
“And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering…..” Exodus 35-21
Willing here, in Hebrew, means voluntary, generous, and magnanimous.
Exodus 35-40
Link to Online Bible to read Exodus 35-40 is here
These chapters show a recurring theme:
1st theme:
– ‘whosoever is of a willing heart’
– ‘and they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted…’
– ‘and all the women that were wise hearted….’
– The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work’
2nd theme:
‘The Lord called by name ….. and hath filled him with
– The Spirit of God
– in wisdom
– in understanding
– in knowledge
– in all manner of workmanship
– and to devise curious works
3rd theme:
The offering. The giving. The generosity.
36:3 “And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning’
V6 ‘…. So the people were restrained from bringing, for the stuff they had was sufficient all the work to make it, and too much’
Cheerful Givers or Blessing Hoarders
Has this happened in today’s world amongst Christians?
These people went all in to obey God’s commands, to make sure that level of quality was met, that the work of God was cared for, provided for, to the point where they were told, it’s ok guys, we’ve got more than enough.
So beautiful. So generous.
Do you know I’ve heard some Christians say, ‘well if God’s in it, he will provide, you have the faith, he hasn’t ‘told’ me to give, you know I have my own things to take care of’.
What can I say? …… Nothing.
Giving requires faith
We each walk this faith out with God ourselves.
We forget the lessons from the women with the little bit of oil, the women who gave all she had that Jesus commented on, the people that gave and supported Paul to further the preaching of the gospel. God, I have not forgotten, I will do even if no one else does.
It’s a question of the willing heart, THE STIRRING UP!
It’s a question of the commitment to ‘These are the words which the Lord hath commanded (such as Jesus said, go into all the world and preach the gospel…), that you should do them. (Ex 35:1).
The glory of God visited
Again I see God’s demand for the attention to detail, to the quality of the service, to the showcasing of what it looks like to be his people, to be with him.
And what is the end result of all this willing heart giving, serving, constructing, designing, obedience to detail?
‘And a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle’ (Ex 40:34-35)
Can you imagine that?
And yet, Paul tells us, we have such a better covenant and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
We can look back and see how God was leading these people towards the Messiah. But God, I’m so thankful that today, we have such a glorious gospel, and now, beyond only Israel, these people that are God’s inheritance, he has extended the welcome into the whole world. Everyone and anyone that believes that Jesus is the Christ, has such a spectacular experience to come into!
Tomorrow is Leviticus. There are secrets in there that can only be discovered by the reading through, by the insights of the Holy Spirit.
Wasn’t Exodus amazing? What a fabulous record for us to glean the thinkings and concepts and ways of God! My prayer, as always, is that we know God as he is, not as what men’s doctrines have told us.