LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Kind of Men
Who Collaborate with God
The building of the House is a great work of God, which seeks God's satisfaction. If we examine how the tabernacle was built in the wilderness, we will see some lights about how God builds His house today, whom God will use for this task, what kind of people can participate in this work. When we read the Exodus record, we find three very interesting things.
First: When God tells Moses to gather that offering to build the tabernacle, and when later in another chapter he reiterates that, we find that the first thing is that there be men with spiritual vision, or heavenly vision. It is necessary that Moses goes up the mountain, it is necessary that Moses receives the plans directly from God, it is necessary that no detail is left out of Moses' vision. Forty days and forty nights. Without vision there is no work of God. Without heavenly vision we cannot collaborate with God in his eternal purpose. First, men with heavenly vision are required.
Second: "...of every man that will give it of his own free will, from his own heart". This is reiterated further on, when it says: "Take an offering among yourselves for the LORD, every man that is generous of heart". How interesting! It goes on to say: "And every man came, whom his heart stirred up, and every man to whom his spirit was willing" (Ex. 35:5, 21).
When God wanted to build the tabernacle, He did not force anyone; He did not use the regular offerings that were offered to Him. How could He build His dwelling with a forced offering from petty people, from people who make everything about themselves! The house of God is so holy, so pure, so noble, that no one is allowed to participate in it who is not generous of heart, who does not believe that he is indebted to God, and that all his goods, all that he has received from God, belongs to God and must return to God.
This is not the only example we find, because if you read later, when David informs the people that his son is going to build the house in Jerusalem, then again we have the same thing. David says: "I have accumulated some talents of gold and silver; all this time I have been thinking about the house of God. Who else wants to give? Are there other volunteers who want to give?". And the record says that the princes came, the most noble people, bringing their offerings, and the people rejoiced to offer for God (1 Chron. 29). Do you notice that there is no stinginess there?
Third: Men and women "wise in heart". Because after the materials of the tabernacle were in place, craftsmen were needed, those who worked with their hands, to make all that marvelous work. And there was Bezaleel and Aholiab, a great number of men and women who wove, who embroidered, who prepared every part of that precious tabernacle. "Wise in heart." God endowed them with wisdom in the design of every primitive work. First, men of spiritual vision, then, men generous of heart, and, lastly, men and women wise of heart.