APPRECIATING CRAFTSMANSHIP (PART 6)

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze. They made all its utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.

Exodus 38:1-7

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

After covering the construction of the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant which would be located in The Most Holy Place section of the tabernacle, and the three components within The Holy Place – the table for the Showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense, we see attention shifting to the courtyard as we begin the study of Exodus, chapter 38. There, the main item of attention would be the bronze altar of burnt offering and in the first seven verses of this chapter, we read about how it was built.

They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze. They made all its utensils of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.

Before we get into the construction, here’s what we need to know about how the altar would be used.

First, we know the altar was for burnt offerings so it would be important to know what God had commanded about them. For that information, we go to the first chapter of the Book of Leviticus:

The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.”

“‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord. You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. You are to slaughter the young bull before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. You are to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. The sons of Aaron, the priest, are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.”

“‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, you are to offer a male without defect. You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar. You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water, and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.”

“‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon. The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. He is to remove the crop and the feathers and throw them down east of the altar where the ashes are. He shall tear it open by the wings, not dividing it completely, and then the priest shall burn it on the wood that is burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.”

Here, we learn just how the Lord expected the burnt offerings to be carried out. Essentially, these were living animal sacrifices of either bulls, goats, or sheep, all of which needed to be “male without defect”, or doves or young pigeons. The different animals accepted by God were to ensure that everyone could afford to provide an offering if needed as birds were inexpensive so that even the poorer Israelites could purchase one.

So what was the spiritual significance of these burnt offerings?

Going back to Leviticus, we read where the sacrificed animals would be “accepted” by the Lord on the behalf of the person making the offering “to make atonement” for them. And so the sacrificing of the animals or birds was to gain forgiveness from God for sins that had been committed with the smell of the burning sacrifice being “pleasing to” Him.

We should also note how the sons of Aaron, the priests who served under their father who was the high priests, would be the ones responsible for carrying out the sacrifices at the altar, whether it was first building the fire or splashing the blood of the sacrifice on the altar, or burning the sacrifice itself.

What was the altar of burnt sacrifice made of?

The scriptures tell us the altar was made of acacia wood, the same wood used for all the other articles because of its strength and durability. Like the altar of incense, we read where this altar was square with horns projecting up from the four corners of the altar. This single piece of craftsmanship made from the acacia wood would be overpaid with bronze, a step down in metal quality from the gold that overlaid the ark of the covenant, table for the Showbread, and the altar of incense. Additionally, we see where all the altar utensils – “the pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans” – were also made of bronze.

“Halfway up the altar”, under its ledge, there was a bronze grating where the wood would be burned for the sacrifices. Additionally, there were four “bronze rings” made and attached to the “four corners of the bronze grating”. Like with the ark of the covenant, table for the showbread, and altar of incense, “poles of acacia wood” were made and in the case of the altar of burnt offering, overlaid with bronze.

How big was this altar?

We read where it was “three cubits high” and “five cubits long” with a width of “five cubits”. As we have discussed in the prior messages in this series, a cubit was approximately eighteen inches or the distance between one’s elbow and the end of the middle finger. Given this, the altar of burnt offering was four and a half feet high, seven and a half feet long, and seven and a half feet wide.

As we close, anyone could bring a burnt offering at any time to seek atonement but God did prescribe times when the priests were to offer up atoning sacrifices for Israel as a whole. This included the morning and evening of every day and on every Sabbath, as well as the beginning of each month, at Passover, with the new grain/firstfruits offering during the Feast of Weeks, during the Feast of the Trumpets, and at the time of a new moon.

My hope is that through this series, you are gaining a lot of knowledge regarding the tabernacle, the Israelite’s portable worship center, and the components of it. The work was remarkable and should leave us with a great appreciation for the Israelite artisans who displayed amazing craftsmanship.

We’ll continue to look at the courtyard in tomorrow’s message.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

APPRECIATING CRAFTSMANSHIP (PART 5)

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

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** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.

Exodus 37:25-29

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

The tabernacle, ark of the covenant, table for the Showbread, and the golden lampstand.

All were amazing works of craftsmanship by God-empowered, skill-blessed craftsmen back in the Old Testament times prior to the Israelites even getting to the Promised Land and becoming a nation, works that we have admired and appreciated over the first four messages in this special series.

Today, we come to the closing verses of Exodus, chapter 37 and the construction of the altar of incense that would be placed in The Holy Place along with the table for the Showbread and the golden lampstand. Look again at how it was built here:

They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. They made two gold rings below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer. Vv.25-29

Like the tabernacle, ark of the covenant, and table for the showbread, we see where the altar of incense was constructed out of “acacia wood”, the strongest, most durable wood available in those days.

