Exodus 40:17-38
We are honored to be with you today. Thanks for joining us for this last lesson in Exodus. Next week we begin our study in Second Corinthians. However, today’s lesson is a longer section of verses from Exodus 40 titled “Preparing for Worship.”
I don’t know what comes into your mind when you hear that title, but I was reminded of the passage I heard this morning as I was listening to Acts chapter 17. There, Paul preaches to the people of Athens. Keep in mind these people who were religious with many gods they even had an altar to the “unknown god.” They worshiped many gods, but Paul was there to point them to the true God.
He shares with them passionately from his heart and gives a very good reason for why you and I and everyone else should worship and live for the true God. Our title is “Preparing to Worship,” and the motivation Paul gives to turn to Jesus is powerful and will lead you to a life of worship.
First, and I’ll put it in my own words, he tells the Athenians the God who created everything is near to each of us. We are His children and now this God is commanding all people everywhere to repent. Then he gives them, and us, a great reason to repent, this is the preparation part. He goes on to explain we must repent because God has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by Jesus whom he has appointed. He proved this will happen because he raised Jesus from the dead.
The serious thing the people of Athens needed to prepare for was the coming judgment. This warning also applies to us. Face it, we are guilty, every one of us has done wrong, and we have failed to live up to God’s standard. Knowing this and admitting it is the preparation part. Turning to God and accepting the sacrifice of Jesus leads us to real worship. I hope the connection is clear. Our worship comes from a proper understanding of who we are without Christ. We understand our guilt before a holy God and that leads to a lifetime of service and worship.
I think you can see my thought process and where I went with the title of this lesson. It’s also a clear reminder to every Christian for why we serve Him and to every non-Christian for why you should live for Him. Without more from me, let’s hear from Pastor J Mark and see what he has to say from the rest of today’s lesson.
It is a valid conclusion that all people have the desire to worship. Down deep in our hearts, we have yearnings for God. We are made that way.
When God made the first man, Adam, He made him in His image and after His likeness. That is the reason why we have these longings deep in our hearts to worship.
It is too bad that our worship is sometimes directed toward the wrong object. Sometimes we have not made the proper preparation for worship. Some religions go through great ceremonies. Those ceremonies take a long time. They have various forms to go through trying to cause their god to pay attention to them. The true God desires our worship, and He instructs us how to come to Him acceptably.
When God revealed Himself to Moses, He also told him how to prepare for worship. In Exodus 40:17-38 there are many detailed instructions for the children of Israel to worship God.
17. And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
18. And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.
19. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above upon it as the LORD commanded Moses.
20. And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:
21. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony as the LORD commanded Moses.
22. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the veil.
23. And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD as the LORD had commanded Moses.
24. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
25. And he lit the lamps before the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses.
26. And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the veil:
27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon as the LORD commanded Moses.
28. And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.
29. And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering as the LORD commanded Moses.
30. And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash with.
31. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat:
32. When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed as the LORD commanded Moses.
33. And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court gate. So, Moses finished the work.
34. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
36. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
37. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
38. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
From these verses, we learn the required STEPS to be taken when preparing for worship.
Moses took the first STEP by
Erecting The Tent
Moses had been given detailed instructions by God on how to build and administer the place of worship. Each part had been made according to the pattern Moses had received on the Mount. The tent was completed and set up. The ark was placed in the holiest place; the table of the Bread of the Presence was placed; the lampstand and the golden altar were placed. All these pieces were placed inside the tabernacle. Each article was in its place exactly like the LORD had commanded Moses.
There was an order about this preparation. God wanted order in His worship. This is illustrated by the tent and the furniture. God still desires order in His worship.
Moses took the second STEP by
Cleansing For Service
This was first of all symbolized by the altar of burnt offering which was at the door of the tabernacle, and second by the laver or basin between the tent of the congregation and altar where they were to wash their hands and feet.
The altar of sacrifice was where cleansing was accomplished for the soul and the spirit, where the offerings were made for sin. The burnt offering and the fellowship offering were made here at the altar of sacrifice.
The laver for washing stood between the altar and the tabernacle itself. Moses and Aaron were to wash their hands and feet before they entered the tent of the congregation. No one was to go into the place of worship without cleansing, the sacrifice, and the washing.
God desires cleanliness in worship both for the soul and for the body. It is still that way today. God desires us to come now with the cleansing of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Bible in another place commands us to have our bodies washed with pure water. God desires cleansing for His worship.
How do you prepare for worship? Cleanse your spirit and body for the service of God.
Moses took the third STEP by
Enjoying The Cloud Of Glory
This is especially beautiful. After everything had been completed the LORD came down in a cloud of Shekinah glory and filled the tabernacle. What did that say to the people of Israel? It affirmed God’s presence for the glory cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the congregation. And the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. God’s presence was affirmed by the glory cloud.
That glory assured them of God’s protection because He was always there. The glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle and the cloud remained on the tent of the congregation. This surely assured them of God’s constant protection.
It also secured them of God’s direction because the Scripture says when the cloud was taken up then they journeyed and when the cloud rested, they camped. God gave them directions by this glory cloud. They knew when to break up camp, they knew when to stay in camp because God’s glory gave them the direction, told them when to move and when to stay.
God desires to live with His people even today and to protect and guide them. That glory cloud of the tabernacle tells us this. How precious it must have been to the people of Israel to see that the LORD was there, to be assured of His protection and direction.
Worshiping God will give us these same assurances: God’s presence, protection, and direction. That means God is not far off, He is near. He wants to be real to you – just as real as He was to the people of Israel. You can make your peace with Him. You can cleanse your heart before Him, and you can enjoy His presence. He is real. He is near. He can be near to you, too, if you turn to Him. He already has made His first step toward you. You must make your step toward Him. Prepare your heart to worship Him!
Thanks, J Mark for these encouraging thoughts from Exodus 40, it’s true. God has done His part, he has taken the first step, and now the next move is up to you. Our prayer is that you will go toward Him and live a life of devotion to Him, He is worthy.
As I mentioned before this is our last lesson from Exodus. Next week we will begin our study in II Corinthians we hope you will continue to join us.
However, if you would like a copy of today’s teaching or any of the teachings you’ve heard from Exodus, please let us know. Here is how you can contact us. A good way is email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, you could write to us, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3 Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. On our website you can listen find other helpful resources and more programs like this one, so please look around while you are there. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org.
Thanks so much for joining us. This brings us to the end of our program and the close of our Exodus study. We heard many verses and spent a lot of time in Exodus. It is only fitting to close with one of the best verses from Exodus, chapter 3 verse 14. “And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.”
*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.