Exodus 40:17-32: a reflection

17In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up. 18Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its pillars. 19He spread the covering over the tent, and put the roof of the tabernacle above on it, as the LORD commanded Moses. 20He took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark. 21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the covenant, as the LORD commanded Moses. 22He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside of the veil. 23He set the bread in order on it before the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses. 24He put the lamp stand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. 25He lit the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses. 26He put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the veil; 27and he burned incense of sweet spices on it, as the LORD commanded Moses. 28He put up the screen of the door to the tabernacle. 29He set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as the LORD commanded Moses. 30He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash. 31Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there. 32When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as the LORD commanded Moses.

As the tabernacle is finally set up, the account describes, piece by piece, how Moses put everything in its proper place: the ark within the veil, the table on the north, the lampstand on the south, the altar of incense before the veil, the altar of burnt offering at the door, the basin between. And again and again comes the refrain: as the LORD commanded Moses. Each thing was set in its appointed place, in careful obedience to what God had directed. Nothing was done at random or according to Moses' own preference; each was placed exactly as God had said.

Notice the careful obedience with which everything was set in its place. Moses did not arrange the tabernacle according to his own ideas of what would look best; he put each thing in the place God had appointed, as the LORD commanded, the refrain repeated over each item. There was an order to it, a proper place for each thing, given by God; and Moses followed it exactly. The setting up of God's dwelling was marked by careful obedience, each thing in its appointed place, exactly as God directed, not by Moses' own preference or convenience.

That careful obedience, each thing in its appointed place, is worth taking to heart, for we can prefer to arrange things by our own ideas rather than by God's direction. We can order our lives, our priorities, our service, according to our own preferences and convenience, rather than putting things where God would have them; but Moses set each thing in its appointed place, as the LORD commanded. Order your life according to God's direction, putting things in the places he appoints, rather than arranging them by your own preference; let careful obedience to God, not your own convenience, determine how things are ordered. There is a proper place for things in a life ordered toward God, given by him; set them there in careful obedience, as Moses set each part of the tabernacle in its appointed place, as the LORD commanded, rather than arranging your life by your own ideas of what suits you best.

Lord, as the tabernacle is finally set up, the account describes, piece by piece, how Moses put everything in its proper place: the ark within the veil, the table on the north, the lampstand on the south, each altar in its place. And again and again comes the refrain: as the LORD commanded Moses. Each thing was set in its appointed place, in careful obedience to what you had directed. Nothing was done at random or according to Moses' own preference; each was placed exactly as you had said. Show me the careful obedience with which everything was set in its place. Moses did not arrange the tabernacle according to his own ideas of what would look best; he put each thing in the place you had appointed, the refrain repeated over each item. There was an order to it, a proper place for each thing, given by you; and Moses followed it exactly. Take that careful obedience to my heart, for I can prefer to arrange things by my own ideas rather than by your direction. I can order my life, my priorities, my service, according to my own preferences and convenience, rather than putting things where you would have them; but Moses set each thing in its appointed place, as you commanded. Help me order my life according to your direction, Lord, putting things in the places you appoint, rather than arranging them by my own preference; let careful obedience to you, not my own convenience, determine how things are ordered.