BUILDING BUILT WITH WILLINGNESS

EXODUS 36:1-7

Ex. 36:1-7 [ESV]. "Bezalel (Ex. 31:2, 35:30, 36:1-2, 37:1, 38:22; 1 Chr. 2:20; 2 Chr. 1:5) and Oholiab (Ex. 31:6, 35:34, 36:1-2, 38:23) and every craftsman (Ex. 28:3, 31:6, 35:10-25, 36:1-2-8; 1 Kg. 3:12) in whom the LORD has put skill and intelligence (Ex. 31:3, 35:31, 36:1; 1 Kg. 4:29, 7:14; Prov. 24:3) to know (Dan. 1:4) how to do any work in the construction (Ex. 31:3-5, 35:21-24-29-31-33-35, 36:1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8, 38:24, 39:43, 40:33; Hag. 1:14; LXX– σοφος τη διανοια ω εδοθη σοφια και επιστημη εν αυτοις συνιεναι ποιειν παντα τα εργα) of the sanctuary (Ex. 35:21, 36:1-3; 1 Chr. 23:28-32) shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded."

2. And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill (1 Kg. 4:29, 10:24; 2 Chr. 9:23), everyone whose heart stirred (Ex. 35:21-26, 36:2; LXX– εκουσιως βουλομενους) him up to come to do the work.

3. And they received from Moses all the contribution (Ex. 25:2-3, 35:5-21-24, 36:3-6; Mal. 3:8; LXX– αφαιρεματα α ηνεγκαν) that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill (Ex. 35:29, 36:3; Ps. 54:6, 119:108) offerings every morning (Amos 4:4; LXX– προσφερομενα παρα των φεροντων το πρωι πρωι),

4. so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing,

5. and said to Moses, "The people bring much more than enough (Ex. 36:5-7; Dt. 15:8; Prov. 25:16, 27:27; Mal. 3:10) for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do."

6. So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, "Let no man or woman do anything more (Keil and Delitzsch–“to prepare anything more from his own property to offer for the building of the sanctuary”) for the contribution (Ex. 35:21, 36:3-6; 2 Chr. 31:12) for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained (Hag. 1:10) from bringing (LXX– μηκετι εργαζεσθωσαν εις τας απαρχας του αγιου και εκωλυθη ο λαος ετι προσφερειν ),

7. for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more (Ex. 12:10, 16:19, 29:34; Lev. 2:3; Ruth 2:18; LXX– ικανα εις την κατασκευην ποιησαι και προσκατελιπον).

CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE

Ex. 25:8-9 [GNB]. The people must make a sacred Tent for me, so that I may live among them. Make it and all its furnishings according to the plan that I will show you.

CHRIST IN THE TABERNACLE

• Glory: Jn. 1:14

• Ark of the Covenant (mercy seat): Rom. 3:25

• Veil: Mt. 27:51; Heb. 6:19, 10:20

• Lampstand: Jn. 8:12

• Altar of Incense: Heb. 7:25

• Table of Bread: Jn. 6:35

• Laver: Eph. 5:26

• Bronze Altar: Eph. 5:2

• Offering: Heb. 9:24, 10:5

• Building: Eph. 2:21-22

• Priest: Heb. 8:1 (anointed: Is. 61:1; Acts 10:38)

How might sinful mankind approach the Holy God? God showed Moses the way for Israel to meet with God.

God revealed to Moses the pattern of the tabernacle. Moses guided the construction of this tent of meeting. Willing (Ex. 35:21-29; Jud. 5:2-9; 1Chr. 29:5-6-9-14-17; 2 Chr. 17:16; Ezra 1:6, 3:5, 7:16) Israelites provided the materials and the manpower to build the place of worship.

1 Chr. 29:14 [NIV]. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

2 Cor. 8:12 [CEV]. It doesn't matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have.

Randy Alcorn wrote, “The principle is not ‘give voluntarily or don’t give at all,’ but ‘as your heart is moved, give voluntarily above and beyond your regular giving.”

I. Willingness to serve skillfully (36:1-2)

Ex. 28:3 [ESV]. You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood.

Ex. 35:10 [HCSB]. Let all the skilled craftsmen among you come and make everything that the LORD has commanded:

A. Craft (1; Ex. 31:1-11, 35:30-35)

Prov. 24:3 [ESV]. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;

1 Pet. 4:10 [GNB]. Each one, as a good manager of God's different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God.

