Offerings for the Tabernacle

Exodus 25:1-8

We have skipped a few chapters in Exodus, because this time of year I really want to focus on Jesus. Now you may be asking what do Exodus and Jesus have in common? Well, we may be surprised to find out that there is actually a lot of information about Jesus in Exodus. The Tabernacle that God told Moses to construct for Him is actually a picture of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Every piece and every piece's placement point us directly to Jesus. We are going to spend some time looking at that this week.

Today I want us to focus on the first eight verses of chapter 25. The Israelites were to bring offerings to God in order to build the Tabernacle. The things that they were to bring were of great value and God was very specific about the types of offerings that would be acceptable and why they would be acceptable.

The only offerings that would be acceptable were ones that were offered from someone whose "heart [prompted] him to give". Have you ever been prompted to give to something or someone? When we are prompted to give, we must not ignore this. Many times it is truly the Holy Spirit and if we are obedient, we will be taking part in His work. God only wanted offerings from people who truly wanted to give. To me, even the offerings point to Christ because Christ freely came to Earth and gave His life for us. (See John 10:18)

The offerings also had to be the best of what the Israelites possessed. Now, let's remember that these people just came out of slavery. Where did they get all of these costly possessions? The Egyptians gave them to them as they were leaving Egypt. The Egyptians were prompted by God to give these costly items to the Israelites. Therefore, the very things that God was asking for as an offering had been really been given to them by Him in the first place.

Isn't that how it is with us as well? Everything we have has been given is from God. We are merely a steward of it. With that in mind, do we willingly give off the top of what He has given us or do we just give whatever we have left? Do we give God our best? Do we give Him the things that are hard to let go of like our families knowing that they belong to Him more than they will ever belong to us?

This Christmas season, I pray that we will give our best of what God has given us. He gave His life. What will you give in return?