Monday: Offerings and the Spirit
Daily Lesson for Monday 22nd of September 2025
Read Exodus 35:4-35; Exodus 36:1-7. What important lessons are here for us today?
An abundance of various precious materials was needed to build the tabernacle, and it was accomplished by generous donations from God’s people, who gave from the bottom of their hearts, willingly and with joy.
Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com
They gave gold, silver, bronze, fine linen, precious stones, unique fabrics, acacia wood, olive oil, spices, and many other needed items. People also donated their labor because many specific objects needed to be crafted through their artistic and diligent work on the tent or its furniture. Also, tailors had to weave garments for the priests, who would be ministering in the tabernacle, and for the high priest, whose very elaborate garments included a breastplate and turban.
God had abundantly blessed the Israelites through the gifts that the Egyptians had given them on their departure from Egypt. Now it was their opportunity to give offerings of gratitude for God’s merciful and mighty leadership, and their hearts were moved to accomplish this work to His glory.
The people were giving with such joy and abundance that Moses was told: “ ‘The people are bringing more than enough’ ” (Exodus 36:5, NIV). So, Moses had to stop their donations “because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work” on the tabernacle (Exodus 36:7, NIV).
Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God equipped and empowered the people to accurately build the tabernacle. Bezalel, Aholiab, and others were “filled . . . with the Spirit of God” (Exodus 35:31, NKJV), which means that they were endowed with skills, wisdom, and artistic knowledge to perfectly do all the work. It was an enormous project and had to be created exactly according to the model God showed Moses.
It is significant that the gift of the Holy Spirit was related to people’s different abilities and skills, which needed to be employed in building the tabernacle. To be filled with the Spirit is not a magical process and does not mean that special spiritual forces are within humans. To advance God’s cause and fulfill His mission, God empowers His followers to accomplish His objectives and to do it well.
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What spiritual gifts have you received when you were filled with the Holy Spirit? Remember that the spiritual gifts can flourish only when you cultivate the fruits of the Spirit in your life (Galatians 5:22-23). |
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For those of us with a cynical mind, we could read today’s lesson with the idea that it is intended to put the hard word on us to give more of our money and time to the church. Giving time and money to the cause of God is one thing, but the most useful thing that comes out of such projects is the sense of community that develops as we work together. When we are working together, we tend to put aside our differences.
I am not a big fan of sport, but I cannot help but notice our local Rugby League team in the national competition has just won the wooden spoon for the season. Earlier in the season when it became quite obvious that things were going bad, there were recriminations and blame cast on the coaches, management, and one another. They had lost the will to work together, and that lack of cohesion has left them stranded at the bottom of the ladder.
Isaiah has this to say:
If our churches have become a brief stopover for the liturgy fest on Sabbath morning, we have lost the blessing and the witness of working together. Perhaps we should be praying for a local project that required team effort.
The Israelites are reported to have given in lavish generosity, it was not about the size of the gift but about the posture of the hearts.One of the greatest issues facing Christians today is the temptation to believe that our security lies in what we own, rather than in God’s provision. The Israelites reached a point and acknowledged that in their wilderness journey, every meal, every drop of water, and even the durability of their clothes and shoes came from God (Deuteronomy 8:3-4). We must also reach a point and remember that all we have is from His hand. When our hearts grasp that truth, we are freed from the illusion of self-sufficiency and stirred toward gratitude and lavish generosity to Him who gave all in His son Jesus Christ. True gratitude always overflows into generosity, for “what do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).
Jesus acknowledged the widow in the book of Luke who gave two small coins and praised because “she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:4). Likewise, Paul exhorts believers that “God loves a cheerful giver” and that He supplies seed to the sower so that we may “abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). When as Christians we give generously and joyfully, we declare our trust in God’s daily provision and display that our treasure is not in barns and bank accounts but in Christ Himself (Matthew 6:19-21).
