During Moses’ 40 day encounter with God on Mount Sinai, God provided him with the law and commandments so that Moses could teach the nation of Israel and lead them in obedience to God (Exodus 24:12). These tablets of stone recorded the Ten Commandments (20:1-21), civil/religious ordinances (20:22-24:11), and ceremonial regulations for the tabernacle, the center of worship for the Israelites (24:12-31:18). The ceremonial regulations included instructions concerning the tabernacle (Exodus 25-27), instructions concerning the priesthood (Exodus 28-29), and instructions concerning priestly service in the tabernacle (Exodus 30-31). Although some of the tabernacle furnishings were already discussed in Exodus 25:23-40, God provided the details of the altar of incense in Exodus 30:1-10. The discussion of the altar of incense here highlights the rituals surrounding this item in the tabernacle. The altar of incense was to be carefully constructed (30:1-5) and placed before the veil, which was before the ark of the covenant where God would meet with the priest (30:6). Aaron was commanded to burn incense on the altar twice a day, morning and evening (30:7-8). The recipe for making the incense was given in Exodus 30:34-38 (30:9). Once a year Aaron was to cleanse the altar with the blood from an atonement offering (30:10).
God also gave Moses instructions regarding money for the tabernacle often referred to as ransom money (30:11-16). Each time a census was taken, every male 20 years or older was to pay a tax which would help maintain the tabernacle. This offering would protect them from any plagues (30:12) and serve as an atonement for sin (30:16). Details are given for the use of the bronze basin (30:17-21) which stood between the tabernacle and the altar. This basin or washbasin was to be used by the priests to cleanse their hands and feet prior to performing the priestly duties. Failure to cleanse themselves would result in death (30:20-21). God then provides the recipe for making the holy anointing oil (30:22-25) used to purify the tabernacle, its furnishings, and the priests (30:26-30). After providing all of these instructions concerning the construction and furnishings of the tabernacle, God commanded Moses to enlist two men (Bezalel and Aholiab) to construct everything He had described (31:1-11). These two men were described as “gifted artisans” who would be able to construct everything according to God’s design (31:6). After assigning these two men to constructing the tabernacle, God reminded Moses about the Sabbath law (31:12-17). This reminder was placed here so that the people would remember that they were to work six days and rest on the seventh (see Exodus 20:8). Observing the Sabbath day would protect Israel from God’s judgment (31:14-16) and remind them that God had created the heavens and the earth in six days but rested on the seventh day (31:17). When God finished speaking all of these instructions found written in Exodus 25-31, “He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God” (31:18). God’s law had been written and now the nation of Israel was expected to obey it. Obedience would bring blessing while disobedience would bring God’s judgment upon the nation.
Dear God, thank You for the revelation of God through Moses concerning the law of God.
