Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. (Exodus 36:6-7)The Lord had instructed Moses on how to build the Tabernacle, the temple structure the Israelites were to use while they were walking through the desert. He knew they needed a good portable, yet awe-inspiring structure in which to worship him.
For the moment, they were walking to the Promised Land, about a two-year journey. Of course, it ended up being 40 years, after their rebellion and act of faithlessness at the borders of their new home. But he knew that already and had everything prepared for them.
The Israelites were excited about this new temple. They were a visual people. God knew they needed something to look at. That was why they worshiped the gold calf at Mount Sinai. Even though God was up in the mountain talking to Moses and they could hear and see his presence, they still needed something to see.
They had just come from 400 years in Egypt and no one could make images like Egypt. It was the way they thought. Big thing, big god. It wasn’t true but it was the way they had been trained to think. And God took care of that for them.
I really believe God accommodated this in the construction of the temple. It was fancy and embroidered and large (at least to their standards) and over it sat the Shekinah, the fire and cloud of God.
And they embraced it big-time. He had skilled craftsmen work on it, Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. (v2). It was a community effort. I would imagine it became a mark of honor that some of your people were working on the tabernacle.
In fact, they were so excited that they gave too much stuff for the construction. Out of almost 3 million people (600,000 men – Numbers 26:51) there was a lot of fabric and special things they had taken out of Egypt. The Egyptian people were giving them stuff just to make them leave. Exodus 12:36 says, The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. They had a lot of stuff. Since it was desert, they couldn’t get it from the surrounding countryside, so they gathered what they had and gave it to God.
Moses finally had to say "No more". We have enough. In fact, we have more than enough.
What would it be like to tell a church that we have more than enough in the offering. Okay, church, that’ll do. We have enough. I really have trouble imagining it.
We want to have mission work and support two missionaries. Thank you, church, you have given enough for the missionaries. We need a new youth program. Thank you, church, we have enough to fully fund a new youth program.
Never had that happen to me personally. I have heard of it happening a few times. More often than not, there is a shortfall. But not here. Quit giving. There is enough.
That would be something.
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