Exodus 40

CHAPTER 40

Setting Up the Tabernacle (40:1–33)

1–8 The tabernacle and its furnishings were prepared in less than six months, and the tabernacle was set up about six months later; thus approximately one year had passed since the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt.

In these first eight verses, the Lord commands Moses to set up the tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) and the courtyard and then place within them the six articles of furniture that had been made: the ark, the table, the lampstand, the gold altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering, and the basin. Then in verses 17–33, Moses’ actual carrying out of these commands is described.

9–11 When the tabernacle was ready, Moses was to anoint it and all its furnishings with the anointing oil (see Exodus 30:22–33). The actual anointing of the tabernacle is described in Leviticus 8:10–11.

12–15 Next, Moses was to consecrate and anoint Aaron and his sons so they could serve as priests (see Exodus 29:1–9 and comment). The actual consecrating of Aaron and his sons is described in Leviticus 8:1–9,12–13.

16 Moses did everything just as the LORD commanded him. Obedience was one of the two great hallmarks of Moses’ life, the other being the long periods spent in God’s presence. The phrase as the LORD commanded occurs eight times in verses 17–33. In everything, Moses did a“s the Lord commanded him.”

People today talk much about the qualities they want to see in their leaders, but one quality is more important than any other: obedience. Does the leader obey God? All other qualities are secondary to that. It is impossible to trust a leader who does not obey the word of God.

17–19 Moses then proceeded to set up the tabernacle as the Lord had commanded (see Exodus 26:1–37).

20–21 Moses next placed the Testimony (the two tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written) in the ark and put the atonement cover over it (see Exodus 25:10–22); then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and put it in the Most Holy Place. Then he hung the shielding curtain in the entrance to the Most Holy Place (see Exodus 26:31–35).

22–23 Moses then placed the table on the north side of the Holy Place outside the curtain (see Exodus 25:23–30).

24–25 Moses next placed the lampstand opposite the table (see Exodus 25:31–40).

26–28 Moses placed the gold altar in the Holy Place in front of the curtain (see Exodus 30:1–10).

29 Moses next placed the altar of burnt offering in the courtyard of the tabernacle (see Exodus 27:1–8).

30–32 He placed the basin in the courtyard between the tabernacle and the altar of burnt offering (see Exodus 30:17–21).

33 Finally, Moses set up the courtyard, which surrounded the tabernacle (Tent of Meeting), and hung a curtain at its outside entrance (see Exodus 27:9–19). And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord (40:34–38)

34–35 The tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) was finished, but it was “empty.” Outward form, no matter how costly and beautiful, is not enough; inward filling is needed. And so the Lord filled the tabernacle with His glory, His presence. As on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15–16), the Lord’s glory was manifested as a cloud covering the tabernacle. So awesome was the cloud that Moses could not enter the tabernacle.

Before the tabernacle’s completion, Moses had put up a temporary “tent of meeting” outside the camp (Exodus 33:7–11). There, when he met with the Lord, Moses was inside and the Lord was outside. Now that the Lord’s proper dwelling was completed, the Lord was inside and Moses was outside; the Lord had accepted the tabernacle as His very own dwelling place among His people.

36–38 From then on, the Lord’s presence was with the Israelites. The pillars of cloud and fire that had guided them before (Exodus 13:21–22) would continue to guide them in the wilderness (see Numbers 9:15–23 and comment). The Lord Himself would now dwell among His people and guide them on their journey to the “promised land”. The promise of the divine Presence to lead the people was now fulfilled (Exodus 3:8; 23:20–23)-a fitting conclusion to the marvelous story of the book of Exodus.

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¹ The kings of Egypt during this period were called Pharaoh (verse 11).

² To “fear” God is to have reverence for Him, to trust Him, to obey Him. Because the midwives had reverence for God, they also had reverence for human life.

³ In view of the remarkable fertility of the Hebrew women, Pharaoh probably accepted the midwives’ explanation that the Hebrew babies were born before the midwives could get there.

⁴ This son was the couple’s third child. The first was a daughter, Miriam, by then a young girl (Exodus 15:20); the second was Aaron, three years old (Exodus 4:14).

⁵ The mother made a papyrus basket for the child (verse 3). Papyrus was a plant with strong stalks suitable for boat-building; its leaves were used as scrolls for writing. The Hebrew word for basket is the same word used for the ark built by Noah (Genesis 6:14); that word is used only these two times in the Old Testament. Just as God used the “ark” to save Noah and his family, so He used an ark to save baby Moses.

