Side by Side in Exodus 35
Whenever you are seeking to have another person see your perspective, it can be helpful to state the facts and the things you can agree about. Think about it this way. I say that Chocolate Cake is a denser cake than Caramel Cake. This isn’t a negative against chocolate cake; it’s just my thoughts on the density of these two cakes. To help you see my point of view, I will start with things we can agree on. We agree that cake is delicious, that both chocolate and caramel cakes are delicious, and that both cakes are better than angel food cake. I am not comparing cake to God’s creation of humanity, just using these to see that we can start from a common ground and then go from there.
This week as we think about the phrase “Distinct by Design, United in Mission” we might feel a little guarded about what will come next. Yet, I think we can benefit from agreeing on a few basics. Here within the body of North Wake, we agree that God is the creator of all things, including humans. We also agree that God created male and female. We also agree that God created both male and female in His Image, for His glory, and to be part of His family as we exist to be known and to enjoy His presence. We start here and then go from there.
As I was thinking about this phrase “Distinct by Design, United in Mission,” the image that came to mind was that of men and women working together to build the tabernacle in Exodus 35.
For the sake of time and space, I will focus on verses 22-29:
22 So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And everyone who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord’s contribution. And everyone who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. 25 And every skilful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. 26 All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.
In the verses above I have bolded the words and phrases that point to the people as a group and underlined the times that men or women as individual groups are mentioned. The reason for this is probably obvious. See the number of times that the group as a whole is mentioned compared to the number of times the individual groups are referenced. They are united in their mission.
This tent they were building together would be the place God could meet with his people as they traveled and wandered through the desert (Ex. 40:35; and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle). The tabernacle also acted as an earthly representation of the heavenly tabernacle (Hebrews 8:5: They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” Ex 25:40). This is the shadow of heavenly things: men and women working side by side in the places God has gifted in order to be united in their mission to seek and glorify God.
We need one another. We need one another to be in the exact places that God has called us to serve. The women were skillful with weaving so they spun yarn and goats’ hair. The men brought contributions that were needed for the work. Exodus 36:8 says, “ And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains.” The men and women worked side by side with one another to bring about God’s commands. They were united in their obedience, their work, and their mindset.
Together their hearts stirred; together their offerings were brought; together their contributions were taken. The items were seen as one contribution, one offering, one act of worship. Together they all came to serve and worship the Lord. Their differences in both skill and contributions resulted in the building of God’s dwelling place.
This is the church today. If we want God’s name to be glorified, and if we want to draw close and know Him deeply, then we must embrace the differences that we inhabit so that we can work together for God’s kingdom. God grants to each of us different skill sets, different places to serve, different abilities, but they all work towards one goal.
To what are we building? Are we working together to shadow the heavenly places, the places where God’s people love and care and serve together? What are we doing to bring about this unity? What are we as both individuals and a church body doing to encourage our brothers and sisters to embrace the stirrings of the Spirit in their hearts? These stirrings lead us to serve and obey the Lord as we seek to build His kingdom here on earth.
