Exodus 35:1-35
This chapter is
divided into four sections, which involves people of a willing heart.
A most remarkable
thing to notice in this chapter is that only those that are willing hearted are
allowed to give toward the necessities of building the tabernacle.
1.
Many times it is
taught that people in the Old Testament had to do certain things,
but that is not the truth.
2.
People in the Old
Testament are exactly like us – we serve God because we want to, not because we
have to.
3.
People in the Old
Testament were not “under the law” as defined by many today.
4.
The law was the
schoolmaster in the Old Testament and it is still the schoolmaster in the New
Testament.
5.
People in the Old
Testament were saved by grace through faith, just like we are saved today.
6.
Some folks today
believe tithing was taught only under the law, and because we are not “under the
law” today, we do not need to tithe.
7.
What is
misunderstood is that tithing was taught before the law of God was
given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, during the time Israel was a nation,
and after Israel went into captivity, and after the
church was instituted by Christ during his own personal ministry.
8.
Tithing is not
“under the law”, but is of grace.
9.
Serving God is never
“under the law”, but always by the mercy and grace of God that he gives us.
Verse 1-3 – And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them. 2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. 3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
I.
Verse 1-3 – The call
of God by Moses to the people of Israel and the command to keep the Sabbath day
holy unto the Lord.
II.
These verses are a
repeat of the law given in Exodus 20:8-11.
A.
Exodus 20:8-11 does
not mention the penalty of death.
1.
Numbers 15:32
states, “And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found
a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.”
2.
The time period is
later, giving us evidence that all Israel knew about the prohibition of working
on the Sabbath day.
3.
There is never an
excuse for sin, and sin will always be punished.
B.
Breaking any of the
commandments of God brings with it a judgment and punishment, even if that
punishment is not mentioned.
III.
The law states:
A.
Work six days.
1.
God always gives his
plenty of time to devote to the necessities of living on this earth.
2.
God will always
provide for his people, but he will often use their own physical and mental
efforts to do this.
3.
God also wants us to
understand that our life is more than what this earth provides, therefore he
restrains men from working too much.
B.
The seventh day is a
holy day of rest unto the Lord.
1.
It is necessary to
remember God one day out of seven.
2.
A person, family,
city or town, community, state, or nation that follows this command of God will
be continually blessed of God.
3.
It is absolutely
true that God will abundantly provide for all those people who devote themselves
to obeying God’s commands.
4.
In the beginning of
our nation, few people worked on Sunday, because they believed that day was
reserved for rest and religious worship.
5.
Our nation prospered
under the obedience of this command.
6.
Today, few people
believe they can “make it” without working seven days a week.
7.
People have more
material possessions today than ever before because we are reaping the benefits
of past obedience.
8.
It will not be long
until those benefits “run out” and we will begin to reap the judgments of God
because we, as a nation, have forgotten God and his clear commandments.
C.
Whoever works on
this day shall be put to death.
1.
This command was
given to Israel, not to the church, or any other nation.
2.
We do not practice
putting people to death because they work on Sunday, and we should not.
3.
The truth is: those
individuals, that family, that city or town, that state, or nation that
continually and willingly work on Sunday because they do not trust God to
provide a living for them will die spiritually.
D.
There shall no fire
be kindled on the Sabbath day.
1.
All during the
40-year wilderness wandering, God provided food on Friday (double) so Israel
would not have to gather food or cook it on Saturday.
2.
It is a shame today
that the vast majority of the people of God do not heed this warning.
3.
Many people (even
“Christians”) think they must cook on Sunday, or go out to eat, causing other
people to work for them.
Verse 4-19 – And
Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is
the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, 5 Take ye from among you an
offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring
it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass, 6 And blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, 7 And rams’ skins dyed
red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, 8 And oil for the light, and spices
for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, 9 And onyx stones, and stones to
be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate. 10 And every wise hearted among
you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded; 11 The tabernacle,
his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars,
and his sockets, 12 The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and
the vail of the covering, 13 The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and
the shewbread, 14 The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his
lamps, with the oil for the light, 15 And the incense altar, and his staves, and
the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the
entering in of the tabernacle, 16 The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen
grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, 17 The hangings
of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of
the court, 18 The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their
cords, 19 The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy
garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the
priest’s office.
