Archive for the ‘Daily Bible Study & Questions’ Category

November 1st, 2019 Daily Bible Study & Questions, First Person Story No Comments »

Exodus 35:30-36:38 Builders

The Lord even created the very colors He wanted used in His project.

Moses announces God’s chosen builders and everyone gets to work. The whole group is excited to be undertaking this task.

I’m going to have to start off with a confession. We have read the details of the tabernacle so many times that I find myself skimming through this reading. It may be “old news” to us but it was exciting and new to those on “the ground floor” of constructing what God designed.

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The people had been gathering and bringing supplies to Moses as their freewill offerings to the Lord for a week now. There was so much gathered that it covered the floor of the tent of meeting and rose up in heaps. There was gold and silver and bronze articles in every
imaginable design. There were also stacks of spun yarn in blue, scarlet, purple and white Read more »

October 30th, 2019 Daily Bible Study & Questions No Comments »

Exodus 35:4-29 Freewill!

A gift from the heart with NO compunction to give it. A gift of love and gratitude.

The time has come to build the Lord’s house; the Tabernacle. EVERYONE who wants to can contribute to this project.

Moses has already given the people the basics of God’s law. They have the Ten Commandments and every other word that the Lord shared with Moses on Mt. Sinai. There is much more that God will share with Moses and His people but first they need to show their dedication to Him.

God didn’t command ANYONE to bring their goods for His work. NEVER did He compel them to surrender their earthly treasures to Him. He left their contribution completely up to the individual and their heart.

What God did was plant a seed into the hearts of the people. God gave Moses the specifications for the tabernacle. I can imagine his heart was overflowing thinking about the fact that in building this he and the people could give back to the Lord. Then Moses shared that vision with the people. Read more »

October 29th, 2019 Daily Bible Study & Questions No Comments »

Exodus 35:1-3 Sabbath Laws

Observing the Sabbath isn’t about ritual but relationship. It’s a sign of the covenant God made with Israel.

Moses shares God’s command for the Sabbath. This is to be a holy day unto Him for all time.

We discussed the Sabbath laws when God first gave them to Moses. We touched on the fact that this law was for Israel and that most Christians celebrate the first day of the week instead. Israel still adheres to the Sabbath even now as well as some denominations of the Christian faith.

When Moses shares God’s command for a Sabbath rest and separation of that day as holy to the Lord, he is STRICT with his instructions. He was quoting God though. In Exodus 31:15b God states to Moses “Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.” This was told to Moses the first time he came up the mountain to meet with God for the stone tablets. NOTHING that was said the first time was forgotten or replaced during his second visit. We don’t hear God using those exact words the second time but Moses KNOWS that the earlier commands still apply. Read more »

October 28th, 2019 Daily Bible Study & Questions, First Person Story No Comments »

Exodus 34:29-35 Glowing

God’s presence “rubbed off” on Moses while they were together.

Moses has spent an incredible time with the Lord and his face clearly shows it. The people are frightened by the change in Moses.

God and Moses spent 40 days and nights together on the mountain. Moses ate and drank nothing while he was there. We aren’t told if he slept or if he even noticed the passage of time. Did God “observe” the Sabbath while with Moses? Did they work and visit straight through the time? If they did observe the Sabbath did they share stories during their down time? Did Moses get to meet any other Heavenly residents?

Whatever they did together changed Moses forever. This change was more than an inward change or even a behavioral change. Moses took on the radiance of God’s presence. We aren’t told if it faded over time but we know the relationship with God didn’t. This facial changed scared the people. I can’t say as I blame them for being scared, I probably would have been too. Read more »

October 27th, 2019 Daily Bible Study & Questions No Comments »

Exodus 34:10-28 Do Over

God did the writing last time, now it’s Moses’ turn to take dictation.

It’s time to set God’s word down in stone again. Most of what Moses writes here was given to him earlier by God. But now it is his time to inscribe it into the stone.

The last time Moses was on the mountain top with God much of the focus was on the tabernacle that was to be built. I’m not doubting that God gave Moses those instructions again. He was there 40 days and nights. Moses was busy writing the words of the Lord the whole time. He didn’t even take meal breaks.

One thing I notice God focusing on in this encounter deals with other gods. That was Israel’s most recent HUGE sin. God does NOT want a repeat of that performance. So He takes care in addressing this area. He doesn’t stop with “Have no other gods before Me” but goes on to say “Have no dealings with others who worship other gods.” He is especially referring to those He is about to drive out of the land He intends to give to Israel. “I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites” (verse 11). ALL these nations will be displaced, in God’s time. But more than their people being moved out to make way for Israel, their gods are to be torn down so only the true God remains. Read more »