Commentary - Exodus 39:1-7

Bird's-eye view

We have now come to the section of Exodus that modern evangelicals are most tempted to skim. We have had the detailed instructions from God on the mountain, and now we have the detailed accounting of the execution of those instructions. But we must not miss the forest for the trees, or in this case, the glory of the tabernacle for the sheer number of threads. The central theme here is obedient worship. God did not give suggestions; He gave commands. And the people, filled with the Spirit, obeyed them down to the last detail. This chapter is a testament to the fact that God cares about the particulars. He is not a God of vague spiritual sentiments; He is the God of blue, purple, and scarlet material, of finely woven garments, and of gold hammered into threads. This meticulous obedience in the construction of the priestly garments is a foreshadowing of the perfect obedience of our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law down to the last jot and tittle.

What we are witnessing is the proper response to redemption. God brought Israel out of Egypt not so they could invent their own ways to approach Him, but so they could worship Him on His terms. The beauty and intricacy of these garments were not for Aaron's vainglory, but for the glory of the God he served. They set him apart, marking him as the one who would stand in the gap for the people. Every color, every fabric, every engraved stone was a sermon, preaching the holiness of God and the mediated way man must approach Him. This is not just an ancient inventory list; it is a lesson in the grammar of true worship.

Outline

Context In Exodus

Exodus 39 is the capstone of the tabernacle's construction. Chapters 25 through 31 provided the divine blueprint given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Then, in a catastrophic failure of leadership and faith, Israel built the golden calf in chapter 32, breaking the covenant before the ink was dry, so to speak. After God's righteous judgment and Moses' intercession, the covenant was renewed. Chapters 35 through 38 detail the willing and Spirit-filled response of the people as they brought their offerings and set their hands to the work. This chapter, then, is the glorious report of completion. It is the "it was so" to God's "let there be." The repeated phrase, "just as Yahweh had commanded Moses," is the drumbeat of the entire section, emphasizing that Israel's restoration to fellowship with God is grounded entirely in His grace and their subsequent, careful obedience to His Word.

Key Issues

Verse by Verse Commentary

Exodus 39:1 Moreover, from the blue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place as well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

The work begins with the raw materials, but notice their purpose. These are not just any clothes. They are "for ministering in the holy place." Worship has a uniform. This is not to say that New Covenant pastors must wear particular robes, but it is to say that our approach to God is never a casual, come-as-you-are affair in the sense our sloppy culture means it. The colors themselves are significant. Blue speaks of the heavens, of the law of God. Purple is the color of royalty, for this priest serves the Great King. Scarlet points to blood, to sacrifice, to the life that must be given for sin. These are not arbitrary color choices; they are theological statements woven into the very fabric. And the verse concludes with that essential refrain: "just as Yahweh had commanded Moses." God is the one who sets the terms of His worship. Man-made religion, however sincere, is a stench in His nostrils. True worship is obedient worship.

Exodus 39:2 He made the ephod of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen.

The ephod was a central part of the high priest's attire, an apron-like garment that held the breastpiece of judgment. The "he" here refers to Bezalel, the man God filled with His Spirit for this very task (Ex. 31:2-3). The materials are listed again, but now with the addition of gold. This is not just colorful; it is glorious. Gold speaks of divinity, of purity, of that which is most precious. The combination of the divine (gold) with the earthly (linen) and the theological colors points directly to the one who is both God and man, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate High Priest, clothed in both divine glory and perfect humanity.

Exodus 39:3 Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen, the work of a skillful designer.

Here we see the sheer craftsmanship involved. This is not shoddy work for God. The gold is not just slapped on; it is hammered into thin sheets and then painstakingly cut into threads to be woven into the fabric itself. This represents an astonishing level of skill and dedication. The glory of God was not an afterthought; it was integrated into the very substance of the garment. This is what it means to do all things to the glory of God. It is the "work of a skillful designer," which ultimately points back to the great Designer of all things. God loves excellence. He loves skill. He loves when His people take the good things He has made, gold, linen, dyes, and human talent, and offer them back to Him in beautiful, obedient worship.

Exodus 39:4 They made joining shoulder pieces for the ephod; it was joined at its two upper ends.

The ephod was held together at the shoulders. The shoulders are the place of strength, of bearing burdens. It is on the shoulders of the high priest that the names of the tribes of Israel will rest, as we will see. This is a picture of representation. The priest bears the people before the Lord. This points us to Christ, upon whose shoulders the government rests (Isa. 9:6) and who bears the full weight of His people's sins and carries them into the presence of the Father.

Exodus 39:5 The skillfully woven band which was on it was like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

This band, or girdle, was used to cinch the ephod, to bind it to the priest. It was made of the same glorious materials, indicating that it was an integral part of the whole. A girdle in Scripture speaks of readiness, of being prepared for action. Our High Priest is not idle; He has girded Himself for the work of intercession. And once again, the verse is sealed with the divine approval: "just as Yahweh had commanded Moses." There is no deviation, no creative improvement on God's plan. The skill is in executing the command, not in altering it.

Exodus 39:6 They made the onyx stones, set all around in filigree settings of gold; they were engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel.

Now we come to the shoulder pieces themselves. Two onyx stones, set in ornate gold settings. And on these stones, the names of the twelve tribes were engraved. This is not a temporary marking; it is an engraving, permanent and deep, like that of a signet ring used to seal official documents. God's people are permanently etched onto the shoulders of their representative. Their identity is bound up with his. He carries them, all of them, before God. This is a profound picture of our security in Christ. Our names are engraved on His hands, and here, on His shoulders of strength.

Exodus 39:7 And he placed them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

The purpose is stated plainly: they are "stones of remembrance." But who is remembering? It is twofold. First, God is "reminded" of His covenant people, not because He is forgetful, but in the sense that He is acting on their behalf according to His covenant promises. The priest brings the people to God's attention. Second, the people are to remember that they have a representative, one who carries their names into the holy place. This is a source of immense comfort and assurance. And for the last time in this section, we are reminded that all of this was done exactly as God commanded. This is the foundation of all true assurance: not our feelings, not our performance, but God's command and our glad, meticulous obedience to it, all of which is perfectly fulfilled in Christ our Priest.

Application

The temptation for us is to see this as merely historical or ceremonial, something that has been done away with in Christ. And in one sense, it has. We have no need for a human high priest with a fancy apron because we have Christ. But the principles embodied here are eternal. God still cares about the details of our worship. He is not pleased when we offer Him lazy, thoughtless, or disobedient service. Our worship, our lives, should be like that golden thread, woven throughout with a consciousness of His glory.

We are to remember that we are a people represented before God by a mighty High Priest. He bears our names on His shoulders of strength. We are secure in Him. This should give us confidence in our prayers and peace in our trials. He is for us.

Finally, we must see that true beauty and true skill find their highest purpose when offered in service to God. Whether you are hammering gold, writing code, changing diapers, or balancing spreadsheets, the task can be done as the "work of a skillful designer," offered up to God in glad obedience. The drumbeat of "as Yahweh commanded" should echo in our hearts, guiding every aspect of our lives, turning all of our work into an act of worship.