Feb. 4, 2021
The Lord tells Moses that he has appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to be in charge of the craftsmanship for the tabernacle and its furnishings. The Lord filled them with the Spirit of God to give them every skill they would need to do what he called them to do.
The Lord instructs his people to observe the Sabbath to remember his creation of heaven and earth and as a sign of the covenant between Him and them.
Before Moses descends the mountain with the terms of their covenant, the people of Israel break it by making an idol and worshiping it with a feast. The New Testament reflects on this event by saying, “Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts, they turned to Egypt.” (Acts 7:39)
In this crisis, Moses grows in his leadership maturity as the covenant representative. Once again, he intercedes for the people of Israel before the Lord.
The Sadducees were trying to trap Jesus. They did not believe in the resurrection because they relied on the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) for their theology. They think that Moses did not teach a resurrection, but Jesus refutes this by quoting from Exodus 3:6. He says, “God is not the God of the dead, but the living.” (Matthew 22:32)
After Jesus silences the Sadducees, the Pharisees come back to challenge him again. They ask him what the greatest commandment is, hoping to use his words against him. Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 to show how all the Law and Prophets (Old Testament) can be summarized in these two commandments.
Jesus ends this debate with a challenge of his own. He quotes Psalm 110 to show how the promised Davidic Messiah is in fact Yahweh incarnate. This bold claim leaves his challengers speechless and ends the discussion.
Make It Personal
- How do you observe the Sabbath? What can you remember today that God has done for you and your family?
- In what ways are you loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself?
- What does it look like for you to observe these commandments this week?