May 25, 2025
Exodus 30-31
“Sacred Spaces, Sacred Rhythms”
Service Overview: In Exodus 30–31, God gives more than just blueprints—He gives purpose. From fragrant incense to Spirit-filled artisans to the rhythm of Sabbath rest, these chapters reveal a God who delights in worship that is holy, heartfelt, and beautiful.
Memory Verse for the Week:
Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”
Background & Technical Insights:
- By emphasizing that every person, whether rich or poor, must contribute toward the ransom of his or her life, this instruction links the construction of the tabernacle with the concept of atonement. God’s presence among the Israelites is dependent on their having atoned for their sin. By insisting that every person pay the same amount, regardless of the social status of the contributor, God’s instructions indicate that every life is of equal worth. (Alexander, Exodus, 270)
- The extent to which the revealed will of God dominated everything about the tabernacle is enormous. It was a matter of the giving of not just the ‘blueprint’ (e.g. 26:30), but also the practical details of ministry – for example, the exact payment of the redemption money (30:14–15), the ordinance of priestly washing (30:20–21) and the composition and use of the anointing oil and the incense (30:23–25, 34–38). There was nothing casual or whimsical about Israel’s worship. (J. Alec Motyer, The Message of Exodus, 277)
- The anointing of the various furniture and accoutrements served to consecrate them to the Lord’s service (vv. 26– 29). The “sacred anointing oil” (v. 31) was to be unique in both its makeup and use. To merchandise it or duplicate it without proper authorization would result in excommunication from the nation (vv. 31– 33). The incense was likewise to be unique and considered most sacred (vv. 34– 37). Failure to consider it properly likewise resulted in banishment (v. 38). (Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Exodus, Location 7376)
- “Bezalel” (v. 2) means “in the shadow of God’s [protection].” He was a descendant of Caleb (1 Ch 2:19), and his ability to work in the arts and his skills as a craftsman were gifts of the Holy Spirit (vv. 3– 5). “Oholiab” (v. 6), Bezalel’s assistant, was from the tribe of Dan. His name means “tent of the father” or “the (divine) father is my tent.” These two skilled craftsmen were responsible for the construction of all that pertained to the tabernacle and its service, though they themselves possibly only supervised in the construction of the various items (vv. 7– 11). (Kaiser, Exodus, Location 7396-7400)
- The altar of incense is there because the tabernacle is replicating the experience of Mount Sinai. What happened at Mount Sinai is going to happen routinely in the tabernacle—albeit in symbolic form. A reproduction of the experience of Sinai is built into the routines of the tabernacle. (Tim Chester, Exodus, 207)
What deeper insights about the worship of God do these chapters reveal?
- Worship reflects a God who delights in Spirit-filled skill and sacred creativity.
(31:1-6 | 1 Ki. 7:13-14; Ps. 104:24; Ecc. 3:11; Is. 64:8; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; Eph. 2:10)
The example of Bezalel and Oholiab shows that God chooses some men and women to be artists. Their calling legitimates the calling of every artist. In the same way that Moses teaches us what it means to be a minister, these men teach us what it means to be an artist. And what was true for them in a special way is true in a general way for every artist. Artists are called and gifted — personally, as if by name — to make things for the glory of God. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 948)
- Worship is empowered by a God who anoints gifted people for His glory.
(31:2-6; 35:30–35 | 1 Sam. 16:13; Zech. 4:6; Rom. 12:6-8; 2 Cor. 3:5-6; 1 Pet. 4:10-11)
What we learn from the high priest is that we need someone to represent us and to work on behalf of us. What we learn from the craftsmen is that the Spirit of God enables us to serve God’s people for God’s glory. The work of God was accomplished by the Spirit of God. (Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in Exodus, 187)
- Worship transforms everyday labor into sacred service for the kingdom.
(31:7–11 | Gen. 2:15; Ps. 90:17; Neh. 4:6; Mat. 25:21; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17; 3:23-24)
It is not only for what we might class as ‘spiritual’ work that the Holy Spirit comes to equip us. He was there when the craftsmen’s drawings were made (4), when the wood was carved (5) and when the carpentry was done (8). He was the inspiration of the weaver and the smith, the needleworker, the tailor and the chemist (9–11). Wherever a willing heart commits itself to hear the call of God and to do the will of God, the filling of the Spirit of God may reverently be assumed. (Motyer, Exodus, 282)
- Worship invites us to trust God through the sacred rhythm of rest.
(31:12–17 | Gen. 2:2-3; Deut. 5:12-15; Ps. 46:10; Is. 30:15; Mark 2:27; Heb. 4:9-11)
God had entered into a relationship with his people, a covenant relationship in which they were to know him as their God. To that end, he decreed that they should set apart one whole day in seven to rest in his grace. God had already told them to set aside some sacred space: the tabernacle where he promised to dwell. But he also knew that building a relationship takes time. His people needed more than a place to worship. They needed holy time to meet with their God. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 959)
Conclusion… How should these insights into worship shape our lives today?
- Cultivate your gifts—because worship involves more than just showing up.
(Prov. 18:16; Mat. 25:14-30; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-7; Col. 3:23-24; 1 Peter 4:10-11)
Art has the power to shape culture. What is happening in the arts today is prophetic of what will happen in our culture tomorrow. So when Christians abandon the artistic community, the church loses a significant opportunity to speak the gospel into our culture. What we need to recover — or possibly discover for the first time — is a full Biblical understanding of the arts — not for art’s sake, but for God’s sake. (Ryken, Exodus, 946)
Why does God call people to be artists? Because he is the Artist, and we are made in his image. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 954)
- Offer your service—because there is no such thing as a menial task when offered in worship to God.
