may not look important.
Exodus 36:8–19 (ESV)
And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains. They were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked. The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size.
He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another. He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of the first set. Likewise he made them on the edge of the outermost curtain of the second set. He made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set. The loops were opposite one another. And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole.
He also made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle. He made eleven curtains. The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains were the same size. He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. And he made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain of the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain. And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be a single whole. And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and goatskins.
This all being done in accordance with the instructions in Exodus 26:1–14. The text here is the same as there except it’s not in the future tense.
The tabernacle is basically a giant tent—which has to be portable. That’s why the part that’s made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns is in two pieces, each 28 cubits by 20 cubits (42’ x 30’). And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole. Even half of it is a huge thing to fold up.
The same holds for the curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle. In this case, one piece is even larger—30 x 24 cubits (45’ x 36’). I don’t know how they got this to fit on a cart, but they did.
But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle. When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. — Numbers 1:50-51a (ESV)
Some jobs are routine; they need to be done every week—childcare, making coffee, running audio/video in worship, etc. These jobs can be hard to fill because there’s nothing exciting or glorious about them. Yet they’re surprisingly important. The church can’t function without them.
Prayerfully consider your role in these things. Which tasks match your skills? Where might you fit in?
And, like we’ve been discussing, consider that you might be called to shepherd one of these “flocks.”
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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays’ by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community
The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NASB stands for the New American Standard Bible. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.
