May 29, 2013
ARE YOU IN THE GAME OR JUST WATCHING?
Exodus 35
Suzanne Silva
Central Truth
The followers of Christ should be willing and moved in their hearts to give and serve as God commands.
Key Verse | Exodus 35:21
Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord's contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments. (Exodus 35:21)
Exodus 35
Sabbath Regulations
1 Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. 2 Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.”
Contributions for the Tabernacle
4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats' hair, 7 tanned rams' skins, and goatskins; 1 35:7 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain; also verse 23; compare 25:5 acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.
10 Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 12 the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; 13 the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; 19 the finely worked garments for ministering 2 35:19 Or garments for worship; see 31:10 in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.”
20 Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. 23 And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats' hair or tanned rams' skins or goatskins brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD's contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. 25 And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. 26 All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats' hair. 27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD.
Construction of the Tabernacle
30 Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, 32 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. 34 And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.
Dive Deeper | Exodus 35
The past couple of years I've had the privilege of working with Good News Club at our neighborhood school. We have about 130 kids, ages 6-12. I love watching them play games as they laugh and expend energy. The ones that jump in and play hard have the most fun, whether it's musical paper plates or Human Farkle. Once we finish the games, we get to tell the kids about God's great love for them.
But before we ever get to club, it takes many hours of preparation, just like all the work the Israelites did on the tabernacle. I remember studying the life of Moses several years ago and hearing God say to me, Watch and you will see all the volunteers with their varied skills and gifts come and make a team to serve the kids. And He did it!
The Lord commanded the Israelites through the leadership of Moses to build the tabernacle. People came with WILLING hearts to give an offering of service/skill and precious materials. The bonus was that "[God] has filled them with skill to perform every work" (Exodus 35:35). He wants us to be willing, and He will equip us to do His good works. Too often, we think we are incompetent, or we do not have enough to give the way the Lord is calling us. He will accomplish His plans, however big, as we see the craftsmen tell Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done" (Exodus 36:5, NIV). Then, the people were stopped from giving more.
This last year, I was challenged by our pastor as he asked us to consider our offering to our building project. The building is now done; do we get to say we were blessed to give, or that we missed the opportunity by just watching the construction? Also, our faithful stewardship director challenged us further, asking if we are truly giving with a generous spirit, knowing the Lord has given us all we have. So . . . are we playing or just watching? Jump in! Hebrews 12:1.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you serve regularly in your church and with a willing heart? Or do you look to other people to fill the need? Are you considering it a privilege to serve where God has commanded you in caring for His church?
2. Do you give with a generous spirit? Are you giving in an attitude of thanksgiving to God who gave His Son's life for your sins?
3. Are you looking to see God equip you and others around you? Where have you seen growth in your spiritual walk and ability to serve?
4. Do you buy into the truth that we will be blessed and have joy in our giving and serving and that our eternal reward is far greater than what the world can promise? (Colossians 3:22-24)
5. I encourage you to go to the Sunday Messages channel of Watermark Media and listen to the Seminal Truths in September message entitled "The Evidence of Stewardship," given on September 2, 2012, (http://www.watermark.org/media/series/280/).