I read an article recently about how powerful the god of mammon is. Money, possessions, wealth and the apparent power and influence it brings . . . hard to win the game . . . hard to come out on top . . . but, I’m thinkin’, not so hard to get sucked into trying. I remember from long ago the sage counsel that our possessions have a way of possessing us . . . that our stuff has a way of seeking to displace our Lord. And so maybe it shouldn’t be too surprising if, from time to time, tests come our way that reveal something of how tightly we hold on to stuff . . . that reflect the degree to which we pursue mighty mammon. Such would be the case for these fresh out of slavery Israelites . . .

The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for Me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for Me. And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, . . . And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.”   (Exodus 25:1-3, 8 ESV)

First thing that hits me is a sense of wonder and awe that my God is a God who desires to dwell in the midst of men. Chapter 25 launches a series of detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle . . . a place for the glory to dwell among men . . . a place where, through designated representatives, men might approach God . . . a place demonstrating the separating effect of holiness of God . . . a place where that distance is spanned through the blood of atonement. Oh, that God seeks to dwell in the midst . . . our God is an awesome God!

But then I noticed this little challenge at the beginning of these instructions. Moses was told to gather from every man, “whose heart moves him”, the materials necessary for the tabernacle’s construction. Gold, silver, bronze, colored yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, tanned rams’ skins, goatskins, acacia wood, oil for lamps, spices for anointing oil, precious stones. So, where are a bunch of just liberated slaves from Egypt going to come up with such stuff? Well actually, they were loaded with this kind of stuff. In addition to the flocks and herds they had accumulated while living in Goshen, when they left Egypt it says that they were told to ask the Egyptians for “silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked for. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.” (Ex. 12:35-36)

God’s people plundered the Egyptians . . . they were loaded with stuff . . . they possessed designer label things that they never could have imagined owning . . . they were decked out with gold and silver and jewelry, the likes of which, they had never had access to before. For some it must have felt like they were packing what was owed to them after so many years of hard labor. And now, says the LORD, as your heart is moved to, give it up for the building of a place where I might dwell in your midst.

So many of the gods of Egypt had been trounced during the time of the plagues . . . and now, one more was to be dealt a death blow to . . . mammon. I’m thinking this was a test. The people had already said they’d obey God (Ex. 24:7) . . . but would that obedience find it’s way to their wallet? Here they are packing the plunder of the world they had been rescued from . . . and now they’re being asked to give of it freely that God might have a place among them. Would their possessions posses them . . . would they find that they could not serve two masters, that it was impossible to serve God and to serve mammon (Matt. 6:24)? Stay tuned . . . answer’s to come in a few pages.

But for now, it’s less about the Israelites and more about me. How am I doing with the world’s treasure that’s in my possession . . . freely given by the God of my deliverance? Is it possessing me . . . or, by God’s grace, am I acting as a faithful steward over it? Am I seeking to build my bank account and fill my storeroom with stuff . . . or, am I desiring, above all things, to know the God who longs to dwell in the midst? Hmmm . . . worth noodling on . . .

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!  
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)