⁶ In Hebrews 11:27, the writer says: By faith [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king‚s anger. The writer of Hebrews is referring to Moses‚ final departure from Egypt at the time of the Exodus, not to his departure to Midian.

⁷ Midian derived its name from Abraham‚s fourth son (Genesis 25:2), whose descendants settled in that area.

⁸ See footnotes to comments on Genesis 16:7–10; 18:1–8.

⁹ The biblical writers speak of God’s activities—such as “hearing” and “coming down”—in human terms, because those are the only terms we humans can understand. Of course, God doesn’t hear with actual ears like ours, or “come down” like a parachute jumper; these are all figures of speech. This attributing of human characteristics to God is called anthropomorphism. For further discussion, see first footnote to comment on Genesis 8:21–22.

¹⁰ See footnotes to comment on Genesis 2:4–7; 17:1–2.

¹¹ The Old Testament was originally written in the Hebrew language.

¹² Jesus applied the name I AM to Himself; the people immediately recognized that He was calling Himself God, which for a mere human to do was considered blasphemous (John 8:58–59).

¹³ When God speaks of Himself, He says, “I AM” (“ehyeh”). When we speak of God, we say, “He is” (“Yahweh“).

¹⁴ For further discussion on the subject of hardness of heart, see Psalm 95:6–11; Jeremiah 13:23 and comments. For a discussion of the broader questions of why some people respond to God and others do not and what God plans for those who don’t respond or who are as yet unreached, see General Article: God’s Plans for the Unreached.

¹⁵ God considered the people of Israel to be like a firstborn son to Him, a beloved and treasured possession (Exodus 19:5). They were “firstborn,” not chronologically, but in preeminence, in privilege and in responsibility—just as Israel (Jacob) had gained preeminence over his older brother Esau (Genesis Chapter 27). In the New Testament, Jesus is called God’s “firstborn” (Romans 8:29); and we believers, as part of His church, are called the “firstborn” also (Hebrews 12:23).

¹⁶ To redeem means not only to deliver or save people from slavery or suffering but also to bring them to a better state, a better “land,” and to restore to them what was lost (see Exodus 13:11–16 and comment).

¹⁷ When swearing an oath, one customarily raises his hand; in God’s case, this is another example of anthropomorphism.

¹⁸ In verse 9, the Hebrew word for snake is different from that used in Exodus 4:3. Here a larger “snake” or “monster” is meant; the “snake” was a symbol of Egypt.

¹⁹ We shouldn’t be surprised that the magicians were able to duplicate three of Moses’ miracles: turning a staff into a snake (verses 11–12), turning water into blood (verse 22), and bringing forth frogs (Exodus 8:7). Satan and his evil spirits have enormous demonic power, and the New Testament warns us that they can counterfeit the true work of God and thus deceive people (2 Corinthians 11:13–14; 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

²⁰ Some have explained the reddish color and bad smell of the water as coming from natural causes. During certain periods, large amounts of reddish soil and certain organic materials can flow into the Nile River and change its color and its smell. It is possible that God actually used “natural” means to turn the water red. But even if this were true, it doesn’t make it any less a supernatural event. Natural causes alone could never have changed the water at the very time Aaron was raising his staff.

However, it is much better to understand the text at its face value. The text says the water was changed to blood, not that it merely changed color. (Perhaps the magicians could only change its color.) Furthermore, natural causes do not explain Moses’ earlier miracle of turning a small amount of water to blood (Exodus 4:9). The God who created the earth and the waters and set in place the natural laws governing His creation is able to make any alteration in the natural order that He sees fit. For further discussion, see General Article: Miracles and the Laws of Nature.

²¹ Those who look for a naturalistic explanation for the frogs point to the bloody, contaminated water throughout Egypt. Seven days after the plague of blood, the frogs were probably eager to get out of the smelly water! But they came up only when Aaron stretched out his hand, and they all died at the same time in response to Moses’ prayer to God (verse 13).

²² The biblical writers often use words such as “all” to describe a widespread event. This doesn’t mean that every speck of dust in Egypt became a gnat.

²³ God is so powerful that all He needs is His finger to make things happen. The expression “finger of God” (Luke 11:20) is similar to the expressions “arm of God” or “hand of God” (Exodus 9:3); it simply means “God’s action” or “God’s power.”

