Exodus 39:32-43: a reflection

32Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting was finished. The children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses; so they did. 33They brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, 34the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, the covering of sea cow hides, the veil of the screen, 35the ark of the covenant with its poles, the mercy seat, 36the table, all its vessels, the show bread, 37the pure lamp stand, its lamps, even the lamps to be set in order, all its vessels, the oil for the light, 38the golden altar, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door of the Tent, 39the bronze altar, its grating of bronze, its poles, all of its vessels, the basin and its base, 40the hangings of the court, its pillars, its sockets, the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, its pins, and all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting, 41the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office. 42According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded. They had done so; and Moses blessed them.

When the long work of building the tabernacle is finished, exactly as God had commanded, Moses inspects all of it, sees that it has been done according to God's word, and blesses the people who did it. Thus all the work was finished; the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses; so they did. And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded; and Moses blessed them. The work had been done faithfully, exactly as God commanded, and completed; Moses inspected it, found it done rightly, and blessed those who had done it. There is a satisfaction here in work completed faithfully according to God's word, and a blessing on those who did it. This shows the satisfaction of work completed faithfully as God commanded, and the blessing on it. Work completed faithfully as God commanded is a good thing. Doing the work as God commanded, and finishing it, brings blessing. Faithful, careful completion of the work is commended. There is satisfaction in work done well and finished as God directed.

Notice the emphasis on faithful completion. The account stresses repeatedly that the people did the work according to all that the LORD commanded, exactly as directed, and that they finished it, completing the whole work. And Moses, inspecting it, confirmed that it had been done rightly, as God commanded, and blessed them for it. There is a quiet satisfaction here in a work faithfully done, according to God's word, and brought to completion. This is worth reflecting on. There is real value and satisfaction in doing our work faithfully, according to God's will, with care and obedience, and in seeing it through to completion. Not everything we do will be as grand as building the tabernacle; but whatever work God has given us, whatever our task and calling, there is a goodness in doing it faithfully, as God would have it done, with care rather than carelessness, and in bringing it to completion rather than leaving it half done. And God takes note of faithful work done as he commanded, blessing those who do it. We do well to do our work faithfully and carefully, according to God's will, and to see it through, finding satisfaction in work well done for him. Do your work faithfully and carefully, according to God's will, and finish it. There is satisfaction in work done well and completed for God. God takes note of faithful work done as he commanded. Bring your work to faithful completion, not leaving it half done.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is real value and satisfaction in doing our work faithfully according to God's will and bringing it to completion, as the people finished the tabernacle exactly as God commanded and Moses blessed them. We can do our work carelessly, or leave it half done; but the people did the work faithfully, as God commanded, and completed it, and God took note. Faithful work is commended. Do your work faithfully and carefully, according to God's will, and see it through to completion, finding satisfaction in work well done for him. Do your work faithfully and carefully according to God's will and bring it to completion, finding satisfaction in work well done for him, as when the long work of building the tabernacle was finished exactly as God had commanded, Moses inspected all of it, saw that it had been done according to God's word, and blessed the people who did it; for the account stresses repeatedly that the people did the work according to all that the LORD commanded, exactly as directed, and finished it, and Moses, inspecting it, confirmed it had been done rightly and blessed them, so that there is a quiet satisfaction in a work faithfully done according to God's word and brought to completion, which is worth reflecting on, since there is real value in doing our work faithfully, with care and obedience, and seeing it through, and though not everything we do will be as grand as building the tabernacle, whatever work God has given us there is a goodness in doing it faithfully as he would have it done, with care rather than carelessness, and bringing it to completion rather than leaving it half done, and God takes note of faithful work done as he commanded, blessing those who do it, so that we do well to do our work faithfully and carefully, according to God's will, and to see it through.

Lord, when the long work of building the tabernacle is finished, exactly as you had commanded, Moses inspects all of it, sees that it has been done according to your word, and blesses the people who did it. Thus all the work was finished; the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses; so they did. And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded; and Moses blessed them. The work had been done faithfully, exactly as you commanded, and completed; Moses inspected it, found it done rightly, and blessed those who had done it. There is a satisfaction here in work completed faithfully according to your word, and a blessing on those who did it. Show me the emphasis on faithful completion. The account stresses repeatedly that the people did the work according to all that you commanded, exactly as directed, and that they finished it. And Moses, inspecting it, confirmed it had been done rightly, and blessed them. There is a quiet satisfaction here in a work faithfully done, according to your word, and brought to completion. There is real value and satisfaction in doing my work faithfully, according to your will, with care and obedience, and in seeing it through to completion. Not everything I do will be as grand as building the tabernacle; but whatever work you have given me, there is a goodness in doing it faithfully, as you would have it done, and in bringing it to completion rather than leaving it half done. And you take note of faithful work, blessing those who do it. Take that to my heart, for there is real value and satisfaction in doing my work faithfully according to your will and bringing it to completion. Help me do my work faithfully and carefully, according to your will, Lord, and see it through to completion, finding satisfaction in work well done for you, mindful that you take note of faithful work done as you command.