QT 5/14/2026 Exodus 35:30–36:7, We need the whole body

Exodus 35:30–36:7 (ESV) —

30 Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, 32 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. 34 And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.

1 “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.”

2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4 so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

 

NOTE: In the New Covenant (through Jesus' blood), the Holy Spirit also gives gifts (1 Cor 12:4-11). The Holy Spirit is given upon belief in Jesus.

 

Ephesians 1:13–14 (ESV) — 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Acts 2:38 (ESV) — And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

Not so in the Old Covenant. The Holy Spirit was not given to all. It was not a promise (at least until the Messiah came). It did give gifts apparently, and a few are listed here: skill, intelligence, knowledge, craftsmanship, design, metal work, stone work, wood work, teaching, and other crafts. One can develop these gifts through hard work, apprenticeship, and training. And in fact, God calls other craftsmen to the job, but Bezalel (and Oholiab) were given special gifts for the work of building their worship center.

 

The people also responded, above and beyond the call in their giving.

 

While some had special gifts, they still needed others to do the work for God. Rarely does anyone do something on their own. God just doesn't work that way. The body of Christ is required, not lone rangers. Others have to be a part of the ministry or it will fail.

 

PONDER:

1. What ministry am I a part of and /or supporting?
2. Am I trying to do a ministry on my own?

 

PRAYER: Father, many people are involved in the ministry I lead to make disciples. But I need to do more to create a leadership group. I can't lead on my own, I need to involve others in the body. I pray for leading on who to involve and invite to such a ministry. Lead me and guide me.

QT 5/13/2026 Exo 35:1-29, In harmony

Exodus 35:4–10 (ESV) —

4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, 7 tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.

10 “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded:

…

Exodus 35:20–29 (ESV) —

20 Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord’s contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. 25 And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. 26 All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.

 

NOTE: It is so exciting when the body comes together for a building project. No one is complaining about the colors or the use of gold (bronze would be cheaper). No one is trying to exert their influence on the design. They are all one in spirit. I would like to say that this is common in Christian churches, but in my experience it is not. That does not make the church non-Christian, but it does reflect spiritual immaturity and a not-so-small group that are not Christians actually, but just religious. They are controlled by their desires. They are selfish and mean-spirited. Ultimately, it does mean that there needs to be an over-commitment to communication. People have to be heard (a lot) and given a chance to speak their minds, and sometimes even vote. Without such actions, the project does not move along. I wish we could be like the Israelis at this point in their history.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I a supporter or detractor when it comes to major efforts to improve the buildings by the leadership?
2. Do I pray or do I write numerous memos to communicate my desires?

 

PRAYER: Father, it is exciting to see the heart of the people at this point. As our church moves forward on some planned projects, I pray for a unity of spirit. I pray that you would quiet the voices of those whose only aim is to be right and to disrupt.

QT 5/12/2026 Exo 34:29–35, Life transformed by God's presence

Exodus 34:29–35 (ESV) —

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

 

NOTE: For now, Moses is meeting with the Lord, face-to-face, in the tent of meeting outside the camp. Some commentators have suggested that later, he will meeting in the completed tabernacle, so my earlier comments should be taken with a grain of salt. For now, the effect of meeting with God, face-to-face, is to cause Moses' face to glow or shine forth light. Two things to point out:

 

1) I'm not sure what "face-to-face" means in this context. God is spirit and so he would not have a face. Additionally, God said that a person would die if he saw God's face. In Exo 33:11, God defines the phrase, "face-to-face" as how a man speaks to his friend. Did he see God's face? No, God is spirit. Did he talk to God like a person talks to a friend face-to-face? Yes. Another possibility is that he could have met with the second person of the deity, the preincarnate Christ, but we don't know.

 

2) Meeting with God causes a change in our image. One cannot meet regularly with God without life change or else you are not meeting with God.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) — And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

 

A person who regularly meets with God will see his life change. He will begin to more and more reflect the image of God. If that is not happening, that person is not meeting with God.

 

PONDER:

1. Are you truly meeting with God every day?
2. Are you seeing change in your life?
3. Does your image reflect Jesus or something else?

