And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,
The verse names the table with its vessels, the pure lampstand with all its vessels, and the altar of incense among the furnishings to be made for the tabernacle as commanded to Moses on the mount. The work was to follow the heavenly pattern exactly, with perfection in every detail, carried out by Bezaleel, Aholiab, and every wisehearted worker whom God filled with His Spirit in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and craftsmanship. Every detail was sacred and stood before the people as an illustration of the perfection and completeness of Christ's work and a revelation of God's character, power, and majesty. The same exactness, skill, and care belongs in all of God's service today, for God Himself gives wisdom, judgment, and skill to His workers and guides their faithful, unselfish labor so His name is honored.
Tabernacle Work Commanded
The table and its furniture, the pure candlestick with all its furniture, and the altar of incense are among the furnishings commanded on the mount to be made for the tabernacle. They were part of the divinely specified work of the tabernacle of the congregation, to be made by skilled workers exactly as commanded. These articles with their vessels and details belonged to the building of the earthly sanctuary according to the pattern shown to Moses. That building was to be carried out exactly as commanded, requiring exactness, skill, wisdom, care, and perfection in every detail, with excellence reflecting God's character.
The work was to be done by Bezaleel the son of Uri of the tribe of Judah as architect, with Aholiab of the tribe of Dan and every wisehearted man in whom God had put wisdom. They were to be filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding and knowledge and workmanship to devise cunning works in gold and silver and brass and in cutting of stones and carving of timber, that they might make everything commanded including these furnishings. Moses, though proficient in all the learning of the Egyptians with knowledge of God and visions of His purposes, did not know how to engrave and embroider. Israel, held in bondage in Egypt, knew how to make bricks but had not been instructed in the curious arts of working in gold and silver, so God Himself explained how the work was to be accomplished by signifying by name the persons He desired for it.
God is the true source of the wisdom, understanding, knowledge, judgment, skill, and workmanship given to the chosen workers. He filled them with His Spirit and put wisdom in their hearts to qualify them to do exactly all He commanded. The commissioned workers received wisdom from God to carry out the work according to His plan, so no person had reason to claim the honor for himself. The surrounding chapter plainly tells which day is the Sabbath of the Lord. Its words are from God to guide obedience, including in the Sabbath controversy, and those who obey them need not enter into controversy over His requirements, for keeping the Sabbath is a sign of the loyalty of His people.
Perfection Revealing Christ
Everything connected with putting up the tabernacle was set apart as holy for God's service and was to show forth His own perfection. The table with its articles, the pure lampstand with its articles, and the altar of incense were to be formed by Bezaleel, Aholiab, and every wise-hearted person in whom God had placed wisdom, men filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding and knowledge and craftsmanship to carry out exactly all that had been commanded. With its furnishings the tabernacle was to stand continually in view of more than a million people as a visible illustration of the perfection and completeness of Christ's work.
The direction to make these furnishings was given on the mount as an important lesson for God's people in every age, demanding perfection in every detail. Israel in Egyptian bondage had known how to make bricks but had not been trained in the intricate arts of working gold and silver and engraving and embroidering, and even Moses, though versed in all the learning of the Egyptians and granted knowledge of God and visions of His purposes, did not know how to engrave and embroider. God Himself therefore showed how the work was to be accomplished by naming the persons He wanted, calling Bezaleel son of Uri of the tribe of Judah to be architect and joining Aholiab of the tribe of Dan with him, filling Bezaleel with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding and knowledge and in all manner of craftsmanship to devise skillful works in gold and silver and brass and in cutting stones and carving timber, and putting wisdom in the hearts of all the wise-hearted so they could make everything commanded, including these furnishings. That excellence was to reflect God's character, for He arranged every detail of the tabernacle and in its construction gave a representation of His power and majesty.
