Double Creation Narratives

Exodus 25-31 form a single unit of seven speeches: "And God spoke to Moses saying..." The fact that there are seven speeches already suggests a parallel to Genesis 1, but the order of the speeches seems to confirm this pattern as well (e.g. the last speech is a restatement of the Sabbath command). After this "new creation" of Israel, Israel sins and breaks covenant with the Lord, just like Adam. Exodus 32 and the golden calf incident have a number of parallels with Adam's fall (e.g. Aaron shifts blame like Adam, Moses and the sons of Levi gather at the entrance of the tabernacle with swords just like the cherubim that are stationed at the entrance of the garden after the Fall).

That first creation and fall are followed by a covenant renewal sequence (chs. 33-35) before the actual building of the tabernacle begins (36:8). The narrative describes in detail the obedience of Israel and the artisans in following the word of God in building what was described in the original seven speeches. This narrative closes with several statements like "all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished" and "Moses looked over all the work and indeed they had done it; as the Lord had commanded just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them." These sound remarkably like the end of the original creation week: "Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good... Thus the heavens and the earth and all the hose of them were finished. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had done... Then God blessed the seventh day..."

The implication seems to be that the actual building of the tabernacle is also an act of creation that fulfills and completes the creation "week" that God had spoken in Ex. 25-31. Perhaps this is in some way following the Genesis narrative. In Gen. 1-2 there are two creation narratives, the first is the original creation week structured by the speeches of God whereas the second is creation narrative focused more directly on the man, the garden, the animals, and finally the creation of the woman. Perhaps there is at least some correspondence to that double creation narrative in Exodus. Ex. 25-31 is Genesis 1-2:4 and Ex. 36:8-39:43 is Gen. 2:5-25.

This would also fit with the tabernacle as a woman motif. When the tabernacle is finally built, a new Eve has finally emerged from the side of Israel, the new son of God, the new Adam.