 

PRAYER: Father, the religious fool themselves. They read a pre-written devotional and think they have met with God. They attend church each week and Wednesday night activities. But their life stinks because they are angry, crabby, opinionated on everything, complaining, and they don't even see it. Help us to see the true image of ourselves. Help us to repent and desire your Holy Spirit to work change.

QT 5/11/2026 Exo 34:21-24, Day of rest and times of worship

Exodus 34:21–24 (ESV) —

21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 22 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end. 23 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. 24 For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.

 

NOTE: Verse 21 caught my attention. It is the command to rest one day a week. Even during the very difficult weeks when it is plowing time or it is harvest time, we are to rest. And not only that, you must make time in your schedule three times during the year to attend one of the feasts (actually, it appears to be a specific feast since all the males are to appear).

 

These are OT laws and for the believer in Jesus Christ, who has born again, we are not under the law. It was nailed to the cross. We are under a new covenant. Still there is much to learn from the OT laws. In this passage, we see the importance of resting one day each week, even during the busiest weeks of the season. Personally, I know that there are busy weeks in the year. I have worked late, and at times over the weekend during these busy weeks. The point is that the Sabbath rest is for our good. Biblically, the Sabbath is Saturday (well actually Friday night through Saturday afternoon) -- it is not Sunday (not that it matters). Saturday is a day of rest, of hobbies, and of time with family. It is the end of the work week. It is a good thing for our souls. It is also good to gather for worship on Sunday morning (although that is not a rule) with the body of Christ. While we are not under the law, there is a great danger in not making it a priority.

 

Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV) — 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

 

We have a spiritual responsibility to encourage one another in the faith by worshipping corporately. When we fail to make that a priority in our life, we show a self-centered life that does not recognize the importance of others.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I a workaholic or do I take a day off each week to rest? A day like Saturday?
2. Do I believe in the importance of encouraging others by attending corporate worship on Sunday mornings? Or am I self-centered?

 

PRAYER: Father, one of the biggest weakness in the church is the selfishness of supposed believers. Instead of worshipping, that is when they rest from all work. There is a great weakness in the church and it is because we have misplaced priorities. I pray we would be committed to our faith and not to ourselves.

QT 5/8/2026 Exo 33:12-23, How do we see God?

Exodus 33:12–23 (ESV) —

12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

 

NOTE: Moses prays /argues that God's presence must go with them. God answers by agreeing that his presence will go with him (Moses). The passage is confusing because God says that he can't go with Israel, because he will destroy the nation because of their sin. But he does agree to go with Moses. Did he agree to go with the people too? I'm not sure. Certainly, prayer can change the perceived direction that God has verbally said. God wants us to pray and will "change" direction according to prayer. The other possibility, is that God gave Moses the Holy Spirit. His Spirit would rest on many others but not all people during the Old Testament times. Just like today, the HS resides in us, even as we walk among a godless and sinful culture.

 

Moses also pleads for a greater revelation of God to himself. God puts him a cleft of a rock and passes by, allowing him to see his back. This is all clearly symbolic (in a sense) since God is spirit, but God revealed the same thing to Elijah. In that case (Elijah's), the real presence of God was the still small voice. God is not seen in the noise of mighty things, but is revealed in how his word changes us. Moses technically didn't see much of anything. He just heard his glory pass by, until the end. Idiomatically in Hebrew, to see the back of someone is to see nothing. And the anthropomorphisms are there to describe something that can't be described in any other sense. God does not have a huge hand, but God's "hand" prevented Moses from being blinded / destroyed probably by the amazing glory of the God of the universe. Going back in the discussion, Moses didn't see anything because he couldn't, but he heard God speak, and God's word is where we meet God for real.

 

PONDER:

1. Have we seen God in his word? You really can't unless you spend time daily in it

 

PRAYER: Lord, open our eyes to truth. The enemy has blinded us be denying the clear truths in your word so that we might never see or know you. Please take off the scales, and help people to see the truth. And for believers, may we stop arguing in human arguments but use your word in our discussions with others.

