​Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said,
“We have no portion in David,
and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;
every man to his tents, O Israel!”
 
2 So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.
 
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” 7 And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier's garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died.
 
Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 And one of Joab's young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” 12 And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him. 13 When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
 
14 And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in. 15 And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’” 17 And he came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” 18 Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. 19 I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?” 20 Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
 
23 Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was secretary; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was also David's priest.
 
Meditation
Rebellion against God and His people results in ruin. In today’s reading we see another rebellion, another squelching of an uprising, and another slaughter. Ruin can be reversed when rebels surrender to God’s anointed king, restoration for our good and His glory.
 
Sheba was a “worthless man” who blew his trumpet and gathered men in rebellion. By the end of the narrative his head is cut off and tossed over a city wall. Amasa was responsible for summoning Judah to respond to Sheba’s rebellion. Amasa’s slow reaction resulted in his guts cut out of him in gory slaughter. Joab was behind both of these violent acts, the instrument of justice commissioned to quell the coupe. All who stand in opposition to the Lord’s anointed will be destroyed.
 
Early in Samuel, Hannah’s song celebrated the dark fate awaiting the wicked who oppose the Lord’s king (2 Samuel 2:9-10). David added his own song to sing (Psalm 37:12-15). The consensus of Scripture is clear- enemies of God’s anointed king should live in fear! Divine justice guarantees a destiny of defeat, destruction, and judgement for those opposing God and His people.
 
The good news of the gospel is this: The greater king Jesus Christ took the judgement rebels against God deserve so believers can proclaim, “While we were Christ’s enemies, He died for us!” (Romans 5:8-10) Enemies of God avoid ruin by surrendering to God’s sovereign grace. Jesus is in the business of taking “worthless men” in rebellion to Him, ruining them with His steadfast love, and restoring them for our good and His glory.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the ruin revealed for those who rebel against the Lord’s anointed?
 
-Where is your life more reflective of rebelling against God and His word than surrender to the sovereign grace of King Jesus?
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus free you to surrender, knowing He took the judgement you deserve and that He was devastated so you can be restored? Be specific.
 
Key Verse
22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

​Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold 5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. 6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 7 And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat,8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

Making the Table
10 He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12 And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13 He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.

Making the Lampstand
17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense
25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, 27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. 28 And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
29 He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.
 
Chapter 28 
Making the Altar of Burnt Offering
He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. Five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth. It was square, and three cubits was its height. 2 He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. 3 And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its utensils of bronze. 4 And he made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down. 5 He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating as holders for the poles.6 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar to carry it with them. He made it hollow, with boards.

Making the Bronze Basin
8 He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.

Making the Court
9 And he made the court. For the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits; 10 their twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 11 And for the north side there were hangings of a hundred cubits; their twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their ten pillars, and their ten bases; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. 13 And for the front to the east, fifty cubits. 14 The hangings for one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.15 And so for the other side. On both sides of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three bases. 16 All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. 17 And the bases for the pillars were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. The overlaying of their capitals was also of silver, and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. 18 And the screen for the gate of the court was embroidered with needlework in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It was twenty cubits long and five cubits high in its breadth, corresponding to the hangings of the court.19 And their pillars were four in number. Their four bases were of bronze, their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and their fillets of silver. 20 And all the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court all around were of bronze.

Materials for the Tabernacle
21 These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were recorded at the commandment of Moses, the responsibility of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 22 Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses; 23 and with him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer and embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen.

24 All the gold that was used for the work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was twenty-nine talents and 730 shekels,[b] by the shekel of the sanctuary. 25 The silver from those of the congregation who were recorded was a hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary: 26 a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone who was listed in the records, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men. 27 The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil; a hundred bases for the hundred talents, a talent a base. 28 And of the 1,775 shekels he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their capitals and made fillets for them. 29 The bronze that was offered was seventy talents and 2,400 shekels; 30 with it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar, 31 the bases around the court, and the bases of the gate of the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs around the court.
 
Meditation
John Frame wisely says, “Creation is what God made by Himself. Culture is what God makes through us.” When God’s people steward God’s gifts in obedience to God’s direction, God redeems and restores fallen creation through cultivating kingdom culture.
 
The verbs “made” and “cast” cascade through these chapters as Bezalel oversees the construction of the tabernacle and artifacts for worship. Bezalel used his leadership and craftsmanship to create a place for God to dwell with His people. Bezalel followed the direction of God’s word and used natural resources such as wood, wool, and various metals to create the tabernacle.
 
These chapters repeat direction from earlier chapters (Exodus 25, 26, 30) emphasizing how mercy moves God’s people to obey God’s direction. No longer using their skills, resources, and craftmanship to create golden calves for false worship (Exodus 32), the repentant people determine to worship their gracious God by obeying exactly what God commands.
 
