The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering,
The verse belongs to God's command given through Moses inviting Israel to build the tabernacle in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. It names the ark, its carrying poles, the mercy seat, and the covering veil as parts of the sacred furnishings to be made. The tabernacle was to be built according to God's design, the pattern shown to Moses, requiring exactness, skill, wisdom, and perfection. The people gave willingly, freely and eagerly from their possessions, valuables, and labor, wanting a part in the blessing.
They gave so abundantly that Moses and the leaders told them to stop bringing materials because there was enough. God did not create the means for the sanctuary Himself, though the gold and silver and all that people possess, even their own souls and bodies, are His, and He never works that way. Instead He called on all the people to make free-will offerings and return to Him what is His own. That call was a special object calling for free-will offerings, distinct from and additional to systematic and regular donations, and God made that draft upon the people for their own good as well as to sustain His service, with a blessing for everyone who does his part, while that same exactness and care is required in every line of service to God.
The verse belongs to God's command given through Moses inviting Israel to build the tabernacle in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. It names the ark, its carrying poles, the mercy seat, and the covering veil as parts of the sacred furnishings to be made. The tabernacle was to be built according to God's design, the pattern shown to Moses, requiring exactness, skill, wisdom, and perfection. The people gave willingly, freely and eagerly from their possessions, valuables, and labor, wanting a part in the blessing.
They gave so abundantly that Moses and the leaders told them to stop bringing materials because there was enough. God did not create the means for the sanctuary Himself, though the gold and silver and all that people possess, even their own souls and bodies, are His, and He never works that way. Instead He called on all the people to make free-will offerings and return to Him what is His own. That call was a special object calling for free-will offerings, distinct from and additional to systematic and regular donations, and God made that draft upon the people for their own good as well as to sustain His service, with a blessing for everyone who does his part, while that same exactness and care is required in every line of service to God.