tide, it says your purpose in your heart God loves a hilarious giver.
Look at it this way somebody said "Money is like manure, stack it up and it will stink, spread it around it makes things grow." It's a good way to see it, Lord I want to see things grow, how can I invest in your work in your kingdom? And Martin Luther said something interesting also he said "there are three conversions that are required, the conversion of the heart, the conversion of the mind and the conversion of the pocket book and he said "I found by experience the third one is the most difficult to be converted." I'll give you my heart, my mind but not my pocket book God, we're in a recession don't you know, you that God promises, to give and it will be given to you, press down, running over, shaking together, I've discovered you can never ever out give God. Try it, the fact that's the only time in the bible God says "test me on this and see if I won't open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on you," true unable to contain, so.
Verse 25, all the women who were gifted artisans, span yarn with their hands and brought what they had spawn of the blue, the purple, the scarf of the fine linen, and all the women who's hearts stirred with wisdom at the span yarn of goat's hair.
And then Verse 27 the rulers, so we have the men, the women and the rulers, I find it interesting that typically, the word that has been reserved up to this point, to refer only to the masculine gender males that is gifted artisans, it's only been males up to this part is now tweaked, it's a little bit different, see this is a call that goes that out, a talent call, for anyone who's gifted in this areas. Men and women, and I draw your attention to it because in God's work, it's not just suppose to be men higher archaically doing everything and women are second class citizens if you get that idea that that's a New Testament directive, you would be wrong, even in the Old Testament and in to the New Testament, we see great women, Miriam a worship leader, Deborah one of the judges of Israel, Huldah, one of the prophetess of Israel, not just prophet prophetess, deaconesses in the early church. Philip had four versioned authors who also prophesied, and so in the Old Testament they contributed by their giftedness as did the men asked to the rulers.
Verse 29 the Children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the Lord all the men all the women who's hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord by the hand of Moses had commanded to be done, and Moses said to the children of Israel. See? The Lord is called by name does allow -- we read about him, the son of Uri, the son of her -- not him her--- of the Tribe of Judah.
And he has filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all manner of workmanship to design artistic works, to work in gold, silver and bronze in cutting jewels for setting and carving wood, to work in all manner of artistic workmanship, and he's put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, he has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, scarlet thread, fine linen work of the weaver, those who do design artistic works, so these guys are the design directors. These two men are the design directors of the project that's going to take six months to build, they're the guys in charge of it all, they're collecting the materials, they're the ones who have the gift, not only in engraving but in administration, so the Children of Israel are going to take this offering and they're going to build God a tent in the wilderness.
Do you know that in the New Testament, were called the also utilize our gifts. Ephesians Chapter 2 Verse 22, building for God it says "A holy habitation." They were building a tent for God to dwell in, were building up the Body of Christ, a holy habitation, a holy dwelling place, the church by the utilization off our gifts. You were born with certain talents, you were born again with spiritual gifts, often those spiritual gifts dovetail with your natural talents, but in employing the spiritual gifts and adding your natural talent, you can reach a community, you can build up the Body of Christ, you can do what others can't do, some of you have the gift of administration some of you have the gift of teaching, others have of you have the gift of helps, et cetera et cetera.
I was so proud of our men who went out on their turn it loose, when the men went out and found people within the Body of Christ who needed things, one girl who just needed a light bulb change in the vanity in the bathroom because she nor her husband couldn't reach up anymore to replace the light bulb so they couldn't go in that room to use it.
Clean up in the yards, couple of guys replacing sprinkler systems, using their gifts. So that God and his kingdom could be glorified. Now that was men we have turn it loose where there is men and women, and there's certain things that God can call a woman to do that a man can't do and vice versa, I heard a great story, County Commissioner in Pittsburgh, his name was Pete Flaherty, he was out on a job site one day where the City of Pittsburgh was building some community building, it was one of the community projects, and he was scoping it out making sure was A okay and lined up like he wanted it, and he was there with his wife Nancy so it was Pete, the County Commissioner and Nancy his wife and they were surveying the job, one of the construction workers yells to Nancy and say "Nancy, do you recognize me? Remember I'm so and so -- we used to date in high school," as Pete and Nancy walked away Pete said "Nancy aren't you glad you married me? Because if you had married him, you would been the wife of just a city construction worker," she smiled and said "no honey, if I had to married him, he'd be the County Commissioner." Good answer. A lot of what a man is because of what the woman in his life has done for him.
