The Table for Showbread

Exodus 25:23-30

“Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.   And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.  And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.” (Exodus 25:23-25) 

The next item of furniture was a small wooden table, eighteen inches wide, thirty six inches long and about twenty seven inches high.  It was to have a four inch skirt around the table top and a gold rim projecting above the table top to keep things from rolling off. The entire table was to be covered with gold leaf.

“And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.  Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.  And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.” (Exodus 25:26-28) 

Like the Ark, the Table of Showbread was designed to be carried from place to place.  Gold rings for poles to carry it were to be placed where the legs joined the skirt on the long sides.  The poles were also to be overlain with gold leaf.

“And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.” (Exodus 25:29)

Solid gold utensils were to be made to be used on the Table of Showbread, including spoons, and covered plates and bowls.  The rim around the table and the covered containers were necessary because as the next verse says, there was to be showbread on the table at all times.  Without the rim it might fall of when being transported, and the covers were necessary to keep out dust and flies, and to delay drying.

“And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway.” (Exodus 25:30)

The showbread was a food, or meat offering to the Lord but it was reserved for the priests to eat.  Leviticus 7:9-10 states, “And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it. And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.”  It was reserved for the priests according to Leviticus 22:10.  “There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.”

The construction of wood and gold again reveals Christ as both God and man, but the showbread, as food for the priests reveals him as the bread of life Jesus described in John 6:53-58.  “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”  The showbread was a permanent model that continued throughout Jewish history.  The manna pictures the same thing, but it only lasted about forty years.

The Mercy Seat

Exodus 25:17-22

“And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.  And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.” (Exodus 25:17-19)

The Mercy seat was a slab of pure gold forty five inches long and twenty seven inches wide to be used as a lid for the Ark of the Covenant.  It had to be thick enough to support it’s own weight without sagging and the weight of two Cherubs, one at each end.  It would probably require more than fifty pounds of gold.  It is nearly always included in references to the Ark of the Covenant.

“And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.   And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.” (Exodus 25:20-21) 

The design of the Mercy Seat portrays the two cherubs looking through the mercy seat to judge Israel’s actions by the covenant with God.  When the blood of the atonement was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat, the sin was covered so they could not judge and sentencing was postponed.  It was called the Mercy Seat because they did not receive the punishment they deserved for their sin at the time.   The blood had to be refreshed every year to keep the sin covered.

“And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.” (Exodus 25:22) 

The Mercy seat represented the throne of God in heaven.  It would be the primary place from which God spoke to Israel when he communicated with them in the future.

When Christ made atonement for our sins, he did not make it on the Mercy seat in the Tabernacle, but at the throne of God in heaven.  Hebrews 9:24 declares, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”   The Mercy seat was only a model, and the animal sacrifices could never take away the sin, only covering it temporarily, as we see in Hebrews 10:3-4.  “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

Not only did Christ make atonement on the real judgment seat rather than the model, but his sacrifice took away the sin rather than just covering it up.  Hebrews 10:12-14 states, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

The Ark of The Covenant

The Furniture in The Tabernacle

The Ark of  The Covenant
Exodus 25:10-16

“And they shall make an ark 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.  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.” (Exodus 25:10-11)

The word translated ‘ark’ means a box. The ark of the covenant is the box which would contain the record of the contract or covenant between Israel and God.  The Ark itself was a wooden box about forty five inches long, and twenty seven wide and twenty seven inches high.  It was then to be gilded or have gold leaf  applied inside and out and a gold rim or crown attached to the top edge to keep the lid on.

“And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.  And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.  And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.  The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.” (Exodus 25:12-14)

Because it would be necessary to transport the Ark from place to place, Gold rings were attached to each side to hold poles for carrying it.  The poles were to be gilded as well and were to remain in place at all times.  This design made it a simple matter for four men to carry it.

