We are in chapter forty of Exodus with our word for today. מָלֵא be full, fill, consecrate as a priest, devote, fulfill, carry out. It is used 248 times in the Old Testament, 2 times in our chapter. Our word is used in the sense to make full with sufficient quantity. It is used literally to fill a container. Genesis 21:19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went וַתְּמַלֵּ֤א and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink (Genesis 24:16). Genesis 42:25 Joseph gave orders וַיְמַלְא֣וּ to fill their bags with grain. It is also used figuratively in the sense of being filled with an ability to accomplish a task. Exodus 28:3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom מִלֵּאתִ֖יו I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. This same idea is also referred to as ordaining. A good example is the consecration of priests to serve in the tabernacle worship. Exodus 29:9 The priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus וּמִלֵּאתָ֥ you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. We also find our word used specifically to identify God’s presence being experienced in a special overwhelming way. Ezekiel 10:3-4; 44:4 A cloud מָלֵ֔א filled the inner court. And the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court וַיִּמָּלֵ֤א was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord … I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord מָלֵ֥א filled the temple of the Lord. And I fell on my face. This is how our word is used twice in our chapter today. Exodus 40:34-35 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord מָלֵ֖א filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord מָלֵ֖א filled the tabernacle. We also see this same thing when the ark is brought into the temple and when Solomon finishes dedicating the temple for temple worship. 1 Kings 8:10-11 When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud מָלֵ֖א filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord מָלֵ֥א filled the house of the Lord … 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord מָלֵ֥א filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord מָלֵ֥א filled the Lord's house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” God doesn’t want us to miss just how special and valuable it is for people to connect with him in worship. This is why I think he shows up in this special way. I’ll close with these great passages about being filled with God’s presence as believers in Christ. John 7:37-39 Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Romans 5:5 God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
