May 18th, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Completion Day, Glory Shown!

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Sovereign God, beneath Your rule I live, and within Your grace I stand. I gladly bless Your holy name.

Read Exodus 40:1-38

[1] Then the LORD said to Moses: [2] “Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the first month. [3] Place the ark of the Testimony in it and shield the ark with the curtain. [4] Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. [5] Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. [6] “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting; [7] place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it. [8] Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. [9] “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. [10] Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy. [11] Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them. [12] “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. [13] Then dress Aaron in the sacred garments, anoint him and consecrate him so he may serve me as priest. [14] Bring his sons and dress them in tunics. [15] Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue for all generations to come.” [16] Moses did everything just as the LORD commanded him. [17] So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. [18] When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. [19] Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the LORD commanded him. [20] He took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it. [21] Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD commanded him. [22] Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain [23] and set out the bread on it before the LORD, as the LORD commanded him. [24] He placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle [25] and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD commanded him. [26] Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting in front of the curtain [27] and burned fragrant incense on it, as the LORD commanded him. [28] Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. [29] He set the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings, as the LORD commanded him. [30] He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, [31] and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. [32] They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses. [33] Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. [34] Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. [35] Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. [36] In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; [37] but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out-until the day it lifted. [38] So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).

Think Further

For some months, Israel has been working towards the day when all the preparations for the tabernacle would be complete and the tent, which was to be God’s home among them, finally erected. But before the tent is erected, it is inspected by Moses (39:32-43) to ensure it complies with God’s instructions. It does! When it’s set up, again it is mentioned that “Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him” (40:16). In fact, obedience is mentioned four times from 39:32 to today’s reading (39:32,42,43; 40:16). Obedience to God’s will is essential to his blessing.

Next, Moses is instructed to “anoint the tabernacle and everything in it” (40:9) including the altar of burnt offering (40:10) and the priests (40:12-16). All were consecrated for God’s perpetual service. Note that as Moses erects the tent he does not do so in a pragmatic, merely efficient way but stops at several points to offer sacrifices (27,29). His work was an act of worship.

The glory of the Lord was associated with the ark, his throne, which was mostly hidden from view behind the “shielding curtain” (20,21). Except when Israel was on the move, it was hidden in the most holy place which was entered by the high priest alone, only once a year, and then only after special precautions had been taken (30:22-33).

Jesus, too, revealed the glory of God. Although we catch glimpses of his glory in his miracles, his true glory was revealed in a totally unexpected manner at the crucifixion. God’s glory is seen most not in acts of power but in an act of darkness, suffering and shame. God is so awesome that we cannot bear the sight of his pure glory, but in his grace he makes himself known sufficiently for our salvation.

Apply

How closely does your life comply with God’s instructions? Have you seen the glory of God in the dark times, or do you see him only in times of success and blessing?

Closing prayer

Lord, Yours is the glory. I pray for strength to be obedient to You and, in whatever way You choose, to reflect Your glory to others.

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