Note: If you are looking for any posts you have missed including part 1 of this study, you can find the table of contents by clicking here.
Below are my thoughts for each of the chapters we studied this week along with the answers to the questions I posted in the study guide.
Also, make sure that you get a copy of the coloring page I have pasted below. Have a great weekend!
Exodus 29
My thoughts on this chapter…
As I look at the priesthood of the Old Testament, I’m reminded of my responsibility under the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. We are called to be holy as He is holy. Paul says, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” (Romans 6:15)
The Bible helps us in two ways: it convicts us of sin, and teaches us how to break free from that sin through faith.
If we’re not convicted of sin we’re living a lie, for the wages of sin is death. The tabernacle pointed the way to salvation, but it also served to convict men of sin which is still important today. Those that minimize sin, devalue their need for a Savior. Every morning and every night the priest put a lamb on the altar which symbolized their continual need to be cleansed. Praise God that by One Sacrifice He perfected us and cleansed us from sin.
They looked forward, but we look back to see the sacrifice that was made on the cross.
Questions and Answers…
What was the purpose of this ceremony?
To consecrate (set apart) Aaron and his sons for the priesthood.
In verse 12, the blood was poured out on the altar. What was this a symbol of?
Righteousness comes by faith. It’s not something we can attain on our own, as it’s only through faith in the blood that we’re consecrated and free.
Matthew 26:28 says, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” The Greek word for shed here is “ekcheo” which is translated as pour out, gush out, and spill. (Strong’s G1632)
In the same way, the priesthood wasn’t attained by good works. It was a position appointed by God through His grace. They were sanctified by the blood that was poured out on the altar, as a symbol of Jesus’ blood was poured out for us.
Also see in verse 37 where it says, “and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.”
By touching the altar, they put their faith in it, just as some would cling to the horns of the altar for safety and refuge we cling to our Lord.
What similarities do we find in Exodus 29:10-14 and Hebrews 13:11-14?
Sin offerings were handled different than other offerings as they symbolized the death of Christ for the remission of sins. The flesh was burned outside the camp which symbolized the crucifixion of Christ which took place at Calvary, outside the city of Jerusalem.
John 19:20, “for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city.”
What three things were burnt on the altar? Why do you think that was?
A Bull – a sin offering
A Ram – a burnt offering (a pleasant fragrance)
A 2nd Ram – a wave offering Exodus 29:19-28
The sin offering symbolized Christ taking away our sin. “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” – 1 John 3:5
The burnt offering symbolized a sacrificial life that is pleasing to God. “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.” – Ephesians 5:2
The wave offering that was unique–blood was placed on their ears, their thumbs of the right hand, and toes. To me this is symbolic of the Holy Spirit moving in the life of a believer as one listens to and is led by the Holy Spirit.
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.” – John 16:13
In what ways are we sanctified and cleansed? See Ephesians 5:26 & Titus 3:5 & Revelation 1:5
Sanctified and cleansed by washing of water by the Word.
According to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
He washed us from our sins in His own blood.
We see from verse 38-39 that each and every day a lamb was to be sacrificed in the morning and another in the evening. Why has this changed, and what can this teach us about our lives?
Matthew Henry writes, “A lamb was to be offered upon the altar every morning, and a lamb every evening. This typified the continual intercession which Christ ever lives to make for his church. Though he offered himself but once for all, that one offering thus becomes a continual offering. This also teaches us to offer to God the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise every day, morning and evening.”
Exodus 30 & 31
My thoughts on this chapter…
The ransom in chapter 30 reminded me how precious our lives our and how sin comes with a cost. We’re blessed beyond measure by a God who has taken our sin, and paid our ransom in full.
Questions and Answers…
We see that incense was burned daily in the tabernacle. What do you think this was symbolic of? If you aren’t sure, you can try Googling “incense in the Psalms.”
In Psalm 141:2 David compares incense to prayer, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
What can this teach us about our lives?
Aaron burned the incense every morning and every night, which is a reminder to be in prayer at all times.
Who was counted in the census?
Everyone aged 20 and up.