Note that this altar also had “horns of one piece with it”. In all, there were four horns projecting from each corner of the altar, the same number that would be on the altar of sacrifice located in the tabernacle’s courtyard. These horns on the altars had several symbolic meanings, representing God’s power as well as His shelter and refuge, atonement, and judgment.

What was the size of the altar of incense?

We read where it “was square” with dimensions of “a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high”. Knowing that a cubit was around 18 inches or the length from one’s elbow to the end of their middle finger, we know the altar was relatively small, a foot and a half long and wide and three feet tall.

Once built to these dimensions with the projecting horns, the altar was “overlaid” with “pure gold” on its “top and all the sides and the horns”. The altar also had “gold molding around it”.

Like the ark of the covenant and the table for the Showbread, the altar of incense had four gold rings placed at each corner so two poles, both made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold could be placed through so to carry the altar from place to place as the Israelites journeyed.

Finally, we see where a “perfumer”, another person with special skills given by the Lord, “made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense” that would be burned on the altar, a pleasant aroma to the Lord who would abide on the other side of the curtain within The Holy Place.

Before we close this message, it’s important to know that this altar of incense was to burn every morning and evening as Aaron, the high priest, attended to the lamps of the golden lampstand that provided light to The Holy Place. Look at this command from God found in Exodus, chapter 30:

“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.” Vv.7-8

Further, God placed some restrictions on the proper use of this altar for offerings:

“Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. Once a year, Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.” Vv.9-10

So there you have it, the construction of the last of three items that would occupy The Holy Place in the tabernacle, another simply incredible work of craftsmanship, without the benefit of sophisticated tools or technology, to honor the Lord God Almighty.

Simply amazing, for sure.

Tomorrow, we move out of The Holy Place to the courtyard and look at the altar of burnt offering.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

APPRECIATING CRAFTSMANSHIP (PART 4)

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

They made the lampstand of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent[e] of pure gold.

Exodus 37:17-24

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In yesterday’s message of this series where we are appreciating the craftsmanship displayed by the Israelite artisans who constructed the tabernacle and its accessories in accordance with God’s specific instructions, we looked at the building of the table that would hold the showbread and other articles used for the drink offerings. This table was to be placed within The Holy Place section of the tabernacle and twelve fresh loaves of bread would be placed on it every Sabbath day by members of the Kohathite clan of the tribe of Levi.

Now, it’s important to note that there were no windows within The Holy Place and so a source of light would be needed. Thus the necessity of the item we read of in today’s message, the lampstand. Look again at those words here:

They made the lampstand of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent of pure gold. Exodus 37:17-24

Like the tabernacle and all other components up to now, we see where gold was a main material used for the making of the lampstand. We read where “one talent of pure gold” was used and this was equal to anywhere between 75 and 1200 pounds. That’s a lot of pure gold which made this lampstand of high value. Today’s it’s estimated that 75 pounds of gold would be worth just short of two million dollars.

Looking at our passage, we see where the lampstand had very intricate design to it. For there would be one central shaft coming from the base and from that shaft would be three branches on either side, each extending and rising to be parallel to the top of the main shaft. Onto the top of the shaft and the six branches were placed “flowerlike cups” which would hold the oil that would burn and project light into the space. The branches also had almond blossom and bud shapes on them.

Once this lampstand was placed in The Holy Place, it would burn continuously, a command made by God in this passage from Leviticus, chapter 24:

The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. Outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. The lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord must be tended continually.

Here we learn that it was “clear oil of pressed olives” that was provided by the Israelites “so that the lamps” could “be kept burning continually”. We also see where it was Aaron’s responsibility as the high priest to “tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually”. This would be a “lasting ordinance” that would be carried on “for the generations to come”.

Of interest, today the menorah, a seven branched candelabrum that is representative of the golden lampstand in the tabernacle’s Most High section, can be found in many synagogues and Jewish homes. While it isn’t lit constantly as the Old Testament mandated the lampstand, the menorah still serves as a reminder of the instrument that lit God’s holy place. A version of the menorah with nine branches is used and lit during the eight day Festival of Lights, also known as Hanukkah. Each day a candle is lit using the candle in the center until all candles are lit at the celebration’s close. This festival commemorates a miraculous even when the second Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated. At that time, there was only enough oil for the lampstand to burn for one day but it stayed burning for eight days which then allowed for more oil to be acquired. These eight days of the lamp remaining burning is at the core of the Hanukkah observance.

