The Book Of Exodus
Exodus 3:14 "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say
unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
CHAPTER 30:
Verses 1-10: Like the ark of the covenant and the table of shewbread, the altar of incense and the staves used to transport it are carved from shittim wood (v.1) and overlayed with gold. (v.3) (Exodus 37:25) (See photo above, courtesy of Logos Bible Software.) It’s a perfect square, 1 cubit by 1 cubit, and 2 cubits tall. (v.2) Around the top is a gold rim with a horn at each corner, and just below the rim are four rings for the staves. (v.3-4) The altar stands just in front of the veil that separates the holy place from the holy of holies where the ark of the covenant resides. (v.6) This altar is the furthest point the priest can go in the tabernacle except for once a year on the day of atonement. Twice a day, at morning and evening, when he is lighting the lampstand (v.7-8) (Exodus 27:20-21), Aaron is to also burn incense before the Lord. Just as with the lighting and trimming of the lamps, the burning of incense is a perpetual statute, an ordinance that is to be done always for all generations. In the Bible incense is often a physical representation of prayer. (Psalm 141:2, Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4) The continual offer of incense is a picture of the daily prayers of the Israelites offered up to God by the high priest. Because of what the incense represents, as well as the holiness of the tabernacle and all its furnishings, God is very clear in His commandment in verse 9 that only a specific type and recipe of incense is to be burned upon this altar. No other incense is to be used, nor is this altar to be used for any of the burnt, meat, or drink offerings that were described in the previous chapter. This one is for incense alone. As explained later in this chapter, to violate this commandment is to invite a judgment of instant death. (v.22-38) (Leviticus 10:1) Aaron is to consecrate this altar once a year with the blood of a sin offering by sprinkling it on each of the horns of the altar. (v.10) This, too, is a perpetual ordinance for all generations. Verses 11-16: Next, God institutes a system of taxation from all the children of Israel for the maintenance and upkeep of the tabernacle. (Exodus 38:25-26, Numbers 1:2, 26:2, 2 Samuel 24:2) God tells Moses to take a census of the people, and every male of twenty years and older is to give an offering of half a shekel (ten gerahs). (v.13-14) At this time in the ANE a shekel is a unit of weight. Coins did not come into being until centuries later. The Believer’s Bible commentary says this: “At the outset it was used to make silver sockets to support the boards of the tabernacle. Silver speaks of redemption, which is the foundation of our faith. Redemption is needed by all and is available to all on the same terms.” Half a shekel is affordable enough for both rich and poor (v.15), and this is called “atonement money” (v.16), meaning that each man is giving “…a ransom for his soul unto the Lord…”. (v.12) Not only does this provide the income for the necessary repairs and upkeep of the tabernacle, but it also serves as another reminder to the Israelites that they belong to God. According to the Holman commentators, “The need to pay a ransom…in order to avert a plague reminded everyone that the nation as a whole and its citizens belonged to the Lord. Their preservation depended ultimately on Him, not their military strength, wealth, or poverty.” Verses 17-21: The laver, or basin, of water is made of brass and placed between the door of the tabernacle and the brazen altar. (Exodus 38:8, 40:30, 1 Kings 7:38) Before entering the holy place or approaching the altar, Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet. (v.19-20) (Exodus 40:31-32, Psalm 26:6, Isaiah 52:11, John 13:8, 10, Hebrews 10:22) Commentary from my study Bible: “The altar of sacrifice dealt with the priests’ guilt, but something else was required for effective fellowship and worship in the tabernacle. The blood did not remove the defilement of sin. So before one could enter the presence of a holy God, sin had to be taken care of. We are freed from the guilt of sin and its penalty by the application of the blood (Romans 5:9), but there remains defilement of sin that comes through daily living and is cleansed by the washing of the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26, John 15:3).” This is why God repeats twice in verses 20-21 “…that they die not…”. To enter the holy place or to touch the altar of burnt offering without first cleansing himself by the washing of water means certain and immediate death for the offending priest. Verses 22-33: These verses give a recipe and instructions for the anointing oil that is used to consecrate Aaron and his sons as well as all the furnishings and utensils of the tabernacle. (Exodus 37:29, 40:9, Leviticus 8:10, Numbers 35:25, Psalm 89:20, 133:2) Verses 23-24 list the ingredients and their exact measurements. From the Holman Illustrated Bible Commentary: “The oil and incense for the tabernacle required costly ingredients (some coming from a great distance) and expert knowledge to compound them properly. Myrrh came from the sap of a tree found in Arabia and Ethiopia. Cinnamon came from the bark of a tree grown in Ceylon and Malaysia. Cassia may have come from a type of tree bark.” Everything from the tabernacle itself to the ark of the covenant, the table of shewbread, the candlestick, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering, the laver, and all the utensils are to be anointed and consecrated with the oil. (v.26-28) Verse 29: “And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.” For that reason, Aaron and his sons must also be anointed after washing themselves and putting on the robes as described in the previous chapter. (v.30) Verses 31-33 make it clear that this oil is to be used only for the tabernacle and the anointing of the priests. It’s not even allowed to touch the skin. This is why the anointing of the priests is done after they have put on all their garments and head coverings. To use the oil in any way or manner other than what is prescribed here, including preparing some for personal use outside of the tabernacle or to anoint a stranger (i.e. a non-Israelite), is to invite God’s immediate and fatal wrath. The offender “…shall even be cut off from his people.” (v.33) (Genesis 17:14, Exodus 12:15, Leviticus 7:20-21) Verses 34-38: These list the