In our study of Exodus chapter thirty five, we see that a redeemed person will have a heart of giving due to their understanding that God is the provider of all things.
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Moshe assembled the whole community of the people of Isra'el and said to them, "These are the things which ADONAI has ordered you to do.
The word from the Hebrew text that is translated here as community would be better translated as congregation and it speaks of a group of witnesses. So, the people of Israel are now described as a group of God's witnesses and Moshe gathers them to tell them what God has commanded them to do.
On six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is to be a holy day for you, a Shabbat of complete rest in honor of ADONAI. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death. You are not to kindle a fire in any of your homes on Shabbat."
Once again, the commands begin with keeping the Sabbath which is the seventh day beginning at dusk on the sixth day (Friday) and ending at dusk on the seventh day (Saturday). The penalty for Israel not keeping Shabbat was death and Moshe gives an example of kindling a fire in the home as being considered work. The Sabbath was to be a day of complete rest in honor of the Lord with that complete rest speaks of trust and, for us as followers of Yeshua Messiah, it speaks of our complete trust in Him for our salvation.
Moshe said to the whole community of the people of Isra'el, "Here is what ADONAI has ordered: 'Take up a collection for ADONAI from among yourselves - anyone whose heart makes him willing is to bring the offering for ADONAI: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen, goat's hair, tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia-wood; oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ritual vest and the breastplate.
Moshe then tells the congregation what God has said is required for building the tabernacle and all of the things that are to be used in worship. We see that nobody is ordered to give as it is only those that have a heart of generosity and we are reminded that the heart speaks of our character.
"'Then let all the craftsmen among you come and make everything ADONAI has ordered: the tabernacle with its tent, covering, fasteners, planks, crossbars, posts and sockets; the ark with its poles, ark-cover and the curtain to screen it; the table with its poles, all its utensils and the showbread; the menorah for the light, with its utensils and lamps, and the oil for the light; the incense altar with its poles; the anointing oil; the fragrant incense; the screen for the entranceway at the entrance to the tabernacle; the altar for burnt offerings, with its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its base; the tapestries for the courtyard, with their posts and sockets; the screen for the gateway of the courtyard; the tent pegs for the tabernacle; the tent pegs for the courtyard, with their ropes; the garments for officiating, for serving in the Holy Place; and the holy garments for Aharon the cohen and the garments for his sons, so that they can serve in the office of cohen.'"
The offering was to be used by the craftsmen that God had given wisdom and they were to make all of the things that God had shown Moshe the pattern for on the mountain.
Then the whole community of the people of Isra'el withdrew from Moshe's presence; and they came, everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit made him willing, and brought ADONAI's offering for the work on the tent of meeting, for the service in it and for the holy garments. Both men and women came, as many as had willing hearts; they brought nose-rings, earrings, signet-rings, belts, all kinds of gold jewelry - everyone bringing an offering of gold to ADONAI. Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn; fine linen; tanned ram skins or fine leather brought them. Everyone contributing silver or bronze brought his offering for ADONAI, and everyone who had acacia-wood suitable for any of the work brought it. All the women who were skilled at spinning got to work and brought what they had spun, the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and the fine linen. Likewise the women whose heart stirred them to use their skill spun the goat's hair. The leaders brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set, for the ritual vest and the breastplate; the spices; and the oil for the light, for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. Thus every man and woman of the people of Isra'el whose heart impelled him to contribute to any of the work ADONAI had ordered through Moshe brought it to ADONAI as a voluntary offering.
In this passage, we see the fact that the people with the proper perspective and a generous heart brought their offerings for the tabernacle. We see that the fact that they brought things is mentioned eight times and we are reminded that the number eight refers to redemption and being made new. We see that these redeemed people took what had been used to glorify themselves and they gave it to glorify the Lord. We see that the things were presented as a wave offering and this was a testimony that the belongings that they had actually belonged to God.
Moshe said to the people of Isra'el, "See, ADONAI has singled out B'tzal'el the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Y'hudah. He has filled him with the Spirit of God - with wisdom, understanding and knowledge concerning every kind of artisanry. He is a master of design in gold, silver, bronze, cutting precious stones to be set, woodcarving and every other craft. Adonai has also given him and Oholi'av the son of Achisamakh, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with the skill needed for every kind of work, whether done by an artisan, a designer, an embroiderer using blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen, or a weaver - they have the skill for every kind of work and design.
In this passage, we see, once again, that God had given two men the ability to understand the design of all that was to be used in worship. This speaks of the fact that they were given the mind of God in this area and it reminds us that we are called to have a new mind as well with that mind being the mind of Yeshua Messiah ( see Romans 12).
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