Faithful Service Today
The exactness, skill, wisdom, and care once required in building the earthly tabernacle, with its table and equipment, pure lampstand and equipment, and incense altar, belong in every part of God's service today, even in ordinary mechanical work. That care is to be given in smaller as well as larger matters of life, not for selfish advantage but to show forth the glory of God and advance His cause. All work is to be done to the greatest glory of God, with excellence that reflects His character.
In the time of Israel's deliverance God Himself guided the chosen workers as the unseen Leader, giving them wisdom and judgment and skill for the tabernacle and its furnishings. Those men felt greatly honored to have a part assigned them in the Lord's work, and love and reverence for God led them to faithful, unselfish service in returning to Him the increase of the talents given them. The same capabilities are given to men and women today, first as a gift from Christ and then with power to improve it. Right use of them requires daily surrender of self to God, unselfish use of every capability in love for God, and cheerful and willing bearing of the cross of self-denial. Workers are at times to go apart to rest and commune with God in order to learn how to work, and great grace is imparted to one who works thus, the Lord bestowing wisdom and judgment and skill to be given back to Him in willing service.
The same God who communicated with His people of old and gave them wisdom to do His will in every detail of the tabernacle communicates today and gives wisdom to do His will in erecting buildings for Him such as sanitariums. As with Noah in building the ark and Moses in building the tabernacle, He Himself watches the work done today and designs to direct it by His word, by His Spirit, and by His providence. His name must be honored by the work done for Him, and His work must not move forward shabbily. Faithfulness, stability, and fitness must be seen in every part and in every line, and buildings must correspond with the providence of God and with their relation to the work to be done in other places. A sanitarium built on this pattern is plain, substantial, convenient, attractive, clean, and orderly, and represents present truth.
Those who build are to work as laborers together with God in the spirit and love of God, because they are erecting an institution for a work of eternal consequence. They are to feel constant need of Christ, take time to ask counsel of Him, realize entire dependence upon God, and keep looking unto Jesus. The voice of prayer and the melody of holy song are to ascend as sweet incense. Such faithful work itself preaches sermons that convict and convert hearts.
The verse names the table with its vessels, the pure lampstand with all its vessels, and the altar of incense among the furnishings to be made for the tabernacle as commanded to Moses on the mount. The work was to follow the heavenly pattern exactly, with perfection in every detail, carried out by Bezaleel, Aholiab, and every wisehearted worker whom God filled with His Spirit in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and craftsmanship. Every detail was sacred and stood before the people as an illustration of the perfection and completeness of Christ's work and a revelation of God's character, power, and majesty. The same exactness, skill, and care belongs in all of God's service today, for God Himself gives wisdom, judgment, and skill to His workers and guides their faithful, unselfish labor so His name is honored.
Tabernacle Work Commanded
The table and its furniture, the pure candlestick with all its furniture, and the altar of incense are among the furnishings commanded on the mount to be made for the tabernacle. They were part of the divinely specified work of the tabernacle of the congregation, to be made by skilled workers exactly as commanded. These articles with their vessels and details belonged to the building of the earthly sanctuary according to the pattern shown to Moses. That building was to be carried out exactly as commanded, requiring exactness, skill, wisdom, care, and perfection in every detail, with excellence reflecting God's character.
The work was to be done by Bezaleel the son of Uri of the tribe of Judah as architect, with Aholiab of the tribe of Dan and every wisehearted man in whom God had put wisdom. They were to be filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding and knowledge and workmanship to devise cunning works in gold and silver and brass and in cutting of stones and carving of timber, that they might make everything commanded including these furnishings. Moses, though proficient in all the learning of the Egyptians with knowledge of God and visions of His purposes, did not know how to engrave and embroider. Israel, held in bondage in Egypt, knew how to make bricks but had not been instructed in the curious arts of working in gold and silver, so God Himself explained how the work was to be accomplished by signifying by name the persons He desired for it.
