Read Exodus 39-40

As The Lord Had Commanded Moses

Fourteen times in the final two chapters of Exodus, this exact phrase appears: “As the Lord had commanded Moses.” There are at least two other times that a similar phrase is used. It is a testimony to the Lord’s ability to relay understandable commands, to Moses’ ability to relay those commands to the people, and the people’s willingness to follow the leader God had chosen for them.

Moses writes, “According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work” (Exodus 39:42). How much was neglected by Moses and the children of Israel in what God had commanded? Nothing was ignored. They did “all that the Lord had commanded Moses”! Brother Tom L. Bright used to tell his students in preaching school, “You can’t get ‘aller’ than all!” They either did it all, or they didn’t, and Moses said they did!

The final verse of the chapter reads, “Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them” (Exodus 39:43). A couple of very important things are revealed here.

First, Moses inspected the work. He examined it closely to be sure that it was “as the Lord had commanded.” He understood the command, and he had relayed it faithfully to the workers, and they followed the instructions to the letter. That’s important.

Second, notice what Moses did after finding that the children of Israel had faithfully obeyed: “And Moses blessed them.” He took the time to examine it, and he took the time to encourage them! It is important to recognize the efforts of those who are hard workers in the church and to thank them for their labors. They are not working for praise, but it never hurts to show appreciation for a job well done.

Paul thanked God for the church in Thessalonica for their “work of faith,” among other things (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Moses likewise blessed those who had put so much effort into the tabernacle and priestly garments because of their diligence and precision to the Lord’s command.

Read Exodus 35:4-36:7

Much More Than Enough

After relaying God’s instructions to the people concerning the building of the tabernacle, Moses said to the people, “Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord” (Exodus 35:5). How willing were the children of Israel? “So they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning” (Exodus 36:3). The artisans were so overwhelmed by what the people brought that they had to ask Moses to prevent any further offerings! “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do” (Exodus 36:5).

Take a moment to reflect on what you have offered to the Lord. Think about your financial sacrifices, your time commitments, and the talents that you have volunteered to His work. How willingly have you given to Him? Have you ever been asked to stop?

The first-century Christians faced trying times, and there were occasions of great financial needs in the church. Paul lifted up the church in Macedonia as an example in giving toward those needs, writing “that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality” (2 Corinthians 8:2).

How was it that an impoverished church could be so liberal in giving? The answer is found in their attitude! “For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).

The church in Macedonia wanted to help their brethren because they loved God and they had given themselves to God. In turn, God had blessed them with the ability to give beyond what they had even expected.

What is your attitude toward giving to the Lord’s work? Is it generous? Purposeful? Cheerful? This is the attitude that we should have, according to the inspired apostle Paul.

Give as much as you can of your financial blessings, your time, and your abilities. Make it your goal to give “much more than enough.”

Read Exodus 18

The Wisdom in Delegation

When Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to visit, he saw the amount of stress Moses was taking upon himself. Jethro gave Moses some advice: let somebody help you! Leading the people as Moses had been doing was sure to lead to disaster, but by involving other men, he could avoid the burnout that was sure to come.

Jethro also instructed Moses to select a certain type of person to help. He should not just randomly hand out assignments, but look for those who are “able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness” (Exodus 18:21). Further, Jethro did not tell Moses to do this without first consulting God, but said, “If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace” (Exodus 18:23). Ensuring that God approved of this procedure was of utmost importance, and Jethro knew that.

We see the very same thing happen in the early days of the church in the New Testament. The church was growing rapidly, and problems arose, so the apostles told the people to select “seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). The apostles understood the wisdom in delegation. There were problems that needed to be addressed but did not necessarily need constant apostolic attention or oversight. Other men could handle the task.

Notice again that the apostles did not want just anyone involved in this work, but men who were mature and responsible. It is the same when it comes to deacons. Paul gave Timothy a list of qualities that a man should possess before he is entrusted to serve in the capacity of a deacon (1 Timothy 3:8-13).

The common thread in these three situations is the wisdom of delegation. There is simply too much for one man to effectively do everything, and others must be involved in doing the Lord’s work. It was true in Moses’ day, and in the days of the early church, and it is true in this twenty-first century. There is wisdom in delegation.

Read Exodus 14

The Way of Escape

Are you ever amazed at our God’s ability to remove seemingly insurmountable difficulties in your life? The children of Israel were trapped: the Red Sea in front of them, the powerful Egyptian army behind them. There was no escape; surely, they would perish. The people turned on Moses and accused him of treachery, saying, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?” (Exodus 14:11).

Moses reassured them, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:13-14).

God protected the children of Israel from the Egyptian army, and provided a way of escape through the Red Sea on dry land. As they crossed, “the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left” (Exodus 14:22), and as the enemy attempted to follow, God “took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty” (Exodus 14:25) and “the sea returned to its full depth” (Exodus 14:27); “the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained” (Exodus 14:28).

When you look back at the difficulties of life that you have endured, do you see God’s hand at work? Do you see Him parting your own Red Sea? Can you point to where He took the wheels off your enemy’s chariots? Of course, He does not work in such miraculous manners today, but the providence of God is absolutely at work in the lives of His faithful children.

He also provides a way to escape temptation and sin. Paul writes, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Whatever Red Sea lies before you, and whatever Egyptian army approaches from behind, God can and will take care of you if you submit to Him!