B. Commitment (2; Ex. 35:21-29)

• Materials

• Money

II. Willingness to sacrifice freely (36:3)

The Israelites brought the materials for the tabernacle ($20 million).

• Metals: gold, silver and brass

• Fabrics: blue, purple, scarlet and fine (white) linen, goat's hair

• Skins: ram (dyed red), and of the badger

• Wood: shittim, wild acacia

• Oil, spices and incense for anointing the priests, and burning in the Tabernacle

• Gems: onyx stones and the precious stones for the breastplate of the high priest (Smith Bible Dictionary)

A. House (3a)

Hag. 1:4 [MSG]. "How is it that it's the 'right time' for you to live in your fine new homes while the Home, GOD's Temple, is in ruins?"

B. Heart (3b)

One writer said, “It needed no effort to move the hearts of the people to give, no earnest appeals, no impressive arguments.”

Every acceptable sacrifice in the Old Testament required the willing heart of the worshiper (Is. 1:11-13).

Joseph Parker said, “God will have nothing out of the reluctant hand. We may throw an offering down, but it is not taken up by Heaven.”

Ex. 25:2 [MKJV]. Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring Me an offering. You shall take an offering from every man that gives it willingly with his heart.

Ex. 35:5 [HCSB]. Take up an offering for the LORD among you. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring this as the LORD's offering: gold, silver, and bronze;

Ex. 35:21 [ESV]. And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.

Ex. 35:29 [NIV]. All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.

Ps. 54:6 [GW]. I will make a sacrifice to you along with a freewill offering. I will give thanks to your good name, O LORD.

Ps. 119:108 [HCSB]. LORD, please accept my willing offerings of praise, and teach me Your judgments.

III. Willingness to supply extravagantly (36:4-7)

The construction of the tabernacle demonstrated God’s sufficiency.

• Each person for what God commanded

• Every profession for what God commanded

• Eternal provision for what God commanded

• Enough possessions for what God commanded

A. Adequate (4-5; requirement)

Mal. 3:10 [HCSB]. Bring the full 10 percent into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this way," says the LORD of Hosts. "See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.

C. S. Lewis said, “If we live at the same level of affluence as other people who have our same level of income, we are probably giving away too little.”

B. Abundant (6-7; remainder)

Keil and Delitzsch translated, “And there was enough (דּיּם their sufficiency, i.e., the requisite supply for the different things to be made) of the property for every work to make it, and over” (lit., and to leave some over).

Ruth 2:18 [ESV]. And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied.

• Gave from God’s favor (Ex. 3:22, 12:36, 38:8; That which was originally used in the tabernacle was of brass made from the metal mirrors the women brought out of Egypt. [Easton Bible Dictionary])

• Gave with a giving heart (Mk. 12:44 [MSG]. All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford–she gave her all.)

• Gave to build God’s house (Hag. 1:2)

• Gave without robbing God (Ex. 32:4)

2 Cor. 9:7 [MSG]. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

The Israelites brought an extravagant offering for a worthy Savior (Mk. 14:3). Giving indicated the worth of the Redeemer to the Israelites.

What caused such a spontaneous, superabundant response in giving?

• Participation in the work

• Place for the worship

• Presentation of the wealth

• Provocation to the willing

• Proclamation of the worth

Francis Havergal freely gave all the ornaments of a jewel cabinet to the Church Missionary Society. Havergal gave a personal testimony with the words of the hymn “take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold.”

Stephen Olford told of the Prussian king, Frederick William III, in the early part of the nineteenth century. The cost of war endangered the nation since the king did not have the money to defeat the enemy. Finally, the king approached the women of Prussia, asking them to turn in their gold and silver to be melted down for money. In exchange the king promised an ornament with the inscription, “I gave gold for iron, 1813.” The Prussian women responded in sacrifice for the king, and thus came into being the Order of the Iron Cross.

A certain Christian said to a friend, “Our church costs too much. They are always asking for money.” The friend replied with this story: “Some time ago a little boy was born in our home. He cost us a lot of money from the very beginning: he had a big appetite, he needed clothes, medicine, toys, and even a puppy. Then he went to school, and that cost a lot more; later he went to college, then he began dating, and that cost a small fortune! But in his senior year at college he died, and since the funeral he hasn’t cost us a penny. Now which situation do you think we would rather have?” After a significant pause the friend continued, “As long as this church lives it will cost.”