God is the true source of the wisdom, understanding, knowledge, judgment, skill, and workmanship given to the chosen workers. He filled them with His Spirit and put wisdom in their hearts to qualify them to do exactly all He commanded. The commissioned workers received wisdom from God to carry out the work according to His plan, so no person had reason to claim the honor for himself. The surrounding chapter plainly tells which day is the Sabbath of the Lord. Its words are from God to guide obedience, including in the Sabbath controversy, and those who obey them need not enter into controversy over His requirements, for keeping the Sabbath is a sign of the loyalty of His people.
Perfection Revealing Christ
Everything connected with putting up the tabernacle was set apart as holy for God's service and was to show forth His own perfection. The table with its articles, the pure lampstand with its articles, and the altar of incense were to be formed by Bezaleel, Aholiab, and every wise-hearted person in whom God had placed wisdom, men filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding and knowledge and craftsmanship to carry out exactly all that had been commanded. With its furnishings the tabernacle was to stand continually in view of more than a million people as a visible illustration of the perfection and completeness of Christ's work.
The direction to make these furnishings was given on the mount as an important lesson for God's people in every age, demanding perfection in every detail. Israel in Egyptian bondage had known how to make bricks but had not been trained in the intricate arts of working gold and silver and engraving and embroidering, and even Moses, though versed in all the learning of the Egyptians and granted knowledge of God and visions of His purposes, did not know how to engrave and embroider. God Himself therefore showed how the work was to be accomplished by naming the persons He wanted, calling Bezaleel son of Uri of the tribe of Judah to be architect and joining Aholiab of the tribe of Dan with him, filling Bezaleel with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding and knowledge and in all manner of craftsmanship to devise skillful works in gold and silver and brass and in cutting stones and carving timber, and putting wisdom in the hearts of all the wise-hearted so they could make everything commanded, including these furnishings. That excellence was to reflect God's character, for He arranged every detail of the tabernacle and in its construction gave a representation of His power and majesty.
Faithful Service Today
The exactness, skill, wisdom, and care once required in building the earthly tabernacle, with its table and equipment, pure lampstand and equipment, and incense altar, belong in every part of God's service today, even in ordinary mechanical work. That care is to be given in smaller as well as larger matters of life, not for selfish advantage but to show forth the glory of God and advance His cause. All work is to be done to the greatest glory of God, with excellence that reflects His character.
In the time of Israel's deliverance God Himself guided the chosen workers as the unseen Leader, giving them wisdom and judgment and skill for the tabernacle and its furnishings. Those men felt greatly honored to have a part assigned them in the Lord's work, and love and reverence for God led them to faithful, unselfish service in returning to Him the increase of the talents given them. The same capabilities are given to men and women today, first as a gift from Christ and then with power to improve it. Right use of them requires daily surrender of self to God, unselfish use of every capability in love for God, and cheerful and willing bearing of the cross of self-denial. Workers are at times to go apart to rest and commune with God in order to learn how to work, and great grace is imparted to one who works thus, the Lord bestowing wisdom and judgment and skill to be given back to Him in willing service.
The same God who communicated with His people of old and gave them wisdom to do His will in every detail of the tabernacle communicates today and gives wisdom to do His will in erecting buildings for Him such as sanitariums. As with Noah in building the ark and Moses in building the tabernacle, He Himself watches the work done today and designs to direct it by His word, by His Spirit, and by His providence. His name must be honored by the work done for Him, and His work must not move forward shabbily. Faithfulness, stability, and fitness must be seen in every part and in every line, and buildings must correspond with the providence of God and with their relation to the work to be done in other places. A sanitarium built on this pattern is plain, substantial, convenient, attractive, clean, and orderly, and represents present truth.
Those who build are to work as laborers together with God in the spirit and love of God, because they are erecting an institution for a work of eternal consequence. They are to feel constant need of Christ, take time to ask counsel of Him, realize entire dependence upon God, and keep looking unto Jesus. The voice of prayer and the melody of holy song are to ascend as sweet incense. Such faithful work itself preaches sermons that convict and convert hearts.