Commanded

DEVOTION

EXODUS

COMMANDED

Ex 40:17-38

17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. 18 When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. 19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the LORD commanded him. 20 He took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD commanded him. 22 Moses placed the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain 23 and set out the bread on it before the LORD, as the LORD commanded him. 24 He placed the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle 25 and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD commanded him. 26 Moses placed the gold altar in the Tent of Meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the LORD commanded him. 28 Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings, as the LORD commanded him. 30 He placed the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash their hands and feet. 32 They washed whenever they entered the Tent of Meeting or approached the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses. 33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. 34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out — until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

NIV

There is a repeated phrase here that is so clear and stands out almost screaming at us. “As the LORD commanded him” Moses set up the tabernacle just as the LORD commanded him. From this narrative it would appear Moses did it all by himself, but as we thought earlier, it would seem that would not be possible as so much of the wood overlaid with gold would be too heavy for a man of his age. However that is not the point here. He set up the tabernacle whether all alone or with the help of the Levites, just as the LORD commanded him. When God directs someone to do something it would be fair to say, the LORD expects it to be done just as he directs it be done. It is when we get involved in the process, of whatever it is, the activity gets fuzzy. When we start inserting human creativity into service to the LORD or fulfilling what we want to believe is the command of God, we get off track and may well not be doing just as the LORD commanded. It would be good advice for us to be still and know that he is LORD. But that is exactly his advice.

Ps 46:10

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;

NIV

This verse 10 is within the context of man holding still while the LORD does the battle. However that advice also holds true when it comes to our doing what we think is in service to the LORD. We should not be doing what we have decided to do, but rather be still and wait for the command of God. Then we should act in accordance with his command, just as he commanded. The problem exists in that how do we know want he has commanded. That should be very clear, as it is so stated throughout all the scriptures. It is true that God spoke directly to Moses, most likely in an audible voice, however we were never told that exactly. We were told he spoke to him face to face, which means as a friend rather than actually facetime, because we also have been told no one can see the face of God and live. However way the LORD spoke to Moses, he was clear in his commands and Moses did everything the LORD commanded him just as he commanded him to do. We have so many of the LORD’s commands within the scripture, if we never actually hear his voice, to do just as he commands us to do. Can we say we are anything like Moses? Can we say we do everything just as the LORD commands us? It would even seem some of his commands are open to denominational opinions. But putting all denominationalism aside and simply seeing his commands as for all those who chose to follow him, we have a way to go before we could say we have done everything just as he commanded. We also have to put aside our way of thinking, our humanity in a sense, in order to see the truth of his commands. We have been told to worship him in spirit and in truth. When we think in the flesh, in our human thinking, we seem to get off track. But we can see clearly his commands in the spirit and know the truth. We need more work, more listening, more changes in our attitudes and behaviors before we can say we have done everything the LORD has commanded us to do. We also need to see that we should not be doing anything unless he commands us to. It is all about his commands.