Exodus – God’s Way Out!
Hebrews – God’s Way Out for us!
When we are disobedient to God, sometimes we have to go back to what we knew about God and revisit what He asked us to be and do before we can move forward again. This is what is happening in the last chapters of Exodus.
God’s specific plans for worship which include the place and furnishings that all have special significance are revisited in these chapters. God has forgiven the “holy cow” experience which brought out evil’s worst in people and caused a broken relationship with Him. The relationship is restored because of Moses’ mediation on behalf of God’s people and the remorse of the people. “We will do what God says”, repeat God’s people. So God repeats his commands for His Tent of Dwelling. 
Repeatedly we read, “Moses and the people did exactly what God said”. For now, they have learned very important lessons about who God is and what He longs to have with us–a loving, trusting, forever relationship with Him.Exodus 35-40 – Passage snippets…
Chapter 35:
Moses spoke to the entire congregation of Israel, saying, “These are the things that God has commanded you to do:
2-3 “Work six days, but the seventh day will be a holy rest day, God’s holy rest day.
5-9 “Gather from among you an offering for God. Receive on God’s behalf what everyone is willing to give as an offering…
10-19 “Come—all of you who have skills—come and make everything that God has commanded…
20-26 So everyone in the community of Israel left the presence of Moses. Then they came back, every one whose heart was roused, whose spirit was freely responsive, bringing offerings to God for building the Tent of Meeting…27-29 Every man and woman in Israel whose heart moved them freely to bring something for the work that God through Moses had commanded them to make, brought it, a voluntary offering for God.
30-35 “See, God has selected Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. He’s filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and know-how for making all sorts of things, to design and work in gold, silver, and bronze; to carve stones and set them; to carve wood, working in every kind of skilled craft.
And he’s also made him a teacher, he and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He’s gifted them with the know-how needed for carving, designing, weaving, and embroidering in blue, purple, and scarlet fabrics, and in fine linen. They can make anything and design anything.”
Chapter 39 32 “The People of Israel did what God had commanded Moses. They did it all.”
42-43 The Israelites completed all the work, just as God had commanded. Moses saw that they had done all the work and done it exactly as God had commanded. Moses blessed them.
Chapter 40 Relationship between God and His people is restored
Moses and God’s people finished the work. Moses finished the work God gave Him to be and do.34-35 The Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Moses couldn’t enter the Tent of Meeting because the Cloud was upon it, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling.
36-38 Whenever the Cloud lifted from The Dwelling, the People of Israel set out on their travels, but if the Cloud did not lift, they wouldn’t set out until it did lift. The Cloud of God was over The Dwelling during the day and the fire was in it at night, visible to all the Israelites in all their travels.
THINK ABOUT IT
God promised to go with them. God always keeps His promises. The most important relationship we should have is with God, through Jesus Christ, His Son. Without Jesus we cannot see the Father, Jesus teaches his followers. (And us.)God also promises to be always be with us who believe and love him back. He will love us no matter what we’ve done or who we are. His love never changes for His created. But for God to go with us and be with us, we must be obedient to Him and learn to walk in His ways. God will never walk away from us. But sometimes we walk away from His Presence. The farther we walk away from the Light, the farther we go into Darkness.
The relationship between God and His people in the wilderness journey was restored through repentance, humble obedience (doing exactly what God told them to do in every detail), through sacrifice for their sins (animals with no flaws) along with willingness to give back to God (offerings and gifts) what was already His.
That was then. Today our relationship with God is restored by the blood sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Telling Jesus I’m sorry for my sins with a sincere humbled heart brings us back into a profound, forever relationship with God, our Father, our Creator, the One who loves us most and loves us unconditionally. Believing in Jesus saves us from death to life forever with Him. Following Jesus brings new life to our being, full of His peace, a new way of thinking, a deeper way to love and be loved. HERE’S THE PROOF…
Hebrews 10, Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’
8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
17 Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”
A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
TRUTHJesus did all that God commanded Him to do while He was on earth. Jesus was sent, from God, to seek and to save the lost. And Jesus did. His last words on earth, from the cross of final sacrifice for all our sins were, “It is finished”. Done. Complete. The relationship between God and mankind restored once more, once and for all, forevermore. Our part is to believe that He did.
HOLY PAUSE: Do you really believe what you say you believe is really real? Oh Lord,
Thank you. Thank you for completing the work, the sacrifice, the healing, the teaching, all from a place of profound, relentless love for us. I’m overwhelmed just thinking about how much and how deeply you love us. I know you are with us. Help us to love like you love.
In Jesus Name, Amen
