Reflections on Exodus 35

 

Exodus 35 (Contemporary English Version)

1. Moses called together the people of Israel and told them that the LORD had said:
2. You have six days in which to do your work. But the seventh day must be dedicated to me, your LORD, as a day of rest. Whoever works on the Sabbath will be put to death.
3. Don't even build a cooking fire at home on the Sabbath.
4. Moses told the people of Israel that the LORD had said:
5. I would welcome an offering from anyone who wants to give something. You may bring gold, silver, or bronze,
6. blue, purple, or red wool, fine linen, goat hair,
7. tanned ram skin or fine leather, acacia wood,
8. olive oil for the lamp, sweet-smelling spices for the oil of dedication and for the incense, or
9. onyx stones or other gems for the sacred vest and breastpiece.
10. If you have any skills, you should use them to help make what I have commanded:
11. the sacred tent with its covering and hooks, its framework and crossbars, and its post and stands,
12. the sacred chest with its carrying poles, its place of mercy, and the curtain in front of it,
13. the table with all that goes on it, including the sacred bread,
14. the lamp with its equipment and oil,
15. the incense altar with its carrying poles and sweet-smelling incense, the ordination oil, the curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent,
16. the altar for sacrifices with its bronze grating, its carrying poles, and its equipment, the large bronze bowl with its stand,
17. the curtains with the posts and stands that go around the courtyard,
18. the pegs and ropes for the tent and the courtyard,
19. and the finely woven priestly clothes for Aaron and his sons.
20. Moses finished speaking, and everyone left.
21. Then those who wanted to bring gifts to the LORD, brought them to be used for the sacred tent, the worship services, and the priestly clothes.
22. Men and women came willingly and gave all kinds of gold jewelry such as pins, earrings, rings, and necklaces.
23. Everyone brought their blue, purple, and red wool, their fine linen, and their cloth made of goat hair, as well as their ram skins dyed red and their fine leather.
24. Anyone who had silver or bronze or acacia wood brought it as a gift to the LORD.
25. The women who were good at weaving cloth brought the blue, purple, and red wool and the fine linen they had made.
26. And the women who knew how to make cloth from goat hair were glad to do so.
27. The leaders brought different kinds of jewels to be sewn on the special clothes and the breastpiece for the high priest.
28. They also brought sweet-smelling spices to be mixed with the incense and olive oil that were for the lamps and for ordaining the priests.
29. Moses had told the people what the LORD wanted them to do, and many of them decided to bring their gifts.
30. Moses said to the people of Israel: The LORD has chosen Bezalel of the Judah tribe.
31. Not only has the LORD filled him with his Spirit, but he has given him wisdom and made him a skilled craftsman who can create objects of art with gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood.
32. (SEE 35:31)
33. (SEE 35:31)
34. The LORD is urging him and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan to teach others.
35. And he has given them all kinds of artistic skills, including the ability to design and embroider with blue, purple, and red wool and to weave fine linen.
    

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    Following two 40-day stints on Mount Sinai by Moses to receive covenantal instructions from God with a near aborting of the covenant between those two stints, the covenant between God and His people, the Israelites, had become active as we read in chapter 35. The first act of life under the covenant was to build the tabernacle, the center of Israel's relationship with God. All else was dependent on their interaction with God which centered around the tabernacle. So Moses gathered the "entire Israelite community" and told them of God's commandments.
    
    The first commandment of which he spoke was regarding the sabbath observance. Their observance of the sabbath was a sign between God and Israel "throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the LORD who sets you apart." (31:13) Observance of the sabbath meant life or death, both spiritually and physically. It was this setting apart of themselves unto the Lord every seven days that would keep the heart of the covenant alive spiritually. Plus the commandment was given with the stipulation that failure to observe it resulted in execution of the one who did not observe it. To not observe the sabbath was to rebel against Him.
    
    Next, Moses told the people to take up an offering so the materials for building the tabernacle could be gathered. "Let everyone whose heart is willing bring this as the LORD's offering," he told them. Then he listed the materials that were needed. Any project on which God embarks is accomplished in partnership with His people. It is important that we have a hand in whatever He does so that we grow in the process and so our relationship with Him is strengthened. Neither happen as long as we are mere observers. Despite their earlier rebellion with the golden calf, they responded enthusiastically in this offering to the Lord for the building of the tabernacle. Scripture emphasizes that the offerings were given by "Everyone whose heart was moved and whose spirit prompted him." (35:21) It was a totally voluntary offering. And the offerings included not only possessions but also skills as, for example, women with a skill for making yarn brought what they had made.
    
    In addition to the possessions that were offered, mention is made concerning those who had been gifted as artisans specifically for the building of the tabernacle. The leader God appointed among the artisans was Bezalel. God gifted him not only with abilities "in every kind of craft," but He "filled him with God's Spirit, with wisdom, understanding." (35:31) Besides these gifts, God also gave him and another man, Oholiab, the ability to teach the necessary skills to other gifted artisans. This passage provides a beautiful illustration of how God operates with His people, lovingly involving us in whatever He does. He always provides us whatever is needed for our part in what He is doing. What greater sense of purpose and meaning can we find?