Exodus 35 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes

Exodus 35 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• God delivered the Israelites from slavery in approximately 1491 B.C.

• Exodus 35 occurred shortly after God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, which would place these events approximately 4-6 months after the Hebrews left Egypt (19:1; 32:34).

CHARACTERS:

• Moses – Moses was selected by God to lead the Israelites to Canaan. God spoke directly to Moses and Moses communicated God’s words to the people.

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God granted them freedom after several hundred years in slavery in Egypt.

• Bezalel and Oholiab – Two men specially gifted with the Spirit of God to help in the construction of the Tabernacles and the holy items within it.

WHERE:

• Moses and the Israelites were camped at Mount Sinai but were preparing to depart per God’s instructions.

OUTLINE:

• ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR KEEPING THE SABBATH (35:1-3):

  • Moses gathered all the Israelites to him and shared the laws of the Lord he received on the top of Mount Sinai.

  • In regards to the Sabbath, the Israelites were to work 6 days and rest on the 7th day.

  • They were not even to kindle a fire in the home on the Sabbath.

  • Anyone caught breaking the Sabbath was to be put to death.

• CONTRIBUTION FOR THE TABERNACLE (35:4-29):

  • Moses invited anyone who had a generous heart to contribute gold, silver, bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarn, fine twined linen, goats’ hair, ram skins, acacia wood, oil, spices, onyx stones, or precious stones to be part of the Lord’s Tabernacle.

  • He also invited any craftsman among the people to volunteer their skills to build parts of the Tabernacle.

  • Verses 11-19 list all the important pieces of the Tabernacle as God described them to Moses on Mount Sinai.

  • The people gave very generously, both of their possessions and their talents.

• BEZALEL AND OHOLIAB (35:30-35):

  • God gifted two men special skill, intelligence, and craftsmanship to work on the Tabernacle.

  • Bezalel and Oholiab were empowered by the Spirit of God to “devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft.”

  • The men were also inspired to teach others how to create the necessary articles of the Tabernacle.  

APPLICATION:

• Generosity should come naturally when we understand how generous and gracious God has been to us.

• God didn’t compel the Israelites to give their contributions, they were freewill offerings.

• Modern Christians are not commanded to give a certain amount of money to the Church or to the poor, but a genuine Christian will not see that as an excuse to be stingy.  

• Christians should be the most generous people of all because they know they’ve received the greatest gift of all, Jesus!