Things I've Learned

As I've been reading the Old Testament stories I am constantly thinking how before I only knew the "kid friendly" versions. For instance, back in Exodus 32 after Moses came down from Mt Sinai and found the Golden Calf he told the sons of Levi to, "go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor"(Ex. 32:27). I don't think I had ever read that before. I just remember being taught that Moses was mad and broke the tablets, they melted the calf, and he went back up for a new pair of tablets. Not that 3,000 men also died because of it.

I also am amazed by the amount of detail that went into the building of the Tabernacle and how God put the skills into the different men so they could actually build everything as God wanted it. I can only imagine Moses hearing about how to make all these things and thinking he had probably never seen or heard of anything like them, let alone try to find someone to build them.

I also didn't realize how slow of a process the movement of the Isrealites was. They were camped in the same place for quite some time while the Tabernacle was being built and then at the end of chapter 9 in Numbers it says how sometimes they camped for days, sometimes months, or even years. I guess I always thought they moved every day. Here's my question though, were they still at Mt Sinai while the Tabernacle was being built? I also hadn't realized the cloud pillar and fire pillar hovered over the Tabernacle until it was time to move on. I knew they guided the people but I didn't know that part.

**I read the next chapter tonight and answered my own question. Yes they were still at Mt Sinai. I didn't realize they stayed there over two years. I guess it makes sense though. It would have taken awhile to build everything for the Tabernacle.

How Long?

Anyone know how long it took them to make, build, sew all of the stuff for the tabernacle?