(Ex. 31:1-11; Prov. 16:3; Mat. 5:16; Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17; 3:23-24)
We should also notice the way these so-called secular skills are put to work within the realm of the “sacred.” Or rather—the fact that there is no dichotomy between them. The God who will sanctify the tabernacle and its priests is the same God whose Spirit will enable ordinary Israelites to build the tabernacle and clothe the priests by the use of their everyday workmanship… There is a very urgent missional need to eradicate the paralyzing sacred-secular dichotomy that deceives so many Christians into an exaggerated view of “God’s work” (in the church, or paid for by the church) and a negatively diminished view of their “secular work” as of little value to God and God’s kingdom. (Christopher J.H. Wright, Exodus, 543)
- Embrace sacred rest—because worship means trusting God with what you can’t finish.
(Gen. 2:2-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15; Ps. 46:10; Is. 30:15; Mark 2:27-28; Heb. 4:9-11)
Any routine of life that is unsustainable long-term cannot be of God. He calls us to work. But he also calls us to rest, in order to work most fruitfully. What sets us apart is this. We rest, in order to work; we do not work, in order to rest. We who believe the gospel are not living for the weekend, but for The End. In the meantime, we figure out rhythms of life that make fruitful labor sustainable. (Ray Ortlund, Blog Post: Rhythm, January 10, 2012)
The themes of work and rest teach us about the gospel. Here we learn about our great high priest who works on our behalf, the Holy Spirit who works in us to do God’s work, and a holy rest that we need. Here we find “gospel gold” in what is probably an unfamiliar part of the Bible for many Christians. (Tony Merida, Exodus, 178)
Gospel Connection…
Jesus is the source of our gifts, the Anointed One who empowers our work, the servant who dignifies our labor, and the Savior who secures our rest.
(Ex. 30:11; Matt. 11:28-30; 20:28; Luke 4:18-19; John 13:12-17; Acts 10:38; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:5-8; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 4:9-10)
If you’re a Christian, then your name is in heaven. And it’s not on some database or in a filing cabinet. It is tied to a person, to Jesus. Jesus ascended to heaven for your salvation. He is the memorial before God guaranteeing your security in heaven. (Tim Chester, Exodus for You, 212)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- How does God’s detailed design for the tabernacle shape your understanding of worship as more than music or ritual?
- What gifts or skills has God given you, and how might He be calling you to use them for His glory?
- In what ways do you struggle to see your daily work as worship? What could it look like to offer your labor as sacred service?
- Why do you think God emphasized the Sabbath so strongly in Exodus 31? What does that say about trust and worship?
- Which of the four worship insights (creativity, anointing, sacred labor, rest) challenges or inspires you most right now—and why?
Quotes to note…
It is striking to note that before anything is said about the materials of which the altar was made, its size and shape, or the position it was to occupy, we are first told of the purpose for which it was to be used. It is this which places in our hands a sure key to its spiritual interpretation. Attention is directed straight to the altar and the incense which was burned thereon. The altar speaks of Christ Himself, and the incense was a figure both of His intercession and the praises which He presents to God. (Arthur Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, Location 9103)
The construction of a temporary, portable residence for God anticipates a time when God’s holy presence will fill the whole earth. The tabernacle is viewed as a microcosm of the world, and the process by which it is constructed deliberately resembles how God created the cosmos. (T. Desmond Alexander, Exodus, 273)
Every time we build a sanctuary, arrange furniture in a room, or produce a brochure, we are making artistic decisions. The question is not whether we will be artists, but whether we will aspire to high aesthetic standards. All too often Christians settle for something that is functional but not beautiful. Sometimes what we produce can only be described as kitsch — tacky artwork of poor quality that appeals to low tastes. The average Christian bookstore is full of the stuff, as the real artists will tell us, if only we will listen. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 946)
The Lord insisted on being in charge of his worship, and the consequences of departure from the rule of his will were dire (30:21, 33, 38). Any sort of casual assumption that whatever we do sincerely is as valid in heaven as it may be enjoyable on earth finds no endorsement in the Bible (cf. Mark 7:7–9). There was a price to pay for offering ‘unauthorised fire’ to the Lord (Lev. 10:1–5; Num. 3:4). (J. Alec Motyer, The Message of Exodus, 278)
To be pleasing to God, art must be true as well as good. Truth has always been an important criterion for art. Art is an incarnation of truth. It penetrates beneath the surface of things to portray them the way they really are. The tabernacle is a good example. The whole building was designed to communicate truth about God and his relationship with his people. And in order to fulfill this purpose, the artistry that went into the tabernacle had to be true. (Phillip Graham Ryken, Preaching the Word: Exodus, 951)
The tabernacle is a picture of Mount Sinai, and Mount Sinai in turn is a picture of heaven. So the tabernacle courtyard is a picture of this earth, inhabited by humanity. The Holy Place is a picture of the heavenly realms, inhabited by spiritual beings like the cherubim; and the Most Holy Place is a picture of the throne room of heaven, inhabited by God, with the ark representing the footstool of God’s heavenly throne. The tabernacle is made of blue cloth embroidered with cherubim (Exodus 26:1)—so stepping into the tabernacle was like stepping into the heavens with angels flying around you. (Tim Chester, Exodus for You, 209)