Moses Receives Offerings and the Tabernacle Is Finishedby KalebRosendahl
36:7Exodus 36:7
For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
The materials freely brought for building the tabernacle were more than enough for every part of the work, so the people were told to stop bringing gifts. Those givers had only just escaped Egypt and were wanderers in the wilderness with scanty possessions and small tents of their own, yet they gave willingly from the heart, withholding nothing and even taking ornaments from their persons. Nothing was obtained by compulsion or by appeals to feasting, amusement, dancing, lotteries, or entertainment. The design was given by God and the skill and wisdom for the careful construction were given by Him to be used for His glory. Their cheerful liberality stands as an example for all who love the worship of God, teaching that a house prepared for Him should be funded by willing, generous gifts until it can be said that no more is needed, and that even a small offering given from the heart is acceptable and shares in the blessing.
Tabernacle Setting and Supply
The verse belongs to the account of building the tabernacle, where the design to be followed was given by God and the careful construction was directed by Him, and the skill and genius and wisdom employed in the work were His gift to be used for His glory.
The givers had scarcely been delivered from the pursuing Egyptian armies and had just left Egypt, at a time when freedom could still turn back to slavery. They were wanderers in the wilderness with scanty means and small possessions and no prospect of adding to them, dwelling themselves in small tents, yet they put building God's house first.
The offerings were free-will offerings given willingly from the heart, with no urging or compulsion needed, each soul anxious to have a part in erecting the tabernacle for God. They withheld nothing, taking ornaments and jewelry from their persons for the treasury to beautify God's house, gladly giving gold and silver and brass and ornamental work. They gave not a set amount of increase but a large portion of their actual possessions, with a willing hand, at a cost of more than a million dollars.
The means for the work were supplied without compulsion and without appeals to feasting and amusement. There was no grand feast and no scenes of gaiety and dancing and general amusement, no lotteries and nothing of profane order, and no entertainment-based fundraising.
The stuff brought was sufficient for all the work to make it and for every part of its prescribed needs. More than could be used or was required was left over, with more material than the workers could use. Moses and the leaders therefore proclaimed that the people had enough and must stop bringing gifts, and that their cheerful, willing offerings and labors must cease.
Principle and Present Application
The liberality shown in building the tabernacle has never been equaled afterward, for the freely given materials were sufficient for every part of the work and more than enough, so the people were told to stop bringing offerings. That abundance met the sanctuary's prescribed needs and honored God's greatness and majesty as owner of all, giving back to the Lender His own as duty. Scarcely delivered from the pursuing Egyptian armies, while wanderers in the wilderness with small possessions and no prospect of adding to them, Israel heard God's call for a willing-hearted offering and obeyed. They withheld nothing and needed no urging, giving with a willing hand not a set amount of increase but a large portion of their actual possessions, gladly and heartily, until they brought more than could be used and had to be told to stop.
A house prepared for God should be funded by willing, generous gifts sufficient to accomplish the work, so that the workers can say no more offerings are needed. The example teaches that offerings for the worship of God should be given freely and from the heart, with people giving their best. Spiritual strength and blessing correspond to the value their actions show they place on sacred things, and willing participation gives a share in the blessing of supporting God's work. Even a small offering is acceptable to God, who can make it go a long way.
The cheerful energy, liberality, and devotion are recorded in sacred history for the benefit of God's people afterward as an example for all who truly love the worship of God. Those who prize the blessing of God's sacred presence when preparing a building for God to meet with them should manifest greater interest and zeal in the sacred work in proportion as they value heavenly blessings higher than earthly comforts, realizing they are preparing a house for God. The generosity illustrates willingness to give abundantly for God's service, for willing hearts assured that there is a work to be done and that God calls for their means and hearty co-operation will give without urging for the advancement of God's work now just as Israel did then. Just after leaving Egypt, when freedom could still turn back to slavery and their means were scanty and their own tents were small, they put building God's house first under the design God gave to follow. Each soul was anxious to have a part in erecting the tabernacle, taking ornaments and jewelry from their persons for the treasury to beautify God's house, gladly giving gold, silver, brass, and ornamental work at a cost of more than a million dollars, until Moses had to proclaim that they had enough and that their cheerful, willing offerings and labors must cease because all that had been brought could not be used, while its careful construction shows that God takes hold of and directs the work.
