We are in chapter thirty-eight of Exodus with our word for today. יָתֵד peg, pin, nail, a holding, tent pin, tent peg. It is used 24 times in the Old Testament, three times in our chapter. We find our word used four times to describe how Jael used it as a weapon when God delivered his people from the Canaanites. Judges 4:21-22 But Jael the wife of Heber took a יְתַ֨ד tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove הַיָּתֵד֙ the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, וְהַיָּתֵ֖ד with the tent peg in his temple. Several of our uses are in reference to the tabernacle worship. Exodus 35:18 The יִתְדֹ֧ת pegs of the tabernacle and the יִתְדֹ֥ת pegs of the court, and their cords. This is how our word is used three times in our chapter today. Exodus 38:20, 29-31 And all הַיְתֵדֹ֞ת the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court all around were of bronze … The bronze that was offered was seventy talents and 2,400 shekels; with it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting … all the יִתְדֹ֧ת pegs of the tabernacle, and all the יִתְדֹ֥ת pegs around the court. If we remember the original tabernacle was a tent where God made himself known in a special way inside this tent. And all tents need pegs to hold them together even one that God shows up in. It is amazing that God chose a tent because his people were on a journey to the promised land. The good news today is that we don’t go to the tabernacle or temple because we are God’s temple or tabernacle. As believers the Holy Spirit lives in us because of Christ work on the cross and God’s amazing love that makes a way for us to be close to him. What is great about our word is that it is also used to describe how solid and dependable God is. So his love and affection is backed by his solid reliance like a strong tent peg. I’ll close with this great passage. Zechariah 10:3-4 The Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle. From him shall come the cornerstone, from him the יָתֵ֔ד tent peg.
