Introduction: How important are the requirements and lessons
found in Exodus for those of us living today? Yes, we are
saved by grace alone. But are we fools or enemies of God if
our goal is anything other than doing His will? As we look
at what God commands His people in our study of Exodus this
week, we find that some of Christianity is doing or
advocating just the opposite. Let’s plunge into our study of
Exodus and learn more!
I. The Sabbath
A. Read Exodus 35:1-2. Why is there a death penalty
for Sabbath-breaking? Isn’t the death penalty
reserved for the most important illegal behavior?
(Read Exodus 31:13. This links the Sabbath to the
covenant (the agreement) that God and the Hebrews
had a special relationship. That relationship
sanctifies us. Without this relationship we will
die eternally.)
1. Look again at Exodus 35:2. Does this require
us to work six days a week? (This permits work
on six days, and prohibits it on Sabbath. I
read a terrible opinion by a federal court
saying that since an employee who wanted to
keep the Sabbath did not work during all the
six other days, he was insincere in his
religious beliefs.)
B. Read Exodus 35:3. I used to think about this text
because I loved making a fire in my fireplace
Sabbath afternoon when the family came together
during winter months. Was I engaged in wrongdoing?
(Several commentators noted that the context is
secular work on Sabbath. For that reason they
concluded that this prohibition on Sabbath work
refers to making fires in connection with your
job.)
1. In the news is that a prominent young
Christian conservative, Charlie Kirk, was
assassinated by a young man who did not agree
with his political and religious messages.
Kirk had recently started keeping the Saturday
Sabbath as his day of rest. When I read how he
kept the Sabbath, it made me wonder if I’m
being too lax. For example, he put his cell
phone in a drawer on Sabbath and never
consulted it. Is this something that you think
everyone should do? (Kirk said that complete
isolation from work and politics on Sabbath
blessed him in many ways.)
II. Generosity
A. Read Exodus 35:4-5 and Exodus 35:21-22. How had
God’s people gotten all of this valuable jewelry?
(Read Exodus 12:35-36. They asked the Egyptians
for these valuables.)
1. What motivated the Egyptians to give their
wealth to the Hebrews? (Read Exodus 12:33. The
Egyptians thought that if the Hebrews stayed
more plagues would come and they would all be
dead.)
a. Is this blackmail? (The Hebrews had been
slaves and they would have a moral claim
for wages. However, they had been working
for the state and not for individual
Egyptians.)
b. Would the fact that they had recently
been given all this wealth make them more
generous than say, you are, who work for
what you get? (While they could not spend
this while on their journey, and they
would have had to carry it around, they
understood they were going to a new land
to live and they would need this for
their future life.)
B. Read Exodus 36:6-7. How generous were the people?
(They gave more than enough. They had to be
“restrained” from giving more.)
C. Read Exodus 38:24-25 and Exodus 38:29 to see a
calculation of the total gold, silver, and bronze
given by the people. Assuming the bronze was
copper, in today’s valuations my artificial
intelligence friend tells me the total value given
was 122.97 million in United States dollars.
1. We are going to turn next to those who
converted these valuables into wonderful
artistic elements of the tabernacle. These
artisans were, according to Exodus 31:1-5,
given their talent by the Holy Spirit. For
those not given these artistic talents, is the
gift of generosity another type of talent
given by the Holy Spirit?
D. Exodus 35:30-33. In the context of the Holy Spirit
giving us manual skills for our work, should we
expect the Holy Spirit to help if we are doing
secular work on Sabbath?
III. Magnificence
A. In Exodus 35:5-9 we find a list of all the
valuables given by the people. We will not read
Exodus 35:11-19 or Exodus 36:8-38:20, but you
might want to review these verses which tell us of
the detailed plans and magnificence of the
tabernacle and its furnishings. Because I did not
try to value the gems, skins, yarns, linens or oil
in my previous calculation, all together the gifts
had a value of more than 123 million U.S. dollars.
Would you support spending more than $123 million
for a new church?
1. What if I told you that labor costs would add
$90 to 105 million dollars more? While the
building materials for the tabernacle were
very costly, much of the work was high-skill
hand craftsmanship. Would you support
building a $225 million dollar church?
2. Since some of this cost went into the exotic
clothing of the High Priest, would you support
giving your pastor expensive clothing to wear
at church?
B. Read Acts 7:48-49. The context is the stoning of
Stephen and his recitation of the history of God’s
people. Should this text be used to support the
idea of modest church buildings?
C. Read Galatians 2:10, James 1:27, and
Matthew 25:35-36. I have heard church members argue that
we should build modest churches and give the money
instead to the poor. Do these texts support that
argument?
D. Read 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:3-5. These
texts are addressed to women, but are generally
cited for modest dress for Christians. If you
understand these texts to require you to dress
modestly, does that requirement also apply to the
building of your church? The clothing of your
pastor?
E. Read Deuteronomy 4:2. How does this help us to
resolve this discussion? (There is much
theological argument that is not based on the
Bible. Some members of my church attack the
extravagance of cathedrals and the clothing worn
by high Catholic officials. Is this attack
consistent with the Bible? Or, is this just un-
Biblical human opinion?
1. I teach at Regent University. The buildings
are gorgeous. The founder, Pat Robertson,
believed in excellence. Although he lived a
relatively modest life, the university
buildings reflect our goal of excellence in
promoting Christian education.
IV. God With Us
A. Read Exodus 40:34-35. Recall Exodus 33:3 where God
says that He is not coming along? Moses pleads
with God to come with them because His presence is
essential. What has God decided to do with regard
to going with His rebellious people? (He comes.)
1. What lesson is there in this for those who
sometimes disagree with what some in the
church are going? Should we leave the church?
(This suggests that we should not.)
2. What about God leaving you when you rebel?
B. Read Exodus 40:36-38. How important is the leading
of God to His people?
1. How important is the leading of God in your
life?
C. Friend, our study of Exodus teaches us to trust
God. We need to have Him lead. We need to obey His
leading in His commandments. Obedience brings
peace and blessings. Will you determine, right
now, to turn your life over to the leading of God
and the Holy Spirit?
V. Next week: We begin a new quarter of studies on the
Book of Joshua.
Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail,
but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
