Monday, April 30, 2012

Reflections on Leviticus 5


    Leviticus 05 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. If you refuse to testify in court about something you saw or know has happened, you have sinned and can be punished.
  2. You are guilty and unfit to worship me, if you accidentally touch the dead body of any kind of unclean animal.
  3. You are guilty if you find out that you have accidentally touched any waste that comes from a human body.
  4. You are guilty the moment you realize that you have made a hasty promise to do something good or bad.
  5. As soon as you discover that you have committed any of these sins, you must confess what you have done.
  6. Then you must bring a female sheep or goat to me as the price for your sin. A priest will sacrifice the animal, and you will be forgiven.
  7. If you are poor and cannot afford to bring an animal, you may bring two doves or two pigeons. One of these will be a sacrifice to ask my forgiveness, and the other will be a sacrifice to please me.
  8. Give both birds to the priest, who will offer one as a sacrifice to ask my forgiveness. He will wring its neck without tearing off its head,
  9. splatter some of its blood on one side of the bronze altar, and drain out the rest at the foot of the altar.
  10. Then he will follow the proper rules for offering the other bird as a sacrifice to please me. You will be forgiven when the priest offers these sacrifices as the price for your sin.
  11. If you are so poor that you cannot afford doves or pigeons, you may bring two pounds of your finest flour. This is a sacrifice to ask my forgiveness, so don't sprinkle olive oil or sweet-smelling incense on it.
  12. Give the flour to a priest, who will scoop up a handful and send it up in smoke together with the other offerings. This is a reminder that all of the flour belongs to me.
  13. By offering this sacrifice, the priest pays the price for any of these sins you may have committed. The priest gets the rest of the flour, just as he does with grain sacrifices.
  14. The LORD told Moses what the people must do to make things right when they find out they have cheated the LORD without meaning to: If this happens, you must either sacrifice a ram that has nothing wrong with it or else pay the price of a ram with the official money used by the priests.
  15. (SEE 5:14)
  16. In addition, you must pay what you owe plus a fine of twenty percent. Then the priest will offer the ram as a sacrifice to make things right, and you will be forgiven.
  17. If you break any of my commands without meaning to, you are still guilty, and you can be punished. When you realize what you have done, you must either bring to the priest a ram that has nothing wrong with it or else pay him for one. The priest will then offer it as a sacrifice to make things right, and you will be forgiven.
  18. (SEE 5:17)
  19. (SEE 5:17)



    The sin offering, which is the fourth of the five sacrifices outlined in this handbook of sacrifices, carries into the first part of chapter five. Verses 14 and following in this chapter pick up with explanations regarding the fifth sacrifice, which is the guilt offering. Distinctions between these last two sacrifices are not totally clear. Generally speaking, though, the sin offering related to unintentional trespasses against another person whereas the guilt offering related to unintentional trespasses against "the LORD's holy things." (5:14)

    Four examples are given in the first verses of the chapter regarding trespasses requiring the sin offering. The first was the withholding of information regarding an act the person had witnessed. The second was the touching of anything unclean related to an animal, while the third was the touching of anything unclean related to humans. The fourth was to make a rash oath and then not keep it.  The offering involved confession of the sin and what was considered restitution for the sin by making a sacrifice. Depending on the person's financial means, his sacrifice could be something from the flock, such as a lamb or goat, a bird, such as a dove or pigeon, or fine flour.

    Beginning with verse 14 a transition is made to the guilt offering. This transition is noted with the words, "Then the LORD spoke to Moses." This phrase notes a change in subject. The Lord told Moses this: "If someone offends by sinning unintentionally in regard to any of the LORD's holy things."  (5:14, 15) So now the offense regarded the Lord's holy things. No examples are given, however, of what these types of sins might be other than to say the person violates "any of the LORD's commands concerning anything prohibited." (5:17) A person who makes such a violation bore "the consequences of his guilt." Thus the designation as a guilt offering. Restitution included compensation for whatever the loss of property was, either in silver or with an animal from the flock, plus a 20 percent fine. Then the person was to offer a sacrifice of a ram.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Reflections on Leviticus 4


    Leviticus 04 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. The LORD told Moses
  2. to say to the community of Israel: Offer a sacrifice to ask forgiveness when you sin by accidentally doing something I have told you not to do.
  3. When the high priest sins, he makes everyone else guilty too. And so, he must sacrifice a young bull that has nothing wrong with it.
  4. The priest will lead the bull to the entrance of the sacred tent, lay his hand on its head, and kill it there.
  5. He will take a bowl of the blood inside the tent,
  6. dip a finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times toward the sacred chest behind the curtain.
  7. Then, in my presence, he will smear some of the blood on each of the four corners of the incense altar, before pouring out the rest at the foot of the bronze altar near the entrance to the tent.
  8. The priest will remove the fat from the bull, just as he does when he sacrifices a bull to ask my blessing. This includes the fat on the insides, as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat. He will then send it all up in smoke.
  9. (SEE 4:8)
  10. (SEE 4:8)
  11. The skin and flesh of the bull, together with its legs, insides, and the food still in its stomach, are to be taken outside the camp and burned on a wood fire near the ash heap.
  12. (SEE 4:11)
  13. When the nation of Israel disobeys me without meaning to, the whole nation is still guilty.
  14. Once you realize what has happened, you must sacrifice a young bull to ask my forgiveness. Lead the bull to the entrance of the sacred tent,
  15. where your tribal leaders will lay their hands on its head, before having it killed in my presence.
  16. The priest will take a bowl of the animal's blood inside the sacred tent,
  17. dip a finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times toward the sacred chest behind the curtain.
  18. Then, in my presence, he must smear some of the blood on each of the four corners of the incense altar, before pouring out the rest at the foot of the bronze altar near the entrance to the tent.
  19. After this, the priest will remove the fat from the bull and send it up in smoke on the altar. Finally, he will burn its remains outside the camp, just as he did with the other bull. By this sacrifice the sin of the whole nation will be forgiven.
  20. (SEE 4:19)
  21. (SEE 4:19)
  22. Any tribal leader who disobeys me without meaning to is still guilty.
  23. As soon as the leader realizes what has happened, he must sacrifice a goat that has nothing wrong with it.
  24. This is a sacrifice for sin. So he will lay his hand on the animal's head, before having it killed in my presence at the north side of the bronze altar.
  25. The priest will dip a finger in the blood, smear some of it on each of the four corners of the altar, and pour out the rest at the foot of the altar.
  26. Then he must send all of the fat up in smoke, just as he does when a sacrifice is offered to ask my blessing. By this sacrifice the leader's sin will be forgiven.
  27. When any of you ordinary people disobey me without meaning to, you are still guilty.
  28. As soon as you realize what you have done, you must sacrifice a female goat that has nothing wrong with it.
  29. Lead the goat to the north side of the bronze altar and lay your hand on its head, before having it killed.
  30. Then a priest will dip a finger in the blood, he will smear some of it on each of the four corners of the altar and pour out the rest at the foot of the altar.
  31. After this, the priest will remove all of the fat, just as he does when an animal is sacrificed to ask my blessing. The priest will then send the fat up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. This animal is sacrificed so that I will forgive you ordinary people when you sin.
  32. If you offer a lamb instead of a goat as a sacrifice for sin, it must be a female that has nothing wrong with it.
  33. Lead the lamb to the altar and lay your hand on its head, before having it killed.
  34. The priest will dip a finger in the blood, smear some of it on each of the four corners of the altar, and pour out the rest at the foot of the altar.
  35. After this, all of the fat must be removed, just as when an animal is sacrificed to ask my blessing. Then the priest will send it up in smoke to me, together with a food offering, and your sin will be forgiven.



    In chapter 4 we come to the sin offering, the fourth of the five sacrifices outlined in this handbook of sacrifices that makes up the first seven chapters of Leviticus. The sin offering is specifically for sins committed unintentionally. There was no sacrifice for those sins committed with the intent of being disobedient. However, the Hebrew term used here is broad enough to include sins committed intentionally but not done so in defiance against the Lord.

    There are four sin offerings described in this chapter. They are not for four different kinds of sins, but for four different categories of people. The first category was the high priest, the second was the whole community, the next was a ruler of the people, and finally individuals among the people. We might wonder why there are differences among people. Aren't all people equal in God's eyes? We can understand the difference between individuals and the whole community. As for the high priest, he was the people's representative to God. He could not function in that role with unforgiven sin in his life. This left the people without a mediator. Rulers, or leaders of the people, are examples to those they lead. Their actions are influential on those who follow their leadership. So while all people are equal before God, the significance of their actions has varying impact depending on their position of responsibility.

    The differences between the four different sin offerings lies in the animal that is offered and in the use of the blood. In all four instances, the fatty portions of the entrails are burned on the altar as was done with the fellowship offering. This was because  "All fat belongs to the LORD." (3:16) With three of the four offerings the remaining meat of the animal was given to the priests for their food. The exception was the offering for the sin of the high priest. He could not eat the food from his own offering. The remaining meat of his offering was taken outside the camp and burned on a wood fire over a ceremonially clean ash heap. With all four sacrifices, the priest took the blood from the animal before the Lord, and dipped his finger in it. In the case of his own sacrifice and that for the whole community, he sprinkled some of it seven times before the Lord in front of the "veil of the sanctuary." Then he poured out the remainder at the base of the altar of burnt offering. With the sacrifice for rulers and individuals among the people, the priest simply dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar of burnt offering.

