Daily Scripture Reading Exodus 26:31 - 27:13
Many Christians put a lot of emphasis on unity. This is somewhat justified because the New Testament talks about unity. Jesus prayed that all Christians would be one (see John 17:20-21). However, the Bible also tells followers of God to make distinctions, particularly between sin and righteousness. Unfortunately, some Christians are so obsessed with unity that they overlook, ignore, or justify sin.
Yesterday, we read that the Israelites were commanded to cover the tabernacle so that it would be one. Today, we will read that within that one tabernacle, there was still supposed to be separation and distinction. This illustrates for us that while Christians are one, we must not overlook the New Testament commands that tell us when to be separate and make distinctions.
Ex. 26:31 ¶ “You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful designer.
Take note of the word “veil.” The purpose of a veil is to hide or conceal.
The word “cherubim” is the plural form of “cherub.” Cherubim are an order of angelic beings. Making a veil with cherubim tells us that the veil had a design; it was not just a solid color.
The words “skillful designer” tell us that the workers put thought, time, and effort into creating the veil. It was a work of art.
Ex. 26:32 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four bases of silver.
Ex. 26:33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and you shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you the holy place and the Holy of Holies.
Pay attention to the word “separate.” The purpose of the veil was to separate the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.
Separation is a recurring theme in the Bible. At creation, God separated light from darkness, day from night, and the waters above the expanse from the waters below the expanse (see Gen. 1:4-18). Leviticus contains a command to the Israelites to separate the holy from the profane and the clean from the unclean (see Lev. 10:10). Yahweh separated Israel from the peoples around them (see Lev. 20:24). The Levites were separated from the other tribes in order to perform the service of the tabernacle (Num. 16:9).
This concept continues in the New Testament. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” James 1:27 tells us, “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: … to keep oneself unstained by the world.” 1 Corinthians 5:13 tells us to “REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.” Furthermore, there is a clear distinction throughout the New Testament between the saved and the unsaved.
Human nature wants to go along with the crowd and the masses. We want peace and harmony, which involves eliminating distinctions and disagreements. However, as Christians, while it is good to pursue peace, we must never lose sight of the distinction between those who are saved and those who are unsaved. We must not disobey God in order to be in harmony with other people. God comes first.
Also, Christians must not tolerate sin within the church. We must not overlook sin for the sake of unity. Expelling sin is what leads to true unity between Jesus and all His true followers.
Ex. 26:34 You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies.
Ex. 26:35 You shall set the table outside the veil and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.
The veil separated the ark from the table and the lampstand.
Ex. 26:36 ¶ “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver.
The Hebrew word translated “screen” comes from a root that means “to cover.” The purpose of the screen was to cover what was inside the tent.
Ex. 26:37 You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.
Ex. 27:1 ¶ “And you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.
Ex. 27:2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of the same piece, and you shall overlay it with bronze.
Ex. 27:3 You shall make its pots for removing its ashes, and its shovels and its bowls and its flesh hooks and its firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze.
Ex. 27:4 You shall make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.
Ex. 27:5 You shall put it beneath, under the ledge of the altar, so that the net will reach halfway down the altar.
Ex. 27:6 You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.
Ex. 27:7 Its poles shall be inserted into the rings, so that the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried.
Ex. 27:8 You shall make it hollow with planks; as it was shown to you in the mountain, so they shall make it.
Ex. 27:9 ¶ “You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side there shall be hangings for the court of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for one side;
Ex. 27:10 and its pillars shall be twenty, with their twenty bases of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver.
Ex. 27:11 Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its twenty pillars with their twenty bases of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver.
Ex. 27:12 For the width of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten bases.
Ex. 27:13 The width of the court on the east side toward the sunrise shall be fifty cubits.
The Bible describes Christians as one. Some Christians put so much emphasis on unity that they overlook sin in order to pretend they are unified.
However, just as the tabernacle was one and yet had separateness within it, so too Christians are one, but we must still distinguish between right and wrong, and between sin and righteousness.
In what ways is your church failing to make proper distinctions within the body of Christ?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”