Exodus 36: 1-7 … : … [God’s Kingdom Work] … 1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded.”
2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing 5 and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.” 6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.
My Journal for Today: Reading through the Chapters designated for my chronological reading plan this morning, I was re-stricken by the highlight passage above, especially Exodus 36, verses 4-7, where Moses had to order the people to quit giving to the project of building the tabernacle because they had more than enough, from communal effort, to complete the project which honored their God and provided for their communal worship.
God called His people, through Moses, to get this tremendous project done which would house and honor their God as they traveled together though the wilderness; and not only did the people come together to build the tabernacle, they did, by coming together, way more than was required. This reminded me of the work of God’s people, under the leadership of another of God’s called leaders, Nehemiah, when the people came together in Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, which we read about in Nehemiah, Chapters 4-6, especially note chapter/verse 6: 15), where it took a communal effort of God’s people to vigilantly, and with tremendous communal spirit, to rebuild the gates and walls of the city of God in just 52 days.
What a delicious dilemma it would be for any Pastor of a church in today’s world to call God’s flock together under his shepherding to carry out some difficult task and to see God’s people come together with way more people, treasure, talent, and time than would be necessary to carry out the task. It’s just not happening in today’s church, is it?
It is said that if only 50% of the evangelical Christian peoples would come together and tithe (i.e., give 10%) of their gross income in the USA, we wouldn’t need a welfare system in America; because that amount would way more than is needed to take care of ALL the people in need in our country. Yes, right now – in CHRISTIAN AMERICA – less than 5% of the church people tithe on their income to God’s work for His church. Certainly we’re not coming together as God’s chosen to do His kingdom work as His people did in the times of Moses or Nehemiah, are we?
I’ll leave it to you and God if this is a convicting message to anyone who might read this. We certainly need more of the Tabernacle building – wall building communal effort by God’s church people to do so much more for His glory; and that’s just a matter of His chosen ones coming together and doing what HE is calling us to do – again, …TOGETHER – to build His kingdom for His glory.
Sadly enough, … enough said!!!
My Prayer Today: … Lord, may the heart of Your church come together – in Your Name – to work TOGETHER for Your glory!! Amen
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