Building the Tabernacle

Much gold, silver, bronze and acacia wood went into the making of the furniture of the tabernacle. Bezalel, the overseer, made the Ark of the Testimony, the Table for the Showbread, the Altar of Incense, and the Altar of Burnt Offering from acacia wood. The Ark was overlaid with pure gold inside and out, and the Table for the Showbread was overlaid with pure gold. The Altar of Incense was overlaid with pure gold: its top, its sides all around, and its horns.

The Altar of Burnt Offering was overlaid with bronze. He made all the utensils for the Altar: the pans, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the firepans; all its utensils he made of bronze.

He made the Laver of Bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

He made the lampstand of pure gold, of hammered work. Its shafts, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs and its flowers were of the same piece. Their knobs and their branches were of one piece; all of it was one hammered piece of pure gold. And he made its seven lamps, its wick trimmers, and its trays of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold he made it, with all its utensils (New King James Version, Exodus 37:22-24).

Bezalel made these items according to the commands the LORD had given Moses.

Why is the lampstand made of pure gold? Could it be simply be because of its function? Or is there a deeper meaning? It certainly must have been beautiful. In biblical times, most lamps were oven-baked clay bowls that contained olive oil. But this lamp was no ordinary lamp. It was made of a talent of pure gold and was hammered into one piece. Gold is a soft, yellow, precious metal beautiful to behold. And surely our LORD deserves such honor.

Strongs #5216
Life [as a burning lamp]
Light [showing the way of truth]

The Lord told me this morning that they were building the tabernacle for worship of Him. He said, “I am their God, just as I am your God.”

Gifted Artisans

The artisans chosen to build the tabernacle were already gifted, then God filled them with his Spirit, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. This empowerment enabled the gifted artisans to build a tabernacle befitting to our most glorious and holy God. Without these talented artisans the work in the building of the tabernacle would not have been superb. And God wanted perfection. God is perfect and holy and He deserves our best.

Scripture relating to the gifted artisans is set out below. Anyone who is an artisan of any craft on any level should be humbled by these Scriptures. It should make us all more appreciative of our talent or talents. And know that it is the LORD God who has given us our skills.

These Scriptures show that the gifted artisans were furnished all their supplies by the freewill offerings of the children of Israel. Indeed, they were given more than they needed for the work. So they spoke with Moses and he commanded that all offerings for the sanctuary stop.

Exodus 31:1-11

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle—the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base—the garments of ministry, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, and the anointing oil and sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.

Exodus 35:4-9

And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying: ‘Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate.

Exodus 35:10-19

All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the LORD has commanded: the tabernacle, its tent, its coverings, its clasps, its boards, it bars, its pillars, and its sockets; the ark and its poles, with mercy seat, and the veil of the covering; the table and its poles, all its utensils, and the showbread; also the lampstand for the light, its utensils, its lamps, and the oil for the light; the incense altar, its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, and the screen for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles, all its utensils, and the laver and its base; the hangings of the court, its pillars, their sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; the pegs of the tabernacle, the pegs of the court, and their cords; the garments of ministry, for ministering in the holy place—the garments of Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.

Exodus 35:25, 26, 29

All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair.

The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.

Exodus 35:30-35

And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.

And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.

Exodus 36:1

“And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the LORD has commanded.”

Exodus 36:2-7

Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work. And they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary. So they continued bringing him freewill offerings every morning. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do.”

So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.” And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much.

How Moses Dealt With It

When the people complained of hunger, Moses went to the LORD. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'” (New Kings James Version, Exodus 16:11-12).

The people rested in Rephidim, but there was no water there. They complained to Moses, so Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”

And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”

And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And so he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, because they tempted the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?” (Ex. 17:4-7).

Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. Moses told Joshua to “… Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy, so Aaron and Hur put a stone underneath him, and he sat on it. And Aaron suppported his hand on one side, and Hur supported his hand on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (Ex. 17:9-13). And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner, for he said, “Because the LORD has sworn: The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Ex.17:15).

Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, observed Moses when he judged cases for the people. And he told Moses a better way, so as not to tire out Moses. And Moses did as he suggested. “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating coveteousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge people at all times.” Then it shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you. If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.” (Ex.18:21-23).

So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he said (Ex.18:24).

Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land (Ex.18:27).

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So how did Moses deal with leading the children of Israel? Clearly, he took each problem to God, who told Moses what to do. The God who was guiding Moses is the same God that we have today. Just as Moses could depend on God, so can we. God will guide our steps today as He guided Moses then. For God is the same God today, as He was then, and will be the same God tomorrow. It should be noted that Moses built an altar to God after the victory over Amalek. My question is, do we worship God after the victory, or only when we are trying for victory? I can’t help but mention here that Abraham built an altar to God each time he moved, and we know his success story.