    Finally, there was the difference of animals offered in these four instances. The high priest brought an unblemished bull, the community a young bull, a ruler brought an unblemished male goat, and an individual brought either an unblemished female goat or female lamb.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Reflections on Leviticus 3


    Leviticus 03 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. When you offer sacrifices to ask my blessing, you may offer either a bull or a cow, but there must be nothing wrong with the animal.
  2. Lead it to the entrance of the sacred tent, lay your hand on its head, and have it killed there. A priest from Aaron's family will splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.
  3. Offer all of the fat on the animal's insides,
  4. as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat.
  5. Some of the priests will lay these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke with a smell that pleases me, together with the sacrifice that is offered to please me.
  6. Instead of a bull or a cow, you may offer any sheep or goat that has nothing wrong with it.
  7. If you offer a sheep, you must present it to me at the entrance to the sacred tent.
  8. Lay your hand on its head and have it killed there. A priest will then splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.
  9. Offer the fat on the tail, the tailbone, and the insides,
  10. as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat.
  11. One of the priests will lay these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke as a food offering for me.
  12. If you offer a goat, you must also present it to me
  13. at the entrance to the sacred tent. Lay your hand on its head and have it killed there. A priest will then splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.
  14. Offer all of the fat on the animal's insides,
  15. as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat.
  16. One of the priests will put these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke as a food offering with a smell that pleases me. All fat belongs to me.
  17. So you and your descendants must never eat any fat or any blood, not even in the privacy of your own homes. This law will never change.



    In this handbook on sacrifice that makes up the first seven chapters of Leviticus, the instructions are into the third type of sacrifice which is the fellowship offering. The burnt and grain offerings have preceded the fellowship offering in the two previous chapters. Only the procedure for the offering is given in this chapter. Its purpose, which is described elsewhere, was to rejoice before the Lord because of what He had done for the worshipers. It was a communal event in which the major portion of the sacrifice was eaten by the worshipers, their families, and a Levite.

    Since the major portion of the sacrificial animal was eaten as a communal meal, it will be noticed in the procedures that only the fatty portions of the animal were burned on the altar. With these instructions the Lord was establishing a "permanent statute" that "all fat belongs to the Lord." "Throughout your generations, wherever you live: you must not eat any fat or any blood." (3:16, 17)

    The procedure for the fellowship offering was very similar to that of the burnt offering. The animal could come from the herd or from the flock and must be without blemish. But a difference in the case of the fellowship offering was that it could be either a male or female animal. As with the burnt offering, the worshiper prepared the animal for the sacrifice. This involved laying his hand on the head of the animal as he killed it. Then he cut away the fat of the surrounding entrails and on the entrails along with the "two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins; he will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys." (3:4) All of this he presented to the priest who burnt it on the altar, placing it on top of the burnt offering. This burnt offering may be the daily burnt offering, offered by the priest on behalf of the community, or it may be that of the worshiper, offered just prior to the fellowship offering. As mentioned above, the remainder of the animal was eaten by the worshiper, his family, and a Levite. 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Reflections on Leviticus 2


    Leviticus 02 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. When you offer sacrifices to give thanks to me, you must use only your finest flour. Put it in a dish, sprinkle olive oil and incense on the flour,
  2. and take it to the priests from Aaron's family. One of them will scoop up the incense together with a handful of the flour and oil. Then, to show that the whole offering belongs to me, the priest will lay this part on the bronze altar and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
  3. The rest of this sacrifice is for the priests, it is very holy because it was offered to me.
  4. If you bake bread in an oven for this sacrifice, use only your finest flour, but without any yeast. You may make the flour into a loaf mixed with olive oil, or you may make it into thin wafers and brush them with oil.
  5. If you cook bread in a shallow pan for this sacrifice, use only your finest flour. Mix it with olive oil, but do not use any yeast.
  6. Then break the bread into small pieces and sprinkle them with oil.
  7. If you cook your bread in a pan with a lid on it, you must also use the finest flour mixed with oil.
  8. You may prepare sacrifices to give thanks in any of these three ways. Bring your sacrifice to a priest, and he will take it to the bronze altar.
  9. Then, to show that the whole offering belongs to me, the priest will lay part of it on the altar and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
  10. The rest of this sacrifice is for the priests, it is very holy because it was offered to me.
  11. Yeast and honey must never be burned on the altar, so don't ever mix either of these in a grain sacrifice.
  12. You may offer either of them separately, when you present the first part of your harvest to me, but they must never be burned on the altar.
  13. Salt is offered when you make an agreement with me, so sprinkle salt on these sacrifices.
  14. Freshly cut grain, either roasted or coarsely ground, must be used when you offer the first part of your grain harvest.
  15. You must mix in some olive oil and put incense on top, because this is a grain sacrifice.
  16. A priest will sprinkle all of the incense and some of the grain and oil on the altar and send them up in smoke to show that the whole offering belongs to me.



    As mentioned in the reflections for chapter 1, these first seven chapters of Leviticus serve as a handbook on sacrifice describing the procedures for the five sacrifices the Israelites were to offer to the Lord: burnt, grain, fellowship, sin, and guilt offerings. Chapter one described the burnt offering and chapter two describes the grain offering.

    There were two types of grain offering and multiple ways in which they could be prepared. The first type of grain offering consisted of grain that had been ground into fine flour. Olive oil was to be poured on the flour and frankincense put on top of it. This preparation was to be made by the worshiper and then the offering brought to the priests. The priests were to "take a handful of fine flour and oil from it, along with all its frankincense, and will burn this memorial portion of it on the altar." (2:2) The remaining portion of the offering belonged to the priests. This was referred to as the "holiest part of the fire offerings." In other words, it was the portion of the offering that was to be eaten only by qualified members of the priesthood. As described with the burnt offering, the grain offering that was burned on the altar was "a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the LORD." (2:2)  The grain offering using flour could also be baked in an oven, prepared on a griddle, or prepared in a pan.

    A second type of grain offering was the offering of firstfruits in which the grain was unground heads of grain. The heads of grain were to be fresh and to be crushed, roasted on the fire, and covered with oil and frankincense. As with the flour, the priest would take a portion to be burned "as a fire offering to the Lord." (2:16)

    What was the significance of the grain offering since there was no blood ritual involved? It perhaps recognized God's provision of daily needs. Especially with the firstfruits offering, it acknowledged God's covenant mercies in providing for the people. One can also wonder if it provides an image of Christ's substitutionary death as with His reference to grain falling into the ground and dying to bring forth fruit.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Reflections on Leviticus 1


    Leviticus 01 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. The LORD spoke to Moses from the sacred tent and gave him instructions for the community of Israel to follow when they offered sacrifices. Sacrifices to please me must be completely burned on the bronze altar. Bulls or rams or goats are the animals to be used for these sacrifices. If the animal is a bull, it must not have anything wrong with it. Lead it to the entrance of the sacred tent, and I will let you know if it is acceptable to me.
  2. (SEE 1:1)
  3. (SEE 1:1)
  4. Lay your hand on its head, and I will accept the animal as a sacrifice for taking away your sins.
  5. After the bull is killed in my presence, some priests from Aaron's family will offer its blood to me by splattering it against the four sides of the altar.
  6. Skin the bull and cut it up,
  7. while the priests pile wood on the altar fire to make it start blazing.
  8. Wash the bull's insides and hind legs, so the priests can lay them on the altar with the head, the fat, and the rest of the animal. A priest will then send all of it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
  9. (SEE 1:8)
  10. If you sacrifice a ram or a goat, it must not have anything wrong with it.
  11. Lead the animal to the north side of the altar, where it is to be killed in my presence. Then some of the priests will splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.
  12. Cut up the animal and wash its insides and hind legs. A priest will put these parts on the altar with the head, the fat, and the rest of the animal. Then he will send all of it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
  13. (SEE 1:12)
  14. If you offer a bird for this kind of sacrifice, it must be a dove or a pigeon.
  15. A priest will take the bird to the bronze altar, where he will wring its neck and put its head on the fire. Then he will drain out its blood on one side of the altar,
  16. remove the bird's craw with what is in it, and throw them on the ash heap at the east side of the altar.
  17. Finally, he will take the bird by its wings, tear it partially open, and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.



    Leviticus expresses "God's desire that His holiness be reflected in the life of His covenant people Israel." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)  The first seven chapters serve as a handbook on sacrifice, thus outlining procedures for the five types of sacrifice: burnt, grain, fellowship, sin, and guilt offerings. Chapter one begins with the burnt offering.

    Verse two says that burnt offerings can come either "from the herd or the flock." From the herd would be a bull and from the flock would be a sheep or goat. However, verse 14 also mentions an offering of a bird. Not everyone owned livestock, so accomodation was made to allow for the offering of a bird. In the case of livestock (from the herd or flock) an unblemished male was to be offered. The animal was to be brought to "the entrance to the tent of meeting" by the worshiper, "so that he may be accepted by the LORD." (1:3) The one being accepted by the Lord was the worshiper rather than the animal. The person making the offering was to place his hand on the head of the animal while he cut its throat, identifying himself with the death of the animal "so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him." (1:4)

    The worshiper was then to slaughter the animal and give it to the priests who would "present the blood and sprinkle it on all sides of the altar." (1:5) Next, the worshiper was to skin the animal and cut it into pieces and the priests would take the pieces and arrange them on the altar where they had prepared a fire to completely burn up the parts of the animal. Before the priests placed the entrails and shanks on the altar, the worshiper was to wash them with water. Throughout this procedure the person making the offering did the preparation of the offering, but the priests made the actual offering to the Lord on the altar. The animal was totally consumed by the fire on the altar with the exception of the hide.