²⁴ The Hebrew word for lamb in verse 3 can also mean a young goat.

²⁵ The entire eight-day feast was usually called the Feast of Unleavened Bread (verse 17). The first day of the feast was the actual Passover celebration (Mark 14:12). But in later years, the entire feast was sometimes called the “Passover Feast” (John 1:13,23; 6:4).

According to Numbers 28:19–25, two bulls, one ram, and seven lambs were to be sacrificed as a burnt offering (Leviticus 1:1–17) each day for the seven days of the feast, together with a grain offering of fine flour and oil (Leviticus 2:1–16). In addition, a goat for a sin offering (Leviticus 4:1–35) was to be presented each day. These offerings were to be an aroma pleasing to the LORD (see Leviticus 1:5–17 and comment).

²⁶ Verse 19 repeats the thought of verse 15, but with this difference: the penalty (being “cut off”) would apply both to the native-born and to the alien (foreigner). This meant that non-Israelites (Gentiles) would be allowed to take part in the religious life of Israel, but they would have to abide by its rules as well (verse 48).

²⁷ Christians celebrate the “Passover” too, in a sense, but we call it the “Lord’s Supper” (1 Corinthians 11:23–26). Jesus’ last supper was a celebration of the Passover Feast (Mark 14:12).

²⁸ In the Old Testament, numbers are sometimes rounded off, and sometimes not (see Exodus 38:26).

²⁹ According to Genesis 15:14 and Acts 7:6, the Israelites were mistreated in Egypt for four hundred years. The number 400 is probably rounded off. However, it is also possible that it represents the years the Israelites were actually mistreated, whereas the number 430 represents the total number of years they spent in Egypt. It’s likely that for their first thirty years in Egypt (when Joseph was ruler under Pharaoh), the Israelites lived in peace.

Throughout the Old Testament the reader encounters numbers that may seem, at first, not to match. But there is usually a simple explanation for the difference. Most of these differences are insignificant and will not be mentioned in this commentary.

³⁰ In the genealogy of Moses and Aaron recorded in Exodus 6:16–20, there are only four generations listed that span the Israelites’ 430–year sojourn in Egypt. The reason is that the genealogy of Moses and Aaron in Exodus is not complete. Many genealogies in the Old Testament are summaries that focus only on certain individuals. Furthermore, in Hebrew genealogies the word “father” can mean “ancestor,” and the word “son” can mean “descendant.” Hebrew genealogies are complicated. Sometimes people went by different names, or their names had different spellings. Most of these differences are insignificant and will not be mentioned in this commentary.

³¹ None of Jesus’ bones were broken as He hung on the cross (see John 19:31–33). This further indicates that He was indeed God’s true Passover lamb.

³² Mary presented her firstborn son, Jesus, to the Lord in accordance with this command (Luke 2:22–23).

³³ For the meaning of “consecrated,” see comment on Exodus 29:1–9; Word List: Consecration.

³⁴ The term Canaanites often includes all the different tribes living in Canaan, as in verse 11.

³⁵ The shekel was originally a unit of weight, equivalent to about twelve grams. After the seventh century B.C., when coinage was developed, the shekel also became the name of the main coin used in Palestine.

³⁶ For further discussion on the subject of redemption, see Ruth 2:19–20 and comment; Word List: Redemption, Salvation.

³⁷ In the Hebrew language, the words Red Sea mean “Sea of Reeds.” The present-day Red Sea is salt water where “reeds” do not grow, so some Bible scholars believe the biblical “Red Sea” is one of the lakes north of the Gulf of Suez (the northernmost extension of today’s Red Sea). At the present time, it is impossible to be certain where the Israelites’ crossing took place.

³⁸ It is not necessary to make a sharp distinction between the angel of God and the pillar of cloud and fire (see Exodus 14:19–20,24). Both the angel and the pillar were manifestations of God; they are interchangeable (see Genesis 16:7–10; 18:1–8 and comments).

³⁹ For a discussion on the subject of miracles, see General Article: Miracles and the Laws of Nature.

⁴⁰ See footnote to comment on Genesis 20:8–13.

