30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills — 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts.... Read more

“Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” -Exodus 34:14 Most of us are taught from a young age that to be jealous is a bad thing. But then God says he is a jealous God. Why is it okay for him and not for us? Of course, the easy answer is that God is perfect and can do as he pleases. But Exodus 34 offers a unique perspective on the... Read more

The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” -Exodus 33:14 Scripture equates God’s presence with rest. If God is with us, we are at peace. We find rest. So why do we often find ourselves restless, tired, or discouraged? There are a variety of reasons. Like the Israelites, we sometimes find ourselves craving other things because we have turned against God’s plan for our lives. Another reason we lack rest is because we... Read more

So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” -Exodus 32:31-32 We often ask God to forgive our sins…but what about the sins of others? Moses offers a powerful example of prayer on behalf of the failings of those around us. Rather than making himself look... Read more

“Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever.  It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” -Exodus 31:16-17 We typically think of the Sabbath like we do the term sabbatical–as a time of rest. It is, but it is also much more. In Exodus 31,... Read more

“It is most holy to the LORD.” -Exodus 30:10 Three times in Exodus 30, God mentions a practice or item as most holy to the Lord. What is the importance of making something “most holy”? In each case, making something “most holy” is to emphasize its great importance to God. The incense of the tabernacle, the annual atonement, and the priests were all to be most holy to the Lord. Simply put, things that are most holy are those things... Read more

“45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. 46 They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.” -Exodus 29:45-46 God never hides. His goal is to reveal himself to us. The Israelites had lived in slavery 400 years; now they were free. They lived in the wilderness with the very presence of God in their... Read more

“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.” -Exodus 28:1-3 Aaron and his sons were... Read more