“And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.” (Exodus 25:16) 

The testimony or tables of stone were in effect, Israel’s Constitution, their basis of government and law.  The Ark itself was designed to protect and transport the document while constantly reminding them of God’s standard.  Every action was to be measured by that standard.

Just as the Ark was the  basis for the Jewish system, Christ is the basis of Christianity.  He is the standard by which every person according to Acts 17:31.  “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

Even the materials selected depict Christ, with the wooden box demonstrating his human nature and the gold representing his divinity.  He is both God and Man.

About seven hundred years later, the ark would be placed in the temple.  It was carried to Babylon and returned and again placed in the temple where it remained until Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome. It’s present whereabouts is unknown.  Unfortunately, in Eli’s day, the nation of Israel forgot that the box was only a representation, and would begin focus on the box rather than what it represented, and God allowed it to be taken away for a brief period.

The Plans For The Tabernacle

During the forty days Moses spent on the mountain talking with God and receiving the tables of stone god had prepared, God also gave him detailed instructions of building the Tabernacle, which would be their center of worship for about six hundred years.  The word tabernacle means literally “tent” and was a portable temple.  Solomon’s temple was designed using a similar pattern.

The tabernacle and sacrifices are a visible model to enable us to understand what Christ would do when he came, according to Hebrews 9:24. “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”  The book of Hebrews was written to help Christians, not just Jews, understand what was involved in Christ’s sacrifices for us.  It requires an understanding of the tabernacle and the sacrifices to fully understand what he accomplished.  Just as Galatians 3:24 tells us the Old Testament Law was to bring us to Christ, the Tabernacle was to teach us about him.

While certain aspects are defined as models or portrayals in scripture, there are a lot of other useful parallels to help us better understand our Christian life.

Acquiring The Materials
Exodus 25:1-8

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.” (Exodus 25:1-2) 

The materials for the tabernacle were to be given freely and voluntarily by the people.  There were to be no fundraising programs or competitions, and no peer pressure or coercion.  In II Corinthians 9:7 Paul states the same principle for the church.  “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”  It is troubling how many religious organizations have departed from this basic principle.

Over the years, we’ve been told numerous times that it is unfair to ask the Navajos to pay for their own churches, because so many are poor, jobs are scarce, and they have been historically taken advantage of.  I believe such and approach deprives them of some of God’s blessings.  Malachi 3:10 recommends, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Many believe that this applies solely to the Old Testament but in II Corinthians 9:6 paul informs us, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”  While they may enable the church to obtain a building or other project more quickly, the fundraising programs and practices of many modern churches deprive their people of the opportunity to exercise their faith and to see God fulfill his promises, hindering their spiritual growth.

Israel had been enslaved for four hundred years.  They had not been paid during that time. They were not rich people.  It would be a sacrifice to give up what they had acquired.

“And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.” (Exodus 25:3-7)

God was very specific what materials were to be given for construction of the tabernacle.  The only gold and silver and brass the former slaves had came from the Egyptians to encourage them to leave.  The badger skins are believed to have been from a type of antelope that they could obtain by hunting and donating the skins, sacrificing much of the value of the kill.  Ram’s skins could be saved from butchering their sheep and a dye made for local materials but preparing the skins took a great deal of effort.  Scarlet, blue and purple dyes, while made from natural materials were expensive to buy and time consuming to make.  Linen fibers had to be beaten from flax stems and spun into thread.

Shittim or acacia trees were plentiful, but they would have to be cut and hand sawn into lumber.  Olive oil would have to be pressed from wild olives, and spices picked from the native plants.  Onyx stones could be found by searching and some of the jewels may have come from the Egyptians.

Building the tabernacle would not be simply a matter of donating a few dollars, but of sacrifice of time and energy to obtain the materials.  Most of the materials were not things run away slaves would already have, and there was no place to buy them if they had the money.  At the same time, anyone who wanted to contribute could readily do so.  The tabernacle would have far greater meaning to them because they had a personal investment in it.

