Author: Ash Clarkson

The returned exiles had finally restored and rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem, and in March 516 BC celebrated its completion. In April, they celebrated…

One year to the day after God led the Israelites out of Egypt, God instructed Moses to “erect the tabernacle of the tent of…

If quality assurance is something that’s essential for a mere road, then it should not surprise us that the dwelling-place of God with his…

Holy Place? By a Forgiving Outfit. An outfit which demonstrated the forgiveness he received, the forgiveness he sought on behalf of his people, and…

The outside of God’s House was also carefully landscaped to reveal what is important to God and teach Israel what they needed to know…

In the previous chapter, we saw how the Israelites began constructing the tabernacle which was God’s dwelling-place with them on earth, pointing to the…

We remember that Jesus is the better temple. Where the tabernacle was layers of beautiful fabric, and the temples were made of timber and…

In Exodus 36:8-38 we see a rather more successful building project get underway. The Israelites built the Tabernacle where God would dwell with them.…

ommissioning Oholiab and Bezalel to commence the construction task. We see God’s anointing and their commissioning for their role, and the generous freewill giving…

In Exodus 35, the narrative shifts from Moses receiving instructions from God on how to live in a way that pleases God (especially after…

Moses’ shining face reflected God’s glory to all of God’s People. But his glory caused fear for Israel when they gazed on Moses’ face.…

After seeing God’s glory, Moses was able to renew the covenant relationship with God. In this second chance, God makes quite clear yet again…

In the first nine verses of chapter 34, Moses encounters God’s glory in a way he never had before. We see the preparations for…

God’s declaration that he would not go to the Promised Land with his people, because their sinful nature might result in their destruction, led…

The Golden Calf incident resulted in a confrontation between God and the people over their grievous sin. It resulted in consequences for Israel. In…

put sin to death, and acknowledge that sin has consequences. Thankfully, God has placed the worst of those consequences on Christ, not on us.

o far in Exodus 32 we have seen the Israelites create and worship and idol, and Moses intercede on their behalf before God up…

Something was rotten at Mount Sinai. After forty days of waiting for Moses to reappear, the hard hearts of Israel had led them into…

Sin is impatience, disobedience, distrust, and corruption of the good. And we all do it. We might laugh at the absurdity of a people…

week to rest and worship God? Not surprisingly, bombarded with the world’s desire for constant go-go-go, we are tempted to view a faithful interpretation…

God blesses many of us with artistic ability, as one means in our lives by which we can glorify God. In Exodus, God calls…

While the priests were symbolically justified by the altar sacrifices, they still had to be cleansed to come into God’s presence. Also, they and…

The census was a useful tool in centuries past as well. In this passage, we see an example of a census taken of Israel’s…

While God does not have a literal nose and sense of smell like us, he does enjoy the fragrant smells of prayer lifted up…

In our passage this week we see the ongoing requirements that continued the ordination process, and were repeated whenever there was a new High…

Standing as their representatives before God, and serving in holy places, the priests needed to be properly ordained. In this passage we see the…

Throughout chapter 28 of Exodus, God has instructed Moses on the proper clothing fit for those serving in his house. In these final verses,…

How do we know God’s Will? Do we consult with a couple of people then go with our gut? Roll dice? Allow circumstances to…

Up until now the instructions given to Moses have focused on the construction of the tabernacle, its contents, and the surrounds. But houses do…

The area surrounding God’s tabernacle, his palace amongst his people, also made clear that you were not entering any ordinary household. The expansive, walled…

If God was going to dwell with his people, he needed a residence “fit for a king”. And so in Exodus 26, instructions are…

God gave Moses instructions for the construction of a lampstand for the tent. After all, it is difficult to serve God in the Tent…

Moses receives instructions to build a table, which will belong in the outer room of God’s tent. This table serves as the home for…

In the first verses of chapter 25, God instructed the people to provide materials for the building of God’s Tabernacle, his dwelling place with…

After freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and entering into a covenant relationship with them at Sinai, God begins to explain to Moses…

In this passage, the covenant ratification ceremony is completed by Israel’s representatives enjoying fellowship with God. Then, following their return down the mountain, Moses…

