As the Lord commanded

The last 5 chapters, as I mentioned before, are basically reiterations of all the instructions that God gave Moses for the construction of the tabernacle. 

The key difference, of course, is that in these chapters, it’s not just being talked about, it’s actually being made. 

The phrase, that you see repeatedly in these passages is that Moses and the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded. 

It’s more or less summed up in chapter 39 where it says,

The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them. (Exodus 39:42-43)

But even in chapter 40, you see this phrase eight more times.

There was no cutting of corners in following the Lord’s instructions. 

No one said, “I’m tired of all these detailed instructions.  I’m going to do it my way.” 

Instead, every single thing that the Lord commanded, the Israelites did. 

And when the work was all done, it says in verses 34-38,

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 

In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted.

So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels. (Exodus 40:34-38)

Do you want to see God’s work in your life?  Do you want God’s leading in your life? 

I think the point God is making here is crystal clear:  obey him. 

Not just in the big things.  But in the “little” things as well. 

And as we obey him, our lives are filled with his glory, and we will know his leading in our lives.