(1) 2 types of offering
The offering of material' possession
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,
The offering of skill
35:10 Every skilled person among you is to come and make all that the LORD has commanded:
[skilled person]=(NET)“wise of heart”... showing that there were those who could make skillful decisions.
[skilled person]=(NET)“wise of heart”... showing that there were those who could make skillful decisions.
Reflection: We can draw the principle and apply this to our own offerings to God: we can offer our money as well as our talent/time. The 2 groups of people are not necessarily exclusive to each other. We can offer both. Everyone can participate in the offering.
(2) The repeated words in these 2 kinds of offerings: heart (v.5, 10, 21, 22, 25, 26, 29, 34, 35.
God does not just care about the materials you offered, or your skill that you offered. The most important of all is your heart. The descriptions of the heart include: generous heart v.5, skilled v.10,25 (wise of heart), whose heart stirred him v.21, 26, willing heart v.22, whose heart moved them v.29.
Reflection: Do we have a giving heart? Are we moved by God not only in the matter of offering but also in other times?
(3) Wide range of materials/skills could be offered
v.5b 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.
People could offer the expensive materials as well as the ordinary value materials. Also some of the things might only be needed once (gems, woods, metals), but some might be needed continuously (oil, spices and fragrant) since they were consumed continuously.
Reflection: Do we only give once when the church is built? Or we care about the everyday needs of the church and give continuously? Some missionaries suffered financially because people only gave once when the missionaries started to serve, but they also needed help continuously.
All people are encouraged to give (rich/poor, man/woman). Do you encourage your children to offer?
Audrey
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