Exodus 36

Exodus 36 has the work of the Tabernacle continuing. A couple of truths stick out of this passage.

One, the skilled craftsmen were dedicating their talents to the Lord in constructing the Tabernacle. Notice that they had been given special ability by the Lord. Verse 2 points out that they worked on the Tabernacle willingly as opposed to Pharaoh forcing them to build the store cities.

Two, there was an offering taken up to provide for the Tabernacle. It was a voluntary offering. Moses could have accessed a tax on everyone, but God instructed Moses to take up a freewill offering. I enjoyed reading about the craftsmen leaving their work to tell Moses they had too much and the people needed to stop giving. What an offering!

The building of the Tabernacle was God’s idea. It would stand for ‘why’ the children of Israel left Egyptian bondage. Moses kept asking Pharaoh to allow them to go out so they could worship. Freedom is a strong theme in these passages. In Egypt they were forced to labor and forced to give. Under God’s rule it was their choice to serve and to give. Freely choosing to worship and serve God is the only way we can come to the Lord. Also, we must be free from the things that hold us in bondage to truly worship the Lord.