Glory Came Down
From Bondage to Glory • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Call to Worship
Call to Worship
Not to us, O Yahweh, not to us, But to Your name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.
Why should the nations say, “Where, now, is their God?”
But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man’s hands.
What shall I give to Yahweh in return For all His bountiful dealings with me?
I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of Yahweh.
I shall pay my vows to Yahweh, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.
Precious in the sight of Yahweh Is the death of His holy ones.
O Yahweh, surely I am Your slave, I am Your slave, the son of Your maidservant, You have loosed my bonds.
To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of Yahweh.
I shall pay my vows to Yahweh, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the house of Yahweh, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise Yah!
First Reading
First Reading
And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your sojourn,
knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your futile conduct inherited from your forefathers,
but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but appeared in these last times for the sake of you
who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a love of the brothers without hypocrisy, fervently love one another from the heart,
for you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
Second Reading:
Second Reading:
Acts 2:14, 36-41
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men, brothers, what should we do?”
And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
And with many other words he solemnly bore witness and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation!”
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
Intro:
Intro:
AG:
TS: In the closing chapters of Exodus, the Tabernacle was constructed exactly as God commanded. It was completed with the people’s generous offerings, by following God’s instructions meticulously followed, and was ultimately blessed by God’s glory filling it. Thus signifying His approving presence among His covenant people.
RS: God has a purpose for us as well. He expects us to follow His word just as meticulously as Israel did.
I. Offerings Completed
I. Offerings Completed
A. The Gifts
Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every person wise at heart to whom Yahweh had given wisdom, everyone whose heart stirred him, to come to the work to do it.
And they received from Moses the entire contribution which the sons of Israel had brought to do the work in the service of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning.
And all the wise men who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work which he was doing,
and they said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the service of the work which Yahweh commanded us to do.”
So Moses commanded and a proclamation was passed throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman any longer do the work for the contributions of the sanctuary.” Thus the people were restrained from bringing any more.
Indeed, the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to do it.
The time to execute God’s plan had arrived. The call went out for offerings and the people responded.
The people brought freewill offerings every morning—far more than needed—so the craftsmen report to Moses: “The people bring much more than enough” v. 5
Moses was able to restrain them and ask for less.
They had repented of the golden calf infidelity, and for the moment were 100% dedicated to God’s plan.
The repeated emphasis on “freewill offerings” and “heart stirred him up” highlights voluntary, joyful generosity in response to God’s prior command (Exodus 25:2; 35:5, 21–22).
Historically, this fulfills God’s promise to provide for the sanctuary through the very people who had just witnessed His glory on Sinai.
AP: We should give generously like Israel did.
In an age of tight budgets and consumer spending, it can be tricky to consider giving away some of resources.
Dave Ramsey, teaches in Financial Peace University, that giving is important even while trying to get out of debt.
“ I know money can be emotional. It’s easy to feel like, If I just hold on a little tighter, maybe I’ll finally feel secure. But the truth is, tithing is one of the best ways to loosen that grip and remind yourself who really provides for you.
The Bible tells us that tithing is a way to show that we trust God with our lives and our finances. Because here’s the deal: Tithing isn’t for God’s benefit. He doesn’t need our money. Instead, tithing is meant for our benefit.”
Nothing should ever be giving out of obligation, but out of faith and a cheerful heart.
As we examine our giving to church, missions, or benevolence, do we do so freely or begrudgingly just to meet a mandate?
God stirs our hearts to give to serve Him and others.
If you find you hold too tightly to your resources, pray for a stirred heart and to trust God’s provision.
B. Tally: Ex 38:20-31
All the pegs of the tabernacle and of the court all around were of bronze.
These are the things numbered for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were numbered according to the command of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Now Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Yahweh had commanded Moses.
With him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, a craftsman and a skillful designer and a weaver in blue and in purple and in scarlet material and fine linen.
All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the wave offering, was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
The silver of those of the congregation who were numbered was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary;
a beka a head (that is, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for each one who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men.
One hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil; one hundred bases for one hundred talents, a talent for a base.
Of the 1,775 shekels, he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their tops and made bands for them.
The bronze of the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.
With it he made the bases to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and the bronze altar and its bronze grating, and all the utensils of the altar,
and the bases of the court all around and the bases of the gate of the court, and all the pegs of the tabernacle and all the pegs of the court all around.
his detailed inventory, recorded under Ithamar’s oversight at Moses’ command, lists exact quantities:
Summary Table
—all used precisely for bases, hooks, pillars, altar parts, and pegs.
The repetitive “as the Lord commanded Moses” (echoed throughout chs. 36–39) and the Levites’ role underscore faithful stewardship of God’s resources
AP: We must be faithful with God’s resources.
We answer to Him.
We should also be faithful to each other.
Transparency in church finances builds trust.
This is why we have regular reports available and answer questions.
