"Moses sets up the tabernacle and the tent of meeting just as the Lord commanded. Aaron and his sons are clothed in priestly garments and they are consecrated to serve in the tabernacle. Their anointing serves to inaugurate a permanent priesthood for them throughout their generations. Moses places the testimony in the ark, and he does everything that the Lord commands. After the tabernacle is set up, the cloud of God's glory covers the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle. This cloud was over the tabernacle by day and there was a fire inside the cloud by night. This cloud of fire is visible to all the Israelites and it leads them throughout all the stages of their journey to the Promised Land."
40 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “On the first day of the first month (Abib) you shall set up the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting [of God with you]. 3 You shall place the ark of the Testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark [from the Holy Place of God’s Presence] with the veil (partition curtain). 4 You shall bring in the table [for the bread] and arrange its setting; you shall bring in the lampstand and mount and light its lamps. 5 You shall set the golden altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony [outside the veil], and put the [hanging] veil at the doorway of the tabernacle. 6 You shall set the [bronze] altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. 7 You shall set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar [of burnt offering], and put water in it. 8 You shall set up the courtyard [curtains] all around and hang up the screen (curtain) for the gateway of the courtyard. 9 Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture; and it shall be holy (declared sacred, separated from secular use). 10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. 11 You shall anoint the basin and its base, and consecrate it. 12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. 13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve as a priest to Me. 14 You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; 15 you shall anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may serve as priests to Me; and their anointing shall qualify them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” 16 Thus Moses did; in accordance with all that the Lord commanded him, so he did.
- CONSECRATION AND ANOINTING. The work was almost finished, and God was making some final reminders about the arrangement of the Tabernacle that was to be erected. Interestingly, it shall happen on the first day of the first month ("The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be the beginning of months to you; it is to be the first month of the year to you." Exodus 12:1-2 / Passover Lamb) -- the same month where God commanded the Israelites about The Passover Lamb and Feast of Unleavened Bread before their Exodus from Egypt. The last step or process was to anoint and consecrate everything for they shall be holy, or declared sacred, set apart for God's purposes. Without the anointing from God, everything will just be physical things made by human hands, it will not transcend the spiritual. That's why it was important to anoint and consecrate everything, including the priests who will serve God and the people.
- OBEDIENCE. This portion of the Israel's epic history, showed the great love and obedience of Moses to God. A servant and leader called by God. He used him as a mediator, just like He will use the priests to be a mediator to the Israelites. Whatever God said, Moses just obeyed. This is what we need to imitate in order to live according to God's good, perfect and pleasing will. Even though we might not understand some things, we just keep trusting the Lord, knowing that He always knows what's best for us. While Moses is a great example of a godly man, he did sin, and died in the end, because he wasn't the promised Savior. That's why God sent His one and only Son to save us, once and for all-- He lived a life in complete obedience to the Father, tempted in all ways, but never committed sin. He was the perfect sacrificial lamb.
34 Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible, dwelling presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained on it, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 In all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out; 37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey on until the day when it was taken up. 38 For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.
- VISIBLE CLOUD, GLORY OF THE LORD. How awesome was that! He is truly a God who dwelled with His people. It is the same with Lord Jesus, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14. God is truly amazing, ever so faithful, and patient with us. He loved us with His perfect love. That cloud, and glory of God became the Israelite's go-signal as well whether to set out or not in their journey to the Promised Land. God will always guide and lead His people. As believers today, we believe that it is God who will also continue to guide and lead us in this journey called life, He will tell us where to go, where to not go, He will show us His great plans and purposes. In fact, He has shows us the way, and that is through His Son Jesus, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6
"I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel." 1 Kings 6:13
"My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people." Ezekiel 37:27
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them," Revelation 21:3
After reading, I always check out the Study Guide Commentary from David Guzik (very helpful!):
a. On the first day of the first month: This indicates that it was a year since Israel came out of Egypt. This was an amazing year in the history of Israel. They could count the great works of God and measure their own spiritual growth.
i. It is fair to use the passing of time to see how far we have come with God. Some Christians never grow much beyond their initial experience with God. Some who have been Christians for 10 years have only the maturity of a one-year-old Christian – they simply repeat their first year over and over again.
a. Whenever they went into the tabernacle of meeting, and when they came near the altar, they washed: This describes the priestly use of the laver. They could not properly perform their duties without a ritual cleansing, indicating that God wanted service from pure hands and feet.
b. As the Lord had commanded Moses: In this section (Exodus 36-40), these words (or something similar) are repeated at least 19 times. The obedience had to be complete and exact – and it was.
a. So Moses finished the work: When the tabernacle was finally assembled, it was an earthly model of a heavenly reality. Since Moses was instructed to build and arrange everything according to pattern, it isn’t surprising that we see elements of this tabernacle arrangement in the Bible’s descriptions of heaven.
· In Revelation 4:1-6, the Ark of the Covenant (representing the throne of God), the lampstand, and the laver all correspond to a heavenly reality.
· In Revelation 8:2-4, the altar of incense in heaven is mentioned.
· In Isaiah 6:1-7, the tabernacle structure is implied by the mention of the temple, and the brazen altar is described.
· In Hebrews 9:23-24, it tells us that at some point in time (after the cross), Jesus entered the heavenly reality represented on earth by the tabernacle, and appeared in the presence of God to offer a perfect atonement for our sins. Therefore, every time before this event, when the High Priest made atonement in the earthly tabernacle, it was “play acting” – and looking forward to – the perfect atonement the Son of God would offer.
a. The cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle: Obviously, God was pleased with the obedience of Israel. This was not so much because it showed His superiority over them, but it was more so because it proved they really did believe Him and love Him.
i. There is a real and significant connection between the continually mentioned obedience of Moses and Israel (as the Lord had commanded Moses) and this remarkable display of glory. We shouldn’t think that Moses or Israel earned this display of glory because of their obedience; yet their obedience welcomed it.
ii. This is an enduring principle. We don’t earn our rescue, and God doesn’t love us more when we obey. Yet, undeniably, when we walk in God’s light and truth, there is blessing. Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks beautifully to this: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
b. Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it: The same thing happened when Solomon completed and dedicated the temple – the glory of God so filled the temple they couldn’t stay in it (1 Kings 8:10-11).
i. Without the glory, it was just a fancy tent. The same could be said of a church, of a home, or of the human tent.
b. Throughout all their journeys: The Book of Exodus ends with great hope and trust in God. Though Israel was in the middle of a desolate desert, had fierce enemies in the Promised Land, and was weak and liable to sin and rebellion, God was with them. This gave them great cause for faith and confidence.
i. “To speak of a journey is to look for an arrival: He who has begun a work of salvation for Israel will complete it (Philippians 1:6).” (Cole)
Reference and credits to https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-40.cfm ©2013 David Guzik
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