Prepare
Opening Prayer
Father, thank you for this day. Work in our hearts by your Spirit, help us understand your Word, and apply it to our lives. In Jesus' name, amen.
Read
Scripture Passage
Making the Ephod
2 He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. 3 And they beat the gold into thin sheets and cut it into threads, to work it in with the blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and the fine linen, into artistic designs. 4 They made shoulder straps for it to couple it together; it was coupled together at its two edges. 5 And the intricately woven band of his ephod that was on it was of the same workmanship, woven of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
6 And they set onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold; they were engraved, as signets are engraved, with the names of the sons of Israel. 7 He put them on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ex 39:2–7
A — About
What Is This Passage About?
The craftsmen make the high priest's ephod from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine linen, with shoulder straps, waistband, and engraved onyx memorial stones for Israel's sons. The repeated refrain stresses that the work follows the Lord's command to Moses through Spirit-enabled skill.
B — Best Verse
Which Verse Best Summarizes the Passage?
Exodus 39:2, 5-7
Bryan explicitly selects verse 2, the end of verse 5, verse 6, and the end of verse 7. They describe the ephod and stones while twice emphasizing faithful conformity to the Lord's command.
C — Called or Christ
C — Called to Do
Worship God in Spirit and truth: Spirit-filled worship does not mean doing whatever seems right, but loving God and obeying the pattern he has revealed. Ask the Spirit for humble, loving obedience centered on the slain Lamb.
Devotional Study
Transcript of the devotion. Minor transcription errors may remain.
hey hey good morning good morning welcome to coffee and devotions this is where every day you and I we get together we have a little bit of coffee we get into God's word and we grow in our love for the Lord together in this year 2023 Lord willing we'll make it from Genesis through Leviticus I'm so glad to be with you today why don't we have some coffee we'll pray and we'll get into God's word let's pray father we thank you so much for this day I pray Lord that your spirit work in our hearts that you would help us to understand your word this morning and that your spirit would apply it to our lives in Jesus name amen all right so we are at Exodus chapter 39 Exodus 39 beginning at verse 2. we're going to read two through seven this morning here we go he made the ephod of gold blue purple and Scarlet thread and a fine woven linen and they beat the gold Into Thin sheets and cut it into threads to work with it to work it with the blue purple and Scarlet thread and the fine linen into artistic designs they made shoulder straps for it to couple it together it was coupled together as it at its two edges and the intricately woven band of his ephod that was on it was of the same workmanship woven of gold blue purple and Scarlet thread and a fine woven linen as Jehovah had commanded Moses and they set the Onyx Stones enclosed in the settings of gold they were engraved as signets are engraved with the names of the sons of Israel he put them on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel as the Lord had commanded Moses well have our three normal questions a what's this about B what's the best versus summary since this and see what are we called to do well hey what is this about remember we talked about yesterday all the stuff for the Tabernacle has been made now the garments for the priests need to be made and we talked yesterday the key thing of this was that phrase as the Lord had commanded Moses so as Jehovah had commanded Moses now the amazing thing is the holy spirit Works in bazal El and a holy AB that they actually obey the Lord and make it as God commanded and so we come here to the ephod this is the kind of thing that goes from the shoulders down to probably about the the waist maybe a little bit lower something like that is blue purple Scarlet with gold beaten and interwoven into it I mean this is an amazing almost like Royal Service type of uniform and this is a this is a big part of Aaron's Priestly garments God had described it in in Exodus chapter 28 5-14 when he had given this pattern to Moses and now we find them actually doing it even so much as we're the Onyx stones with the six names and the six names are put on their shoulders and representing the high priest being this mediator going between the Covenant people and between their and to their Covenant King burying the people on his shoulders this is God blessing with obedience as Jehovah commanded Moses spoiler alert it's going to be the rest of this chapter we're gonna find that phrase again and again and again and again and again and again and again I think it's in there at least five six seven times because it's important in Hebrew literature if something's repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated it's important because what does this get to a sea calling God is the one who commands how he is to be worshiped it takes us very seriously and it's a blessing of his holy spirit in our lives when we take our service to him especially in worship seriously he sets the pattern now of course there's diversity there's artistic Design Within that pattern right bezolo and a holy Hub still have some say in how things are going to be crafted but the overall pattern is determined by the Lord and so it is still today I would say right I think I think that we still when we worship in spirit and Truth we're not looking to the Tabernacle we're not looking to the temple we're looking to the heaven real Heavenly realities but we're still looking to how do we worship God how would he serve God today in our lives in ways that are pleasing to him he's the king he sets the pattern we live our lives doing our work seeking to bring him glory seeking to do as he commands not out of a slavish fear but have a Spirit-filled obedience so hey what's this about they're making the ephod B was the best first to summarize us well I would say verse 2 and they he made the ephod of gold blue purple and Scarlet thread I would also underline the end of verse 5 as the Lord had commanded Moses and then verse 6 and they set the Onyx stones and the end of verse 7 as the Lord had commanded Moses we've already talked about C calling we want to have his Spirit work in our hearts that we would be those that Jesus talks about in John chapter 4 neither on this mountain nor on that mountain will they worship but they will worship in spirit and in truth it doesn't mean that we do whatever we want but it means we are filled with the spirit and we worship according to the truth and this truth is that Heavenly pattern now we worship the lame who is slain I've already the spirit's working in you and that you are worshiping in spirit and truth let's pray now father I pray that you would please humble each one of us to follow after you to love you to worship you as you have called us to in spirit and in truth we need your spirit to do this we need Spirit bought obedience when hearts that love you so father please turn our hearts to you in Jesus name amen oh may God bless you with his holy spirit may you seek to serve him and love him all the days of your life for he has loved you to the other to the uttermost I'll see you next time bye thanks for listening to this week's message from God's word for you a Ministry of Sharon RP Church in rural Southeast Iowa we pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith in your life this week if you'd like to get more information about us feel free to go to the website Sharon rpc.org we'd love to invite you to worship with us our worship time is 10 a.m every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue Morning Sun Iowa 52640 may God richly bless you this week foreign [Music]