Day 47, February 16 Bible Reading

Day 47,  February 16

Ex. 33:7-23 The Tent of Meeting / The Lord reveals his glory to Moses

Ex. 34:1-11 The new tablets of the testimony

Ex. 34:27-35  Renewal of the covenant / Moses’ radiant face

Ex. 35:4-29 Offering of materials for the tabernacle and its furnishings

Ex. 31:1-11 Bezalel and Oholiab, gifted artisans

Ex. 35:30 – 36:7    Bezalel and Oholiab / Freewill offerings for the sanctuary

Ex. 33:7-23 The Tent of Meeting / The Lord reveals his glory to Moses

• Ex 33:7-11  So after relating the blueprints of the tabernacle, which was designated for the priests, Moses did a remarkable thing. He took his tent, pitched it far outside the camp, for anyone, to meet God.  He called it the tent of meeting. Therefore anyone who wants to meet God had to embark on a journey of sorts. When Moses went all the people rose and all the men stood at his tent door and watched until Moses entered.  Can you imagine the sight? Do you recognize how much honor and value was bestowed when someone went to meet God? Do we value our meeting time as such?  Can you imagine having a prayer room and all you kids rose as you go to meet God there?  When Moses entered, a pillar of cloud descended and all the people rose and worshipped.  Joshua also would be in the text and would not leave it.
  
  

• Ex 33:12-14  So Moses returned to the subject of, if God would not go with them any longer to personally escort them to the promised land, then who will escort them? God answered “My Presence will go”, or the Angel of His Presence. Recall this was the same Angel who wrestled with Jacob and almost broke his hip. His name was Phanuel.   In the Book of Jubilees, the Angel of the Presence explains to  Moses the history of Israel. In the book of Enoch, four angels that stand before the Lord of Spirits are given as: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Phanuel.

• This is why Jacob named the place Peniel So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. [Gen 32:30] Isa 63:9 says it was the Angel of His Presence who kept saving them.  It was the same Angel who led them by the pillar of cloud by night and fie by day [Ex 14:19].

• Ex 33:15-17 Moses indicated if His Presence does not go with them, do not bother to have the, leave from this place.  His reasoning? How will it be known that the people have found grace in God’s sight.   God’s Concentrated, Embodied Presence is what separates the people of God from other peoples.  Yes God is everywhere, but today it is His Holy Spirit in a human that makes a distinction among other humans.

• Ex 33:18-23 Moses wanted to see God’s Glory. His Glory is the evidence of His Presence.  God said He will make all His Goodness pass before Moses and will proclaim the name of the Lord.  I believe this was the pre-incarnate Christ.  His face could not be seen and a human will live; only His back will be seen. His Glory hides his face

Ex. 34:1-11 The new tablets of the testimony

• Ex 34:1-4 Before God cut the stones. Or breaking the last ones God made Moses cut his own stones this time.  That is a lot of work.
  
  

• Ex 34: 5-7.  So what is actually the name of the Lord that should be proclaimed? It is not just one Name.  It is His character: “YHVH, YHVH, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.”
  
  But then He adds a caveat:  “but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” ← This is not applicable in the New Covenant, only the Old.
  
  Israel had the opportunity to enter into a marriage, Grant covenant with the Lord.  Now it was turned into a Vassal covenant.  For more understanding on the different types of covenants see “Suzerain/ Vassal Covenants”  and “Understanding the Different Types of Covenants”
  
  

• Ex 34:8-11 Moses wanted assurances that God will go with them and pardon their whoredom, just days after getting married to God. God decided to make a new covenant, the Moses covenant, to do marvels with Israel that have not been done on all the earth. And that he will be driving out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittite, Perizzite , Hivite and Jerubsites from before them.

Ex. 34:27-35  Renewal of the covenant / Moses’ radiant face

• Ex 34:27-28  Poor Moses had to stay another 40 days and 40 nights, and he had to write down the works this time of the entire covenant and the Ten Commandments. NOTE: The Ten Commandments are NOT separate from the covenant.  This is key when we learn later the Old Covenant was ALL fulfilled, including the Ten Commandments.  The Ten Commandments find their context in the Old Covenant.  They are not for today per se.  The Beatitudes are what Christ espoused and are in the context of the New Covenant.  They go beyond the Ten Commandments and deal with the heart. They are written on our heart.  So we do not murder, because we do not hate another human, we love our enemies and because He makes us more mature [perfect] in righteousness that all those who have gone on before.
  
  

• Ex 34:29-35 Why did Moses put a veil on? Not because He did not want the children of Israel to see the Glory in His face.  It was so that Israel would not see the Glory fading. Paul’s commentary on this was that a veil is still on people who “big up” the Ten Commanments and the law, which was the ministry of death and NOT Life [2 Cor 3:17-18].  “But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. “
  
  

• See also Ten Commandments: Veil vs Mirror 

Ex. 35:4-29 Offering of materials for the tabernacle and its furnishings

• Ex 35:4-9 Key: Whoever is of a willing heart gave.  This was not a forced consignment

• Ex 35:10-19 The call for gifted artisans went out to make everything associated with the tabernacle.

• Ex 35:20-29 Note it said ALL THE WOMEN who were gifted artisans… These were not just men who contributed. Recall God ONLY wanted artisans and perfumers who had the spirit of wisdom on them that He deposited.  This also included women.

Ex. 31:1-11 Bezalel and Oholiab, gifted artisans

Ex. 35:30 – 36:7    Bezalel and Oholiab / Freewill offerings for the sanctuary

• Bezalel and Oholiab, and many others whom God gifted worked hard every day. And the Israelites kept bringing more and more items for the building of the tabernacle, until they had more than they needed and more than they could use. Can you imagine any church today forbidding the people to give any more because they had more than they could possibly use? What do you think is the difference between us and them?