Through the Bible - Leviticus 2-3, Matthew 25:31-46
Good morning,
I work for a textile mill and have the oppurtunity to spend time at the plant. The production of woven fabrics is still a time consuming process. People who have gone through tours of our plants come away amazed at what it takes, what goes into the process of making a yard of fabric. From standard weaves to complex jacquards where you can weave intricate designs into the fabric, it all takes time and attention to detail in every step of the process from spinning to finishing.
Making cloth (spinning and weaving) takes a great deal of time today, you can imagine what it took in Moses day. When you read the account in the NLT, which breaks the measurements down into feet instead of cubits, you get a better idea of how much effort went into producing the fabric for the tabernacle.
It must have taken community effort.
Having just completed the book of Exodus in the bible reading plan above, I thought I'd refer to a verse that would most often be overlooked.
Ex 36:8 The skilled craftsmen made ten curtains of finely woven linen for the Tabernacle. Then Bezalel decorated the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. 9 All ten curtains were exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide. NLT
The Israelites left Egypt where they were slave laborers where they were so busy producing for Pharoah that they didn't have/find time to worship properly, let alone build such a tabernacle.
In following God's instructions for the tabernacle they were building worship into their lives. They had been led out of Egypt, been given the Ten Commandments, and now were being prepared to worship.
The NLT Applicaction Bible comments, "God's law system had three interwoven parts. The Ten Commandments were the first part, containing the absolutes of spiritual and moral life. The civil law was the second part, giving the people rules to manage their lives. The ceremonial law ws the third part showing them patterns for building the Tabernacle for worship.
God was teaching Israel the importance of choice and responsibility. When they obeyed the conditions of the law He blessed them; if they forgot or disobeyed , He punished them or allowed disasters to come upon them."
God's laws, His moral laws are the basis for the legal systems in many countries today, including our own.
The "interwoven parts" mentioned above still give us the foundations for managing our day to day lives and for worship.
Which of the qualities mentioned above are most important for your relationship to God at this time? How about that of your church?
Has God delivered you from the "slavery" of the rat race to be able to spend more time in worship at home and at church? As you consider the community effort described in Exodus, think of the community effort that is put forth in your church and it's ministries. What are you offering to contribute?
In Christ,
Mike
Ex 36:8-20
Building the Tabernacle
8 The skilled craftsmen made ten curtains of finely woven linen for the Tabernacle. Then Bezalel decorated the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. 9 All ten curtains were exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide. 10 Five of these curtains were joined together to make one long curtain, and the other five were joined to make a second long curtain. 11 He made fifty loops of blue yarn and put them along the edge of the last curtain in each set. 12 The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain matched the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain. 13 Then he made fifty gold clasps and fastened the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle was made of one continuous piece.
14 He made eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle. 15 These eleven curtains were all exactly the same size—45 feet long and 6 feet wide. 16 Bezalel joined five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, and the other six were joined to make a second long curtain. 17 He made fifty loops for the edge of each large curtain. 18 He also made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the long curtains together. In this way, the tent covering was made of one continuous piece. 19 He completed the tent covering with a layer of tanned ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather.
NLT
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