Exodus 35:20-35
The Tabernacle Offerings Presented
20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the LORD. 23 And every man, with whom was found blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair, red skins of rams, and badger skins, brought them. 24 Everyone who offered an offering of silver or bronze brought the LORD’s offering. And everyone with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it. 25 All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 26 And all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair. 27 The rulers brought onyx stones, and the stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate, 28 and spices and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 29 The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the LORD, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.
The Artisans Called by God (Exodus 31:1–11)
30 And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, 32 to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.
34 “And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
35 He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.
The people of God were moved to freely and generously give offerings after the moving words of Moses to offer from a willing heart for the work and worship of God. These willing spirits and stirred hearts drove them to abundantly provide the materials to craft into beautiful work of the temple’s construction. Those given skills by the LORD also offered their talents to craft these gifts into the artistic renderings whose pattern was given by God on the mountain (Exodus 25:40, Hebrews 8:5) to Moses as the Spirit of God gave them the ability for metalworking, tapestry weaving, wood carving, jewel working, and the other necessary craftsmanship needed to honor God and provide a place to honor and worship Him with the best they could provide. They made it after the heavenly pattern of the true (Hebrews 8:2, 9:23-24) tabernacle in heaven where God resides and not this one where He only came to visit in the Holy of Holies behind the veil that only the high priest could enter into by His direction. The offerings to be presented to God for atonement of the people’s sins were made possible by the heartfelt work of the artisans and craftsmen gifted by God to make this place temporarily stand on the earth until we all see the heavenly one come to earth with the Lamb of God as the High Priest and eternal sacrifice for our sins standing at last on the earth (Job 19:25-27) in the New Jerusalem, the Celestial City of the heavenly country promised by faith to Abraham (Hebrews 11:8, 16) and we his spiritual children of faith. How we will rejoice in worship with Him then, face to face at last! Until then, we are called to build His Kingdom, the church, through the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ as living sacrifices using the gifts and talents given individually (1 Corinthians 3:10, 12:4-5, 6-7) to each of us for this work. In this sense all in Christ are artisans and priests offering sacrifices acceptable (1 Peter 2:5) to Him.
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