This chapter begins with the instructions to build the tabernacle. However, whilst doing so, they mustn’t forget to honour the Sabbath, Exodus 35:1-2. In other words, they shouldn’t build on the Sabbath in order to honour the day because the consequence of working on this day was death, Exodus 35:2.
The lighting of fires involved a lot of work, Exodus 35:3. It was ordinarily affected by rubbing two sticks together or twisting one round rapidly between the two palms in a depression upon a board. God had told them earlier that lighting fires for cooking purposes wasn’t permitted either on the sabbath, Exodus 16:23.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Jews understand this precept as forbidding the kindling of fire only for the purpose of doing work or dressing victuals; but to give them light and heat, they judge it lawful to light a fire on the Sabbath day, though themselves rarely kindle it – they get Christians to do this work for them.’
Back in Exodus 20:8-11, God told them to ‘remember the Sabbath day’, and in Deuteronomy 5:12-15, God told them to ‘observe the Sabbath day’. God understands that life can get very busy, and He knows that the Israelites, just like many people do today, don’t take any time out from work and consume themselves with work.
The idea is that the more we work, the more money we’ll earn, therefore, the more we can spend on ourselves. It’s such a shame that many people don’t work for a living, but they live to work.
God is telling the Israelites that six days are more than enough time to do all the things which are necessary for living. In other words, the Sabbath is made for man to rest, Mark 2:23-28.
The meaning of the word ‘Sabbath’ teaches us the purpose for keeping the day; the word doesn’t mean ‘seventh’, it means ‘rest’. The Israelites were to rest from work on this day.
The reason for this rest day is illustrated in God’s creation, He rested from His work in creation. God could easily have created the heavens and earth in a shorter or longer time, but to establish an example for man in reference to his work, God set the pattern by the six twenty-four-hour days of creation.
For the Israelites, keeping the Sabbath was also a sign of their covenant with God. The Sabbath and circumcision were the two signs of the covenant, and so when Israel as a nation rested on this day, the other nations around them would see this and know Israel was in a covenant relationship with God. Remember also, it wasn’t simply a sign to the nations around them, but mainly a sign to God that Israel was keeping the covenant.
Why did He tell them to keep the Sabbath day holy? It was to remind them of what God had done for them in Egypt and please note that the Sabbath wasn’t given as a ‘religious day’, but as a day where there would be common respect between the citizens of society.
Those who employed people to work for them couldn’t force their employees to work on the Sabbath; this is respect, even the animals were not allowed to be put to work. The Sabbath was made for man in order to give him rest, a rest from all the earthly things, so that he had time to think about spiritual things.
God created everything in six days, Genesis 1 / Exodus 20:11. At the end of the sixth day, God looked at everything He had made and said it was ‘very good’, Genesis 1:31. The next day, day seven, God rested from His work of creating because it was all finished, Genesis 2:2.
God then blessed this day because it was the day that He chose to rest from His work, Genesis 2:3. Why did God rest? Was he tired from all the work of creating? Not at all! The Bible tells us that God doesn’t get tired or sleep, Psalm 121:3-4. He rested to establish a pattern for us to follow.
Moses is to tell the Israelites to bring God an offering, and Moses is to receive the offering for God from everyone whose heart prompts them to give, Exodus 35:4-5 / Exodus 25:1-2. In other words, this was a freewill offering, Exodus 35:29.
We might ask, where did the Israelites get this material from? Well, remember when they left Egypt, God ensured that they didn’t leave empty-handed; they plundered Egypt, Exodus 12:35-36 / Psalm 105:37.
The gold, silver and brass that were offered, Exodus 35:5 / Exodus 25:3, came from their plunder of the Egyptians, as well as their conquest over the Amalekites. The yarn and fine linen were spun from flax, Exodus 35:6 / Exodus 25:4 / Exodus 9:31 / Joshua 2:6, and the goat’s hair was spun and used for making tents.
The durable leather, Exodus 35:7 / Exodus 25:5, would probably have been made from some sea animal. Acacia wood, Exodus 35:7 / Exodus 25:5, is sometimes called shittim wood. This would be easily obtainable throughout the region of Sinai.
