Exodus 31: The Right People With the Right Attitude

This week we complete the instructions for the tabernacle. Only two short speeches (out of seven total) remain.

Observation of Exodus 31:1-18

Most repeated words: all (8 times), Sabbath (6x), work (6), day (5), Lord (5), holy (4), people (4), son (4)

this list of words highlights the many connections between these speeches and the creation of the world in Genesis 1-2.

Speech #6: Spirit-filled men will create the tent complex according to Yahweh’s plan – Ex 31:1-11

correspondence to Day 6 of creation, where God breathes his Spirit into the first humans, so they can image him in ruling and filling the earth
the men and their Spirit-given abilities – Ex 31:1-6
catalogue of items to be created – Ex 31:7-11
- tent structure
- furniture (from inside to outside)
- garments for priests
- anointing oil and fragrant incense
  - the catalogue follows the same order as the instructions were given, except that the altar of incense is moved earlier to be with the other items located in the same room.
all is to be done just as Yahweh commanded – Ex 31:11

Puzzle Monkey (2014), Creative Commons

Speech #7: Keeping the Sabbath day of rest – Ex 31:12-17

correspondence to Day 7 of creation, where God rests and sets apart the Sabbath as a special day
this speech’s structure is a chiasm, where the second half is a mirror image of the first half
- A Keep my Sabbaths, a sign that Yahweh sanctifies you – Ex 31:13
  - B Keep the Sabbath; it is holy – Ex 31:14a
    - C Profaners shall be put to death; workers shall be cut off – Ex 31:14b
      - D Work six days; rest one – Ex 31:15a
    - C’ Workers shall be put to death – Ex 31:15b
  - B’ Keep the Sabbath as a covenant forever – Ex 31:16
- A’ It is a sign that Yahweh made heaven and earth in 6 days, resting on the 7th – Ex 31:17
The chiasm’s center (Ex 31:15a) defines what the Sabbath is and what makes it special.
The chiasm’s end (Ex 31:17) makes the link between the tabernacle construction and the creation of the world explicit.

Ex 31:18 is the conclusion to all the instructions of Ex 25-31

When Yahweh is finished speaking, he gives Moses two stone tablets, with the instructions written with his own finger

Interpretation of Exodus 31:1-18

Some possible questions:

Why do the tabernacle instructions end with these topics for the final two speeches?
Why is the penalty for Sabbath-breaking so severe?
So what should we do with Sabbath-breakers today?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

These last two topics bring even greater to the connections between the tabernacle instructions and the creation of the world. This leads us to see the tabernacle as a new paradise in a new creation, an opportunity for the people of God to start over in close relationship with God.
Yahweh explains what the Sabbath signifies: his unique role as both their sanctifier (Ex 31:13) and the creator of all things (Ex 31:17). Apparently the Lord takes these things very seriously. If the people building this tabernacle don’t take one day off each week, they are communicating that 1) Yahweh did not create everything, they did; and 2) Yahweh isn’t making them special, they are doing that for themselves. The Sabbath is all about resting in another and not ourselves.
We’ve been given much more revelation from God about the Sabbath than the Israelites had. We understand the purpose of the Sabbath-keeping was to picture faith in and utter dependence on Christ (Heb 3:16-4:3). I’ll save any further application for another study on another passage.

Train of thought:

Get the right Spirit-filled people for the creative work.
Treat one day each week as a special day, to show your trust in Yahweh and not your own efforts for this project of mutual dwelling.

Main point: For God’s new creation dwelling place with his people, the climax comes when the right people join the work and demonstrate the unique ability of God to get them through.

Connection to Christ: Jesus is the faithful Son, the builder of God’s house. He trusted his Father fully so we who tend to trust ourselves could become his family.

My Application of Exodus 31:1-18

When it’s time for me to get busy doing the work of God on behalf of the people of God (preaching, leading Bible studies, writing, discipling, parenting, etc.), it’s so easy for me to trust in my effort to carry the day. But this passage helps me to understand God’s glorious paradox: he appoints and uses me for his purposes, and I can trust him to do the heavy lifting. In other words, I work with all my strength, and I trust in God to make it happen. I can plant and water, but only God can cause the growth.

This paradox is at the heart of all faithful kingdom work. We work as though it were all up to us. Then we pray and trust as though it’s all up to him. In God’s universe, we shouldn’t choose one or the other. We do both.