I.
Verse 4-19 – The
call of God by Moses for the people to bring all the items necessary for the
building of the tabernacle.
II.
Notice the long list
of items that are required for this offering.
A.
See verse 5-9.
1.
Gold.
2.
Silver.
3.
Brass.
4.
Blue.
5.
Purple.
6.
Scarlet.
7.
Fine linen.
8.
Goats’ hair.
9.
Rams’ skin dyed red.
10.
Badgers’ skins.
11.
Shittim wood.
12.
Oil for the light.
13.
Spices for anointing
oil and sweet incense.
14.
Onyx stones.
15.
Stones for the ephod
and breastplate.
B.
Verse 10-19 records
the list of items that must be made.
1.
The tabernacle.
2.
The tent of the
tabernacle.
3.
The covering of the
tabernacle.
4.
Taches.
5.
Boards.
6.
Bars.
7.
Pillars.
8.
Sockets.
9.
The Ark with the
staves.
10.
Mercy seat.
11.
Vail of the
covering.
12.
The table with the
staves.
13.
All the vesels.
14.
Showbread.
15.
Candlestick.
16.
Furniture.
17.
Lamps.
18.
Incense altar and
staves.
19.
Anointing oil and
sweet incense.
20.
The hanging for the
door at the entrance of the tabernacle.
21.
The altar of burnt
offering with the brasen grate and staves.
22.
Vessels.
23.
The laver and his
foot.
24.
Hangings of the
court.
25.
Pillars.
26.
Sockets.
27.
The hanging for the
door of the court.
28.
Pins of the
tabernacle.
29.
Pins of the court.
30.
Cords.
31.
Cloths of service.
C.
It is very simple
from looking at this list of items that Israel has a lot of work to do.
1.
It must be
remembered the building of the tabernacle is not the work of Israel, but the
work God commands them to do.
2.
The work is not for
salvation, but because salvation is already present.
3.
The person that says
they are saved yet is content to sit down and do nothing for God either does not
understand what God has done for them, or they are not saved.
D.
Where did Israel get
all these items?
1.
Exodus 12:35 states,
“And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they
borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:”
2.
God would provide to
Israel from the victory over Egypt so Israel can give a free-will offering to
the Lord.
3.
Please notice again
that only those willing to give would give.
4.
God would require
nothing, but willingness.
Verse 20-29 – And
all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of
Moses. 21 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 to the work
of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy
garments. 22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted,
and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold:
and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD. 23 And
every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen,
and goats’ hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers’ skins, brought them. 24
Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD’S
offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the
service, brought it. 25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with
their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple,
and of scarlet, and of fine linen. 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them
up in wisdom spun goats’ hair. 27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones
to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; 28 And spice, and oil for the
light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 29 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, which the LORD had
commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.
I.
Verse 20-29 – The
Israelites respond to the call of God and bring that which is required for the
building of the tabernacle.
A.
The Israelites first
went home, had time to think about what they were doing, then returned with the
free will offering.
1.
There is no
emotional pressure from Moses for offerings.
2.
I have seen many
preachers put emotional pressure on church members for offerings.
3.
I do not agree with
that kind of pressure.
4.
The kind of pressure
God puts on people is much, much better than any human pressure.
B.
It is interesting to
note that verse 21 mentions two times the people were “stirred”.
1.
“…every one whose
heart stirred him up…”
2.
“…every one whom his
spirit made willing…”
3.
These are different
“stirrings”.
a.
One stirring is from
within the individual.
b.
The other stirring
is from the Holy Spirit of God.
c.
Both of these
stirrings are necessary.
d.
God will move upon
us, but we must also allow him to move within and with us.
e.
There are some folks
who believe in “absolute predestination”, agreeing only that God moves.
They are wrong, of course.
f.
There are some folks
who believe in “freewill of man”, agreeing only that man moves.
They are wrong, of course.
g.
The truth is: God
moves, and we move.
