What is the meaning of Exodus 36:20? Next “Next” tells us this event follows an orderly, Spirit–directed sequence. God’s people are not improvising; they are following a divine blueprint revealed earlier (Exodus 25–31). • Exodus 36:1 has just noted that “every skilled person … did the work exactly as the LORD had commanded.” • Exodus 26:1 begins the earlier blueprint: “You are to construct the tabernacle …”. • 1 Corinthians 14:33 reminds us that “God is not a God of disorder, but of peace,” underscoring that His plans unfold step-by-step. He constructed The “he” points to Bezalel and the craftsmen endowed with “the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in all kinds of craftsmanship” (Exodus 31:3). • Exodus 35:30-35 repeats that God Himself “has filled them with skill.” • Hebrews 3:4 affirms, “Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything,” letting us see the Lord working through human hands. • Philippians 2:13 adds, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act,” echoing the same principle for believers today. Upright frames These boards formed the solid, load-bearing walls of the tabernacle. • Exodus 26:15-17: “You are to construct upright frames of acacia wood… each frame two tenons parallel to one another.” Purpose and symbolism: – Provide stability so the holy structure would not shift in wilderness winds. – Stand vertically, pointing hearts upward toward heaven. – Form a barrier of separation between holy and common spaces (cf. Leviticus 10:10). – Picture the steadfastness believers are called to show (1 Corinthians 15:58). Of acacia wood Acacia is incredibly hard, resistant to insects and decay—ideal for a movable sanctuary. • Exodus 25:10: the ark; Exodus 25:23: the table; Exodus 27:1: the altar—all acacia, revealing a consistent pattern. • Deuteronomy 10:3: Moses made a second ark “of acacia wood,” showing God’s ongoing preference for this material. Spiritual takeaways: – Enduring wood points to Christ’s incorruptible humanity (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31). – It encourages believers to seek a similarly incorruptible character (1 Peter 1:23). For the tabernacle The frames serve one grand purpose: housing God’s manifest Presence. • Exodus 25:8: “Then have them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them.” • John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us,” linking the ancient tent to Jesus’ incarnation. • Hebrews 9:11 shows the tabernacle as a shadow pointing forward to “Christ as high priest of the good things to come.” Practical reflections: – God delights to dwell with His people, first in a tent, then in flesh, and now in believers (1 Corinthians 3:16). – Every detail of the tabernacle, even its frames, directs attention to His desire for fellowship. summary Exodus 36:20 records a simple construction step that fits into God’s precise, orderly plan, executed by Spirit-gifted craftsmen using durable acacia wood to erect sturdy walls for His dwelling. Each phrase—“Next,” “he constructed,” “upright frames,” “of acacia wood,” “for the tabernacle”—highlights obedience, skill, stability, incorruptibility, and divine presence. Together they invite us to build our lives with the same obedience and permanence, becoming living tabernacles where God is pleased to reside. |
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