Did building an ark to contain the covenant have anything to do with love for God and neighbor? Do details matter in how we worship God today? When is religious art idolatry or not? Let’s look at Exodus 25.
Did Moses take up an offering? Was it a mandatory or freewill offering?
The Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites to take an offering for Me. You are to take My offering from everyone who is willing to give.” (Exodus 25:1-2 HCSB)
What was this freewill offering to consist of and what was it for?
This is the offering that you are to accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet material; fine linen and goat hair; ram skins dyed red, dolphin skins, and acacia wood; oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for aromatic incense; and onyx stones, stones for setting on the ephod and the breast piece. Let them make a sanctuary for me so I may live among them.” (Exodus 25:3-8 ISV)
Was there a pattern for the tabernacle? What was to be in it?
According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. And they shall make an ark [box] of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. (Exodus 25:9-10 KJV)
How was the ark to be detailed? What was to be placed inside it?
You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you. (Exodus 25:11-16 LSB)
How were the covering cherubs not idols? Is it because they were merely representative and not bowed down to or worshiped in any way?
And you shall make an atoning cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. You shall make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the atoning cover. Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the atoning cover at its two ends. And the cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the atoning cover with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the atoning cover. (Exodus 25:17-20 NASB)
What was to be placed inside of the ark? Was God to meet Israel there?
Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. (Exodus 25:21-22 NIV)
What was the design of the table? What was to be on it at all times?
Then make a table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. Overlay it with pure gold and run a gold molding around the edge. Decorate it with a 3-inch border all around, and run a gold molding along the border. Make four gold rings for the table and attach them at the four corners next to the four legs. Attach the rings near the border to hold the poles that are used to carry the table. Make these poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. Make special containers of pure gold for the table—bowls, ladles, pitchers, and jars—to be used in pouring out liquid offerings. Place the Bread of the Presence on the table to remain before me at all times. (Exodus 25:23-30 NLT)
How many branches was the lampstand to have?
You shall make a lamp stand of pure gold. The lamp stand shall be made of hammered work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. There shall be six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lamp stand out of its one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of its other side; (Exodus 25:31-32 WEB)
How were the branches of the lamp stand to be detailed?
One branch will have three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals, and the next branch will also have three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a flower and petals. So it will be for the six branches that grow out of the lampstand. In addition, on the lampstand itself there will be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its flower and petals. (Exodus 24:33-34 CEB)
How was the stem of the lamp stand to be detailed?
There must also be a blossom where each pair of branches comes out from the stem. The lampstand, including its branches and decorative flowers, must be made from a single piece of hammered pure gold. The lamp on the top and those at the end of each of its six branches must be made so as to shine toward the front of the lampstand. (Exodus 25:35-37 CEV)
Was there a pattern or were they to just guess as to exact details?
Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent of pure gold. And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain. (Exodus 38-40 ESV)
Did building an ark to contain the covenant have anything to do with love for God and neighbor? Do details matter in how we worship God today? When is religious art idolatry or not? You decide!
