Old Testament - Exodus 39 & 40 - May 4, 2022

 5/4/2022 – Exodus 39-40

In the 1978 General Conference, President Kimball charged the Church with the responsibility to become perfect. He said that such a goal is possible, inasmuch as each of us has the power to become like our Heavenly Father. In this effort, he wanted us to turn our vision toward the temple. 

Chapter 39 gives a list of all the items that were made to be used, or worn, in the temple. Every one of them was symbolic of something important to the Lord and reminders for us in our path of learning more about Heavenly Father’s plan, thus coming to a better understanding, and thus coming closer to Him due to the things we did and thought. 

They made robes to wear in the temple. The robes were woven in one piece: more difficult to make, but it was to teach them “the idea of wholeness and spiritual integrity”.  They were told to make a fringe in the border of their robes, and when they looked at that fringe, they were to remember those commandments that God had given to them.  The robes of the priests went further as they added a “pendant of pomegranates and bells” to the fringe of their robes—the idea was that pleasant odor, their sweet and refreshing juice, plus reminders of richness and delicious tastes were symbols of the word and testimony of God as a sweet and pleasant spiritual food, that enlivens the soul and refreshes the heart. The bells were symbols of the sounding of His word, His revelation, and our hearing, and then sharing, of that word and revelation. The incense they were told to use was to remind them of the importance of sending our prayers to Him. Pure olive oil was used as a sacred symbol of the Spirit of the Lord, and it was used to signify the sanctification of the person anointed. (Psalms & Proverbs both speak of these things.) The Lord is trying to teach us in everything He asks us to do, and to be.

V 38:43 tells us that “Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded…and Moses blessed them.” They were able to benefit so much from the  end result of the hard, and complex, and careful work that they had done to the very best of their abilities, and they had rightly responded to the inspirations that the Lord put promised to give to their hearts and minds. 

In Chapter 40 the Lord commands that the tabernacle be erected and put to use on the first day of the first month…is that where our idea of New Year’s resolutions come from? The Lord tells Moses exactly how He wants them to set up the tabernacle, and when that was done “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” V34).  Then v 38 tells us that the cloud was there by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout their journeys.” After that if the cloud was on the tabernacle, the Israelites stayed in their camp, and if the cloud was take from the tabernacle, the Israelites were to continue on their journeys.

President Monson once said: “My brothers and sisters, the Lord is in all of our lives. He loves us. He wants to bless us. He wants us to seek His help. As He guides us and directs us and as He hears and answers our prayers, we will find the happiness here and now that He desires for us.”  (Ensign Nov 2012, p 89. ‘Consider the Blessings’ )


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