Day 57 (Exodus 39-40 | Mark 9:1-32 | Psalm 26:1-12)

Day 57
Exodus 39-40
(39 | 40)

The priestly garments for Aaron and his sons are made next. When they saw the robes, they must've wondered what on Earth they'd done to deserve them, especially the High Priest's garments. So much work had gone into making them, and so many people had volunteered the materials to be used.

For more on the garments, go here.

Day 56 (Exodus 37-38 | Mark 8:14-21 | Proverbs 6:1-11)

Day 56
Exodus 37-38
(37 | 38)

This passage describes the construction of more of what God ordered built.

As I've mentioned before, I find this a little boring to read. There's little going on, and the language is very repetitive. All this makes what actually happens even more amazing!

Day 55 (Exodus 35-36 | Mark 7:31-8:13 | Psalm 25:16-22)

Day 55
Exodus 35-36
(35 | 36)

Moses starts by explaining the Sabbath rules; work for six days, rest on the seventh. No work is to be done on the seventh day, not even lighting a fire, upon pain of death.

Day 54 (Exodus 33:7-34:35 | Mark 7:1-30 | Psalm 25:8-15)

Day 54
Exodus 33:7-34:35
(33:7-23 | 34)

Moses has another tent of meeting (all lower case) outside the Israelite camp which he uses to meet with God. Moses begs God to travel with the Israelites to the Promised Land. (In yesterday's passage, God said he wouldn't travel with them for fear of destroying them in anger.)

Day 53 (Exodus 31:1-33:6 | Mark 6:30-56 | Psalm 25:1-7)

Day 53
Exodus 31:1 - 33:6 
(31 | 32 | 33:1-6)

God names two men - Bezalel and Oholiab - as two craftsmen he has given the ability to do the work he requires. He says he has given various other men the ability to complete these works too. God also declares that the Israelites are to keep the Sabbath holy - they are to do this by abstaining from work on the Sabbath. The punishment for anyone caught breaking this law is death.

Day 52 (Exodus 29-30 | Mark 6:6b - 29 | Proverbs 5:15-23)

So, you might have noticed the distinct lack of blog action here since the middle of August. This happened for various reasons which I won't go into here. But the further behind I got, the harder it became for me to start it all back up again. So I've decided not to bother trying to catch up with where I should be. This is now day 52, and I'm continuing as usual from here. Hope that's okay with everyone, 'cause I'm doing it anyway.

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Day 52
Exodus 29-30
(29 - 30)

God lays down the method for consecrating Aaron and his sons as priests; this consecration process might seem wasteful, ritualistic and barbaric to our modern sensibilities, but not so for the Israelites, who were used to the idea of making sacrifices. Apart from anything else, this whole thing is about obedience to the LORD; doing it because God wants you to, and because you want to draw close to him.