    In the case of a bird offering, the whole procedure was handled by the priest, evidently due to the size of the offering. The crop of the bird was the only part not consumed on the altar. Whether livestock or bird, the burning of the offering was said to be "a pleasing aroma to the LORD." (1:17)

Monday, April 23, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 40


    Exodus 40 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. The LORD said to Moses:
  2. Set up my tent on the first day of the year
  3. and put the chest with the Ten Commandments behind the inside curtain of the tent.
  4. Bring in the table and set on it those things that are made for it. Also bring in the lampstand and attach the lamps to it.
  5. Then place the gold altar of incense in front of the sacred chest and hang a curtain at the entrance to the tent.
  6. Set the altar for burning sacrifices in front of the entrance to my tent.
  7. Put the large bronze bowl between the tent and the altar and fill the bowl with water.
  8. Surround the tent and the altar with the wall of curtains and hang the curtain that was made for the entrance.
  9. Use the sacred olive oil to dedicate the tent and everything in it to me.
  10. Do the same thing with the altar for offering sacrifices and its equipment
  11. and with the bowl and its stand.
  12. Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent and have them wash themselves.
  13. Dress Aaron in the priestly clothes, then use the sacred olive oil to ordain him and dedicate him to me as my priest.
  14. Put the priestly robes on Aaron's sons
  15. and ordain them in the same way, so they and their descendants will always be my priests.
  16. Moses followed the LORD's instructions.
  17. And on the first day of the first month of the second year, the sacred tent was set up.
  18. The posts, stands, and framework were put in place,
  19. then the two layers of coverings were hung over them.
  20. The stones with the Ten Commandments written on them were stored in the sacred chest, the place of mercy was put on top of it, and the carrying poles were attached.
  21. The chest was brought into the tent and set behind the curtain in the most holy place. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  22. The table for the sacred bread was put along the north wall of the holy place,
  23. after which the bread was set on the table.
  24. The lampstand was put along the south wall,
  25. then the lamps were attached to it there in the presence of the LORD.
  26. The gold incense altar was set up in front of the curtain,
  27. and sweet-smelling incense was burned on it. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  28. The curtain was hung at the entrance to the sacred tent.
  29. Then the altar for offering sacrifices was put in front of the tent, and animal sacrifices and gifts of grain were offered there.
  30. The large bronze bowl was placed between the altar and the entrance to the tent. It was filled with water,
  31. then Moses and Aaron, together with Aaron's sons, washed their hands and feet.
  32. In fact, they washed each time before entering the tent or offering sacrifices at the altar. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  33. Finally, Moses had the curtain hung around the courtyard.
  34. Suddenly the sacred tent was covered by a thick cloud and filled with the glory of the LORD.
  35. And so, Moses could not enter the tent.
  36. Whenever the cloud moved from the tent, the people would break camp and follow,
  37. then they would set up camp and stay there, until it moved again.
  38. No matter where the people traveled, the LORD was with them. Each day his cloud was over the tent, and each night a fire could be seen in the cloud.



    This final chapter of Exodus describes the setting up and consecration of the tabernacle and anointing of Aaron and his sons for the priesthood. First, God gives Moses instructions for setting up the tabernacle and the placing of the furniture. Then details are given of how Moses followed God's instructions. Seven times throughout this process Moses is said to have carried out the instructions "just as the LORD had commanded him."

    In the setting up of the tabernacle and its furniture, Moses served as a temporary priest until Aaron and his sons were installed as priests. After installing the gold altar in the tent, Moses "burned fragrant incense on it." (40:27)  When he had set the altar of burnt offering in place, he "offered the burnt offering and the grain offering on it, just as the LORD had commanded him." (40:29)

    When all of God's instructions had been carried out and the tabernacle was ready for use, the "glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" in a cloud that covered the tent. (40:34) As long as the cloud covered the tent, Moses was unable to enter it and the Israelites were unable to travel. So they stayed in camp when the cloud covered the tent, and traveled when the cloud lifted and then led the way for their journey. At night, there was a fire inside the cloud so that it was visible to the Israelites.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 39


    Exodus 39 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. Beautiful priestly clothes were made of blue, purple, and red wool for Aaron to wear when he performed his duties in the holy place. This was done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  2. The entire priestly vest was made of fine linen, woven with blue, purple, and red wool. Thin sheets of gold were hammered out and cut into threads that were skillfully woven into the vest.
  3. (SEE 39:2)
  4. It had two shoulder straps to support it and a sash that fastened around the waist.
  5. (SEE 39:4)
  6. Onyx stones were placed in gold settings, and each one was engraved with the name of one of Israel's sons.
  7. Then these were attached to the shoulder straps of the vest, so the LORD would never forget his people. Everything was done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  8. The breastpiece was made with the same materials and designs as the priestly vest.
  9. It was nine inches square and folded double
  10. with four rows of three precious stones: A carnelian, a chrysolite, and an emerald were in the first row,
  11. a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond were in the second row,
  12. a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst were in the third row,
  13. and a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper were in the fourth row. They were mounted in a delicate gold setting,
  14. and on each of them was engraved the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
  15. Two gold rings were attached to the upper front corners of the breastpiece and fastened with two braided gold chains to gold settings on the shoulder straps.
  16. (SEE 39:15)
  17. (SEE 39:15)
  18. (SEE 39:15)
  19. Two other gold rings were attached to the lower inside corners next to the vest,
  20. and two more near the bottom of the shoulder straps right above the sash.
  21. To keep the breastpiece in place, a blue cord was used to tie the two lower rings on the breastpiece to those on the vest. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  22. The priestly robe was made of blue wool
  23. with an opening in the center for the head. The material around the collar was bound so as to keep it from raveling.
  24. Along the hem of the robe were woven pomegranates of blue, purple, and red wool with a bell of pure gold between each of them. This robe was to be worn by Aaron when he performed his duties.
  25. (SEE 39:24)
  26. (SEE 39:24)
  27. Everything that Aaron and his sons wore was made of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, including their robes and turbans, their fancy caps and underwear, and even their sashes that were embroidered with needlework.
  28. (SEE 39:27)
  29. (SEE 39:27)
  30. "Dedicated to the LORD" was engraved on a narrow strip of pure gold,
  31. which was fastened to Aaron's turban. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  32. So the people of Israel finished making everything the LORD had told Moses to make.
  33. Then they brought it all to Moses: the sacred tent and its equipment, including the hooks, the framework and crossbars, and its posts and stands,
  34. the covering of tanned ram skins and fine leather, the inside curtain,
  35. the sacred chest with its carrying poles and the place of mercy,
  36. the table with all that goes on it, including the sacred bread,
  37. the lampstand of pure gold, together with its equipment and oil,
  38. the gold-covered incense altar, the ordination oil and the sweet-smelling incense, the curtain for the entrance to the tent,
  39. the bronze altar for sacrifices with its bronze grating, its carrying poles, and its equipment, the large bronze bowl with its stand,
  40. the curtain with its posts and cords, and its pegs and stands that go around the courtyard, everything needed for the sacred tent,
  41. and the finely woven priestly clothes for Aaron and his sons.
  42. When Moses saw that the people had done everything exactly as the LORD had commanded, he gave them his blessing.
  43. (SEE 39:42)



    Last item to be made for the tabernacle was the priestly garments. The garments were made in colors of purple, scarlet, blue, and gold, and consisted of an ephod, an embroidered breastpiece, a woven robe for the ephod, tunics of fine woven linen, a turban, and a gold plate that was fitted to the turban. Engraved on a seal within the gold plate were the words: "Holy to the Lord."

