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Terumah

Contribution
“Faithful and Worshipful Contributions”

Exodus 25:1-27:19
1 Kings 5:26-6:13

excerpted from TorahScope, Volume III

In this week’s Torah portion, appropriately entitled Terumah or “Contribution,” there are some very explicit instructions about how and where God desired to tabernacle or dwell with the Ancient Israelites, during their sojourn to the Promised Land. There are specific details issued regarding the Ark of the Covenant,[1] the Table of Showbread,[2] the golden lampstand or menorah,[3] the different veils and curtains to be used for the Tabernacle,[4] the bronze altar,[5] and the general dimensions of the Tabernacle.[6] While the instructions on how all of these items were to be fashioned is intriguing to consider, what is most beneficial, for us as both Torah readers and followers of Yeshua to understand, is that wholeheartedly giving to what God has ordained, is a significant means of worshipping Him. It is through actions, and not necessarily words, that God’s people, in whatever age, are given the opportunity to express their faithfulness by contributing to His work.

A Calling to Holiness

As you examine Terumah, be conscious of the fact that the Lord had uniquely called out His people Israel, for a specific Divine purpose, among the nations of the Earth. After they had witnessed the awesomeness of God’s power in delivering them from Egypt, the Israelites had agreed to do all which the Lord had spoken:

“‘“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.’ Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. All the people answered together, and said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.” (Exodus 19:5-8, WMB).

With a committed responsibility to follow what the Lord had spoken, there was the implicit requisite that the people of Israel were to specifically worship Him with burnt and peace offerings, upon altars built for sacrificial purposes:

“You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you. If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it. You shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed to it” (Exodus 20:24-26, WMB).

The early references seen here, to altars of stone, do point us in the eventual direction of Solomon’s Temple, which would be built centuries later. However, at this early stage in the development of Ancient Israel, it was not yet time for such a permanent structure to be constructed. The Israelites still had to be trained in what the Lord expected of them, as they were steadily molded into a holy nation, able to achieve His purposes. However, the Lord did inform His people about the dimensions of the Promised Land, with the additional word that He would cause its inhabitants to be driven out:

“I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the animals of the field multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and inherit the land. I will set your border from the Sea of Suf even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you” (Exodus 23:29-31, WMB).

The Israelites still had much to do, to be readied to enter into their inheritance.

Providential Preparation

With the promises of God spoken to them, and His great power having been displayed to them, the people of Israel were absolutely primed for His request, to contribute whatever was needed for the construction of the Tabernacle. Just a few months earlier, before Israel’s departure from Egypt, the ten plagues had wreaked such havoc upon the Egyptians, that they literally gave the escaping slaves many of the materials, which would become integral components of the items to be fashioned:

“The Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, ‘We are all dead men.’ The people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. The children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing. The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. They plundered the Egyptians. The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot who were men, in addition to children. A mixed multitude went up also with them, with flocks, herds, and even very much livestock” (Exodus 12:33-38, WMB).

In the Lord’s foreknowledge of what was going to be required for the construction of the Tabernacle, He had the Egyptians give valuable materials to the Israelites. The description of the Israelites plundering the Egyptians, indicates how God had blessed them, likely for having complied with His instruction on keeping the Passover. Additionally, one should note that a mixed multitude of non-Israelites, who had probably witnessed God’s judgment upon Egypt and recognized Him as Creator, departed with them. Israel was already becoming a holy nation, and having a positive impact on the world around it.

It is notably ironic to me, that there is every indication that upon departing from Egypt, Israel was in possession of a large number of livestock. One might wonder about the cries for food expressed in Exodus 16, which resulted in quail and manna being provided. Apparently, despite having flocks and herds, there must have been a tendency to hoard these means of sustenance from others in the community. Human nature being what it is, the natural inclination is self-survival. A significant part of the Torah’s instruction—which we even struggle with today as God’s people—relates to caring for others who are with need.

A Blood Covenant

After the Israelites had heard the voice of God at the base of Mount Sinai, and had at least received the Ten Commandments, recall that the unanimous response was to do all which the Lord had spoken. This was then followed by a blood covenant, with the sprinkling of blood not only on the altar, but on the people themselves:

“Moses came and told the people all the LORD’s words, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ‘All the words which the LORD has spoken will we do.’ Moses wrote all the LORD’s words, then rose up early in the morning and built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cattle to the LORD. Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, ‘We will do all that the LORD has said, and be obedient.’ Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you concerning all these words’” (Exodus 24:3-8, WMB).

