In Exodus, chapter 27:1-8, this author talked about a square altar of acacia wood, 5 cubits long and 5 cubits wide and 3 cubits high. This was much bigger than the smaller tables mentioned above, about 9 foot square and about 5 feet off the ground. Each of the 4 corners had a bronze horn on it. There was an emphasis on everything being bronze: pots to receive the ashes, shovels, basins, forks, fire pans, gratings, rings, and wooden poles overlay. There was a net under the ledge of the altar, so that the net extended halfway down the altar. There should be four bronze rings at its four corners, so that there were bronze acacia poles for the altar. The poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. They should be made just as they would be shown on the mountain. This was a real working table or altar with bronze utensils. Have you ever seen a sacrifice altar?
Month: September 2023
The sacred curtain
In Exodus, chapter 26:31-37, this author explained that once the tabernacle was in place, there was another differentiation with a curtain made from blue, purple, and crimson yarns of fine twined linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it. Now we enter the most holy area versus the just holy area with everything in a certain place. This veil or curtain is made of the same blue, purple, and crimson linen like the tabernacle itself. They were to bring in the Ark of the Covenant within the curtain, because the curtain separated the holy place from the most holy place. The mercy seat went on top of the Ark of the Covenant in this most holy place. The golden table of the Bread of Presence, however, was outside the curtain on the north side, while the golden lamp stand was on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the other golden table. There was a curtain screen for the entrance of the tent with the same colors as above, blue, purple, and crimson. They had to use five pillars of golden acacia word for the screen framework with hooks of gold and bronze bases. The tabernacle was now complete with the addition of this sacred curtain. Have you ever seen a holy curtain?
The tabernacle with a covering
In Exodus, chapter 26:1-30, there is an explanation about the tabernacle. This is a combination of what to do with the ark in the desert and when the temple would be constructed. The tabernacle should have 10 equal sized curtains of twisted blue, purple, and crimson yarns of fine linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into them. Each of the 10 curtains should be 28 cubits long and 4 cubits wide. These 10 colorful 50-foot-long curtains would be joined together in two groups of 5. There should be loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtains. There should be 50 loops on the edge of both sets of the curtains oppose each other with 50 clasps of gold to join the 2 curtains. Thus, the tabernacle would be one whole garment with these 10 curtains, 5 on each side. This tent also had a covering with 11 curtains made of goat’s hair. These were a little longer, 2 cubits more than the linen curtains, or about a little over a yard longer, all the same size. These will also be divided into 5 and 6. The sixth curtain will be the front of the tent. Once again, you have 50 loops and 50 bronze, not gold, clasps to join them together. Part of the curtains should hang over on the sides of the tabernacle. This tent will be made of tanned rams’ skins and an outer covering of fine leather. This then was the covering for the tabernacle. There were also upright frames of acacia wood for this tabernacle. The frames start out small, 15 feet by 3 feet, but were then put together with pegs to make something like a 45-feet by 15-feet by 15-feet wooden frame. For the north and south sides of the tent, twenty frames with forty bases of silver were used. On the west side, the rear, there are eight frames, if you count the corner ones, with their appropriate silver bases. There will be five acacia wood bars covered with gold, with golden rings on the three sides. The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall pass through from end to end. They had overlay the frames with gold, so that the rings of gold could hold the bars. Then they would then erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that they would be shown on the mountain. This tabernacle had a covering with golden acacia wood as its framework. Have you ever tried to put up a tent?
The two golden tables
Next Yahweh asked Moses to build two golden tables in Exodus, chapter 25:23-40. These tables had to be made from acacia wood, even though they were very small. The table for the Bread of Presence was not very big, approximately 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 3 feet high. This small table, however, should have an overlay of gold with a golden molding and rim. It also had 4 gold rings and golden poles to carry it. There were also golden plates and dishes for incense with pure gold pitchers and bowls for the drink offerings. There was some kind of holy bread for this table, called the Bread of the Presence or the Showbread. Here there was no explanation as if everyone knew what it meant. This Bread of the Presence was special bread always present on a table in the tabernacle. They were twelve loaves, in two piles of six with pure frankincense on each pile. They were a memorial portion as a food offering to Yahweh. The bread could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons in a holy place and was set out every Sabbath day. It would be replenished each week, allowing the priests to eat fresh bread in the holy place. Christians picked up on this so that Jesus Christ became the bread of life. The other golden table was a lamp stand table that had a golden candlestick with 7 branches of one piece of gold hammered into the various shapes. There were, golden cups, calyxes, and petals, like a flower. Three of the branches were on each side with the middle stem, so that it looked like a flower. The base and the shaft of the candle lamp stand would be made of hammered work. Three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the other branch. There should be a calyx of one piece under each pair of branches. Thus, six branches would be on this the lamp stand. The seven lamps should be set up to give light on the space in front of it. Its snuffers and trays shall come from a talent of pure gold. These golden calyxes were like a group of sepals, usually green, around the outside of a flower that encloses and protects the flower bud, around each cup. The pattern will come from what will be shown to them on the mountain. This was a small golden lamp stand table for light. What is the most impressive golden table that you ever saw?