And on Chapter 36, were going to breeze to the next two chapters, because as I mentioned a lot of it is repetitive so we'll just take of couple of the highlights, the construction actually begins in this chapter, and as I said it takes six months, so Verse 1 "Bezaleel and Aholiab and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary to do according all that the Lord commanded." And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab and every gifted artisan in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred to come and do the work.
Are you noticing a common thread in this chapter and in the previous chapter? It's not only your heart needs to be stirred to give financially, your heart must be stirred by God to serve practically and spiritually. God wants your heart. God wants you and I to have the right motive when we serve. It's not all about you and your need to do a project because it's how you're built. You're just project driven and I just want--it's not about that. God has stirred your heart and you're not doing this because of duty but because of desire. You're not doing it because you have to. No, you want to.
That's the right attitude to have. You're not keeping a clock or watching a clock or punching a clock. It's 5 o'clock I have to leave. No, I'm just--I'm the Lord. Keep something in mind. Here's a little context. They were slaves men. They used to have to work. But, now to be able to work as you want to do it, I'll tell what, I see this all the time. I'm so honored with this fellowship because I see your attitude when it comes to serving. You have jobs in the secular world.
Many of you, most of you and yet you will serve in this capacity or in that capacity in the church volunteering, leading up a group, being part of a group, setting up or in the community and we you serve the Lord you do with such joy and people notice that and I hear those reports. So, as they say in Australia, "Good on yah." for that. And they receive from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought the work of service for the work service in making this sanctuary. So, they continue bringing to him free-will offerings every morning.
Now, watch what happens. Then all the craftsman who we're doing all the work of the sanctuary came each from the work that he was doing. And they spoke to Moses saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do."
So, Moses gave a commandment and they caused it be proclaimed through out the camp, let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary and the people were restrained from bringing for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done indeed too much. What a good problem to have. I have never heard of this ever being repeated at any other time in history sense where we have to stand up a little. Please stop giving your time and your money to the Lord to work. It's too much.
Never been a problem since but it was a problem then they were so grateful for the second chance they got as Moses came back off that mountain the second time. And their building got a sanctuary. They have the right attitude now. Three workers in one city were doing the same exact job. A man approached all three workers and asked all three workers, "Hey what are you doing?" The first worker said, "I'm breaking rocks." He went up to the second guy, "Hey, what are you doing?" he said, "I'm earning a living." He went up to the third one and said, "Hey, what are you doing?" he said, "I'm building a cathedral." They we're all doing exactly the same job but they have three different perspectives. I'm breaking rocks, I'm earning a living, I'm building a cathedral. We're building a tabernacle for God in the desert. A jewel in the desert.
So, they gave of substance and of service. It is says it was indeed too much in verse 7. The next four chapters is a construction part. It begins verse 8 to 19 we've already dealt with. It's the hangings, the hanging curtains and the coverings that are made. Beginning in verse 20 down to verse 34, the boards are constructed and the bars were holding the thing together.
In verse 35 down to verse 38, the veil is made and the screen is made. Now, we've all of the stuff already. We've read all these things out. They just said they made them. So, we don't need to repeat them.
Now, chapter 37 see I told you we've make it and we finished next week. So, we're going to cover three chapters tonight. We're in chapter 37. We'll go even faster. Verse 1, then Bezaleel made the arc of acacia wood, 2 and a half cubits was its length, 1 and a half was its width, 1 and a half cubits its height and he overlaid it pure gold inside and outside and he made them molding of gold all around it.
Chapter 37, we have the furniture, the special furniture for inside the tabernacle structure. I've refresh your memory. There are three compartments. There were three compartments in the tabernacle. Do you remember them?
Number 1, the outer court, number 2, inside the little ten-structure, the holy place and number three the Holy of Holies. Those are the three spaces in the tabernacle, three compartments. The outer court, the priest went in to sacrifice into wash. It measured 75 feet wide by 150 feet deep. If you were able to go into the holy place that was 15 feet wide by 30 feet deep and it had three articles of furniture. On the left hand side as you went it was a lamp stand on the right hand side of table of show bread immediately in front of you before the veil that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, there was a little altar of incense.
On the other side of that veil, in that secret spot where only the high priest went once a year as where God hang out. That was the special intersection where God would meet man when blood was applied to the Mercy Seat once a year.
