Freewill Offering
“Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.”
Exodus 35:21
Israel as a young nation was in the aftermath not a huge moral failure. While Moses had gone away to meet with God, they began worshipping a golden calf.
If not for God’s mercy, and Moses’ intercession, God would have wiped them out and started over with just Moses.
Being freshly forgiven, God renews the covenant with them.
Then, it was time to move forward. God wanted a Tabernacle to be built for worship. God had given Moses very specific instructions.
God wasn’t going to make it appear by saying “Let there be a Tabernacle!”
It would require work, and the contributions of the people.
Notice that the contributions are “freewill” not “mandatory.”
God was giving the people an opportunity to join in the building of a Tabernacle, a place that would serve as a reminder of God’s presence.
So, everyone “whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing…” brought their offerings.
This was going to be a collaborative effort. Each one brought what they had.
Look at this list from Exodus 35:22-28!
- Earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold
- Blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair, red skins of rams, and badger skins.
- Silver and bronze
- Acacia wood
5. “All the women who were gifted artisans spun yarn with their hands, and brought what they had spun, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn of goats’ hair.”
6. “The rulers brought onyx stones, and the stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate, and spices and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.”
Male or female, common person or leader, all of them who had “willing hearts” brought an offering.
Each one of us brings something to our job every day. We may have different roles and responsibilities, but when they are brought together, it makes for a beautiful finished product!
The “freewill” part of our job is the commitment to having a positive attitude and giving our very best to our teammates and those we serve.