The pure oil, Exodus 35:8 / Exodus 25:6, was beaten from olives that were picked just before ripening, Exodus 27:20. The oil lamps were to be burning every night, which burning probably symbolised that God’s presence would never leave Israel, Exodus 30:8 / 1 Samuel 3:3.
No one really knows what onyx stones were, Exodus 35:9 / Exodus 25:7. Onyx is the middle gemstone in the fourth and last row of the High Priest’s breastplate, Exodus 28:20, and the fifth foundational stone in New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:20. The tabernacle was to be a symbol of God’s presence among His people, Exodus 25:8.
Why did God want the tabernacle built?
1. It would be a rallying place where God’s Word would be proclaimed.
2. It would serve as a physical reminder of God’s presence among the people.
3. It was the place where God recorded His name, the place where He would meet with them and bless them, Exodus 20:24.
4. It was a singularly impressive ‘figure’ of the ultimate spiritual realities to be achieved in ‘the kingdom of God,’ the church of Jesus, and therefore a witness at one and the same time to both Israels, the Old, and the New.
The tabernacle had to be built specifically according to the pattern that God would give them, Exodus 25:9 / Hebrews 8:5. In other places, it is referred to as the tent of meeting, Exodus 27:21, the tabernacle of the Lord, Numbers 16:9, and the tabernacle of testimony, Exodus 38:21.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The significance of all this for persons living in our times is found in the inspired declaration that, ‘These are the copy and shadow of the heavenly things’, Hebrews 8:5. ‘They were a figure for the time then present’, Hebrews 9:9, and ‘copies of the things in heaven’, Hebrews 9:23. In this understanding is the only proper appreciation of these instructions.’
All the skilled workers are commanded to come and build the following: Exodus 35:10 / Exodus 39:32.
1. The tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases, Exodus 25:11 / Exodus 26:15-30 / Exodus 39:33-34.
2. The ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it, Exodus 35:12 / Exodus 25:10-22 / Exodus 27:16-19 / Exodus 39:35.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This is not the same as the covering of Exodus 35:11, which denotes the covering of the tent, Exodus 26:14, the word is used here for the entrance curtains, Exodus 26:36 / Exodus 27:16.’
3. The table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence, Exodus 35:13 / Exodus 25:23-30 / Exodus 39:36.
4. The lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light, Exodus 35:14 / Exodus 25:31-40 / Exodus 39:37.
5. The altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle, Exodus 35:15 / Exodus 30:1-10 / Exodus 39:38.
6. The altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand, Exodus 35:16 / Exodus 27:1-8 / Exodus 39:39.
7. The curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, Exodus 35:17 / Exodus 26:7-15 / Exodus 39:40.
8. The tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes, Exodus 35:18 / Exodus 39:40.
9. The woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, Exodus 35:19 / Exodus 39:41.
The whole of the Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and notice that everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments, Exodus 25:20-21 / Exodus 35:5 / Exodus 25:1-2.
Once again, we note that all who were willing came and brought gold jewellery of all kinds, Exodus 35:22. Note that they presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD, Exodus 35:22.
Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them, Exodus 35:23 / Exodus 26:7-14.
Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it, Exodus 35:24.
Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun, blue, purple, or scarlet yarn or fine linen, Exodus 35:25. All the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair, Exodus 35:26.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘They had before learned this art, they were wise-hearted; and now they practise it, and God condescends to require and accept their services. In building this house of God, all were ambitious to do something by which they might testify their piety to God and their love for his worship. The spinning practised at this time was simple and required little apparatus. It was the plain distaff or twirling pin, which might be easily made out of any wood they met with in the wilderness.’
The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece, Exodus 35:27 / Exodus 28:6-30. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, Exodus 35:28 / Exodus 25:31-40 / Exodus 27:20-21. Once again, we are reminded that these were all freewill offerings, Exodus 35:29.
