I am currently on a mission to read the whole Bible. The book is super thick, and the pages are thin, so this might take me a while, but I will read the whole Book!
This week, I am on Exodus 32.
The past few chapters have been about God speaking to Moses while he is on Mount Sinai. God tells Moses how He wants His tabernacle to be built. This is happening in the span of 7 chapters.
One of the things that popped up in my mind is, “Why is it so detailed? Is Moses even going to remember all this?”.
Usually when I read the Bible, I try to find applications through each chapter. I look for a valuable lesson or reminder, and I try to remember it or apply it to my day to day life. I pray about it and ask God to help me to apply it as well.
However, while I was reading the past 7 chapters of Exodus, it was hard to find any reminders or lessons to get out of it. What I got from the chapters is that God is very detailed about this tabernacle.
What kind of application am I supposed to get out of this?
I sat and thought about it for a good while, then I realized that maybe it’s a reminder of how much God loves His creations.
God is using 7 chapters in the Bible to tell Moses how this thing should be made. 7 chapters written in super tiny font! It clearly shows how much God cares about it.
If God is putting so much detail into this, I wonder how much detail He put into our lives.
These chapters reminded me of an older gentleman I know. He is a very spiritual man and he loves God. There was a time where he wasn’t always like this though. In the past, he used to be in a gang. He wasn’t just a member of the gang, but he was the leader of the gang. However, after living that life, he served some time and he went through many hardships. The hardships were so rough that he found himself resorting to drugs and alcohol. Once he realized that the gang wasn’t fulfilling his life either, he fell into depression and sadness. He lost all meaning to life.
I don’t know what happened, but somewhere in this sad state that he was in, God decided it was time to change his life. The man now works as a youth mentor and he works with young gang members, helping them find a way out of their situations.
I really don’t know how chapters about a tabernacle being built in such detailed ways, made me think of his life, but I think it’s because it made me realize that everything that happens in our lives is done for a reason. The small things, the bad things. The good times, the bad times. All of it. This man’s story reminded me of God’s great love for me and His people. If God put so much detail into a building (a holy building), then of course He is going to put details into our lives.
Every stage in this former gangster’s life, led him to be where he is now. Every interaction that he had, every beatdown that he participated in, every drug that he used, played a role in him realizing that living life like that is not fulfilling. All these details in this man’s life led him to realize that a life with God is far greater than his past life.
It’s amazing how I was sitting and trying to figure out how these 7 chapters of instructions on how to build a tabernacle, made me somehow think of this gangster-turned-mentor’s life. Yes, the chapters might have been filled with many details, but it reminded me that every detail has a purpose.
God has a purpose for everything that He does.
If you’re somehow reading this, maybe you’re going through something. Maybe you’re struggling in school. Maybe you’re struggling with finances. Maybe you’re lonely. Maybe you’re worried about something that you feel like you can’t discuss with anyone. Maybe you’re just sad for no reason and don’t know why. Whatever it is that you’re going through, I hope you can remember that you’re going through this for a reason. I hope that you can trust in God through this and remember that He loves you.
As much as God loved that tabernacle, God loves you way more. He loves you so much that He sent His son to die on the cross for your sins.
If every detail served a purpose in building a tabernacle, imagine how much greater these moments will be for you.
I pray that you will trust in God and let him lead you to His greater purpose!