⁴¹ “Baptism” in the Old Testament means “washing” or “cleansing.” But in the New Testament it is also a sign of repentance, of forgiveness from sin, and of cleansing from sin (Acts 2:38). In addition, it is a sign of “union” with Christ. Just as the Israelites were united with Moses through the water of the Red Sea, so Christians are united with Christ through the water of baptism. But our even deeper union with Christ comes from receiving His Spirit, from being “baptized” with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8). For further discussion, see General Articles: Holy Spirit Baptism; Water Baptism, in The Applied New Testament Commentary.

⁴² The word warrior is an example of anthropomorphism. See footnote to comment on Exodus 3:7–9.

⁴³ Mount Zion is the high prominence within Jerusalem where God’s temple was eventually built (2 Chronicles 3:1).

⁴⁴ One day the earthly Jerusalem will pass away, but that will not end God’s reign. God and His Son Jesus Christ will reign eternally in a new and heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1–2; 22:3–5); this is the hope to which both the Old and New Testaments look forward.

⁴⁵ The name Marah means “bitter.”

⁴⁶ The principle of setting aside one day out of seven as a day of rest was established by God when He created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh; that day of rest is called the “Sabbath” (see Genesis 2:1–3 and comment).

⁴⁷ The presence of God is described in different ways in Scripture: the “glory” of the Lord, the “angel” of the Lord, the “face” of the Lord; even things like a cloud or fire can be manifestations of the Lord’s presence.

⁴⁸ An omer was about two liters.

⁴⁹ Horeb means “desert”; it also may be an alternate name for Mount Sinai. Moses encountered the “burning bush” at Horeb (Exodus 3:1–2).

The rock at Horeb from which the water poured out is referred to by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:3–4 as a spiritual rock: he says that that rock was Christ. Christians believe that the preexistent Christ was present throughout Old Testament history; they believe that the “angel of the Lord” referred to many times in the Old Testament was in fact Christ Himself, who accompanied the Israelites. Thus they believe it was Christ who sustained the Israelites with spiritual food and spiritual drink, just as He sustains us today through His word and through His Spirit.

In addition, many Christians believe that Moses’ striking the rock represents Christ’s crucifixion, and that the water that poured forth represents the Holy Spirit (John 7:37–39). The important thing to remember is that all these events recorded in the Old Testament find their ultimate spiritual fulfillment in the New Testament, in Jesus Christ.

⁵⁰ The name Joshua means “the Lord saves.” When translated into the Greek language, the name Joshua becomes “Jesus.” Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim (Joseph’s son). Forty years later Joshua would take Moses’ place and lead the Israelites into Canaan, the promised land.

⁵¹ For further discussion concerning the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, see Esther 4:12–14; Jeremiah 18:1–10 and comments.

⁵² In Old Testament times there were no books; things were written either on stone or on scrolls made of leather or papyrus.

⁵³ Seeking God’s approvalcan be taken to an extreme. For example, it is not necessary to seek specific approval for each routine daily action. If we are in God’s overall will, then our routine actions will also be in His will. But if in doubt, it is always best to check with God.

⁵⁴ See footnote to comment on Genesis 20:8–13.

⁵⁵ The Israelites camped in the Desert of Sinai for about a year. The events of the entire book of Leviticus and the first ten chapters of Numbers also took place in this location.

⁵⁶ Recall that Jacob received a second name, Israel (Genesis 32:28). Therefore the expressions house of Jacob and people of Israel are really one and the same.

⁵⁷ To be “consecrated” means to be made holy, to be set apart for service; consecration includes both outward or ceremonial cleansing (see verse 10) and also inner cleansing of the heart (see Exodus 29:1–9 and comment). Indeed, the cleansing of the heart is far more important to God (Matthew 23:25–28; Mark 7:20–23).

⁵⁸ To be a priest is a high calling, but that is the calling of every Christian—not necessarily in a vocational sense but rather in a spiritual sense. As priests, we are called to be consecrated, to be set apart for service. Our lives are to be lived for others. Our churches also are to exist primarily for others—for those outside the church who are lost, who need a Savior.

⁵⁹ For further discussion of consecration and outward and inward cleansing, see comment on Exodus 29:1–9; Word List: Consecration.

⁶⁰ Up until this point, the attribute of God that has been highlighted in Scripture has been His power—His power in creation, in the Flood, in the destruction of the Egyptians, and even in making Mount Sinai tremble. However, from now on and through most of the Old Testament, the attribute of God that will be highlighted is His holiness. Then in the New Testament, God’s greatest attribute of all will be highlighted—His love. And yet the Bible reveals one unchanging God; He has always had all of these attributes, and many more besides (see Exodus 15:3–5 and comment). It was a good thing for humans that God’s love was fully revealed only after His power and holiness had become fully known; otherwise, we might never have understood the true and awesome nature of our powerful and holy God.

