Title: God's Gift/Numbers 7:1~89
Content 6. God's Gift
Numbers 7:1-89
Around January 8, the 2nd year of Exodus, the tabernacle was completed. A month later, on February 8, today, we will be holding a grand ceremony of offering the finally completed tabernacle to God. All the Israelites gathered in front of the tabernacle with excitement and emotion.
In front of the tabernacle stood twelve men, one from each tribe, representing the people. They begin the dedication of the tabernacle with the ceremony of anointing the tabernacle with oil so that the tabernacle and its various utensils may be used holy by God. After anointing with oil, the chieftains of each tribe set aside time to offer the sincere offerings prepared as a way of giving thanks and worship to God. They rejoiced in the completion of the tabernacle and offered their gifts voluntarily. In addition, a separate thanksgiving gift was offered. The chiefs of the 12 tribes, from the tribe of Judah to the heads of the tribes of Naphtali, included 2,400 silver shekels, 120 gold shekels, 36 oxen, 144 sheep, 72 goats were sacrificed. Also, when you see that the gifts they offered are related to various sacrifices, you can imagine how much they longed for reconciliation with God.
We also find that the offerings of each tribe are recorded over and over again, even though they are all the same. Why do I keep writing the same thing over and over so that I feel bored? This is because God values every sacrifice offered by his people.
And finally, on the mercy seat, God hears His voice to Moses like a dear friend. This is not simply showing your love for Moses personally, but it is evidence of the fact that he loves, cares for, and wants to associate with all the people of Israel represented by Moses. In this way, God showed that the gifts offered by the Israelites were acceptable.
That God wants you to offer sacrifices with joy and thanksgiving today.