Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah.
This last portion of ‘’Vayakel’’ ends with the construction of the Tabernacle with all its furniture, coverings, garments, and vessels.
ויעשׂ בצלאל – and Betsalel made … or ‘’created’’ Herein lies one of the most profound realities of the ages. Man is invited by YHVH to ‘’co-create’’ a ‘’dwelling place’’ on earth. The Hebrew word ‘’asah’’ which means to ‘’make or do’’ is used almost 3000 times in the Hebrew scriptures indicating man’s call to actively participate in in bringing about YHVH’s Will on earth.
This is why we find so many vigorous words and phrases in Scripture, such as "make every effort", "strain", "struggle", "pursue", "run with diligence the race set before you", "fight the good fight", "persist", "resist", "stand", "take hold", "guard", "endure to the end", etc. If everything is preordained, what would be the use of all this strenuous effort? YHVH wants and expects our cooperation in all that He does. "We are YHVH's fellow workers" (1 Corinthians 3:9). We and Messiah are yoked together (Matthew 11:29). We are part of the body of Messiah; he is the head and we are the body parts, all working together "as each part does its work" (Ephesians 4:15-16). We work and he works- Philippians 2:13 for it is Elohim who is working in you both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.
The instructions
regarding the Tabernacle are considered by some scholars to prepare an end time
generation for the revelation of Messiah to those who will be called out into
the wilderness to escape the judgments of the Great Tribulation - See Ezekiel
20:33-38 and Rev 12. – 2Maccabess 2:1-8
Exo 37:1 And Betsal’ĕl made (ויעשׂ בצלאל) the ark of
acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, and a cubit and a half wide, and a
cubit and a half high. (1.125mx 0.675m x 0.45m) –
Betsalel = “in the shadow (i.e. protection) of
Elohim”
Exo 37:2
And he overlaid it with clean gold inside and outside, and made a
moulding of gold all around it.
Exo 37:3
And he cast four rings of gold for it, for its four feet, two rings on
its one side, and two rings on its other side.
Exo 37:4
And he made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
Exo 37:5
And he put the poles into the rings at the sides of the ark, to lift the
ark.
Exo 37:6
And he made a lid of atonement of clean gold, two and a half cubits long
and a cubit and a half wide.
Exo 37:7
And he made two keruḇim of beaten gold. He
made them from the two ends of the lid of atonement,
Exo
37:8 one keruḇ at one end on this side,
and the other keruḇ at the other end on that
side. He made the keruḇim from the lid of
atonement, from the two ends.
Exo
37:9 And the keruḇim spread out their wings
above, and covered the lid of atonement with their wings, with their faces
toward each other, the faces of the keruḇim
were turned toward the lid of atonement.
A total circumference of 8 cubits – 8 the
number of new beginnings.
Exo
37:10 And he made the table of acacia
wood, two cubits long, and a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high.
Exo
37:11 And he overlaid it with clean
gold, and made a moulding of gold all around it.
Exo
37:12 And he made a rim of a handbreadth
all around it, and made a moulding of gold for the rim all around it.
Exo
37:13 And he cast four rings of gold for
it, and put the rings on the four corners that were at its four legs.
Exo
37:14 The rings were next to the rim, as
holders for the poles to lift the table.
Exo
37:15 And he made the poles of acacia
wood to lift the table, and overlaid them with gold.
Exo
37:16 And he made the utensils which
were on the table, its dishes, and its cups, and its bowls, and its jars for
pouring, of clean gold.
The
table is a place where we break bread and have fellowship with YHVH and with
one another.
Exo
37:17 And he made the lampstand of clean
gold. He made the lampstand of beaten work, its base, and its shaft, its cups,
its ornamental knobs, and its blossoms were from it.
Exo
37:18 And six branches came out of its
sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three branches of
the lampstand out of the other side.
Exo
37:19 There were three cups like almond
flowers on one branch, with ornamental knob and blossom, and three cups like
almond flowers on the other branch, a knob and a blossom – so for the six
branches coming out of the lampstand.