QT 5/7/2026 Exo 33:7-11, Seeking God despite obstacles

Exodus 33:7–11 (ESV) —

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

 

NOTE: I was wrong about a previous comment where I mentioned Moses meeting with God in the tabernacle. It is possible that was always the intent, but after the golden calf incident, part of God's judgment was not to "travel" with the people. And so a meeting place had to be placed outside the camp. All these actions are a reminder of God's holiness and the consequence of sin.

 

I note that the pillar of cloud would descend to the tent of meeting outside the camp when God met with Moses. It could be that the pillar of cloud represented God's presence and it was no longer in the camp but rather above the camp. So, that was also a visual reminder of the seriousness of sin.

 

I can't imagine how much of an impact it was on Joshua, hearing God speak to Moses in the tent. It says he wouldn't leave, which I am sure is a common language hyperbole (He ate and performed other tasks as well, but he dwelt near the presence of God as long as he could).

 

So what do we learn? Actions have consequences (the removal of meeting from in the camp to the outside because of the golden calf), but individuals who are driven by a heart for God can overcome the obstacles to be near God. God is looking for those with a heart after him -- Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, …, Paul.

 

PONDER:

1. What do I seek out of life -- the things of life or the person who created life?

 

PRAYER: Father, I don't want to get caught up in things or luxury. Give me wisdom to see the difference.

QT 5/6/2026 Exo 33:1-6, The result of idolatry

Exodus 33:1–6 (ESV) —

1 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”

4 When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.’ ” 6 Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

 

NOTE: Things are not the same. I think we ignore how big a deal the golden calf incident was. Constable highlights two passages (as well as others) to show the before and after difference.

 

Exodus 19:5–6 (ESV) — 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Exodus 32:29 (ESV) — And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

 

There were all supposed to be priests, but now God selects a special group of men, Levites, to serve in the tabernacle. In the new covenant, as a result of Jesus' death, that original idea is restored.

 

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV) — But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Revelation 1:6 (ESV) — … and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

The sin in the desert had changed everything. In the passage in Exodus 33, God says his presence can't travel with them because he would destroy them. That is a confusing thought. God is spirit and he is everywhere. And yet in some unusual way, something about who God is, would be absent from their camp. It was a distance that God created, much like when we sin and our relationship with the Lord is affected until we repent. For the believer, God never leaves us, his Holy Spirit is in us, but the relationship is affected by sin. He seems far away and we can feel it. We know we need to deal with our sin.

 

PONDER:

1. Is there a sin that I need to confess and repent?
2. Does God feel far away at times? Who moved? If you don't meet with God regularly (daily in the word), God will feel far away.

 

PRAYER: Father, I never saw the change that came over Israel as a result of that sin. It is no wonder that Jeroboam son of Nebat's sin was such a stumbling block to the entire nation. Protect us from such stupidity and deception. I pray we would not make gods in our mind and worship them.

QT 5/5/2026 Ex 32:21-35, The incredible danger and degree of idolatry in modern times

Exodus 32:21–35 (ESV) —

21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’ ” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29 And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” 33 But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34 But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

35 Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

 

NOTE: Aaron's response contains three components. First is that he blames the people for being evil, such that he couldn't control them. Second, he indirectly blames Moses for being gone so long. And third, he lies that the object was not fashioned but came out miraculously looking like a calf.

 

A better response would have been to take responsibility as follows. One, I felt overwhelmed and gave into the people in order to be liked. Two, I lacked faith. I did not believe you were coming back. Three, I created the idol. I could have stopped everything by refusing to accede to them.

 

In the New Covenant, we don't ever kill people for breaching orthodoxy, although we might remove them from the church because of false teaching. In this case, God commands it. Many feel that this idolatry led to a sexual orgy of worship. These people had crossed too many boundaries and would be a cancer that would eat away at others. Putting to death 3000 men was a protection for the whole camp, and it showed the seriousness of the sin of idolatry.

