Justin Houtz

Exodus 26, John 5, Proverbs 2, Galatians 1

DateVersionReading Plan
@March 15, 2024ESV (2016)M’Cheyne Plan 2024

Exodus 26

Exodus 26:1, 31, 36 (ESV) 26 “Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. … 31 “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. … 36 “You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework.

This chapter largely contains instructions for making the tabernacle. The materials to be used and craftsmanship employed were to be of the utmost quality. Interestingly, the ten curtains, the veil and the screen all required the same type of colored yarns and fine twined linen. This seems to point to kind of regal uniformity to be achieved in the tabernacle’s construction.

John 5

John 5:7–9 (ESV) 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.

There are a number details one could unpack regarding Jesus’ healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda, but it was their exchange that seemed especially remarkable. When Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed, he did not answer with a “Yes” or “No”, but went into an explanation as to why he had not been able to enter the pool. Jesus did not acknowledge this explanation but instead told the man to get up and walk. Granted, it seems the man did not know Jesus could heal, but his focus was primarily on getting in the pool while the focus of Jesus was on healing the man. It is a helpful example of how fixated we can become in trying to get what we think we need when Jesus wants to give us what we truly need.

Proverbs 2

Proverbs 2:6–8 (ESV) 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

The relationship between the LORD’s wisdom and His protection is important to capture here. The two are tightly coupled as God shields and guards the upright who abide in His Word and earnestly seek the sound wisdom He has stored for them. There will inevitably be stumbling in our pursuit to the brokenness of this world, but the LORD is vigilant to watch over the way of His saints.

Galatians 1

Galatians 1:6–7 (ESV) 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Paul makes clear that there is no other gospel except the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, the churches of Galatia had succumbed to the false teachers who had presented their message as the true understanding of the gospel. It is important to take away from this the need to be so saturated with the real gospel—the only gospel—so as to wholly and immediately reject any aberrant teaching we encounter.

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