Friday, August 14, 2020

The Exodus. Day 136, The People Join Together In Godly Unity

Moses has told the people to search their hearts to see how much the Lord would like each of them to give toward the tabernacle project. In today's passage they respond generously with their offerings.

Moses also calls for the skilled workers to donate their time to the project. Everyone in the camp has an opportunity to contribute---some with their talents and gifts, all of them with materials needed for the project. "All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; the ark with its pole and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases; and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary---both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests." (Exodus 35:10-19)

"Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments." (Exodus 35:20-21) They go home to seek the Lord's guidance in regard to their giving and then they gather together what the Lord told them to give.

"All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord." (Exodus 35:22) Wave offerings were usually made with sheaves of wheat or containers of grain which were first offered to the Lord and then became the property of the priests. In my background study I found this information: "Wave offerings were given to God as a show of servitude, peace and commitment." It would seem that the men and women didn't just bring their gold and place it in an offering receptacle but that they first waved it in the sight of the Lord to signal their desire to serve Him and to show their commitment to the project.

"Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them." (Exodus 35:23) The Lord has already supplied them with the very things He's requesting from them. He isn't asking them to do anything they aren't able to do and He doesn't ask more of us than we are able to do. He equips us for the things He's going to call us to do. If you feel that the Lord is making a particular calling upon your life, you need not worry that He's picked the wrong person. He has already given---and will continue to give---anything you need to accomplish whatever He's asking you to do.

"Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun---blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair." (Exodus 35:24-26) I see a lot of enthusiasm in the community! They are all pulling together to accomplish this great task and there's a sweet spirit of unity in the camp.

"The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 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." (Exodus 35:27-29) What a beautiful picture of the entire community being united together in the service of the Lord! As David said in Psalm 133:1, "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!"

So much good can be accomplished in the Lord's name when His people join together to do what He's asked them to do. The Israelites were willing to lay aside any differences of opinion and any differences of personalities to work together for a common goal. This kind of attitude honors the Lord. You and I aren't always going to agree 100% with our fellow Christians about every little thing. Our personalities aren't always going to mesh well with the personalities of every single person we go to church with. But that shouldn't keep up from working together to accomplish the goal of respectfully serving the Lord and of getting the gospel message out to the world. The Lord Jesus warned us that a house divided against itself cannot stand, and something the devil loves to do is bring division into the church so we can't accomplish much for the Lord and so he can hinder our ability to lead people to Christ. Let's not allow Satan to have this satisfaction! Let's work together in unity for the common goals we share as the Lord's people.












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