Daily Scripture Reading Exodus 40:12-38

In recent decades, many churches have stopped talking about sin. They believe that the topic of sin turns people away from Christianity. They want to speak about salvation only in positive terms.

Today, we will finish reading the book of Exodus. We are going to see that washing with water was a vital practice in the tabernacle. The concept of washing also appears in the New Testament and describes salvation. Just as the priests in the tabernacle had to wash their bodies so they were physically clean, so too people today need to be spiritually clean in order to go to heaven. If we don’t talk about sin, we cannot adequately tell people what they need to have washed away in order to go to heaven.

The book of Exodus contains many instructions given to Moses and the Israelites regarding how to build and construct the tabernacle. After they faithfully collected the materials and fashioned them into the various parts needed to form the tabernacle, it was time to put all the pieces together into one unit. The 40th chapter of Exodus describes that process.

First, Yahweh instructed Moses on how to assemble the tabernacle. Then He specified the process for ordaining Aaron and his sons as the priests.

Ex. 40:12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

Notice the word “wash”. The Israelites were out in the wilderness, so it would have been dusty. The first step for ordaining Aaron and his sons was to wash them so that they would be clean.

Ex. 40:13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and set him apart as holy, that he may minister as a priest to Me.

The anointing was a tangible act, viewed by many people, that set apart Aaron as the high priest and gave him authority.

Ex. 40:14 You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them;

Ex. 40:15 and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will be for them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”

Look at the word “perpetual”. The anointing of Aaron and his sons was not just an anointing of them, it was also an anointing of their descendants.

Ex. 40:16 Thus Moses did; according to all that Yahweh had commanded him, so he did.

Take note of the fact that Moses obeyed and did exactly what Yahweh told him to do.

Ex. 40:17 ¶ Now it happened, in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.

Take note of the words “first month” and “second year”. According to Exodus 12 the Israelites left Egypt in the first month. Then Exodus 19 tells us the Israelites entered the wilderness of Sinai in the third month. The assembly of the tabernacle took place in the first month of the second year, meaning it took them less than a year to receive the law, assemble materials, and craft all the items that made up the tabernacle.

Ex. 40:18 Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its bases and set up its boards and inserted its bars and erected its pillars.

Ex. 40:19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and placed the covering of the tent on top of it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Notice the phrase “just as Yahweh had commanded”. This phrase will occur multiple times in the following verses.

Ex. 40:20 Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark and attached the poles to the ark and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.

Ex. 40:21 He brought the ark into the tabernacle and placed the veil of the screen and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Ex. 40:22 Then he put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil.

Ex. 40:23 He set the arrangement of bread in order on it before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Ex. 40:24 Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.

Ex. 40:25 He lighted the lamps before Yahweh, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Ex. 40:26 Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil;

Ex. 40:27 and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Ex. 40:28 Then he placed the screen at the doorway of the tabernacle.

Ex. 40:29 He placed the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and he offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Ex. 40:30 He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing.

Take note of the words “water” and “washing”.

Ex. 40:31 From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet.

In this verse we see the word “washed”. Moses and the priests were required to wash their hands and feet. They had to be physically clean when they were in the tabernacle.

Ex. 40:32 When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Notice the phrase “just as Yahweh had commanded”. Eight times this passage informs us Moses did just as Yahweh had commanded him.

Once again, take note of the word “washed”. This verse tells us being clean was required when the priests were in the tent of meeting and when they approached the altar.

The necessity of washing is a picture of salvation. When Saul was converted, he was told to wash away his sins (see Acts 22:16). 1Cor 6:11 tells us salvation washes people from being idolaters, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers. Ephesians 5 describes how Christ washes the church and makes her holy and blameless.

There is a trend in Christianity to avoid the topic of sin because some Christians are afraid talking about sin will turn people away from Christianity. The problem is being cleansed from sin is a central tenet of what it means to become a Christian. If we don’t talk about sin and the fact that sin makes us “unclean”, then we won’t adequately communicate to people why they need to be saved.

Ex. 40:33 He erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and he put up the screen for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.

Ex. 40:34 ¶ Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.

Ex. 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had dwelt on it, and the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle.

Ex. 40:36 Now throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;

Ex. 40:37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up.

Ex. 40:38 For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

In recent decades, many churches have stopped talking about sin. They believe the topic of sin turns people away; therefore, they speak about salvation only in positive terms.

However, just as the priests needed to wash dirt off their bodies before they performed their priestly duties, so too people need to have their sins washed away in order to go to heaven. If Christians never talk about sin, we cannot sufficiently inform people what they need to do in order to be saved.

Does your church adequately proclaim the fact that people need to wash away their sins in order to be saved?

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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.”