Exodus Chapter 37

EXODUS 

CHAPTER 

37

Due to an internal error I was under the impression that all the published posts were being shared to all in my circles and contacts, however according to the feedback that I received the chapters following Exodus chapter 33 and Matthew chapter 1 to 3 were not received by all. In order In order not to keep on filling your inbox with chapters please click on the following links that is there for your perusal and view the missing chapters. Thanks and God bless 

http://www.bibleanalyis2003.blogspot.com/  (Old Testament)

http://bibleanalysisnewtestament.blogspot.com/

1. Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; it was two and a half cubits long and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

(Exodus chapter 37 verse 1)

Listening to God's commandments the ark was made just as God had told Moses while in His presence on the mountain. The measurements given by God were to be strictly adhered to in the sense that they were to be not a inch more or less. When God gave His people these orders God was aware of  how much space they needed in the arc in order to have the capacity to carry the contents that would be placed in it.

In life God also created us according to the exact specifications. He created us as we are, giving us access to all possible skills that would match our character and being. As in the case of the capacity of the ark, God knows how much we can cope with and does not permit us to endure more than that capacity. Any extra demands placed on us would mean that he would be there to compensate for it in support love and grace.

2. He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. 3. He cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4. He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold,

(Exodus chapter 37 verses 2 to 4)

Just as the ark was basically made of wood and overlayed with, gold to make it appear beautiful in our lives, we also encounter situations or people, who apparently, look good and attractive just as in the case of gold, but when we come to know them, we become more aware that the person in ratio has a high percentage of wood and a very low percentage of precious gold! However on reflecting we are a mixture of both gold that is the presence of God in us and wood that is our sinful self. However God loves us so much that He chose to anoint that wood with precious gold from the inside and outside so that we could reflect his presence in us, both within and outside of us so that we can give testimony by the way we live and the words we say.

5. and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark.

(Exodus chapter 37 verse 5)

In this world we are not alone. Just as the rings functioned as a support to the ark, God himself is of support to us. If we were to go back and reflect on the downfalls of our lives, we could not have survived these moments were it not for the intervention of God of God in our lives. God works miracles and is able to bring us back to the path we were walking on.


6. He made a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its width. 7. He made two cherubim of hammered gold at the two ends of the mercy seat he made them one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim at its two ends.  9. The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings. They faced one another: the faces of the cherubim were turned toward the mercy seat."

(Exodus chapter 37 verses 6 to 9)


The focus of the cherubim were on the mercy seat which was the lid of the ark of the covenant, where God's presence would rest when appearing to the chosen people of God. May our hearts be like the mercy seat, a place where the presence of God can find a place where to rest and find comfort.


On reflecting the mentioned pieces of articles on their own would not make much sense, however as a whole meaning the tent of the meeting and it apparatus and most of all the ark of the covenant provided a centre point where the people of God could have fellowship with Him. According to the author of this chapter God also builds us bit by bit combining all our personality traits, talents, strengths and weaknesses in order to make a unique product that is ourselves, that in union with others we make one majestic whole that is the body of Christ on earth.


In order to view an image of the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat please click on the following link;-

TThe making of the ark of the covenant exhibit 1

The ark of the covenant part exhibit 2


10. He also made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. 11. He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12. He made around it a rim a hand breadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13. He cast for it four rings of gold, and fastened the rings on the four corners at its four legs. 14. The rings that held the poles used for carrying the table were close to the rim. 15. He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table and overlaid them with gold.

(Exodus chapter 37 verses 10 to 15)

And just as the poles bear the weight of the table in our lives God also bears our pain during our moments of hardship. He is always there for us, always ready to give us a helping hand during the hard times of our lives, as many of us may have experienced at some time or another. During such moments God intervened by a miracle or a radical change in events which helped us to overcome that difficulty.


16. And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense and its bowls and flagon with which to pour drink offerings.

(Exodus chapter 37 verse 16)


In order to have an idea of what the table of the presence and the mentioned apparatus looked like please click on the following link:-

Table of the presence and apparatus


On reflecting anything that would come in contact with God, or be used in the service of God was to be made of pure gold. One would question the frequent use of gold as a raw material in such cases. The reason is that gold shares a particular attribute of God, in the sense that it is pure and not a combination of other minerals. Therefore in this respect people such as acolytes who serve on the altar along with the celebrant, and even those who read the Word of God during mass are all like these golden apparatus. They are of great value in the eyes of God.