At this point, it appears that the Lord was very pleased with the response of the Ancient Israelites. God allowed Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel to approach Him, and even dine with Him without retribution (Exodus 24:9-11). But in order to communicate a description of the Tabernacle and its different components, the Lord returned to speaking to Moses exclusively:

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commands that I have written, that you may teach them.’ Moses rose up with Joshua, his servant, and Moses went up onto God’s Mountain. He said to the elders, ‘Wait here for us, until we come again to you. Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever is involved in a dispute can go to them.’ Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The LORD’s glory settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. The seventh day he called to Moses out of the middle of the cloud. The appearance of the LORD’s glory was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. Moses entered into the middle of the cloud, and went up on the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights” (Exodus 24:12-18, WMB).

Contribution Requested

In Terumah, the Israelites continued to witness an awesome sight, as they gazed upon Mount Sinai from a distance. After noting what appeared to the onlookers to be a consuming fire in the clouds at the mountain top, Moses would spend forty days and forty nights communing with the Lord (Exodus 24:18). It was from this fiery and elevated perch, that Moses descended and made his request of the people, for the materials needed to build the Tabernacle. Needless to say, after visibly observing the supernatural evidence of the Living God interacting with Moses, the Israelites were ready to follow what he asked of them.

At the beginning of Terumah, the request to raise a contribution from the people of Israel, can be separated into two distinct sections. First, readers see how this was stated to “all whose hearts prompt them to give” (Exodus 25:2, NRSV). Secondly, a list of some of the main materials needed was detailed:

In further reading, it is seen how the response to Moses’ request, was so overwhelming, to the point of Moses having to command the people to stop giving:

“They received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They kept bringing free will offerings to him every morning. All the wise men, who performed all the work of the sanctuary, each came from his work which he did. They spoke to Moses, saying, ‘The people have brought much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded to make.’ Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, ‘Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary.’ So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient to do all the work, and too much” (Exodus 36:3-7, WMB).

So what was it about the request from Moses, for the Israelites to give to the Tabernacle construction, which resulted in such an overwhelming response? Here are some useful questions to consider:

Was it Israel’s thankfulness for their recent deliverance from slavery in Egypt?
Was it the readily available supply of material taken from Egypt, which made it easy for Israel to give?
Was it Israel’s repeated pledge to do all which the Lord had spoken?
Was it the sprinkling of the blood on the altar, and the blood covenant which had been made with Israel?
Was it Israel’s fear of the Lord, recognizing His awesome power as displayed at Mount Sinai?

While the questions posed above likely contain elements which impacted many of the contributors, the key statement to understand the overwhelming response, is how Moses received “a contribution from anyone who wholeheartedly want[ed] to give” (Exodus 25:2, CJSB). The Lord desired materials for the construction of the Tabernacle from those purely moved by their hearts—as opposed to those who would contribute primarily out of some sort of an obligation or mandate to give.

Giving from the Heart

Of the various materials Moses requested for the construction project, there is no doubt that there was intrinsic value in each of the items sought. But whether an Israelite gave valuable gold, silver, or precious and semi-precious stones—or gave more available acacia wood, animal skins, or colorful threads—the most critical aspect from the Lord’s perspective, was that the contributors gave because their hearts had been moved. This is what the Lord was intently watching, as He prompted people to respond. For, we later discover that when the various items were constructed or fashioned, it was the stirring of the heart by the Lord, which enabled the artisans to create their respective parts of what the Lord had communicated to Moses (Exodus 35:21-36:2).

While we can be significantly amazed on how the Lord moved on His people, for them to provide what was needed for the Tabernacle—this is not what is generally seen throughout religious history. Much of the time, when things are needed for the Kingdom of God—His people do not respond in the manner they should. Without really going into the issue of tithing or giving of one’s labor, how little do each of us simply do, when it comes to giving of ourselves as a means to worship the Lord? Would not your heart be moved, if you knew unequivocally that your personal contribution of your life, no matter how significant or insignificant, would be used by the Lord in His work on Earth? Consider the difficulties of considering how Yeshua asked His followers that they were to lose their own lives, in order to gain eternal life:

“He said to all, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self? For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:23-26, WMB).