The materials freely brought for building the tabernacle were more than enough for every part of the work, so the people were told to stop bringing gifts. Those givers had only just escaped Egypt and were wanderers in the wilderness with scanty possessions and small tents of their own, yet they gave willingly from the heart, withholding nothing and even taking ornaments from their persons. Nothing was obtained by compulsion or by appeals to feasting, amusement, dancing, lotteries, or entertainment. The design was given by God and the skill and wisdom for the careful construction were given by Him to be used for His glory. Their cheerful liberality stands as an example for all who love the worship of God, teaching that a house prepared for Him should be funded by willing, generous gifts until it can be said that no more is needed, and that even a small offering given from the heart is acceptable and shares in the blessing.
Tabernacle Setting and Supply
The verse belongs to the account of building the tabernacle, where the design to be followed was given by God and the careful construction was directed by Him, and the skill and genius and wisdom employed in the work were His gift to be used for His glory.
The givers had scarcely been delivered from the pursuing Egyptian armies and had just left Egypt, at a time when freedom could still turn back to slavery. They were wanderers in the wilderness with scanty means and small possessions and no prospect of adding to them, dwelling themselves in small tents, yet they put building God's house first.
The offerings were free-will offerings given willingly from the heart, with no urging or compulsion needed, each soul anxious to have a part in erecting the tabernacle for God. They withheld nothing, taking ornaments and jewelry from their persons for the treasury to beautify God's house, gladly giving gold and silver and brass and ornamental work. They gave not a set amount of increase but a large portion of their actual possessions, with a willing hand, at a cost of more than a million dollars.
The means for the work were supplied without compulsion and without appeals to feasting and amusement. There was no grand feast and no scenes of gaiety and dancing and general amusement, no lotteries and nothing of profane order, and no entertainment-based fundraising.
The stuff brought was sufficient for all the work to make it and for every part of its prescribed needs. More than could be used or was required was left over, with more material than the workers could use. Moses and the leaders therefore proclaimed that the people had enough and must stop bringing gifts, and that their cheerful, willing offerings and labors must cease.
Principle and Present Application
The liberality shown in building the tabernacle has never been equaled afterward, for the freely given materials were sufficient for every part of the work and more than enough, so the people were told to stop bringing offerings. That abundance met the sanctuary's prescribed needs and honored God's greatness and majesty as owner of all, giving back to the Lender His own as duty. Scarcely delivered from the pursuing Egyptian armies, while wanderers in the wilderness with small possessions and no prospect of adding to them, Israel heard God's call for a willing-hearted offering and obeyed. They withheld nothing and needed no urging, giving with a willing hand not a set amount of increase but a large portion of their actual possessions, gladly and heartily, until they brought more than could be used and had to be told to stop.
A house prepared for God should be funded by willing, generous gifts sufficient to accomplish the work, so that the workers can say no more offerings are needed. The example teaches that offerings for the worship of God should be given freely and from the heart, with people giving their best. Spiritual strength and blessing correspond to the value their actions show they place on sacred things, and willing participation gives a share in the blessing of supporting God's work. Even a small offering is acceptable to God, who can make it go a long way.
The cheerful energy, liberality, and devotion are recorded in sacred history for the benefit of God's people afterward as an example for all who truly love the worship of God. Those who prize the blessing of God's sacred presence when preparing a building for God to meet with them should manifest greater interest and zeal in the sacred work in proportion as they value heavenly blessings higher than earthly comforts, realizing they are preparing a house for God. The generosity illustrates willingness to give abundantly for God's service, for willing hearts assured that there is a work to be done and that God calls for their means and hearty co-operation will give without urging for the advancement of God's work now just as Israel did then. Just after leaving Egypt, when freedom could still turn back to slavery and their means were scanty and their own tents were small, they put building God's house first under the design God gave to follow. Each soul was anxious to have a part in erecting the tabernacle, taking ornaments and jewelry from their persons for the treasury to beautify God's house, gladly giving gold, silver, brass, and ornamental work at a cost of more than a million dollars, until Moses had to proclaim that they had enough and that their cheerful, willing offerings and labors must cease because all that had been brought could not be used, while its careful construction shows that God takes hold of and directs the work.