LA UBF

Thanksgiving-2016N.docx

Free Offerings for All the Work

Exodus 35:4-35

Key verse 29

“All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.”

Introduction

It is a fact that God doesn’t’ need our gifts for He is the Creator of everything. He owns everything. He could have the angels descend from heaven to build the tabernacle with materials made from heaven. But He didn’t do that. Why? Because giving is a blessing. God gave His people the opportunity to give. This was something that people could take joy and pleasure in. They could be excited that they had this opportunity to serve God. Previous chapter 34: 20b reads, “No one is to appear before me empty-handed.” May the Lord help each of us to be willing and be moved by the Spirit so that we may bring our willing heart and offering to God.

1. Read verses 4-9. What did the Lord command to the whole Israelite community through Moses? Why might the Lord have commanded them to bring from what they had and from whoever is willing? (5) What can we learn from God’s commands about offerings?

1-1, Read verses 4-9.

Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a]; acacia wood; 8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

1-2, What did the Lord command to the whole Israelite community through Moses?

Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; 8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

Background

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ in John 1:1) gave Moses detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle (Exo 25-31).
Moses found the Israelites running wild in a frenzy, worshipping the golden calf (Exo 32). The Tabernacle was not built after that incident.
Moses had returned from his second meeting with the LORD on Mount Sinai. (Exo 34)
After Sabbath regulations in chapter 35:1-3, the Lord commanded the whole Israelite community to bring materials for the Tabernacle.

1-3, Why might the Lord have commanded them to bring from what they had and from whoever is willing? (5)

Both “From what you have” and “everyone who is willing” shows that God understands each of us and wants us to be willing to give him what we have.
God provides for us in advance and doesn’t ask for us to bring what we do not have.
God does not need our gifts, for He is the Creator God who is self sufficient.
God really wants to bless us through this command of giving. Praise God!
It reminds us of Psalm 100 and Song (Chris Tomlin).

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaL_VeHil6U

1-4, What can we learn from God’s commands about offerings?

God is not a dictator, nor an authoritarian father. He is the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. (34:6)
One key aspect of this contribution that was repeated many times throughout this passage, is that it was a freewill offering.
It was to be given completely of one’s own free will. It wasn’t mandatory. It wasn’t forced.
Moses made the people aware of the need, so everyone with a willing heart could give as much as they decided in their own hearts.

2. Read verses 10-19. What was the Lord’s command for all who were skilled among them? What can we learn from the Lord’s wisdom to use a wide variety of tasks from skillful laborers? How can we make a collaborative team effort, using our talents?

2-1, Read verses 10-19.

“All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12 the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; 13 the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; 15 the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; 17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; 19 the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests.”

2-2, What was the Lord’s command for all were skilled among them?

10 “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12 the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; 13 the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; 15 the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; 17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; 19 the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests.”

2-3, What can we learn from the Lord’s wisdom to use a wide variety of tasks from skillful laborers?

2-4, How can we make a collaborative team effort, using our talents?

Notice all the different items in the Tabernacle that needed to be made.
A wide variety of skills was necessary.
One or two people could not do all the work by themselves.
Even if it were possible, it’s unlikely they would be experts in every field.
Notice the different skills needed; math for measuring, angles, joints, etc. sewing, embroidery, and dying for the clothes and curtains, carpentry for the woodwork of the table and poles, metallurgy for working with the gold and bronze, art for designing the buds and cherubim, perfumers for working on the incense, candlemaker for the candles of the lampstand, etc. etc.
There were a wide variety of tasks that needed a wide variety of skillful laborers. Whatever skill you had, you could put to use by helping in some way.
There was something for everyone to do as well as some things that no one person could do by himself. It was to be a cooperative team effort.
This is much like work mentioned in the book of Ephesians that we are now studying.

Ephesians 4:12- 16 reads,

to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.... 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

This can be applicable to our church today. There are many different tasks available. Whatever skills we have, we can put to use.
Again the one key factor is that we must be willing. Are we willing to help serve in our church/fellowship? Amen!

3. Read verses 20-29. How did the whole Israelite community reply? What variety of offerings did they bring to the Lord? What can we learn from their willing and free offerings, along with everyone’s participation? (29)

3-1 Read verses 20-29.

Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

3-1, How did the whole Israelite community reply?

3-2, What variety of offerings did they bring to the Lord?

3-3, What can we learn from their willing and free offerings, along with everyone’s participation? (29)

All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

Each person gave as he was able and willing. There was no room for excuses.
If we truly want to give, we would find something to give.
Remember that when the people left Egypt, their neighbors gave them valuables on the way out. So most of them did actually have valuables to give for the building of the tabernacle.
Again it was a freewill offering, meaning that it wasn’t forced. Obviously there would be the apparent risk that not enough materials would be given and then what?
However, since this was God’s plan to build the tabernacle I believe that God would make sure enough people were “moved” or “stirred” to give.
If God really wants a task accomplished He will not only have the need stated out, but He will make sure the resources are there to finish it.
God did clearly want the tabernacle built, and therefore He moved the people to make sure they gave enough.
This is yet another example of the tension, but harmony, between God’s sovereignty and our own responsibility.

4. Read verses 30-35. What did the Lord do for Bezalel? (30-33) What else had God given him and Oholiab? (34-35) What can we learn from the Lord who chose and equipped them to do the special work of God?

4-1, Read verses 30-35.

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.

4-2, What did the Lord do for Bezalel? (30-33)

Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts.

4-3, What else had God given him and Oholiab? (34-35)

And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.

4-4, What can we learn from the Lord who chose and equipped them to do the special work of God?

Here we might have several questions; “What was special about Bezalel and Oholiab?” “What was their role?” “Where did they get this specialized skill from?”
What they were able to do was sort of specialists who could support other people including skilled people mentioned previously.
But their special skills stemmed from the Lord according to verse 35.

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.

Conclusion

So far we can notice that God is involved in every step of works. After giving them detailed instructions in the previous chapters, He gives the command to Moses to mention the need. He stirs the hearts of the people to fill the need for materials and calls skilled workers. He then calls Bezalel and Oholiab who were endowed with special skills for finest jobs. Praise God who gives each of us opportunity and blessing to take part in God’s eternal works continually in our own generation also May the Lord help us to fan into frame our thanks and willingness so that we may joyfully build up our church together for God.

One word: men and women who were willing