Exodus Chapter 35

¹  Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. ²  Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. ³  You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.”

1. What was the purpose of the Sabbath?

Each seventh day belonged to the Lord and would not be a work day but one set apart (i.e., holy) for rest and for time devoted to the worship of Yahweh. The term “Sabbath” is derived from “to rest or cease from work.” The historical precedent for such a special observance was the creation week; a span of time equal to what man copied in practice. Each Sabbath day should have reminded the worshiper that the God whom he praised had indeed made everything in both realms of existence in 6 twenty-four hour days. The Sabbath would also stand, therefore, as a counter to evolutionary ideas prevalent in false religion. Moses, in the review of the Decalogue, also linked the observance of the Sabbath with Israel’s exodus from Egypt and specified that this was why Israel was to keep it (Dt 5:12–15). Significantly, the command for the Sabbath is not repeated in the NT, whereas the other 9 are. In fact, it is nullified (cf. Col 2:16, 17). Belonging especially to Israel under the Mosaic economy, the Sabbath could not apply to the believer of the church age, for he is living in a new economy. MSBN

The command to observe the Sabbath was repeated for the people, with the striking addition of the judgment of death upon the Sabbath-breaker (31:15). The reminder at this time was given to restrain the people and make it clear that even in their enthusiasm to build the house of the Lord, they were to rest and wait upon Jehovah one day in seven. The spiritual danger of being an over-industrious "Martha" is always present. WBC

4  Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. ⁵  Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁶  blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, ⁷  tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, ⁸  oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁹  and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 

2. Where did the congregation get all this stuff? 

The people, stubborn and disobedient at times, nevertheless rose to the occasion and voluntarily brought much more than was needed for the building of the tabernacle.

Voluntarily and freely the people were given opportunity to personally contribute to the nation’s worship center from the list of 14 components and materials needed to build the tabernacle. One wonders how much of their contribution came originally from Egyptian homes and had been thrust into the hands of the Israelites right before the Exodus (cf. 12:35, 36). The people so responded with joy and enthusiasm that they finally had to be restrained from bringing any more gifts (35:21–29; 36:3–7). A similar response occurred centuries later, when King David requested gifts to build the temple (1Ch 29:1–9). blue, purple, and scarlet material. These colors were produced by dying the thread: blue from a shellfish, purple from the secretion of a murex snail, and crimson from powdered eggs and bodies of certain worms, which attached themselves to holly plants. Deriving different colored dyes from different natural sources demonstrates a substantial degree of technical sophistication with textiles and fabrics. fine linen. Egypt had a reputation for excellence in producing finely twined linens. rams’ skins dyed red. With all the wool removed and then dyed, it resembled moroccan leather. acacia wood. A hard, durable, close-grained, and aromatic desert wood avoided by wood-eating insects. It was considered good for cabinet making, and could also be found in sufficient quantities in the Sinai peninsula. spices. For the many years of Bible history, Arabia was highly respected for the variety of balsams she exported. onyx stones. Sometimes thought to be chrysoprase quartz, a product known to the Egyptians and with which Israel was no doubt familiar. The LXX translated it as beryl.

¹⁰  “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: 

3. How is all this stuff going to be constructed?

The call for contributions is not simply for materials but also for every skillful craftsman.  ESVN

 The building of the tabernacle required two essential elements: goods and services. There must be skilled workers, both men and women, who would fashion these raw materials into objects of beauty. Some of those who gave to the tabernacle gave of their goods, while many others gave of their skilled abilities, to create a place of great beauty and worth. The tabernacle was to be of such quality and craftsmanship that it would befit the God who was to dwell within it . Thus, the materials used in building it were the finest that were available. So, too, with the craftsmen who were to create the intricate and beautiful works of art within the tabernacle. God was given the finest men had to offer, and all of these fine things, whether goods or skills, were God-given in the first place. RD

¹¹  the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; ¹²  the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; ¹³  the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; ¹⁴  the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; ¹⁵  and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; ¹⁶  the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; ¹⁷  the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; ¹⁸  the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; ¹⁹  the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.”

4.  The specific items listed tell us what about God,

God is very detailed and purposeful in all that he does and expects from us.

All these appointments, these various articles of equipment, had been ordered by the Lord, and were to be made in accordance with His will. PCB

²⁰  Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. ²¹  And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. ²²  So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. ²³  And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them. ²⁴  Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD’s contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. ²⁵  And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. ²⁶  All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. ²⁷  And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, ²⁸  and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. ²⁹  All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD. 


^{5. What does the quality and volume of goods combined with the efforts of the craftsmanship tell us about what is going on here.}

The description of all the contributed materials emphasizes the people’s willingness of heart, which indicates that they are responding in accordance with the initial call for contributions and shows their penitence for making the golden calf. ESVN

And so, notice the giving. It was as a person's heart was stirred. And that is always the secret of true giving, as God stirs your heart, as God lays it upon your heart. And as you're willing to give so you should give unto God, but never, never by constraint, never by pressure, never by begging. It cheapens God to beg people to support Him. CSTTB

The offerings for the tabernacle are perhaps the most impressive offering ever taken from God’s people for any endeavor! The key was the stirring of the heart and the willingness of the spirit of those who gave. Both men and women gave. Even in this patriarchal time, women participated actively in God’s work. All people came with gifts that were sumptuous, varied, and abundant. At last they had to be told to stop giving (see 36:2–7)! NSB

³⁰  Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; ³¹  and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, ³²  to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, ³³  in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. ³⁴  And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. ³⁵  He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.  

6. Is this just a lucky coincidence that all these talented people be around?

 This section refers to Bezalel and Oholiab, who will oversee the designs and construction of every aspect related to the tabernacle, as those whom the Lord has filled … with skill. It also describes the skill of every craftsman who will help as the Lord enables them. In the same way that the Lord enabled his people to contribute the materials for the sanctuary, he has also prepared or empowered some of them with the skills required to craft the sanctuary. ESVN


7. What does this tabernacle represent?

The tabernacle was a beautiful object. It was a jewel in the desert. It was not large, not a great warehouse, only a small building. It has been estimated that about five million dollars went into the construction of the tabernacle according to the value of the metals of a few years ago. The value in inflationary times would even be greater. The tabernacle was God’s precious jewel; a picture of His Son, Jesus Christ. JVM

ESVN……………..….ESV Study Bible Notes

MSBN……………….MacArthur NASB Study   Notes

NIVSN……………….NIV Study Notes.

JVM ………………….J Vernon McGee’s Commentary

BN ……………………Barnes Notes

WBC………….…….Wycliffe Bible Commentary

CN ……….…………..Constables Notes

IC……………….…….Ironside Commentary

NET…………….…….Net Bible Study Notes.

JFB……………………Jamieson Fausset  Brown Commentary

VWS………………….Vincent Word Studies

CMM………………..Commentary on Matthew and Mark

BDB……………..….Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)

Darby……………….John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT

Johnson……………Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament

NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary:  Matthew and Mark.

EHS………………….Expositions of the Holy Scriptures

CPP…………………The Complete Pulpit Commentary

SBC…………………..Sermon Bible Commentary

K&D…………………Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT

EBC……………….…Expositors Bible Commentary

CBSC……………….Cambridge Bible for Schools and College

GC……………………Guzik Commentary

RD…………………..Robert  Deffinbaugh

NSB …………………The Nelson Study Bible

MHC…………………Matthew Henry Commentary

CSTTB………Chuck Smith Through The Bible

LESB…………….Life Essentials Study Bible.

PCB.....................Popular Commentary of the Bible

NSB........................Nelson Study Bible (NKJV)

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