Introduction & Pray

God continued to pursue His children. He equipped individuals for the specific

purpose of building the House of God. As we read through Exodus 35, consider how God may have equipped you and how those tools can be used to further the Kingdom of God.

Read Exodus 35:1-3

Then Moses called together the whole community of Israel and told them, “These are the instructions the Lord has commanded you to follow. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord. Anyone who works on that day must be put to death. You must not even light a fire in any of your homes on the Sabbath.”

• What happens to our children when they don’t get adequate rest?

• At its root, what does the word sabbath mean? [cease and desist]

• Why did God institute a day of rest?

• If God modeled a day of rest during Creation, does He still expect us to

Sabbath today? Does He consider it a sin if we don’t rest?

Read Exodus 35:4-9

4 Then Moses said to the whole community of Israel, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 Take a sacred offering for the Lord. Let those with generous hearts present the following gifts to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue, purple, and scarlet thread; fine linen and goat hair for cloth; 7 tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather; acacia wood; 8 olive oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; 9 onyx stones, and other gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest’s chestpiece.

• Why is the word sacred used to describe the offering?

• Why do you think God specified that people with generous hearts should

present gifts?

• Does God want us to feel obligated to give?

• Have you ever felt obligated to spend money to purchase a wedding/shower gift

or birthday gift for someone? Why did it feel like an obligation?

Read Exodus 35:10

10 “Come, all of you who are gifted craftsmen. Construct everything that the Lord has commanded:

• From this chapter and earlier chapters we know that God appointed a few leaders. But here God seems to make a general call to all. Regardless of a general call or being appointed, what is the response that should be made to God’s instruction?

• God called and people responded. Have you ever felt God calling you to do or say something? Describe what happened.

• Pick another person in the group and identify 2 skills or talents that God has given that individual?

• How can you use the skills/talents that others identified about you as a tool to build the kingdom of God?

We know from multiple verses in this chapter, that God is very specific about the details.

• What does this tell us about the nature of God?

• What other verses can you remember that would affirm the idea that God

knows the details of our lives? [Luke 12:6,7; Psalm 139:13-16]

Read Exodus 35:20-24

20 So the whole community of Israel left Moses and returned to their tents. 21 All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle, for the performance of its rituals, and for the sacred garments. 22 Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. They brought to the Lord their offerings of gold—brooches, earrings, rings from their fingers, and necklaces. They presented gold objects of every kind as a special offering to the Lord. 23 All those who owned the following items willingly brought them: blue, purple, and scarlet thread; fine linen and goat hair for cloth; and tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather. 24 And all who had silver and bronze objects gave them as a sacred offering to the Lord. And those who had acacia wood brought it for use in the project.

• God continues to identify those whose hearts are willing. When it comes to the areas that you are willing to serve, what makes you willing to serve?

There was a time in the history of Israel when their disobedience earned them the judgement of God. God was merciful and instructed King David on how to stop the punishment by building an altar on a specific plot of land. David went to purchase the land but read what happens next...

Read 1 Chronicles 21:22-26

22 David said to Araunah, “Let me buy this threshing floor from you at its full price. Then I will build an altar to the Lord there, so that he will stop the plague.” 23 “Take it, my lord the king, and use it as you wish,” Araunah said to David. “I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, and the threshing boards for wood to build a fire on the altar, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give it all to you.” 24 But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it for the full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the Lord. I will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!” 25 So David gave Araunah 600 pieces of gold in payment for the threshing floor. 26 David built an altar there to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. And when David prayed, the Lord answered him by sending fire from heaven to burn up the offering on the altar.

• Why wouldn’t David take the land from Araunah?

• Why do certain moments of worship not feel like sacrifice?

• In Exodus 35, it says that, “all whose hearts were willing” came. What does it

mean to have a willing heart?

Read Exodus 35:25-28

25 All the women who were skilled in sewing and spinning prepared blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen cloth. 26 All the women who were willing used their skills to spin the goat hair into yarn. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and the special gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest’s chestpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense.

• Why do you think God specified that women were instrumental in making critical components of the Tabernacle?

• In a culture that was male dominated, what does verse 26 reveal when it describes women used their skills to work for God?

Read Exodus 35:29

29 So the people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the Lord.

• God continues to repeat the idea that these individuals were eager to help in the work and they brought their gifts and gave freely. What attitude to giving and serving do you see in the church today?

Read Exodus 35:30, 31 and 35

30 Then Moses told the people of Israel, “The Lord has specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 31 The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts....Verse 35 35 The Lord has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsmen and as designers.

• In what ways does the Spirit of God lead or equip us? • What causes us to be disobedient to the Spirit of God?

Think On This...

How do we obediently follow after God in areas that we may not feel skilled or equipped?