February 13 - Exodus 37:1-39:31

Good morning everyone,

This morning while you are reading you may wonder “haven’t I already read all of this detailed description for the construction of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the alter of incense, the alter of burn offering and so on?” 

To which I would reply, “why, yes you have.” 

Then you may wonder, “well, why is it in there again” 

To which I would reply, that 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” There are no empty or useless words in scripture, God has them there for a reason, we just need to read them and pray God will help us glean from them what He would have us glean. 

We also need to remember where and when these words were written. Moses wrote primarily to the Israelites, while transients, living in tents in a wilderness. They did not have the privilege of having a Bible all beautifully bound in any of several translations to read daily or refer to any time they wanted, so it would have been very beneficial for them to hear the same encouraging instructions over again. In addition to that, the Israelites had willfully given, not counting the fabric, jewels and other misc. items, 29 talents and 730 shekels of gold, a Hebrew equivalent of approximately 1,918 lbs. plus 100 talents and 1775 shekels of silver, a Hebrew equivalent of approximately 6,613 lbs., relating to a lot of monetary value. They probably did not see a whole lot happening with their money for many weeks. Think about all the work that was in need of being accomplished, it would have been a long process; People like to know how what they have donated is being used, so perhaps the reiterating of instructions was to encourage them in that the work is still in progress, that what they had given was being put to good use. Make sense?

While I was reading the description of the lampstand today, I couldn’t help but think about just how long and tedious the process for making it must have been with very little room for error. It was to be pounded, molded out of one piece of gold. It would not, at all, be like working with modeling clay which is easily bent into any position you want it to be. If you make a mistake with the clay you can very easily squish it back into a ball and begin all over again or remove the part that is not right and add more clay to correct the error. Gold on the other hand would have to go through a heating process, with the fire being 2000 degrees, just to refine it; then after it cools any molding or pounding could be done.

All that to say we are God’s gold, often we have to go through some heat, the refiners fire, to have our faith tested and to burn off the impurities of the world we pick up along the way, so God can mold us, sometimes pound us into all that He has in mind for us to be. Like Job said in 23:10 “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” I want you want, we should all want to claim that as well. I love that we have a God who does not take shortcuts, I love that we have a God that loves us so very much that He will take a life time working with us, helping us to be a shining reflection of God for all the world to see. Amen?

I pray you have a great day. To God be every bit of the glory.

God bless you all …