Today started with making an altar for incense. All the specifics were given on how to set it up and what to do with it.
Then the Lord told Moses that he should take a census of the people of Israel, and each should give ransom for his life to the Lord. Each person twenty years or older shall give half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives.” The money would be taken and given for the service of the tent meeting, so it would bring the people of Israel the remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”
They also made a basin of bronze for washing. It was put between the tent of meeting and the altar with water in it. Aaron and his sons would wash their feet and hands when they would go into the tent.
The anointing oil and incense was made of the finest spices and oil and used for anointing all things in the sanctuary. Aaron and his sons were anointed and consecrated so they could serve the Lord as priests.
Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah was filled with the spirit of God. He had the ability and intelligence , with knowledge and all craftsmanship to devise artistic designs.
Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan was given the ability that he could make all that God commanded him to.
It reiterated how the seventh day was the Sabbath and that no work should be done. The people of Israel were to keep the Sabbath throughout generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between the people of Israel and the Lord.
“And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.”
-Exodus 31:18
The people of Israel saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, so the people gathered themselves together and said to Aaron to make them gods to go before them, as for Moses they did not know what became of him.
They took gold and fashioned it into a golden calf and said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron built an altar and proclaimed they would have a feast to the Lord. They woke up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings.
The Lord told Moses to go down to his people for they are corrupted. They have quickly turned away from what they were commanded and made themselves a golden calf and worshiped and sacrificed to it. The Lord’s wrath burned hot against the people of Israel and he would consume them in order to make the nation great again.
Moses implored the Lord and convinced him not to harm the people since he did not let them die in the hand of the Egyptians, he should not kill them now after He had saved them. Moses told the Lord to remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel and His servants to whom He swore He would multiply their offspring and promise them a great nation.
“Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. The tablets were the work of God, and the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.”
-Exodus 32:15-16
When Moses got down the mountain he heard the people singing, and saw the calf and they were dancing around it. He was so angry he threw the tablets to the ground, and they broke at the foot of the mountain. He took the calf and burned it and ground it down into a powder, and scattered in the water and made the people drink it.
Moses asked Aaron why the people brought such a great sin upon them. Aaron explained what the people wanted and what he had done. When Moses saw what the people had done he asked them, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” All the sons of Levi gathered around him, and were commanded to kill his brother, and companion, and neighbor. The sons of Levi did as they were told, and 3,000 men were killed.
Moses returned to the Lord and said how the people had sinned by making themselves gods of gold, and asked Him to forgive their sins.
“But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.” Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.”
-Exodus 32:33-35
This was confusing