December 2001
Exodus Chapter 35
With the new set of stone tablets recently engraved by the Lord, Moses returned down from the mountain not realizing his skin cast a glow because of his extended visit with the. Lord.
The glow caused Moses' brother Aaron and the other Israelites to initially be afraid to come near him, so he had to put a veil on his face to tell them the Lord's recent commandments. Thereafter, Moses took the veil off when he spoke to the Lord, but put it on when he addressed the Israel people. Exodus 34:29-35.
Chapter 35 of. Exodus tells us how Moses started explaining the Lord's commandments, beginning with the holiness of the sabbath, and the commandments regarding offerings, and sacrifices.
After gathering the children of Israel, Moses explained that the Lord commanded "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord; whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.' Exodus 35:2-3.
Moses then explained the Lord's law regarding offerings.
~Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart , let him bring it, an offering of the Lord: gold, silver, and brass. And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and rams' skins died red, and badgers' skins, and shitturm wood."
Moses further described offerings of oil for lamps, spice for anointing oil, and for sweet incense; as well as their precious stones to be used to make a breastplate. Exodus 35:4-9.
Moses then directs the Israelites to how they are to construct the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant with its mercy seat, and make the tabernacle furniture and furnishings out of the best of their materials and linens. Exodus 35:10-19.
The Israelites then leave the gathering by Moses to make the offerings by constructing the tabernacle and its furnishings. The people began offering their fine jewelry and linens, the men offering their gold, and the women their fine hand-spun linens. The leaders offering their precious stones.
"The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses" Exodus 35:20-29.
Moses announced that the Lord had called Bezaleel of the tribe of Judah to oversee the work, and had filled Him with the spirit and wisdom and understanding of the Lord's commandments for the tabernacle, and to devise all the curious works in precious metals and in the cutting of stones and the carving of wood. The Lord also called Aholiab of the tribe of Dan to help Bezaleel oversee the work of the tabernacle.
"Them he hath filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work. Exodus 35:30-35.