1491 B.C.
(1-3. Before the work commences, they are reminded of the commandment as to the 6 days and the 7th, even in the making of the Tabernacle.)
Exodus 35:1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together and said unto them, "These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them:
2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be for you a holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
(Why is this verse demanding such strict respect for this day? This day, "the Sabbath" is a shadow of the real Thing, Jesus the Christ, that shall come in the future from this time of Moses. Our only true rest is in Christ.
Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, "As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest:" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
This verse in Exodus is what Paul was referring to. Jesus Christ is our Sabbath, so when you say the word Sabbath, what you are saying is the word "rest". When by faith we believe and repent and come unto The Sacrifice that Christ made on the cross, we find true rest in Him.
Hebrews 4:4 For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, "And God did rest the seventh day from all His works.
When you rest in Christ, it is automatically that your rest is to the Lord; to YHVH to be more specific.
Hebrews 4:5 And in this place again, "If they shall enter into My rest."
When we rest in the Lord, and by repentance we have life, eternal life, but when you rest in our own works for our salvation, there is no eternal life. Only Christ can give eternal life, and it was just as true in Moses day, as it is in our day. This is what Peter talked about in I Peter 3:18 - 20.
I Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
When Jesus gave up the Spirit while hanging on the cross, He went to that prison for the spirits of the souls of those that had died before, and preached to those souls. Many accepted and when Christ came out of the grave, they came with Him also. This is what Matthew told us about in Matthew 27:50 - 53.
Matthew 27:50-53 Jesus, when He cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up the Spirit. And, behold, the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."
Those dear souls that passed on prior to Christ's death were given the same chance of hearing the Word and accepting Christ just as you and I do today. The plan of God that was set from before the foundation of this earth age was set, was and is carried out in this second earth age of flesh man. God is setting the stage for the coming of His only Begotten Son that will take place some fifteen hundred years after the time Moses is preaching to these children of Israel, and the Ten Commandments, the instructions, the Tabernacle and all the things that go with the Tabernacle are shadows of things that are to come, when our Lord Jesus Christ comes into the World, and becomes the one and only sacrifice for sins for one and all times)
3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day."
4-35. THE MAKING OF THE TABERNACLE.
4-9. Free-will offering required.
10. Artificers called for.
11-19. The work described.
20-29. Free-will offerings given.
30-35. The work executed.
4 And Moses spoke unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
5 `Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD. Whosoever is of a willing heart,
(Notice the "willing" hearted, 35:5,22,29; the "wise" hearted, 35:10,25,35; 36:1,2,8; and the "stirred" heart, 35:21,26; 36:2.)
let him bring it, an offering of the LORD: gold and silver and brass;
(Is Moses promoting the passing of the offering plate with all sorts of promises given to those that did? No, first of all there must be a willing heart of the one that brought it, and it is to the Lord. Many churches never pass a plate, but have the plate out of the way, for God's people to bring it with their willing heart. When you give is it to a beggars bag, or to fulfill the needs of God from your willing heart. God has His ministry, and the way God comes to the lost in our age is by His people. He blesses us with our many gifts, and it is by our willingness to fulfill the plan of God that the work of the Lord will be fulfilled. If God has blessed you with gifts, how willing are you to use those gifts in doing the work of getting the gospel of Christ out to the lost. Friend, offerings must be from a willing mind, or your giving is not going to do you any good. When your mind is in a giving spirit, it is also open to the Spirit of God, and our Heavenly Father will start the blessings to flow right back to you.
The base of all prosperity and blessings flows from this verse. If the heart and mind of an individual is willing and open to God, and in a giving spirit, so is the flow of blessings that are returned from God to you. Don't get locked into thinking that you are buying gifts from God, no, He sees right into your mind and knows the motives of your giving, and it is from those motives that the blessings flow.)
6 And blue and purple and scarlet, and fine linen and goats' hair;
7 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood;
(So why is shittim wood chooses? because it signifies the Bruisers, God's elect that will make that stand in these last days.)
8 And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil and for the sweet incense;
(Of course the oil is Olive Oil, the oil of our people, and this oil is what the five virgins of Matthew 25 were out of, it represented the truth from God's Word that would keep them from being deceived right up to the time of our Lord's coming.)