 “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.  According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” (Exodus 25:8-9)

With these materials, they were to make a sanctuary, a place sanctified or reserved for God.  Because it was a model for teaching of heavenly things, it was critical that the plan be followed exactly.  Just as modern architects supply immense specification books, with a great deal of information that cannot be shown on the blueprints, God provided Moses with detailed specifications.  Only the basic blueprint is given here.

Ratifying The Covenant

Exodus 24:1-18

“And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.” (Exodus 24:1-2)

Communication and leadership are the keys to success for any cooperative effort. Leadership is the quality whereby people with diverse and sometimes contradictory ideas are united to accomplish a single purpose. It requires real communication, both of the leader’s concerns and those of the various groups to see how each benefits. Autocratic systems fail when the concerns of the people out weigh the power of the authorities.

While God is able to communicate with each individual simultaneously, humans are not.  No matter how open a leader is to his constituents, a system of communication is required. Certain respected individuals must assume the responsibility for communicating and leading in implementing the goals. This is what is usually called the chain of command. With six hundred thousand adult men, besides women and children, communication would require a network of individuals to communicate God’s message as it would be impossible, humanly speaking, to address them all simultaneously, and especially without any Public address system.

In any group there are natural leaders who, by virtue of wisdom, or skill naturally end up leading. At the same time there are political leaders who gain prominence by enlisting the support of other and seizing power any way they can. Israel had seventy leaders who could communicate well with the people. God called those natural leaders and Moses, Aaron, and two of Aaron’s sons to meet with him, but stipulated that they should only meet at a distance, and communication would be through Moses himself.

“And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.” (Exodus 24:3)

By enlisting the people’s commitment before going forward Moses demonstrated his leadership. Having clearly explained what God’s contract offered and getting their approval, Moses was free to proceed with further negotiations. It is the failure to communicate, addressing the people’s concerns at each step of the way that has so angered the American voter.

“And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.” (Exodus 24:4-8)

Moses didn’t stop with just telling the people what was planned, he took the time to provide them with a written set of the laws so there could be no question what they were agreeing to. What a difference with the healthcare bill or Dodd-Frank bills our congress passed, in which even the legislators did not know what the bill entailed until after they had approved it. As a formal acceptance of God’s covenant, Moses set up an altar and twelve pillars as witnesses to their commitment, and they worshipped God, offering sacrifices and sprinkling blood on the people as a sign of their commitment to God. I am told that the remains of the twelve pillars and the altar can still be seen at the base of Jebel Al Laws, still bearing witness to Israel’s having accepted God’s covenant, and proving again that this is the Mt. Sinai of the Bible.

“Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” (Exodus 24:9-11)

Exactly what the elders saw is not clear. In Exodus 33:20, God told Moses, “…Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” To protect him at that time God offered , “…while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen”, in Exodus 33:22-23. Apparently the elders and future priests saw even less, because it did not affect them like that vision affected Moses. That no person has seen the full glory of the Father is reiterated in John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” The description is a little vague because they had almost nothing natural to compare it to other than like a floor of sapphire stones and a clearness like a clear sky. Like the Thunder and lightening and smoke the people had seen and the voice from heaven, this vision convinced the leaders that this was God’s doing, and not just Moses’ imaginings. God did not place his hand on them to designate any special authority.

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.” (Exodus 24;12-13)

Moses had written out God’s laws and judgements, probably on parchment. Unfortunately, ink fades and sheepskin becomes brittle and cracks with age, so God offered to make a permanent copy in stone tablets. Moses would be able to use them to teach the people. To receive them, Moses and his assistant, Joshua went to the top of the mountain to meet with God privately.

“And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.” (Exodus 24:14)

Before going to meet the Lord, Moses instructed the elders or leaders to wait for them, placing Aaron and his son Hur in charge. How much of the Pentateuch was actually written by Moses is unclear, but that the laws were is clear from this and subsequent passages. It is quite possible Joshua wrote some of the historical record. As Moses’ assistant, he was involved in a way few others would have been. It also gave him and understanding of both God’s instructions and the trials Moses would experience that prepared him to assume leadership forty years later. By allowing him to accompany him, Moses was preparing him to lead Israel.

