He made the basin of bronze, and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting (38:8).
While this chapter continues from the previous chapter in describing articles of the tabernacle as well as its court, it is this verse that caught my attention. I have read Exodus at least twenty times over the years, but I have not previously noticed this verse that mentions the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
Many think that women were devalued and of no consequence in the Bible, especially in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). But in this chapter we see them serving in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
I did some research, and no one seems to know what these women were doing. But the fact that they were involved in some kind of service is enough to tell us that some women had a part to play in serving the Lord. We don’t know enough from this one verse to develop a whole theology, but it does show us that both men and women had a part to play, although their roles were different.
Women did not serve as priests, they did not go to war, nor were they elders. They were, however, busy with other significant service tasks, most of which were at home. But, as we see here, some were not serving exclusively in their home. We don’t know whether these were single or married women. We don’t know if this was a full-time thing for a few women or an occasional thing for many women.
While I am curious as to what these women were doing, this was around 3000 years ago, and the important thing for me to know is what God would have me do today.
Prayer: God, I thank You that You give us all a part to play as we serve You wherever we are. Please guide me in my service to You. Amen.
