What a mess the people have made of everything. Their fickle hearts didn't remain true long enough for Moses to come back down from meeting with God on the mountain. Moses in his anger at them destroys the commandments that were inscribed by God's hand, and then has to beg God to not destroy the whole lot. This time when Moses comes back down from spending another forty days on the mountain with God, his face is radiant. So radiant that even his brother Aaron was afraid to come near him. Moses convinces Aaron and the leaders to come back to speak with him and he gives the commandments of the Lord to all of them.
As part of the commands from God, Moses calls out Bezelel and Oholiab to oversee the building of the tabernacle, and asks anyone who wants to contribute offerings for the construction to do so. As if to make up for the gold that they gave Aaron to make the golden calf, this time, the people bring offerings. Morning after morning, they bring offerings until finally Moses has to issue an order that no more offerings should be made. The Israelites carried out all of God's instructions for the building of the tabernacle and the making of the priestly garments, just as God had instructed Moses on the mountain. "According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them." - Exodus 39:42-43 NKJV
Finally, the people can set off on their journey to the promised land. They have the law, they have the tabernacle and the priests and most of all, they have hearts ready to follow the Lord.
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