November 6, 2020
The book of Exodus tells the story of the birth of the nation of Israel fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham. From the seventy descendants of Jacob, Israel was fruitful and multiplied greatly until they filled the whole land of Egypt. After four centuries of slavery, God answers the cries of His people for deliverance. God raises up Moses for this calling, to lead his people out of bondage to a land of promise and deliverance.
Some of the greatest stories of the Bible are featured in Exodus—from the Ten Plagues, and the Passover, to the crossing of the Red Sea, and the establishment of the covenant at Mount Sinai. The Passover lamb, the exodus from the land of Egypt, the seven feasts, the tabernacle, and even the high priest, are all foreshadows of the ministry of Christ.
Chapters 1-18 contains the events leading up to God’s delivering the Hebrews from their captivity in Egypt, and chapters 19-40 shares the events in the wilderness and the account of God’s instructions to Moses on Mount Sinai to direct the life and worship of the nation.
Exodus 37
Making the Ark
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold 5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. 6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 7 And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, 8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.
Making the Table
10 He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12 And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13 He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.
Making the Lampstand
17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold.
Making the Altar of Incense
25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, 27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. 28 And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
29 He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Reflection:
- Bezalel was a very busy man. He made the ark of the covenant, the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense. His job was extremely important and required him to follow every detail given by God in the construction of the furnishings to go into the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. These furnishings were constructed out of or overlaid with pure gold to signify the precious presence of God.
- Reflect on Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” What does this verse say about how you should view the work God has called you to?
- The altar of incense was just in front of the inner veil. Aaron was to burn incense twice a day, in the morning and evening, when he refilled the oil in the lamps. Jewish tradition holds that the priests would pray when they burned the incense.
- Reflect on what Psalm 141:2, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense.”
- Consider also John’s vision in Revelation 8:3-4, “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.”
- While there is a connection between the altar of incense and prayers before God, Paul mentions the believer’s life in Christ and incense. 2 Corinthians 2:15 reads, “Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing (NLT). What thoughts do you have about your very life being like a pleasing fragrance to God?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Most Holy God, I bow my heart before you today in reverence and worship. It humbles me to know that, in Christ, my life is a sweet aroma to you. Thank you for your forgiveness and grace. Thank you for replacing my unrighteousness with the righteousness of Christ. I bless your name and may this prayer of praise be a sweet aroma to you my Redeemer! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Dear Heavenly Father,
It is my desire each day to please You. I want my actions,words and deeds to be as a sweet aroma to You. Please help me as I try, yet fail daily, to honor You in every way. Protect me and my family from harm and unrighteousness and guide us to follow Your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Gracias mi padre amado por escogerme gracias por ser mi padre celestial tuyo es el reino y la tierra grande es tu misericordia padre ayúdame a serte siempre fiel y no desviarme de tu camino lléname de tú santo espíritu quiero sentir tu dulce y suave aroma tu amor es grande te pido perdona a mí familia todas las bendiciones ten piedad de cada uno de nosotros llévate el COVID y que podamos ver tú gloria no más el poder del hombre sobre la tierra sino el tuyo mí padre amado porque tú eres nuestro Dios grande omnipotente que todo lo puede en nombre y por amor de tu hijo amado amén ?
AMEN AND HALLELUJAH!!!! LORD MY GOD I LOVE YOU SO. I WANT TO HONOR YOU EVERYDAY. I WANT TO READ YOUR WORD. PLEASE KEEP MY FAMILY SAFE FROM HARM. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY,AMEN
Father,
May we never fail to praise your Holy Name. You, LORD, alone are worthy of our uplifted hands.
Accept our prayers and answer our cries. Cleanse our lives of all wicked ways. May nothing hinder our worship of you.
As we humble ourselves in prayer seeking your face, may we turn from our wicked ways, hear our pleas and forgive our corporate sins and heal our land.
For only you, LORD, can right the wrong in our land.
Answer our prayer for the sake of Jesus Christ your son,
Amen
Heavenly Father, may we spread everywhere the fragrance of Christ today. Help us to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to You. Enable us to be an irresistible influence for Your glory on earth.
Purest metal (gold) was used on the inside of the ark and less pure was used on the outside (courtyard). This symbolized the closer to God you are , the purer you will be.
Father not till this year did I realize your will for my life was to be a caregiver and when I keep telling my church family I want to serve the Lord and do something for him they tell me I am. I have been a caregiver for 44 years to three loved ones dedicating my life to care for them. It has been a hard road and I am tied now that I am older and have the aches of a 65 year old woman but if not for my Lord Jesus Christ I could not get up every day to take care of my husband he is the hardest I have had to care for. My father said he would never leave nor forsake me and I hold on to this scripture.
Lord, everything I do I will do it to please you. Help me to be a sweet aroma to You.
Help me Lord do everything with excellence, that I would be a living sacrifice, and worship you in all I do.
Please Dear God Bless the United States of America’s, and ALL people that live here, may we have Peace, Love, and so very Blessed to have Freedom! Amen?????????????