I don’t know about you but this has been a fascinating journey so far as we appreciate the work of these Israelite craftsman and some of the other interesting information about these constructed articles. Tomorrow, we’re going to cover the third and final component of The Holy Place, the altar of incense.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

APPRECIATING CRAFTSMANSHIP (PART 3)

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

They made the table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. They also made around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. The rings were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.

Exodus 37:9-16

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Beginning in Exodus, chapter 36, we see the skilled workers of Israel, those given special gifts and talents by God, getting to work on constructing the portable sanctuary and its accessories that would serve as a worship temple during the journey to Canaan. This construction project has been at the core of this series, Appreciating Craftsmanship, and thus far we have looked at the building of the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant.

Today, we move to a special table built for the section of the tabernacle called The Holy Place. Look again at these words from chapter 37:

They made the table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. They also made around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. The rings were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings. Vv.9-16

What was this table used for in The Holy Place?

On it would be placed the bread of the Presence (also called the “showbread”). Every Sabbath, the priests would place twelve freshly baked loaves of bread on the table in two stacks of six. These loaves were representative of the twelve tribes of Israel and could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons. We find God providing guidance on this from the Book of Leviticus, chapter 24:

“Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf. Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold before the Lord. By each stack put some pure incense as a memorial portion to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord. This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in the sanctuary area, because it is a most holy part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.” Vv.5-9

Further, we read in today’s passage where there were several articles made for this table that included plates, dishes, bowls, and pitchers which were made from pure gold. The pitchers would be used “for the pouring out of drink offerings” within The Holy Place. Ultimately, the table was symbolic of God’s “lasting covenant” with the Israelites.

Who had the specific responsibility for this table and ensuring the bread was prepared and displayed just as God commanded?

We find the answer in the twenty ninth chapter of the 1 Chronicles:

...some members of the clan of Kohath were in charge of preparing the bread to be set on the table each Sabbath day.

Okay, so we know where the table was located, its purpose, and who managed it within the tabernacle but first, it had to be built to the Lord’s specifications.

Like the tabernacle framework and the ark of the covenant, the scriptures tell us the table was made from “acacia wood”, a strong and durable material. It was made to match the following prescribed dimensions:

Two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.

As we covered in the first two messages, a cubit was the ancient standard of measurement that was equal to around 18 inches. It covered the distance between one’s elbow and the very end of the middle finger. Given this, the table was 3 feet long, a foot and a half wide, and two and a quarter feet high. I think we can easily see why the bread needed to be stacked, right?

Also as we saw with the tabernacle and ark, the acacia wood was covered with an overlay of “pure gold” with “gold molding around it”. There was also “a rim” with “gold molding” which was a “handbreadth wide”. This standard was the width of four fingers placed together or approximately 3 inches.  

The table would need to be carried from place to place as the Israelites traveled and so we read where “four gold rings” were “fastened” to its “four corners, where the four legs were”. These rings would “hold the poles used in carrying the table” and those poles, like those for the ark “were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold”.

So much intricate handiwork went into all these components we have studied so far and I don’t know about you but I have gained a great appreciation for the handiwork done by these Old Testament Israelite artisans, all without sophisticated tools or technology.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at another sacred item made for The Holy Place, the lampstand.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

APPRECIATING CRAFTSMANSHIP (PART 2)

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

Exodus 37:1-8

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Yesterday, we began a series on appreciating the amazing workmanship that took place in constructing the tabernacle and its associated accessories in Old Testament time. God had given Moses very detailed instructions on how everything was to be made and then blessed Israelite workers with the skills and talents needed to carry out His will.

As we look at the opening verses of Exodus, chapter 37, we come to the building of the ark, also referred to as the ark of the covenant. Once constructed, it would house the two stone tablets that God wrote His Ten Commandments on, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s budded staff. The ark would reside within the Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies once the tabernacle was constructed.

As we see in our passage, one man, Bezalel, was responsible for building the ark. We were introduced to him all the way back in chapter 31:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.” Vv.1-5

Note here that the Lord chose Bezalel and then “filled him with” His Spirit, providing wisdom and understanding as well as the knowledge and skills to “make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts”. He puts all these blessings to work as he builds the ark.

The ark itself was made out of “acacia wood”, the same kind of wood used to build the tabernacle. You’ll remember that this wood was chosen for its durability, strength, and resistance to rotting.

As for the dimensions, we once again see the cubit used as a unit of measurement, a common standard in Old Testament times. A cubit was roughly 18 inches or the distance from one’s elbow to the end of their middle finger so we can use this conversion to get a better idea of the ark’s size. It was 3.75 feet long, 2.25 feet wide, and 2.25 feet high.

