God Created Us To Work Together - Exodus 36

God Created Us To Work Together -

Vince Lombardi said, “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

But not all things can be achieved on your own. Business management guru and author Patrick Lencioni said “Teamwork requires some sacrifice up front; people who work as a team have to put the collective needs of the group ahead of their individual interests.”

Hard work seems to be a lost virtue. And teamwork has been drowned out by armies of individuals tooting their own horn. Today as we look at the Bible together we will see what happens we faithful people come together to accomplish God’s purpose. Let's look together.

(ESV) - 1 “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” 2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4 so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

Our text opens with two men, from d

I find it interesting that our text begins by telling us about two men. Two talented and Spirit-filled men who are from different tribes but work together. First, we have Bezalel who is from Judahite, of Hezron’s family in Caleb’s house, Uri’s son, Hur’s grandson; gifted by God as a skilled craftsman in wood, metal and precious stones, and placed in charge of the making of the tabernacle. Bezalel has also been tasked with teaching other workers.

The other blue collar worker is a man named OHOLIAB (AV AHOLIAB), a Danite, son of Ahisamach, who is faithful and gifted by God. Her was also appointed to assist Bezalel in the design and construction of the tabernacle, its furniture and furnishings, and in teaching other craftsmen.

Scripture says it was the Lord that put the skill and intelligence to know how to do any work into these men. Her equipped and empowered them to work in the construction of the sanctuary. In fact, God did This for anyone who had a desire to be a part of this work. Scripture tells us that their heart was stirred to do this, if they felt moved to be a part of this work that God would gift them to be able to do it.

But this wasn't just a few lawn Rangers who were highly skilled. Even though they had the gifting, the talent, the skills, and the know-how, they needed the supplies. And scripture says that it was a teamwork approach. Those who have the ability to give and wanted to gave contributions. And those contributions were used by those who wanted to be a part of God's work it been quipped by him to do such. And so it took people working together to accomplish God's purpose. God was needing together all those with a willing spirit so that way the work might be done. What's interesting is that although someone may have not been naturally gifted, through their willingness, and their faithfulness, God was still able to use them to do things that were beyond their normal means. And this was not a single event. Day after day people labored. Day after day people freely gave. Everyone who passionately loved the Lord was finding a way to help. A way to contribute and be a part of what Jehovah God was doing.

You and I may have a lot of days when we say we can't do it. I'm not smart enough. I didn't go to school for that. I've never done that before. Yet God can still use you in amazing ways. He can use you to build up organizations. He can use you to build up programs. And more than that he can use you to build up. And that is more beautiful than any gold inlaid, jewel-encrusted item that's ever been created. Seeing people's lives recycled, redeemed, and restored, is much more beautiful then fine jewelry, and exquisite home, or luxury car. And that value is worth way more than those items multiplied each other.

God's people were so enthusiastic about giving and serving and creating to be part of what God was doing that there came a time and point where they had to be restrained from creating anything more for the sanctuary. They had to be forcibly stopped because they were giving too much. There had to be a moratorium on work. Nothing more could be created and nothing more need to be given because the people already given gave so much physically and monetarily.

Here is what they were able to accomplish working together for the Lord. Here is what hard work and gracious giving produced.

First we see the curtains in vv. 8-19

(ESV) — 8 And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains. They were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked. 9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size. 10 He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled 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 one curtain, and 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 coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole. 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 breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains were the same size. 16 He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. 17 And 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 And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be a single whole. 19 And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins.

And the frames for the tabernacle vv. 20-30

(ESV) — 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 breadth of each frame. 22 Each frame had two tenons for fitting together. He did this for all the frames of the tabernacle. 23 The frames for the tabernacle he made thus: twenty frames for the south side. 24 And he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons. 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 one 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 And they were separate beneath but joined at the top, at the first ring. He made two of them this way for the two corners. 30 There were eight frames with their bases of silver: sixteen bases, under every frame two bases.

This might seem just a boring text. But I want to be honest, it's necessary. Where are you going to hang the curtains if you don't have a walls? How are you going to hang up the Veil later. You have to have that strong foundation to undergird all the weight and provide support of the walls which were to be made of big, thick, heavy curtains.

Next we have the bars vv. 31-34

(ESV) — 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 And he made the middle bar to run from end to end halfway up the frames. 34 And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

I are gonna have curtains, you got to have curtain rods. And if you're building a sanctuary to honor the King of all kings, the One true God, you are not going with the white, flimsy ones you get from a discount store.

You need a strong Rod especially if you're going to be holding up a veil it will announce to all of the world that there has been a change that affects their eternity as well as their reality. So let’s read about that veil.

And the veil vv. 35-38

(ESV) — 35 He made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; with cherubim skillfully worked into it he made it. 36 And 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 of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework, 38 and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals, and their fillets were of gold, but their five bases were of bronze.

It might sound like this veil was simply an item that was made to be Regal and Grand.

But in this building of a house there had been a great deal of work to create the doors and partitions. The curtains were for doors and veils for partitions. There was one veil though, that was made for a partition between the holy place and the most holy. This was a way of the darkness and distance of that time compared with the New Testament, which shows us the glory of God more clearly and invites us to draw near to it. It also show and the darkness and distance of our present state, in comparison with Heaven, where we shall be ever with the Lord and see Him in His fullness.

There was a veil made for the door of the tabernacle. At this door the people assembled, though forbidden to enter; for, while we are in this present state, we must get as near to God as we can.

But that veil is in the way as a barrier like our sin is in the way. Our sin is a barrier Between us and God.

But God took care of that problem for Us.

(ESV) — 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

That veil was ripped from top to bottom. And what was happening was so Earth shattering that it caused the Stars to go away and the Earth itself to quake.

But do you know why that veil was ripped? Wasn't just rips that we the people could be closer to the holy of holies here on Earth. It was ripped because Jesus actually died in our place to bring us closer to God. To bring us to God through relationship with his son who died for us. The Ripping of cough was significant because it announces a difference in the relationship. Jesus's death is what brings his close to God. Not curtains.

When Jesus died, the veil was torn, and God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a temple made with hands. God was through with that temple and its religious system. That temple and Jerusalem were left “desolate” and destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70, just like Jesus prophesied in . As long as the temple stood, it signified the continuation of the Old Covenant.

The veil being torn from top to bottom is a fact of history and explained in glorious detail in the book of Hebrews. The things of the temple were shadows of things to come, and they all ultimately point us to Jesus Christ. He was the veil to the Holy of Holies, and through His death the faithful now have free access to God.

The veil in the temple was a constant reminder that sin renders humanity unfit for the presence of God. The fact that the sin offering was offered annually and countless other sacrifices repeated daily showed graphically that sin could not truly be atoned for or erased by mere animal sacrifices. Jesus Christ, through His death, has removed the barriers between God and man, and now we may approach Him with confidence and boldness.

(ESV) — 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

This morning if you want to born again, that is be saved, if you want to have your past erased and have a future in Heaven with God, here are 4 simple things you can do today.

Acknowledge in your heart that Jesus is Lord.

Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.

Believe that Jesus died for your sins and was raised three days later.

Repent of your sins and get baptized in the name of Jesus.