Exodus 40:18 – 33 “When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts. Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, just as the LORD had commanded him. Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark. Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.
Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. He also placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle and set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the veil, and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him. Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. He placed the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the LORD had commanded him.
He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing; and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet. They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar, and he hung the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.”
Reading this account, you would be forgiven if you wondered why so much repetition? After all, the instructions and specifications for the Tabernacle have been given multiple times. Why not just state that Moses completed everything as God wanted him to and be done with it?
The answer lies not in the initial establishment of the Tabernacle, but in the future organization of it. The Israelites were not exactly a compliant bunch of people! Given any opportunity at all, they veered off in weird directions. This account in the last chapter of Exodus was not merely a description of the first time the Tabernacle was being set up but it was also to serve as an example for all those who would be setting up and taking down the Tabernacle in the future. Moses wasn’t leaving anything to chance; he wanted to make sure that the Israelites realized that every detail was being done precisely as God had ordered.
APPLICATION: Oswald Chambers in his famous book “My Utmost for God’s Highest” talks about the need for believers to become entirely devoted to God. (July 31 “Becoming Entirely His”) Chambers writes: Many of us appear to be all right in general, but there are still some areas in which we are careless and lazy; it is not a matter of sin, but the remnants of our carnal life that tend to make us careless. Carelessness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. We should have no carelessness about us either in the way we worship God, or even in the way we eat or drink.
Not only must our relationship to God be right but the outward expression of that relationship must also be right. Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny.”
We live in a house riddled by termites. Before the house was ever built, there were large numbers of termite mounds on that ground. During the construction of the house 25 years ago, no attempts were made to deal with the termites. Perhaps people felt that because the house was constructed of cement block, there would be no problems. But over the years, the foundation has settled and cracks have developed, allowing termites access to the walls of our house. In the past, the termites have totally devoured two built in closets with their shelves. Only recently, my husband was attempting to replace a wall socket, only to find that once he removed the old one, the wall was full of termite mud. In addition, the termites were making inroads into the back side of my file cabinet in my office. Now we are faced with examining all our sockets in this end of the house to make sure the pesky creatures are not creating more problems.
If you had looked at that electrical outlet in my office this morning, you would never have known that there were termites lurking inside the walls. In the same way, many times we appear to be obedient believers; however, there are parts of us that have not been brought under God’s control.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” Just as Moses was careful to follow all God’s instructions to the letter, so we should endeavor to keep our hearts and consciences clear. You don’t want spiritual termites!
PRAYER: Father God, please help us to follow You completely and not partially. Help us to realize that our pet sins are just as devastating as termites to a building. Thank You for loving us and caring for us. Please change us into Your Image. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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