Exo
37:20 And on the lampstand were four
cups like almond flowers, its knobs and blossoms,
Exo
37:21 and a knob under the first two
branches of the same, and a knob under the second two branches of the same, and
a knob under the third two branches of the same, for the six branches coming
out of it.
Exo
37:22 Their knobs and their branches
were of it, all of it was one beaten work of clean gold.
Exo
37:23 And he made its seven lamps, and
its snuffers, and its trays, of clean gold.
Exo
37:24 He made it of a talent of clean
gold, and all its utensils.
Exo
37:25 And he made the incense altar of
acacia wood, a cubit long and a cubit wide, square, and two cubits high. Its
horns were of it.
Exo
37:26 And he overlaid it with clean
gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns. And he made a moulding
for it of gold all around it.
Exo
37:27 And he made two rings of gold for
it under its moulding, at its two corners on both sides, as holders for the
poles with which to lift it.
Exo
37:28 And he made the poles of acacia
wood, and overlaid them with gold.
Exo
37:29 And he made the set-apart
anointing oil and the clean incense of sweet spices, according to the work of
the perfumer.
Exo 38:1 And he made the altar of burnt offering of
acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide, square, and three cubits
high.
Exo 38:2
And he made its horns on its four corners, the horns were of it. And he
overlaid it with bronze.
Exo 38:3
And he made all the utensils for the altar: the pots, and the shovels,
and the basins, and the forks, and the fire holders. He made all its utensils
of bronze.
Exo 38:4
And he made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, under its rim,
midway from the bottom.
Exo 38:5
And he cast four rings for the four corners of the bronze grating, as
holders for the poles.
Exo 38:6
And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze.
Exo 38:7
And he put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with
which to lift it. He made the altar hollow with boards.
Exo 38:9
And he made the courtyard: for the south side the screens of the
courtyard were of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long,
Exo 38:10
their twenty columns and their twenty sockets, of bronze. The hooks of
the columns and their bands were of silver.
Exo 38:11
And for the north side the screens were one hundred cubits long, their
twenty columns and their twenty sockets, of bronze. The hooks of the columns
and their bands were of silver.
Exo 38:12
And for the west side there were screens of fifty cubits, their ten
columns and their ten sockets. The hooks of the columns and their bands were of
silver.
Exo 38:13
And for the east side eastward, fifty cubits:
Exo 38:14
fifteen cubits of screens on the one side, with their three columns and
their three sockets,
Exo 38:15
and fifteen cubits of screens the other side of the courtyard gate, on
this side and that side, with their three columns and their three sockets.
Exo 38:16
All the screens of the courtyard all around were of fine woven linen.
Exo 38:17
And the sockets for the columns were of bronze, the hooks of the columns
and their bands were of silver, and the overlay of their tops was of silver.
And all the columns of the courtyard had bands of silver.
Exo 38:18
And the covering for the gate of the courtyard was the work of an
embroiderer, of blue and purple and scarlet material, and of fine woven
linen, and twenty cubits long, and the height along its width was five cubits,
corresponding to the screens of the courtyard.
Exo 38:19
And the columns were four, and their sockets of bronze four, their hooks
were of silver, and the overlay of their tops and their bands was of silver.
Exo 38:20
And all the pegs of the Dwelling Place, and of the courtyard all around,
were of bronze.
Midrash:
Heb 10:1 For the Torah, having a shadow of the good matters to
come…..
How do these instructions relate to the last
days ‘’kehelah’’ or wilderness remnant? Rev 12 & Ezek 20:33-38
1. The Entrance – vs 18-20 – Messiah is not just the only way to enter YHVH’S Presence – Messiah is the only One who is able to keep us in His Presence
Joh 14:6 יהושע said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Some Biblical scholars refer to the entrance
of the Tabernacle courtyard as the ‘’way’’, the Set Apart place as the
‘’truth’’ and the most Set Apart place as the ‘’Life’’.
In our redemptive journey ‘’salvation’’ is just the beginning of our journey - Joh 3:36 “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Elohim remains on him.”
