Exodus 25:2, commentary and pictures

God told Moses to ask the children of Israel to bring Him an offering to supply the gold, silver, brass and other materials for building a sanctuary where He could dwell among them and be made known in all their travels. Only what was given willingly with the heart was to be taken, for devotion to God and a spirit of sacrifice were the first requirements for preparing His dwelling place, not compulsion. The call was only asking back what He had already entrusted to them, for all they possessed was His to return to Him when He required it. All whose hearts stirred them answered gladly without urging, giving largely of their actual possessions until more than was needed was brought and they had to be told to stop, showing that His work is sustained by willing liberality and not by force or pressure. The same call now requires free, prompt, liberal and unselfish giving as a living test of character and of the true state of the heart, by which He proves His people while Christ and angels watch.

Words, Purpose and Setting

The command is God speaking through Moses, telling the children of Israel to bring Him an offering. Only the offering of every man who gives willingly with his heart is to be taken. The invitation is to bring freewill offerings, not compelled contributions.

The offering is to supply materials such as gold and silver and brass for making a sanctuary, that He may dwell among them. The gifts of the people support the construction of the sanctuary, its service, and the holy garments. The sanctuary is built to be taken from place to place, so that in all the travels of Israel the knowledge of God will be made known.

The call comes just after Israel has been freed from long bondage in Egypt and delivered from the Egyptian armies that pursued them. At that time they are wanderers in the wilderness with small possessions and no prospect of increase. The command is repeated by Moses at the foot of Sinai for preparing a dwelling place for God among them, though great and expensive preparations are necessary and a large amount of precious and costly material is required. It belongs to the instructions Moses receives during his forty days and nights on the mountain concerning the specifications for Israel's service and the details of their obligations, beginning the directions for building the sanctuary including the pattern of the ark. This is after the book of the covenant has been read and the covenant sealed with blood, and after Moses has gone up into the mount with Joshua to receive the tables of stone, during which delay the people become discontented and reveal unbelief.

God is particular about every specification He gives to Moses for Israel. The specifications for building the tabernacle are given by Christ to Moses. The skill and genius and wisdom brought into the tabernacle work are given by God to be used for His glory, so supreme honor is to be given to Him. The account is to be repeated chapter after chapter to fellow workers for their benefit while working with the hands, teaching that the gospel is preached by quick, skillful, diligent, thorough labor as well as by voice. Paul related these specifications to his fellow workers while he worked quickly and skillfully with his hands at tent-making, preaching the gospel with his hands as well as his voice and educating believers by example in diligence and thoroughness.

Willing Giving and Israel's Example

God would take for His dwelling place only what was given willingly with the heart, with no compulsion, and devotion to Him with a spirit of sacrifice was the first requisite in preparing it, even though great and expensive preparations were necessary and a large amount of the most precious and costly material was required. The gifts supplied the materials for building a sanctuary where He would dwell among Israel, and the same principle requires willing support of sacred work and its buildings, with means used carefully and economically. The same call to willing self-sacrifice was afterward made for building the temple.

The call asked back only what He had already entrusted to them, for all they had was His and He had given them all they possessed, so when He called for it it was their duty to give back to the Lender His own. Everyone whose heart stirred him and whose spirit made him willing answered the call and brought the offering for the work of the tabernacle. They obeyed without urging, gladly and heartily withholding nothing and giving with a willing hand, not a certain amount of their increase but a large portion of their actual possessions devoted to the Lord. They gladly contributed their valuables and worked to build His house.

What was dedicated to worship was to be treated as sacred and prepared with care, with His people giving their best and not regarding anything as good enough merely because it was common or coarse. Such willing response pleased Him. Their gifts and labor came freely and in such abundance that more than was required was brought, so Moses had to tell the people to stop bringing materials because there was already more than enough.

Their liberality illustrates a spirit of benevolence not equaled by Christians of any later date. It shows that His work is funded by willing gifts and cooperation, with freewill offerings rather than compelled contributions, and not by pressure, force, or schemes of amusement.

Giving Applied Today

The same ancient call now presses for willing, ready, liberal, unselfish and prompt giving without grudging or selfishness to hasten memorials for God in Washington at Takoma Park. A school and a sanitarium are to be set in operation there as soon as possible, and a building for the publishing and public work is to be erected, without becoming weary in the special effort. Taking hold of the work means willingness with a ready mind even if it requires sacrifice. All churches are to show unselfish interest and do all in their power to hasten it forward.

God Himself orders the establishing of a place for His work to show forth His praise, so the work in Washington will be established because He has said it is to be. His name will be glorified there and His truth will find standing room. Willing workers doing their best in accordance with His will gain great blessing in seeing Him answer prayer. God gives wisdom both to those engaged in erecting the buildings and to those chosen to carry forward the work in them. Church officers are to urge duty and prayer, believers are to restrain extravagance in dress and other things lest they lead others into extravagance, and means sent in are to be used in the most careful, economical way. Buildings are to be put up and furnished without display or unnecessary expenditure of means, and no slack, slipshod work is to be done.

The verse requires a free-will offering from every willing heart and pressed offerings are not accepted, so the cause is not to be carried forward by force. The matter is left wholly to the people and wholly upon the individual whether he will give much or little. Giving is not to be a yearly gift merely but a freely presented weekly and monthly offering before the Lord, under a system that draws upon all. Healthy young men and young women are accountable to God for their strength and must bring a free-will offering. Ministers must stand out of the way that God may reach the people, working in union with Jesus with angelic patience and forbearance and giving the people time to develop character. They must not step between God and His people by being severe, drawing upon any one man, pressing means from him, denouncing him, or casting him off if he does not give as much as another thinks he should.

This giving is a weekly, monthly, living test by which the Lord tests and proves His people. It develops character and manifests the true state of the heart, faithfully recorded while Christ and angels watch the development of character and weigh moral worth. Truth is brought closer and closer to cut off one idol after another until God reigns supreme in consecrated hearts. If any have no heart in the work and fail to bring offerings He will visit them, and if they continue to cling to covetousness He will separate them from His people and remove His prospering hand from them. Sacrifice for God and His cause is never compelled but must be a freewill offering given willingly. The freewill offering required is total, for it will take all to buy the field. Those not willing to take a bold and unyielding stand for the truth and to sacrifice for God and His cause will be shaken out in the mighty shaking that has commenced and will go on.