Exodus 35

Willing Workers

Part of what Moses was given while on Mt. Sinai was a pattern for a place of worship for the people of God. He was given very specific instructions concerning how this thing was to look and how it was to be put together.

Exod 25:8-9

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. (KJV)

Exod 25:40

40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. (KJV)

Many people believe that Moses was actually shown a worship place in heaven after which he was to pattern the worship place of the Jews.

The center of the worship was to be a small box, overlaid within and without with gold and a cover for the box, also overlaid with gold, called 'the mercy seat.' Everything else was to be constructed around this box, called 'the ark of the covenant.' Inside this box was to be kept certain special items related to Israel's history, beginning with the tables of stone which Moses brought down from the mountain the second time.

This ark was never to be touched by human hands once it had been dedicated to the Lord. Rings were placed in each corner and through them long poles were inserted so that it could be carried by four men and not touched by them. This ark was to be the special place where God would meet with the children of Israel, represented by their High Priest.

There was also to be made a small table in which twelve loaves of unleavened bread were to be kept at all times. An incense altar was also to be made and a seven-pronged lampstand, called a candlestick. These were to be kept in a special tent whose coverings were to be woven in a very specific way with very special colors. The tent was to have two rooms, separated with a heavy curtain, called the veil. A courtyard was also to be made to surround the tabernacle and it was to have a large wash basin called the 'laver' and a large altar on which animals were to be sacrificed. The design and measurements of all of these things were given.

The design required by God was such that only people with great talent could make them. The elements which were used were also very expensive. Even though there were about 2 million people in the company, this would be a real test of their resources and abilities. In fact, some of the things God required were beyond the abilities of any of them.

There is an interesting contrast which is deliberately emphasized in this chapter. The Israelites were first of all reminded of the commands which God had given in the ten commandments with a renewed emphasis on the Sabbath.

Ex 35:1-3

Verse 1-3. The command to observe the Sabbath was repeated for the people, with the striking addition of the judgment of death upon the Sabbath-breaker (Ex 31:15). The reminder at this time was given to restrain the people and make it clear that even in their enthusiasm to build the house of the Lord, they were to rest and wait upon Jehovah one day in seven. The spiritual danger of being an over-industrious "Martha" is always present. (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)

Yet after this stern warning, the need for the items for the tabernacle was put to them without any such command or threat.

Exod 35:4-10

4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,

5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,

6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,

7 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,

8 And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,

9 And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

10 And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded; (KJV)

There is a very interesting principle put forward here. The law of God is binding commands upon every soul. It does not matter whether one wants to obey God's law or not, he is required to do so. But the service and worship of the Lord is not this way. These are only for the willing, those whose hearts compel them to serve Him. Now they are not free to do whatever they want, there is a specific pattern given which is not to be changed. But in the doing of it, they are to come freely and without compulsion. This is the only way that God receives man's service and worship.

We also see in this text that God did not simply leave the matter there but He gave grace to many so that their hearts were willing.

Exod 35:20-21

20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.

21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. (KJV)

I want you to see here that God's spirit made them willing by stirring up their hearts to serve Him. We must understand that in order for men to serve God with willing hearts, God must first change their hearts.

In this we see a testimony to two things: man's depravity and God's grace. We must ask ourselves the question: "What would have happened if Moses had placed this request before them and God had not stirred their hearts?" You know the answer. The tabernacle would never have been built.

Even though God places free choices before men to serve Him, they will not unless He enters their unwilling hearts and changes them to be willing. This pattern must be seen as underlying every so-called 'free offer' that God makes. The fact that He invites the willing to come and serve Him does not mean that they have the ability to do so in and of themselves. His grace produces the willingness and goes before every godly desire that men ever have. Such is the nature of the grace of God.

We also see the fruits of this enabling of God. The people brought that which was requested and they brought it in abundance, so much so that the workmen had to request that they stop.

Exod 35:22-24

22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.

23 And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them.

24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD's offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it. (KJV)

Exod 36:5-7

5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.

7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. (KJV)

There is another principle attached to the ones we have mentioned. When God stirs the hearts of men to serve Him, they go beyond all requirements and give more than anyone could ask.

There is a reason for this, mentioned by Paul in 2 Cor. 8.

2 Cor 8:1-5

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. (KJV)

The story here is familiar. The church at Jerusalem had empoverished herself by giving to the support of the gospel around the world. A famine had come to Judea and they now were in need. Paul was taking an offering from the churches of Europe and Asia for Jerusalem but had determined not to ask the churches of Macedonia because they were very poor churches. But because they had given themselves completely and without reservation to God, through His grace, they insisted on participating. The offering they took embarrassed Paul because they gave more than even the wealthy church at Corinth.

When a person gives himself to God through God's grace, God's enablement, the stirring of his soul by the Holy Spirit, he puts no limits on what he will give to God. In fact, every person who would serve God according to the pattern of scripture is first stirred by God's Spirit and then gives himself without reservation to God's service.

I want you to see also that this project involved more than just giving an offering.

Exod 35:26

26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair. (KJV)

Exod 35:29

29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses. (KJV)

Exod 35:30-35

30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;

31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work. (KJV)

The reality is that God's work requires more than just the giving of money and things. It requires work, hard work, faithful work. But we cannot work to please the Lord unless the Lord stirs our hearts and gives us the grace to do it.

The grace of God is available in abundance for all those who hearts are stirred to labor for Him.

Eph 4:4-8

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (KJV)

Eph 4:11-12

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (KJV)

1 Cor 12:27-28

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (KJV)

1 Cor 12:28

28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. (NIV)

Most in our day are gifted with the so-called 'lesser' gifts: teaching, helping, administering. But the scriptures are clear that each person who belongs to Jesus Christ has been gifted.

1 Cor 12:7-11

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (KJV)

But it is clear from our text that before one gives himself to work in the kingdom of God his heart must first be stirred to do so by the Holy Spirit.

Now the question is: "Do we wait for the stirring of God's Spirit and do nothing until, or do we seek after God to be stirred up to serve Him?" I think each of us knows the answer to that question even as it is asked.

Rom 12:6-16

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. (KJV)

Our call to serve is clear and our instructions are easily understood. We must pray for the stirring of God's Spirit that we might perform that which we are both gifted and called to do.