The majority of the chapter describes the workmanship of the tabernacle and all of the components created for the main tent structure, though I’ll focus on one easily overlooked detail.
“And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, and said to Moses, ‘The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.’ So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, ‘Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.’ So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.” (v2-7)
These verses completely caught me off guard. Picture this: the people of Israel donated so many materials for the creation of the tabernacle, its courtyard, its furnishings, and the priestly garments, that the craftsmen and Moses had to start turning away donations because they had too many. Too many donations? Really? What an abundance the Lord provided – not only abundance in materials, but an abundance of generosity in the hearts of the people – they kept donating after they had already given too much.
Fast-forward roughly 4000 years to present day – where has that abundance (especially the spirit of generosity) gone? There are countless organizations doing work for the Lord who are lacking in resources, begging people to help them out, yet many needs go unmet. Why does this happen? Are there too many organizations? Are they asking too much from people? Are people unwilling to work to meet their own needs? Or, have people become less generous in spirit?
Paul writes writes a letter to the Corinthian church on this exact subject: “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others” (2 Cor 9:6-8,10-13)
I realize that’s a long passage to quote, but it hits on some very important points:
– the impact of the investment is proportional to the generosity of the investment
– donations are to be given cheerfully and in accordance with the Spirit’s leading (not for personal gain)
– no work will be insufficiently supplied by God if it is done under His leadership
– we need not worry about anything, God promises to provide everything
– generosity and thankfulness are grown within us out of giving (we need to give first in order for growth to happen, the more we give the more generous and thankful we become as a result)
– if we were to all give in alignment with the Spirit’s prompting, there would be no need within the body of Christ (see also Acts 4:32-37)
– others will come to glorify God because of our generosity
When I look around today, and even when I examine my own life, I don’t see a spirit of generosity, I see a spirit of scarcity. I hear (and say) things like “I can’t afford to give to another cause” or “I give enough already” or “I can tithe next paycheque” or “if only I had some extra I could donate”… the list goes on.
Where did this spirit of scarcity come from? It’s not from God, that’s for sure: “And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” (Deu 28:11-12) and “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Eph 3:20)
All right, God provides the abundance, but why don’t we receive it today? Millions of people around the world lack basic provision – why are those needs unmet? I suggest it’s not because God doesn’t want to provide, I suggest it’s because people stopped obeying Him. Based on those two passages just quoted, the key to the abundance is this: “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” (Deu 28:1-2) and “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3:14-19)
I believe the spirit of scarcity in the world today is because we (as a whole people, not necessarily as individuals) stopped obeying God, fully surrendering our lives to Him, and listening to His voice – He withholds some/most of His abundance out of response to us withholding our love from Him, and withholding our love from our neighbors (the two greatest commandments). I also believe that if people as a whole repented of our rebellion and returned to loving God and loving our neighbors, the Lord will open to us His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to our land in its season and to bless all the work of our hands – there would not be a needy person in this world as we would be receiving and distributing out of the abundance God provides.
Father God, we come before You today humbled by Your message of generosity and abundance. We recognize that the great needs of this world are a result of sin and rebellion, not a result of Your inability to provide. The amount of abundance you share is directly proportional to how obedient and loving Your people are. We thank You for the amazing grace and mercy of the provision You do give, even when we are not fully submitted to You. Father please help us to repent of our rebellion, turn from those disobedient ways, and glorify You with the abundance we do have. May we be forever grateful when we have much, or when we have little, fully content in Your level of provision. May we encourage others to do the same, so that all glory honor and praise would be given to You, our Lord and Provider, forever and ever, amen.
P.S. – this is not a “prosperity gospel” message. This is a “we need to repent of our rebellion and trust God will have mercy on us” message. I would never suggest that we treat God like a vending machine and expect blessing in return for obedience – I am suggesting that we need to obey Him because He is our sovereign creator, and we give thanks to Him whether we receive blessing or not. If we receive blessing (eg. abundance of provision), it’s not ours to keep, it’s God’s, and we need to be stewards of it as He sees fit (eg. distributing where there is need). We brought nothing into this world, we can take nothing out of it, everything is God’s to command in accordance with His will. All we can do is fully submit to His authority while we are here on His earth and leave the rest to Him.
~ Conqueror in Training