Day 45: A Portable Garden of Eden

Today we read Exodus 27-28, Leviticus 20, and Psalms 119:1-88. This story is a part of the Exodus 25-31 story which is filled with echoes of creation, Dr. Tim Mackie describes it like a portable Garden of Eden with a tabernacle, a tent, priestly garments and specific processes. There is both simplicity and royalty in this story. There is the ascribing of a tribe without primogeniture or experience (Levitical priests) and the recruitment of skilled craftsmen - both the novice and the skilled are needed in service to God as indicated in Genesis 1:26-28 and Genesis 2. This story discusses the construction and “putting on” of priestly garments which has echoes to Genesis 3 where God put a garment on Adam and Eve, both may be reflecting that we cannot cover our own sin of our own doing in our own way on our own recognizance. What, how, and who we are covered by is God’s decision, in God’s way. In this episode we also zoom out and review where we are in the Exodus story. In reading Psalms 119:1-88, we are given some heart, thought, and behavioral fidelity from King David as we continue to read Levitical laws given to the Israelites and the severity of not following God’s guidelines for living and representing Him well. 

Resources:

Dr. Carmen Imes, Exodus Class - Exodus 1-40, (14 hours) Bible Project. https://bibleproject.com/classroom/overview/exodus-overview/ 

Dr. Tim Mackie and Jon Collins, Exodus Summary (6 minutes and 33 seconds). Bible Project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH_aojNJM3E 

Credits:

Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.