ingredients and recipe for the incense that is to be burned daily in the holy place. (Exodus 37:29) Like the spices for the anointing oil, these are extracted from various trees and/or plants native to this region of the ANE. As with the craftsmen that will be involved with the building of the tabernacle, the tradesmen who will mix the spices will be skilled in “…the art of the apothecary…”. (v.25) The same rule that applies to the oil also applies to the incense: anyone that does not use it exactly as prescribed by God “…shall even be cut off from his people.” (v.38) Take note of two of the key ingredients of the anointing oil and the incense: myrrh (v.23) and frankincense (v.34). These, combined with the presence of the gold that overlays all the furnishings within the tabernacle, explains some of the significance of the gifts of the Magi to Christ Jesus at His birth. (Matthew 2:11) This is yet another example of how the tabernacle and its elements are both a foreshadowing and a typology of Jesus Christ, our eternal High Priest. The holiness of God cannot be overstated. Every element of the tabernacle was described and instructed by God in specific detail. Everything – from the materials that made up the tabernacle itself, to the furnishings, to the robes of the priests, to the ingredients of the oil and incense – it all reflected God’s holiness and His attention to order and detail. The tabernacle was also sacred. It and everything related to it was to be held in the highest regard and utmost respect, because of the very fact that it was the house of the Lord. It was where He dwelt among His chosen people. Therefore the Israelites were to treat all things related to it with the same humble reverence and greatest awe that they reserved for God Himself. To do otherwise was the gravest of sins and punishable by immediate death. CHAPTER 31: Verses 1-11: The construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings, as well as the weaving of the curtains, the creation of the priestly garments, and the cutting and setting of the precious stones for the breastplate of judgment would require a wide variety of skills and knowledge from the children of Israel. To that end, God now tells Moses that He has selected two men, Bezaleel (v.2) and Aholiab (v.6) to oversee the building of the tabernacle. (Exodus 35:30, 34) These two will, essentially, be acting as the foremen for the project. The reference in verse 3 to being filled “…with the spirit of God…” and possessing wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are used in the same context in Proverbs 2:6. God states that He has already given these two – and many others among the congregation of Israel – the abilities “…to devise cunning works…” (v.4) “…in all manner of workmanship…” (v.5), including stone cutting, wood carving, sewing and weaving, the cutting and setting of the precious stones, and the knowledge of apothecary with regards to the creation of the anointing oil and the incense. The Lord says in verse 6, “…in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom…”. (Exodus 28:3, 35:10, 35, 36:1) He then lists in verses 7-11 all the things that need to be made, in essence recapping with a summary list the instructions that He had given Moses in chapters 25-30. He concludes with, “…according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.” This is another example of God supplying what is needed in order to carry out His commands. He doesn’t just tell Moses to get it done and then leave it at that. God also supplies the knowledge, skills and talent to many of the Israelites so that they can successfully follow through with His instructions and plans for the tabernacle. Verses 12-18: God concludes with a reminder to Moses about the 4th commandment. (Exodus 20:8) As the Israelites are building the tabernacle and its furnishings they need to remember to observe the Sabbath. (Leviticus 19:3, 30, 26:2, Ezekiel 20:12, 20) No work is to be done on the Sabbath, and any Israelite who violates this commandment is to be put to death. (v.14-15) God reiterates here the primary reason for this commandment: “..it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.” (v. 13) (Leviticus 20:8) The sabbath is to be a day of rest and devotion, a day in which all of Israel focuses completely on God through worship and reflection on all that He has done for them. The reason that God refers to this weekly observance as “a sign” is because it refers to the new covenant that God had established with Israel when he gave them the ten commandments, just after their arrival at Mount Sinai just a few weeks earlier. (Exodus 24:3, 8) The sentence of death for anyone who does not obey this commandment is meant to impress upon the Israelites the importance of this covenant and their obedience to Him as their Lord and savior. This covenant is a perpetual one, meaning that it is to be observed for all generations, not just the current one. (v.16) “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever…”. (v.17) The Moody Bible Commentary puts it this way: “Just as the Noahic covenant had an outward sign (the rainbow, Genesis 9:12-17) as did the Abrahamic covenant (circumcision, Genesis 17:9-22), so the sign of the Sinai covenant was the Sabbath.” Verse 17 concludes with, “…in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.” (Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:11) This is another reason that God commands His chosen people to keep the Sabbath. They are to follow His example when He completed the creation of the world and all that is in it. As noted earlier, many of the commandments and instructions that God laid down for the Israelites in the Mosaic Law were for their physical health and general well-being. God knew that the Israelites needed one day of rest at the end of each week from their labor in the previous six days, and so He prescribed the Sabbath as that day of physical rest and refreshment. The chapter closes with the statement that God gives Moses “…two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” (Exodus 24:12, 32:15-16, Deuteronomy 4:13, 5:22, 2 Corinthians 3:3) These are what God was referring to earlier in His instruction to Moses regarding the ark of the covenant. (Exodus 25:16) The description of “the finger of God” underscores the fact that it was God Himself who gave to Moses the law and all the instructions for the tabernacle, the Aaronic priesthood, and the system of sacrifices.
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