Exodus 37 & 38 Furnishings
Watch the painstaking intricacy of working with gold. This is nothing compared to what the Lord worked through the hands of Bezalel.
It is time to begin work on the furnishings for the Tabernacle. The people are excited to be included in this amazing work for the Lord. For HIS dwelling place among them.
Exodus lists the different portions of the building process in order. I have a feeling that it was more a division of labor than a single step process. Weaving the curtains and sewing the coverings would take a lot longer than making the frames, pegs, and poles. I expect that, after their first task was completed, those in one group would move onto the next, without having to wait until the others finished their portion of the tent or furnishings or outer court. Let’s rejoin them as they continue work of the Tabernacle; the place where the Lord will dwell among them.
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Bezalel is carefully monitoring the work flow. He is teaching those with a heart to help, inspecting what is being produced, and anticipating the special tasks he feels called to do himself. It has taken him two months to get everything running smoothly. He feels the pull on his spirit to begin the intricate work the Spirit of the Lord is showing him. The creation of the furnishings for the Lord.
He has been dreaming for weeks of the design of the Ark and Mercy Seat. He prays daily that his hands will be able to create what is in his heart. He knows the frustration of an artist, who sees in their mind one design, only to have something else come out of their hands. The magnificence that he sees in his dreams HAS to be from the Lord! And he HAS to make it for Him.
Bezalel goes to the carpenters. “I need a box made of acacia wood. ‘Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.’ (Exodus 37:1) I will also need two poles for carrying it. They will extend beyond it on each end, enough that a man can carry it without coming into contact with the Ark itself.”
Bezalel also gave the carpenters the dimensions and specifications for the table and altar. These would both have acacia wood as their structure before being overlaid with gold. “When you have finished with these pieces, let the runners know so that they may bring me word. I will personally be finishing these with gold.”
Bezalel thought about beginning the Mercy Seat while waiting on the Ark’s structure to be completed, but decided to wait instead. He was excited about his portion of the work and wanted to dive in. He felt a restraining hand on him though, and believed that, if he didn’t heed it, his work would not be what he saw in his dreams.
It only took two days for the carpenters to send word that the Ark was ready. Bezalel had cleared a space for his own work in the area of the metal workers. It stood ready when the runner brought the news.
“The carpenters are finished with the Ark. They say it is exactly as you instructed.”
“Let’s go have a look at it” Bezalel replied.
The two men walked to the carpenters’ area together. Bezalel immediately sees it standing on the workbench. He approaches reverently, as he can already see its final form in his mind. He puts out his hand and runs it over the length and breadth of it; feeling for any imperfections or rough areas. He finds none. His hand glides over the entire surface with ease. The wood is warm to his touch and he can smell the sweet fragrance of the wood.
The carpenters stopped working when Bezalel first approached. Those who had personally constructed the Ark wait with anticipation. When Bezalel lifts his eyes to them, they see unshed tears glistening in them.
“What is wrong, my lord” the first asks with fear in his voice.
“Not a thing” whispers Bezalel. “It is a beauty to behold.” Bezalel breathes deeply and then burst into a song of praise to the Lord. “You have created such wonderful hands my Lord! You have endowed them with skills beyond that of our mortal beings. You have brought forth wonders to behold! Thanks be to the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob for allowing us this honor!”
The carpenters watch in awe as Bezalel praises their work and the Lord’s blessing on their hands. At that very moment, they recognize the truth of his words. It was the Lord’s hands working through their own that created these works. From tent peg to Ark, to all that still lay unfinished, the Lord’s hands overlaid their own during each step.
Bezalel has two of the runners lift the Ark and carry it to his workbench. Once it is placed there, he runs his hands over it one more time. He needs it to come alive in his hands, so that his ministrations with it will be through the hands of the Lord as well.
“Melt gold for me” he instructs one of the metal workers.
As soon as the gold is ready, begins to pour it over the inner surface of the Ark. He works it into every corner and seals every seam with it. And this is just the beginning! Using vats for dipping, molds for sculpting, and torches for heating small areas, Bezalel will overlay every surface of the Ark and create moldings around the perimeter, and create and set rings for the poles. He worked with the Spirit of the Lord guiding his hands.
Once the Ark is finished, Bezalel turns to the portion that has captured his imagination, as well as brought him the greatest fear. He longs to bring into the light of day, what the Lord has given him in his heart. The Mercy Seat. It has to fit the Ark perfectly as well as reflect the glory of the Lord. It will be one solid piece of gold; hammered into the shape God has intended.
Bezalel works diligently on this piece for weeks. He has to shoo several onlookers back to their tasks throughout his process. He understands their desire to watch this magnificent piece take form, but they have important work to attend to also.
