God's Amazing Love
Today's Scripture: Exodus 35
1And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.
2Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
3Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
4And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
5Take 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,
6And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
7And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
8And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,
9And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
10And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;
11The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets,
12The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering,
13The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and the shewbread,
14The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,
15And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle,
16The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot,
17The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court,
18The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,
19The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.
20And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
21And 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.
22And 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.
23And 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.
24Every 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.
25And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.
26And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.
27And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;
28And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
29The 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.
30And 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;
31And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
32And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
33And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.
34And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
35Them 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.
Today's Scripture Meaning:
The sabbath to be observed. (1-3) The free gifts for the tabernacle. (4-19) The readiness of the people in general. (20-29) Bezaleel and Aholiab called to the work. (30-35)
Verses 1-3: The mild and easy yoke of Christ has made our sabbath duties more delightful, and our sabbath restraints less irksome, than those of the Jews; but we are the more guilty by neglecting them. Surely God's wisdom in giving us the sabbath, with all the mercy of its purposes, are sinfully disregarded. Is it nothing to pour contempt upon the blessed day, which a bounteous God has given to us for our growth in grace with the church below, and to prepare us for happiness with the church above?
Verses 4-19: The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honour of God, and used in his service; and therefore what was brought for it, was an offering to the Lord. The rule is, Whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring. All that were skilful must work. God dispenses his gifts; and as every man hath received, so he must minister, (1Pe 4:10). Those that were rich, must bring in materials to work on; those that were skilful, must serve the tabernacle with their skill: as they needed one another, so the tabernacle needed them both, (1Co 12:7-21).
Verses 20-29: Without a willing mind, costly offerings would be abhorred; with it, the smallest will be accepted. Our hearts are willing, when we cheerfully assist in promoting the cause of God. Those who are diligent and contented in employments considered mean, are as much accepted of God as those engaged in splendid services. The women who spun the goats' hair were wise-hearted, because they did it heartily to the Lord. Thus the labourer, mechanic, or servant who attends to his work in the faith and fear of God, may be as wise, for his place, as the most useful minister, and he equally accepted of the Lord. Our wisdom and duty consist in giving God the glory and use of our talents, be they many or few.
Verses 30-35: Here is the Divine appointment of the master-workmen, that there might be no strife for the office, and that all who were employed in the work might take direction from, and give account to them. Those whom God called by name to his service, he filled with the Spirit of God. Skill, even in worldly employments, is God's gift, and comes from above. But many are ready enough in cutting out work for other people, and can tell what this man or that man should do; but the burdens they bind on others, they themselves will not touch with one of their fingers. Such will fall under the character of slothful servants. These men were not only to devise and to work themselves, but they were to teach others. Those that rule should teach; and those to whom God has given knowledge, should be willing to make it known for the benefit of others.
Today's Scripture Application
Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we Continue in the book of Exodus with Chapter 35 and in today's text we see the construction of the Tabernacle as a place where God dwelt with the nation of Israel. As we see God put much detail in the Tabernacle as method of revealing who He is and Who the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is when He comes to Earth according to God's time table in future days. What catches my eye today is How God, in his Holiness, wants to dwell with sinful man. Starting with the love shown here in the Old Testament to the Easter Celebration of yesterday. We remember the ultimate demonstration of love as Jesus is Crucified - Buried - and is then victorious in the Resurrection. In making application I remember the how much God loves you and me. With all the sin of man and the Holiness of God for Him to love us is in a word "Amazing". This love causes sinners to repent to salvation and saints to serve the Savior. How about you? Do you recognize this "Amazing" love? Does it cause you to repent, obey, seek, and serve the God who loves you and wants to dwell with you? Let us learn from today's text and respond to His "Amazing" love toward us.
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