Exodus 37: 1-29 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Exodus 37:1-29. When you begin to understand God’s calling on your life, you’ll find that you actually resemble the furniture that Bezalel and his team made for the tabernacle. How so? Let’s find out.
Exodus 37:1-9 (NIV)
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood–two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
2 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.
3 He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.
6 He made the atonement cover of pure gold–two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
7 Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover.
9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.
On verses 1-9: Here Bezalel makes the ark. Notice the parallels between the ark and our lives today:
– Like the ark which was wooden but covered in gold, we’re wooden, fragile and breakable, but we are covered in something extremely precious, in fact more precious than gold; we’re covered with the blood of Jesus.
– Just as the ark contained the two tablets showing the Ten Commandments, so God has written His laws on our hearts such that now, like the ark, we are the depository for the Word of God.
– Just as the atonement cover with two cherubim facing one another was called the mercy seat, and was the place where God would meet with the high priest, so it is by God’s mercy that through Jesus Christ’s blood covering our lives we can meet with Him.
– Just as the ark represented the presence of God and was to be carried by the Israelite camp wherever they go, so we were meant to carry God’s presence wherever we go.
Exodus 37:10-16 (NIV)
10 They made the table of acacia wood–two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.
11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it.
12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim.
13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were.
14 The rings were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table.
15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold.
16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table–its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.
On verses 10-16: Like the ark, the table was wooden but overlaid in gold and had the special purpose displaying the 12 loaves of showbread. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are like that table in that we too are fragile and breakable, but we are covered in something incredibly precious, which is the blood of Jesus, and we are also made to display the bread of life, who is Jesus Himself. As Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Exodus 37:17-24 (NIV)
17 They made the lampstand of pure gold and hammered it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms were of one piece with it.
18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand–three on one side and three on the other.
19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand.
20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms.
21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair–six branches in all.
22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.
23 They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold.
24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent of pure gold.
On verses 17-24: Unlike the ark and the table which were both wooden but overlaid in gold, the lampstand was made of solid pure gold and carried 7 lamps. Just as the lampstand was made to hold and shine a light, so you and I were made to let our light shine for God’s glory. As Jesus says in Matthew 5:14-16:
Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT2)
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Like the lampstand, no matter where you go, may you shine your light for Jesus.
Exodus 37:25-28 (NIV)
25 They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high–its horns of one piece with it.
26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it.
27 They made two gold rings below the molding–two on opposite sides–to hold the poles used to carry it.
28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
On verses 25-28: Like the ark and the table, the altar of incense was meant to be carried using wooden poles overlaid with wood. Let it be a reminder that our faith too should be portable, that wherever we go and whatever we do, we bring our faith with us, rather than just keeping it in one spot.
Exodus 37:29 (NIV)
29 They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense–the work of a perfumer.
On verse 29: When it came to making the sacred anointing oil and the incense, Bezalel didn’t do it himself or get just anybody to do it; rather he specifically commissioned a perfumer to make them. Likewise, when there’s an important and specialized job to do, rather than just doing it yourself, it is wise to involve a specialist, someone who has the experience and the expertise to do the job with excellence. It takes humility and wisdom to know when it’s best to refer a case to a specialist instead of doing it yourself.
Father, thank You for every lesson we can learn from Your Word today. Thank You that like the ark, we are fragile and easily broken, but we are covered in something incredibly precious, and the Word of God lives in us. Thank You that like the table, we were made to display Jesus the Bread of Life for people to see. Thank You that like the lampstand, we were made to shine a light for Your glory. Thank You that like the altar of incense, our faith and prayer life were meant to be carried with us wherever we go. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
