The Purpose of the Wilderness Tabernacle: The freewill Offering

Tabernacle replica at Timna Park, Israel

What Is the Wilderness Tabernacle?

On Mount Sinai, Moses received more than just the Ten Commandments. Also included were the detailed instructions for building a meeting place for God and His people. The Tabernacle was a temple of worship that involved specific protocols and procedures. These protocols provided a possible means for God's people to dwell with Him, as God requested.

Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

— Exodus 25:8

From the Fall of Genesis until the construction of the Tabernacle, the Bible records people occasionally walking and talking with God but not dwelling with Him. As we shall see, it is within the framework of this Old Testament sanctuary that God draws His people closer to Himself through an intricate sacrificial system. This arrangement can speak volumes to us today about the specifics of such a great salvation and indescribable gift.

... how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation ...?

— Hebrews 2:3

Every detail that Christ accomplished to restore our relationship with God finds its discovery in the particulars of the wilderness tabernacle.

The people bring their gifts.

The Invitation to Give

Before the Tabernacle was built, God invited His people to contribute to this project voluntarily.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart, you shall take My offering.

— Exodus 25:1-2

"Willingly" is the significant word in the above verse. God is not interested in coercion. Love isn't love if it is forced or manipulated. God will do neither. There is more to the story than this, however. God's invitation to give seems to be a way for Him to give to us.

The widow of Zarephath gave the prophet Elijah the last of her four loaves of bread and oil during a famine. After God gave her an unlimited supply of flour and oil, it began to rain.

The Widow of Zarephath's Gift

An Old Testament example of how God asks people to give results in provision is discovered in the Biblical narrative about a widow with nothing and a prophet of God with nothing. God wanted to do something great and provisionary for them both by asking the widow to give the first of what she had to the prophet.

Women in Bible typology represent humankind with whom God seeks to connect. Notably, the widow is from Zarephath, meaning she is a Gentile. This woman was without a husband, implying she was without provision. Her position depicts the state of humankind after the Fall in the Garden and before Christ arrives.

Then the word of the Lord came to him (Elijah the prophet), saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.”

— I Kings 17:8-10

This particular part of the scene recalls another New Testament narrative about a woman at a well.

Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” ...

... Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

— John 4:10-14

This event, too, exhibits Jesus wanting the woman at the well to ask Him for something so He could give something to her.

Returning to the widow of Zarephath's narrative

And as she (the widow) was going to get it (flour and oil), he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread (Word of God) in your hand.” So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil (Holy Spirit) in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’” (image of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit)

So she went away and did as the word of Elijah said; and she, he, and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

— I Kings 17:11-16

Again, this is mirrored in the New Testament at the feeding of the multitude.

When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled

— Matthew 14: 15-20

Together, these point to what God wants to accomplish in establishing His truth and pouring His Holy Spirit. It begins with the invitation to participate by exhibiting our willingness to give. Our decision to give demonstrates our faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

— Hebrews 11:1

Love always gives. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Before He "gave," He asked Abraham to give his only promised son. Although God did not make him go through with sacrificing Isaac, He considered Abraham's willingness to be sufficient for giving His own promised Son.

Moses offering up the gifts brought for the building of the Tabernacle

A Pictograph Insight

The Hebrew word translated as 'offering,' used in God's request to give for the Tabernacle, conveys the concept of reciprocity. It is based upon our understanding of, and faith in, the indescribable gift we have been given and the gratitude that naturally should flow from that.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

— II Corinthians 9:15

This particular word has an intriguing pictograph interpretation that coincides with what we have studied thus far about the Tabernacle. It concerns the concept of Christ and a relationship. Before continuing this section, the Hebrew fonts are presented in a "right-to-left" reading format.

The Hebrew word for a freewill offering is tĕruwmah, תרומה, and its root is ruwm רומ. The root word is the three center letters of "tĕruwmah" and means to exalt, elevate, or lift high. This word's first occurrence concerns Noah's Ark, another tripartite temple template, and foreshadows Christ or salvation, who was lifted up as a sin offering on our behalf.

