Exodus 30:17

As we continue to look at God’s commandments for the setting up of the tabernacle and the symbolic meaning behind many of those commandments, we read in Exodus 30:17-21, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.” Of course, the emphasis here has to do with cleansing. To cleanse with water is symbolic of the forgiveness of sins. Man is sinful, and in order to come into the presence of God, we must be cleansed from our sins. That is why it says in First John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Notice that the penalty for not being cleansed was death. It says in both Exodus 30:20 and Exodus 30:21, “that they die not.” Anyone who is not cleansed from their sins will suffer eternal death in the fires of hell. That is why it is so important to find forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Jesus said to the Pharisees in John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” There is a physical death, but there is also a spiritual death. If you die the spiritual death, you will die forever in hell. It says about this in Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

In Exodus 30:22-33 God tells Moses how to make and use an anointing oil that was to be used to consecrate Aaron and his sons. Concerning this oil, God said in Exodus 30:30-33, “And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.” We see in the Old Testament that when someone was anointed, this anointing was symbolic of the fact that God had chosen that person for a specific responsibility. As we see here, the priests were anointed. King David was anointed when he was selected to be king over Israel. The word “Messiah” means “the Anointed One,” and is the greatest name ever used for someone chosen for a specific task: Jesus the Messiah. Messiah is the Hebrew word for “anointed” and “Christ” is the Greek word, and so Jesus is called “Jesus Christ.” One of the lessons that should be learned from this passage in Exodus chapter thirty is that God’s choice should be found and then confirmed for that specific duty or responsibility. It appears that in modern-day churches and religious organizations that people have been choosing their leaders based upon human criteria such as previous experience, education-level, etc. They seem to have forgotten that the most important requirement of all is simply to ask this question: who is God’s anointing and who is God’s choice? The only way to know that is to pray until God’s choice is revealed.

God gave instructions concerning how the tabernacle was to be constructed, and God gave instructions for the priests who would serve inside the tabernacle. What is important to notice about the first part of Exodus chapter thirty-one is that those who had what we would call “secular” responsibilities were also called by God to do what they did. The priests of the Old Testament are somewhat analogous to the preachers and pastors of our day, and of course, we recognize that a preacher must be called by the Lord in order to be a preacher. But the truth is that you should be called by the Lord in whatever field you are working. God undoubtedly needs Christians in every lawful job or occupation. Every job is important to God. A preacher is not more important than a brick-layer or a jeweler or a computer programmer. The Bible says in Exodus 31:1-5, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.”

Bezaleel was a person who did what we would call today “secular work.” He was not a priest, or a prophet, or a teacher of spiritual truths. Bezaleel was a man who did real work in the real world. As it says in the verses above, he worked with gold, silver, brass, stones, and timber. He worked with his hands, but he was very skilled in the work that he did. The reason that Bezaleel had the skill that he had is given very clearly in Exodus 31:3 where God said, “I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” Whatever you know and understand, and whatever are your capabilities, in the fulfilling of your responsibilities and in the performing of your profession, have been given to you as a gift from God. That is what wisdom is all about. The practical side of wisdom has to do with know-how. Jesus has gifted you. He has given you abilities. Do you know how to take your abilities and use them in a practical way in the fulfilling of your career and your job? If you do, then it is only because God has blessed you. Everyone should view their life and their work as a calling from God. When you do, you understand that there is no difference between the secular and the sacred. That is why it says in Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” And it also says in Colossians 3:23, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

Bezaleel had wisdom from God in how to build the tabernacle. The Bible told us very clearly that this wisdom came from God. Some people make the mistake of thinking that they already know everything they need to know, but none of us do. Jesus is all-wise, but we are extremely foolish when left to our own ways. We desperately need wisdom from God. He will gladly give us wisdom, if we will only ask. The Bible says in James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

At this point in Exodus, we are nearing the conclusion of the giving of the law. Moses had been up in the mountain with God, and all of the commandments and laws had been given to Moses in order that Moses would write them in a book and give them to the people. The commandments that were given to Moses included the Ten Commandments and all of the other commandments that were given from Exodus chapter twenty-one to Exodus chapter thirty-one. Here in the last verses of Exodus chapter thirty-one God takes just one of those commandments and makes a very great emphasis on that commandment. The commandment is one of the Ten Commandments that says, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” The Bible says in Exodus 31:12-17, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”

Out of all the commandments why was the commandment about the Sabbath Day chosen? Many of the commandments have to do with what goes on in your heart and mind, and have to do with the relationship between God and man, and the relationship between man and his wife, children, and neighbors. Of course, the commandment, “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy” has a very clear mental and spiritual element to it; but it also had a very obvious outward requirement. The normal work day was set aside, and a more limited schedule with much less human effort was enforced for the Sabbath Day. The keeping of the Sabbath Day had a very obvious outward element to it for all to see. In a way we can say that the Sabbath Day represented the law better than any of the other commandments: at least from an outward and visible point of view. Those who kept the Sabbath Day the way the Israelites kept it in the Old Testament were saying by keeping it: we are under the law, and trying everything that we can to keep the law. “The Sabbath Day” was a commandment that was uniquely synonymous with the law, and the giving of the law, and the keeping of the law. That is one of the reasons that Christians in The New Testament stopped trying to keep the Sabbath Day.

Christians are not under law, but under grace. The Bible says to Christians in Romans 6:14, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” We live in the last days, and there are many people who do not understand this truth. People who are not spiritual do not understand grace, but they do understand law because they understand rules and regulations. The keeping of the Sabbath days as it was practiced by the Israelites was one of the key symbols of the law. The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in the city of Galatia and said in Galatians 4:9-11, “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” What bondage is being spoken of here: the bondage of the law. What days are being spoken of here: the Sabbath days and other supposed “holy” days. The main theme of the book of Galatians is the difference between law and grace. Some Christians in the first century had a problem with law because their religious concepts and practices came from Judaism. They were tempted to keep practicing some of the outward legalistic and ceremonial parts of Judaism. In the century in which we live some people are tempted to keep hold of certain legalistic parts of the law because it is convenient for them to do so. Some pastors tell Christians that they must come to church each Sunday because Sunday is the Sabbath and they must keep the Sabbath. In other words those pastors are trying to increase their church participation by using legalistic parts of the Old Testament law. Sadly, there are other ways that some pastors try to use the language of bondage to control people. “Christian” leaders who try to manipulate and control people are referred to in Revelation 2:6 where Jesus said, “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” And Jesus also said in Revelation 2:15, “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”

If you do not understand grace, and you do not understand the difference between law and grace; and you stay involved in organized Christianity, you will undoubtedly fall under bondage to the law. The Bible says in Galatians 3:22-25, “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”

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