⁶¹ Although we Christians are not “under” the law in the sense that the Israelites were, we are not free to do as we please. Christians are expected to obey much of the Old Testament law, especially those laws related to our moral conduct. The only parts of the law that we don’t follow today are those parts that have been permanently fulfilled on our behalf through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:17–20).

The main difference between the Israelites and Christians in relation to obeying the law is in their motivation. The Israelites tried to obey the law in their own strength in order to earn their salvation, their acceptance with God. We Christians, on the other hand, obey the law not in order to be saved but because we have been saved—through faith. We obey to show our gratitude to God for what He has done for us. And we obey not on our own strength (which is futile) but through the enabling of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. The Israelites obeyed outwardly, according to the “letter” of the law; we Christians obey inwardly, according to the “spirit” of the law (2 Corinthians 3:6). The Israelites received the law on tablets of stone (Exodus 31:18); we have received the law on the “tablets” of our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 8:10).

⁶² Jesus said that there were two laws greater than any other: to love God and to love one’s neighbor (Mark 12:30–31). But these two “greatest” laws are actually a summary of the Ten Commandments: if we obey the first four commandments, we will be loving God; if we obey the last six commandments, we will be loving our neighbor.

⁶³ All of the Ten Commandments are mentioned in the New Testament, as well as many other Old Testament moral laws that Christians are expected to obey today. The moral laws are “binding” on Christians in the sense that they define behavior that is acceptable to God. They are God’s laws, after all; He commands us to obey them, and there will be consequences if we don’t. But our reason for obeying them is not simply to avoid punishment, and it is certainly not to try and “earn” salvation; rather, we obey in order to show God that we love Him and are grateful to Him for what He has done for us.

It should be noted that one of the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath law, has a ceremonial component which is not binding on Christians today. For further discussion, see comment on verses 8–11.

⁶⁴ Some Christians continue to observe the Lord’s Day on Saturday; this is perfectly all right as long as they don’t criticize those who observe it on Sunday (Colossians 2:16–17). Which day is chosen for the Sabbath should not be important to Christians (Romans 14:5–6).

⁶⁵ Nowhere does Scripture require adult children to obey their parents. (The age of adulthood varies according to culture and circumstances.) However, if the parents are godly and their instructions do not oppose God’s will, it is better to obey; in the Old Testament, the punishment for persistently rebelling against one’s parents was very severe (Deuteronomy 21:18–21).

⁶⁶ In the Old Testament, the term “murder” did not apply to killing during military conflict. Today, many Christians believe that, according to the New Testament, war is wrong, and that killing during wartime is the equivalent of murder. The subject is too complex to deal with here; devout Christians stand on both sides of the issue. For further discussion, see General Article: Resisting Evil—How Much Should We Do? in The Applied New Testament Commentary.

⁶⁷ Suicide caused by mental illness is an exception; such people cannot tell right from wrong.

⁶⁸ The modern definition of “adultery” is the same for both husband and wife. God’s ideal is for one woman to be married to one man, both remaining faithful to each other for life. It should be emphasized that the Old Testament does not encourage polygamy in any way, nor does it encourage divorce. Faithful monogamy is God’s standard for all time (Genesis 2:24).

⁶⁹ For further discussion on the subject of marriage, see General Article: Christian Marriage, in The Applied New Testament Commentary.

⁷⁰ Many people believe it’s all right to verbally hurt one’s neighbor as long as one speaks the truth. But if this is done behind the neighbor’s back, it is nothing but slander. If we need to speak against our neighbor we first need to do it to his face; Jesus has laid out very clear guidelines regarding this matter (see Matthew 18:15–17).

⁷¹ Occasionally in life we encounter true moral dilemmas, in which to obey one command seems to require the breaking of another. For example, it may be justified to lie in order to save the life of an innocent person being hunted by wicked people—as the Jews were hunted by the Nazis during World War II. In circumstances such as these, we must cast ourselves on God and seek His leading. These commandments are not rigid, lifeless rules; they are principles of life given to us by our loving heavenly Father. When a true dilemma confronts us, let us remember that God’s highest law is the law of love; if we put love first, we will not go far wrong.

