Tag: Morning Musings

Morning Musing: Exodus 26:1

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“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains. You must make them of finely spun linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

When Washington, D.C. was designed, the goal was to create a capital city that would make a foreign visitor feel a sense of awe at the power of the nation whose capital looked like this. How a space looks affects both its function and its feel. If that weren’t the case, we wouldn’t have several whole television networks dedicated to home design and repair. If a space isn’t designed with its purpose in mind, we won’t ever quite feel comfortable doing whatever it is the space is for in it. God’s directions for the building the tabernacle and later the temple are almost mind-numbingly specific. Yet it only makes sense that there’s a reason for the specificity. Let’s talk about the tabernacle itself and what to think about this chapter that doesn’t make for very exciting reading.

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Morning Musing: Exodus 25:31, 36, 39-40

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“You are to make a lampstand out of pure, hammered gold. It is to be made of one piece; it’s base and shaft, its ornamental cups, and its buds and petals. . .Their buds and branches are to be of one piece. All of it is to be a single hammered piece of pure gold. . .The lampstand with all these utensils is to be made from seventy-five pounds of pure gold. Be careful to make them according to the pattern you have been shown on the mountain.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Light is necessary for life. Okay, I know that’s not strictly true. There are certain plants and animals that have evolved and adapted to thrive in the dark. But for human life, light is a must. We were made to live in the light both literally and metaphorically. Speaking of the metaphorical sense of light, it has been possessed of a rich spiritual meaning in nearly every human religion. The religion God was directing the Israelites to build around their worship of Him was no exception. Let’s talk about the lampstand God told the people to build.

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Morning Musing: Exodus 25:23-24, 29-30

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“You are to construct a table of acacia wood, thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding all around it. . .You are also to make its plates and cups, as well as its pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold. Put the Bread of the Presence on the table before me at all times.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

In the summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I had the privilege of spending three weeks in Japan as part of a sister-city exchange program. Before going we took several classes to learn about Japanese culture so we didn’t embarrass ourselves or our hosts. One of the most important customs they drilled into our heads was gift giving. Anytime anyone does anything for you in Japan, it is appropriate to respond by giving a gift. The bigger the favor, the bigger the gift. Because of this, they almost never go anywhere empty-handed. In a similar way, Israelites were never to appear before God empty-handed. To help facilitate this, God told them to build a table to leave gifts on. Let’s talk about it.

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Morning Musing: Proverbs 17:22

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“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (CSB – Read the chapter)‬‬

When Jerry Seinfeld is complaining about the modern state of comedy, you know there’s a problem. His recent complaint was linked to the fact that because of the scourge of wokeness and microaggressions and fears of offending someone, somewhere, resulting in being cancelled, many comedians are afraid to let loose and be funny. As the Joker once asked Batman, “Why so serious?” I was reminded recently just how good it is to be able to laugh. Even in the midst of a divided and partisan culture, when we can learn to not take ourselves so seriously and laugh together, then even when we disagree, we can still be friends and neighbors.

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Morning Musing: Exodus 25:10-22

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“They are to make an ark of acacia wood, forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. . .Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark. I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Over the never several posts we are going to be taking a look at the various parts and pieces of the tabernacle. I’ve long since prepared you for the fact that this section doesn’t make for the most compelling reading. And, I’m not going to include every single verse here for you to read, but rather will hit some highlights with the regular link for you to go and read the rest for yourself. Even if you don’t do that, though, don’t skip out on these posts. The apostle Paul said that every word of the Scriptures are useful for shaping us more into the kinds of people God made us to be. “Every word” includes the parts we’d rather skip because they aren’t very exciting. Stay with me in this next part of the story as we explore the wonders of the Gospel in the instructions for how Israel was to build their original place of worship.

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