C.
The people brought
the Lord’s offering.
1.
The offering was not
theirs, although it was theirs to give.
2.
We give the Lord’s
tithes to him, they do not belong to us.
3.
The tithe did not
belong to us before we gave it, and it doesn’t belong to us after we give it.
4.
Malachi 3:8,9 – This
is why the Lord accused Israel of robbing him when they did not give him his
tithes and offerings.
D.
The purpose of the
gifts.
1.
These gifts were not
for Moses, although it is right for Israel to supply the material necessities of
Moses and his family.
2.
These gifts are for:
a.
The work of the
tabernacle of the congregation,
b.
For all his service,
c.
And for the holy
garments.
II.
What the Israelites
brought.
A.
Who came?
1.
Men and women.
2.
There is a work for
both men and women in the service of God.
a.
Verse 23 and 24
record the gifts the men brought.
b.
Verse 25 and 26
record the gifts the women brought.
3.
When every person
brings the gift God requires, the whole project is completed correctly.
B.
They brought what
Moses asked.
1.
They did not bring
what they considered right.
2.
They brought only
what Moses asked.
3.
Moses understood
what God wanted the tabernacle built out of, told the people, and it is their
responsibility to bring the proper gift.
a.
Cain knew what the
Lord demanded, but brought the wrong offering, and died for his error.
b.
Abel knew what the
Lord demanded, brought the proper offering, and was murdered for his truth.
C.
Verse 22 – the gifts
of the willing hearted men and women.
1.
Bracelets
2.
Earrings
3.
Rings
4.
Tablets
5.
Jewels of gold
6.
Every man that
offered brought gold unto the Lord.
a.
There were no “poor”
willing hearted Israelites.
b.
Every Israelite man
that was willing hearted had gold.
c.
God provided every
willing hearted person with gold, which would be returned to God as a willing
offering.
d.
Each willing hearted
individual who gave would receive much more from giving to the Lord, than they
ever would receive by keeping the gold.
D.
Verse 23-24 – the
willing offering of the men.
1.
Blue
2.
Purple
3.
Scarlet
4.
Fine linen
5.
Goats’ hair
6.
Red skins of rams
7.
Badgers’ skins
8.
Silver and brass
9.
Shittim wood
E.
Verse 24-25 – the
willing offering of the women.
1.
They did spin with
their hands and brought that which they had spun.
2.
Blue
3.
Purple
4.
Scarlet
5.
Fine linen
6.
The willing women
brought spun goats’ hair
F.
Verse 27-28 – The
willing offering of the rulers.
1.
Onyx stones
2.
Stones for the ephod
and the breastplate
3.
Spice
4.
Oil for the light
and the anointing oil and sweet incense
G.
Verse 29 – There is
enough willing offerings for all the work of building the tabernacle, and all
the things having to do with the tabernacle and the worship of God.
Verse 30-35 – And
Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name
Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 And he hath
filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in
knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 32 And to devise curious works, to
work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 33 And in the cutting of stones, to
set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. 34 And he
hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of
Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to
work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the
embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the
weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.
I.
Verse 30-35 – Moses
sets aside Bezaleel and Aholiab for the much of the work of the tabernacle.
A.
God always provides
willing workers when the project is from him.
1.
It was necessary for
Bezaleel to first learn how to do the work.
2.
It is likely
Bezaleel did not know the Lord was leading him in the work of the Lord until
this time.
3.
Often we learn how
to do something, then God reveals to us why we learned it.
B.
Bezaleel and Aholiab
will not do all the work themselves.
1.
Verse 34 records
that God has put into their heart to teach others to do the work.
2.
Bezaleel and Aholiab
will supervise the work, making sure it is done to the specifications of God.
3.
That will be enough
work for them to do.
C.
There is no pride in
Bezaleel or Aholiab.
1.
The Bible records
they are not only willing hearted, but also that the Spirit of God was in them.
2.
They will enjoy
doing the word of God, but will never try to put themselves above Moses or any
other person.
3.
People that are
spirit filled will never try to overstep their God given authority, but will
willing submit to whomever God puts over them.