Obedience, Learning, Skills, Teaching, People’s Offerings, Special Skills, Remember the Sabbath, Covenant, Redemption
📖 Exodus 35:1–3
“35 Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, “These are the things the Lord has commanded you to do: 2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death. 3 Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”
After renewing His covenant with Israel, the Lord turned the people’s attention toward a new assignment. They were no longer slaves in Egypt. They were now a covenant people being prepared for worship, service, and fellowship with God.
Before any work began, God reminded them to honor the Sabbath. Then He invited the people to bring willing offerings and use their God-given talents to build the Tabernacle. Through generous hearts, skilled hands, and obedient spirits, God’s redemption plan continued moving forward.
The construction of the Tabernacle would become a visible reminder that God desired to dwell among His people.
📖 Exodus 35:4–7
“4 Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[a]; acacia wood;”
Moses gathered the entire Israelite community and reminded them of God’s command concerning the Sabbath.
The Lord declared:
“The seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord.”
Before building, before crafting, and before serving, God’s people were to remember obedience.
The work of the Lord was important.
But honoring the Lord Himself was even more important.
The Sabbath reminded Israel that their identity came from God, not from their labor.
📖 Exodus 35:8–24
“8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.”
“10 “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12 the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; 13 the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence.”
“14 the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; 15 the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; 17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; 19 the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests.”
“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 the other durable leather 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. “
Moses invited everyone whose heart was willing to bring offerings for the Tabernacle.
The people responded generously.
They brought:
Gold, silver, and bronze
Fine linen and colored yarn
Animal skins and acacia wood
Olive oil and spices
Precious stones and gems
Men and women alike participated.
Skilled workers contributed their talents.
Leaders contributed valuable materials.
Everyone had something to offer.
The Tabernacle would not be built through the efforts of one person but through the obedience of an entire community.
📖 Exodus 35:25–29
“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.”
Not everyone contributed in the same way.
God values willing hearts as much as visible talents.
Every contribution mattered because every contribution supported God’s purpose.
The Lord was teaching His people that everyone has a role in His work.
📖 Exodus 35:30–33
“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 wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 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 crafts. “
Moses then revealed that God had specifically chosen Bezalel for the work.
Scripture says:
“The Lord has chosen Bezalel.”
God filled him with:
Wisdom
Understanding
Knowledge
Artistic skill
Bezalel’s abilities were not accidents.
They were gifts from God.
The same God who parted the Red Sea also empowered craftsmen, designers, builders, and artists.
God equips people differently, but every gift can be used for His glory.
📖 Exodus 35:34–35
“34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.”
God also chose Oholiab to work alongside Bezalel.
Together they possessed another important gift:
The ability to teach others.
Building the Tabernacle required more than skill.
It required passing knowledge to others.
Teaching multiplied the work.
Leadership was not about doing everything alone.
It was about helping others succeed in their calling.
God’s work grows when wisdom is shared.
The Tabernacle represented far more than a construction project.
It was a symbol of God’s covenant presence among His people.
The same God who delivered Israel from Egypt was now preparing a place where His presence would dwell among them.
Every offering, every skill, every act of obedience pointed toward God’s greater redemption plan.
Israel was learning that freedom was not merely escaping slavery.
Freedom was learning how to walk with God.
God values obedience before activity.
The Sabbath reminds us that God is our provider.
Everyone has something valuable to contribute.
God equips people with different gifts and talents.
Leadership includes teaching and developing others.
Generous hearts help accomplish God’s purposes.
God often uses ordinary skills for extraordinary purposes.
God’s covenant people are called to work together.
Exodus 35 reminds us that God does not simply call people to believe—He calls them to participate. The Israelites responded with willing hearts, generous offerings, and skilled hands. God chose Bezalel and Oholiab, filling them with wisdom and the ability to teach others, proving that every talent can be used for His glory.
The lesson is clear: God equips His people for the work He assigns. When obedience, generosity, and God-given abilities come together, His purposes move forward and His presence is revealed among His people.
