SHOW NOTES

Grasp that for a moment. The sea, the sand, the rocks, the birds, the fish, the waves — God created every detail. Every molecule, every grain, every crevice, feather, and gill — He made the entire scene… And then, He went even further: He gave us His Son, who provided a way for us to live forever.

Hi everything Tammy Becker here and this week our reading are Exodus chapters 36 through Leviticus 18.  And the topic from these chapters that I have felt led to touch on this week is details, details, and more details and a tad bit about the Holiness of YHWH.

So, the title this week is; God is in the Details and Exodus is all about that.

It’s easy to read through the first half of Exodus like a storybook.

Moses in his humble reed basket being taken in by the beautiful Egyptian princess, that flaming burning bush, wild plagues that matched the Egyptian idols and the Israelite’s spectacular escape.          

And then comes the latter half - covenants and law, rules, and instruction. It can seem to many so antiquated and could leave the reader tempted to skim, but what I read is a fascinating story of YHWH and how His love and communication with His people, became known through the beautiful archeological designs.

The chapters are steeped rich in history and cultural significance, which is certainly worthy of study on its own, but in reading through Exodus recently I was wowed by something more simple - the details.

“Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of find woven linen and blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim, you shall weave them. Exodus 26:1

When God relayed his vision for the tabernacle it didn’t come in vague and half-baked ideas. He was specific and incredibly detailed. The loops on the curtains, the clasps on the loops, the color of thread, lengths, and widths - it’s all in there.

You must make it according to all that I show you — the pattern of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings. - Exodus 25:9

In Exodus, right amidst those precise instructions and patterns, we meet the God of details. The God who takes Israel’s hand and says “Here, this is exactly how I want you to do it. This thread, that many loops, these bronze clasps.”  For a 3D video interpretation, take a look at the video posted on my website to accompany this podcast at youministries.com.

🙌What Purpose Did the Tabernacle in Exodus Serve? And What Was the Meaning behind the Tabernacle in Exodus?

Until the time of Solomon, the Tabernacle offered a temporary, proper worship space for the Israelites and a temporary house for God. 

Symbolism had a great deal of importance in Israelite culture, so all of the elements within the Tabernacle would’ve had a deep meaning. It also allowed the Israelites to dwell with God and draw closer to him. 

How we can relate Exodus to our lives today.

Sometimes people say that God is too big or too busy with more important things to be concerned with something as inconsequential as the details of our lives. But this sentiment is not biblical. God absolutely cares about the little things that happen in our lives.

 To gain some perspective, we must first understand that everything is little compared to God; He created the entire universe. But the question of whether God cares is more fundamentally about the depth of His love than it is about the breadth of His power or the importance of a particular detail. Throughout the Bible, we see evidence that God cares deeply about our lives.

God’s attention to detail is still extremely important, because it means that there isn’t anything in our life that God overlooks or doesn’t care about. Whether it is your health, your job, your family, that nagging pain in your back, or the fact that those around you are hurting, none of it is outside of God’s care and control. God controls and cares about every aspect of our life, and he is far more capable to handle all of it than we are. 

Perhaps the most convincing passage is Luke 12:6–7: "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows." God remembers birds that people sell for next to nothing; they are of small consequence to humans yet are remembered by God. Jesus tells us we are worth much more than that. Of course, God cares! He cares enough to number the hairs on our heads.

No matter what is happening YHWH cares about His people, he never leaves his children. Scripture tells us God knows what is going on in our lives and is faithful. 

Now, for us who live in 2022 instead of ancient Biblical times, what does this have to with us? Why does God’s attention to detail matter?

This truth and understanding should lead us to lean completely on God because he cares for us and he is paying attention to details we often forget or details we let consume us. So when life gets too overwhelming or all the details start to stress you out, don’t let anxiety and stress win the day, rather do what Peter calls us to do in 1 Peter 5:6-7:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”

God is faithful (Philippians 1:6); he is able (Ephesians 3:20); and he is working to bring you closer to himself (Exodus 29:46). We can trust that he is in control and that he is far more capable than we are, so rather than focusing on things beyond our control, we can fix our eyes on the only person who controls everything: our heavenly Father who seeks to have a relationship with us and give us rest from worry.

God is in the Details

So, have you given your details to God to figure out? Yes, He knows them already, but when we hand them over to Him, something wonderful happens. He arranges them into a bigger picture — with a broader view — to help us work our way out of our futile processes. He’s got this plan. It’s purposeful. And we may not see the bigger picture as clearly as His oceanfront views, but we can trust that He sees it, and He is working it out. And we’ll see that it, too, is good.

““Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span^[a] by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God^[b] and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”   -Matthew 6:25-33  

Let’s Now Jump into Some Discussion About the Holiness of YHWH

God is holy, just, and jealous. We must learn to love and fear Him for these powerfully personal attributes.  Here’s an idea, a story, that I think you might be able to relate to with some of the scripture we have read.

Parents must teach their children from a very early age not to play with fire. Children must learn that all sources of fire are dangerous and potentially deadly. But just because fire can be unsafe doesn't mean that it is always bad. Fire is a very helpful asset to humanity as it warms our houses, cooks our food, and does other essential things. The point of every parent's lesson is not to do away with fire, but to teach a healthy fear and respect for its power. In the same way, God's holiness, justice, and jealousy are beneficial as well as dangerous. In Leviticus 8-10, two priests played with fire and God's holiness, resulting in their death.

