Exodus: A Group StudySample

What is this passage saying?

Yahweh gives instructions for the Sabbath as well as contributions for the tabernacle.

What is this passage teaching?

After the covenant renewal of Exodus 34, Israel was now ready to construct the tabernacle. First, Yahweh reminds them to rest. Even the building of Yahweh’s dwelling place would not supersede the command to take a day of rest. Then, the contributions were gathered for the tabernacle. Notice there is no tax levied on the Israelite’s possessions. Only those “whose heart moved them” would contribute materials to the building of the tabernacle. Generosity and sacrifice, fueled by the Holy Spirit, are meant to define Yahweh’s covenant community.

How do I respond?

Yahweh’s reiteration of Sabbath instructions before building the tabernacle is a reminder to not neglect what is important for what is urgent. The tabernacle needed to be built, but not at the expense of obedience to God. In the same way, you may be tempted to sacrifice Sabbath, Bible reading, prayer, community, or a whole host of other disciplines for “urgent” things. Like failing to keep the Sabbath in Exodus, failure to maintain disciplines that connect us to God and His people will lead to spiritual death (Exodus 35:2). Where have you let the urgency of your job, relationships, or hobbies crowd out the importance of consistently drawing near to God through regular disciplines? Do not think about spiritual disciplines like the first items on a long checklist of priorities. Rather, cultivating the presence of God through disciplines places God at the center of your life around which all other priorities and responsibilities orbit.