Readiness of the People to Contribute for the Making of the Tabernacle

    As the Lord qualified men to perform the work of the tabernacle, so his Providence ordered it that the people were ready to contribute every thing necessary for the work. "And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold; and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord. And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them. Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the Lord's offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it. And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair. And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; and spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses."

    In like manner, when the Lord has work to do, he can furnish workmen or find means. He makes his people willing to expend their substance in his service, as well as he raises up workmen. This is the greatest encouragement to the Lord's people, that he will never desert his cause, or suffer it to fail, when it is his purpose to establish it. The silver and the gold are his, and when his cause needs their aid, he can bring it into the treasury, even by the hand of those who were formerly his greatest enemies. But this does not imply that we may be careless about the Lord's cause, as if it may be wholly left to himself. He works through his people; and even when it is not his purpose to spread his gospel, it is the sin of his people that they neglect efforts to propagate it.