Exodus 35:20–29
The Bible4Jesus.com Podcast
About this episode
Israel has just come through the sordid business of the golden calf. They had committed cosmic treason at the very foot of the mountain where God was cutting a covenant with them. Moses had interceded, God in His mercy had relented, and the covenant was renewed. And what is the very first thing that happens after this great apostasy and gracious restoration? It is a massive, joyful, freewill offering for the construction of the Tabernacle. Our modern sensibilities are often allergic to the idea of material things in worship. We prefer our religion to be abstract, spiritual, and internal. We want a faith that doesn't touch our wallets, our workshops, or our women's sewing circles. God is not building a philosophy; He is building a house. This passage is a direct rebuke to two opposite errors. The first is the error of legalism, which says that our giving and our work can earn God's favor.