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Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
Exodus 35 marks a pivotal transition in Israel’s wilderness journey, where we witness the remarkable transformation from receiving divine instructions to actively participating in building יהוה’s dwelling place. This chapter beautifully illustrates how the infinite God of creation involves His finite creatures in establishing His sanctuary, demonstrating both His desire for partnership with humanity and His emphasis on proper worship.
The chapter opens with a profound reminder of the Sabbath commandment before detailing the implementation of the Tabernacle’s construction, highlighting the intricate relationship between sacred time and sacred space in biblical worship. This ordering is not coincidental but reflects a deep theological truth about the priority of rest and relationship with God before service.
This chapter follows immediately after the dramatic events of the Golden Calf incident and Moses’ intercession for Israel. The nation has been forgiven, the covenant renewed, and now they begin the actual construction of the Tabernacle, following the detailed instructions given in chapters 25-31. This sequence is significant because it shows that divine worship must be preceded by reconciliation and restoration of relationship with God.
In the broader context of Exodus, chapter 35 begins the final major section of the book, which describes the actual construction of the Tabernacle. This section (chapters 35-40) largely parallels the instructions given earlier (chapters 25-31), but with a crucial difference: while the earlier chapters record God’s commands, these chapters document Israel’s faithful obedience. This parallel structure emphasizes the importance of exact compliance with divine instructions in matters of worship.
Within the larger narrative of Scripture, this chapter serves as a prototype for all future temple construction and restoration projects, including Solomon’s Temple, the Second Temple, and ultimately points toward the New Jerusalem where God will dwell permanently with His people (Revelation 21:3).
The chapter contains a fascinating structural parallel with Creation. Just as God worked for six days and rested on the seventh, the chapter begins with the Sabbath command before describing the work of building the Tabernacle. This parallel suggests that the construction of the sanctuary was viewed as a kind of new creation, establishing a sacred space where heaven and earth could meet.
The Rabbinical tradition in Midrash Tanchuma notes that the specific prohibition against kindling fire on the Sabbath (verse 3) appears only here, leading to extensive discussions about the nature of creative work. The sages saw in this a principle that all forms of creative transformation of materials (מְלָאכָה, melachah) are extensions of this basic principle of transformation through fire.
Early Christian writers, particularly Origen and Gregory of Nyssa, saw in the various materials brought for the Tabernacle (gold, silver, bronze, etc.) a hierarchy of spiritual gifts and virtues that believers bring to build God’s spiritual house. This interpretation finds echoes in 1 Peter 2:5, where believers are described as living stones being built into a spiritual house.
The chapter’s emphasis on skilled craftsmanship infused with divine wisdom presents a unique biblical perspective on the integration of natural talent and spiritual gifting. This synthesis challenges both secular views that separate technical skill from spiritual insight and religious views that devalue practical abilities.
The willing offerings brought by the Israelites prefigure the Messiah’s voluntary self-offering. Just as the people brought their best materials for God’s dwelling place, Yeshua offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to establish the new and living way into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19-22).
The combination of divine instruction and human participation in building God’s dwelling place foreshadows the mystery of the incarnation, where divine and human nature perfectly unite in Yeshua. Furthermore, the emphasis on the Spirit filling craftsmen with wisdom points forward to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, enabling believers to become God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16).
This chapter resonates deeply with 2 Corinthians 9:7, where Paul emphasizes cheerful giving, echoing the willing hearts of the Israelites. The spiritual gifting of Bezalel and Oholiab finds parallel in the New Testament’s teaching about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12.
The theme of God’s people collectively building His dwelling place appears throughout Scripture, from Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 6) to the post-exilic rebuilding (Ezra 3), culminating in the vision of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21).
This chapter challenges us to consider what we bring to the Lord’s service. Just as the Israelites brought their best materials and skills, we too are called to offer our talents, resources, and time for God’s purposes. The emphasis on “willing hearts” reminds us that God values our attitude in giving as much as what we give.
The chapter also teaches us about the balance between work and rest. Even in building God’s sanctuary, the Sabbath was to be kept holy. This principle remains relevant today, reminding us that our service to God must flow from our rest in Him, not replace it.
The divine gifting of craftsmen reminds us that all abilities can be used for God’s glory. Whether our skills are in traditional “spiritual” areas or in practical crafts, all can be sanctified for divine service when offered with a willing heart.