The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who have a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18
Exodus 37-38
Exodus 37
Constructing the Ark
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was three feet nine inches and its width two feet three inches. 2 He overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a molding of gold all around it.
3 He cast four rings of gold for it, in its four feet—two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
6 He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was 45 inches, and its width was 27 inches. 7 He made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat: 8 one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings. Facing one another, the faces of the cherubim were looking toward the mercy seat.
The Table of Showbread
10 He made the table of acacia wood. Its length was three feet, and its width was one foot six inches, and its height two feet three inches. 11 He overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. 12 He made a border of a hand’s width around it and made a golden molding on its border around it.13 He cast four rings of gold for it and put the rings in the four corners that were on its four feet. 14 The rings were close by the border; the places for the poles to carry the table.
15 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table.
16 He made the vessels which were on the table: its dishes, its spoons, its bowls, and its pitchers with which to pour out, of pure gold.
The Lampstand
17 He made the lamp stand of pure gold, of hammered work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were all one piece. 18 There were six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lamp stand out of its one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of its other side: 19 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower, so it was for the six branches going out of the lamp stand.
20 In the lamp stand were four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers; 21 and a bud under two branches of the same, and another bud under two branches of the same, and another bud under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it. 22 Their buds and their branches were all one piece. The whole thing was one work of pure hammered gold. 23 He made its seven lamps and its snuffers and its snuff dishes, of pure gold. 24 He made it from 75 pounds of pure gold, with all its vessels.
The Alter of Incense
25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a foot and a half, and its width a foot and a half. Its height was three feet. Its horns were of one piece. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it. 27 He made two golden rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with which to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. 29 He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the art of the perfumer.
Exodus 38
The Alter of Burnt Offerings
1 He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was 7½ feet wide, 7½ feet long, and 4½ feet high. 2 He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.
3 He made all the vessels of the altar: the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of bronze. 4 He made a grating for the altar, a network of bronze under the ledge, reaching halfway up from the bottom of the alter.
5 He cast four rings for the four corners of bronze grating, to be places for the poles. 6 He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.
The Bronze Basin
8 He made the basin of bronze and its base of bronze, out of the mirrors donated by the ministering women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
The Tabernacle Courtyard
9 Then he made the courtyard. The hangings of the court on the south side were of fine twined linen, 150 feet long; 10 their twenty pillars and their twenty sockets were of bronze; but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
11 The hangings on the north side were also 150 feet long, with their twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of bronze, the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. 12 For the west side, there were hangings of 75 feet long, with ten pillars and ten sockets, the hooks of the pillars and their fillets, of silver.
13 The hangings on the east side were 75 feet long. 14 The hangings for the one side were 22 feet, with their three pillars and their three sockets; 15 and the other side was the same. By the gate of the court were hangings of 22½ feet, with their three pillars and their three sockets.
16 All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. 17 The sockets for the pillars were of bronze. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. Their capitals were overlaid with silver. All the pillars of the court had silver bands.
18 The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. The length was 30 feet, and the height along the width was 7½ feet, like the hangings of the court. 19 Their four pillars and their four sockets were of bronze. Their hooks were of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver. 20 All the pins of the tabernacle and around the court, were of bronze.
The Cost of the Tabernacle
21 These are the amounts of materials used for the tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
22 Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses. 23 With him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skillful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen.
24 All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, the gold of the offering was over 2,193 pounds, according to the sanctuary shekel. 25 The silver of those who were counted of the congregation was 2,193 pounds, according to the sanctuary shekel. 26 This came to one-fifth ounce per person for everyone that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and up, for 603,550 men.
27 The 7,500 pounds of silver was for casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil: 100 sockets for the 7,500 pounds, 75 pounds for each socket. 8 From the 44 pounds of silver, he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them. 29 The bronze of the offering was 5,310 pounds. 30 With this he made the sockets to the door of the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, all the vessels of the altar, 31 the sockets around the court, the sockets of the gate of the court, all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins around the court.
Matthew 28:1-20
The Resurrection
1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 There was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the heavens and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
5 The angel answered the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and he goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ I have told you.”
8 They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring his disciples word. 9 As they went to tell his disciples, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!”
They came and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me.”
The Report of the Guards
11 Now while they were going, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept. 14 If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and keep you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were told. This story was spread abroad among the Jews and continues until today.
The Great Commission
16 But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them. 17 When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things that I commanded you. I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Psalm 34:11-22
11 Come, children, listen to me.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is he that desires life,
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil, and do good.
Seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous.
His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears,
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves those who have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of all of them.
20 He protects all of his bones.
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked.
Those who hate the righteous shall bear their own guilt.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of his servants.
None of those who trust in him shall be found guilty.
Proverbs 9:9-10
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be wiser still.
Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10 Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
And knowledge of the holy One is understanding.