So, there were six special articles of furniture that were made for the inside parts of the tabernacle and they're outlined in this chapter. I just the read the first couple of verses that's the Arc of the Covenant and to put in our measurements, it was 45 inches long by 27 inches wide by 27 inches tall, had a lead on it, solid gold, angels covering in return and their wings touching looking down toward the Mercy Seat also of solid gold.
Now, inside that arc or that chess just think of it as chess as if it was a box. There were three things that were kept. A copy of the law, that's the second copy. The first was busted by Mo(ph) because he was really ticked off remember he broke them. So, the second copy of the law, Aaron's rod that butted and the third thing was--anybody remember? A jar of manna
Those things were kept in there as reminders. Now, the law is the law they failed to keep. It was God's covenant. That was His standard. That was God's standard. They never really kept God's standard. In fact, they broke God's standard before Moses came down to mount in the first time.
So, the copy of the law was always a reminder that they fail to keep God's perfect standard. They broke the law. But, aren't you glad? Get the visual that when the angels looked down representing heaven looking down where God would meet. As they would look down, they couldn't see the broken law. They couldn't see the perfect standard of righteousness that man failed to keep. Instead, what they could see is that it was covered with gold and once a year covered in blood. Blood of an innocent victim would be sacrificed to Caphar, to atone, to cover the law that had been broken.
Beautiful visual and we've given meaning to that before. Go, to verse 10, doing fine for time. Verse 10 through 16, that table of show bread, if you walked into that Holy place, keep this in mind. You walked in, on your right hand side. Your right hand side would be this little table with 12 loaves of bread. The table was 36 inches long. It was 18 inches wide and it was about 24 inches tall. At 12 loaves of bread which represented the 12 tribes of Israel.
So, Israel gets represented three different ways. Number one- the table of show bread, number 2- the high priest has a couple of stones on his shoulders, six names of the tribes, the other one six on the other and then a brass plate that hung over the ephod that had 12 stones, one representing each of the 12 tribes. So, the priest represents Israel before God. They represent it in three different ways. The verse 10, he made a table of acacia wood.
By the way, remember acacia wood is like indestructible. The hardest, very common wood only found in the desert regions of the Middle East particularly it's found in few other places but it was abandoned down there. And its measurements are given. That's the table of showbread.
Verse 16, he made a pure gold, the utensils which were on the table of showbread, its dishes, cups, bowls, pitchers for pouring. Something else just to remind you, I think I mentioned this but it's easy to forget a lot of these facts. The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed finally in what year? 70 A.D., see a lot of people don't know that. You, this church, you know that. That's cool.
Okay, it was destroyed by a guy named--anybody know his name? Titus, I heard the name, Titus, the son of Vespasian, the Roman Emperor. Titus came and destroyed the city of Jerusalem, took some of the utensils back to Rome. According to Joe Cephas, one of the implements he had was the Golden Altar of was the table of show bread and he was giving his victory marks to the streets of Rome, he took out the table of show bread to show the people and the crowds in Rome became almost violently excited at the victory of having gold plundered from the Jerusalem temple.
If you go to Rome today and look at a particular arch in the form of Rome, still in place called the Arch of Titus, built for Titus after 70 A.D., still there today. On the inside, you'll see a relief. Carved down in stone and it shows the armies of Titus marching through Rome and one of the things they had showed them carrying is the table of show bread and the two silver trumpets that were also used by the priest. It's in bold relief on the stones since 70 A.D. still there today.
Another--a little footnote for you-trivia, verse 17, the golden lamp stand at the Manor. That's what you'd see if you walked in. It was under the left hand side in holy place. He also made lamp stand a pure gold, the hammered work. He made the lamp stand its shafts, its branches, its bolds, the ornamental knobs; its flowers were off the same piece. So, all the way down to verse 24, the lamp stand is described. Why they need a lamp in there? Because there was no natural light, so simple as that and it was represented if yes but the priest would be unable to do any of his duties at all unless there was some kind of light. So, twice a day, morning and evening when the priest would go in to put incense on that Golden Altar before the veil, he would trend the lamps, put oil on the lamps. Make sure that it's continuously burning and by that he could see to do the rest of his duties.
