QT 5/22/2026 Ex 39:2-7; 42–43, Putting God first

Exodus 39:2–7 (ESV) —

2 He made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 3 And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet yarns, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. 4 They made for the ephod attaching shoulder pieces, joined to it at its two edges. 5 And the skillfully woven band on it was of one piece with it and made like it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

6 They made the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold filigree, and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. 7 And he set them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Exodus 39:42–43 (ESV) —

42 According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work. 43 And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them.

 

NOTE: In Exo 39, the subject goes from third person singular to third person plural repeatedly ("he" then "they" and back), showing that multiple people worked on the garments, but Bezalel did a lot of the special metal work that adorned the garments.

 

The last two verses caught my attention. Having read the OT more than a dozen times, it is not often that I see the people of Israel being commended for their obedience. Why are they so obedient now or at least in this particular activity? I can't say that the whole exodus experience was a good thing. They rebel with the golden calf, and then again when the spies return from the land. They moan and groan against God ten different times. I think the difference here is two-fold. First, they had a big task, a vision set before them. Second, things were a little boring in the desert. The nearest Walmart was a  hundred miles away (just kidding). Actually, they probably set up souks pretty quickly. Still, they had a focus and they did not have distractions. In essence they made a Lordship decision to put God first.

 

PONDER:

1. Is Jesus first in my life?
2. Does the world distract me from a sincere devotion to God?
3. Am I more interested in comfort than in service to God?

 

PRAYER: Father, I too am prone to live for worldly things or even for a little comfort. Forgive me for my selfishness. Give me grace to serve you first.