Title: A Picture of the Constant Presence of God

Text: Exodus 33:14; 36:1-6; 39:32-42; 40:34-38

Introduction:

The reason we will go from chapter 33 to chapter 40 today is because much of the content in between these chapters is actually a verbatim repeat of the directions for building the tabernacle that had already been given previously.

We need to recall exactly what God promised MosesExodus 33:14 (NKJV)

14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”Proposition: God’s constant presence brings rest to God’s people.

Scripture indicates that there is an eternal rest, but also an intermediate rest

Matthew 11:28–30 (NKJV)

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Three Very Imperfect Illustrations: When we think of rest, we think of not doing anything any more, but when the Bible talks about rest, It is often referencing something else.

Think of starting a workday, and the first couple of hours feel like the day will never end, but something happens in the middle of the day that makes the day go so fast that by the end of the day you can hardly believe it is over.

Or running a 10k and first 1-2 miles are really hard, but by the time you hit the 3rd mile you feel like you could keep running almost in perpetuity.

Or, you’re going on a 1000 mile trip and the first 3 hours are excruciating, but after the 15th hour you’ve actually found that you enjoyed the trip.

The New King James Version Chapter 4

4 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, alet us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, 1not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

b“So I swore in My wrath,

‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: c“And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: d“They shall not enter My rest.”

6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:

e“Today, if you will hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if 2Joshua had fgiven them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

1 There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God, a place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.

Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer, sent from the heart of God, hold us, who wait before thee, near to the heart of God.

2 There is a place of comfort sweet, near to the heart of God, a place where we our Savior meet, near to the heart of God. [Refrain]

3 There is a place of full release, near to the heart of God, a place where all is joy and peace, near to the heart of God. [Refrain]

Proposition: God’s constant presence brings rest to God’s people.

Interrogative: What does God’s rest look like?

God’s presence motivates generosity, results in completed work done well, and results in God’s constant leading of His people.

I. God’s presence motivates generosity (36:1-6)

Exodus 36:1–6 (NKJV)

36 “And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded.”

The People Give More Than Enough

2 Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary. So they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. 4 Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, 5 and they spoke to Moses, saying, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do.”

6 So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, “Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.” And the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much.

A. The two kinds of work (vs. 2 and 6)

1. Crafting/Working - Time

2. Giving - Treasure

B. The Nature of God-given Generosity

Divine wisdom - 2

Voluntary - the heart was stirred - 3

Repeated - 3b

Regular-3b

Abundant - 5-7

C. In Contrast to Idolatry

Exodus 32:1–6 (NKJV)

The Gold Calf

32 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.

Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” 6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Implication/Applications:

Generosity and idolatry work against each other.

God desires an enthusiastic heart when we give of time and treasure.

2 Corinthians 9:6–15 (NKJV)

The Cheerful Giver

6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:

“He has dispersed abroad,

He has given to the poor;

His righteousness endures forever.”

10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Transition: So where does this lavish generosity

II. God’s presence results in completed work done well (39:32-43)

Exodus 39:32–43 (NKJV)

The Work Completed

32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished. And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did.

42 According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43 Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them.

A. The Completion of the Tabernacle

1. Finality: It uses the past tense, “was completed,” as a way of indicating the finality of the work;

2. Community: It reminds the reader that the project was a national/community project simply by saying “the Israelites did”;317

3. Completely: It establishes that the total project was complete by saying “everything”; and

4. Obediently: It confirms that all was properly done with the common clause “just as the Lord commanded Moses.” Whenever God’s people carry out an assignment correctly and fully, it is a source of great delight, as it certainly should be. What could be more important on earth than to do the will of heaven (Matt 6:10)?

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

B. The Inspection of the Tabernacle

(1) The tabernacle was something moveable—something that could be broken down into its component parts and transported. This was important because its location symbolized God’s nearness to his people. Had there been difficulty in bringing it to Moses, there would certainly have been the possibility of difficulty in transporting it from place to place along with everything else the Israelites had to carry with them on their journeys in the years ahead.318

(2) The inspection process was now about to begin, conducted by the only person truly qualified among all Israelites to do the task. Neither Aaron nor any of his sons nor Bezalel nor Oholiab nor any other human had seen the tabernacle design revealed on Mount Sinai as Moses had. It fell to Moses to inspect everything, and once the people were in the process of bringing the tabernacle components to him for his inspection, the construction project was coming to an end.

(3) The work had to be perfect. Moses held the right and responsibility to reject any aspect of the construction that did not meet the standards revealed to him within the divine glory cloud of Sinai. That he did not need to reject anything, but found all in order, is testimony to the fidelity of the people to the whole process—donations, prefabrications, final fabrications, weaving, carpentry, metalworking—and therefore testimony by implication to the desire to obey God that prevailed, at least at that time and location, throughout the nation.

39:33b–41 These verses cover essentially the same ground as did 35:11–19, which called for these materials and component parts of the tabernacle to be constructed. Present here are some of the sorts of differences that by now in the tabernacle narrative we have come to expect as routine in the fulfillment part of the book: slight expansions, slight contractions, and word order adjustments to provide a modicum of variation and obviate tedium.319 But nothing here ignores what is in 35:11–19, so the present passage makes clear that every individual part of the tabernacle and its furnishings was produced and brought to Moses just as expected by God.

C. The Blessing of Israel: Prays blessing on Israel

Exodus 12:32 (NKJV)

32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”

Numbers 6:22–27 (NKJV)

The Priestly Blessing

22 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.” ’

27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Implication/Applications

1. Individual obedience, brings corporate accomplishment, which bring Kingdom advancement.

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

2. God desires for us to do his work well, our very best.

3. God’s work, done God’s way, opens the door for God’s blessing.

Transition: So where does all of this lead to.

III. God’s presence resulted in the leading of God’s people

Exodus 40:34–38 (NKJV)

The Cloud and the Glory

34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

A. Obedience caused God’s presence to center on His people.

B. The Identity of the Cloud

1. Represented God’s presence

Exodus 13:21–22 (NKJV)

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Exodus 19:16 (NKJV)

16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

Exodus 33:9–10 (NKJV)

9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door.

a. It was a visible presence—indicating a symbol of an invisible God in the hot, arid wilderness of Sinai, gave the added benefit of shade

b. It manifested the presence of God, but veiled the piercing splendor of God

2. Represented God’s leading

Exodus 14:19–20 (NKJV)

19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

3. Represented God’s protection

Exodus 14:24 (NKJV)

24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.

4. Represented God’s stamp of approval

Exodus 16:10 (NKJV)

10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

5. Represented the Word of God and the Name of the Lord

Exodus 19:9 (NKJV)

9 And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.”

So Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.

Exodus 34:5 (NKJV)

5 Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

6. Represented the Glory of God

Exodus 24:15–18 (NKJV)

15 Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.

16 Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights

B. The Residence of God’s Presence In the tabernacle

C. The Leading of God in the Life of Israel

Concluding Applications:

Are we generous or idolatrous? The presence of God makes the difference.

Do we accomplish God’s work well, or do we just get by? The presence of God makes the difference

Do we desire for God to lead us from the center or are we content for Him to stay in the background? The presence of God makes the difference

The New King James Version Chapter 4

4 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, alet us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, 1not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

b“So I swore in My wrath,

‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: c“And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: d“They shall not enter My rest.”

6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:

e“Today, if you will hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if 2Joshua had fgiven them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.