Day 38: Exodus 33-36

The main thing that struck me in today's section of scripture was the free-will offering of the people for the material and skilled labor for the construction of the tabernacle. Over and over in the Lord's instructions he uses a phrase like "...everyone who is willing..." should bring such and such. It seems like this was an "above and beyond" gift from the people...and, apparently, completely voluntary.

And then, amazingly enough, we read these words:

...And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.”
      Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. (36:3-7)

I look forward to the day the church leadership can say to the people, "Enough! Don't give any more...we don't need it."