 

What is the application for us? The first commandment is to have only one God, the God revealed in the bible. Yet I see too many Christians who are embarrassed by the God of the bible and create their own version of God. When you do that, you are creating an idol. Be forewarned, God hates idolatry. Learn the bible, and understand the hard passages through study. Don't reject clear teaching of scripture.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I created a false image of God in my mind? Reject it and seek the one true God

 

PRAYER: Father, I see this mistake everywhere. People are creating gods of their minds and religions of their own that are not grounded in truth. They have made themselves gods by deciding what is and is not truth. Jesus said,

John 8:31–32 (ESV) — 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

May we be set free by the truth of God's word and not enslaved by the false truths of our culture.

QT 5/4/2026 Exo 32:1-20, The battle against sin in our inner being

Exodus 32:1–4 (ESV) —

1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

Exodus 32:11–14 (ESV) —

11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” 14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

 

NOTE: Two things stand out to me in this passage. One, Aaron will end up lying about the event. Yes, he was under a lot of pressure because of the long absence of Moses, but he fashioned the calf, it did not come out that way as he will later argue in his defense. This is so true of sin, there are usually two responses to being caught in sin, one is to justify and the other is to lie about it. We are all guilty of the same responses when we are caught.

 

The second thing that stands out is that Moses stands up for the people and prays for them. I think God wanted Moses to pray for them. There were many times God could have and should have destroyed the people, but he did not. A good leaders prays for the people. We are certainly not worth it, in terms of behavior, but we are worth it, in the sense that Jesus died for us and we are now called God's adopted children. So, we need to pray for the believers and for their protection from sin. It is a dangerous thing to play around with sin. And I am speaking to myself in this regard as much as to anyone who might read this.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I play around the fire, in my mind, and maybe in my actions?
2. Or do I deal decisively when temptation attacks me?

 

PRAYER: Father, I do struggle with entertaining thought which are not good for my soul. I need your strength and power in my striving to battle the enemy. Give me grace and mercy. I am always in need.

QT 5/1/2026 Exo 31:12-18, Rest for the sake of rest

Exodus 31:12–18 (ESV) —

12 And the Lord said to Moses, 13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. 17 It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’ ”

18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

 

NOTE: I don't want to start any arguments. The idea of the Sabbath is a great idea, that is, taking a rest one day a week. In the New Covenant, Sunday is not the Sabbath, and Sunday does not replace the Sabbath. Jesus' comments were very clear that the Sabbath was for man, not for itself. Verse 17 makes the injunction even more clear when it says that the Sabbath was a sign between God and the people of Israel.

 

As Christians, we do celebrate the resurrection of Jesus every week on the first day of the week. We come together not because of a law, there is no law, but because we want to encourage one another.

 

Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV) — 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

 

Too many Christians want to turn the New Covenant into the Old Covenant version 2.0 -- that is clearly not what God intended.

 

Colossians 2:13–14 (ESV) — 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

 

Our sins are cancelled. The legal demands of the law have been set aside. They are nailed to the cross. They do not govern our lives. We are under a different law, the law of Christ.

 

Galatians 6:2 (ESV) — Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

 

We can't be under the OT law if we believe that Jesus is our new high priest. Jesus was born of the tribe of Judah. By OT law, he cannot be our high priest because that would be a violation of the law.

 

Hebrews 7:11–16 (ESV) — 11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

 

A further reading of Hebrews 8-10 makes the need for our new covenant even clearer.

 

So what does all this mean in regard to the Sabbath? The idea of a Sabbath day of rest is a good thing. It was established on Saturday, the last day of the week to give people a rest. But it became its own thing, i.e., a rule because religious people made it into something different. Our Sunday is not the Sabbath, but it can also be a good day for rest if a person chooses. Our Sunday is a day when we gather for corporate worship and the encouraging of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

PONDER:

1. What am I doing to encourage others in their walk with God? What questions do I ask? What do I share?
2. Does talking about sports, the weather, and work encourage others in their walk with God?
3. Do I ever share what God has been teaching me in his word with other people? (That is true Christian fellowship)

 

PRAYER: Father, if I am wrong in my understanding of these things, please show me. Give me a tender heart that hears what others have to say and takes it to prayer and your word for review. The Bereans examined teaching faithfully against your word. I want to follow their example.

