The differences in the offerings given by the people of Israel with the Golden Calf Incident (as I like to refer to it) and the building of the Tabernacle are striking. With the GCI, Aaron fashioned the idol with his own hands, and the people were told to bow down to it. With the Tabernacle, people gave generously and joyfully not only of their material ... [Continue Reading]
The Result of Being with the Lord (Genesis 34-35)
After Moses spent time with God in the renewal of the covenant and even subsequently after that, something very unique happened: his face shone brightly. I’m not sure exactly how brightly it shone, but apparently it was bright enough that people were fairly freaked out about it. Moses, not wanting to give anyone too bad of a fright, put a veil over his ... [Continue Reading]
It All Comes Down to This (Exodus 32-33)
Things were going so well for the Israelites until they made one big mistake: the Golden Calf Incident. Moses had been gone for a lengthy period of time (he was meeting with God on the mountain), and the Israelites became so restless for an intercessor with God that they decided to fashion one on their own. Sadly, they had just received the commandments and ... [Continue Reading]
Take a Day Off or Die (Exodus 31)
Is taking a day off really so important to God that a person should be put to death for violating the command? Apparently it is. The real question is: why? The answer is a little complex, but we have to start by remembering that God never gives us commands for the sake of Himself. The commands He gives us are for our benefit - not for ... [Continue Reading]
The Extreme Cost (Exodus 29-30)
When you read through the details of the Old Testament sacrifices, it quickly becomes obvious that sin is a serious problem. The cost for sin to the people of Israel was the sacrifice of an animal without blemish. The process was gruesome, and if you've ever smelled fresh blood that has been spilled, you realize that it was also probably fairly ... [Continue Reading]
A Call for Skilled Workers (Exodus 27-28)
There are a lot of details in this reading about how precise the ephod for the priests needed to be. The only people able to make such a delicate article for use in worship were skilled workers. So for the first time, we learn about the importance of a person using his gifts to help in the worship of the Lord. God wants us to use our gifts, talents, and ... [Continue Reading]
A Recognition of Holiness (Exodus 25-26)
God wanted to dwell with His people, so He instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle. It's amazing to consider the detail with which Moses was to build this. In creating so much detail, I can't help but think that God was communicating how important it was for the Israelites to remember that He is set apart and holy. As I've mentioned ... [Continue Reading]
Why Destroy? (Exodus 23-24)
I have heard a lot of people ask questions about God and why He appears to be so different in the Old Testament than He does in the new. Particularly, God can seem lacking in grace - such as when He tells Moses and the Israelites that they will blot out different peoples from the earth. How can a good God do such a thing? In order to understand the ... [Continue Reading]
Do Unto Others (Exodus 21-22)
When reading some of the Old Testament laws, it's easy to get distracted and think, "and how does this apply to me?" What's important to remember is that the laws God set forth were unprecedented during this time period. Life was cheap, and it wasn't uncommon to take someone else's life. Women were disregarded and ... [Continue Reading]
A Fresh Idea on Leadership (Exodus 18-21)
Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, was a God-send as it came to the administration of Israel. Had he not shared his unsolicited advice, the nation would have been limited by Moses' efforts to listen to every dispute that the Israelites came up with. Jethro observed this unfortunate situation taking place, and suggested that Moses might increase his ... [Continue Reading]
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