17. He also made the lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand were made of hammered work; its cups, its calyxes, and its petals were made of one piece with it.

(Exodus chapter 37 verse 17)

Just as the wood was covered with gold God always, envelop us with his unconditional love, compassion and care which have been stepping stones in our lives. Further more on reflecting our spiritual development is also like the base of the lampstand. At the beginning of our relationship with God and maybe even a state of conversion from a previous lifestyle that was not according to the ways and will of God, the basic values, faith and morals are also to be hammered into our minds and souls before we can grow and venture up to the topmost branches of the shaft and become a beautiful calyx with golden petals. Although the calyx is beautiful its strength still depends on the work or hammering that was invested while being at the base, and also on the strength of the shaft that is connected to the base which is God. The period of our formation helps us to become one with God the base in this analogy and strengthen our hold to him as an individual and as a community which forms part of the shaft. Anybody who decides not to be part of that shaft is decreasing the same strength of the shaft and it will have a negative effect on the whole structure but God the base will always remain firm and solid.

18. There were six branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it: 19. three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the other branch-so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.

(Exodus chapter 37 verses 18 to 19)


On reflecting the six branches coming out of the lampstand can be compared to all the offshoots coming out of the Roman Catholic Church and even that of other churches and religions which all find their centre in the shaft that is firmly hammered in the base that is God. Even though there are many religions we have God as our father, therefore we need not find our differences that make us stand out from each other, but find those elements that help to bind us together as one body and as the sons and daughters of one Father.


20. On the lampstand itself there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyxes and petals. 21. There was a calyx of one piece with it under the first pair of branches, a calyx of one piece with it under the next pair of branches, and a calyx of one piece with it under the last pair of branches.

(Exodus chapter 37 verses 20 to 21)


The four cups shaped like blossoms can be compared to faith hope charity and love which are the foundation stones of our faith in God. The calyxes can be compared with God who is our source of energy that gives life to the whole organism.

22. Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it, the whole of it one hammered piece of pure gold.

(Exodus chapter 37 verse 22)


In the lampstand there was unity between the calyxes and their branches that were all connected with the main shaft. In the same way we are all to be connected among ourselves and find our strength in God.


23. He made its seven lamps and its snuffers and its trays of pure gold. 24. He made it and all its utensils of a talent of pure gold.

(Exodus chapter 37 verse 24)


All the instruments mentioned had an important role in the life of Israel even the suffers had their role. If you or I feel that our role is insignificant we are to keep in mind that even a simple snuffer that were to be used in the service of God was to be made of gold and not of a simple and common ordinary material.


In order to view the lampstand and its utensils please click on the following link:-


The lampstand and its utensils


25. He made the altar of incense of acacia wood, one cubit long, and one cubit wide; it was square, and was two cubits high; its horns were of one piece with it. 26. He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides all around, and its horns; and he made for it a molding of gold all around, 27 and made two golden rings for it under its molding , on two opposite sides of it, to hold the poles with which to carry it. 28. And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.


(Exodus chapter 37 verses 25 to 28)


Our altar on which we offer incense can be our prayer corner or environment that is if we have such a place or it can even be our workplace, our office, or classroom, or even the company where we render domestic services or even our homes, but the most efficient place is our hearts. From this place we offer You oh God all our prayers that flow up to you like burning incense.


In order to have an idea of what the altar of incense looked like please click on the following link;-


The altar of incense


According to the author of this chapter Mr. D. Ajit Pawar, Gold is something that is not readily and easily available even today therefore this makes, it a very expensive metal, nonetheless God has provided us with all the material that was needed in order to make the ark. According to the author of this chapter it is also same with our lives, God provides us with the exact things we need and if we submit our problem to God sooner or later we surely will get a solution or an answer to our prayers.


29. He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

(Exodus chapter 38 verse 29)


The fragrant anointing oil is still common today and is used on many occasions in the sacramental life of the Roman Catholic Church.


