A Greater Purpose

GETTING STARTED

Many are familiar with the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Being pioneers, the family had to make almost everything they owned, from their cabin down to the butter churn. The books intricately describe the entire process of craftsmanship, from how they felled trees, sized them into planks, fit them into grooves and notches, etc. After reading several of the books to my children, they began to groan when we came to such a part, “Oh no! Pa’s not making something again, is he? Skip it!” While heavy on the details, each item he made was essential to their survival and served a greater purpose. Today’s passage highlights the construction of pieces integral to the Israelites’ worship and connection with God. 

  • Why do you think the Lord included such an intricate and intimate description of building the tabernacle?
  • If all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (2 Tim. 3:16), why are we often tempted to skip over the details of certain passages in the Bible?

READ THE WORD: EXODUS 37 (ESV)

37:1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold 5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. 6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 7 And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, 8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.
10 He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12 And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13 He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.
17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold.

25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, 27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. 28 And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

29 He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. What four significant objects were crafted for use in this passage? What were some common materials used in their making?
  2. How are the intricacies of design and their beauty a reflection of God?
  3. Why do you think poles were made to carry the Ark and the table? Was there a greater purpose than just ease of moving the objects around? (See Numbers 1:50-51, 4:15.)
  4. Our Holy God initiated the provision of the tabernacle in order to dwell in the midst of his chosen, yet sinful, people. How can we make provision in our lives to invite others to know him?

RESPOND TO GOD

The tabernacle was a portable sanctuary for the Israelites from the time they wandered in the wilderness until King Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem. The articles crafted in today’s passage were used in the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and were heavy-laden with symbolism of our Savior. The Ark of the Covenant contained the stone tablets from Moses, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s budding rod. Covering the Ark, as a lid, was the mercy seat. It was here that the high priest sprinkled blood once a year on the Day of Atonement. The table, lampstand, and altar of incense were all arranged in the Holy Place. Each skillfully crafted object was made for the greater purpose of connecting the people with their Holy God.

  • Thank and praise God that he has always made a way for us to be in relationship with him.