A Closing Word

Exodus 35:30-40:38

Intro

What is the Bible? It’s a redemptive narrative - a story about how God redeemed His people

During our time through Gen - Exod, we’ve seen the beginning of that story

We have to consider this question: how is God going to accomplish this redemption? Through covenants

Explain covenants

In Genesis, we saw 3 covenants: Adam, Noah, Abraham

In Exodus, we saw 1 covenant: Israel

The other covenant didn’t have stipulations, this one does

As we come to the end of Exodus, the last 5 chapters are basically a summary of the Law and everything we’ve gone over up to this point in our journey

As we close this out, there’s 3 things I want to remind us of

1) God empowers His image bearers (Exodus 35:30-36:1)

Do you think God just bestowed this upon him in this moment? Or do you think it’s saying that God has been preparing him all his life for this very task?

Story of Esther

“Perhaps you were put in this very place at this very moment for such a time as this”

God had given her physical beauty, he had given her a man of God as a cousin in Mordecai, and he had given her the courage and the intelligence to hatch her sting operation

God had also been preparing Bezalel from the very day he was born for the distinguished task of constructing the Tabernacle

And throughout the book of Exodus, we’ve seen God preparing people for such a time as this

Moses (he was literally saved as a baby)

Aaron was given a public speaking ability

Miriam had been prepared to watch after Moses

And maybe he has given you gifts, talents, or experiences that are specific for you. I’m here to tell you that He has given those to you for a specific purpose

Two things to do in response:

Wait in expectation

Join a local church

One of my favorite stories in church history is of a random man (probably a shoemaker) at a small Methodist chapel in England in 1850

It was a snowy Sunday morning. So snowy in fact, that the regular pastor couldn’t make it to church that Sunday

So with no formal training and no credentials aside from the nudging of the Spirit, he got up and preached a sermon to the waiting congregation

And as he began to preach on how salvation comes through Christ alone, he looked out on the congregation and saw a young man he didn’t recognize. He looked to be about 15 years old, and he figured he was probably only in church that morning to get out of the blizzard

But in that moment, he felt compelled to look straight in that young man’s eyes and say “young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look, look, look!”

That young man’s name was Charles Spurgeon, and on that day, he was converted to Christianity. Spurgeon would go on to be one of the most significant Christian theologians of the 19th century

Just like Esther, the Lord had prepared that layman for such a time as this: to preach the Gospel to a man who would later become one of the greatest theologians to ever live

2) Jesus is our intercessor (Exodus 39:8-14)

12 stones on the High Priest’s breastplate signified the 12 tribes of Israel

When the high priest interceded for the Israelites, he carried them over his heart

Jesus is our better high priest

Hebrews 7:23–28 “The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.”

“He always lives” — He’s interceding for you right now. His work didn’t finish at the cross

Moses was a great intercessor, Jesus is better

Also, we shouldn’t get it in our heads that the Father is reluctant to forgive us

The Father sent the Son because he loves us (John 3:16), and the Son intercedes for us because he loves us.

The Father and the Son are not divided in their desire to save you."

3) The glory of the Lord lives in us (Exodus 40:34-38)

Remember all the way back to the story of the golden calf?

After the Lord descended in judgement, what did He say to Moses?

I’ll lead you into the promise land, but my presence will not go with you?”

What did the people do in response?

They didn’t say “all right, as long as we get the promise land”

No, they wept, because God’s presence is better than His material blessings

So we need His presence, but notice something interesting, notice that Moses is not able to enter. Why?

Because the presence of God prevented sinful humanity from entering in

So here’s the problem, at this point in the redemptive narrative, God’s presence cannot abide with His people because their sin separates them from Him

But if we fast forward all the way to the book of John, John 1:14 says: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory.”

Dwelt = tabernacled

The tabernacle was a sign pointing forward to the day when God would no longer dwell behind curtains, but would come personally into our world. The glory that filled the tabernacle was only a shadow. The fullness of God's glory came when Jesus Christ took on flesh.

Take hold of the glory of the Lord that has dwelt among us. Read about him, draw closer to him, talk directly to him