Not So Fast!

Exodus 38: 24-31

I remember when one of my daughters got her first paycheck. She was excited and mad at the same time. Excited for the new money she made but mad because they withheld some of the money she made for social security and taxes. Not understanding what those things are, I can see why she was mad. The truth is that we don’t get to keep all the money we make. Some goes to social security and taxes and some to the Lord in the form of tithes and offerings and rest of it, well, is ours to manage. Proverbs 1:19 says, “Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life”.

The Israelites came out of Egypt with a lot of stuff including gold, silver, bronze and many more things like fine linen and fine clothes.  Reading the history of Egypt it is thought that the Hittites came and took over Egypt without a fight after Egypt was wrecked by God it had nothing to defend itself. 

The Israelites must have felt like the Goonies that day except they got to keep all of it, not just a pocket full of precious stones but a whole kingdom spoils. The Bible says that 603,550 men were counted in a census as the men who came out of Egypt. Moses is writing down all that God told him to make and all the materials it took to make it. Here are some of the materials: 1 metric ton of gold, 3.75 metric tons of silver, 2,5 metric tons of bronze. They had also woven many garments using the materials from Egypt. Holy cow what a haul. You can say the people of God got bank dog.

But here is where the story comes to a quick left turn and may derail your mind just a bit. All that gold, silver, and bronze were not for the people, it was used for the Lord. The Bible says that each man gave about 1.5 ounces for the building of all the things used to make the house of God for the Israelites. This young nation of God had to learn something that I think we all miss.

The Bible says the whole earth glorifies Him. Even the rocks and trees give glory to God. The Israelites had all that gold to do what with? To build the tabernacle of God. In other words they did not get to keep it for personal treasure. In fact the Bible tells of a few times were some of people held back or kept some of the spoils and God did not like that.

When it comes to wealth, God does give man the power to built wealth. If we are not ready to use it for the Kingdom of God we may have to learn a hard lesson. Wealth is not sin, nor having money, but the love of it is the root of all kinds of evil. Our hearts should be passionately seeking what God wants and not on stuff we acquire. Our true wealth should be rested in our citizenship in Heaven and with God the Father.

Father, help us put money in its place. Make us strong enough in you that we do not shift our love for you onto our money. Make our minds think continually on you not on obtaining wealth. Help us be ready to “sell all our possession and come follow you.” You are our provider. Amen