    Throughout the description of the making of the priestly garments is the comment that the items were made "just as the LORD had commanded Moses." With the completion of the priestly garments, the tabernacle construction was finished. Again, the comment is made that "The Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses." (39:32) With construction finished, all of the tabernacle parts were brought to Moses for inspection. When he saw that everything was "done just as the LORD commanded," he blessed them. (39:43)

    This must have been a high moment for the newly formed nation of Israel. To this point they had been rather reluctant in following the Lord to gain their freedom from Egypt and set out for a land the Lord had waiting for them. They had balked at several points, if not at every point. But with the construction of the tabernacle they began to capture the spirit of the newly formed covenant with God. They seemed to take pride in this project, giving freely what they had for the materials that would go into the making of the tabernacle and all its parts. And with the construction they were meticulous in all the details to follow the instructions given to Moses by the Lord. This was, no doubt, a very special moment.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 38


    Exodus 38 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. Bezalel built an altar of acacia wood for offering sacrifices. It was seven and a half feet square and four and a half feet high
  2. with each of its four corners sticking up like the horn of a bull, and it was completely covered with bronze.
  3. The equipment for the altar was also made of bronze--the pans for the hot ashes, the shovels, the meat forks, and the fire pans.
  4. Midway up the altar he built a ledge around it and covered the bottom half of the altar with a decorative bronze grating.
  5. Then he attached a bronze ring beneath the ledge at the four corners to put the poles through.
  6. He covered two acacia wood poles with bronze and
  7. put them through the rings for carrying the altar, which was shaped like an open box.
  8. Bezalel made a large bowl and a stand out of bronze from the mirrors of the women who helped at the entrance to the sacred tent.
  9. Around the sacred tent Bezalel built a courtyard one hundred fifty feet long on the south and north and seventy-five feet wide on the east and west. He used twenty bronze posts on bronze stands for the south and north and ten for the west. Then he hung a curtain of fine linen on the posts along each of these three sides by using silver hooks and rods. He placed three bronze posts on each side of the entrance at the east and hung a curtain seven and a half yards wide on each set of posts.
  10. (SEE 38:9)
  11. (SEE 38:9)
  12. (SEE 38:9)
  13. (SEE 38:9)
  14. (SEE 38:9)
  15. (SEE 38:9)
  16. (SEE 38:9)
  17. (SEE 38:9)
  18. For the entrance to the courtyard, Bezalel made a curtain ten yards long, which he hung on four bronze posts that were set on bronze stands. This curtain was the same height as the one for the rest of the courtyard and was made of fine linen embroidered and woven with blue, purple, and red wool. He hung the curtain on the four posts, using silver hooks and rods.
  19. (SEE 38:18)
  20. The pegs for the tent and for the curtain around the tent were made of bronze.
  21. Bezalel had worked closely with Oholiab, who was an expert at designing and engraving, and at embroidering blue, purple, and red wool. The two of them completed the work that the LORD had commanded. Moses made Aaron's son Ithamar responsible for keeping record of the metals used for the sacred tent.
  22. (SEE 38:21)
  23. (SEE 38:21)
  24. According to the official weights, the amount of gold given was two thousand two hundred nine pounds,
  25. and the silver that was collected when the people were counted came to seven thousand five hundred fifty pounds.
  26. Everyone who was counted paid the required amount, and there was a total of 603,550 men who were twenty years old or older.
  27. Seventy-five pounds of the silver were used to make each of the one hundred stands for the sacred tent and the curtain.
  28. The remaining fifty pounds of silver were used for the hooks and rods and for covering the tops of the posts.
  29. Five thousand three hundred pounds of bronze were given.
  30. And it was used to make the stands for the entrance to the tent, the altar and its grating, the equipment for the altar,
  31. the stands for the posts that surrounded the courtyard, including those at the entrance to the courtyard, and the pegs for the tent and the courtyard.



    Chapter 38 has three sections: completion of the tabernacle furniture, construction of the tabernacle courtyard, and an inventory of materials contributed by the people.

    Tabernacle furniture remaining to be built, leading into chapter 38, included the altar of burnt offering and the bronze basin. This account of constructing these items follows the instructions given to Moses on Mount Sinai, given in 30:17-21, with one additional note concerning the bronze basin. Here it mentions that the basin and its stand were made "from the bronze mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting." (38:8)

    Having completed the tabernacle furniture, Bezalel began construction of the courtyard. This included the posts and hangings (material that were held up by the posts) which formed the walls around the courtyard and the screen which served as a gate into the courtyard. The north and south walls were 150 feet in length requiring 20 posts and their bases to hold up the hangings which formed the walls. Each post and base were made of bronze. The east and west walls were 75 feet in length. The west wall required 10 posts and bases, while the east wall included a gate, so there were 3 posts and bases on one side of the gate and 3 more on the other side. Thus, the east wall was 22 1/2 feet on either side of the gate and the gate was 30 feet, making up the 75 foot wall.

    Moses had instructed the Levites to make an inventory of the offerings brought by the people for construction of the tabernacle. Verses 21 and following give an account of that inventory. The gold contributed by the people for the tabernacle totaled 1.1 ton, the silver was 3.7 tons, and the bronze 2.6 tons. Earlier in Exodus, a census was taken of the males 20 years of age and above, and they were to pay an annual tax of 1/2 shekel for operation of the tabernacle. 603,550 men of this age were registered. Multiplying this number by the 1/2 shekel accounts for the total silver contributed.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 37

    Exodus 37 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. Bezalel built a chest of acacia wood forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.
  2. He covered it inside and out with pure gold and put a gold edging around the top.
  3. He made four gold rings and fastened one of them to each of the four legs of the chest.
  4. Then he made two poles of acacia wood, covered them with gold,
  5. and put them through the rings, so the chest could be carried by the poles.
  6. The entire lid of the chest, which was also covered with pure gold, was the place of mercy.
  7. On each of the two ends of the chest he made a winged creature of hammered gold. They faced each other, and their wings covered the place of mercy.
  8. (SEE 37:7)
  9. (SEE 37:7)
  10. Bezalel built a table of acacia wood thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high.
  11. He covered it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it with a border three inches wide.
  12. (SEE 37:11)
  13. He made four gold rings and attached one to each of the legs
  14. near the edging. The poles for carrying the table were placed through these rings
  15. and were made of acacia wood covered with gold.
  16. Everything that was to be set on the table was made of pure gold--the bowls, plates, jars, and cups for wine offerings.
  17. Bezalel made a lampstand of pure gold. The whole lampstand, including its decorative flowers, was made from a single piece of hammered gold,
  18. with three branches on each of its two sides.
  19. There were three decorative almond blossoms on each branch
  20. and four on the stem.
  21. There was also a blossom where each pair of branches came out from the stem.
  22. The lampstand, including its branches and decorative flowers, was made from a single piece of hammered pure gold.
  23. The lamp and its equipment, including the tongs and trays, were made of about seventy-five pounds of pure gold.
  24. (SEE 37:23)
  25. For burning incense, Bezalel made an altar of acacia wood. It was eighteen inches square and thirty-six inches high with each of its four corners sticking up like the horn of a bull.
  26. He covered it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it.
  27. Then below the edging on opposite sides he attached two gold rings through which he put the poles for carrying the altar.
  28. These poles were also made of acacia wood and covered with gold.
  29. Bezalel mixed the oil for dedication and the sweet-smelling spices for the incense.



    Following the construction of the tent that housed the tabernacle, described in chapter 36, chapter 37 describes the making of the furniture that went in the tent. Six furniture items as described. They include:

    • Ark of the Covenant - contained the tablets of stone on which were written the ten commandments.
    • Mercy Seat - made of pure gold, including the two cherubim that were on it.
    • Table of Showbread - made of acacia wood and held the twelve loaves of bread, possibly representing God's provision for the twelve tribes of Israel.
    • Golden Lampstand - made from one piece of pure gold. It had six branches each with a cup in which olive oil burned perpetually.
    • Altar of Incense - fragrant incense was burned on this altar twice a day.
    • Anointing Oil and Incense - though not a furniture item, these were a significant part of the tabernacle, made from a special blend of ingredients that was not to be made for any other purpose.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 36

 
    Exodus 36 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. The LORD has given to Bezalel, Oholiab, and others the skills needed for building a place of worship, and they will follow the LORD's instructions.
  2. Then Moses brought together these workers who were eager to work,
  3. and he gave them the money that the people of Israel had donated for building the place of worship. In fact, so much money was being given each morning,
  4. that finally everyone stopped working
  5. and said, "Moses, there is already more money than we need for what the LORD has assigned us to do."
  6. So Moses sent word for the people to stop giving, and they did.
  7. But there was already more than enough to do what needed to be done.
  8. The skilled workers got together to make the sacred tent and its linen curtains woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with figures of winged creatures. Each of the ten panels was fourteen yards long and two yards wide,
  9. (SEE 36:8)
  10. and they were sewn together to make two curtains with five panels each.
  11. Then fifty loops of blue cloth were put along one of the wider sides of each curtain, and the two curtains were fastened together at the loops with fifty gold hooks.
  12. (SEE 36:11)
  13. (SEE 36:11)
  14. As the material for the tent, goat hair was used to weave eleven sections fifteen yards by two yards each.
  15. (SEE 36:14)
  16. These eleven sections were joined to make two panels, one with five and the other with six sections.
  17. Fifty loops were put along one of the wider sides of each panel,
  18. and the two panels were fastened at the loops with fifty bronze hooks.
  19. Two other coverings were made--one with fine leather and the other with ram skins dyed red.
  20. Acacia wood was used to build the framework for the walls of the sacred tent.
  21. Each frame was fifteen feet high and twenty-seven inches wide
  22. with two wooden pegs near the bottom. Then two silver stands were placed under each frame with sockets for the pegs, so they could be joined together. Twenty of these frames were used along the south side and twenty more along the north.
  23. (SEE 36:22)
  24. (SEE 36:22)
  25. (SEE 36:22)
  26. (SEE 36:22)
  27. Six frames were used for the back wall along the west side
  28. with two more at the southwest and northwest corners. These corner frames were joined from top to bottom.
  29. (SEE 36:28)
  30. Altogether, along the back wall there were eight frames with two silver stands under each of them.
  31. Five crossbars were made for each of the wooden frames, with the center crossbar running the full length of the wall.
  32. (SEE 36:31)
  33. (SEE 36:31)
  34. The frames and crossbars were covered with gold, and gold rings were attached to the frames to run the crossbars through.
  35. They made the inside curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, and embroidered with figures of winged creatures.
  36. They also made four acacia wood posts and covered them with gold. Then gold rings were fastened to the posts, which were set on silver stands.
  37. For the entrance to the tent, they used a curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with fancy needlework.
  38. They made five posts, covered them completely with gold, and set them each on a gold-covered bronze stand. Finally, they attached hooks for the curtain.

