Obedience is my word for 2024. I want to believe I am better at obedience than when I was younger, but I’m wise enough to know I’m probably not even 50% obedient. So when I came to Exodus 40 in my Bible reading this year, I came to a dead stop.

We find Moses well past 80 years old lifting, toting, and putting together the Tabernacle. In verse 1 the Lord spoke to Moses and said, “On the first day of the month YOU (caps mine) shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.” The Lord didn’t tell Moses to “oversee” the setting up of the Tabernacle. He told MOSES to DO it.

Listen to the command in the next verses:
Vs. 3. You shall place the ark of the testimony there.
You shall screen the ark with the veil
Vs. 4. You shall bring in the table
You shall bring in the lampstand
You shall mount its lamps
Vs. 5. You shall set the gold altar of incense
You shall set up the veil for the doorway
Vs .6. You shall set the altar of burnt offering
Vs. 7 You shall set the laver and put water in it
Vs. 8. You shall set up the court all around and hang up the veil for the gateway to the court.
Vs. 9. You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle
Vs.10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering
Vs. 11 You shall anoint the laver and its stand
Vs .1.2 You shall bring Aaron and his sons and wash them
Vs. 13 You shall put holy garments on Aaron
Vs.14 You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them
Vs. 15 You shall anoint them

Stop and consider how much work this was! How heavy those outer coverings were. They were made of animal skins. The setting up of the poles. Carrying the furniture. Getting the water for the laver. It was arduous work for certain and not accomplished in a small amount of time.

However, verse sixteen reads, “Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did.”

Listen to the next verses.
Vs. 18. Moses erected the Tabernacle
Vs. 19 He spread the tent
Vs.20. He took the testimony. Put it in the ark. Attached the poles. Put the mercy seat on top.
Vs. 21. He brought the ark into the tabernacle
Vs,22. He put the table in the tent
Vs. 23 He set the arrangement of the bread
Vs. 24. He placed the lampstand
Vs.25. He lighted the lights
Vs. 26 He placed the gold altar
Vs. 27 He burned fragrant incense
Vs. 28. He set up the doorway veil
Vs. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering
Vs. 30. He placed the laver
Vs. 33 He erected the court all around the Tabernacle and the altar
He hung the veil at the gateway of the court
THUS MOSES FINISHED THE WORK

Sit with that a moment. Did you get tired of all the “ and the Lord said” and all the “ and Moses did” stuff? Did it seem wearisome? Think about that fella over 80 years old. He gets instructions from the God of the Universe…is expected to remember them…and carry them out…perfectly…and he did.

It gives obedience a whole new look. Age is unimportant if Abba said to do it. Where you are is unimportant. If you are told to do it alone…it’s not important. The only important thing is obedience. If our Abba God said to do something, we can be certain He will give us what we need when we need it.

Our only concern…do what He asks.