QT 4/30/2026 Exo 31:1–11, Beauty

Exodus 31:1–11 (ESV) —

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. 6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, 10 and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”

 

NOTE: Bezalel and Oholiab are called out for the intricate work of the tabernacle. But, starting in verse 6b God says, "… And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: …" before listing all the different items that need work. So, there are a number of people involved. Bezalel is specifically lists for "artistic designs" mostly in metal. That sounds like who oversaw the work of the artisans, the able men with ability.

 

Beauty is important to God. I think it is epitomized in women, the desire and the appreciation. This design, while a copy was in heaven, was completed by men on earth, unlike all of creation which was God's handiwork. Sometimes, we overlook God's love of beauty as well as function. We could learn a few things from those who do have an appreciation of beauty.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I only interested in function, and forget that our Lord loves beauty?

 

PRAYER: Father, open my eyes to all the beautiful things in our creation. Help me to remember that it is you, to make all things beautiful in their time.

QT 4/29/2026 Exo 30:23–38, Greatest recipe ever

Exodus 30:23–38 (ESV) —

23 “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, 24 and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. 25 And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, 27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, 28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. 30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. 32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. 33 Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’ ”

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), 35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you. 37 And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people.”

 

NOTE: Once again, I have to admit that I forgot that I had read these passages because I was wondering as we passed the altar of incense if the incense was ever defined. Not only is the recipe for the incense given but also a recipe for the anointing oil. And the mixtures are not to be used for anything else.

 

I would like to smell the mixtures. Any recipe given by God has to be good. Of course, God has given us many such recipes and we don't think to see the value in them. For example:

• Work is good for our soul
• Marriage is best when it is between a man and a woman
• Sex is best when it is in the context of marriage
• Salvation by Jesus' blood on the cross is the only method to obtain eternal life

These are just a few. They are right there out in the open. I should have included the greatest instruction (recipe for life) of them all -- daily meet with God in the word (bible) and prayer. Your life might still be difficult, but the joy and peace is greater than anything the world can offer.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I looking for the perfect recipe for life? -- God, your creator, has already placed it in the bible.

 

PRAYER: Father, we are so foolish, even believers who refuse to develop a habit of daily reading you word. My heart aches for the weakness of that type of faith. Open our eyes to truth. Forgive us of our sin.

QT 4/28/2026 Exo 30:17–21, Wash your hands and feet from the inside out

Exodus 30:17–21 (ESV) —

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, 19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. 20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

 

NOTE: I find it interesting that God twice warns them to wash their hands and feet so that they don't die. It is a "forever" statute. Why so harsh? I think God has gone out of his way to stress the seriousness of the tabernacle because it specifically relates to God's holiness (which is absolutely necessary to approach God) and to worship (it is not a flippant thing).

 

Some people approach this physically with rules like no talking in the chapel before service starts. That is nice and does make things more reverent, but it misses the point. What point? The point that the prophets continually make when they tell the people that God hates their worship, their sacrifices, their adherence to the motions, because it is fake. God is interested in our hearts, not the physical things we do. The sermon on the mount makes the same argument. The OT law was not a strict "do and do not." Jesus argues that it really is about the heart and the spirit of the law. Reverence is good but if your heart is not in it, your reverence is worthless. Don't do things, rather live things. When you sing, sing in reverence to God. When you hear the message, respond by applying the word to your own life. Ask God to change you from the inside out. While the outside often does reveal the inside, it is easy to fake it. Ask God to show you how to change, how to truly wash your hands and feet.

 

PONDER:

1. Is worship only going through the motions?
2. Do I ever think that I am meeting with the thrice-holy God when I pray or study his word?

 

PRAYER: Father, there is a song, "The Heart of Worship" by Matt Redman, which captures today's word. I like the phrase "I'm sorry about the thing I've made it." Because, when I forget you, it's a thing, not a worship song, not a prayer, not a praise, just a thing. And that sounds so ugly. Forgive me.