In Exodus 30:11-12 why was a ransom required?
It was a symbol to them that their sin came with a cost. Every soul was guilty and therefore every soul was required to pay the same price.
Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
What was the money used for?
To maintain the tabernacle they were building
What was this ransom symbolic of?
This ransom pointed to Christ who paid the price for our sin in full.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. – 1 Timothy 2:5-6
What would happen to Aaron and his sons if they didn’t wash?
If they didn’t wash with water, they would die when they came to the altar to minister.
What particular instruction about the incense to we find in verse 37?
The mixture was holy, therefore they weren’t allowed to use the ointment or the recipe for personal use.
How did God equip Bezalel? Who did He appoint to help him?
He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and was given the gifts of wisdom and skill so he could build the tabernacle. God also appointed Aholiab of the tribe of Dan and gave wisdom to workmen that would help them as well.
What instructions were given regarding the Sabbath?
That they would keep the Sabbath. God wanted to ensure that they would work six days and rest on the Sabbath, and so He instructed them before they set out to work.
After God finished speaking to Moses, what did He give him?
Two tables of stone written with His own finger.
Exodus 32
My thoughts on this chapter…
I’ve read this chapter so many times. I heard it in Sunday school, and in fact I taught it in Sunday school too. All the while my focus was on the golden calf, on the Israelites that turned their back on God, and how sinful they were. But today my focus was brought back to repentance. I realized that Aaron was every bit as sinful as the rest of those who worshipped the calf. He not only created the calf, he led the people to worship it. Perhaps one could call him the chief of sinners so to speak—like Paul who said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15). Aaron and his sons weren’t chosen for the priesthood because they were perfect, they were chosen because, unlike so many others that day, they turned away from their sin.
Questions and Answers…
Why were the people impatient?
Because Moses was gone up the mountain for so long.
Let’s get back to our timeline. How long had Moses been on the mountain? Exodus 24:18
For forty days
What can this teach us about waiting on God?
That God’s timing isn’t always the same as ours. An important part of faith is patience, because it means that we are relying on God’s will in His time.
What did Aaron make them?
He made them a golden calf out of their earings and an altar in front of it.
What was God’s response to their sin in verses 9-10?
His anger burned against them.
What did Moses bring down the mountain?
Two stone tablets with the covenant law written on both sides.
How did Moses react when he saw the calf and the dancing?
He was so angry that he threw the tablets on the ground.
What did he do with the calf?
He burned it, then he ground it into a powder, he threw it into the water, and made them drink it.
What transpired in this chapter to set the Levites apart from the other tribes?
When Moses asked, whoever is for the Lord come to me, the Levites ran to him. They were then commanded to take a sword, go through the camp and kill their brothers, their friends and their neighbors.
What I see in this chapter is that Aaron was just as sinful as the rest of the Israelites. In fact, perhaps even more so as he created the golden calf and led them to worship it. At first I thought, how could God use him? Why would God choose such a sinful man to be his high priest?
But them I realized that God doesn’t expect us to be perfect—He calls us to repentance where we are perfected by faith.
Aaron and his sons were Levites and therefore they were the repentant ones who made a tough choice that day to turn away from their sin and follow the will of God at all costs.
This is symbolic to our calling of faith where in Luke 14:26 it says, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
One must be careful not to focus on the word hate and miss the point of this message. Or to take it out of context and ignore the other verses that command us to love. To hate in this sense means to give up anything that stands in the way of our faith. It means that we choose God at all costs.
In verses 33 God mentions the book of life. Can you find another Bible verse that talks about being blotted out from the book of life? What does the verb phrase “blot out” mean?
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. – Psalm 69:28
Blot out means: to make indistinguishable; obliterate: (dictionary.com)
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Again, reminded of the detail that God mentions. He is so concerned for every aspect of our lives. Chapt. 32, I couldn’t help thinking about our comfort zones. Israel got very uncomfortable with Moses gone for so many days. Instead of relying on how faithful God was they just saw the present situation and turned to the flesh. Oh my, that is such a temptation. Rely on God alone when we step out of our comfort zones.