We will not escape the coming judgment by saying
we are ‘’believers’’ – we are required to be ‘’obedient’’ believers -
Jas 2:18 But someone might say, “You
have belief, and I have works.” Show me your belief without your works, and I
shall show you my belief by my works.
Jas 2:19 You believe that Elohim is
one. Deu_6:4 You do well. The demons also believe – and
shudder!
Jas 2:20 But do you wish to know, O
foolish man, that the belief without the works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Aḇraham our father
declared right by works when he offered Yitsḥaq his son on the
slaughter-place?
Jas 2:22 Do you see that the belief was
working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected?
Jas 2:23 And the Scripture was filled
which says, “Aḇraham believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for
righteousness.” Gen_15:6 And He called him, “he who loves
Elohim.” Isa_41:8, 2Ch_20:7.
Jas 2:24 You see, then, that a man is
declared right by works, and not by belief alone.
2. Outer Boundary - vs 9-17 – these outer boundary curtains served as a ‘’separation’’
for those who were responding to the call to set themselves apart from this
world, even from other believers.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove
what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.
2Co 6:17 Therefore, “Come out from
among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is
unclean, and I shall receive you. Isa_52:11.
2Co 6:18 “And I shall be a Father to
you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה
the Almighty.” Isa_43:6, Hos_1:10.
Joh 17:14 “I have given them Your Word,
and the world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the
world. Joh 17:15 “I do not pray that You should take them out of the
world, but that You keep them from the wicked one. Joh 17:16
“They are not of the world, as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 “Set them apart in Your truth
– Your Word is truth.[c] Footnote: cSee Psa_119:142, Psa_119:151,
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from
the heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her
sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.[a] Footnote: a Jer_51:6,
Jer_51:9, Jer_51:45. Also see Jer_50:8, Jer_50:13, Jer_50:28.
Rev 18:5 “Because her sins have piled
up to reach the heaven, and Elohim has remembered her unrighteousnesses.
The day is coming when believers will have to
flee the cities and their homes - Mat 24:15 “So when you see the ’abomination that lays waste,’b Dan_11:31
spoken of by Dani’ěl the prophet, set up in the set-apart place” – he who
reads, let him understand – Footnote: bSee also Dan_9:27 and Abomination
that lays waste in Explanatory Notes.
Mat 24:16 “then let those who are in
Yehuḏah flee to the mountains.
Mat 24:17 “Let him who is on the
house-top not come down to take whatever out of his house.
Mat 24:18 “And let him who is in the
field not turn back to get his garments.
Mat 24:19 “And woe to those who are
pregnant and to those who are nursing children in those days!
Mat 24:20 “And pray that your flight
does not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
Mat 24:21 “For then there shall be
great distress,c such as has not been since the beginning of the world until
this time, no, nor ever shall be. Footnote: cOr great pressure, or great
affliction.
Mat 24:22 “And if those days were not
shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the sake of the chosen ones those
days shall be shortened.
Mat 24:23 “If anyone then says to you,
‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe.
Mat 24:24 “For false messiahs and false
prophets shall arise, and they shall show great signs and wonders, so as to
lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
Mat 24:25 “See, I have forewarned
you.
3. Bronze basin vs 8 – for cleansing - Exo 38:8 And he made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who did service at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
One of the most important revelations we need
in our lives is the revelation of our true condition before YHVH and His Mercy He
lavishes upon our condition.
Isa 64:6 And all of us have become as one unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as soiled rags (Heb - soiled menstrual cloth). And all of us fade like a leaf, and our crookednesses, like the wind, have taken us away.
It appears that mankind’s impure condition lasts for ‘’7000 years’’ - Lev 15:19 ‘And when a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her flesh is blood, she has to be in her separation for seven days. And whoever touches her is unclean until evening. Lev 15:20 ‘And whatever she lies on during her separation is unclean. And whatever she sits on is unclean.
Just this one verse in Ex 38:8 carries a significant mystery for our restoration.
1Ti 2:14 And Aḏam was not deceived, but the woman, having been deceived, fell into transgression.
Ecclesiasticus 25:24 - Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die.
When our wives kindle the sabbath candles we are reminded that as
darkness came into the world through a woman, so too, the Light came into the
world through a woman – Miriyam mother of Yahshua.