For further discussion of moral dilemmas, see footnotes to comments on Joshua 2:22–24; 2 Kings 6:18–20.

⁷² See footnote to comment on Genesis 20:8–13.

⁷³ Other Old Testament laws expressly forbid taking revenge (see Leviticus 19:18).

⁷⁴ Only in cases of intentional killing or kidnapping did one have to pay with his life (Exodus 21:12; Numbers 35:31; Deuteronomy 24:7).

⁷⁵ Thirty shekels was about 0.3 kilogram. Thirty shekels of silver was the standard price of a slave in Old Testament times. It was the price Judas was paid to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14–15).

⁷⁶ Some people commit crimes out of malice. Others commit crimes accidentally. Still a third group commits crimes through negligence. Often, in any given case, there is a mixture of these three factors. Human judges have great difficulty in determining the heart motivation for any crime; only God knows the heart. But God has given all these laws to help judges render the highest possible level of justice in the specific cases they encounter.

⁷⁷ For modern readers, some laws are hard to understand and require additional explanation. For example, in verse 10 a neighbor is given the animal of another man for safekeeping. If the animal is out in the field and harm comes to it, the neighbor is not liable. But if the animal is stolen from the neighbor (verse 12) the neighbor is liable, because presumably the animal was in a pen that was not sufficiently guarded; thus the neighbor was negligent.

⁷⁸ The custom of paying a bride-price is still common in the Middle East.

⁷⁹ A similar law is recorded in Deuteronomy 22:28–29, where the word “rape” is used instead of “seduce.” If a man raped a virgin, he was required to marry her for life.

Obviously, if a pregnancy resulted from either the rape or the seduction, marriage would be all the more required. Indeed, this was so obvious that Moses didn’t even mention it.

⁸⁰ The person who offered sacrifices to false gods was to be destroyed (verse 20). This is a specific term that means giving something over to the Lord irrevocably, usually by destroying it. The term occurs frequently throughout the Old Testament.

⁸¹ Jesus carried the teaching on lending much further; He taught that we should be willing to lend even to our enemies, and furthermore, that we should lend without expecting to be repaid at all! (see Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:35).

⁸² The law given in Leviticus 22:8 is included among the rules for priests. But since all of Israel was considered by God to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6), this law applied to the people as well.

⁸³ Spreading hurtful reports implies that we are speaking against our neighbor behind his back; this is always wrong, whether the report is true or false. Yes, there are times when we must speak out against someone’s ungodly behavior, but only after confronting that person privately (see Matthew 18:15–17).

⁸⁴ In Matthew 5:43, Jesus quotes a traditional saying: “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But this was only a saying among the Jews; nowhere in the Old Testament does it actually tell us to hate our enemy.

⁸⁵ In the New Testament this feast was called Pentecost, which means “fifty,” or the “fiftieth day” after the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Acts 2:1).

⁸⁶ Here the Name of God signifies God’s very presence. We must conclude that this angel was more than a messenger; He was Christ Himself.

Throughout the Bible, the “name” of God and of Christ means much more than just a title. God’s “name” stands for His very self; it represents His person, His character, His glory. When we honor God’s name, we honor Him; when we dishonor His name (Exodus 20:7), we dishonor Him. When we pray in God’s name and in Jesus’ name, we are praying in their power, in their will, and with their authority. For further discussion on the subject of God’s name, see Exodus 3:13–15 and comment.

⁸⁷ God has special purposes and plans for each one of us. Sometimes God takes us through trials and difficulties in order to accomplish His purposes (James 1:2–4). We may be called to suffer for His sake, to be imprisoned, even to die. But aside from these special circumstances, most Christians—if they remain faithful to God—will enjoy the ordinary blessings that God promised the Israelites here in verses 25–26. For further discussion on the subject of trials and testing, see Exodus 15:25–27 and comment.

⁸⁸ The Book of the Covenant begins at Exodus 20:22 and continues through Exodus 23:33.

⁸⁹ Nadab and Abihu would later die after making an unauthorized offering to the Lord (Leviticus 10:1–2).

⁹⁰ See comment on Genesis 15:9–10.

⁹¹ After the new covenant had been established through Jesus’ death, there was no longer any need for the old covenant established at Mount Sinai; it became obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). Today our fellowship with God is based not on our obedience to the Old Testament law but on our faith in Jesus Christ, who did for us what the law could not do: cleanse our hearts from sin once for all (Romans 8:1–4; Hebrews 9:11–28; 10:1–18).