Here we read how God encourages men to do things God won’t do when men are more than capable of doing it themselves under God’s guidance. It was the duty of the skilled worker to use their judgment as to how to make the materials and determine many of the details.
These two men, Bezalel, whose name means ‘in the shadow of God’, and Oholiab, whose name means ‘the Father is my tent’, obviously had some kind of leadership skills, and God was going to use them both to direct the building of the tabernacle according to God’s will, Exodus 35:30-35.
Keil, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Bezalel was a grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, who is mentioned in Exodus 17:10 / Exodus 24:14, and was called to be the master-builder, to superintend the whole of the building and carry out the artistic work, consequently, he is not only invariably mentioned first, Exodus 35:30 / Exodus 36:1-2, but in the accounts of the execution of the separate portions, he is mentioned alone, Exodus 32:1 / Exodus 38:22.’
God filled Bezaleel, Exodus 35:30 / Exodus 31:1-3 / Exodus 28:3, which means he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to carry out the instructions to build the tabernacle.
Bezalel was blessed with the wisdom, Exodus 31:3 / Exodus 35:31 / Exodus 28:3 / Proverbs 8:12, to lead those who were chosen to complete the tasks set before them. His judgments were inspired by God, in order that he lead the workers to comply with the will of God in reference to the construction of the tabernacle.
He was also blessed with understanding, Exodus 35:31 / Exodus 31:3. This was the ability to organise the parts of the tabernacle to be completed in order to organise the workers to accomplish the task of construction.
He was also blessed with the knowledge, Exodus 35:31-34 / Exodus 31:3-5, of what materials to use, as well as how to bring these materials together into the final goal of the constructed tabernacle and its furniture.
With his assistant, Oholiab, Exodus 35:34 / Exodus 31:6, Bezalel was to create the beauty of the tabernacle in a way that it would manifest the splendour of God. Oholiab was filled with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers, Exodus 35:35.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The artificer, literally ‘one who cuts’: a general name for the workman, to which was added the name of the material in which he worked; thus the artificer in wood, or carpenter; the artificer in iron, or smith, etc. Exodus 35:32-33 / Exodus 31:4-5 enumerate the branches of work committed to Bezaleel. What was under the charge of Aholiab is here for the first time clearly distinguished into the work of the skilled weaver, that of the embroiderer, and that of the weaver.’
From all of this, we learn that God never calls anyone to do a task of any kind without first giving them the ability to do so, Acts 6:3-6 / Ephesians 4:11-14.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The name Oholiab means ‘father of tents’, he was from the tribe of Dan, and although that tribe doesn’t appear to have been famous for such men of artistic talent, it was likewise true that Hiram, the chief artist employed by Solomon for the ornamental work of the temple, was also a Danite, 2 Chronicles 2:14. Despite such notable exceptions, The Danites in general were more warlike and rude than artistic, Genesis 49:17 / Deuteronomy 33:22 / Judges 13:2 / Judges 18:11 / Judges 18:27.’
Together they are to make the tent of meeting, Exodus 26:7-14, the ark of the testimony, Exodus 25:10-16, the atonement lid that is on it, Exodus 25:17-22, all the furnishings of the tent, Exodus 31:7. The table with its utensils, Exodus 25:23-30, the pure lampstand with all its utensils, Exodus 25:31-40, the altar of incense, Exodus 31:8 / Exodus 30:1-10.
The altar for the burnt offering with all its utensils, Exodus 27:1-8, the large basin with its base, Exodus 31:9 / Exodus 30:17-21. The woven garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons, to minister as priests, Exodus 31:10 / Exodus 28:1-43 / Leviticus 16:4.
Cook, in his commentary, says the following concerning the three types of dress mentioned here.
1. The richly adorned state robes of the High Priest, Exodus 28:6-29:8.
2. The holy garments of white linen worn by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement.
3. The garments of white linen worn by all the priests in their regular ministrations.
They are also to make the anointing oil, Exodus 30:22-33, and sweet incense for the Holy Place, Exodus 31:11 / Exodus 30:34-38. They will make all these things just as God has commanded them, Exodus 31:11.