BaptistWay: All for God’s service

• The BaptistWay lesson for May 24 focuses on Exodus 35:4-10, 20-35; 36:2-7.

The Hebrew Bible was not divided into sentences, paragraphs, chapters and sections as our modern English Bibles are. Likewise, not every English Bible is divided the same way. As a result, as we read our English translations, we see the stories in a slightly different context from each other and from the original Hebrew audience. The story about the building of the tabernacle is an example.

Those who read English translations are conditioned to read from the beginning of the chapter to the end of the chapter. These are the natural transition points for us. So, when we turn to Exodus 35, we are not likely to start at verse 4, where the story of the tabernacle construction begins. We are more likely to start with verse 1, and if we start there, the building of the tabernacle is cast in a slightly different light than it would be if we started with verse 4.

Exodus 35:1-3 is a concise recitation of the Sabbath command. Moses says, “These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do” (v. 1), and then Moses proceeds to speak of the Sabbath. “For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death” (v. 2).

What a stark contrast between days 1-6 and day 7. The people could be as busy as they wanted or needed to be for six days, and then busyness must come to a screeching halt on day 7. In fact, the penalty for an infraction was very steep—death. The people were not even allowed to light a fire in their homes on the Sabbath. I wonder how they kept warm on winter days.

The tabernacle was like striking a match

Then Moses voiced a second command, “Everyone who is willing” (v. 5) bring a precious offering for the Lord to be used in making a sacred tent. In response, “everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting” (v. 21). So many people brought so much, eventually the craftsmen reported to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done” (36:5), and so the people were told not to bring any more (vv. 6-7).

On the Sabbath, the people were to do no work, not even light a fire in their homes, or they would be put to death. Observing the Sabbath was an act of worship. By contrast, when Moses commanded those who were willing to bring an offering, he lighted a fire among the people with flames of blue, purple and scarlet; onyx, ruby and emerald; gold, silver and bronze. The fire didn’t subside until the tabernacle was completed and then was replaced by a new fire of holy worship through incense, lamps and offerings.

All or none

When observing the Sabbath, total obedience was expected in performing no work. When the Sabbath was over, total obedience was expected in performing all work.

All or none—so much comes out of that little Hebrew word kol. This little word is translated as “all” in Exodus 35:4, 10, 12, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 29 and 36:1, 3, 4; “whoever” in Exodus 35:5; “every” in Exodus 35:10, 22, 23, 24 and 36:1; “everyone” in Exodus 35:21, 24 and 36:2; and as “any” in Exodus 35:24. This little word kol does a lot of work. In fact, this little word kol wraps up the entire community of Israel not just in the command but in the grace of the command—“everyone who is willing,” “all who are skilled.” The response to the grace of the command was an outpouring.

Imagine what grace can do in your life

The grace of the command still reverberates. “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame” (The Apostle Paul’s rendering of Isaiah 28:16), for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Joel 2:32, Romans 10:11, 13) because “the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him” (Romans 10:12).

Jesus invites everyone who is willing to deny themselves, to take up their cross and to follow him, to give up and to give over everything because “whoever wants to save their life” must lose it (Luke 9:23-24).

Someone once said that in a ham and egg breakfast, the chicken participates, and the pig is committed.

The same is true with regard to our relation to God. Do we merely participate, or are we committed? Does our response to God demonstrate obligation to the letter of the command—as in how the religious leaders ultimately interpreted the Sabbath—or an outpouring over the grace of the command—as in “everyone who is willing?”