The Ark of the Covenant construction
In Exodus, chapter 25:10-22, Yahweh gave explicit exact instructions about how to build the ark, אֲר֖וֹן (arowon), of the covenant. Yahweh’s instructions are very clear and exact, according to the Priestly tradition. The ark shall be of acacia wood. It should be 2½ cubits long, 1½ cubit wide and high. A cubit is an ancient unit of length, equal to the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, approximately 43-56 cm or 17-22 inches, a little less than two feet. Thus, this acacia wood box is not that big, about 5 feet long and about 3 foot high and 3 foot wide. However, it should have a gold overlay with gold molding around it. Thus, we have a small wooden box with a gold overlay all around inside and outside. It would have 4 rings of gold, with 2 on each side with 2 golden acacia wood poles in these gold rings. The divine testimony or covenant, הָעֵדֻ֔ת (haedut), would go inside this ark. The word for ark appears 202 times in the Hebrew Bible, while the word for covenant or testimony appears only 59 times. On top of this ark, they were to build “a mercy seat, כַפֹּ֖רֶת (Kapporet),” about 5 feet by 3 feet, something like a cover for the ark. This mercy seat, Kapporet, atonement piece, propitiation, or a cover, rested upon the Ark of the Covenant and was connected with the rituals of the Day of Atonement. Two golden spread-out winged cherubim were at both ends of this mercy seat, facing each other. The cherubim in the Babylonian culture were half human and half animals that guarded the doors to the temple places. Both Judaism and Catholicism hold these cherubim as a rank in the angelic order. The covenant was to be put inside the ark. From atop the mercy seat, Yahweh would give his commands, speaking between the two golden cherubim. This became an important part of the Israelite religious artifacts, symbolizing the presence of Yahweh, their Elohim, among them. Do you know what the Ark of the Covenant is?
The offerings for the construction of the sanctuary
In Exodus, chapter 25:1-9, Yahweh told Moses to make him a sanctuary, so that he could dwell among them. This sanctuary, apparently, is some sort of tabernacle, some sort of container, where Yahweh would be present, much like the later medieval Christian tabernacles. How are they going to build this sanctuary? The people will make an offering. What is going to be given and how is it to be used? Now the list is long with all kinds of precious metals, gold, silver, and bronze, blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine linens, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, fine leather, acacia wood, oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and for the breastplate. They were to make a sanctuary, so that Yahweh would dwell among them. Everything had to be done as Yahweh explicitly said. This is a lot of stuff and some of the Israelites must have had these things to give. Apparently, they had the typical valuable metals like gold, silver, and bronze. Blue, purple and crimson yarn was in favor, as well as the skins of goats, rams, and cows that would make good offerings. There also was wood, spices, and jewelry as offerings. Obviously, this was written by the priestly tradition that wanted people to make offerings to the temple. However, it was not called a temple since they were in the Sinai wilderness. Do you give offerings to your temple, church, or synagogue?
The conclusion of the covenant
In Exodus, chapter 24:1-18, Yahweh concluded the covenant with the Israelites. Yahweh told Moses to come up the mountain with all the people at a distance. However, it included Aaron with Nadab and Abihu, who were the first and second sons of Aaron, as well as the seventy elders of Israel. They all worshiped Yahweh at a distance, while all the other people did not come up the mountain. There was no mention of the sons of Moses. However, only Moses could come near to Yahweh. The judges must have turned into the elders. Moses then came down and told them all the words of Yahweh and all the ordinances. The people answered that they would do it. Thus, Moses wrote down all the words of Yahweh. This is the first mention of any writing in the Torah. Up until now, all explanations were oral. Moses then built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. They had burnt offerings and offerings of well-being to Yahweh. Then Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins while the other half he dashed against the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it to everyone. They all agreed to follow it. Moses took the blood in the basins and dashed in on the people. The covenant has now become a “book” with a blood oath. Moses with Aaron, and his sons, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel then went up and saw the Elohim of Israel. There was sapphire stone under his feet, like they were in heaven. They saw Elohim and still lived to eat and drink. This is as close as anyone gets to Elohim or Yahweh. Yahweh told Moses to come up to him on the mountain, and wait there. Yahweh gave Moses the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandments written on them. Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, not Aaron, who was with him. Moses went up into the mountain of Elohim. The elders had to wait there until Moses returned. In the meantime, Aaron and Hur would be with the rest of the people to solve any disputes that they may have. Now we have the book of the covenant written by Moses and the stone tablets written by Yahweh. Then Moses went up on the mountain, as the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of Yahweh settled on Mount Sinai. The cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day, he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of Yahweh was like a devouring fire on the mountain in the sight of the Israelites. Once again, we have the symbolism of six days and the importance of the seventh day. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, another symbolic number. Everyone had agreed to the covenant but Moses was going to stay another forty days with Yahweh. Would you agree to follow the laws of God as interpreted by another man?