Image bearers of God are designed to cultivate the earth for the glory of God (Genesis 2:15). God’s word gives direction beyond designing a tabernacle as God’s people are moved by His mercy to create kingdom culture by doing everything to glorifying Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:31). 
 
Bezalel and his crew “made all the Lord commanded” (38:22) to “make” a place for God to dwell with His people. Jesus fulfilled “all the Lord commanded” (Matthew 5:17-18), God dwelling with His people, in order to be the perfect sacrifice for all who believe so in Jesus we receive His Spirit to obey His direction for us, so Jesus can make kingdom culture through us.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the emphasis on “making” and “casting” according to God’s direction?
 
-Where are you responding to God’s grace by obeying God’s word in stewarding God’s gifts for God’s glory?
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus fuel your focus to use all He has entrusted you to cultivate a place where He can get glory, in all your life, labor, and loves?
 
Key Verse
22 Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses; 

​Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 2 both low and high, rich and poor together! 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre. 5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, 8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, 9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit. 10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names. 12 Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;  yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah

14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah
 
16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed —and though you get praise when you do well for yourself— 19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. 20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
 
Meditation
During the COVID19 pandemic economists and policy makers valued the American life at ten million dollars in an effort to weigh the cost of shutting down the economy. But ten million dollars cannot buy life or freedom from death. 
 
Today’s Psalm of “wisdom” and “understanding” is a “proverb” to music (3-4) with a clear melody line declaring that God alone will ransom the wise from death (15), all whose trust is in the Lord over and above everything else- especially our riches. The Psalmist’s direction is for all people of the earth (1-4) to listen to and discern the way of wisdom.
 
People who trust in their wealth to ransom them from death are fools (5-9). Death is the destiny of all and no one controls their wealth after death (10-13). We carry nothing with us to; earthly glory cannot go down to the grave (16-17). God’s sovereign grace will save the wise who trust in Him.
 
God alone ransoms us from death (15). Wisdom walks the path of trusting God, using wealth as a vehicle to build His kingdom. Wisdom seeks to be rich in good works (1 Timothy 6:17-19), faith from our hearts evidenced by laying up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).  Let the wise person boast not in riches but only in this, that you know the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
 
Jesus gave His life to ransom His people from the grave. Jesus values our life as worth more than ten million dollars and His grace saves us so that we can invest our time, treasure, and talents for His eternal glory. 
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the contrast between the wise and fool in regards to wealth and death?
 
-In all honesty, where is the focus of your faith- on your wealth (or lack thereof) or the riches of God’s sovereign grace?
 
-How does the richness of God’s grace evidenced by Jesus’ finished work grab your heart and grow you in trusting God, seeing the ultimate cost Jesus paid to ransom you? Give thanks for this reality as you specifically name an area where you can trust Him more.
 
Key Verse
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me

​When I restore the fortunes of my people, when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside. 2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face. 3 By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery. 4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers. 6 For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. 7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me.
 
8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not. 10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him, for all this. 11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.

12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation. 13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. 14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.

15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me. 16 They return, but not upward; they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue! This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt
 
Meditation
The steadfast love of God opens the door for His people to return to Him for wholehearted relationship, but often our heart’s mis-directed affection hinders us from returning to Him.  Revelation 3:15-20 refers to half-hearted returning to God as “lukewarm” faith. Hosea uses four images to capture the same realities: An oven, cake, bird, and bow. The desire of God’s heart is for His people to return to Him with our whole heart, rich affection for Him alone.
 
God is a groom waiting for His bride, ready for His people to come to Him. Thieves and bandits have stolen Israel’s affection (1-2) and the parable of the oven and cake (3-14) reveal both internal and external symptoms of lukewarm faith. Internally there is wickedness. Externally they trusted Egypt as much as God.
 
The heart problem (14) is an issue of affection. God loved His people as a parent loves their child, training and strengthening them (15; 11:1). Israel rejected God’s love for the love of idols and put their trust in other nations. Like a bird, they were silly and without sense (11). Like a bow aimed at the wrong target (16), when they returned it was “not upward” to the love of the Most High God (16). 
 
Grace alone grows affections for God. The finished work of Jesus gives a way for believers to return to Him and to love Him with all of our heart. The fire of God’s love sanctifies our affections, creating the desire for a faith targeting Him, His word, and His ways. 

Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially Hosea’s use of the four images to communicate God’s message?
 
-Are you intimidated that God rejects lukewarm faith? Jesus says we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Do you try?
 
-The finished work of Jesus frees us to examine our hearts for a right diagnosis of the direction of our affections. Take time to focus on God’s grace through Christ and ask Holy Spirit to awaken your heart with God’s love.
 