We see that YHVH is going to do something new on the earth in the last days - Jer 31:22 “Till when would you turn here and there, O backsliding daughter? For יהוה has created what is new on earth: a woman encompasses a man!” נקבה תסובב גבר׃ (encompass - סָבַב to revolve, surround or border – a valiant man or warrior)
The woman who guarded the entrance of the
Tabernacle may not have had much to say, but they had a profound influence on
YHVH’s People through their humility and intercessory prayer day and night,
assisting an appointed priesthood to effectively function as priests before
YHVH and man – see 1 Pet 3:1
4. Bronze altar for burnt offerings
- Shem 38:1-7
The bronze altar was that appointed place by
YHVH where we came face to face with our transgressions – it was that place
where we became deeply grieved over our inability to save ourselves - 2Co 7:10 For sadness
according to Elohim works repentance to deliverance, not to be regretted, but
the sadness of the world works death.
So, after laying our hands on the head of an
innocent kosher animal we would put a knife to its throat while confessing our
sin. So, innocent blood was shed for our transgressions.
5. The Golden Altar of Incense –
Shemot 37:25-29
This golden altar was placed in front of the
‘’mercy seat’’ or ark of the covenant in the Set Apart Place – separated only
by a curtain from the Most Set Apart Place – (parochet)
Bronze is symbolic of judgment; gold is symbolic of all that is good and pure and desirable – Incense is symbolic of the intercessory prayer we offer up to YHVH for ourselves and others.
6.
The Golden Menorah Shemot 37:17-37:24 – The prophet Isaiah gives us some profound insight into
the Menorah’s seven branches - Isa 11:2 The Spirit of יהוה shall rest
upon Him
(central candle)
– the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the
Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of יהוה,
Isa 11:3 and shall make
Him breathe in the fear of יהוה. And He shall not judge by the sight of
His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears.
7. Table of Shew bread - Shemot 37:10 – 16 – Om this table were 12 loaves of unleavened bread representing the 12 tribes of Israel - Showbread (Hebrew: לחם הפנים Leḥem haPānīm, literally: "Bread of the Faces") The table was a place for enjoying YHVH’s provision and communion with Him and fellow Israelites – a place where we would come to discover the rich diversity of YHVH and His Family.
8. Ark of the covenant – Shemot 37:1-9 – The greatest archeological discovery of our times may soon become a reality – 2 Maccabees 2 - 1One of our writings says that it was Jeremiah the prophet who ordered our people to hide some of the altar fire before we were forced to go to Persia, just as I have already told you. 2We also know from this writing that Jeremiah taught these Jews the Law of the Lord. He warned them never to forget the Lord's commands after they arrived in Persia, and he also begged our people not to be tricked into worshiping idols, even the ones decorated with gold and silver. 3He said many similar things, while urging them to always think about the teachings of the Law. 4 This same writing tells us that Jeremiah had a vision, in which he was ordered to take the sacred tent and the sacred chest to the mountain that Moses had climbed to look at the land God had promised us. 5After Jeremiah came to the mountain, he found a big cave, where he hid the tent, the chest, and the altar for burning incense. Then he blocked the entrance to the cave. 6Meanwhile, a few of our people had followed Jeremiah, hoping to mark the path to the cave, but they could not. 7Jeremiah got angry with them when he discovered what they had tried to do, and he said: "No one can know about the cave until the Lord God has pity on us again and brings our people back home. 8 At that time, he will show where these things are hidden. A cloud will appear, blazing with God's own dazzling light, just as it did when he came to Moses. This is also how the Lord came to King Solomon, when Solomon asked him to make the holy temple glorious and acceptable as a place for worship."
And so there will be an anticipation among
an end time wilderness remnant that Yahshua is about to return, and the ancient
Tabernacle is about to be rediscovered. Then the world (what’s left of it) will
know that not one word of YHVH’s Torah has passed away – Matt 5:17-19.
Isa 42:21 It has delighted יהוה, for the sake of His righteousness, to
make the Torah great and esteemed.
Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the
Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting
life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Amein.