Title: Gifts to God/Numbers 7:1-11
Content Title: Gifts to God
Text: Numbers 7:1-11
Key Verse: (Numbers 7:1) On the day when Moses had erected the tent and anointed it with oil to sanctify it, and anointed all its utensils, the altar, and all its utensils, with oil, on the day of sanctification.
In this chapter, following the previous chapter, the rules for the trespass offering and the peace offering are mentioned, and the priest's portion in this sacrifice and the rules for eating the offering are mentioned. In particular, God's providence of giving detailed instructions on the types and methods of sacrifices is very surprising.
The main text is about the dedication of the tabernacle that took place on February 8, the second year, about a month from January 1 of the second year of Exodus when the census was completed. In particular, it speaks specifically about the gifts offered to God.
1. Separated by oil.
Oil has a meaning, but it has a special gender meaning. When setting up the kings of Israel, you must take a horn of oil and pour it on their head, and the prophet prayed and made him king. When the priests were set up, they were also anointed with oil.
All of the altars and articles in the tabernacle of the Lord were anointed with oil to consecrate them. Therefore, the gift that God accepts must be set apart to be holy. Moreover, all Christians are like holy temples, so they must live a holy life. “(1 Corinthians 6:19) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not yours?”
2. I gave voluntarily.
If you look at verse 2 of the main text, you can see that the heads of each tribe offered their gifts voluntarily, not in a forced way.
God said, “(2 Corinthians 9:7) Let each one do just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” It is not that God, who is the owner of the whole universe, does not accept gifts because he lacks something. He wants to receive the sincerity of the human beings contained in the gift, form a stronger bond with him, and share true fellowship with him. Therefore, it is very important to make a voluntary gift.
3. It was given in the designated way.
The text says, “(Numbers 7:11) The Lord said to Moses, The patriarchs shall offer the offering of the altar one person a day.” Likewise, when we present our gifts to God, we should not give them our own will, but in the way God has ordained. In other words, it must be offered according to the type, method, and season of the offering recorded in the Bible.
For we confess that God is a God of order, so vast that He created the entire universe, but also the very hairs of our heads were numbered.
apply
1) If we recall that our Lord died on the cross for us, what would we hesitate to offer to God? Am I really ready to give to God?
2) Gifts offered to God do not simply mean material things. All of the time, knowledge, and health you have can be a gift.
3) Are we making a holy struggle to live a sanctified life as God's holy temple?
4) God is pleased with those who are willing to give gifts and to serve. Am I really willing? Or do you force it?