Exodus 35:20-35 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Exodus 35:20-35. Let’s go!
Exodus 35:20-35 (NIV)
20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence,
21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.
23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them.
24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it.
25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun–blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.
26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair.
27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.
29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.
30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts–
32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,
33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship.
34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.
35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers–all of them master craftsmen and designers.
On verses 1-35: As we saw yesterday at THRIVE Church online looking at these verses, God’s house is built on the willingness of God’s people to give what they have. God doesn’t always use the most talented, the most experienced, or the most qualified, but the most willing. It all starts with the heart.
But willingness is not the only thing God looks for. We see from Exodus 35 that God looks for people with skill to do the jobs necessary to build His house (v10), whether it’s the skilled women who spun the linen (v25), or the women skilled in spinning goat hair (v26), or Bezalel the chief artistic designer of the tabernacle (v31) or the craftsmen at his side (v35). God uses excellent materials and the work of “master craftsmen and designers” (v35) to build His house. May this encourage us to give our best to the Lord every time we serve Him, not giving Him the scraps, but giving Him our utmost.
Notice what kind of people God chose to oversee the artistic direction of the tabernacle: not just someone who was willing, but someone with a wide variety of skills, both in the technical abilities of different kinds of craftsmanship as well as the ability to teach others. In the case of Bezalel and his assistant Oholiab, both were excellent artists in their own right but also had the ability to teach others and mobilize a team. It’s a reminder that when it comes to overseeing projects, it’s not just about having technical expertise but also being able to work well with people and train teams effectively.
In addition, Bezalel the lead artist was filled with the Spirit of God (v31), meaning that he had a vibrant relationship with God, godly character and a passion for His name and His house. The church, and indeed any organization that wants God’s blessing, needs leaders who are willing, skilled and who have a vibrant relationship with God, excellent character and a passion to see His name lifted up.
May you be that person who has the winning combination of willingness, skill, godly character and healthy relationships with God and people so that your church and any other organization you serve in would be greatly blessed and be a great blessing to others.
Father, I pray that You would bring to our church people who have that winning combination, people whom You have filled with Your Spirit, skill, expertise and the ability to lead others well so that Your house may be built with excellence, so that many more people would come to know and trust in Jesus, and so that Your name would be highly lifted up. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