These materials, which would need to be collected to build the Tabernacle, would be used to provide for a structure where the presence of God would dwell, eventually until the Temple would be constructed in Jerusalem. On a more personal plane, the images of the Tabernacle and Temple are used to describe God’s corporate people—as they are to be filled with His Spirit. How might this change how we look at the contributions which are to be made for His Kingdom?

“Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, WMB).

King David’s Insight

One might marvel at the heartfelt contributions, and the skill of the human efforts inspired by the Holy One, to build the Tabernacle. But, the Tabernacle and its furnishings cannot compare to the magnificence of the human body—which has been wonderfully designed and made by an omniscient Creator. David the Psalmist exclaimed how God fashioned each person, and knows them intimately:

“For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well. My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is their sum! If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you” (Psalm 139:13-18, WMB).

In his era, King David understood that even more than all of the material given to house the Spirit of God, the Holy One was most concerned that His people give themselves wholeheartedly to His work. Even though David accumulated abundant amounts of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, precious stones, and alabaster—for the construction of the Temple, which his son Solomon would ultimately oversee—David’s concluding exclamation to his subjects questioned their willingness to consecrate themselves fully to the work of the Lord:

“Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the bronze for the things of bronze, iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, also onyx stones, stones to be set, stones for inlaid work of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. In addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, since I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house: even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, with which to overlay the walls of the houses; of gold for the things of gold, and of silver for the things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be made by the hands of artisans. Who then offers willingly to consecrate himself today to the LORD?” (1 Chronicles 29:2-5, WMB).

At this late stage in his life, David undoubtedly knew, that totally surrendering oneself to the service of the Lord, was the highest form of worship. After all, can all of the gold in the world buy or create a human person? From his many Psalms and confessions of faith, David knew that intimacy, acceptance, and especially forgiveness by a loving, compassionate, and merciful God—was far beyond all the sacrifices of giving, even if one gave all the gold in the world! Most critically, David cried out for salvation after understanding the consequences of his sin:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. Lord, open my lips. My mouth will declare your praise. For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart. Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bulls on your altar” (Psalm 51:10-19, WMB).

In the case of King David, his pleas for salvation were heard and accepted by the Holy One, as David completed his life, attempting to teach transgressors the ways of the Lord, so that they might follow Him. But note that in this psalm, when the Lord observed the personal sacrificial offering of a broken human spirit and a contrite heart, how He delighted in such a person. When God recognizes how a person has placed Him first in his or her life, there is the incumbent responsibility of a man or woman to offer up righteous sacrifices which will be acceptable.

Service of Worship

This week, as you ponder Terumah—and are possibly led to analyze different aspects of the Tabernacle—perhaps some of my thoughts will instead prompt you to consider what it truly means to have your heart moved to contribute to the Lord’s work. While the details of the Tabernacle are obviously important, what is critical for all of us to consider, is the relationship we have with the Lord, by serving and worshiping Him with all our hearts. Our Heavenly Father is most concerned about the heart intent of individuals, and how they interact with Him. God is delighted with humble and contrite hearts turned to Him, when people are more concerned about who He is as their life, than their own mortal existence. This concept might require spiritual eyes to understand, but it is obviously a principle which is of paramount importance to us as followers of Yeshua. The Apostle Paul urged ancient Believers to serve one another, employing a description of God’s people as a living and holy sacrifice:

“Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2, WMB).

Paul was a scholar who undoubtedly knew what was communicated in Torah readings like Terumah, and was able to apply it on a definite, spiritual, applicational plane—to those who needed to be admonished in their service to God. But beyond all of the temporal gifts which a person can render unto the Lord, he understood and proclaimed that the most important thing a person could give was themselves. This contribution has inestimable value because it is irreplaceable!

Let your heart be moved to faithfully contribute your life as your spiritual service of worship! You will not be disappointed. The rewards are incalculable, but you may not see or receive them all until His Kingdom comes. So, exhibit the necessary faith in God’s promises, to believe your service unto Him has eternal effects.

May all our hearts be so moved!