Totally agree Dan.Security" issue is biggest threat to a christ follower. We are afraid to detach from self and material stuff even when we know its failing us.Most Spirit filled individuals fail to acknowledge all that we are and have belongs to Him. We act on that when we go through difficulties or success but fail to keep momentum and be as christ at all time. Devil has made us suffer from a type of bi/ multiple polar personalities where we filled with spirit when we around people but in our secret places we holding onto idols. May we Pray for spirit filled life to be able to detach ourselves from what brings us sorrow and get attached to our Divine high call duty.Child of God.
"Harambee" is a word that means "All pull together," a spirit that defines the foundation of the Republic of Kenya. Since independence, Kenyans have built projects, halls, schools in the spirit of "Harambee," and even in today's Kenya, "Harambee" has supported raising funds for weddings, funerals, and higher education funds. Harambee engages families, every possible person, and communities to pull resources (funds, materials, talents, connections, and networks) for the common good of the people. The word even appears at the bottom of the coat of arms, one of the symbols of national unity.
But as we look at the description above, one can assume that "Harambee" is only about raising funds in Kenya. In fact, looking at the current use of this word, its mention only appears when funds are being raised for projects, including churches. However, this is a somewhat exploitative perception that has killed the original spirit of the word "Harambee" – from a word intended to be a clarion call that should pull people together with one accord, into a word used when we bring people into fundraising for even selfish projects, even when people have not invested their hearts in it. It was about patriotism and nationalism back then, now- I wonder?
Likewise, in today's study, and as mentioned before, God continues His grand mission of restoration of Israel, Israel is home having a sense of belonging even happy, and the spirit here involves bringing Israel to unity with one accord. The offering that is given by the people appearing in The spirit behind this offering is unity with God and one another – that makes them one family under God; owning the process spurring Israel into a united family with God.
As one Israel, by one Israel; One people, One heart under One God. It may be so important to notice that this offering was only limited to "willingness from the heart" – it included some "not-so-friendly" items like badger skin, earrings, nose rings, necklaces (???? 😂 😂). The important thing was people of Isreal coming out, dictated by their appreciation and their hearts calling (the very spirit behind offering). There was something that clicked within the hearts of Israel that day, and they happily and willingly gave out their everything to a point that it was more than enough. (Exodus 36:5-7)
With no verses read to them about "open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing" (Malachi 3:10), the people gave without coercion and with all inclusion. Gems, material, talent, thought and energy here were not only an appreciation by the people for God taking them back to Himself, but also a sense and spirit of unity (with one accord).
I agree with Maurice (and Thank you so much for your comment above!), the spirit here is what mattered, and not how we've used these and many other texts in scripture to the church congregation – there is a lot to learn or to remember.
Psalms 133: 1-2 reads:
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It was that Spirit of togetherness that allowed the work on the Temple to be completed back then.
It is the same Spirit of togetherness that is needed today to finish the work and usher in God's second coming!!!!!
In the context of Salvation, one could say there is no separate ‘offering’ for the believer in Christ, as our ‘surrender’ contains all offerings - we are the ‘offering’. To recognize this unity in God’s Holy Spirit is the final goal of all His Works manifest in the life of man from the Beginning. This oneness in Him by His Spirit brings about the ultimate victory of Life over death – Hebrew 2 MSG.
God's process of placing ’all that is’ under the feet of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, granting Him ‘absolute authority over dominions and powers, is still ongoing. By/in the Holy Spirit, all believers are bound together in the body of Christ; called upon to manifest unity in Spirit and Truth – John 17:21; Eph.4:3-6.
Believers became part of the Creator's Unity in Spirit, so manifesting His Glory among men in all we do. Our life is a 'state of giving’ - being in Christ who gives; nothing separates 'giving' and 'giver' as they are one in Spirit. Participating in 'sharing gifts' placed within us by our heavenly Father is in essence living Life in the Kingdom of God here on earth and continued in the new heaven and earth – Eph.1:20-23 MSG.
To have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, there is a need for a relationship. There must be an acquaintance with God, because His greatest gift is His Spirit. Jesus made the sacrifice, while the Holy Spirit was the gift to comfort us in our wait for His return.