Exodus 35

Exodus 35 focuses primarily on contributions made by the people for the construction and furnishing of the tabernacle, but before we dive in there, notice again how Moses instructs the Israelites to honor the Sabbath: “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD” (vv. 1-2). Why such a continued emphasis on this one day out of the week? “Anything we do for the LORD must grow out of our rest in Him, and [specifically,] rest in His finished work on our behalf.”[i] Those who did not know the LORD may have been eager to complete this task that God set forth, thus working all hours of the day, every day of the week, to accomplish such a feat. But the LORD demanded and often reinforced that His people be different. For us, practicing the Sabbath is one way we intentionally choose to reject the patterns of this world and live a life set apart for God. I hope you, too, are realizing that the continual mention of this rhythm is important to God, and if it’s important to Him, we ought to reflect on whether we share His same enthusiasm. 

“Moses [then] said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, ‘This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution” (vv. 4-5; emphasis added). Warren Wiersbe once said that “We can give to God only that which He has first given to us, for all things come from Him.”[ii] As you go through today’s reading, I want you to ponder this reality because once we internalize this truth, our hearts will be much more motivated to return to God what was already His in the first place. (And I’m not just referring to money.)

To be sure, proper biblical stewardship acknowledges that God is the owner of all we have—time, talents, and treasures. In other words, everything you have is God’s, not yours. And all He has entrusted to us is to be used for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). I am thankful God has opened my eyes over the years to realize He has not called us to clench these resources with a tight fist. Instead, God has tasked us with holding them “gently in the open palm of [our] hand—not too tightly, offering to take care of it while aware that [He has] entrusted it to [us] for a reason.”[iii]

Follower of Jesus, we each are given 24 hours in a day by God to use for His purposes. Each of us is entrusted with specific talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts to utilize for His glory. And all of us are provided with financial resources that are to be used to meet our needs and build up His kingdom here on earth. Aside from our time, all of us are afforded these resources in varying degrees, and all of us will be accountable for how we steward His allocations. So, will you be like the Israelites, who generously gave above and beyond their minimum call so that God’s presence in their midst would be assured? Or, will you be like so many in the present who contribute out of compulsion (or not at all) because they are more consumed with their own agendas instead of God’s? “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Choose wisely, my fellow steward. 

- - - - - -

Journal responses to the following prompts:

·       What would your checkbook register and calendar reveal about your stewardship of God’s finances and time? Are you allocating more of each resource to build God’s Kingdom or your own? 

·       Have you identified your spiritual gifts, and if so, how are you using them for God’s glory? 

[i] Study Guide for Exodus 34. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/exodus/exodus-35.cfm

[ii] Wiersbe, W. W. (2001). The Bible exposition commentary: The Pentateuch. David C. Cook. p. 233.

[iii] Morley, P. (2014). The man in the mirror: Solving the 24 problems men face. Zondervan. p. 189.