How does Exodus 35:16 connect with New Testament teachings on service? Setting The Scene Exodus 35 records Israel’s eager obedience as they gather materials and craft every article God commanded for the tabernacle. Verse 16 zooms in: “the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand;” A simple inventory on the surface, yet loaded with meaning that blossoms in the New Testament. The Heart Of Exodus 35:16 • The altar of burnt offering – daily, visible surrender of life and treasure to God. • The bronze grating and poles – practical tools that made constant sacrifice possible. • All its utensils – every small instrument consecrated for holy work. • The basin with its stand – continual washing for priests before ministry (Exodus 30:18-21). Together they paint a picture of whole-person, hands-on service: sacrifice, preparation, purity, and readiness. Snapshots Of Service In The New Testament • Jesus “did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) • “We have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10) • “Therefore I urge you…to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual service of worship.” (Romans 12:1) • “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5) • Christ “loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” (Ephesians 5:25-26) • “Do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16) Threads That Tie Them Together • Altar → Cross → Our Service - The bronze altar foreshadows the cross where the final sacrifice was offered. All New-Covenant service rests on Christ’s finished work. • Basin → Cleansing → Ongoing Readiness - Priests could not minister with unwashed hands and feet. In Christ we are washed once for all, yet we still come for daily cleansing by the Word (John 13:10; 1 John 1:9) so our service remains unhindered. • Utensils → Spiritual Gifts - Every tool in Exodus had a task. Likewise “the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). No gift is ornamental; each is placed for necessary, holy use. • Poles and Grating → Mobility and Endurance - Poles made the altar portable; the grating bore intense heat. New-Testament servants must be movable and durable—“always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Practical Takeaways For Today • Approach service through the lens of sacrifice—grateful response, not grim duty. • Guard purity; let Scripture wash motives and methods before stepping out to serve. • Value every “utensil”: unseen administrative help, whispered intercession, generous giving, public teaching—each furthers the offering of worship. • Stay portable; be willing to go where needs arise, trusting God to supply the grace. • Remember that Jesus, the perfect Servant, has gone before you; your labor is built on His altar, empowered by His cleansing, and accepted by His Father. |
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