Once the ark was built from the wood, we read where Bezalel “overlaid it with pure gold” on the “inside and out” also making a “gold molding around it”. The gold overlaying was done only after pounding the gold into a thin, pliable sheet and then wrapping it around the wood and fastening it. It was intricate work that required special skills.

The ark would be carried from place to place and it was of critical importance that no one came into contact with it because this would men instant death. And so Bezalel fastened four gold rings to the feet of the arm, one on each foot through which poles, made of acacia wood and overlaid with god, would be inserted to carry the ark from place to place.  

Next, Bezalel made the ark’s lid, referred to as “the atonement cover” and also the “mercy seat” where God was to be seated within the Most Holy Place. We read where the cover was made out of “pure gold” and matched the dimensions of the ark itself, “two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide”.

What really set the cover apart and brought its magnificence was the “two cherubim” that Bezalel crafted out of “hammered gold”. These cherubs were placed “at the ends of the cover” and they were made to be “one piece with the cover”. They were oriented with “their wings spread upward” which allowed them to overshadow the cover as they faced one another.

Once done, the ark was nothing short of an outstanding work of master craftsmanship, one that should lead us to appreciate the skills and abilities God had given his people to do such amazing work without the luxury of specialized tools and technology that we enjoy in present times.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue to look at other items that were built.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

APPRECIATING CRAFTSMANSHIP (PART 1)

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

All those who were skilled among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by expert hands. All the curtains were the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five. Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set. They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.

They made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. All eleven curtains were the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set. Then they made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit. Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.

They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle and made forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames and forty silver bases—two under each frame. They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end. At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike. So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

They made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases. For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer; and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

Exodus 36:8-38

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

With all the materials gathered, we see in Exodus, chapter 36 where “all those who were skilled among the workers” got to work building the tabernacle and its accessories, just as God had directed and exactly per His specifications.

Now, it would be easy to simply gloss over this section of the scriptures that will span through chapter 39 but in doing so, we would miss a lot in regard to really appreciating all the work that went into constructing God’s portable worship center and the materials that were used. So in this series of messages, we’ll drill down a little and my hope is that we’ll glean a lot of knowledge as well as admiration for all that was done well over 2,000 years ago.

Let’s start there, with the fact that all the labor of the skilled workers was done without the benefit of refined tools or technology that we have today. Everything was done by hand.

Consider the process of overlaying wood with God, for example. The craftsman would first need to purify the gold donated by the Israelites because nothing but the best quality materials would be suitable for a place where God would be worshipped and honored. Pure gold would reflect the purity of the Lord and the skilled workers would pound it into thin, pliable sheets that would be affixed to the wooden frames and crossbars. These parts of the tabernacle were made of acacia wood, known for its strength, durability, and resistance to rotting.

Then, we read about the tabernacle curtains.

Ten of them were made of “finely twisted linen” and “blue, purple and scarlet yarn”. This fine linen was made from the flax plant and again, remember that there wasn’t any industrial-quality mechanical looms to make these curtains. Ditto for getting the fibers from the flax plants which involved pulling fibrous strips from the stalk much like we can do with celery today. It was tedious work to say the least.

Now these curtains weren’t small by any means. We read where they were “all the same size”, measuring “twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide”.

How much is a cubit?

Well, the ancient measuring unit was essentially the length from one’s elbow to the end of the middle finger, approximately 18 inches. So if we convert to a standard we can better understand, the curtains were 504 inches or 42 feet long and 72 inches or 6 feet wide.

We read where there was also some intricate embroidery done on the curtains as “cherubim were woven into them by expert hands”. Once done, the curtains were fastened together with fifty gold clasps so the two sets of five curtains could form one unit in the tabernacle.

There were some additional curtains to form the tent over the tabernacle. These eleven curtains were made out of “goat hair” and were of the same size, thirty cubits or 45 feet long and, like the other curtains, 4 cubits or 6 feet wide. Five of these curtains formed one set and the other six, the second. These two sets of curtains were joined by bronze clasps so to fasten the tent together as a unit. This was followed by making a tent “covering of ram’s skins” that were dyed red and then “over that a covering of the other durable leather”.

In sum, this was an incredible undertaking by many people who had wonderful, specialized skills, skills that we know were bestowed by the Lord Himself. I pray that we will step back from this passage and the ones that are to follow, and truly appreciate the incredible craftsmanship that went into making God’s commands a reality.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue this series by looking at chapter 37.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them master craftsmen and designers. So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded."