Now, verse 25, look how fast we're going. After the golden lamp stand in the Altar of incense, from 25 to 28 is give and he made an incense altar of acacia wood. Its length was 1 cubit, that's 18 inches, its width was 1 cubit, I just said 18 inches and it's a--2 cubits was its height. So, 3 and a half feet tall by 18 inches square--has a nice little trim around it and four little protrusions or horns. Do you have related with pure gold etcetera.
So, twice a day, morning and evening my day begins, my day ends with the Lord I burn incense before Him which represents the prayers of the nation of Israel and the incense goes up. If the idea metaphorically as God going--the prayers are sweet to me. This representation is sweet to me. But, the fire for the Altar of incense, where did that fire originate? Where did that come from? It came from a coal from the altar in the outer court yard, the bronze altar where sacrifices were made.
So, a coal was taken from the sacrificial altar brought into the prayer or incense altar which tell the story there can be no approach without sacrifice. You can't hang out with God just because I want to hang out with God. You have to come the way of sacrifice. There can be no worship, no prayer without sacrifice and for us the fulfillment is there can be no relationship with God except for the cross of Christ. The only way to approach and have fellowship with God is through the blood of Jesus that had been shared for us.
By the way, that's why when we pray, it's one of the reasons we always end our prayers not by saying in the name Yahweh or in your name but we say in Jesus name. My approach is you utilizing the name of the Son of God s I approach God the Father. So, Jesus taught us to pray. In the name of the Son Jesus who would be the mediator of the new covenant and it go between within the new covenant.
Verse 29 which is the last verse of chapter 37 and our ending verse tonight speaks about the anointing oil and the incense that they were to make, the recipes have already been given. Verse 29, he also made the Holy Anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices according to the work of the perfumer.
So, Moses or let's put it this way. Mo(ph) who has the glow is over seeing the building of the tabernacle. His glow is fading because the very covenant that he is the mediator of is also fading. Now, we began by looking at a verse's scripture and Corinthians II chapter 3, I want to close there with me. Go to Corinthians II chapter 3 and we'll close and we'll pray. But, I wanted to read a little more than just that one verse.
Beginning in verse 7, Corinthians II, 3:7 But if the ministry of death is speaking out of the law, the law is the ministry of death he calls it. The Jewish Old Testament law is the ministry of death. If the ministry of death written and engraved on stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not steadily look at the face of Moses because of the glory of his covenants, which was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation have glory, the ministry of righteousness succeeds much more in glory for even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect because of the glory that excels for what for if what is passing away was glorious what remains is much more glorious.
Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech unlike Moses who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away but their minds were blinded for until this day, the same veil remains unlifted(ph) in the reading of the old testament because the veil is taken away in Christ. But, even to this day when Moses has read the veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty but we all with unveiled face beholding is in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed, notice that word into the same image from glory to glory just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We're living in the new covenant. The veil that was on our hearts that kept us from being able to see clearly the truth has been taken away in Christ. But, there's more. Please don't stop with, "I can see, I know the truth. I'm a new testament believer." Notice once more and we close verse 18, "We with unveiled face behold is a mirror of the glory of the Lord are being transformed." The word transformed is the word "Metamorphoo". That's the lexical form "Metamophoo". We get the term "Metamorphosis" means the total incomplete change. It's a word that is used to describe the larva that turns into the pupa that turns into the matured insect. Or a caterpillar turning into a butterfly goes to a metamorphosis. A complete and total in word and doe an out word change.
You've come to Christ great but sanctification growing in the Lord, becoming holier, stronger, more Godly is the process God is committed to and will be committed to until we die and go to heaven or the Lord comes to the rapture. He's committed to that total change. Please therefore, the legalism has its lour and a lot of people are loured by legalism. They love the boundaries and the parameters and the condemnation. Do you think who would love that?
But, there's a lot of people who love legalism. Why would you ever want to back and settle for something that pulses has faded away and was temporary? But, what is permanent is a liberty and ongoing metamorphosis change. I love that. It shows me that the Christian life isn't just about hearing music and singing to it and then listening to a speech once a week. It's going to be more to it than that. There is, it's a dynamic walk where we're changed from glory to glory to glory. So, don't settle for the old legalism. Be transformed into the life that is Christ.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the time we have spent in this three chapters and the time we spend in the book of Exodus and we're looking forward to finishing of these truths next week. Thank you Lord for Your commitment to our metamorphosis, to our sanctification as well as our salvation that the veil has been removed but our hearts are still being transformed, thank you Lord in Jesus name, Amen.