QT 4/27/2026 Exo 30:11–16, Trust in God not yourself

Exodus 30:11–16 (ESV) —

11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”

 

NOTE: In my years of bible study, I had never noticed this verse (despite a dozen plus times of reading through the OT), and it confirms the advantage of reading through the whole bible on a regular basis. Why? Because later, there is a story where David numbers the fighting men of Israel. And the Lord judges David for doing it, but I did not realize you could take a census but you had to collect a "half-shekel" for the sanctuary. If you did not, you would face a plague, which David (in a sense) did. David's purpose was not to build up the treasury of the tabernacle but rather it was a sense of pride. The number of fighting men gave David a sense of his military power, what he could and could not do. The preferred approach would have been to trust God that he would protect Israel when needed. David did not need to know the number of his forces to engage the enemy--he only needed God's support.

 

This reminds me of the story of Job as well (Job had two faults -- thinking he was powerful, and thinking he had all the answers because of all the counsel he gave and people would shut up after he spoke). Job was the richest man in the east and had the financial resources to address anything. But God wanted him to see that he still needed to trust in God and not in his own resources. God addresses both issues of Job in the final few chapters of Job from a whirlwind.

 

What do we learn from the passage? Well, it is easy to look at your 401K account and think you are prepared or not, but in either case, we need to trust in God and not in our resources. We shouldn't worry and we shouldn't be prideful, God wants our trust. Yes, we may have to live differently because of our choices. But God wants us to trust him in whatever our situation financially.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I trust in my resources to get me through tight spots or do I trust in God?

 

PRAYER: Father, I think I learn this lesson over and over again, which means I probably didn't learn it the first time or that I need refresher training. I know I need to trust you and not to dwell on situations.

QT 4/24/2026 Exo 30:1–10, Our relationship to God through the symbols in the tabernacle

Exodus 30:1–10 (ESV) —

1 “You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”

 

NOTE: This is the third and final aspect to the tent itself, the altar of incense. It sits between the shewbread and the menorah candle. In Revelation, the altar of incense is repeatedly used to reference the prayers of the saints.

 

Revelation 8:3–4 (ESV) — 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

Revelation 5:8 (ESV) —

8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

 

A relationship with God involves everything represented in the tabernacle. First, God's presence is there behind the curtain (in the new covenant, that barrier is gone). We have God's word (table of shewbread) -- God speaks to us through his word. We have light, God's will (the menorah candles) -- God gives us his will but we must obey it. And we have prayer (altar of incense) -- We speak to God in prayer asking for his will for our life. The breakdown in all of this for the believer is multiple. We fail to get into word daily. We fail to follow God's clearly defined will in his Word daily. We fail to pray and trust him with our life. And then we wonder why we don't experience the zeal, joy, and hope of other Christians.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I listening to God through his word daily?
2. Am I obeying the reveal will of God, clearly expressed in his word?
3. Am I praying to God according to what he is revealing to me through his word?

 

PRAYER: Father, it makes me sick to see the church so thoroughly fail you and then point the finger at others for their failure. Maybe I am doing the same right now. Renew us. Give us the discipline to seek you daily in your word. That is the starting point.

QT 4/23/2026 Exo 29:1-46, You cannot escape death

Exodus 29:1–9 (ESV) —

1 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. 3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. 7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. 8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, 9 and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

Exodus 29:38–46 (ESV) —

38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. 39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. 40 And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. 43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

 

NOTE: Consecration and daily living demanded blood. Forgiveness is not free, it was purchased for us at great cost. Covering of sins and consecration for service was also at great cost. Some of the sacrifices were eaten by the participants, but in the case of consecrating the priests most of it was burned at the altar or outside the camp.

 

This thing we call life is affected by this thing called sin. Nothing is simple anymore. Death which did not exist at creation is a guaranteed event for every human being. You can't escape death. The bible even says that you are appointed to die once and after that face judgment (Heb 9:27). There is no reincarnation. There is only Jesus. He defeated death, but we must believe to partake in his victory.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I believe the truth in the bible and the truth about Jesus, or do I try to mix in other religious ideas? There is only one way and it is found in Jesus (John 14:6).

 

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for trying to save ourselves or doing damage to truth by inventing our own truth. There is only one truth and it is revealed in the scriptures.