According to the author of this chapter Mr. D. Ajit Pawar all of God's work is holy therefore whenever we are being of service to others we are taking part in this holy service and are completing the work that God had begun while on earth in the person of Jesus Christ.


The author of this chapter chose to end this chapter with the following prayer;-

 Thank You God for allowing me to contribute your in my life, even though my contribution is small. Thank you for taking care of us all and providing us with our basic necessary things. Thank You God for everything.

Exodus Chapter 36

EXODUS

 CHAPTER 

36

1. Bezalel and Oholiab and every skillful one to whom the LORD has given skill and understanding to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.

(Exodus chapter 36 verse 1)


From the very beginning of this chapter the issue that is outstanding is that of obedience to the will of God. As humans Oh God this is one of the most challenging issues to overcome, because this goes directly against the drives of human nature, which is broken to the point of being strongly inclined to disobedience. This is why God gave us His commandments, and this also explains that we are subject to the obedience of rules everywhere we are even in our families. If it was not for this structure or system that upholds social order our lives would end up in total chaos. Therefore when tempted to break the law by maybe parking on a yellow line, or making a false declaration on the income tax form we are to keep in mind that this means that we are going against the spiritual and even social norms that support order in our lives. When breaking laws we end up in a state of sin which is also a sate of disorder.


2. Moses then called Bezalel and Oholiab and every skillful one to whom heart was stirred to come to do the work; 3. and they received from Moses all the freewill offerings that the Israelites had brought for doing work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4. so that all the artisans who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary, each from the task being performed, 5. and said to Moses, "The people are bringing much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 2 to 5)


When a project is initiated according to the blessing and will of God, without our knowing resources start flowing in like the waves of the sea that flow to the sand banks that is there destination. A typical example is the time when our daughter Maria was born. At that time I was recovering from a long stretch of unemployment. Our resources were thin. In relation to necessities for the baby we were far under stocked. I was in a crisis. When I talked the issue over with a friend of mine who lived in a home for the elderly she told me, that if God wanted us to have this baby, He will also provide us with all that was needed in order to bring it up according to His will.


God provided me with many benefactors who supported me during this moment of crisis, and provided us with all that was needed, so much that at a point we ended up with more than enough clothes toys and other essentials such as car seats among many other things. Now our daughter is going to be seven years old in February and God is still providing us with essentials by means of the same benefactor who even donated us a dress for Maria to dress for her first holy communion. God's bounty has no limits. Even though now I am employed He still keeps on caring for our needs. God does so so that we can be of help to others and share of His providence with others who were in our situation or maybe in even a more morbid situation. So when in a moment of great need raise your voice to God and He will sure to help. However it is very important, loving and respectful to God that we thank Him for His infinite providence.


6. So Moses gave command and word was proclaimed throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing: 7. for what they had already brought was more than enough to do all the work.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 6 to 7)


Oh Holy Father by means of verses 6 to 7 You give us a very important lesson in the management and even the mismanagement in the resources that You provide us. This is that of not putting to waste of any resources that you give us. Resources in our case has a wide meaning and is not limited only to material goods. If God has given me alot of time of time to use, I am to use it for the good of others, prayer time and in order to cater for my needs and that of the family. A healthy balance is to be found in the resources invested in work, leisure, pray, time and play time. Any time that is excessively invested in either one creates an imbalance that leads to a state of sin and disorder.


8. All those with skill among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains; they were made of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and crimson yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked into them. 9. The length of each curtain was twenty eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains were of the same size.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 8 to 9)

In order to view the construction of the tabernacle and the ten curtains please click on the following link:-

The tabernacle and the curtains


10. He joined five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he joined to one another. 11. He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of the first set; likewise he made them on the edge of the outermost curtain of the second set: 12. he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set: the loops were opposite one another. 13. And he made fifty clasps of gold, and joined the curtains one to the other with clasps: so the tabernacle was one whole.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 10 to 13)


As referred to in the previous video clip by means of the provided link the tabernacle and its tent covering were to be constructed and take the form described in verses 10 to 13. The tent was to be one whole. God also wants His Church to be one whole held together with the clasps of the Holy Spirit that keeps us all bound together as one unit, a construction held together with bonds of love.