    In the previous chapter, Moses had gathered the people and given them the Lord's instructions. Along with instructions about observing the sabbath, he gave instructions for taking an offering to gather materials for construction of the tabernacle, and told them of the Lord's appointment of Bezalel and Oholiab to oversee construction of the tabernacle and train the workers. Chapter 36 tells of the follow through on these instructions. First, Bezalel and Oholiab were summoned along with "every skilled person in whose heart the LORD had placed wisdom, everyone whose heart moved him, to come to the work and do it." (36:2) These newly summoned workers moved the materials, brought to Moses as an offering to the Lord for building the tabernacle, to the construction site.

    Meanwhile, the people continued to bring materials daily. The offering of materials coming from the people was totally voluntary motivated by hearts willing to "bring this as the Lord's offering." (35:5) The people were enthusiastic about this project and gave so freely that the craftsmen went to Moses and said, "The people are bringing more than is needed for the construction of the work the LORD commanded to be done." (36:5) So an order was given to stop bringing the offerings.

    The remainder of the chapter is an account of the first phase of construction. This included the making of the curtains that formed the outter and inner walls of the tabernacle, the wooden frames that formed the framework of the tent, and the two entrance curtains, one dividing the interior of the tent into two chambers, and one at the entrance.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 35

 
    Exodus 35 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. Moses called together the people of Israel and told them that the LORD had said:
  2. You have six days in which to do your work. But the seventh day must be dedicated to me, your LORD, as a day of rest. Whoever works on the Sabbath will be put to death.
  3. Don't even build a cooking fire at home on the Sabbath.
  4. Moses told the people of Israel that the LORD had said:
  5. I would welcome an offering from anyone who wants to give something. You may bring gold, silver, or bronze,
  6. blue, purple, or red wool, fine linen, goat hair,
  7. tanned ram skin or fine leather, acacia wood,
  8. olive oil for the lamp, sweet-smelling spices for the oil of dedication and for the incense, or
  9. onyx stones or other gems for the sacred vest and breastpiece.
  10. If you have any skills, you should use them to help make what I have commanded:
  11. the sacred tent with its covering and hooks, its framework and crossbars, and its post and stands,
  12. the sacred chest with its carrying poles, its place of mercy, and the curtain in front of it,
  13. the table with all that goes on it, including the sacred bread,
  14. the lamp with its equipment and oil,
  15. the incense altar with its carrying poles and sweet-smelling incense, the ordination oil, the curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent,
  16. the altar for sacrifices with its bronze grating, its carrying poles, and its equipment, the large bronze bowl with its stand,
  17. the curtains with the posts and stands that go around the courtyard,
  18. the pegs and ropes for the tent and the courtyard,
  19. and the finely woven priestly clothes for Aaron and his sons.
  20. Moses finished speaking, and everyone left.
  21. Then those who wanted to bring gifts to the LORD, brought them to be used for the sacred tent, the worship services, and the priestly clothes.
  22. Men and women came willingly and gave all kinds of gold jewelry such as pins, earrings, rings, and necklaces.
  23. Everyone brought their blue, purple, and red wool, their fine linen, and their cloth made of goat hair, as well as their ram skins dyed red and their fine leather.
  24. Anyone who had silver or bronze or acacia wood brought it as a gift to the LORD.
  25. The women who were good at weaving cloth brought the blue, purple, and red wool and the fine linen they had made.
  26. And the women who knew how to make cloth from goat hair were glad to do so.
  27. The leaders brought different kinds of jewels to be sewn on the special clothes and the breastpiece for the high priest.
  28. They also brought sweet-smelling spices to be mixed with the incense and olive oil that were for the lamps and for ordaining the priests.
  29. Moses had told the people what the LORD wanted them to do, and many of them decided to bring their gifts.
  30. Moses said to the people of Israel: The LORD has chosen Bezalel of the Judah tribe.
  31. Not only has the LORD filled him with his Spirit, but he has given him wisdom and made him a skilled craftsman who can create objects of art with gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood.
  32. (SEE 35:31)
  33. (SEE 35:31)
  34. The LORD is urging him and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan to teach others.
  35. And he has given them all kinds of artistic skills, including the ability to design and embroider with blue, purple, and red wool and to weave fine linen.

    Following two 40-day stints on Mount Sinai by Moses to receive covenantal instructions from God with a near aborting of the covenant between those two stints, the covenant between God and His people, the Israelites, had become active as we read in chapter 35. The first act of life under the covenant was to build the tabernacle, the center of Israel's relationship with God. All else was dependent on their interaction with God which centered around the tabernacle. So Moses gathered the "entire Israelite community" and told them of God's commandments.

    The first commandment of which he spoke was regarding the sabbath observance. Their observance of the sabbath was a sign between God and Israel "throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the LORD who sets you apart." (31:13) Observance of the sabbath meant life or death, both spiritually and physically. It was this setting apart of themselves unto the Lord every seven days that would keep the heart of the covenant alive spiritually. Plus the commandment was given with the stipulation that failure to observe it resulted in execution of the one who did not observe it. To not observe the sabbath was to rebel against Him.

    Next, Moses told the people to take up an offering so the materials for building the tabernacle could be gathered. "Let everyone whose heart is willing bring this as the LORD's offering," he told them. Then he listed the materials that were needed. Any project on which God embarks is accomplished in partnership with His people. It is important that we have a hand in whatever He does so that we grow in the process and so our relationship with Him is strengthened. Neither happen as long as we are mere observers. Despite their earlier rebellion with the golden calf, they responded enthusiastically in this offering to the Lord for the building of the tabernacle. Scripture emphasizes that the offerings were given by "Everyone whose heart was moved and whose spirit prompted him." (35:21) It was a totally voluntary offering. And the offerings included not only possessions but also skills as, for example, women with a skill for making yarn brought what they had made.

    In addition to the possessions that were offered, mention is made concerning those who had been gifted as artisans specifically for the building of the tabernacle. The leader God appointed among the artisans was Bezalel. God gifted him not only with abilities "in every kind of craft," but He "filled him with God's Spirit, with wisdom, understanding." (35:31) Besides these gifts, God also gave him and another man, Oholiab, the ability to teach the necessary skills to other gifted artisans. This passage provides a beautiful illustration of how God operates with His people, lovingly involving us in whatever He does. He always provides us whatever is needed for our part in what He is doing. What greater sense of purpose and meaning can we find?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 34

 
    Exodus 34 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. One day the LORD said to Moses, "Cut two flat stones like the first ones I made, and I will write on them the same commandments that were on the two you broke.
  2. Be ready tomorrow morning to come up Mount Sinai and meet me at the top.
  3. No one is to come with you or to be on the mountain at all. Don't even let the sheep and cattle graze at the foot of the mountain."
  4. So Moses cut two flat stones like the first ones, and early the next morning he carried them to the top of Mount Sinai, just as the LORD had commanded.
  5. The LORD God came down in a cloud and stood beside Moses there on the mountain. God spoke his holy name, "the LORD."
  6. Then he passed in front of Moses and called out, "I am the LORD God. I am merciful and very patient with my people. I show great love, and I can be trusted.
  7. I keep my promises to my people forever, but I also punish anyone who sins. When people sin, I punish them and their children, and also their grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
  8. Moses quickly bowed down to the ground and worshiped the LORD.
  9. He prayed, "LORD, if you really are pleased with me, I pray that you will go with us. It is true that these people are sinful and rebellious, but forgive our sin and let us be your people."
  10. The LORD said: I promise to perform miracles for you that have never been seen anywhere on earth. Neighboring nations will stand in fear and know that I was the one who did these marvelous things.
  11. I will force out the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, but you must do what I command you today.
  12. Don't make treaties with any of those people. If you do, it will be like falling into a trap.
  13. Instead, you must destroy their altars and tear down the sacred poles they use in the worship of the goddess Asherah.
  14. I demand your complete loyalty--you must not worship any other god!
  15. Don't make treaties with the people there, or you will soon find yourselves worshiping their gods and taking part in their sacrificial meals.
  16. Your men will even marry their women and be influenced to worship their gods.
  17. Don't make metal images of gods.
  18. Don't fail to observe the Festival of Thin Bread in the month of Abib. Obey me and eat bread without yeast for seven days during Abib, because that is the month you left Egypt.
  19. The first-born males of your families and of your flocks and herds belong to me.
  20. You can save the life of a first-born donkey by sacrificing a lamb, if you don't, you must break the donkey's neck. You must save every first-born son. Bring an offering every time you come to worship.
  21. Do your work in six days and rest on the seventh day, even during the seasons for plowing and harvesting.
  22. Celebrate the Harvest Festival each spring when you start harvesting your wheat, and celebrate the Festival of Shelters each autumn when you pick your fruit.
  23. Your men must come to worship me three times a year, because I am the LORD God of Israel.
  24. I will force the nations out of your land and enlarge your borders. Then no one will try to take your property when you come to worship me these three times each year.
  25. When you sacrifice an animal on the altar, don't offer bread made with yeast. And don't save any part of the Passover meal for the next day.
  26. I am the LORD your God, and you must bring the first part of your harvest to the place of worship. Don't boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
  27. The LORD told Moses to put these laws in writing, as part of his agreement with Israel.
  28. Moses stayed on the mountain with the LORD for forty days and nights, without eating or drinking. And he wrote down the Ten Commandments, the most important part of God's agreement with his people.
  29. Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the Ten Commandments. His face was shining brightly because the LORD had been speaking to him. But Moses did not know at first that his face was shining.
  30. When Aaron and the others looked at Moses, they saw that his face was shining, and they were afraid to go near him.
  31. Moses called out for Aaron and the leaders to come to him, and he spoke with them.
  32. Then the rest of the people of Israel gathered around Moses, and he gave them the laws that the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
  33. The face of Moses kept shining, and after he had spoken with the people, he covered his face with a veil.
  34. Moses would always remove the veil when he went into the sacred tent to speak with the LORD. And when he came out, he would tell the people everything the LORD had told him to say.
  35. They could see that his face was still shining. So after he had spoken with them, he would put the veil back on and leave it on until the next time he went to speak with the LORD.

