V’yakheil
He assembled
Exodus 35:1-38:20
1 Kings 7:40-50 (A); 7:13-26 (S)
Pequdei
Accounts
“The Glory of Faith and Works”
Exodus 38:21-40:38
1 Kings 7:51-8:21 (A); 7:40-50 (S)
excerpted from TorahScope, Volume III
This week’s Torah reading completes the Book of Exodus, with the final two readings being studied. For a substantial part of the selection, the instructions given to Moses for the construction of the Tabernacle, furnishings, and its components, were essentially a reiteration of the details which had been previously considered (Exodus 35:10-40-33). Apparently, the command to build a formal dwelling place for the Holy One of Israel, was of such significance for the chosen people of God, that the text of Exodus repeats the specifications for it. After the failings of the golden calf resulted in the execution of some three thousand faithless rebels, Moses and the artisans returned to the work at hand. After an additional forty days and forty nights in the presence of the Lord, the radiating facial appearance of Moses helped further convince the remaining Israelites, that the instructions he was conveying were directly from the Holy One, as noted in the closing verses of the previous parashah:
“Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all the commandments that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded. The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone; so Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him” (Exodus 34:31-35, WMB).
With the trauma of violent death having permeated the encampment, the visible reminder that Moses was intimately communicating with the Almighty, prompted the Israelites to respond with willing hearts, as they were stirred to contribute the materials needed for the Tabernacle. Those people, endowed with supernatural skills, were given the opportunity to finally exercise their faith in the Holy One, by completing the work as prescribed:
“Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to them, ‘These are the words which the LORD has commanded, that you should do them. “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD: whoever does any work in it shall be put to death. You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath day.”’ Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, ‘This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, “Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD’s offering: gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, sea cow hides, acacia wood, oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate. Let every wise-hearted man among you come, and make all that the LORD has commanded”’” (Exodus 35:1-10, WMB).
However, before Moses restated these instructions, there was a key reminder that remembering the Sabbath during the construction of the Tabernacle was not to be abandoned. As important as it would be for the Tabernacle to be assembled, so that God could dwell in the presence of His people—He still desired His people to rest (cf. Exodus 31:13-17).
While reconsidering the different elements of the Tabernacle and the priestly garments, in light of the prohibition to work on the Sabbath, from this week’s Torah reading—it is significant to note the unique intersection of faithful obedience to a command, and the completion of human works resulting in the presence of the glory of the Lord. For assuredly, when the Book of Exodus comes to a close describing the “finished” work of the Tabernacle, there was the incredible blessing of the glory of the Lord residing in the midst of the Israelites throughout their desert journeys:
“Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there. When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as the LORD commanded Moses. He raised up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the LORD’s glory filled the tabernacle. Moses wasn’t able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud stayed on it, and the LORD’s glory filled the tabernacle. When the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys; but if the cloud wasn’t taken up, then they didn’t travel until the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys” (Exodus 40:31-38, WMB).
Glory or Glorify?
In many regards, the description of the blessing of the glory of the Lord, filling the Tabernacle, could be taken as an example of faith and works combining—in what was then among the Ancient Israelites, a tangible manifestation of God. However, over the course of time, the visible evidence of the glory of the Lord has no longer centered on a transportable Tabernacle. Instead, since the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah, the Holy Spirit of God has taken up universal residence in the hearts of God’s people, which glorify the Lord in their actions:
“Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, WMB).
Modern-day Messiah followers can vaguely imagine the majesty of the glory of the Lord, filling the desert Tabernacle. The days of the Ancient Israelites, fearfully observing the presence of the Lord, has largely shifted, to faithful Believers willingly allowing the Holy One to accomplish His will through their works. There is now a definite, personal responsibility, to glorify the Lord through faithful acts of obedience, the good works which Yeshua requires of each of His followers, as they emulate His fulfillment of the Torah:
“Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Don’t think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the Torah, until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:16-19, WMB).
If someone has truly been born from above, indwelt by the Spirit of God, and given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)—there should be a heartfelt willingness to want to obey the Torah (which has not been abolished or nullified). Such a trusting obedience to the commandments of God, should evidence itself in faith, combined with good works, which together ultimately brings glory to the Lord. In his epistle, James the Just specified how it was faith combined with his works, which reckoned Abraham righteous. Faith alone was not enough, because only by demonstrating the right actions, could Abraham be truly said to have faith:
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, ‘Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;’ yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder. But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness’ [Genesis 15:6], and he was called the friend of God. You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:14-26, WMB).
While this passage from James, is commonly quoted to emphasize the relation which faith and works have together—Paul’s teaching was not at all devoid of an emphasis on faith and works. In his letter to Believers in Asia Minor, Paul stated that eternal salvation only comes from grace and not from works—but that Messiah followers have been created to walk in good works, surely something resultant of salvation:
“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10, WMB).
Notice that in God’s sovereign will for humanity, He has actually chosen certain faithful people to glorify Him, by performing good works which were prepared beforehand that the godly should walk in them. This can refer to artisans like Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 31), who had the privilege and God-given skill to help assemble the Tabernacle. It can also surely refer to the Prophets, the Apostles, or for that matter, a multitude of people down through the ages who have been used for critical tasks to glorify the Lord—especially by bringing others to Himself.
Self-Examination
As we come to the end of the Book of Exodus, in considering this week’s reading and trying to imagine the majesty of the glory of the Lord residing in and around the Tabernacle—it would be beneficial to make a personal assessment of just how we are individually seeking to glorify the Lord. After all, since through the ages, the Lord has chosen to use mere mortals to bring glory to Him through their faithful works—we each should take some time to introspectively challenge ourselves, to see that we are fulfilling our God-ordained destinies.
- Are we truly walking by faith?
- Are we living and walking by sight?
- Are we obeying the commandments of God? Or are we trying to pick and choose which to obey?
- Are we willfully available to let the Lord use us for His glory? Or are we seeking personal glory?
- Are we doing the good works prepared for us to do? Or are we avoiding works due to selfishness?
- Are we glorifying the Lord in our marriages, family, and relationships?
- Are we glorifying the Lord in our neighborhoods and the marketplace?
This sampling of questions only scratches the surface of personal self-examination. More can be added to the above list, but what is most critical, is taking the time as admonished by Paul in his instruction to the Corinthians, to test and examine ourselves so we might bring glory to the Lord:
“Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know about your own selves, that Yeshua the Messiah is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5, WMB).
May we each be strengthened in our resolve to glorify the Lord, by our faithful works to persevere to the end!