⁹² No one has actually “seen” God Himself in His full glory (Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:16). What Moses and those with him saw was a form or likeness of God; perhaps it was a kind of light or radiance that they saw. Whatever they “saw,” it made them realize they were in the very presence of God.

⁹³ The ark was shaped like a chest, a little over a meter long and 0.7 meter high and wide. The commonest biblical measure of length was the cubit (verse 10), which was approximately 0.5 meter, or 18 inches. The Hebrew word for “ark” used here is different from the word used for Noah’s “ark.”

⁹⁴ Measured in cubits, the tabernacle was thirty cubits long, ten cubits wide and ten cubits high. A cubit was about 0.5 meter.

⁹⁵ In the Bible, the horn is a symbol of power and strength.

⁹⁶ The Most Holy Place could be entered only by the high priest (once a year); the Holy Place could be entered only by priests; the courtyard could be entered only by Israelites and those non-Israelites who had been circumcised. Thus all Israelites could be forgiven their sins and be reconciled to God by a sacrifice of atonement, but (other than the high priest) they could not come into God’s presence. However, when Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice of atonement, He opened the way for all believers to come into the actual presence of God.

For further discussion of atonement, see Exodus 25:17–22; Leviticus 1:1–4; 16:1–34 and comments; Word List: Atonement.

⁹⁷ In this commentary, most measurements are “rounded off” in the interest of simplicity. The exact length of the “cubit,” the most common biblical measure of length, is uncertain; this is true for other biblical weights and measures as well. All such measurements are approximations based on the best available evidence.

⁹⁸ In Leviticus 24:1–4, we are told that the lamps were to burn continually. The word “continually” can mean “intermittently”; it doesn’t mean that the lamps had to burn constantly without going out.

⁹⁹ The Testimony mentioned in verse 21 is the ark of the Testimony (Exodus 26:33).

¹⁰⁰ Aaron’s two eldest sons, Nadab and Abihu, later died because they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1–2); that left only Eleazar and Ithamar to succeed Aaron.

¹⁰¹ Jesus was descended from Judah, not from Aaron; and thus His priesthood is different from the Aaronic (or Levitical) priesthood of Israel. Jesus was a priest in the order of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18–20; Hebrews 7:1–3,11–17). Jesus’ priesthood was announced in Psalm 110:4; the psalmist indicates that the Aaronic priesthood would one day be replaced by a greater priesthood, the priesthood of Jesus and His followers.

¹⁰² During the Old Testament period, the Holy Spirit did not dwell permanently within people; He was present with people only at certain times and for particular purposes (see Exodus 31:2–5). Thus the leaders of Israel frequently needed divine guidance, and so God provided the Urim and Thummim for that purpose. But after Jesus’ death, the Holy Spirit came to dwell permanently within believers; now there is no need for other means of guidance, such as the Urim and Thummim or the casting of lots: we have the Holy Spirit as our chief Guide and Counselor (John 14:16–17,26). We also have the Bible; ultimately, the Bible and the Holy Spirit give us all the guidance we need. It should be added, however, that to interpret that guidance we need the wisdom and confirmation of other mature Christians. For further discussion of divine guidance, see comment on Numbers 9:17–23 and footnote to comment; Psalm 32:8–10 and comment.

¹⁰³ Holiness has two meanings: first, when applied to persons, it means inner purity of character; second, when applied to objects, it means outer purity—that is, the purity associated with an object because of its use in God’s service.

¹⁰⁴ The composition of this anointing oil and rules for its use are described in Exodus 30:22–33.

¹⁰⁵ An ordination is a ceremony in which a person is “ordained” or invested with special authority to carry out the functions of a priest or pastor. It is one aspect of being consecrated.

¹⁰⁶ The wave offering was a special offering mentioned many times in the book of Leviticus in which the priest “waved” the offered portion before the Lord. Usually the wave offering was associated with a fellowship offering in which part of what was offered could be eaten by the priest (or the Israelite) making the offering. The portion was waved toward the altar and back, which symbolized the giving of the portion to the Lord and the receiving of it back again with thanksgiving.