“And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” (Exodus 24:15-18)

Moses and Joshua had gone partway up the mountain when the glory of the Lord came down and for six days they were unable to go further until God called Moses to go the rest of the way. The Israelites below saw the cloud and what looked like a devouring fire over the top of the mountain. It probably made the forest fires I’ve seen look like someone burning weeds along a fence row, with the entire top of the mountain engulfed in flame. Like the burning bush Moses had seen, the fire didn’t just burn the brush and die away. Clearly God was involved and this was not a natural phenomena. Moses would remain on the mountain for forty days.

The Rewards of Obedience

Exodus 23:20-33 A contract or covenant spells out what each side is offering if the other fulfills their responsibility. In giving this initial description of the law, God has spelled out what Israel is to do in general terms, to the entire congregation. Later he will give further detail, but this is just an initial meeting, to lay a foundation. Having laid out in general what Israel will be required to do, God then told them what he was offering in exchange for their obedience. If they agree to the terms, Israel will be contractually obligated to keep all the law.

“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” (Exodus 23:20-21)

If they agree tot eh terms, God would send his angel before them to protect them along the way and to escort them to the place God had prepared for them. The angel would have the authority of God behind them, and disobedience could not be tolerated if they were to successfully obtain the land.

“But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.” (Exodus 23:22-24)

If they would obey the angel and do what God demanded, then he would fight their enemies as his own. He would destroy the many different ethnic groups that possessed the land at the time, but Israel must not get caught up in their culture and try to copy or adopt it. They were not to try to integrate with these other cultures, but to destroy anything that might lead them into following the old customs and religions.

“And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.” (Exodus 23:25-26)

How many of us would gladly take a job that guaranteed our own property, a guaranteed income, health and maternity coverage and life insurance? God’s offer was far greater, and the demands were relatively small. In exchange for their obedience, God would provide a land of their own, ensure Israel had abundant food and water, and take away all disease from among them. In addition, he would see to it that there was never any that could not bear young or experienced miscarriages, and they could expect to live out their full lives. The demands of the law, worshipping God and not committing murder or adultery or theft seem more than reasonable in exchange for such rewards. How many today think it too hard to do what God has asked without considering what he promised?

In Mark 10:29-30, “…Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” The covenant with Israel offered nothing in the way of eternal life. All the promises were concerned just with this earthly life. As Hebrews 8:6 says, we have a better contract with better promises as Christians.

“I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.” (Exodus 23:27-39)

God described how he would proceed to provide the land he promised. Initially, he would wipe out some of the current residents and make the others so afraid they’d flee leaving the land available. Later, as Israel’s population grew, he’d send swarms of hornets to drive out the occupants as more land was needed. In the meantime the people would develop and keep it from reverting back to nature. When the Israelites took it over, they would not need to spend years planting vineyards and digging wells to make it useable.

“And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.” (Exodus 23:31-33)

If Israel upheld their end of the contract, God would ultimately give the entire area. The Sinai Peninsula, bounded on the south by the Red Sea and reaching to the Mediterranean coast was to be the western boundary. It would extend east and north from the gulf of Aqaba to the Euphrates River. Had Israel lived up to the agreement they would have received all of modern Israel, the Sinai peninsula, part of Saudi Arabia, all of Jordan and parts of Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Under Solomon’s reign they ruled large part of the area but never occupied it, because they failed to live up to the agreement. They were to make no treaties with the people or their religious beliefs, and were not to allow them to live inside Israel’s boundaries because of the danger of adopting their customs and religion.

