EXODUS: The Lord God Prepares Our Hearts to Give Willingly to Building His "Tabernacle"; “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering."

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. (Exodus 25:1-2)

Previously when the Lord God gave the children of Israel the instructions regarding the three feasts they were to keep each year, He closed by saying, "The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God." (Exodus 23:19) However, they did not have a house of the Lord yet. The Lord God had them setup camp at Mount Sinai, and after speaking to them all and then with Moses along with Aaron, Nadab, and Abiju and seventy of the elders of Israel,... Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. (Exodus 23:9, 13) 

First the Lord God would give Moses instruction on the things to be put in the house of the Lord, the tabernacle. But first He wanted Moses to stress to the children of Israel that they were to give their offering willingly with his heart. We must remember, God doesn't need anything from us. The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1) 

The purpose of giving tithes and offerings to God is to prove that we have truly put our faith, hope and trust in Him. What better way to prove that than through our money and possessions. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (II Corinthians 9:6-8)

Many people have to misconception that they have to hold on to what they have, that if they pay their tithes and offerings, they won't have enough to take care of their needs.  The mistakes with that philosophy are: 1. God has only asked for 10% of what He blesses us with; we still have 90% to live off of. 2. If we keep our "hand closed" and won't give to God, we keep our "hand closed" from receiving more from God. 3. God blesses us with more when we're obedient in this area. (I try not to use the word "I" in these studies, but I am a personal witness that God blesses our tithes and offerings. Since October 1997, when I resumed paying tithes and offerings after stopping for the first nine months of that year, God has never failed in providing me and my family with ALL our needs, even through some of the most difficult times.)

So, after establishing the attitude in which the children of Israel are to give their offerings to the Lord God for the items to go into the tabernacle, He continued to explain to Moses the items they are to give. "And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. (Exodus 25:3-9)

The request by the Lord God for gold, silver and bronze is not surprising. These items are still very valuable and desirable today. The request for blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair should cause us to remember when Jacob, Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. (Genesis 37:3) To be able to have fabrics made of fine threads and hairs and dyed in bright vibrant colors was most desirable, and to give these items to the Lord God for the tabernacle would require a willing heart.

When the Lord God gives Moses the instruction for the building of the tabernacle, we'll understand better why He wanted ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood. Also, when He give the instruction for the layout of the tabernacle, we'll get the understanding why He wanted oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. But once all things are collected, then the Lord God will have them make Him a sanctuary, that He may dwell among them.

The Lord God dwelt with the children of Israel in a tangible way, but He does so even more today for those of us who have trusted Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord. As Stephen declared, “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen,... However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?’" (Acts 7:44, 48-50)

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. (Hebrews 8:1-2) And what is the true tabernacle which the Lord erected? Our bodies! Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

The same care the Lord God would have the children of Israel take in building and preparing the tabernacle is the same care He took in creating and making us. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! (Psalm 139:13-17)