    Moses' first 40-day sojourn with God on Mount Sinai ended with a near dissolution of God's covenant with Israel as a result of Israel's first encounter with idolatry. The experience earned Israel God's description of her as a "stiff-necked people." But after Moses mediated on behalf of the people, God relented and decided not to destroy them or abandon them. In chapter 34 we read of God's renewal of the covenant.

    God had Moses cut two new tablets of stone to replace the ones he broke, and sent him back up the mountain for another 40-day stay. During this time God reiterated His covenant with Israel with a strong emphases on prohibition of idolatry. Neither was Israel to make treaties with other nations or inter-marry with other nationalities because it would lead her into idolatry. God also emphasized the importance of observing the sabbath. This observance was important both for their physical and spiritual well-being. Also emphasized were the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and Passover which God had instituted with them when they left Egypt. The Festival of Weeks and Festival of Ingathering, which were instituted at Mount Sinai were also emphasized in this renewal of the covenant.

    God told Moses of His faithfulness, both to forgive and to punish. Concerning His forgiveness, He said He was, "slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin." (34:6-7) But concerning His punishment He said He, "will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation." (34:7) This and similar passages are often misunderstood, thinking God to be unjust for punishing the innocent descendants of those who sin. But the "consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing" on their children and grandchildren is a natural outcome of the fathers' actions. When they turn away from God their children and grandchildren are influenced to turn away from God and the result is that the children and grandchildren are punished for their own sin. But it is a consequence of the fathers' sin.

    Moses descended the mountain after this second 40-day stay to a different scene than he found the first time. The people were not found worshipping an idol this time and Moses did not break the tablets of stone containing the ten commandments. This time Moses' face shone from being in the presence of God and the people were afraid to come near him. So Moses put a veil over his face which he removed each time he went to the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord. Then he would replace the veil when he left the tent. When Moses came out of the tent from speaking with the Lord he would tell the people what the Lord had said and his shining face gave evidence to them that he had indeed been with the Lord.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 33

 
    Exodus 33 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. The LORD said to Moses: You led the people of Israel out of Egypt. Now get ready to lead them to the land I promised their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
  2. It is a land rich with milk and honey, and I will send an angel to force out those people who live there--the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. I would go with my people, but they are so rebellious that I would destroy them before they get there.
  3. (SEE 33:2)
  4. Even before the LORD said these harsh things, he had told Moses, "These people really are rebellious, and I would kill them at once, if I went with them. But tell them to take off their fancy jewelry, then I'll decide what to do with them." So the people started mourning,
  5. (SEE 33:4)
  6. and after leaving Mount Sinai, they stopped wearing fancy jewelry.
  7. Moses used to set up a tent far from camp. He called it the "meeting tent," and whoever needed some message from the LORD would go there.
  8. Each time Moses went out to the tent, everyone would stand at the entrance to their own tents and watch him enter.
  9. Then they would bow down because a thick cloud would come down in front of the tent, and the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, just like a friend. Afterwards, Moses would return to camp, but his young assistant Joshua would stay at the tent.
  10. (SEE 33:9)
  11. (SEE 33:9)
  12. Moses said to the LORD, "I know that you have told me to lead these people to the land you promised them. But you have not told me who my assistant will be. You have said that you are my friend and that you are pleased with me.
  13. If this is true, let me know what your plans are, then I can obey and continue to please you. And don't forget that you have chosen this nation to be your own."
  14. The LORD said, "I will go with you and give you peace."
  15. Then Moses replied, "If you aren't going with us, please don't make us leave this place.
  16. But if you do go with us, everyone will know that you are pleased with your people and with me. That way, we will be different from the rest of the people on earth."
  17. So the LORD told him, "I will do what you have asked, because I am your friend and I am pleased with you."
  18. Then Moses said, "I pray that you will let me see you in all of your glory."
  19. The LORD answered: All right. I am the LORD, and I show mercy and kindness to anyone I choose. I will let you see my glory and hear my holy name,
  20. but I won't let you see my face, because anyone who sees my face will die.
  21. There is a rock not far from me. Stand beside it,
  22. and before I pass by in all of my shining glory, I will put you in a large crack in the rock. I will cover your eyes with my hand until I have passed by.
  23. Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back. You will not see my face.

    Repercussions of Israel's sin of idolatry are still seen in this chapter. God's anger was so great over Israel's forming an idol so soon after agreeing to a covenant with Him that forebid idols that He wanted to destroy them. But Moses interceded pointing out that the Egyptians would claim He had evil intent in taking them out of Egypt. He also pointed out that God "swore to Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel by Yourself and declared to them, 'I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.'" (32:13) God then changed His mind about destroying Israel.

    Though God changed His mind about destroying Israel, He was still angry with the people. In the first verse of this chapter God told Moses to leave Sinai and take the people to the land He had promised. He promised to send an angel ahead of them along the journey to protect them from the other nations. But God said that He, Himself, would not go with them. Because they were "a stiff-necked people," He feared He might destroy them on the way. (33:3) At this news, the people had the good sense to mourn.

    Since God withdrew His presence from the camp, Moses set up a tent outside the camp that he called "the tent of meeting." It was not, however, the tabernacle, also referred to as the tent of meeting, for which God had given him designs. Moses went to this tent when he wanted to meet with God. When he entered the tent a pillar of cloud would come over the tent, indicating the Lord's presence, and would remain over the tent until Moses left. The people watched and bowed in worship at the door of their tents as Moses met with the Lord outside the camp. Verse 11 tells us that "The LORD spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend." Out of this close relationship with God Moses asked God to "please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor in Your sight. Now consider that this nation is Your people." (33:12) At this, God relented and said, "My presence will go with you." (33:14) In response, Moses told God that if His presence didn't go with them not to make them leave where they were.

    To Moses, gaining the land God promised was no gain without God's presence. The joy was in the Lord, not in the land. This is a truth worth remembering. It is not in things or places or positions that we find joy and happiness. It is only possible with God. Moses went on to point out that it was God's presence with His people that distinguished them from all other people. He could not withhold His presence from them.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 32

 
    Exodus 32 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. After the people saw that Moses had been on the mountain for a long time, they went to Aaron and said, "Make us an image of a god who will lead and protect us. Moses brought us out of Egypt, but nobody knows what has happened to him."
  2. Aaron told them, "Bring me the gold earrings that your wives and sons and daughters are wearing."
  3. Everybody took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron,
  4. then he melted them and made an idol in the shape of a young bull. All the people said to one another, "This is the god who brought us out of Egypt!"
  5. When Aaron saw what was happening, he built an altar in front of the idol and said, "Tomorrow we will celebrate in honor of the LORD."
  6. The people got up early the next morning and killed some animals to be used for sacrifices and others to be eaten. Then everyone ate and drank so much that they began to carry on like wild people.
  7. The LORD said to Moses: Hurry back down! Those people you led out of Egypt are acting like fools.
  8. They have already stopped obeying me and have made themselves an idol in the shape of a young bull. They have bowed down to it, offered sacrifices, and said that it is the god who brought them out of Egypt.
  9. Moses, I have seen how stubborn these people are,
  10. and I'm angry enough to destroy them, so don't try to stop me. But I will make your descendants into a great nation.
  11. Moses tried to get the LORD God to change his mind: Our LORD, you used your mighty power to bring these people out of Egypt. Now don't become angry and destroy them.
  12. If you do, the Egyptians will say that you brought your people out here into the mountains just to get rid of them. Please don't be angry with your people. Don't destroy them!
  13. Remember the solemn promise you made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You promised that someday they would have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and that you would give them land.
  14. So even though the LORD had threatened to destroy the people, he changed his mind and let them live.
  15. Moses went back down the mountain with the two flat stones on which God had written all of his laws with his own hand, and he had used both sides of the stones.
  16. (SEE 32:15)
  17. When Joshua heard the noisy shouts of the people, he said to Moses, "A battle must be going on down in the camp."
  18. But Moses replied, "It doesn't sound like they are shouting because they have won or lost a battle. They are singing wildly!"
  19. As Moses got closer to the camp, he saw the idol, and he also saw the people dancing around. This made him so angry that he threw down the stones and broke them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.
  20. He melted the idol the people had made, and he ground it into powder. He scattered it in their water and made them drink it.
  21. Moses asked Aaron, "What did these people do to harm you? Why did you make them sin in this terrible way?"
  22. Aaron answered: Don't be angry with me. You know as well as I do that they are determined to do evil.
  23. They even told me, "That man Moses led us out of Egypt, but now we don't know what has happened to him. Make us a god to lead us."
  24. Then I asked them to bring me their gold earrings. They took them off and gave them to me. I threw the gold into a fire, and out came this bull.
  25. Moses knew that the people were out of control and that it was Aaron's fault. And now they had made fools of themselves in front of their enemies.
  26. So Moses stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, "Everyone who is on the LORD's side come over here!" Then the men of the Levi tribe gathered around Moses,
  27. and he said to them, "The LORD God of Israel commands you to strap on your swords and go through the camp, killing your relatives, your friends, and your neighbors."
  28. The men of the Levi tribe followed his orders, and that day they killed about three thousand men.
  29. Moses said to them, "You obeyed the LORD and did what was right, and so you will serve as his priests for the people of Israel. It was hard for you to kill your own sons and brothers, but the LORD has blessed you and made you his priests today."
  30. The next day Moses told the people, "This is a terrible thing you have done. But I will go back to the LORD to see if I can do something to keep this sin from being held against you."
  31. Moses returned to the LORD and said, "The people have committed a terrible sin. They have made a gold idol to be their god.
  32. But I beg you to forgive them. If you don't, please wipe my name out of your book."
  33. The LORD replied, "I will wipe out of my book the name of everyone who has sinned against me.
  34. Now take my people to the place I told you about, and my angel will lead you. But when the time comes, I will punish them for this sin."
  35. So the LORD punished the people of Israel with a terrible disease for talking Aaron into making the gold idol.