Key Verse
8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned…. 16 They return, but not upward…

​“Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.”

2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4 so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

8 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. 9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size.

10 He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another. 11 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. 12 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. 13 And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole.
14 He also made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle. He made eleven curtains. 15 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains were the same size. 16 He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. 17 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. 18 And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be a single whole. 19 And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins.

20 Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. 21 Ten cubits was the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. 22 Each frame had two tenons for fitting together. He did this for all the frames of the tabernacle. 23 The frames for the tabernacle he made thus: twenty frames for the south side. 24 And he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons. 25 For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames 26 and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame and two bases under the next frame. 27 For the rear of the tabernacle westward he made six frames. 28 He made two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear.29 And they were separate beneath but joined at the top, at the first ring. He made two of them this way for the two corners. 30 There were eight frames with their bases of silver: sixteen bases, under every frame two bases.

31 He made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, 32 and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle at the rear westward. 33 And he made the middle bar to run from end to end halfway up the frames. 34 And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

35 He made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; with cherubim skillfully worked into it he made it. 36 And for it he made four pillars of acacia and overlaid them with gold. Their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver. 37 He also made a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework,38 and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals, and their fillets were of gold, but their five bases were of bronze.

Meditation
God has filled His people with unique skills for us to steward and accomplish His will. Christians are dripping with dignity and designed for work He has designated for us to do.
 
Bezalel and Oholiab are two names of “every craftsman” the Lord chose to use in the construction of the tabernacle, everyone whose heart was stirred to come do the work (1, 2).  God stirs the heart of His people for the work He has prepared in advance.
 
Where God guides, God always provides. God revealed His tabernacle vision to Moses and God’s Spirit moved people to generously give more than was needed, so much that Moses had to ask them to stop giving (3-7)!
 
God’s mercy motivates His people to deploy their skills, redeeming the direction of labor through changed hearts of the laborers. Craftsmen who had previously used their skills to make false gods (Exodus 32) are now tasked to re-direct their purpose- All of life, including talents, are for the glory of God.
 
The detailed work of the skilled craftsman is inspiring to read (8-38), workers in the wilderness committed to create a place where God’s people could encounter God personally in worship. Redeemed men and women have been re-created by God’s grace, through faith, for the purpose of participating in works God has prepared in advance (Ephesians 2:8-10). God’s mercy moves our hearts and motivates us to discover, develop, and deploy the skills He has entrusted His people to steward as we apply His redeeming work “as far as the curse is found.”
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the skills of God’s people and the stirring of their hearts to steward those skills for His purposes?
 
-God has gifted all His people with something (1 Peter 4:10), but no Christian has been gifted in every way. Have you discovered the skill Jesus has entrusted to you?
 
-Where has God stirred your heart to deploy the skills and gifts He has entrusted to you? What is holding you back? Do you trust Jesus will provide in places where He guides you to serve Him?
 
Key Verse
“Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.”

​In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’”
4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
 
Meditation
Christians are united with Christ in faith, buried with Jesus in baptism that “we too might walk in a newness of life” (Romans 6:1-5). Today’s trinitarian revelation (13-17) is an intimate invitation for Christian participation in God’s eternal love, celebrating the culmination of redemptive history and cultivating gratitude for intimate covenantal realities.
 
Jesus “fulfills all righteousness” (15) as the true representative of Israel. Greater than Abraham and David (1:1) and leading a more comprehensive exodus than Moses. Jesus is the true king who passes through the waters so all peoples who believe can be free from the slavery of sin.
 
The representative work of Jesus connects believers with the transforming covenantal reality of God’s eternal love (John 17:23-24). Union with Christ makes the Father’s words to Jesus true for believers in Him: You are God’s beloved child, and in Jesus, the Father is pleased with you (17).
 
John’s baptism was one of repentance, a voice calling people to turn from other loves and return to God’s love. People came to confess sin as John prepared the way for Jesus (1-6). Pharisees and religious leaders came to condemn, not keeping fruit of repentance (7-10). Repentance from disproportionate affection for other loves is the first step of returning to God’s covenant love in Christ.

Jesus represents God’s people as son (Exodus 4:22). Jesus baptizes with the Spirit (11) who seals adoption and by whom believers cry, “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:15). Believers walk in a newness of life, learning to live FROM the eternal love of our Father that is ours in Christ.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading?
 
-What is the import for your life and leadership in seeing the work of Jesus as a culmination of redemptive history AND a connecting covenantal reality for all who believe?
 
-Where can you walk in a newness of life, by God’s Spirit living FROM the covenantal identity Christians have as children of God?
 
Key Verse
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.