14. He also made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle: he made eleven curtains. 15. The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains were of the same size. 16. He joined five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. 17. He made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain of the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain. 18. He made fifty clasps of bronze to join the tent together so that it might be one whole. 19. And he made for the tent a covering of tanned ram's skins and an outer covering of fine leather.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 14 to 19)


The structure given to us by the biblical writer in verses 14 to 19 can be associated with the structure of the Catholic Church and its offshoots. The centre of the tent meaning the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat is the dwelling place of God in the world, which may be the Vatican or our hearts. The outer courts are the offshoots of the Roman Catholic Church meaning other churches and religions, while the tent that acts as a complete covering is the same Holy Spirit of God which governs and controls the whole body of Christ.


20. Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. 21. Ten cubits was the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the width of each frame. 22. Each frame had two pegs for fitting together; he did this for all the frames of the tabernacle. 23. The frames for the tabernacle he made in this way: twenty frames from the south side; 24. and he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under the first frame for its two pegs, and two bases under the next frame for its two pegs.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 20 to 24)


The upright frames can be associated with the ten major commandments that we consider to be the framework of our faith. The other frames are all the moral values and sacraments that uphold the life of the Church.  

In order to view the detailed explanation of the mentioned structure given  to us in verses 20 to 38 please click on the following link, which although is explained in Spanish,the exhibits are clear enough to explain what is written in verses 20 to 38 of chapter 36 of the book of Exodus.

The framework of the tent


25. For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames 26. and their forty bases of silver, two bases under the first frame and two bases under the next frame. 27. For the rear of the tabernacle westward he made six frames. 28. He made two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear. 29. They were separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; he made two of them in this way, for the two corners. 30. There were eight frames with their bases of silver; sixteen bases, under every frame two bases.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 25 to 30)


As in the above mentioned description the Roman Catholic Church is open from all angles, welcoming its sons and daughters from all denominations to be reunited into the body of Christ Jesus. The doors are always open. Two huge enormous arms and a great big loving pumping heart awaits those who decide to turn back and reunite with God. As in the case of the prodigal son, the decision is always ours to make.


31. He made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 32. and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle at the rear westward. 33. He made the middle bar to pass through from end to end halfway up the frames. 34. And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made rings of gold for them to hold the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 31 to 34)


As in the case of the tabernacle and its protective tent, the Roman Catholic Church as in the case of other churches also has a structure. The bar that passes through the middle which supports the whole framework is the Holy Spirit of God, which has been promised to keep on supporting the Church till the end of time, with the promise that although the forces of evil will place stress on the structure as is the case of the present times, the middle bar will keep on supporting the whole structure forever. He is the cornerstone of our lives the 'Rock of our Salvation'.

Let us now stop and give worship to God the Rock of our salvation by clicking on the following link:-

Jesus our Rock


35. He made the curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

(Exodus chapter 36 verse 35)


As in the case of our cross which marks the presence of God, the Cherubim was inscribed in the yarns in order to reflect that the presence of God was present in that place. May our hearts be tabernacles in which God is welcome to make His presence felt in a welcoming way forever as His dwelling place.


36. For it he made four pillars of acacia and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver. 37. He also made a screen for the entrance to the tent of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen, embroidered with needle work; 38. and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals and their bases with gold, but their bases were of bronze.

(Exodus chapter 36 verses 36 to 38)


The pillars mentioned in verses 36 to 38 are made to have been made of gold. This can be compared to the evangelists Matthew, Mark and John and even Peter and Paul who were also pillars that God used to support, defend and uphold the Christian faith.


I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-


Oh God loving and merciful father I would like to thank You for not leaving us orphans before leaving this earth. Thanks for the structure that You left us, that is Your Church. Thanks for Your Word that is light that guides us in our ways. Thanks for calling the apostles, and even the popes of our times and even those of previous times who laid the foundations in Your name and according to Your Holy Will. Thanks for Your protection especially during these times of tribulation and trials, from all sides both internally and externally in Your Church. Thanks for Your promise to be with the Roman Catholic Church till the end of time. Thanks for calling disciples even from other churches to be leaders and pastors because they are also instruments in Your hands and have hooks to bring many people to You. Thanks for the New Year 2015 in which this chapter will be published.

Thanks my God and my Father