EXODUS: The Lord God Gives Clear Instruction and Pays Attention to Every Detail; “You shall also make a table of acacia wood. You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold. And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain."

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold,... and acacia wood;..." (Exodus 25:1-5)

The Lord God continued to give Moses instructions regarding what items were to be in the house of the Lord thy God and how they were to be constructed. In the previous lesson, He instructed him on the Ark of the Testimony (Covenant) that would hold His Word and the Mercy Seat where He said, "You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel." (Exodus 25:21-22)

Now, He would give Moses instructions about the Table of Shewbread (Showbread) and the Lampstand (Menorah), “You shall also make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height. And you shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a molding of gold all around. You shall make for it a frame of a handbreadth all around, and you shall make a gold molding for the frame all around. And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four corners that are at its four legs. The rings shall be close to the frame, as holders for the poles to bear the table. And you shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them. You shall make its dishes, its pans, its pitchers, and its bowls for pouring. You shall make them of pure gold. And you shall set the showbread on the table before Me always. (Exodus 25:23-30) 

Artist Rendering of the Table of Shewbread

“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece. And six branches shall come out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. Three bowls shall be made like almond blossoms on one branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond blossoms on the other branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower—and so for the six branches that come out of the lampstand. (Exodus 25:31-33) 

Artist Rendering of the Lampstand

"On the lampstand itself four bowls shall be made like almond blossoms, each with its ornamental knob and flower. And there shall be a knob under the first two branches of the same, a knob under the second two branches of the same, and a knob under the third two branches of the same, according to the six branches that extend from the lampstand. Their knobs and their branches shall be of one piece; all of it shall be one hammered piece of pure gold. (Exodus 25:34-36) 

"You shall make seven lamps for it, and they shall arrange its lamps so that they give light in front of it. And its wick-trimmers and their trays shall be of pure gold. It shall be made of a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain. (Exodus 25:37-40)

In a future study, the Lord God will go into more detail as to the purpose of the Table of Showbread and the Lampstand. However, we can learn something very important about the Lord God from the instructions that He has given Moses thus far, He pays very close attention to every detail. His instructions are clear, from the time He commanded Adam and Eve what they could and could not partake of in the Garden of Eden and why (Genesis 2-3); to the time He instructed Noah on how to build the ark and save his whole family and the animals (Genesis 6-7); to the time He instructed Abram to leave His homeland and exactly where was to go (Genesis 12-15); to the time He told Joseph the interpretation of Pharaoh's dream and instructed him on how to provide for the world during the seven year famine (Genesis 39-47); up to the time He met with Moses and instructed Him on how to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and to the Mountain of Sinai, where they were camped at this point (Exodus 3-19).

God pays close attention to every detail, and every thing He says comes to pass; therefore, every instruction He gives should be followed exactly as He gives it. Because He is our Heavenly Father, we should listen to His Words of Wisdom and follow them. My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:20-27)