Reflections from March 4, 2011

Today we find the wrap up work of the tabernacle as we wrap up Exodus. Moses did an accounting of the offering and it's recorded in Exodus 38:26 how many people participated in the offering where it says,
"for everyone included in the numbering from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men."
That's 603,550 men! Assuming that each one of them was married since they were no less than 20 years old, and assuming each couple had 2.2 children, and assuming there were 10% of the women there as widows, that makes for a population of 2,595,265 people. That's a large group to be living a nomadic lifestyle. But, they were all unified in serving the Lord and they were goal oriented in completing the temple.

The temple was completed, as we read in Exodus 39:42-43,
"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."
The Israelites celebrated and acknowledged their good work. After it was complete, Moses blessed them, giving them a sign of approval that can be as refreshing to the people as fresh rain or dew that renews faded grass. And a thorough performance review or quality check brings tremendous blessings on a person who has done a good job.
This important lesson is still very valid today, and it serves us well, whether or not we're in a position of authority over others. People like to hear about good work, and it helps in our relationships with each other. Plus, it helps us to bring up subjects on God, in that ultimately, good works are from the Lord.

Finally, we read in Exodus 40:16,
"Thus Moses did according to all that the Lord had commanded, so he did."
As a leader, Moses set the example of how to go about doing your work. Thus, the others in charge of the tabernacle followed this example and diligently supervised and completed their work.
Excellence begins at the top and with Israel, it began with Moses. It spread to the group of managers helping to supervise and coordinate the project, and the workers followed suit. We must always strive for modeling excellence for others at our job, in our family, wherever work is to be done.

Blessings to all