In this third week of our Exodus reading, chapters 25–33 describe how God gave Moses detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle, a special place where God would live among His people. God told Moses how to make the Ark of the Covenant, the altar, and the priestly garments. These show God's holiness and the need for order in worship. While Moses was on the mountain, the people grew impatient and made a golden calf to worship. This broke God’s covenant, and Moses pleaded with God not to destroy them. God showed both justice and mercy—He punished sin but also forgave and renewed His covenant. These chapters highlight God's desire to dwell with His people and to be worshiped in the way He commands. The golden calf incident shows our deep need for grace and points to Jesus as our true Mediator. God’s faithfulness, even when His people fail, shows His unchanging covenant love and mercy.  

We enter into our rhythm of LEARN, READ, INTERACT.

From How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, Michael Williams makes these points about Exodus:

Phrase: Deliverance into Presence
Theme: God delivers his people from slavery into his presence.
Christ-Focus: In Christ, God delivers his people from slavery to sin into fellowship with him (Romans 7:21-25).
Implications: We can trust in God's saving power to deliver us from sin's grip and into his saving presence (Romans 5:9-10).
Questions: Does the fact that you are a Christian feel like a burden (something to be delivered from) or deliverance?  Do you feel like you're in the grip of God, or of sin?

Share your insights, questions, and reflections through our Encounter blog.  Click below to go to the blog.