¹⁰⁷ In Hebrews 9:4, it is implied that the altar of incense was within the Most Holy Place; this may have been because the smoke of the burning incense was always directed toward God’s presence above the ark, and thus the writer of Hebrews naturally associated the altar of incense with the Most Holy Place (verse 6).

¹⁰⁸ The composition of this incense and rules for its use are described in Exodus 30:34–38.

¹⁰⁹ God doesn’t “smell” in the way humans do, and He doesn’t need incense to make Him aware of His people’s prayers; He knows our every thought and desire before we even express it. For further discussion of anthropomorphism, see footnotes to comments on Genesis 8:21–22; Exodus 3:7–9.

¹¹⁰ The sanctuary shekel was twelve grams (0.4 ounce) of silver; this was the standard weight used in the services of the sanctuary (tabernacle).

¹¹¹ For further discussion of atonement and redemption, see Word List: Atonement, Redemption.

¹¹² All people have equal inherent worth in God’s sight; He does not value people according to their wealth, race, or ability. However, He does value people according to the moral choices they make in life.

¹¹³ God not only equipped Bezalel and Oholiab to do the work themselves, but He also gave them the ability to teach others to do the work (Exodus 35:34). It is not enough for us simply to be able to do something; we must seek to pass our abilities on to others. All Christians, in a basic sense, are called to be teachers, disciple makers (Matthew 28:19–20; 2 Timothy 2:2,24; Titus 2:1–10).

¹¹⁴ The subject of “gifts” is discussed in several New Testament passages (Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:1–31; Ephesians 4:7–13). It must be emphasized that all gifts—whether “natural” or “spiritual”—are equally gifts of God. Some gifts are mainly “natural”; others are mainly “spiritual.” But it is impossible to precisely separate the natural and the spiritual; we are whole persons with both natural and spiritual elements merged and intertwined. Even the “purely” spiritual gifts have to be exercised by physical(natural) bodies.

¹¹⁵ The only possible exception to this pattern in the Old Testament is King David. In 1 Samuel 16:13, we read that after Samuel anointed him, from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power.

¹¹⁶ For further discussion on the subject of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, see footnotes to comments on Exodus 28:15–30; Numbers 9:17–23.

¹¹⁷ The Hebrew word for god (“Elohim”) can be singular or plural according to the verb; in these verses the verb is plural. But according to the context, the meaning is singular, since only “one god” was made.

¹¹⁸ God doesn’t “relent” or “repent” as we humans do. Instead, God plans His actions according to people’s responses. He has given us a free will, and He is always ready to modify His plan one way or another depending on our behavior. For further discussion concerning the relationship between God’s will and our prayers, see 2 Kings 20:1–6 and comment.

¹¹⁹ God not only sees what humans do—such as making a golden calf; He also knows the reason they do it—they are stiff-necked. God is not only concerned with our actions; He is even more concerned with our heart, our motives, our inner desires. He knows what is inside us (Hebrews 4:12–13). Nothing displeases Him more than an attitude of rebellion, of “stiff-neckedness.” A person with such an attitude will not experience the presence of God.

¹²⁰ For a discussion of the Lord’s name, see footnote to comment on Exodus 23:20–22.

¹²¹ God’s most prominent attributes are mercy and compassion. God is love (1 John 4:8,16). Thus God’s primary impulse is to show love; He shows mercy and compassion to whomever He pleases and whenever He pleases. But He does not show anger in this way; He shows anger only when His holiness and justice demand it.

The Apostle Paul quotes verse 19 in Romans 9:15. Paul adds that God also hardens whom he wants to harden (Romans 9:18). But God doesn’t harden people because He takes pleasure in it; He only hardens those who have first hardened themselves (see Exodus 4:21 and comment).

¹²² For a discussion of anthropomorphism, see footnotes to comments on Genesis 8:21–22; Exodus 3:7–9.

¹²³ For a discussion of the Lord’s name, see footnote to comment on Exodus 23:20–22.

¹²⁴ For further discussion of the different sides of God’s nature, see Numbers 4:17–20 and comment.

¹²⁵ The Asherah poles were wooden posts set up in honor of Asherah, one of the main Canaanite goddesses.

¹²⁶ The Hebrew word for jealous in verse 14 is used only in relation to God (see Exodus 20:5). To say that God is “jealous” simply means that He will not tolerate the unfaithfulness of human beings, who have been created in His image.

¹²⁷ In verse 28 it says: And he (God) wrote on the tablets. . . (see Deuteronomy 10:3–4).