Exodus Chapters 35 to 40
Obedience and Glory in the Midst..
Exodus ends not with a battle, a conquest, or a grand speech—but with the quiet, overwhelming reality of God’s presence filling a space prepared by His people. Chapters 35–40 bring the tabernacle story to completion. What was commanded earlier is now carried out. What was broken in the golden calf episode is now restored through obedience and willing devotion. What God desired from the beginning—dwelling among His people—comes to visible fulfillment.
These chapters are not merely about construction. They are about restoration, participation, and presence. A people who failed are now invited back into partnership with God. And they respond with willing hearts.
After centuries in Egypt, where labor was forced and worship was distorted, Israel is learning something new:
life with God is built through willing hearts, Spirit-empowered work, and obedience rooted in relationship.
1. A People Moved by Willing Hearts (Exodus 35–36)
When Moses gathers the people and recounts God’s instructions, the response is striking. The repeated phrase is: “everyone whose heart was stirred” and “everyone whose spirit was willing.”
This is deeply significant. Earlier in Exodus, Israel worked under compulsion. In Egypt, labor was demanded. Now, in the wilderness, contributions for the tabernacle flow freely. Gold, fabric, skill, time, and energy are offered voluntarily.
So abundant are the offerings that Moses eventually has to tell the people to stop giving.
a. From Forced Labor to Free Worship
This shift marks a profound healing. The same hands that once built structures for Pharaoh now build a dwelling for God. The difference is not just in what they build, but in how they build it. Their work is no longer driven by fear but by devotion.
God is not extracting labor. He is inviting participation.
For us today:
True worship flows from willing hearts. God does not desire reluctant service or coerced devotion. He invites us to bring what we have—our skills, resources, time, and attention—as offerings of love. Spiritual formation includes the transformation of motivation: from obligation to joy.
b. Community Participation
The tabernacle is not built by a few elite individuals alone. The entire community participates. Some give materials. Some contribute skill. Some assist with craftsmanship. All are involved in preparing a place for God’s presence.
After centuries in Egypt, Israel is learning that life with God is communal. Hosting His presence is a shared calling.
For us today:
The life of faith is not solitary. Each person contributes uniquely. God forms communities where every offering matters, and where collective obedience prepares a place for His presence.
2. Spirit-Empowered Craftsmanship (Exodus 36–39)
The artisans—Bezalel, Oholiab, and others—carry out the detailed work of building the tabernacle and priestly garments. The text carefully notes that they work with wisdom and skill given by God.
This reminds us that the Spirit’s work extends beyond what we often label as “spiritual” activities. Designing, weaving, constructing, and crafting become sacred acts when done in response to God’s call.
a. Excellence as Worship
The tabernacle is built exactly as instructed. The repetition in these chapters—detailing each component again—may seem excessive, but it serves a purpose. It shows careful obedience. What God commanded is carried out faithfully.
In Egypt, their work served oppression. Here, their work reflects devotion and excellence offered to God.
For us today:
God honors careful, faithful work. When we bring attention, skill, and integrity to what we do—whether in visible or unseen tasks—it becomes an offering. Spiritual life is not detached from daily work; it is expressed through it.
b. Garments of Representation
The priestly garments are completed, carrying symbolism of beauty, responsibility, and representation. The names of the tribes remain over the high priest’s heart. The people are continually represented before God.
This reinforces a theme: God desires a people who live in ongoing awareness of His presence and who carry one another before Him.
3. Obedience Restored (Exodus 39–40)
A phrase appears repeatedly:
“as the Lord commanded Moses.”
This repetition is intentional. After the disobedience of the golden calf, these chapters emphasize careful obedience. The people now respond differently. They follow God’s instructions with attentiveness.
Obedience here is not mechanical. It is relational. Having experienced both failure and forgiveness, they now move with renewed devotion.
For us today:
Spiritual growth often includes seasons of failure and restoration. When we return to God, obedience can become more intentional and heartfelt. These chapters remind us that restoration leads to renewed faithfulness.
4. The Glory Fills the Tabernacle (Exodus 40)
The climax of Exodus comes when the tabernacle is completed and set up. Moses finishes the work. Then something extraordinary happens:
The cloud covers the tent of meeting,
and the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle.
So intense is the presence that even Moses cannot enter. The God who brought them out of Egypt now dwells visibly among them. His presence becomes their guide. When the cloud lifts, they move. When it remains, they stay.
This is the fulfillment of God’s promise:
“I will dwell among them.”
After all the instructions, failures, intercessions, and restorations, this is the destination—not a place, but a presence.
a. God’s Presence as Center
Israel’s journey is now ordered around God’s presence. Movement and rest depend on Him. Their identity is no longer shaped by Pharaoh or by survival, but by the nearness of God.
For us today:
The ultimate goal of spiritual life is not merely moral improvement or religious activity—it is life lived in awareness of God’s presence. When He becomes the center, our direction, pace, and decisions align differently.
b. A Portable Presence
The tabernacle is portable. God’s presence moves with His people through the wilderness. This is deeply comforting. God does not only dwell in fixed sacred places. He travels with them through uncertainty and transition.
For us today:
God’s presence is not confined to certain locations or moments. He walks with His people through wilderness seasons, guiding and sustaining them along the way.
The Heart Behind Exodus 35–40
These final chapters show a people being restored and reoriented. After failure, they respond with willingness, obedience, and devotion. And God responds by drawing near.
The story of Exodus ends not with Israel’s perfection but with God’s presence. The focus is not on human achievement but on divine faithfulness.
This closing scene reminds us:
- God invites participation in what He is building.
- Willing hearts matter more than flawless histories.
- Obedience grows out of restored relationship.
- Work can become worship.
- God’s ultimate desire is to dwell among His people.
From slavery to sanctuary, from failure to restoration, the journey leads to this:
a community centered on the presence of God.
Reflective Questions
- Where in my life is God inviting me to move from reluctant obligation to willing devotion?
- How can my everyday work and abilities become offerings that honor God?
- After seasons of failure or distraction, what might renewed obedience look like for me?
- Do I structure my life around God’s presence, or do I try to fit Him into my existing rhythms?
- How might I cultivate greater awareness of God’s nearness in both movement and rest?
- What does it mean for me personally that God desires to dwell among His people?
Closing Prayer
Faithful and gracious God,
You are the One who restores and dwells among Your people.
Thank You for inviting us to participate in what You are building.
Stir our hearts to respond with willingness and devotion.
Shape our work, our worship, and our daily rhythms so that they reflect Your presence.
Where we have wandered, draw us back.
Where we have grown weary, renew us.
Make our lives a dwelling place for Your glory,
and lead us step by step as we walk with You.
Amen.
