Moses assembled the people and instructed them in the words of The LORD (v1-3). Moses had received all these words from The LORD when he was alone with Him up the mountain. Now was the time for him to relay those words to the people. He restated The LORD’s command about working six days and the seventh being a holy Sabbath rest to The LORD. The penalty for working on it was death, even for kindling a fire on the Sabbath. It was so important that they kept the Sabbath which displayed their obedience and devotion to God. They were going to have a lot of work to do when they built the tabernacle and when they entered the Promised land but loyalty to God was paramount.
I’m not a Hebrew scholar but I understand that there were two words for work – avodah and melachah. Avodah is general work and melachah refers to business and things forbidden on the Sabbath.
One would think that lighting a fire was general work but there were two reasons for lighting a fire, one was for light and heat which was lawful but lighting a fire for the purpose of doing work was not.
In verses 4-9 he told them what God had said regarding being willing givers. They were to make offerings to The LORD of gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple and scarlet thread, fine linen and goat’s hair, ram skins dyed red, badger skins, acacia wood, oil for the light, spice for the anointing oil and sweet incense, onyx stones and stones to be set in the ephod and the breastplate. Lots of this material would be required to build the tabernacle.
Just as today, God could provide all that was required, but He wanted willing givers, just as the Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” We are not under law as to our giving; we are to give willingly and cheerfully and with careful thought and planning.
Next Moses called for those who were gifted to make all the parts and articles for the tabernacle (v10-19). They are all listed in these verses and there was work to be done. Not everyone had the same gift, some were for furniture, some for utensils and some for the metal and woodwork. All the work had to be coordinated. Again, as the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:4 and Ephesians 4:16, we all have a different job to do as members of the Body of Christ.
After Moses had spoken the words of The LORD the people dispersed and everyone who was moved to obey and willing to give brought their offerings to The LORD for the work of the tabernacle. God moved both men and women to give their offerings and their abilities to do the work. They all willingly gave what they could to The LORD, not just the rich but those with less, gave as they were moved by the Spirit of God.
Moses told them that The LORD had specifically called Bezalel and Aholiab and given them a special anointing to lead this work (v30-35) and to teach others in the task.
