Tabernacle Construction Begins

Exodus 35-36

            After the interlude with the golden calf, the construction on the tabernacle begins. First, the offering is brought in. A couple of things to note: if we ask, “Where did an enslaved people get so much wealth,” the answer is, “From the Egyptians.” Remember the Egyptians people were both favorably inclined to the Israelites and desperate to have them leave and so gave them all sorts of, well, they weren’t really gifts, so call it plunder *Exodus 12:36). Second, the offering is from the willing (Exodus 35:21). Shall we assume it was a majority of the people or a minority who brought in most of the gifts? Honestly, they answer is that we don’t know. But no one was under compulsion. That matches what Paul tells us Christians, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). Third, the people’s generosity is more than is needed, so much so that Moses has to tell them to stop bringing gifts. There’s a lesson in there for us, too. Many churches live hand-to-fist. It would be nice if generosity for the Lord and His work was so great the churches had to say, “Enough!” Unfortunately, our world values things oddly: teachers, who prepare and shape the next generation, are often poorly paid; entertainment figures, who add very little of importance to the world, are highly paid. Imagine if churchgoers everywhere considered that the church offers everlasting life by distributing the gifts of God! How might they value that!

            Anyhow, the work begins, and the design and craftsmanship are described in great detail—again. Much of chapters 35-39 is repeated verbatim from chapters 25-28, 30-31. A few things on this detail and repetition. First, in an era when they didn’t draw pictures, the detailed verbal instructions were necessary to do the job correctly. Second, in an era in which instructions were received verbally, the repetition set them more firmly in the memory. Third, one key difference between the earlier chapters and these is the verb tense. First it was, “Do it this way.” Now it is, “They did it that way.” This highlights that the Israelites were indeed building the tabernacle exactly as the Lord had told them to. The most important thing to note here, though, the reason for the repetition and the detail and the emphasis on obedience is that the tabernacle formed the center of Israel’s life. We’ll read in Number 2 that the tabernacle was in the center of the camp with the tribes arranged around it. This physical arrangement highlighted the tabernacle’s spiritual position. At the end of this week, we’ll begin Leviticus and that complex series of offerings by which the Lord made Israel right with Him and with each other. All of that happened at the tabernacle. It’s almost impossible to overstate the function this particular tent would play in Israel’s spiritual life. No wonder, then, its construction is told in such detail! As a New Testament analogy, note that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all spend a huge part of their Gospels relating the stories of how Jesus died and rose. When it’s the most important thing, you don’t mind retelling the story.