The instructions for the entrance into Canaan
In Exodus, chapter 23:20-33, Yahweh explained to the Israelites how they were going to enter Canaan. He was going to send an angel in front of the Israelites to guard them on the way to the Promised Land. Do not rebel against him, because Yahweh was not going to pardon your transgressions. If you listen to his voice, and do as he said, Yahweh will be an enemy to your enemies. When his angel goes in front of you, and brings you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, he will blot them out. You shall not bow down to their Elohim, or worship them, or follow their practices. But you shall demolish them and break their pillars into pieces. You shall worship Yahweh, your Elohim. He will bless your bread and your water. He will take sickness away from among you. No one shall miscarry or be barren in your new land. He will fulfill the number of your days. He will send his terror in front of you. He will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come. He will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. He will send the pestilence in front of you that shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. He will not drive them out from before you in one year. Otherwise, the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply against you. Little by little, he will drive them out from before you, until you are increased and possess the land. He will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River. This was a big area and a lot of people. He will hand over to you the inhabitants of the land. You shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them or with their Elohim. They shall not live in your land, or they will make you sin against Yahweh. If you worship their Elohim, it will surely be a snare to you. When you get to Canaan, Yahweh will blot out all the people there. Everything will be great. Yahweh was going to send his terror in front of them, like a holy war. Yahweh was on their side. Do you believe that God is on your side?
The various Israelite religious festivals
In Exodus, chapter 23:10-19, there was an explanation for various religious activities and festivals. For six years you worked hard on your land, but on the seventh year you let the land rest, as well as yourself. The Sabbath belongs to the land also. The poor and animals can go free in the fields on the seventh year. If you have a vineyard or olive orchard, the same applies. This is called a Sabbatical or letting the land lay dormant for a year. This also applies to each year, as you work for six days of every week, and then rest on the seventh day. Thus, the oxen and donkeys can get rest. Your slaves and the resident aliens can also be refreshed. You were to be attentive to all that Yahweh said. You are not to invoke the names of other Elohim on your lips. Three times a year, you shall hold a festival for Yahweh. You shall observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, to remember how you came out of Egypt. You should not be empty-handed before Yahweh. You shall observe the Festival of Harvest, because of the first fruits of your labor from the field. You shall observe the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you harvest the field. Three times in the year, all your males shall appear before Yahweh God. Thus, there was the weekly rest, and three great festivals, tied to leaving Egypt, the first fruits of the spring harvest, and then the end of fall harvest time. There were three major festivals for Israel, but they did not include Passover or Yom Kippur. Only the best should be presented to Yahweh. You shall not offer the blood of a sacrifice with anything leavened. Nothing must remain for the next day. The choicest of the first fruits of your ground had to be brought into the house of Yahweh, but there was not any house of Yahweh yet. Finally, you shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk. This admonition about not boiling a kid in its mother’s milk refers to a Canaanite sacrifice practice. Do you participate in any religious holidays or festivals?
Religious and moral laws
In Exodus, chapter 22:18-23:9, there are a series of moral or religious laws that are patriarchal and against females. Virgins were treated like property of their fathers. Thus, if a man seduced a virgin who was not engaged and lies with her, he must give “the bride-price” for her and make her his wife. But if her father refuses, he still had to pay “the bride-price.” Now you know why they ask, “who gives this bride?” The father always responds. All sorcerers must be put to death. Anyone who lies with an animal shall be put to death. Bestiality deserves the death penalty. This law indicated that there might be some of this going on. Anyone who practices idolatry shall be destroyed. Anyone who sacrifices to any other Elohim other than Yahweh merits destruction. Resident aliens, strangers, widows, and orphans had special rights. They had to remember that they were aliens in the land of Egypt. If you did anything against widows or orphans, Yahweh would kill you with the sword, so that your wives shall become widows, and your children orphans. If you lent money to a poor Israelite, you should not charge interest to the poor. You should return clothing that was used as collateral. You had to return it before sunset. Yahweh will listen to the poor who cry out to him. Listen to your leaders! Do not revile Elohim or curse a leader. The leaders were acting in the place of Elohim. You are to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest. The first born of your sons you shall give to Yahweh. The same goes for oxen and sheep. After seven days, take it from its mother and give it to Yahweh. You should not eat any meat that is mangled by beasts in the field. Give it to the dogs. There was no indication on how you were to give your first-born child, ox, or sheep to Yahweh. You should not spread a false report. Do not be a wicked malicious witness. You must not follow the wrongdoing majority. Already you are told not to be part of group think. There is a lot of talk about laws and law suits. Bring back your enemy’s ox or donkey if they are lost. The same goes if you see them stuck, set them free. You shall not pervert justice for the poor. Keep far away from false charges. These were the first laws of the Hammurabi Code, laws 1-5. Do not kill innocent or righteous people. The other people are okay to kill. Do not take bribes, because this subverts the righteous ones. Finally, do not oppress the resident alien because you know the heart of an alien due to your time in Egypt. Have you ever been a resident alien?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 