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.

QT 4/22/2026 Ex 28:31–43, Remember his eminence and majesty

Exodus 28:31–43 (ESV) —

31 “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32 It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, so that it may not tear. 33 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. 35 And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.

36 “You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the Lord.’ 37 And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. 38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

39 “You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.

40 “For Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty. 41 And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. 42 You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs; 43 and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him.

 

NOTE: As an individual, I'm not much for pomp and ceremony. I saw it in my early youth in a church that was known for religiosity and I saw it in the military as a squadron commander. I remember once, during a promotion ceremony, relaxed and teasing the promotee. Afterwards, my First Sergeant challenged my attitude. He said that it needed to be a solemn occasion as the parents and friends are attending a ceremony and expect that. He was right. I knew he was right as he said it. I of course was dressed for the occasion, but my jocularity wasn't appropriate. I changed and afterwards treated every promotion, retirement, and award with the right degree of solemnity. But why is that important? And why does God see it as important in the way he has the High Priest and the other priests dress?

 

There is something within us that recognizes that our worship and service to God should never be mundane. God is far above us and yet is also relational. We need to do both, recognize his eminence and majesty, and also that his is our friend (Holy Spirit), brother (Jesus), and father (God the father).

 

PONDER:

1. How do I treat God when I worship or when I pray to him?
2. Do I come to God in both severe humility and as a loving son?

 

PRAYER: Father, I have no right to meet with you except that Jesus has opened the door into your presence. He died in my place. He gave me his righteousness. He has cleansed me by his blood. I can enter your presence with confidence, but always with humility too. Woe am I if I ever forget your eminence and majesty.

QT 4/21/2026 Exo 28:1–30, Taking responsibility for other's spiritual welfare

Exodus 28:1–30 (ESV) —

1 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. 4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. ….

6 “And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked. 7 It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. 8 And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 9 You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. 12 And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for remembrance. …

15 “You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work. In the style of the ephod you shall make it—of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen shall you make it. 16 It shall be square and doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth. 17 You shall set in it four rows of stones. … They shall be set in gold filigree. 21 There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. …. 29 So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the Lord. 30 And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.

 

NOTE: In two of the priestly garments, the 12 tribes are specifically listed on stones, the ephod (which goes over the shoulders), and the breastplate of judgment. The Levites, and specifically the priests, were to be spiritually responsible for the whole house of Israel, all twelve tribes. I imagine that Levi and Joseph were two of the 12 names versus Manasseh and Ephraim (Joseph's sons).

 

What does that mean for us? In the new covenant, we are a kingdom of priests. It is not just our spiritual life which should concern us, but we must take an active interest in others. That would mean praying for other believers, getting to know others, finding out what God is doing in their lives, and encouraging them to walk more deeply with God.

 

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.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I take an active interest in other's spiritual lives? (I'm supposed to)

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to do a better job of reaching out to others spiritually in our small group. I can be selfish, but it is my responsibility, their spiritual welfare.

QT 4/20/2026 Exo 27:1-21, God is Holy, we must not forget

Exodus 27:1–21 (ESV) —

1 “You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. 2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. 3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. … 8 You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

9 “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. 10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. … 16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases. 17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. …

20 “You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

 

NOTE: In this section, we learn that the altar is bronze as are the utensils. Bronze is better for heat than gold. Surprisingly or not, the altar is carried too, not moved by a cart. The tabernacle courtyard hangings use fine linen with silver connectors, and is embroidered with needlework. And the last part is a requirement for the people to bring beaten olive oil for the lamp so that would always remain burning. This is the worship area, it is not the same as the tent with the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. People did not go into that tent, except God's servants, the priests. I think the point, at least then, was that people would understand that God was holy and we are not. The priests needed to be consecrated just to get into the first room.

 

The new covenant is different. Jesus is our perfect high priest. Jesus is our Passover lamb. Jesus allows us entrance into the Holy of Holies by his life and death. But in the same way, we need to maintain the idea of Holiness. God is Holy and we carry the righteousness of Jesus, but we should not be flippant about our access. He is our friend and our brother, but he still is the Holy God of the universe and the creator of all things. When we pray, we remember these things, and should always acknowledge our Holy God.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I flippant in my prayer times, by that I mean, do we take prayer too casually?

 

PRAYER: Father, you are Holy. You are God and I am not. As I pray during the day, help me to remember that truth. I enjoy my all day access, but I don't ever want to overlook your holiness.

QT 4/17/2026 Exo 26:1-37, We need to pray and DO

Exodus 26:30–37 (ESV) —

30 Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.

31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. 32 And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. 34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. 35 And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side.

36 “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. 37 And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

 

NOTE: I skipped the commenting of the structure, a lot of pillars. At first it is hard to visualize how it all fit together (vss 1-29), but then I remembered and also read verse 30, there was a pattern, a model up on the mountain. Was it a doorway into heaven or just something God created on the spot to help Moses visualize? We don't know. If God could create, then why give instructions to build it. Actual there are multiple reasons / answers to that question. God has a habit of starting a work but always using people to do the work. I think, my small brain, sees that God values purpose. God gives meaning to life through work. In the case of ministry, God trained eleven men to take the gospel to the world. He could had done it differently, but he uses people to do the work. Israel needed to build that tabernacle. Israel needed to give to build the tabernacle. This example of a microcosm of truth in walking with God. I disagree with statements like "let go and trust God." I do believe that God gives the results, we must make the first steps. We have to DO something. But we also have to trust God for the results, the strength, and the help to make it happen. A phrase incorrectly ascribed to Ignatius (although it does capture the spirit of Ignatius):

 

“Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you”

 

PONDER:

1. It is good to pray for change in our character, but what are we doing to create change in our life?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for fifty-plus years of walking with you and learning this lesson. We need to DO and to PRAY, both are indispensable. Praying without doing is laziness. Doing without praying is prideful-ness.

QT 4/16/2026 Exo 25:31-40, The tabernacle reveals truths about God

Exodus 25:31–40 (ESV) —

31 “You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent of pure gold. 40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

 

NOTE: There are a lot of pictures and symbols that God uses to reveal something important to his people. I can't begin to point out the various meanings, so I will leave that to those who are interested. Douglas Stuart in his commentary on Exodus in the NAC (New American Commentary) set does a good job. If you think about it, the oil to light seven lamps would have made that one room the brightest in the entire encampment, a visual reminder of "God's home" in their midst. It also reminds the people, that God is here, just as when we see a light on in a home, we assume the person is there. In today's age, that is not always true as we tend to light up our homes even when we are away for security reasons.

 

While God gives a lot of detail, there is also an actual model up on the mountain, whether it is heaven or not, I do not know. Ultimately, Moses who sees the actual model will relay the information to Bezalel and other craftsmen. Since the design is somewhere else, we can conclude that the tabernacle was only a shadow or copy of the real thing, which scripture indicates repeatedly. Likewise, the temple too was not the real thing. There is something beyond this covenant in our heavenly home.

 

Jesus fulfills the law completely, and yet in the Millennial age, Ezekiel relates another temple. Why? In my mind, these things are like the sacraments of baptism and communion, they remind us of things that are extremely important. The feasts and the tabernacle worked similarly in the OT. God is our light. His word is our light. It leads us, guides us, and teaches us God's will. It is right before us. Our responsibility is to read it.

 

PONDER:

1. Is bible reading a DAILY part of my life routine? It is extremely important.

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for these mornings of quiet to listen to your word and to hear you speak. Be gracious unto me today. Protect me as I travel with my daughter. Heal her body.