Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38

Vayak’hel / Pekudai (‘And he assembled’ / ‘Amounts of’)

This week’s Torah portion, together with the Haftarah (Prophets) reading of Ezekiel 45:16-46:18 and surrounding chapters, suggest a connection of thought between the construction of the Tabernacle in Exodus and Ezekiel’s visions leading into Israel’s Messianic golden age.

Working for the Promises

In our Exodus passage, God endowed Bezalel and Oholiab, together with all the craftsmen who desired to join in the Tabernacle’s construction, with wisdom and skill to carry out the work (Ex 36:1-2). In the previous chapter, everyone whose heart had stirred him and whose spirit made him willing had already brought “Adonai’s offering for the work on the tent of meeting” (Ex 35:21).

Imagine yourself among these people of God who had recently come to know that they were truly His own possession, God’s family. What was stirring their hearts, I wonder? Not a passion for gainful employment. Not even a desire for God to dwell amongst them (they had already experienced God’s presence from the top of His mountain and in fear asked Moses to intercede for them). I suggest that it was the possibility of God’s promises to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, coming to pass, and the thought of being part of history unfolding, that gave them passion to participate:

Then suddenly Adonai was standing there next to [Jacob]; and he said “I am Adonai, the God of Abraham your [grand]father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you are lying I will give to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the grains of dust on the earth. You will expand to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. By you and your descendants all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 28:13-14)

With the promise of God’s golden age in their hearts, the people finished the work, doing everything exactly as Adonai had ordered Moses (Ex 39:32). Then they brought the Tabernacle to Moses, who blessed them (Ex 39:33, 43).

Looking Forward to Fulfilment

Now let’s jump ahead to the visions of Ezekiel, at the time of Israel’s lowest ebb to date since becoming a nation. Ezekiel was given visions with which to encourage Israel to hold on, because the promises to their forefathers were (and still are) yet to be fulfilled completely:

• God would raise up one shepherd to be in charge of God’s flock (Ezek 34). We know this is Yeshua our Messiah, who has already come and started the fulfilment of all prophecy
• Israel would come back to life and return to the Promised Land where God would put his Spirit within them. (Ezek 37)
• Then, God would give Israel ultimate victory over their enemies. (Ezek 38-39)
• To usher in the millennium, a new city would then be built together with a new house of God and provision for renewed, Messianic worship, and then the glory of God would return. (Ezek 40-46)
• An incredible life-giving eco-system would come out from the new house of God, supporting the restored tribes of Israel in their reallocated territories. (Ezek 47-48)

Be encouraged, as part of God’s family with believing Israel, to do the work that our Heavenly Father has prepared for each of us to do at this time, with passion and zeal, keeping that wonderful future in view, when all God’s promises will be fulfilled to their uttermost and we will be shouting (along with a huge crowd): “Hallelujah! Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, has begun his reign!” (Rev 19:6)

Author: John Quinlan