Gold for the heart - Exodus 39-40

Exodus39

God clothed His priests in holy garments

1 And from the blue, the purple, and the scarlet, they made clothes of service serve in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses. 2 He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. 3 They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires to weave into the blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen with skillful work. 4 They made shoulder pieces for it to join it together: it was joined together by the two edges. 5 And the skillfully woven band of the ephod that was on it was made of the same, according to his word; of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen: as the LORD commanded Moses.

The gold was a symbol of Deity, the blue was a symbol of heaven, purple was a symbol of royalty, and scarlet was a symbol of the blood of Christ, God’s great love to be poured out to save mankind.
This garment told the whole story.

Genesis 3:21 For Adam and to his wife the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him not perish, but have everlasting life.

6 And they made onyx stones enclosed in settings of gold, engraved like signets are engraved, with the names of the children of Israel. 7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod to be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel: as the LORD commanded Moses. 8 He made the breastplate of skillful work, like the work of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. 9 It was square; they made the breastplate double: its length was a span and its width was a span, being doubled.

A span was the length of man’s hand stretched out from thumb to little finger.

Isaiah 40:12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and balanced the heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius/ruby, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row. 11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. 12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were enclosed in settings of gold. 14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.

The breastplate was worn on the chestoutside the priestly robe.
The stones were the color of the rainbow.
The rainbow is the radiance that shines forth from God.
Each stone was engraved with the name of a tribe of Israel.
Jesus carries us on His heart before the eternal Father.

Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and on the throne was the likeness of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from his loins upward, and from his loins downward, I saw the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain was the appearance of the brightness a round it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

15 And they made chains on the breastplate at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold. 16 And they made two settings of gold and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate. 17 And they put the two wreathlike chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate. 18 And the two ends of the two wreathlike chains they fastened in the two settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, before it. 19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was on the in side of the ephod. 20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the front of it, opposite its other joining above the skillfully made band of the ephod. 21 And they secured the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue above the skillfully made band of the ephod, and so that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Much of worship today is not as the Lord commanded.
He has clothed us with salvation. He has covered us with His righteousness.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul will be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 23 And there was a hole in the midst of the robe like the opening of a coat of mail, with a band around the opening so that it could not tear. 24 And they made on the hem of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined. 25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the hem of the robe all around between the pomegranates; 26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses. 27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sons, 28 And a turban of fine linen, and headdress caps of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine linen, 29 And a girdle of fine linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it a writing like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

The word holiness means ‘set apart for a special purpose.’
God has set us apart to Himself.
He has crowned us.
There are also rewards of crowns spoken of in the New Testament.

Psalm 4:3 But know that the LORD has set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call to him.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; 4 Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies;

31 And they tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it high on the turban; as the LORD commanded Moses. 32 So all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation was finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, this they did. 33 And they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent, all his (God’s) furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, 34 And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of badgers’ skins, and the veil of the covering, 35 The ark of the testimony, its poles, the mercy seat, 36 The table, all its utensils, and the showbread,

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me will never hunger; and he that believes on me will never thirst.

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

37 The pure candlestick with its lamps, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all its utensils and the oil for light, 38 And the golden altar, the anointing oil, the incense of sweet spices, the hanging for the tabernacle door, 39 The bronze altar, its grate of brass, its poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its stand, 40 The hangings of the court, its pillars, and its sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, its cords, and its pegs, and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, 41 The clothes of service to serve in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office. 42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. 43 And Moses examined all the work, and behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, they did it: and Moses blessed them.

These truths all have great significance for our eternal future because:

Revelation 1:6 And has made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Exodus 40

The Glory of the Lord filled His house

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 2 In the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 3 Put in it the ark of the testimony and cover the ark with the veil. 4 Bring in the table and set in order the things to be set in order on it; and bring in the lamp stand and light its lamps. 5 You are to set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put up the hanging for the door to the tabernacle. 6 Set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 7 And set the basin between the tent of the congregation and the altar and put water in it. 8 Then set up the court around it and place the hanging at the court gate.

One year had passed since the children of Israel left Egypt.
They went to the Mount of God, Sinai, and God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.
Then an offering was taken to build God a place to dwell among them.
All the tabernacle and its furnishings were made ready.
God told Moses precisely where to put each article of furniture.

9 Then take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; sanctify it and all its utensils and it will be holy. 10 You are to anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all its utensils and sanctify the altar and the altar will become most holy. 11 And anoint the basin and its stand and sanctify it. 12 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and wash them with water.

Oil was the symbol of the Holy Spirit.
The utensils are God’s utensils.
The word ‘its’ is actually ‘his’ utensils, ‘his’ stand etc.

13 And you are to put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and sanctify him; that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. 14 And bring his sons and clothe them with coats: 15 And anoint them as you anointed their father so that they may minister to me in the priest’s office: their anointing will definitely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.

‘Sanctify’ means to set apart.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that whatever God does, it will be forever: nothing can be added to it, or anything taken from it: and God does it, that men fear/revere him.

John 10:28 I give to them eternal life; and they will never perish, neither will any man pluck them out of my hand.

16 Moses did all that the LORD commanded him; he did it. 17 And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up. 18 Moses raised up the tabernacle, fastened its sockets, set up its boards, put in its bars, and raised up its pillars. 19 And he spread out the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering for the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses. 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat on the ark: 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, set up the veil of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation on the north side of the tabernacle outside the veil. 23 And he set the bread in order on it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. 24 And he put the lamp stand in the tent of the congregation opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle. 25 And he lit the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses. 26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the veil: 27 And he burned sweet incense on it as the LORD commanded Moses. 28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle. 29 He put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation and offered the burnt offering and the food offering on it as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And he set the basin between the tent of the congregation and the altar and put water there to wash with. 31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet there 32 when they went into the tent of the congregation and when they came near the altar, they washed as the LORD commanded Moses. 33 And he raised up the court around the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.

Man needs to be clean inside and out to approach the Maker of the Universe who desires to dwell among us.
This was the most opulent and beautiful tent ever made.
Its furnishings were gold and bronze.
It’s curtains were richly woven tapestry of beautiful design.
1John 1:5 This then is the message that we have heard of him, and declare to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

John 8:12 Then spoke Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud stayed on it and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went on all their journeys: 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not travel until the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their travels.

God was seen with them on all their journeys.
God was living with His people.
God led them by His presence.
Ezekiel described the glory of the Lord that was filled the tabernacle.

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

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SUMMARY: Exodus 39-40

God clothed the priests in holy garments
The glory of the Lord filled His house