“The people of Isra’el did all the work just as Adonai had ordered Moshe. Moshe saw all the work, and — there it was! — they had done it! Exactly as Adonai had ordered, they had done it. And Moshe blessed them.“-Exodus 39:42-43
We’re going to finish Exodus chapter 39 today.
Recall this chapter was all about the construction of the Tabernacle and the fashioning of all its furnishings as well as of the priestly garments.
There’s one final point I wanted to mention about the priestly garments.
In the last post, we discussed the blue robe that reached from neck to ankle and had golden bells and pomegranates attached to its hem in alternating fashion.
Well, underneath the blue robe was a white tunic.
Now starting with this white tunic, the remaining garments were common to all priests irrespective of level of status or duty.
Even the turban (the head covering), also called a MITRE in Hebrew, was worn by all the priests.
The only difference is that attached to the High Priest’s turban was a head plate with the words “HOLY TO YHVH” engraved on it.
Finally, notice how the chapter ends.
The construction of the Tabernacle has been completed and we are given a very formal and sober recounting of all the work that had been done.
While all of these lengthy and detailed repetitions might seem a bit over the top for us, that was the custom and style of those days.
The concluding verses remind me of the last movement of a classical symphony, which pulls all the previously stated elements together as the piece moves towards a satisfying closure.
The people had done all that God had instructed in the EXACT MANNER as He had instructed and they were satisfied and proud of themselves for having done it.
When I say they were “proud and satisfied”, I mean this in a good way.
The takeaway I glean from this is that true inner satisfaction can ONLY come from obeying the Lord’s commandments.
Not kind of obeying nor trying to find some loophole to get out of having to obey certain instructions that we find troublesome or inconvenient.
It is only when we have obeyed the Lord’s commands that we can boldly go through this life guilt-free and be able to stand in the front of the Lord when He returns on that great and awesome day of which nobody knows the day or hour.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“If you love me, keep my commands.“
-John 14:15
Yeshua replied,
“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.
My Father will love them,
and we will come to them
and make our home with them.”
-John 14:23
“And then will I declare to them,
‘I never knew you;
depart from me,
you workers of lawlessness.’”
-Matthew 7:23
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN EXODUS CHAPTER 40
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