Day 42 & 43 —  We are in the second month of 2024! Praise God! I hope that reading God’s Word has become a GOOD habit that will continue. (Note: SUNDAY’s readings are combined with MONDAY’s)

   Day 42 – Exodus 36-38  (Tabernacle construction)

After Israel sinned so grossly, and the LORD judged them, and then graciously renewed His covenant with them, it seems they are repentant and eager to obey.

They have a project. The construction of the beautiful place where God’s presence will dwell with them. (They’d been frightened that He would send them to the Promised Land….but not go with them!)

Chapter 36. Bezalel and Oholiab (whom God had chosen and empowered with skills and knowledge) stood ready. The people so generously donated to the work that these men had to tell Moses to make them stop. They had enough to do all the work and more.

Chapter 37. And so the work on the curtains and coverings, frames and bases, veil and screen, and utensils was begun and was accomplished by those God had skilled to do it. Then the gold covered, solid gold, or bronze furniture inside and out of the Tabernacle Tent, and finally the huge courtyard hangings, pillars, bases and pegs were all made.

Chapter 38. All was constructed, carved, embroidered, and covered in gold just as God had told Moses. And the Levites kept a record of all the materials used. (READ 38:24-31 carefully. It is jaw-dropping!)

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    Day 43 – Exodus 39-40 (Priests garments, erection of the Tabernacle, the glory of the LORD)  T

Chapter 39. The last of the instructions that God gave to Moses was about the holy garments that were to be worn by the priests in the LORD’s service. Bezalel and his skilled workers took on this task as well, completing it in all the magnificent and precise details.  And when Moses saw that all the work had been done just as the LORD had commanded, he blessed them.

Chapter 40. And so, exactly to the day, one year after leaving Egypt, the Tabernacle was erected and all it’s furniture put into place. Moses consecrated it all to God by anointing each item with the holy oil, including Aaron and his sons (after washing them).

Moses took the tablets of the law and put them into the Ark of the Covenant. He put the poles into the rings and the mercy seat on top and took it into the Most Holy Place. He erected the veil between it and the Holy Place. He then placed the Table of Showbread, the Lampstand, and the Alter of Incense, burning some of the sacred incense before the LORD.  Then he hung the outer curtain and went out of the Tabernacle. (Remember, Moses was a Levite as well.)

Next he set up the Bronze alter and offered burnt (animal) and grain offerings. He set up the basin for washing and filled it with water.  He supervised the erection of the outer court around the Tabernacle, and the gate of the court.  And it was finished.

Then the cloud of the Shekinah Glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle, a visual manifestation of the presence of God with Israel.

And Exodus ends.