    After they had experienced God's amazing works performed on their behalf, the Israelites entered a covenant with God agreeing that they would have no other gods besides God and would not make an idol nor bow down to them or worship them. Hardly a month had passed since entering that covenant and they had already made an idol and bowed down to it. It might be argued that they were not worshipping another god, but had only made a representation of the true God. Whether true or not, it does not make their action any less reprehensible. Gauging by God's response to their actions, it is clear He did not consider it any small thing.

    Moses had been on the mountain with God 40 days. The people grew impatient for his return and claimed a concern that something had happened to him and he would not return. They said to Aaron, "Come, make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!" (32:1) Their voiced concern and the request they made do not necessarily line up. Were their concern merely for lack of a leader, they still had Aaron who had stood beside Moses through all that had transpired and who had been Moses' spokesperson through much of it. They could have simply asked him to lead them or asked him for advise. Instead, they came with a specific request indicating their conspiracy. Supposedly, this idol they requested was to become their god and was to go before them and lead them through the wilderness as God had done thus far on their journey. Aaron, who was to serve as high priest in this new covenant with God, failed in this role and as a leader by failing to make any attempt to turn the people from their intent. Instead of offering assurance concerning God and of Moses, he implemented their request for an idol.

    God was angry enough with them to destroy them and start over with Moses, making a nation of people through his descendants instead of Abraham's descendants. As tempting as that may have been, would it have turned out any differently? Was not Israel's on and off relationship with God symbolic of mankind in general? Do we not all have the same tendencies? Would not most of us have acted very similarly in the same situation? And, was not this whole affair between God and Abraham's descendants intended to depict the total inability of outward observances to make us right before God pointing mankind to the Messiah who could make us right with Him?

    Moses interceded on behalf of the people and turned God from His desire to destroy them, but they were not home free. On Moses' return to the Israelite camp he gathered the followers of God around him and sent them through the camp with swords to kill those who persisted in worship of the idol. 3,000 people were killed. Then Moses returned to the mountain and to God and further interceded for the people, asking God to forgive their sin. God told him to go back and lead the people to the place He had for them, "But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin." (32:34) God would go forward with His plan, but each would be held accountable for his sin. We are then told in verse 35 that "the LORD inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made."

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 31

 
    Exodus 31 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. The LORD said to Moses:
  2. I have chosen Bezalel from the Judah tribe to make the sacred tent and its furnishings.
  3. Not only have I filled him with my Spirit, but I have given him wisdom and made him a skilled craftsman who can create objects of art with gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood.
  4. (SEE 31:3)
  5. (SEE 31:3)
  6. I have appointed Oholiab from the tribe of Dan to work with him, and I have also given skills to those who will help them make everything exactly as I have commanded you:
  7. the sacred tent with its furnishings, the sacred chest with its place of mercy, the table with all that is on it, the lamp with its equipment, the incense altar, the altar for sacrifices with its equipment, the bronze bowl with its stand, the beautiful priestly clothes for Aaron and his sons, the oil for dedication and ordination services, and the sweet-smelling incense for the holy place.
  8. (SEE 31:7)
  9. (SEE 31:7)
  10. (SEE 31:7)
  11. (SEE 31:7)
  12. Moses told the Israelites that the LORD had said: The Sabbath belongs to me. Now I command you and your descendants to always obey the laws of the Sabbath. By doing this, you will know that I have chosen you as my own.
  13. (SEE 31:12)
  14. Keep the Sabbath holy. You have six days to do your work, but the Sabbath is mine, and it must remain a day of rest. If you work on the Sabbath, you will no longer be part of my people, and you will be put to death.
  15. (SEE 31:14)
  16. Every generation of Israelites must respect the Sabbath.
  17. This day will always serve as a reminder, both to me and to the Israelites, that I made the heavens and the earth in six days, then on the seventh day I rested and relaxed.
  18. When God had finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two flat stones on which he had written all of his laws with his own hand.

    This chapter completes God's instructions to Moses. To this point He had given Moses the ten commandments along with instructions for the tabernacle, its furnishings, the priests garments, and the anointing oil and incense. In this chapter God revealed that He had appointed and gifted certain men to make all of these objects, including the anointing oil and incense. Not only did He give them the skills, He gave them the wisdom and knowledge they would need. I wonder if this wisdom and knowledge was what they needed to fill in the details of design that were not given in the instructions to Moses. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to make all of these things to God's specifications based on the written instructions. I have to believe this was part of the gifting God gave these men along with the skills.

    A truth one can always depend on is that God never expects anything of us that He does not enable us to do. If left on our own, though, we are incapable of doing what He expects. It is a partnership. We are not a dog and pony act by which God amuses Himself. We are His creation with whom He desires a relationship. Thus, He gives us instructions regarding that relationship and then bonds us with Him by enabling us to do what we can only do by His empowerment. Any attempt on our part to follow God's instructions on our own, apart from Him, is only a poor imitation of what He intends, and does harm to the relationship rather than enhance it. We may fool ourselves into thinking we are obedient when we are actually rebelling by keeping our independence from God while doing religious things to give the appearance we are His friend.

    In the last verses of this chapter, once the instructions for the tabernacle were completed, God gave one last word concerning the sabbath which He had mentioned in the ten commandments. Observance of the sabbath by the Israelites was to be a sign of their covenant with God which they were to observe "throughout your generations." (31:13) It was to show to their descendants and all other people that "I am the LORD who sets you apart." (31:13) Strict instructions were given should anyone fail to observe it. A time would eventually come when the nation as a whole failed to observe the sabbath, and God dealt with them as a nation. At this point, however, the concern was for individuals who did not observe it. Thus the penalty was aimed at individuals, cutting them off from the community or putting them to death.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 30

 
    Exodus 30 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. Build an altar of acacia wood where you can burn incense.
  2. Make it eighteen inches square and thirty-six inches high, and make each of its four corners stick up like the horn of a bull.
  3. Cover it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it.
  4. Then below the edging on opposite sides attach two gold rings through which you can put the poles for carrying the altar.
  5. These poles are also to be made of acacia wood covered with gold.
  6. Put the altar in front of the inside curtain of the sacred tent. The chest with the place of mercy is kept behind that curtain, and I will talk with you there.
  7. From now on, when Aaron tends the lamp each morning and evening, he must burn sweet-smelling incense to me on the altar.
  8. (SEE 30:7)
  9. Burn only the proper incense on the altar and never use it for grain sacrifices or animal sacrifices or drink offerings.
  10. Once a year Aaron must purify the altar by smearing on its four corners the blood of an animal sacrificed for sin, and this practice must always be followed. The altar is sacred because it is dedicated to me.
  11. The LORD said to Moses:
  12. Find out how many grown men there are in Israel and require each of them to pay me to keep him safe from danger while you are counting them.
  13. Each man over nineteen, whether rich or poor, must pay me the same amount of money, weighed according to the official standards.
  14. (SEE 30:13)
  15. (SEE 30:13)
  16. This money is to be used for the upkeep of the sacred tent, and because of it, I will never forget my people.
  17. The LORD said to Moses:
  18. Make a large bronze bowl and a bronze stand for it. Then put them between the altar for sacrifice and the sacred tent, so the priests can wash their hands and feet before entering the tent or offering a sacrifice on the altar. Each priest in every generation must wash himself in this way, or else he will die right there.
  19. (SEE 30:18)
  20. (SEE 30:18)
  21. (SEE 30:18)
  22. The LORD said to Moses:
  23. Mix a gallon of olive oil with the following costly spices: twelve pounds of myrrh, six pounds of cinnamon, six pounds of cane, and twelve pounds of cassia. Measure these according to the official standards. Then use this sacred mixture
  24. (SEE 30:23)
  25. (SEE 30:23)
  26. for dedicating the tent and chest,
  27. the table with its equipment, the lampstand with its equipment, the incense altar with all its utensils,
  28. the altar for sacrifices, and the large bowl with its stand.
  29. By dedicating them in this way, you will make them so holy that anyone who even touches them will become holy.
  30. When you ordain Aaron and his sons as my priests, sprinkle them with some of this oil,
  31. and say to the people of Israel: "This oil must always be used in the ordination service of a priest. It is holy because it is dedicated to the LORD.
  32. So treat it as holy! Don't ever use it for everyday purposes or mix any for yourselves.
  33. If you do, you will no longer belong to the LORD's people."
  34. Mix equal amounts of the costly spices stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense, then add salt to make the mixture pure and holy.
  35. (SEE 30:34)
  36. Pound some of it into powder and sprinkle it in front of the sacred chest, where I meet with you. Be sure to treat this incense as something very holy.
  37. It is truly holy because it is dedicated to me, so don't ever make any for yourselves.
  38. If you ever make any of it to use as perfume, you will no longer belong to my people.