9 And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.
(That breastplate had twelve stones in it, and each was set in place in according to the birth of the patriarch of each tribe. There are twelve tribes, and many people today know only of the one tribe, Judah, and they bunch all of the tribes into that one. Hosea told us how to identify the other 10 tribes that were part of the house of Israel.
Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, 'Ye are not My people', there it shall be said unto them, 'Ye are the sons of the Living God.' "
This writing of Hosea was written to the house of Israel that are living in the time of the end, for we know the Jews of the "house of Judah" do not claim to know or have anything to do with Jesus Christ, "the Living God". The tribes of the house of Israel are scattered around the world today number into the billions, unlike the Jews, and in those lands where they exist, they do not declare themselves of Israel, yet they are just as much part of Jacob as the Jews are today. Yet in those land where they live, they build their laws and faith on Jesus Christ, and they call themselves "sons of the Living God", or "Christians" after Jesus Christ.)
10 And every wisehearted among you shall come and make all that the LORD hath commanded:
(He is asking the people that if you have a trade and are committed to God, come and give of your talents to this work. This could apply to any church house today, or any ministry. If you have a gift that will help get the work done, pitch in and help.)
11 The tabernacle, his tent and his covering, his clasps, and his boards, his bars, his pillars and his sockets;
(Note the 42 items enumerated in vv. 11-19. The number 42 = Israel's oppression; First advent.)
12 The ark and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat and the veil of the covering;
(The mercy seat is the final resting place of our Lord within the holy of Holies, and represents the place where God communes with man. It is the seat of Christ, where mercy extends outwards from God to you.)
13 The table and his staves and all his vessels, and the showbread;
14 The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture and his lamps with the oil for the light;
(Again the oil is olive oil, and our use of the olive oil in anointing shows obedience of the person using it to God. Olive oil symbolizes truth and our Heavenly Father, no that oil doesn't do the healing, but it shows our obedience to God, and He does the healing and protecting when we are obedient to Him.)
15 And the incense altar and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle;
(When that inner curtain was rent in two at the time of our Lord's death, it allowed us to enter into that sacred place ourselves, and go directly to God. It destroyed that barrier from top to bottom, and took away the need for the sacrifice of lambs and goats. Christ became that sacrifice for one and all times, for he fulfilled that part of the law for each one of us.)
16 The altar of burnt offering with his brazen grate, his staves and all his vessels, the laver and his foot;
(Of course now these are done away with and put under the blood of Christ at the cross, when we by faith approach Him in repentance in Jesus name.)
17 The hangings of the court, his pillars and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court;
(There is symbolizing in each of these items. Jesus spoke of these pillars in Revelation 3:7 - 10 when He was addressing on of the two churches that He found favor with. The churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia knew something that the other five did not know, they knew who the Kenites were, "those that were of the synagogue of Satan, which say their are Jews, and are not, but do lie:"
Revelation 3:8 "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name."
Then those that have trusted in the Lord, read and studied His Word and kept the faith to the end of this earth age, the seventh and last trump; Jesus makes this promise.
Revelation 3:12 "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God; and I will write upon him My new name."
So when Moses talks about God's pillars, "His pillars" this then is symbolic of something yet to come. God pillars are those that have committed themselves to God, and after the great white throne judgment, they are the ones that shall walk into the new Jerusalem that is spoken of that comes down out of heaven for the eternity. So as we mention the word "Pillars" place yourself in that spot, for it is a shadow of things to come, when that pillar is in the eternal kingdom of God, and will not more be subject to the things of Satan and the evils as we know them in this world age. When you look to these pillars, you are looking at yourself, when you have that willing mind to serve God.)
18 The pegs of the tabernacle, and the pegs of the court and their cords;
19 The clothes of service to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office.'"
(When you approach the Lord in His Holy place, you come prepared to give honor and respect to the Lord. It is even important what clothing you wear in the temple of the Millennium age, even though you are in your spiritual incorruptible body at that time. You must be in the proper attire to even approach Christ in that Temple. Ezekiel 44:17 tells us how they shall be clothed, and clean, with their hair done up just right.
Ezekiel 44:17-18 And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.
Remember this chapter of Ezekiel is directed solely to the period of the Millennium age when Jesus kingdom is right here on earth. The seventh trump has sounded and all souls that were living in their flesh and blood bodies had been changed instantly into their new incorruptible bodies, as the angels have. Sweat is something that is common to only these physical bodies, and come when we are exercising that body, or undue mental pressures and stress come on us; so this is using something that we can relate to in these flesh bodies, to explain the ease and comfort that our Lord will provide for those that are of the elect and hold fast to His Word until His coming. However notice the same degree of detail is given to Moses priest's clothing, and to the priest's clothing of Christ's Millennium kingdom. The things that are with in the tabernacle are shadows of the things to come later.)
