Come and Build

DEVOTION

EXODUS

COME AND BUILD

Ex 35:10-19

10 "All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded: 11 the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12 the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; 13 the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; 15 the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; 17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; 19 the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary — both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests."

NIV

Sometimes it seems there is no life lessons in a historical record of what was going on with the Israelites. Here we have just a repeat of what was told to us before about all the portions of the Tabernacle, just not in the fine details we already have seen. The one comment here that is those who are skilled. Back in chapter 31 we were privy to a conversation between the LORD and Moses. There he told Moses he had given certain skills to certain men, actually giving Moses the names of a couple of the men. The LORD also told Moses that he has given all the skills of all the craftsmen in order to get the job done right. We are also going to see Moses tell the Israelites this same thing. HE will name a few of the men who have been given certain skills. But for now he makes a general call from all of the community. “All who are skilled among you”. What we can learn here is that each of us has some skill which is useful for the LORD. Because of all the different types of skills needed in the making of the Tabernacle we should note that each person did their part, using their individual skills, all who were given by the LORD. The goldsmiths did not attempt the weaving of fine threads and the Silversmiths did not try to make curtains from fine linens. The workers of skins was not involved with the wood workers. Each who was skilled in a specific area did their part. Just as Paul talks about us all being part of the body of Christ. Two things here. One is that we should be using our skill in some way for the kingdom of God. It might seem that in many cases some use their skills within the church and it may appear as if those skills are in serving each other. The church secretary keeps us all informed of the happenings going on. The Janitor cleans up after us, so to speak. The choir or worship team leads us in singing or worship. The Pastor does a whole lot of things, but mainly his calling is to be a shepherd of Gods people. The point seems to be we are using our skills for the benefit of the rest of the body. That may be the right thing. But then maybe we should be using our skills for the furtherance of the kingdom of God. The Tabernacle did in some sense serve the community of Israelites. But it also served as a symbol of their relationship with God. As their traveled and encountered other cultures, they could see the Israelites had this central theme, this one large tabernacle where their God met with them. We have to know they were not all alone in the world. Even as they wandered around in the wilderness they had to come across other travelers. The world was not void of others. We know that at times they engaged in battles with other peoples. The point here is that although the Tabernacle was to be constructed by all the skilled craftsmen, who were given their skills by God, they were both serving each other and working for the advancement of the kingdom in some way. The call has gone out to every believer as well.

Mark 16:15-18

15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." 

NIV

There are skills or gifts given to those who are called to go into the world and preach the good news. If we believe we are among those called to go, which is the general call to all believers, then the LORD has also given us the skills needed to demonstrate his power in our lives and for us to be that light in the world. How many of us actually drive out demons? How many of us actually speak in a new tongue? It’s not common for any of us to be picking up snakes or drinking poison, but then it not also not very common we place our hands sick people and they get well. So are we just confining our Christianity to within the church, for the building of the church, as the Israelites were in building the Tabernacle? It surely was important for them to have a place for the LORD to dwell among them. Throughout the history of the church there has been times with great churches were constructed thinking it was the place God would dwell among them. But he does not live in building made with human hands. We might use these places, these church buildings as a place to meet the living God. But he dwells within each of us on a daily basis, gifting us with the talents and skills we need to further his kingdom. If we are to go into all the world, that may mean both the physical world, each and every country and bringing the word to every language, and also in the world in the sense of skills. Go into world of science, the world of construction, the world of medicine, the world of business, the world of engineering, the world of sales, the world of……., the list goes on. Each has been given certain skills by the LORD and we are called into his service to build the place where he dwells among his people. There is the sense that we should be building each other up as well.

1 Thess 5:11

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

NIV

This brings with it the sense that each of us should be using our God-given talents and skills for the edification of others in the body of Christ. It always comes down to those of us who are skilled, come and build whatever the LORD has commanded.