Sabbath first, then offerings for the tabernacle

35:1 Moses assembled the whole community of the Israelites and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. 35:2 In six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. Anyone who does work on it will be put to death. 35:3 You must not kindle a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath day.” 35:4 Moses spoke to the whole community of the Israelites, “This is the word that the Lord has commanded: 35:5 ‘Take an offering for the Lord. Let everyone who has a willing heart bring an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, bronze, 35:6 blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, fine linen, goat’s hair, 35:7 ram skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood, 35:8 olive oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 35:9 onyx stones, and other gems for mounting on the ephod and the breastpiece. 35:10 every skilled person among you is to come and make all that the Lord has commanded: 35:11 the tabernacle with its tent, its covering, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases; 35:12 the ark, with its poles, the atonement lid, and the special curtain that conceals it; 35:13 the table with its poles and all its vessels, and the Bread of the Presence; 35:14 the lampstand for the light and its accessories, its lamps, and oil for the light; 35:15 and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the hanging for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle; 35:16 the altar for the burnt offering with its bronze grating that is on it, its poles, and all its utensils; the large basin and its pedestal; 35:17 the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway to the courtyard; 35:18 tent pegs for the tabernacle and tent pegs for the courtyard and their ropes; 35:19 the woven garments for serving in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to minister as priests.” 35:20 So the whole community of the Israelites went out from the presence of Moses. 35:21 Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. 35:22 they came, men and women alike, all who had willing hearts. they brought brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments, all kinds of gold jewelry, and everyone came who waved a wave offering of gold to the Lord. 35:23 everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather brought them. 35:24 Everyone making an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. 35:25 every woman who was skilled spun with her hands and brought what she had spun, blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, 35:26 and all the women whose heart stirred them to action and who were skilled spun goats’ hair. 35:27 the leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted for the ephod and the breastpiece, 35:28 and spices and olive oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 35:29 The Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, every man and woman whose heart was willing to bring materials for all the work that the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Moses tells Israel to keep the Sabbath as holy rest before they begin the work of building the sanctuary. Then he calls for willing gifts and skilled labor for the tabernacle. The people respond freely and generously with the materials God had commanded.

Moses gathered the whole community and repeated the LORD’s command. First came the Sabbath. Israel was to rest on the seventh day. This was holy time set apart for the LORD. The command was serious, even with the death penalty attached.

Then Moses called for an offering for the LORD. The people were to bring what they had willingly. The needed materials included gold, silver, bronze, yarn, linen, skins, wood, oil, spices, stones, and other items for the sanctuary. Skilled people were also to come and make the tabernacle and all its furnishings.

The people went out from Moses and brought gifts. Men and women came with willing hearts. They gave jewelry, cloth, hides, wood, oil, spices, and stones. Skilled women spun yarn and goat hair. The leaders brought stones and other gifts. In this way, the tabernacle was supplied by freewill giving, but always according to what the LORD had commanded through Moses.

• The Sabbath comes before the work of the tabernacle.
• The seventh day is holy rest to the LORD.
• The Sabbath command is serious and carries judgment.
• The sanctuary materials were to be given willingly, not by force.
• God specified what was needed for his dwelling place.
• Skilled men and women both took part in the work.
• The whole community was involved in the offering.
• True willingness and obedience belong together.

• Rest on the seventh day and do not do ordinary work.
• Do not kindle a fire in your homes on the Sabbath day.
• Bring offerings with a willing heart.
• Let skilled people come and make all that the LORD commanded.
• Do not treat holy work as if it cancels holy rest.
• Do not give what God has not asked for.
• The passage warns that Sabbath breaking is not a small matter.

This passage shows God ordering the life of his redeemed people. He gives them holy time through the Sabbath and holy space through the tabernacle. His dwelling among them is not built by human zeal alone, but by obedience, rest, generosity, and skill under his word.

God’s people still should not confuse busy religious activity with obedience. We must rest when God commands rest, and serve when God commands service. We should give willingly, use our skills faithfully, and follow God’s word rather than our own ideas.

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