20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
21 And they came every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service and for the holy garments.
(We are not to mentally beat on people to give in their work in the church. God will move the people and give them a willing mind and spirit when it is truly His Work. Tell them to have a good day, and what the needs are, and allow God's Spirit to move on their heats and minds. Don't chase them. God opens willing minds to serve Him, and He provides the gifts that that individual will provide to the body of Christ. God has a plan, and He gives the gifts that are needed to accomplish that plan. This isn't talking about a building construction program, or some super preacher building up his little kingdom that draws attention to him: but God's plan for the spiritual building up of His church, His many membered body of Christ. This is done for the Kingdom of God.)
22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willinghearted, and brought bracelets and earrings, and rings and tablets, all jewels of gold; and every man who offered, offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.
(Many times a few women with a willing heart can do more for the Lord than a lot of men that want to sit around and talk. God has always had a role for woman in His ministry, for female participation in His Temple.
The people and Moses are getting together all the material that are necessary to build this Tabernacle for our Heavenly Father.)
23 And every man with whom was found blue and purple and scarlet, and fine linen
(Egypt was noted for it. The thread was dyed before being woven.)
and goats' hair, and red skins of rams and badgers' skins, brought them.
24 Every one who offered an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD'S offering; and every man with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service brought it.
25 And all the women who were wisehearted spun with their hands
(In Egypt the women did the dying and spinning; the men did the weaving and embroidering.)
and brought that which they had spun, both of blue and of purple, and of scarlet and of fine linen.
26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.
(A gift is something that your were given to accomplish something that is needed. "Wise mindedness" is also a gift from God, and many times this is a reason that there is a difference as to what we are to do, because all the people simply can't do the same job. Some are gifted to be skilled in one area, while other in another, and in the end the church will run smoothly. Some of the the people gifted of prayer, some teaching and preaching, while other singing and giving. This is no different than what we are seeing here in Exodus, and the building of the Tabernacle. We do not all have the same gifts, but we must give allowance to each person that God is leading, for something that God gives one person, will probably have a different meaning to other people. These are both spiritual and and physical meanings to most every verse in the Bible, and that is why it become so difficult for many people to just read the Word with understanding.)
27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate,
28 And spices, and oil for the light and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.
(God never put more on Moses than He could handle, for God used people from every tribe, throughout the entire camp.)
30. Bezaleel called.
31. Bezaleel filled.
32,33. His gifts.
34. Aholiab called.
35-. Aholiab filled.
-35. His gifts.
30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, "See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel (= in the shadow of God ) the son of Uri, the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah.
31 And He hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
(He was the engineer of the job, who oversaw the materials and labor and brought them together in order to get the final product; that being the Tabernacle, or house of God.)
32 And to devise skillful works, to work in gold and in silver and in brass,
(Each man or woman had their gifts, and all of the gifts were necessary in building the tabernacle of God.)
33 And in the cutting of stones to set them, and in carving of wood to make any manner of skillful work.
34 And He hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan.
35 Them hath He filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work of the engraver and of the skilled workman, and of the embroiderer in blue and in purple, in scarlet and in fine linen, and of the weaver --even of those who do any work and of those who devise skillful work."
(So as we are using our gifts and working together, we are reminded of what Paul said in Romans 12:9 - 13.
Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; and cleave to that which is good.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Romans 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Moses and the children of Israel worked in harmony to build the tabernacle of God out there in the wilderness, and that tabernacle was a shadow of what would come later, when our Lord came to this earth suffered and died so that His eternal tabernacle would come to pass. Every believer goes to make up the body of Christ, the Tabernacle of believers that work together to fulfill the plan of God. God works through people to do the job, and here in Romans 12 God is giving us instruction as to how the workmen and women are to go about their job in building Father's church in this earth age of flesh man. Notice that our instruction here are no different than what God gave Moses for the workmen of that tabernacle back in the wilderness. That tabernacle of Moses day was a shadow of what we have today, and will be in the eternal kingdom, and that is why it is important to see, and understand the plan of God, which is His Word. )