Torches are used to soften the gold where carving tools will make their marks. The hammer is carefully wielded to shape the larger forms. The pieces are heated at each joint to form them into one piece.
Slowly the cherubim emerge and take shape. Their wings spread and touch one another from opposite ends. Their faces look toward one another and down onto the center of the Mercy Seat. The expressions on their faces are so lifelike, one would expect to see an eye blink or a smile to part. Their hands display perfectly sculpted finger nails and creases for each joint. If not for their chests not moving, one would almost believe they were alive!
When this piece is finally finished, Bezalel tries its fit one last time on the structure of the Ark. They fit PERFECTLY, and one enhances the other. They are EXACTLY as the vision from the Lord.
Moses heard that the Mercy Seat and Ark were finished. He came to see it. He gasped when he first saw it. Tears then began to stream from his eyes. Bezalel didn’t know what to think of his reaction, until Moses fell to his knees and started praising the Lord.
“You have indeed endowed Your craftsmen with skill! Thank You Lord for allowing me to see with my physical eyes exactly what You showed me on the mountain.”
Bezalel’s heart sang with Moses’. Any who tried to complement him on his expert job were told exactly where the skill for such work as this came from. “All praise belongs to the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. HE was the author of this piece. HIS hands guided mine.”
Bezalel turned next to the other three items of furnishing that had acacia wood as their structure. These were easier than the Ark and Mercy Seat, but no less important. Bezalel used the same techniques with them as he did with the Ark. The table was first. “He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table.” (Exodus 37:11-14) It’s rim design went perfectly with the molding around the Ark.
The Alter of Incense was second. Bezalel personally crafted this piece and the next from acacia wood. Both included horns at their corners. Bezalel needed them to be exactly like the vision he was given of these pieces. Each of the two pieces horns were of one piece with their structure, so Bezalel carved them from the wood. The Altar of Incense was the smallest of all the pieces. It would be covered in gold, like the Ark. “Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it.” (Exodus 37:25-27) Poles of acacia wood, covered in gold were fashioned for it as well.
The final piece of acacia wood was the Altar for the burnt offering. It was the largest piece of all. “He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. Five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth. It was square, and three cubits was its height. He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.” (Exodus 38:1-2) This piece was covered in bronze instead of gold. It would be outside of the Tent of Meeting. Of bronze, “he made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down. He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating as holders for the poles.” (Exodus 38:4-5) The carrying poles of acacia wood for it were also covered in bronze. Other than the horns, there were no decorative moldings. The Lord had instructed that it be hollow. Its size would have made it too heavy otherwise.
Bezalel also fashioned the lampstand the Lord had showed him. It was of pure hammered gold. “Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it.” (Exodus 37:17-21) The intricacy of the design was astonishing. It was as much a work of art as it was functional for the Tabernacle.
Moses had to come and see the lampstand too. Again, his heart burst with joy at Bezalel’s ability to reproduce exactly what the Lord had shown him while on the mountain. He KNEW where this skill came from. Bezalel gladly gave the Lord the credit.
The final piece of furnishing, Bezalel mad was the Bronze Basin. “He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.” (Exodus 38:8). The women were overjoyed to be contributing to such a work as this. And their mirrors lost none of their reflecting capabilities in this new form.
Several of the pieces of furnishing had tools that would be used in their service. Bezalel oversaw the construction of these. For the table there were made “its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.” (Exodus 37:16b) These were of pure gold. Also of pure gold were the “seven lamps and its tongs and its trays” for the lampstand. These items, along with the lampstand itself, were made from a full talent of gold. For the Altar of Burnt Offerings, there were made “the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its utensils of bronze.” (Exodus 38:3) All these utensils were made to complement the surfaces they would rest upon. They were engraved with matching designs, from the table through the altar.
To complete the inner needs of the Tent of Meeting, Bezalel had the expert perfumer blend the spices for the incense. This would be burned on the Altar of Incense. Its fragrance would reach to the heavens. It was the exact recipe that the Lord had provided.
When each piece was completed, Bezalel would have the runners take it to the tent where the completed pieces were stored. Even the most beautiful pieces had to wait for their use until all the work was finished.
(to be continued)
Father God, I would LOVE to see the Mercy Seat and the lampstand! Those two pieces capture my imagination like no other. Will I be allowed to see them in Heaven? I believe so, but, I cannot say with any certainty. You had a hierarchy for the Tabernacle. After that first generation, who saw the work as it was in progress and erected, was the only generation where the common man viewed these pieces. After they were erected and consecrated, only the priests would see these two pieces. The Mercy Seat would only bee seen once a year; by the high priest, until it was lost.
I know my words cannot do justice to this process. Was there any descension in the ranks while the work was going on? The whole process would take seven months. That’s a long time for the people to maintain pure focus. I would love to hear the stories about that time, when I see You face-to-face.