Personally, track your own stewardship of time, talents, and treasure; ask, “Is my life’s ‘tally’ showing I have used everything God gave me exactly as He commanded?”
II. Instructions Followed
II. Instructions Followed
And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;
and he overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding for it all around.
He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet; even two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.
He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.
He made a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide.
He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat;
one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; from one piece he made the mercy seat with the cherubim at its two ends.
The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.
EX: 36-40 Records the construction of each item of the Tabernacle.
We will look at 1 item, the Ark
Bezalel constructs the ark (the most holy object) exactly to God’s blueprint:
acacia wood overlaid with pure gold inside and out, with rings, poles, and the mercy seat topped by two hammered-gold cherubim whose wings overshadow it and faces turn toward the seat.
Dimensions: 2½ cubits long × 1½ cubits wide × 1½ cubits high (≈ 3.75 ft × 2.25 ft × 2.25 ft using the 18-inch cubit).
Historically, this follows the detailed instructions of Exodus 25:10–22 after the people’s repentance; the grammar repeatedly uses “he made … as the Lord commanded,” showing precise, reverent obedience.
God’s instructions were followed in every detail. Although they were doing construction, they did so as an act of worship.
How it points to Christ:
The ark and everything in the Tabernacle foreshadows Christ as the place where God and man meet in perfect atonement. Christ entered God’s throne room in Heaven, which was the pattern for the Tabernacle.
He is both the sacrifice and the mercy seat (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:11–12).
whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,
and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy places once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Illustration: This isn’t hte only time God laid out blueprints to be followed. See the parallel to this in Noah, who “did all that God commanded him” in building the ark (Genesis 6:22)—exact obedience amid a corrupt world preserved God’s people.
Each part of the tabernacle was manufactured with the same precision. They followed God’s plan to a t!
AP: We must follow our blueprint, The Bible!
In a culture that treats God’s Word as optional or “inspirational only,” we should follow instructions precisely.
The Word equips us for life.
All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Notice the last part… it is equip us thoroughly.
The word equips us to honor GOD in worship, marriage, finances, and ethics.
If God has given you a clear command (through Scripture), obey it to the detail this week—no shortcuts.
Parents, teach your children this kind of obedience by modeling it.
III. Tabernacle Finished
III. Tabernacle Finished
After each part was complete, Moses and the elders set up the Tabernalce.
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
“You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
“You shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and mount its lamps.
“Moreover, you shall set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle.
“You shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.
“You shall set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it.
“You shall set up the court all around and hang up the screen for the gateway of the court.
“Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it and set it apart as holy and all its furnishings; and it shall be holy.
“You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and set the altar apart as holy, and the altar shall be most holy.
“You shall anoint the laver and its stand, and set it apart as holy.
“Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
“You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and set him apart as holy, that he may minister as a priest to Me.
“You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them;
and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will be for them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”
Thus Moses did; according to all that Yahweh had commanded him, so he did.
He erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and he put up the screen for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.
EX: The Tabernacle was Complete
On the first day of the first month (exactly one year after the exodus), God commands Moses to erect the tabernacle.
He placed every piece (ark, table, lampstand, altars, basin, court), and anointed everything and the priests, and consecrate them.
Verse 16 states, “This Moses did; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did.”
Verse 33 records Moses completing the court and screen—“So Moses finished the work.”
This marks the climax of covenant restoration;
Moses finishing the work points to Jesus, who perfectly completed the Father’s redemptive plan and declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
The anointed tabernacle becomes the pattern for the church as God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Do you not know that you are a sanctuary of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
AP: Finish strong
Finish what God has called you to—whether a ministry project, family discipleship plan, or personal holiness goal.
Don’t leave the “tabernacle” half-built.
Glory of God Filled the Tabernacle
Glory of God Filled the Tabernacle
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.
And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had dwelt on it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.
Now throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;
but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.
For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.
EX: Immediately after completion, the cloud (symbol of God’s presence) covers the tent, and “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” so intensely that Moses cannot enter.
The cloud by day and fire by night guided every journey.
Historically, this is the ultimate validation:
God approves the obedient work and dwells among His people as promised (Exodus 25:8).
“And let them make a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.
The glory cloud (Shekinah) is fulfilled in Jesus, who “tabernacled among us” and we beheld His glory (John 1:14).
Today, that same glory fills the church through the indwelling Spirit Ephesians 2:21–22
in whom the whole building, being joined together, is growing into a holy sanctuary in the Lord,
in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
AP: We should long for God’s glory more than programs or buildings.
In our church or small group, pray for His presence to fill us so visibly that outsiders notice.
Personally, yield daily to the Holy Spirit so your life becomes a “tabernacle” filled with glory—guiding your every journey. When the cloud moves, move with it.
Conc
Conc
Just as the tabernacle was made exactly as commanded and filled with glory, may our lives and church be the same—generous, obedient, finished, and glory-filled—until we stand in the New Jerusalem where “the glory of God is its light” (Revelation 21:23).
