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Exodus 36 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Can you believe it? I don’t recall very many stories in the Bible where a cheerful giver was giving so much that they had to be restrained.
Exodus 36:3-5 NASB They received from Moses all the contributions which the sons of Israel had brought to perform the work in the construction of the sanctuary. And they still continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. 4 And all the skillful men who were performing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work which he was performing, 5 and they said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for the construction work which the LORD commanded us to perform.”
Much more than enough. Isn’t that what God does a lot of times? I’m not talking about material possessions but more than enough of whatever He’s called us to. For some reason, a lot of us have this thought that we will not be able to complete the task that the Lord sets in our hearts. In one way, we are right. WE will not be able to complete it. He will.
God stirred the hearts of the people and they responded with joyful giving. For the skilled workers, it was abundantly more than they could ask or imagine. Is this the mindset you have today? Are you stepping out with an expectation that God will provide abundantly?
The beauty of this passage is that it not only highlights the faithfulness of God, but it illustrates the template for giving. God loves a cheerful giver. These people were giving freely and not under compulsion – because there was a need. This is the attitude Christ called us to when he “raised the bar” on giving – namely, our entire lives. He asks us to give our dreams, our plans, our possessions, and yes, the most difficult for many of us, our finances. The people in this chapter represent the Christ-centered faithful giving that would be ushered in under the New Covenant.