We're now on the "downhill run" of Exodus. We've just completed the 10 Commandments, Exodus 20, and there's 40 total chapters in this writing. You might be thinking, "hmmmm, it's taken us a year to get to this point; will we be in Exodus 21-40 for another year?!?!" The quick answer: no. We could easily spend one, two or eight more years in Exodus 20-40, but for us as a body, right now is not the time. So let me give you a preview of how we'll look at it.

First of all, the latter half of the book deals primarily with one thing, one theme, that stands out among all else: worship. God has given His Law to the people, and now He undertakes to direct them in how they are to worship.

Involved in this, God sets forth a full supply of the sacred: sacred people (mediators, priests, artisans), sacred places (Mt. Sinai, altars, a Tent of Meeting, a Tabernacle), sacred times (sabbaths, festivals ... parties!), sacred things (a golden lampstand, a bronze altar, a wash basin, a bread table, oil and incense ... yes, God designs His very own cologne). The sacred, that which is especially set-apart for God by God, conveys and displays God's great glory and wonder and beauty and holiness.

We could take any one of these items and exhaust all avenues of discussion and ourselves for that matter. But we won't do that...now. My goal is to provide a solid foundation of understanding Exodus and put before you good resources to follow up on should you find yourself more deeply interested. In and and through all of this, I think you will see the great Glory of God shining out through the One to whom all sacred people, places, times and things point: Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment and completion and beginning and end and fullness of God's glory.