HOW TO HAVE ENOUGH

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible…. 

HOW TO HAVE ENOUGH 

Exodus 36:6-7

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

⁷ for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much. 

Luke 19:8-10

⁸ Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”

⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;

¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

All who freely give tithes and offerings to their church can look with interest to the text used for study today.  There is a question.  How did the Hebrews come to this point in the Tabernacle construction? 

This was not an event but it was a process which began in Ex. 35:5-9 with the Divine requirements which include the manner of acquiring the materials and with the materials to be used.  In Exodus 35:10 the builders are determined to be “skillful craftsmen” who are to do that plan given by the Lord.  This description of the Hebrew citizens helps us understand the level of skills among them.  Many of them were shepherds, others were merchants, engineers, and other crafts which were necessary for living in the day. 

Exodus 35:21-24 is a description of the only right attitude that is acceptable when gifts and offerings are given to God.  The singular condition mentioned is “All who were of a willing heart,”, and again in 35:29 it is written that they “brought it as a freewill offering.”  In this statement of Israel’s attitude, “freewill” is mentioned frequently.  Freewill is often applied as a requirement for salvation.  The matter at hand is whether the Scriptures use freewill in any way but as it is in this application.  This passage is dealing with the activity of people we are told are redeemed, delivered, and have received covenant grace.  There is nowhere in the Bible where freewill is stated to apply to any other than those who received this described favor of God.  It is a stretch that the writers of Scripture are never willing to make when freewill is ascribed to those who are not recipients of God’s grace. 

Spirit filled leaders with their responsibilities are included in Exodus 35:30-35.  They had 3 tasks, to design vs 32, they are to teach vs 34, and to do the requirements of every design whatever may be the craft vss 32 B,C; 35.  It would be well for all Christians to look with care at the specific provision God has made for supervision. 

All to be done according to a single design Ex. 36:1.  This Tent of Worship which had a limited life was designed in its minutest detail by the Lord.  This being so, how much more should we expect the word of God which endures forever to be perfect, inspired, complete, and beautiful.  It should surprise us if we found it otherwise. 

We have the inevitable results in Exodus 36:2-7.  There is more than enough to do what God intends, vs 5.  And there is a perfect sufficiency for the need we can imagine they had vs 7. 

We are not concluding anything but what we should when the joy Israel experienced in giving and seeing the results glorify God.  The benefits they experienced in having this place of worship was but an added bump to their rejoicing.

Application:

1.  All gifts to God are to be given willingly.  II Corinthians 8:3.
2. They must be given joyfully.  II Corinthians 9:7