Tuesday: Have you forgotten already?

From Exodus 29-32:

1. In Exodus 29:20 it discusses how to consecrate Aaron and his sons. The blood on the thumbs of the right hands made sense, and I suppose perhaps the right ear lobe too, but the right big toe also? And why just these items, and not the whole right hand? Or the right side of the face? Or the right foot?

2. Exodus 29:22 talks about the fat tail. As opposed to what? The skinny tail? It must be a part I am not familiar with. Or perhaps it describes a part that is a portion that is removed during a dressing of a lamb for food.

3. Exodus 29:26 talks about one of the most interesting of the offerings: the wave offering. I wonder why there is a wave offering.

4. Aaron is commanded in these passages to make a drink offering during the morning and evening sacrifices of a lamb, as well as a grain offering. Additionally, every day Aaron is supposed to burn incense on the altar when he tends the lamps in the morning, and then again at night. He is going to be pretty busy!

5. I wonder...why the distinction of the "sanctuary shekel"? As opposed to what?

6. God gave a special recipe for his anointing oil, and also said that the incense offered to him should be created by a perfumer. Neither of these could be used by any other than under God's direction where God deemed it appropriate.

7. It is really neat that God gave certain men like Bezalel and Oholiab special abilities to do some cool stuff for him. Many times we think of God giving abilities as those that are used in a "church" type setting, like preaching, teaching, or singing. But here in this case, God is using abilities that are more like arts, crafts, and skilled trades.

8. Have you forgotten already? - The Israelites were really not very smart! They had just witnessed God's great salvation from the Egyptian armies, and then seen God, and now they want to make idols. That is just crazy. I guess it goes to show that we always need to be on our guard to keep our love for God and our reverence for him strong. Otherwise the enemy will turn us against him very quickly.