We are moving into chapter thirty-five of Exodus with our word for today which is a phrase. עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֛ים acacia wood. It is used 24 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used to describe the kind of material the ark of the covenant was made out of. Exodus 25:10 They shall make an ark of עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. Our word is used to describe the kind of material the poles to carry the ark of the covenant and the table were made out of. Exodus 25:13, 28 You shall make poles of עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים acacia wood and overlay them with gold … You shall make the poles of עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֔ים acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. Our word is used to describe the kind of material the table for the bread of presence was made out of. Exodus 25:23 You shall make a table of עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑יםacacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. Our word is used to describe the kind of material the frames and bars of the tent was made out of. Exodus 26:15, 26-27 You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֖ים acacia wood … You shall make bars of עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. Our word is used to describe the kind of material the altar and the poles to carry it was made out of. Exodus 27:1, 6 You shall make the altar of עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים acacia wood … And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. The various items used for the tabernacle worship were made out of a lot of different materials. These materials came from the people who donated them to be used including our word. Exodus 25:1-5 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, tanned rams' skins, goatskins, וַעֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּֽים acacia wood. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 35:24 And every one who possessed עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֛ים acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. All this very specific preparation for the tabernacle worship in the Old Testament reminds us of what Christ accomplished for us by his work and preparations. Now because of Christ we are set apart to serve and be a part of his kingdom work. I’ll close with this great passage. Hebrews 9:11-14 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