Exodus 35:30-35

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Before I surge toward the final chapters of the Book of Exodus, I wanted to come back to a passage at the end of Chapter 35 because it underscores an important point about our obligation as believers. For when the Lord grant us gifts in the way of talents and skills, He doesn’t expect us to keep all our knowledge and experience to ourselves as we carry out His will. He expects us to teach others as well.

Look again at these six verses here:

Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them master craftsmen and designers. So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded." Vv.30-35

Notice here that God not only gave Bezalel and Oholiab the "skill to do all kinds of work" but He also "the ability to teach others." Two men wouldn’t be able to do everything required on their own and so more men would need trained with the abilities needed to construct the tabernacle and its accessories. This would also be important in case something happened to Bezalel and Oholiab. Further, by teaching others, there would enough people educated in the trades to pass them down to future generations.

In regard to the matter of teaching, the Bible also talks about our responsibility to do so in many other places. Consider the following passages:

The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?" Jesus answered, "My teaching is not My own. It comes from Him who sent Me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching comes from God or whether I speak on My own." John 7:15-17

Here, through the words of our Savior Jesus, we’re reminded that all legitimate teaching first comes from God who sent His only Son to save us. If we’re going to teach others properly, we cannot rely on our own understanding but rather the wisdom and knowledge that God grants when we seek His will.

"In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2:7-8

The Word of God is serious business because it literally deals with the matter of life and death, point blank. Whoever who does not believe and trust in God’s Son Jesus will not be saved; they will perish and not have everlasting life (John 3:16). All teachers must deliver the unvarnished truth through the Spirit of Christ, the One who is THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life, and the only One through which anyone can come to God the Father (John 14:16).

When anyone’s teaching is grounded in Christ through the guiding of the Holy Spirit, then they won’t be able to be condemned because their teaching will be delivered on the foundation of “integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech”. This is the teaching I am blessed to bring to readers each and every day.

"Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also." John 15:20

When we teach in the name and Spirit of Jesus and do so with absolute integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech, people will obey that teaching, not because it came from you but Jesus Himself. There’s also a word of warning here because there is often a cost associated with emulating the life and teaching of our Savior. As we see in this verse, He assures His disciples that they would experience persecution just as He did, and this truth continues today, more than 2,000 years later.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

"Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." 2 John 1:9

Why should believers always be ready to teach others, sharing the Word?

Because as we see in the scriptures, Jesus commanded it and expects them to do it.

This might be harrowing for some but note the assurance that Jesus provides at the end of His Great Commission:

“...surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Jesus isn’t sending His disciples out to teach what He commanded on their own. Rather, He has promised that He will be with us every step of the way, right down to the very end when He comes to judge the world.

We also need to hear loud and clear what John says regarding those who choose to be disobedient to the call to continue Jesus’ teaching. The scriptures tell us that a person like that doesn’t have God. Conversely, the one who is obedient and walks with Jesus every day, teaching as He did, has “both the Father and the Son”.

Finally, we have this from the Book of Acts:

"The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ." Acts 5:41-42

Remember how Jesus told His disciples that they would be persecuted as He was. Well, as we see in Acts, chapter 5, it doesn’t take long for this promise to come to life for shortly after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2), Jesus’ chosen followers got to work sharing the Gospel and the Christian church began to take root in Jerusalem, much to the chagrin of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious authority.

And so they hauled “the apostles” in to appear before them and after testifying about Jesus and then being ordered to no longer speak in His name, the apostles emerged emboldened as they went into the “temple courts” and “from house to house” daily to teach and proclaim “the good news that Jesus is the Christ (or Messiah)”.

Like those first apostles, we need to see that there’s no expiration date on teaching the good news of Jesus. All believers today need to follow their lead, never ceasing to teach and proclaim the Gospel within every day that we’re blessed with life.

Friends, we need to see that the matter of teaching is central to the Bible, especially in regard to the Gospel. Jesus was our Savior but He also was our great Teacher for we could never learn how to be a Christian had it not been for His instruction. To serve Him properly is to be like Him in every way and the scriptures teach us how to be like that if we would just dedicate our time to study them.

Since 2007, the Lord has called me to share His Word with others through this ministry, The Christian Walk, and I pray that His messages, provided through me as His messenger, will help you to have a greater understanding of the Bible as you grow closer in your relationship with Him and become more like His Son Jesus.

Further, as we see highlighted in this message today, I pray you will see your responsibility to teach others as Jesus commanded in His Great Commission. For there’s much work to be done to help lost souls find salvation and be rescued from Hell by Christ, the only One who can save them.

How will you do your part today?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.