Religious Practices

Exodus 23:10-19

In the modern world, religion and daily life are often compartmentalized. Politics, business and education are all isolated from Christianity as a if it were purely traditional myth, with no relevance to daily life. As a result, what people profess to believe is contradicted by their behavior. After church they hang their Christianity alongside their church clothes and don’t put it back on until they get ready for church again. We will never be able to completely separate our real beliefs from our daily life. That we can separate them implies that they are not essential beliefs, but mere ritual parroting of what we have been taught. Throughout the Mosaic Law, as given by God, we find that the religious, moral, and practical are so interwoven as to be almost inseparable. While this last section addresses primarily religious practices they often have a definite practical impact.

“And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.” (Exodus 23:10-11)

Most crop plants have relatively shallow roots and require similar nutrients for health. Repeated farming of a plot gradually depletes these nutrients, as well as allowing the buildup of disease organisms and insect eggs in the soil. Because most weeds have somewhat different requirements, and many have very deep roots, which is why they seem to outgrow our crops, they bring nutrients to the surface where they are reintroduced into the soil when the weed dies. Research has shown that allowing fields to lie fallow and produce weeds periodically can restore the nutrient levels to the original state. In addition, the disease organisms and insects populations dare greatly reduced because the plants they depend on are so scarce. Modern farming tries to get the same results by using ever increasing amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. God specified that every field was to lie fallow every seventh year, insuring a sustainable level of productivity with minimal insect and disease problems. The year when all the fields were fallow gave the environment an opportunity to rebuild, letting native plant and animal populations to recover, maintaining healthy levels of wildlife. Not harvesting the vineyards and orchards also provided a source of food for the hungry, who were free to come in that year and pick what they wanted, giving them a leg up toward the next six years. While it was a religious practice, it had very practical benefits.

“Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.” (Exodus 23:12)

While the Sabbath was designated as a day to celebrate what God had done, observing it has very practical benefits. Even the best machines require regular shutdowns for maintenance. Like other machines, living bodies are able to do routine maintenance tasks if they get enough sleep, but they need a day off every week to repair damage from wear and tear. Like the machine, failure to do such maintenance regularly results in gradual deterioration of performance and accelerated wear on the machine, eventually resulting in breakdowns. Taking a day off is critical for sustaining good physical and emotional health.

“And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.” (Exodus 23:13) 

Even casual mention of a subject attracts attention to it. A man who had been sent to an alcohol rehab program got drunk just hours after being released. When asked why, he said that for ninety days they had talked about alcohol every day. By the end of the time he was desperate for a drink. Even talking about something to condemn it may draw people to it. Preaching against other religions may backfire, causing people to get involved. God instructed his people to be alert to what was around them and not call people’s attention to those other gods. If they were instructed in what was right, they would not fall for what was not right.

“Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.” (Exodus 23;14-17)

Three times a year, all the men of Israel were to meet together to celebrate what God had done. The feast of unleavened bread started the morning after Passover and ran for seven days, celebrating their seven day flight from Egypt which ended with the destruction of Egyptian power, and was never to be celebrated frivolously. The Feast of Harvest was when they began the first harvest as a celebration of God’s having supplied fields and crops to harvest, and the third was when they finished the harvest and storing it, celebrating what God had given them. Essentially the Feast of Ingathering was the equivalent of our Thanksgiving.

“Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning. The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.” (Exodus 23:18-19)

The commands in these two verses are symbolic of the attitude Israel was to have toward God. Like the tool marks on the stones for the altar, leaven indicated the addition of something other than what God had prepared, making it unacceptable to him. Sacrifices to him were to be pure. When they gave the sacrifice, they were to skimp or hold back but depend on God to supply for the following day. It was a simple declaration of their faith and love. Giving today should be the same. At the feast of harvest, they were to bring the very first things they picked to God, just as they came from the field. It was another indication of their faith that they put God first in all things. Our offerings today ought be in a similar vein. To boil a baby goat in his mother’s milk was to use what God had provided for his protection and growth to destroy him. It would go against God’s intentions.