Just prior to the final plague striking, God told Moses to tell the children of Israel to ask for and obtain gold, silver and clothing from the Egyptians (Exodus 11:1-3). After the angel of death had slain all their first-born sons, the Egyptians were willing to do anything to get rid of the children of Israel and they gave them whatever they requested (Exodus 12:36). Thus it seemed they had received some recompense for their slave labour in Egypt.

However, a few months later, as God was revealing the design of the Tabernacle to Moses, He also revealed that the source of the materials with which to build it would be this newly acquired wealth among His people (Exodus 25:1-7). God realised this would take a willing heart (Exodus 25:2), but He wanted it to be offered of a free-will.

The pattern of the Tabernacle design had been fully revealed to Moses, the names of the skilful workmen had been made known to him, but it remained necessary for the children of Israel to receive the same vision. Moses spoke to them in Exodus 35:4-29 laying before them all the requirements for materials and encouraging them to have a willing and wise heart (Exodus 35:5,10). The response among the children of Israel was that "every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whose spirit made him willing" brought the required materials to the Lord as a free-will offering (Exodus 35:21).

This thought is closely mirrored in the apostle Paul's prayer in the New Testament letter to the Ephesians (1:17-18), that God "the Father of glory would give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your heart being enlightened that you may know the hope of His calling". It is a matter of revelation in our spirit and seeing His calling wisely and willingly in our heart that causes us to give all to God for His building.

This same thought carries through to the skilful workmen and Bezalel and Aholiab (Exodus 31:2-6): "I have filled him (Bezalel) with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" (v3) "and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all who are wise-hearted that they may make all that I have commanded you (Moses)" (v6). Without the Spirit revealing to our spirit the pattern and significance of the Tabernacle and making us spiritually wise, we have no way to be built up together as the dwelling place of God in spirit (Ephesians 2:22), that is the church. Unless our hearts are enlightened and made wise and willing, we will squander our days in trivial pursuits instead of devoting all to God's purpose and testimony. There were the few particularly gifted men working on the Tabernacle. There were also the many willing-hearted and wise-hearted people, women as well as men (Exodus 35:22,26). It should be that the gifted ones equip the willing and wise ones for the work of service, for the building up of the body of the Anointed One, Christ, Messiah (Ephesians 4:12), the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:9-11).