Moses had set up a temporary Tabernacle for the people to seek God. But, God had shown him on the Mount exactly how He wanted the Tabernacle set up. He had shown him what furniture He wanted in it. And He had shown him how He wanted the priests to dress.
Exodus 35:4-5a, 10, 20, 21- And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded; And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.
Moses gave the people a chance to donate things to build the Tabernacle. No one was made to give anything. It was all voluntary. God wants willing people to give because they love Him. God never changes. He still wants the same thing today.
II Corinthians 9:7- Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
The Hebrew children gave willingly and cheerfully.
Exodus 35:30-31- And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
Then, God gave wisdom to a specific man so that he could build the furniture that was needed for the Tabernacle. It was going to be something wonderful!
Exodus 36:1, 4-7- Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded. And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
God had given the people the opportunity to give, and they gave so much that it was more than enough. We would find that God will supply not only our needs, but our wants if we just trust Him with what we have. We would come out saying, "I have more than enough!"
Exodus 39:1- And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.
The men that God chose made, not only the tabernacle, but also the clothes for the priests.
God had chosen Aaron and his sons to be the priests, but they had to do things God's way. They had to wear what God told them to wear.
Exodus 39:42-43- According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
God told Moses exactly how He wanted things. He even showed him how He wanted it to look. Then Moses told the people, and the people obeyed. This was the first time that the people worked together to build something for God. And it was exactly how God wanted it!
Exodus 40:17-19- And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:34-38- Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Leviticus 9:1-2- And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.
Leviticus 9:7-8- And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded. Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
Leviticus 9:23-24- And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
God was pleased with all that the priests had done, and He showed it by fire! But, something was about to happen that wasn't going to be so pleasant.
Leviticus 10:1-2- And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
God had been very specific about how He was to be worshipped. He was specific with Cain and Able. He was specific with Abraham. And He was specific with Moses.
Aaron's sons had heard how God commanded them to worship Him, but they decided to do things the way they wanted to. We can't do things our way and expect God to bless them. Nadab and Abihu paid the consequences of their sin with their lives.
Leviticus 10:3-7- Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled. And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.
When God tells us how He wants things, it is best for us to listen and obey. Whether we understand or not! Whether we agree or not! Whether we like it or not! God knows best.
