The $62.126 Million Dollar Tabernacle

Today's Reading:

• Exodus 37:1 - 38:31
  
• Proverbs 9:9 - 10

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Exodus 37:1 - 38:31
In an earlier post I did some math to determine the cost of the lamp stand alone, and that price was $2,067,516 in gold.  Well today I have some new numbers to work with.  These appear to be the final numbers for the amount of metals used in the construction of the Tabernacle.

• Gold:      2,193 Pounds
• Silver:    7,545 Pounds
• Bronze:  5,310 Pounds

So let's find out what cost in today's dollar (March 18, 2012 @ 1:30 PM CT).

Price of Gold:  $1,659.42 per Ounce  ($26,550.72 per pound)

Price of Silver: $32.51 per Ounce ($520.16 per pound)

Price of Bronze: Unfortunately, I was unable to find a reliable price per pound.  I will make a guess of $1 per pound, which could be way under, way over or just about right.  So let's say: $5,310 in bronze.

Tallying up the cost:

Gold:  2,193 x $26,550.72 = $58,225,728.96

Silver: 7,545 x $520.16 = $3,924,607.20

Bronze:  5,310 x $1 = $5,310.00

Total Price of the Tabernacle and all in it in today's dollars:  $62,155,646.16

$62.126 MILLION dollars.  It must have been a sight to behold!

Proverbs 9:9 - 10
These verses tell us more about Wisdom and good judgement.  We are told that instructing the wise will make them wiser and teaching the righteous will cause them to learn even more. 

I know these verses talk about teaching, but I can't ignore the reverse of that, which is the learning.  Even if you are wise, even if you are righteous, we are told here that there is always more to learn and more to gain.  More wisdom and life applications are to be had for everyone. So whether you have more to learn or more to teach, you can still be a part of each side of the equation.

The Mockers and the Wicked

Today's Reading:

• Proverbs 8:33 - 36
  
• Proverbs 9:1  - 6

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Proverbs 8:33 - 9:6
We hear more from Wisdom in these verses.  Wisdom beckons those who are simple and who lack good judgement to dine with her and to begin to live and learn to use good judgement (9:4-6).  So it doesn't matter how "simple" one is or how much judgement one lacks.  Wisdom and good judgement can be learned if you are willing. 

I think a good majority of lack of wisdom just comes from being young.  You think you have the whole world figured out, and that your views are supreme to others, but in the end you just don't have the experience to realize that you are building a box around yourself.  But the good news is that Wisdom can be learned, and is open to all those who seek it.

There are a few more interesting verses here that talk about those who mock and those who are wicked.  Just yesterday I wrote about the people of today who leave boisterous and outrageous comments all over the internet.  What happens if you reply to one of those?  Why, they lash back with a fury, of course. 

When has a well thought out comment, even completely lacking in judgement against the original offender, ever caused that person to say, "Hey, I see your point and have gained some wisdom/empathy/sympathy/understanding" for this situation"?.  Yeah, it doesn't work that way.  All that happens is that those people fire back an even greater insult at you.

This is confirmed in verses 7-8 of Psalm 9:

Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.  Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.  So don't bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you.  But correct the wise, and they will love you.

 As hard as it is, we must learn to let these things go and leave the "mockers" and the "wicked" to their own devices.  There are those who love wisdom and would love to gain more of it, so we should focus our energy on sharing our knowledge, insights and wisdom with those people, and to take in return what we can gain from them.

Notes
This concludes my reordering of readings that began when I smashed the two Matthew readings together a few days ago.  I won't promise that I won't do it again, because sometimes I just have to follow my inclination to keep reading, but at least the readings will be back to normal (for a time), starting tomorrow.

Bearing Guilt of an Entire Nation of People

Today's Reading:
• Exodus 28:1 - 43
• Proverbs 8:12 - 13

Exodus 28:1 - 43
Today I read about the priestly clothing of Aaron and that of his sons.  My study bible has a drawing of what the clothing probably looked like.  It all sounds very intricate and very beautiful. 

I thought it was interesting how Aaron was charged with wearing a medallion on his turban so that he always carried the guilt of his people around with him.  I have a hard enough time carrying my own guilt, I could imagine carrying the guilt of an additional 600,000 men plus women and children.  And then there is Christ who carried the guilt of all who lived with him and since his body died on the cross.  What a tremendous burden to bear!

Proverbs 8:12 - 13
Wisdom says that she lives together with good judgement and knows where to find knowledge and discernment.  (8:12).  The next verse goes on to say that all who fear the Lord will hate evil -- pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.  Apparently it's not enough to just avoid those things yourself -- being in the presence of it should upset you. 

Where does the line fall between hating that which is wrong and forgiveness and walking in love?  I know that I work really hard not to hate others and I try to ignore their actions in hopes that one day they will come around.  I try really hard not to judge others.  Of course I fail greatly, but I do try. 

I'm supposed to hate the things the Lord hates, but hate is a very strong word and it's something that I try really really hard not to do.  I don't know what to think right this moment.  I will just have to read more and self-examine myself on this topic.

Notes (this section written on 3/18/12)
I have fallen behind in managing my blog right now due to sickness and laziness, I guess.  As I have mentioned a few times now, I stay ahead on my blog posts, so a post is written anywhere from a few weeks to a month or more before it is actually published. 

Well right now I am dangerously low on my posts -- only 10 on hand as I write this.  I said a prayer before starting today that the Lord would banish the sickness that has taken over my spirit so that His will be done and shine through me again. 

It has been an entire week since I have sat down to do a study, and right now that feels like ages have gone by.  My studies, because they are so frequent, really feel intimate -- and I like the intimate relationship with God.  But right now it's been an entire week, I've been sick, I've been lazy -- and all that needs to go.  Now.  I have said my prayers and am sitting down once again in my studies.  When you read this, even if it is a month from now, please say a little prayer for me so that I can keep up with my studies and maintain the intimate relationship I am trying to create.  Thank you.