    Following instructions for the design of the Tabernacle and its furniture, the garments for the high priest, and consecration of the priests, instructions are given in chapter 30 for the Altar of Incense, a Tabernacle offering, the Brazen Laver, and the holy anointing oil and incense.

    The Altar of Incense was to be placed inside the tent in front of the curtain between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The high priest was to burn incense on it twice a day, morning and evening when he tended to the lamp. This was to be a perpetual practice. Once a year a purification rite was to be performed "on the horns of the altar," (30:10) using the blood of the sin offering which was to be placed on the horns. The burning of the incense on this altar symbolized prayers and intercession of the people going up to God as a sweet fragrance.

    For the support of the tabernacle, an offering was assessed of the people. Every male, 20 years of age and above, were to register and to give an annual offering of half a shekel. The poor were to give no less, and the wealthy no more. It was to "atone for your lives." (30:15) All lives were equal before the Lord. The Brazen Laver was a wash basin that was to be placed in the courtyard between the tent and the Brazen Altar. It was used by the priests to wash their hands and feet before approaching the altar or entering the tent. It was a permanent statute and resulted in death should it be overlooked.

    Finally, in this chapter, instructions were given for making the anointing oil and incense. This combination of ingredients for both the oil and the incense was not to be used for any other purpose. The anointing oil was used to "anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the table with all its utensils, the lampstand with its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand." (30:26-28) This anointing consecrated not only the objects that were anointed but anything that touched them. In addition to these objects, the priests were to be anointed. The incense made using the prescribed formula was used with the altar of incense.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Reflections on Exodus 29

 
    Exodus 29 (Contemporary English Version)
  1. When you ordain one of Aaron's sons as my priest, choose a young bull and two rams that have nothing wrong with them.
  2. Then from your finest flour make three batches of dough without yeast. Shape some of it into larger loaves, some into smaller loaves mixed with olive oil, and the rest into thin wafers brushed with oil.
  3. Put all of this bread in a basket and bring it when you come to sacrifice the three animals to me.
  4. Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the sacred tent and have them wash themselves.
  5. Dress Aaron in the priestly shirt, the robe that goes under the sacred vest, the vest itself, the breastpiece, and the sash.
  6. Put on his turban with its narrow strip of engraved gold
  7. and then ordain him by pouring olive oil on his head.
  8. Next, dress Aaron's sons in their special shirts
  9. and caps and their sashes, then ordain them, because they and their descendants will always be priests.
  10. Lead the bull to the entrance of the sacred tent, where Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on its head.
  11. Kill the bull near my altar in front of the tent.
  12. Use a finger to smear some of its blood on each of the four corners of the altar and pour out the rest of the blood on the ground next to the altar.
  13. Then take the fat from the animal's insides, as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and send them up in smoke on the altar.
  14. But the meat, the skin, and the food still in the bull's stomach must be burned outside the camp as an offering to ask forgiveness for the sins of the priests.
  15. Bring one of the rams to Aaron and his sons and have them lay their hands on its head.
  16. Kill the ram and splatter its blood against all four sides of the altar.
  17. Cut up the ram, wash its insides and legs, and lay all of its parts on the altar, including the head.
  18. Then make sure that the whole animal goes up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
  19. Bring the other ram to Aaron and his sons and have them lay their hands on its head.
  20. Kill the ram and place some of its blood on Aaron's right ear lobe, his right thumb, and the big toe of his right foot. Do the same for each of his sons and splatter the rest of the blood against the four sides of the altar.
  21. Then take some of the blood from the altar, mix it with the oil used for ordination, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes, and also on his sons and their clothes. This will show that they and their clothes have been dedicated to me.
  22. This ram is part of the ordination service. So remove its right hind leg, its fat tail, the fat on its insides, as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat.
  23. Take one loaf of each kind of bread from the basket,
  24. and put this bread, together with the meat, into the hands of Aaron and his sons. Then they will lift it all up to show that it is dedicated to me.
  25. After this, the meat and bread are to be placed on the altar and sent up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
  26. You may eat the choice ribs from this second ram, but you must first lift them up to show that this meat is dedicated to me.
  27. In the future, when anyone from Israel offers the ribs and a hind leg of a ram either to ordain a priest or to ask for my blessing, the meat belongs to me, but it may be eaten by the priests. This law will never change.
  28. (SEE 29:27)
  29. After Aaron's death, his priestly clothes are to be handed down to each descendant who succeeds him as high priest, and these clothes must be worn during the seven-day ceremony of ordination.
  30. (SEE 29:29)
  31. Boil the meat of the ordination ram in a sacred place,
  32. then have Aaron and his sons eat it together with the three kinds of bread at the entrance to the sacred tent.
  33. At their ordination, a ceremony of forgiveness was performed for them with this sacred food, and only they have the right to eat it.
  34. If any of the sacred food is left until morning, it must be burned up.
  35. Repeat this ordination ceremony for Aaron and his sons seven days in a row, just as I have instructed you.
  36. Each day you must offer a bull as a sacrifice for sin and as a way of purifying the altar. In addition, you must smear the altar with olive oil to make it completely holy.
  37. Do this for seven days, and the altar will become so holy that anyone who touches it will become holy.
  38. Each day you must sacrifice two lambs a year old,
  39. one in the morning and one in the evening.
  40. With each lamb offer two pounds of your finest flour mixed with a quart of pure olive oil, and also pour out a quart of wine as an offering. The smell of this sacrifice on the fires of the altar will be pleasing to me.
  41. (SEE 29:40)
  42. You and your descendants must always offer this sacrifice on the altar at the entrance to the sacred tent. People of Israel, I will meet and speak with you there, and my shining glory will make the place holy.
  43. (SEE 29:42)
  44. Because of who I am, the tent will become sacred, and Aaron and his sons will become worthy to serve as my priests.
  45. I will live among you as your God,
  46. and you will know that I am the LORD your God, the one who rescued you from Egypt, so that I could live among you.

    In the previous chapter we are given the design for the garments of the high priest. Chapter 29 describes the consecration of Aaron, the high-priest, and his garments along with his four sons who were to serve as priests under him. Also described is the consecration of Aaron's successor and of the ongoing daily burnt offerings that were to take place in the tabernacle.

    The consecration of the high-priest was a seven-day event beginning with three offerings on the first day followed by an offering on each succeeding day. On the first day of the consecration Moses was to meet Aaron and his sons in the tabernacle courtyard with a young bull, two rams, bread, cakes, and wafers. He was to ceremonially wash Aaron, then put on him the high-priestly garments. Then he would anoint him with oil on his head. Aaron's sons did not go through the washings or anointing but were dressed in a priestly garb, though not the same as the high-priest's garb.

    Following the rituals of consecration was a series of three offerings beginning with a sin offering. This involved a bull on which the priests placed their hands signifying their identification with the animal that died in their place. The second and third offerings involved rams. The first of these was a burnt offering in which the entire animal was consumed on the altar. Blood from the second ram was placed on the right ear, right thumbs, and right big toes of the priests signifying that they were cleansed and dedicated to God. Then parts of the ram were used, along with a loaf of bread, a cake, and a wafer, as a wave offering to the Lord. In this offering the elements were waved back and forth toward the altar to symbolize that the offering was being given to God. This all took place on the first day of consecration. Each of the remaining six days, a bull was to be offered as a sin offering. Verses 29-37 give instructions for the consecration of Aaron's successors, which was similar to Aaron's consecration, though it included a communal meal which is not mentioned in Aaron's consecration ceremonies.

    The chapter concludes with instructions for ongoing daily offerings that were to be made in the tabernacle. This involved the offering of a two-year old lamb in the morning and another at twilight. With the morning offering was included a flour offering and a drink offering of wine. And with the evening offering there was included a grain offering and a drink offering of wine.

    With the faithful administration of these details God promised to "dwell among the Israelites and be their God. And they will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God." (29:45-46)