Introduction: How important are the requirements and lessons found in Exodus for those of us living today? Yes, we are saved by grace alone. But are we fools or enemies of God if our goal is anything other than doing His will? As we look at what God commands His people in our study of Exodus this week, we find that some of Christianity is doing or advocating just the opposite. Let’s plunge into our study of Exodus and learn more!  

I. The Sabbath

A. Read Exodus 35:1-2. Why is there a death penalty for Sabbath-breaking? Isn’t the death penalty reserved for the most important illegal behavior? (Read Exodus 31:13. This links the Sabbath to the covenant (the agreement) that God and the Hebrews had a special relationship. That relationship sanctifies us. Without this relationship, we will die eternally.)

1. Look again at Exodus 35:2. Does this require us to work six days a week? (This permits work on six days, and prohibits it on the Sabbath. I read a terrible opinion by a federal court saying that since an employee who wanted to keep the Sabbath did not work during all the six other days, he was insincere in his religious beliefs.)

B. Read Exodus 35:3. I used to think about this text because I loved making a fire in my fireplace Sabbath afternoon when the family came together during winter months. Was I engaged in wrongdoing? (Several commentators noted that the context is secular work on Sabbath. For that reason they concluded that this prohibition on Sabbath work refers to making fires in connection with your job.)

1. In the news is that a prominent young Christian conservative, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated by a young man who did not agree with his political and religious messages. Kirk had recently started keeping the Saturday Sabbath as his day of rest. When I read how he kept the Sabbath, it made me wonder if I’m being too lax. For example, he put his cell phone in a drawer on Sabbath and never consulted it. Is this something that you think everyone should do? (Kirk said that complete isolation from work and politics on Sabbath blessed him in many ways.)

II. Generosity

A. Read Exodus 35:4-5 and Exodus 35:21-22. How had God’s people gotten all of this valuable jewelry? (Read Exodus 12:35-36. They asked the Egyptians for these valuables.)

1. What motivated the Egyptians to give their wealth to the Hebrews? (Read Exodus 12:33. The Egyptians thought that if the Hebrews stayed, more plagues would come and they would all be dead.)

a. Is this blackmail? (The Hebrews had been slaves, and they would have a moral claim for wages. However, they had been working for the state and not for individual Egyptians.)

b. Would the fact that they had recently been given all this wealth make them more generous than, say, you, who work for what you get? (While they could not spend this while on their journey, and they would have had to carry it around, they understood they were going to a new land to live, and they would need this for their future life.)

B. Read Exodus 36:6-7. How generous were the people? (They gave more than enough. They had to be “restrained” from giving more.)

C. Read Exodus 38:24-25 and Exodus 38:29 to see a calculation of the total gold, silver, and bronze given by the people. Assuming the bronze was copper, in today’s valuations, my artificial intelligence friend tells me the total value given was 122.97 million in United States dollars.

1. We are going to turn next to those who converted these valuables into wonderful artistic elements of the tabernacle. These artisans were, according to Exodus 31:1-5, given their talent by the Holy Spirit. For those not given these artistic talents, is the gift of generosity another type of talent given by the Holy Spirit?

D. Exodus 35:30-33. In the context of the Holy Spirit giving us manual skills for our work, should we expect the Holy Spirit to help if we are doing secular work on the Sabbath?

III. Magnificence

A. In Exodus 35:5-9  we find a list of all the valuables given by the people. We will not read Exodus 35:11-19 or Exodus 36:8-38:20, but you might want to review these verses, which tell us of the detailed plans and magnificence of the tabernacle and its furnishings. Because I did not try to value the gems, skins, yarns, linens, or oil in my previous calculation, altogether the gifts had a value of more than 123 million U.S. dollars. Would you support spending more than $123 million for a new church?

1. What if I told you that labor costs would add $90 to 105 million dollars more? While the building materials for the tabernacle were very costly, much of the work was high-skill hand craftsmanship. Would you support building a 225 million dollar church?
2. Since some of this cost went into the exotic clothing of the High Priest, would you support giving your pastor expensive clothing to wear at church?

B. Read Acts 7:48-49. The context is the stoning of Stephen and his recitation of the history of God’s people. Should this text be used to support the idea of modest church buildings?

C. Read Galatians 2:10, James 1:27, and Matthew 25:35-36. I have heard church members argue that we should build modest churches and give the money instead to the poor. Do these texts support that argument?

D. Read 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:3-5. These texts are addressed to women, but are generally cited for modest dress for Christians. If you understand these texts to require you to dress modestly, does that requirement also apply to the building of your church? The clothing of your pastor?

E. Read Deuteronomy 4:2. How does this help us to resolve this discussion? (There is much theological argument that is not based on the Bible. Some members of my church attack the extravagance of cathedrals and the clothing worn by high Catholic officials. Is this attack consistent with the Bible? Or, is this just un-Biblical human opinion?

1. I teach at Regent University. The buildings are gorgeous. The founder, Pat Robertson, believed in excellence. Although he lived a relatively modest life, the university buildings reflect our goal of excellence in promoting Christian education.

IV. God With Us

A. Read Exodus 40:34-35. Recall Exodus 33:3, where God says that He is not coming along. Moses pleads with God to come with them because His presence is essential. What has God decided to do concerning going with His rebellious people? (He comes.)

1. What lesson is there in this for those who sometimes disagree with what some in the church are doing? Should we leave the church? (This suggests that we should not.)
2. What about God leaving you when you rebel?

B. Read Exodus 40:36-38. How important is the leading of God to His people?

1. How important is the leading of God in your life?

C. Friend, our study of Exodus teaches us to trust God. We need to have Him lead. We need to obey His leading in His commandments. Obedience brings peace and blessings. Will you determine, right now, to turn your life over to the leading of God and the Holy Spirit?

V. Next week: We begin a new quarter of studies on the Book of Joshua.

Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

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