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bigmike

Our Part of the Work
And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass, And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
Exodus 35:4-9
After giving the law to Moses, God also gave instructions for the building of a Tabernacle that would be the center of Jewish life and worship throughout the time the Israelites were waiting to enter the Promised Land. This tent and everything in it were designed not by man, but by God Himself. No detail was left to chance. “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount” (Hebrews 8:5). But though God provided thorough instructions for the project, He left it up to the people to provide for it and build it.
God parted the Red Sea to allow the people to escape from Pharaoh's army. God provided manna for the people to eat that fell on the ground six mornings each week, and He gave them water out of a rock. He could easily have miraculously set the finished Tabernacle in the center of the camp. He could have dropped gold and silver and animal skins for the people to assemble. Instead, He called them to bring an offering. While we cannot successfully do God's work apart from God's power and we are utterly dependent on Him, He still calls on us to personally engage our time, energy, and resources to accomplish His purposes.
God provides the plan and the power, but He invites us to participate through willing and generous obedience.

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