Leviticus 8 is the beginning of a time of celebration for the nation of Israel. Up to this point God has chosen them as His people, freed them from Egyptian slavery, and taught them how to be His kingdom citizens (Ex 25-40). Here, God commands Moses to ceremonially set apart the sons of Aaron for the holy priesthood. Moses did so by having them washed, changed into new clothes, anointed with oil, and with blood sacrifices on the bronze altar. On the eighth day, the excitement, anticipation, and expectation heightened. If they had done everything right, the glory of the Lord would fall and consume these final sacrifices made on behalf of the priests, sinners before God like all the other Israelites. Sure enough, the glory of the Lord fell as fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifices. The people responded with shouts, falling on their faces (Lev 9:22-24).

The Holiness of God is Dangerous to Disobeyers (Lev. 10)

Notice what happens next directly after the ceremonial consecration of the priests. Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, made fire mixed with incense in their priestly pans. But something went very wrong. Moses writes that their fire offering was unauthorized worship before God. It could be that Nadab and Abihu unlawfully entered into the Holy of Holies. Perhaps they were drunk when making this fire before the Lord. Or, it could simply be that God didn't command them to make the fire at that time. Whatever the reason, it was unauthorized worship. The Lord consumed the two priests, just as He had previously consumed the sacrifices offered on their behalf. Their father, Aaron, was stunned, but he "held his peace" (10:3).

The Holiness of Jesus is Accounted to Believers (Heb. 4:14-16)

We cannot play around with worshiping our holy God. He takes it seriously, and so must we. We must not offer Him worship in any unauthorized way, as He not only hates it but pours out His wrath against it. We must only offer worship to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus isn't only the Son of God, but also our High Priest. He only offered one sacrifice and one offering to God - His own body. It was such a pleasing offering to God that it was the last one He required. Now, everyone that believes in the High Priest Jesus is fully forgiven by God. If Jesus is our High Priest, and we as Christians are in Christ, then we are priests to God. We are His chosen servants, authorized to draw near to Him and provide spiritual care for God's people.

Life Lessons We Can Take from Leviticus

1)      Appreciate the holiness of God. In the Old Testament, the people of God had to go through great lengths to experience acceptance from His holiness. Today, God has accepted us through the gospel of Jesus and His holiness. As you read the Old Testament, thank God for the New Covenant that He has provided through Jesus. Jesus has fulfilled the Old Covenant so that we can enjoy life in the New Covenant.

2)     Although God views Christians through the gospel, never lose a healthy fear of the holiness, justice, and jealousy of God for His own glory. Never take God's grace for granted, as He continues to hate sin and disciplines Christians who disobey.

3)      If you are a priest to God through our High Priest, Jesus, you have full access to God's throne. You are authorized and called to minister to God's people. You are responsible to make your body as a living sacrifice to God through the sacrifice of Jesus. This week, do your own word study in the New Testament on the priesthood of the believer.

Conclusion Idea for Holiness

As members of the church, we are like stones being built up to make God's temple. We are to be a holy priesthood that offers spiritual sacrifices to God through Christ (1 Pet 2:5). In God's temple, every stone is important. In our churches, we are only as healthy and powerful as our weakest members. Every believer within our churches is a priest to God. Each of us must be striving to draw near to God, love one another, and minister to those in our community. How do we do this? Through Jesus Christ alone, our great High Priest.

Rabbit Trails for This Week:

Exodus 36:1 

If you are ever reading a Bible story that doesn’t seem to tell much or leaves out more details than you’d prefer, do a word study on the names of everyone mentioned therein for additional insight, you will be amazed at the meaning of the names and how they specifically relate to what is going on in the passage. Test this out with this first Scripture:  Exodus 36:1 as the Scripture lists the two men that appear to be at the forefront of the builders of the tabernacle. Their names are Bezalel and Oholiab. Now these names are pretty darn special and, drum roll…they are building the Father’s tabernacle which is the most elaborate tent of its kind. Each name has a special meaning.  And no, I’m not telling this is part of your deep dive!  While your there…how do you think these two got their skills?

 Leviticus 5-7, which all discuss the Asham offering – translated as “guilt offering”. This was for ignorant sin. There are 4 different categories of this offering and interesting note here; YHWH specifically told the prophet Isaiah that Messiah would offer Himself up as the Asham offering.  Look to Leviticus 5 through 7 to discover the four categories for this offering and what they mean.

Additional Scripture to reference discussing the Asham offering:

1)     Lev. 5:1-13

2)     Lev. 5:15-19

3)     Numbers 6:12

4)     Isa 53:10 

5)     John 1:29, John 1:36

6)     1 Peter 3:18

7)     Lev 7:11-34

8)     Lev 7:23, 25

Key points to remember…the Messiah would be a Asham offering…connect all the dots.  Isn’t it so much fun to start seeing all the symbols, parables, and connections being made when you start doing a little investigation!

DISCLAIMER:

This study is in no way to take the place of studying the entire Bible in fact if you haven't studied the entire Bible from book to book, cover to cover I suggest doing that first before you dive into this study. This study is a study, an investigative deep dive if you will, for those of you that have read the Bible and Studied God’s Word cover to cover and want to do a little deeper diving into some “rabbit trails” in the Bible.

I will be providing questions, scriptures, and points of interest, if you will, that you can look up on your own, investigate, and deep dive asking God to help you discern and come to your thoughts. In no way am I trying to influence you one way or another period! My entire goal of doing this series this year is so that you get into your Bibles even more and discover all the treasures that God has placed there for us.

You will hear me mention over and over on my podcasts, don’t take my word for it, get in your Bible, and look it up yourself! I challenge you to challenge me and find the answers for yourself. That’s right, I will bring you a message, I will back it up with scripture, I will give you prompts I will put some questions out there that will make you go or I never thought of that or wow that's something new…but, let me make this very clear….it is your job, that’s right, your job to be in Yahweh’s Word daily.