Image: Aletheia, 2010, Hattiesburg, Ms
Exodus 38:8 (NKJV) 8 He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
These two chapters continue the detailed description of the furnishings of the tabernacle. We begin to get an idea of the scope of the work as each item is reviewed. The massive altar, the delicate lampstand, the beautifully proportioned altar for incense and, most importantly, the ark.
Speaking of the ark it must have been a wonder of skilled craftsmanship. Imagine the gold "mercy seat" extending on either side to the "cherubim" that stood guard at either end. In 37:8 we are told that these "cherubim" were made of "one piece" with the mercy seat. Now that is amazing to me. I assume, since they were "beaten gold" that the entire assembly was shaped by a blacksmith technique of some sort. As a woodworker I know how easy it is to make mistakes, slips, that detract from the final product. Since the ark had to be perfect that meant that if the artisan made a mistake on one piece that he might have to rebuild the entire assembly. That's astonishing to me. I am probably reading too much into it but it catches my eye.
The other utensils and furniture are presented as impressively designed and constructed. All too often we tend to think of our "modern" age as so superior to the ancients in all things. We fail to see the intelligence, skill and craft that these workers displayed. With only minimal tools by modern standards, with no helps such as sand paper, blow torches, carbon steel chisels and hand planes, they did work that could only be called "priceless" in our classification. Truly the Holy Spirit shows Himself in such work when it comes from a heart that sincerely desires to serve the Lord and to glorify Him in the work of our hands as much as in the words of our lips.
Which brings us to the conundrum which is verse 38:8.
Here we are told that the bronze laver was constructed from the "mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle." Now the laver was to be positioned between the altar and the entrance to the holy place. It is interesting that the bronze that was used to make it was from women whose regular place of assembly was "at the door of the tabernacle."
Who are these women? What does it mean that they were designated "serving women?" Why did they have mirrors with them as they assembled there? We have clues about the answers but no one can say with certainty the truth about them.
Some things we do know. Women in ancient Egypt brought polished metal "mirrors" with them to the temples of their gods. Even today in some Moorish women regularly incorporate small "mirrors" as ornaments on their clothing. These mirrors may have been as such ornaments for the women or they may have served some purpose. We have no real answer but what we know is that the women who gathered there had them available and readily gave up these precious objects for the laver.
Secondly these women are described as "serving women." The adjective used here is also employed (in its masculine form) for men who are in active military duties. It is significant that the women are said to "assemble" at the door of the tabernacle... again using a word that has military connotations... we would say that the military unit "mustered" at a certain location. We are left to ponder the implications.
Evidently, as was still true hundreds of years later as we read in 1 Samuel 2:22, there was some regular ministry that these women yielded up to God in the ordinary conduct of life in Israel. We are not told that they were specifically chosen for this service, much less that we should consider them "ordained" to such service, or whether they just voluntarily showed up and made themselves available, but that whatever they did was regularly needed.
I imagine, as basically any pastor will affirm, that just as with the modern church, the daily and ordinary housekeeping and support for the tabernacle and its Levites, was done by women who voluntarily gave of their time and efforts to do it. We know that women and men did not worship together and that women were precluded from some portions of it, but I am certain that there were many ordinary things that needed doing. Some theologians think that they may have supported the Levites as the women who followed Jesus and His disciples served them. It is fascinating to consider.
What we do know is that when they showed up at the door of the tabernacle they assembled in some regular order and that they then "served" as various needs presented themselves. God has always had a special place in His heart and in His ministry for the humble service offered up, in His name, by women.
Such is the case still. The roles of men and women are not as clearly distinguished now as they were 50 years ago. It is no longer unusual for the husband to be the "stay at home dad" because the wife has the higher paying job. The simple 'pot luck' dinner which is such a staple of Christian fellowship is no longer comprised of food that was prepared only by women. But everything that is done in the ordinary life of a church is usually, in some very specific fashion, supported by women who serve without very much recognition and seldom with any pay. I think Phoebe (Romans 16) was just such a woman. A woman with a big heart and a big love for her Savior. She was a "servant of many" and such dedicated women will always bring a smile to God's face.
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