How does Exodus 35:20 connect to New Testament teachings on giving? Gathered to Give: Exodus 35:20 in Conversation with the New Testament Key verse “Then the whole congregation of Israel withdrew from the presence of Moses.” (Exodus 35:20) What just happened? Moses had announced the Lord’s call for freewill offerings to build the tabernacle (vv. 4-19). Verse 20 records the people’s immediate response: they left the assembly to act on what they had heard. That simple sentence reveals a heart posture that resurfaces throughout the New Testament. Shared heartbeat: Old Covenant and New • Voluntary, Spirit-moved generosity – In Exodus 35 the offerings are “whoever is of a willing heart” (v. 5). – Paul echoes: “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) • Worship expressed through material gifts – Israel’s gifts would house God’s presence. – Believers now give “for the service of the saints” (2 Corinthians 9:12), advancing a living temple made of people (1 Peter 2:5). • Community participation – “The whole congregation” responds together (Exodus 35:20). – In Acts the entire church shares resources: “All the believers were together and had everything in common.” (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35) From the tabernacle to the church: three connecting threads 1. Prompt obedience – Israel: immediate action after hearing Moses. – Macedonia: “In the midst of severe trial, their overflowing joy… welled up in rich generosity… They gave themselves first to the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 8:2-5) 2. Heart-level resolve – Exodus stresses “willing hearts” (vv. 21-22). – Jesus highlights the widow who “out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4) Her heart set the value. 3. God-focused motive – Tabernacle gifts aimed at God’s dwelling among His people. – New-covenant giving glorifies Christ, “producing thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11) Practical takeaways for today • Give promptly when the Spirit stirs—don’t wait for better circumstances. • Let generosity flow from worship, not obligation; it’s an act of love toward the One who first gave His Son (John 3:16). • Remember that every gift, large or small, helps build a dwelling place for God among people, just as surely as acacia wood and scarlet thread once did. By tracing Exodus 35:20 into the New Testament, we discover the same divine rhythm: God speaks, hearts are moved, and His people joyfully release what is in their hands so that His presence may be known in the world. |
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