JULY 26, 2021 MERCY 148: THE BEAN COUNTERS HELP WRITE THE BIBLE!
Exodus 38:21 – 31 “This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, as recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the LORD had commanded Moses. With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.
All the gold from the wave offering used for the work on the sanctuary totaled 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. (The total weight of the gold was approximately 1.1 tons or 2200 lb./1000 kg.)
The silver from those numbered among the congregation totaled 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel— a beka per person, that is, half a shekel,i according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone twenty years of age or older who had crossed over to be numbered, a total of 603,550 men. (A beka is half a shekel, or approximately 0.2 ounce or 5.7 grams.)
The hundred talents of silver were used to cast the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent per base. (100 talents is approximately 3.77 tons or 3.42 metric tons of silver (7,540 lb./4,420 kg.)
With the 1,775 shekels of silver, he made the hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and supplied bands for them. (1,775 shekels is approximately 44.6 pounds or 20.2 kilograms of silver.)
The bronze from the wave offering totaled 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. He used it to make the bases for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar and its bronze grating, all the utensils for the altar, the bases for the surrounding courtyard and the gate of the courtyard, and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and the surrounding courtyard. (The total weight of the bronze was approximately 2.67 tons or 2.42 metric tons, 5,340 lb./2,420 kg.)
When we read the account of the Exodus in the Bible, the description of the Egyptians forcing their most cherished treasures on the Israelites doesn’t make much of an impression…. until you start reading the eye – popping amounts of gold, silver, and bronze that were used in the construction of the Tabernacle. Then there were also the huge amounts of fine linen and specially dyed yarns. Really, those Israelites practically STAGGERED out of Egypt, loaded down by all the jewelry, material, etc., their Egyptian neighbors had given them!
Just as remarkable as the huge amounts of treasure available is the detailed record keeping involved in these accounts. Reading this list, you realize that the ancient bean counters kept track of everything down to the last beka! (A beka is half a shekel, or approximately 0.2 ounce or 5.7 grams.)
Who were these ancient accountants who kept such accurate records? For the answer, we need to return to ancient Egypt again. When the Egyptians were selecting slave labor, it’s entirely possible that they may have trained a whole group of accountants. The Egyptians were dedicated record keepers as indicated by the scene from an Egyptian monument. Once the Israelites were traveling, these trained accountants were ready to practice their skills.
APPLICATION: Considering the accountants of the construction of the Tabernacle, it’s very easy to get mired down in the statistics and fail to realize the miracles hidden in these accounts. Consider the following:
1. God moved the Egyptians to donate everything that would later be required to construct the Tabernacle.
2. God protected those donated items so that they remained available when they were needed.
3. Not only did God equip Bazalel and Oholiab with skills, but He also equipped many other men and women who did much of the grunt work to create the Tabernacle furnishings.
4. When record keeping became necessary, God had trained accountants ready and waiting to exercise their skills. (One wonders which language they used to keep their records.)
We have a friend who is an accountants’ accountant. Those called to be accountants have a divinely – given need to make sure that columns of numbers add up, that statistics are accurately generated and reported, and that all accounts balance completely. For those with such gifts, reports that are clear, understandable, honest and correct are soul – satisfying.
Sometimes we wonder if God knows our names or even cares about us. We plod through our daily work, feeling that we are occupying endless ruts. But God views us differently. God gives different gifts and does not use a cookie cutter to create people. Each of us is completely unique and each of us has talents that God has built into us.
While Moses gets much of the attention in these passages, never overlook the little people! In God’s sight, the little people are just as important as the iconic leaders.
What gifts has God given you? Perhaps you are a hard worker or a compassionate care giver or a gifted artist. No matter what you think of yourself, remember that God has loved you so much that He has created you to delight in Him.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You that You have created people with diverse gifts and talents. Help us to see ourselves as You do, as people created for You to love. And help everyone who reads this devotional to accept Your gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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