And the flood came forty days and forty nights upon the earth. And the waters increased, and lifted (רומ) the ark, and it rose up from the earth.

— Genesis 7:17

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Myself.”

— John 12:31-32

To stay on topic, we will look at just a couple of letters from this word in their pictograph forms. The two outer letters, "tav" and "hey," in that order, serve as a prefix and suffix to the root "ruwm" (רום) and can shed light on the meaning of the word.

The first prefix letter of the word "tĕruwmah" תרומה is a "tav." The letter tav in ancient Hebrew pictograph form was the image of a cross, symbolizing the sign of a covenant. This revelation is truly marvelous, considering that this was a written symbol long before the cross became an instrument of justice and judgment.

The final suffix letter of "tĕruwmah" תרומה is a "hey." It can be portrayed as a window relating to the idea of revelation and can display what comes from the word defined. In combination with this prefix, suffix, and center root, we could say that "tĕruwmah" תרומה, or freewill offering, is what comes from lifting up and exalting the covenant.

The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt (ruwm-רומ) him

— Exodus 15:2

The "Song of Moses" in Exodus above hints at a link with us preparing for Him a habitation. God initially prepared a place for us in Eden. Now, God asks us to prepare a place for Him. Relationships are not one-sided. Love completes its circle when reciprocated. This interchange continues into the New Testament as described in a conversation between Jesus and His disciples.

In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling places; but if not, I would have told you, because I am going away to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, so that where I am, you may be also. (Lexham)

— John 14:2-3

The covenant is key. God is mindful of His covenant.

... He will ever be mindful of His covenant

— Psalm 111:5

He invites us to reciprocal rightful mindfulness of the same.

He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant ...

— I Chronicles16:14-16

His covenant was not to be taken lightly. If truly understood and appreciated, His gift to us would and should naturally result in our freely lifting up the covenant in lavish generosity.

Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

— Hebrews 10:28-29

The freewill gift was evidence of things elevated in the heart of the person who gave.

Adoration was given to Jesus by a notorious sinner at the house of Simon, who offered Him nothing. One received a lot and the other little.

A Notable Sinner's Example of Giving

The book of Luke, chapter seven, offers a great example of giving from a heart of appreciation in the scene where Jesus was invited to eat at Simon the Pharisee's house. A woman who was a notable sinner in the community visited Jesus during this gathering and began to wash His feet with her tears and wipe them dry with her hair. Simon, a self-perceived righteous Pharisee, was appalled in his thoughts that Jesus had anything to do with this woman. Simon didn't say anything, but Jesus knew what he was thinking and began to teach, by parable, an incredible lesson about complete forgiveness and a woman who understood it correctly.

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

— Luke 7:41-42

Simon answers correctly.

I suppose that it is the one to whom he forgave more.

— Luke 7:43

I don't think the lesson implied that Simon was any less of a sinner before God than the woman known as a sinner.

... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

— Romans 3:23

It speaks more to the fact that Simon couldn't experience that type of forgiveness because he was unwilling to face his own sinfulness and thereby experience the greatness of God's forgiveness. Therefore, he could not appreciate the largeness of the gift as the woman did, and it was evident by what Simon was unwilling to give.

Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house;

You gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.

You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

Therefore, I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

— Luke 7:44-47

Giving Makes Space for God's Giving to Us

It's as if man's free will-giving, in faith, at God's request, creates a space for God to mirror that gift with His offering. God does not ask us to give because He needs what we offer. God asks us to give to make space for Him by exhibiting our appreciation and faithfulness. God reveals from the Psalmist that He doesn't need anything. All that He asks us to do is for our own benefit.

“Hear, O My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, and I will testify against you;
I am God, your God!
I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices
Or your burnt offerings,
Which are continually before Me.
I will not take a bull from your house,
Nor goats out of your folds.
For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

“If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?
Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

— Psalm 50:7-15

Paul's New Testament Application

The video above delves much deeper into the rich concepts that detail the application of the Old Testament term tĕruwmah (תרּוָמה).

We will part with Paul's New Testament application of this lesson.

I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.