Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

[I apologise. Yesterday I got caught up in the making of things and did Chapter 39 then. Today will be a little short, but after that I’ll adjust the text so it’s all on the proper days.]

It had been exactly two weeks short a year since they had left Egypt. This was the first of the month and passover was on the 14th. Quite a year. Now everything was made and built and ready.

So Moses assembled it.

The tabernacle, the ark, the table, all the implements, then the stuff for the courtyard, including the walls and doors. Then it all needed to be anointed. Everything needed to be made holy before it could be used – especially the altar in the holy place. If the altar wasn’t holy, the rest would avail them nothing. In the same way, if Jesus hadn’t sacrificed Himself, the New Covenant would avail us nothing. The sacrifice is VITAL.

Aaron and his sons were brought to the entrance of the tabernacle. They were washed to cleanse them. Then Aaron was robed in the anointed robes. He was appointed and consecrated to be High Priest. Then his sons were robed in tunics and anointed for service.

In the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month it was set up and accomplished.

“And the cloud covered the tent of assembly, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:34)

You’ll notice as you go through that Moses was methodical and that he did it alone. It had been designed so well even one person could do it. As he went, he made sure everything was where it should be. For example, since the door to the compound always faced east. When Moses set up the table on the north side, it meant the candlestick was on the left and the table on the right when you entered the holy place.

Moses also made sure to obey all the instructions of the Lord. He set up the lamps and lit them – necessitating trimming them. So he offered incense on the altar, because they were to do that every morning when they trimmed the lamps (Exodus 30:1-9). When he set up the altar he offered burnt and grain offerings on it. He set up the laver so the priests could wash before entering the holy place (Exodus 30:17-20).

Once Moses had completed everything he had been commanded to do and everything had been put where he had been told to put them, THEN the glory of the Lord appeared. It covered the tabernacle and filled it. It got so full Moses couldn’t enter it.

This was the same cloud they travelled with. The cloud rested over the tabernacle by day, the pillar of fire by night, and when the cloud moved, they moved. When it stopped, they stopped. Their location and route was totally dependent on a physical manifestation of God. Yet again and again their hearts were not obedient. This entire generation didn’t make it to the Land of Promise. It shows what while we crave signs and wonders and visibly supernatural visitations, we cannot live long by them. We need a heart revelation and we need it from the Word, or it just won’t stick (John 17:17).

God’s visible presence remained with them night and day throughout all their journeys.

Summary

Key Players: Moses, Bezalel

Key Themes: Tabernacle, Completion, Visible Glory

Key Verse(s): Exodus 40:34-38