Giving And The People Of God (1)

by E.I. Bassey, Lagos | Category: Giving And The People Of God | Apr 1981

It is important for those who love the Lord to consider the instructions to Israel, the first people to be in covenant relationship with God, regarding giving towards the building of God's dwelling among them. We propose to examine in a short series of articles the divine principles set forth in Scripture about this matter during the history of the people of God. The God of Israel is also our God by sovereign grace. He is not served by men's hands as though He needed anything (Acts. 17:25). Howbeit, "the Lord's portion is His people" (Deut 32:9); "a peculiar treasure unto Me from among all peoples" (Exod. 19:5). The divine mind envisages a people who can be in fellowship with Himself to whom the secrets of the Lord can be revealed and in whom the call to obey His will should find fulfilment

The Command to God's People Israel

During the forty days and forty nights of Moses' meeting with God at Sinai the commandment was given "that they take for Me an offering: of every man whose heart maketh him willing ye shall take My offering". "And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass; and blue and purple, and scarlet and fine linen and goats' hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and sealskins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, spices for the

anointing oil, and for sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate" (Exod. 25:1-9; 35:4-9). In this passage several principles are immediately established. First, God reserved the architectural right to give the "pattern" and to choose the materials for the building of His dwelling-place. No human addition was permissible. Second, the building of the sanctuary was exclusively the right of the people of God. Third, no levy was introduced: the giving was voluntary, the individual exercise of willing hearts. Fourth, the gifts as a whole were viewed as the offering by the people of God, bespeaking oneness of mind and unity of heart.

Giving in Love

We do well to consider Israel's background and circumstances when the

will of their God was communicated by Moses to the whole congregation. God had brought to pass an experience for all the children of Israel on a

night which was much to be remembered and observed unto the Lord for

their deliverance from the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:42). About 130 days after that experience the Lord tested yet again their love to Him in His service. Great events, to which we can give but a cursory reference, had taken place. First, redemption by blood in Egypt Israel was freed to serve the God of their fathers. Second, the step of separation was taken in baptism unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Cor. 10:1-2). Third, Israel agreed at Sinai to enter into a firm covenant with God (Exod. 19:5-6). The warmth of their heart love is recalled by the word of the Lord: "I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown" (Jer. 2:2). While traversing the barren waste desert lands, there were no opportunities for the people to increase their wealth by trading, They must give from what they brought out of Egypt including the valuables given to them by the Egyptians. Most of them must have given their whole treasure. What a test of priority and relative value! "Everyone whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing... brought the Lord's offering" (Exod. 35:21). Moses himself sat at the treasury to receive from both men and women the free-will offerings every morning (Exod. 36:3). Gold "brooches, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold" were received. Every man with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair and ram's skin dyed red, and sealskins, brought them. Some of the people offered silver, brass and acacia wood for any work of the service. The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate; and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense (Exod. 35:20-29). The principles here established are worthy of note. First, that God will not require of his people what he has not first given to them. Second, that no delay through want of the requirements can occur in the service of God where there is love and unity and due regard to the divine order of things (see Malachi. 3:10).

Unsurpassed Liberality

Opportunity to honour the Lord occurred as the days passed. Bezalel and Oholiab and others were already engaged on the work of the sanctuary at the command of Moses. The "pattern" of the tabernacle, and the "pattern" of all the furniture thereof was clear before their minds. As Moses delivered the gifts of the people to these Spirit-filled workmen they were able to select the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the brass for the things of brass and so on. "And they brought yet unto him (Moses) freewill offerings every morning. And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they wrought; and they spoke unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much" (Exod. 36:1-7). How great the honour they gave to God! In return the Lord gave them real joy, wonderful joy, the joy of the Lord, the Giver of every good gift and every perfect boon. This truth is confirmed by "the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts. 20:35).

E.I. Bassey, Lagos | Apr 1981
Giving And The People Of God