God had provided an historical context for their relationship, expressed his terms, and highlighted the benefits and curses of obedience (or not). All that…

Sometimes the Christian walk feels like a slog. You feel like you never get anywhere. Enemies without, and your own attitude and actions within,…

Not many of us are called to the mission field or the pastorate, but all of us are called to put God first. In…

True Justice and Mercy were goals of the Israelite system of justice as well. Both Justice and Mercy reflect God’s character, and should radiate…

True social justice is about protecting a just social order, based on a sacred order. God’s laws given to Israel were focused on precisely…

Because theft is a perpetual problem, in addition to laws which punished harm against people and sought to protect their essential dignity, the Law…

While some societies could be very cruel, God’s laws were not. In this passage, God addresses a variety of crimes of different severity, and…

In this section of Exodus, we are seeing practical advice from God on how to live in the ordinary. While some of it is…

After the people appointed Moses as their intermediary, God spoke to the people through Moses to remind them to worship him only. They had…

When Israel gathered at Sinai to hear God’s Law, they came to God’s presence, demonstrated to them by a booming voice, thunder and lightning,…

In this spirit of consumerism and desiring what others have that we do not, the Tenth Commandment hits like a hammer. Instead of sinfully…

We all lie, deceive, gossip and slander, and fail to stand up for the truth. The Ninth Commandment condemns us. Deceitful words destroy trust…

Since ultimately everything belongs to God and he dishes it out as he wills, God requires us to respect his division of material goods.…

While the world may not care about marital faithfulness, God does. The Seventh Commandment forbids all types of marital unfaithfulness, pointing to the ideal…

The Sixth Commandment does not just forbid murder, but all forms of unlawful killing. More than that, it forbids the attitude of hate which…

Whether we are facing a new year in these “unprecedented times,” or a new year in “precedented times”, it is still important to look…

The Fifth Commandment serves as a bridge between the first four commandments, which deal with obligations to God, and the last five commandments, which…

In the Fourth Commandment, the importance of rest and worship is highlighted. God positively reminds us to set aside work and to rest -…

While we tend to think the Third Commandment forbids using God’s names as an expletive, the commandment covers more than that. It reminds us…

God is not local, and certainly cannot be controlled. He is not to be worshiped as we desire, but instead in the way he…

Idols are much broader than just (literal) religious figures, they are anything which takes the place of God as the highest priority in our…

The Ten Commandments are laws, yes, but they are so much more. They reveal the standard of morality God requires, and they reveal how…

God, the Israelites’ divine King, was coming to visit his people at Sinai. They needed to prepare themselves for his arrival, getting spiritually ready…

In this passage, God’s people arrive at Mount Sinai, where God will arrive in all his divine glory. There, the God who chose them…

In Exodus, God is acting through Moses and Aaron to free his people from slavery in Egypt. In this passage, Moses and Aaron return…

In our last devotion, we saw God remind Moses of his nature as a promise-keeping God. In Exodus 7:1-7, God reconfirms to Moses his…

In Exodus 6, we are reminded of how God is trustworthy. God keeps his promises. Responding to the cries of Moses and the Israelites…

Moses’ return to Egypt had gone better than he anticipated, as the Elders and God’s people accepted his message and calling. But Pharaoh had…

In Exodus 4:18-31, we see Moses’ faithful response to God’s call in his return to Egypt to rescue God’s people. But before Moses can…

Despite the powerful signs God gave Moses to perform, he still shows extreme reluctance to return to Egypt. In Exodus 4:1-17, we see God…

Exodus 3 records the Call of Moses by God, as God appears to Moses at Mount Sinai at the Burning Bush. There Moses encounters…

In Exodus Chapter 2 we see God's deliverance, of us through Jesus Christ, foreshadowed in the beginning of God’s delivery of his people from…

The exploitation and enslavement of people, or opposition to progress and blessing, seems to occur quite often to God’s people. As God blesses his…

The beginning of the book of Exodus makes it very clear that God’s redemptive plan is continuing, and that Exodus continues that story. It…