Moses Receives Offerings and the Tabernacle Is Finishedby KalebRosendahl
36:4Exodus 36:4
And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;
Shortly after Israel left Egypt, when freedom could still turn back to slavery and means were scanty and their own tents were small, God's house was commanded to be built first with the design He gave to follow, and the people put His tabernacle before enlarging their own dwellings. The wise men were the skilled builders of the sanctuary, each occupied with his own individual task, and they left those tasks to come together for the work, which was carried out by many capable people rather than left to one person alone, with their abilities serving the work God had commanded. They carried out the construction according to God-given directions and pattern, and their skill, ability, and wisdom were gifts from God to be used for His glory. The exactness, skill, wisdom, and perfection of that work set a standard for every kind of work done in God's service. The account shows that practical work can be joined with spiritual teaching and service.
While the building went on the people kept bringing offerings to Moses and Moses presented them to the workmen, and the wise men who wrought the work examined the gifts and decided the people had brought enough and even more than could be used, so Moses proclaimed throughout the camp that no man or woman should do further work for the offering of the sanctuary and the people were restrained from bringing, with both willing labor and offerings stopped because all that had been brought could not be used. The people needed no urging but brought gifts and free-will offerings in abundance, cheerfully and willingly, each soul anxious to have an interest in the tabernacle, taking ornaments and jewelry from their persons and casting them into the treasury and gladly giving gold, silver, brass, and ornamental work to beautify and enrich God's house, spending more than a million dollars.
Although great and expensive preparations with precious and costly materials were necessary, God accepted only free-will offerings, with devotion to His work and sacrifice from the heart first required in preparing a place for Him to dwell. The verse is an example for the present, showing that hearts as free and willing and anxious to aid the advancement of God's work exist now, and when assured that there is a work to be done and God calls for their means and hearty cooperation they will need no urging.
Shortly after Israel left Egypt, when freedom could still turn back to slavery and means were scanty and their own tents were small, God's house was commanded to be built first with the design He gave to follow, and the people put His tabernacle before enlarging their own dwellings. The wise men were the skilled builders of the sanctuary, each occupied with his own individual task, and they left those tasks to come together for the work, which was carried out by many capable people rather than left to one person alone, with their abilities serving the work God had commanded. They carried out the construction according to God-given directions and pattern, and their skill, ability, and wisdom were gifts from God to be used for His glory. The exactness, skill, wisdom, and perfection of that work set a standard for every kind of work done in God's service. The account shows that practical work can be joined with spiritual teaching and service.
While the building went on the people kept bringing offerings to Moses and Moses presented them to the workmen, and the wise men who wrought the work examined the gifts and decided the people had brought enough and even more than could be used, so Moses proclaimed throughout the camp that no man or woman should do further work for the offering of the sanctuary and the people were restrained from bringing, with both willing labor and offerings stopped because all that had been brought could not be used. The people needed no urging but brought gifts and free-will offerings in abundance, cheerfully and willingly, each soul anxious to have an interest in the tabernacle, taking ornaments and jewelry from their persons and casting them into the treasury and gladly giving gold, silver, brass, and ornamental work to beautify and enrich God's house, spending more than a million dollars.
Although great and expensive preparations with precious and costly materials were necessary, God accepted only free-will offerings, with devotion to His work and sacrifice from the heart first required in preparing a place for Him to dwell. The verse is an example for the present, showing that hearts as free and willing and anxious to aid the advancement of God's work exist now, and when assured that there is a work to be done and God calls for their means and hearty cooperation they will need no urging.