36:1 ¶ Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every
wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to
work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that
the LORD had commanded. 2 And Moses
called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the
LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come
unto the work to do it: 3 And they
received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought
for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And
they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. 4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the
work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; 5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people
bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD
commanded to make. 6 And Moses gave
commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp,
saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the
sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all
the work to make it, and too much.
This passage is very interesting for a number of reasons. First,
Moses writes about the wise-hearted being willing. God put wisdom in their
hearts and they had a desire to work for Him. He gave the willing the skills
they needed to serve Him. Bezaleel and Aholiab will also teach the willing,
verse 34. Having a willing heart, being taught in a skill, and God imparting
wisdom is important as all part of the same process. In modern society we often
view reality through the too many movies and TV shows we’ve watched expecting
some magic moment of sudden insight to come upon someone who has shown no
previous interest. But, in the Bible we see cases of people who first have a
desire, prepare themselves or are prepared by others, and then given wisdom by
God. If we get back to the idea that all understanding comes from God on a
willing heart prepared for the work then so much more would be opened to us of
use. But, the current paradigm is that some men and women are so brilliant that
they create within themselves by themselves some great skill. This is rubbish
thinking.
Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out
of his mouth cometh knowledge
and understanding.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 For God
giveth to a man that is
good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth
travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
1Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding
exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
Daniel 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he
removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding:
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Wisdom and understanding is given for a purpose. Why do you think
that mankind has been propelled “forward” in the last century? Is it because we
are so much smarter than our ancestors? Is it because of some kind of
fluctuation in the magnetic field of the earth or some other explanation? In
the last century we’ve made more technological strides than in the previous
three thousand years. And the modern person just thinks that we are just that
much smarter than people were in the past. If you believe the Bible, though,
you can see God’s hand in history.
This passage has some interesting applications to working in the
church family. A person who is willing to do something even outside of their
comfort zone and is willing to be taught by others with more experience and
understanding will be given the understanding they need to do something
successfully.
Finally, there is enough. The stuff is not stored for later use.
What is needed is all that God wants to collect. This brings to mind a
principle that God stresses repeatedly in the Bible for us personally that
although not related directly to the service given in Exodus by the Israelites
has some import for us to consider. We are to pray for what we need today.
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
We are to ask for what we need today, not a huge surplus to grow
fat and contemptuous of our need for God from. In reference to the events of
chapter 16 in regard to the collection of Manna, Paul wrote to the Christians
of his day.
7 ¶ Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and
knowledge, and in all diligence,
and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace
also. 8 I speak not by commandment, but
by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your
love. 9 For ye know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,
that ye through his poverty might be rich. 10
And herein I give my
advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do,
but also to be forward a year ago. 11
Now therefore perform the doing of
it; that as there was a
readiness to will, so there may be
a performance also out of that which ye have. 12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a
man hath, and not according to
that he hath not. 13 For I
mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be
a supply for your want: that
there may be equality: 15 As it is
written, He that had gathered
much had nothing over; and he that had
gathered little had no lack.
The Bible clearly is in opposition to the American ideal of
dreaming of being rich, buying a yacht, never having to work again.
Proverbs 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own
wisdom.
Paul lays out the ideal for Christians.
1Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your
own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that
are without, and that ye may
have lack of nothing.
We need to learn to trust God for what we need today.
Matthew 6:25 ¶ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for
your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body,
what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than
raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air:
for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your
heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one
cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take
ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they
toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And
yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one
of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe
the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall
we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles
seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for
the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day
is the evil thereof.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We must always remember the dangers of putting the pursuit of
money ahead of obedience to God.
1Timothy 6:6 ¶ But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be
therewith content. 9 But they that will
be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in
destruction and perdition. 10 For the
love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Capitalism and its mirror image, Socialism, along with its offshoot,
Materialism, have one abiding principle that keeps them all going. It can be
summed up in one word. That word is “more.” But the Biblical principle is,
“enough.” This isn’t to say that savings or insurance are wrong, sinful, or
show a lack of faith. God honors prudent behavior, responsible behavior, in our
personal dealings. It is the attitude that desiring to be wealthy fosters in
the Christian heart that God does not like. When we have plenty, more than
enough, even a great surplus, we tend not to depend upon God for our daily
lives but depend on the money or the possessions, which is idolatry.
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either
he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and
despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Saying that you should be rich because if you have a lot of money
you can do a lot of good is akin to saying that it’s okay for you to be a
card-dealer in a casino because you’ll have access to a lot of people to
witness to for Christ. It’s a worthless dodge, a pathetic excuse, and a
meaningless self-justification of one’s own lack of faith in God and one’s
bloated sense of self-worship. In the 1800s in America the most popular sermon,
judged by how many thousands of times it was supposedly preached, was called Acres of Diamonds, written by the founder
of Temple University, a Baptist preacher. It extolls the virtues of being rich
and claims that the richest people are the best people and they do the most
good. This celebration of the wealthy is evidence of the spiritual state of the
typical postmillennialist American evangelical of the nineteenth century. It is
never good to have enough, never good to be satisfied or content, and trusting
the Lord is fine, in their book, as long as you satisfy your insatiable lust
for more and are never happy with having enough. Based on the Bible’s clear
statements would you say this the attitude that God wants from Christians?
No comments:
Post a Comment