Doing the Lord's Math

Scripture: The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels,* according to the sanctuary shekel. Exodus 38:24

Observation: Moses gives an account of all the precious metal used to construct the tabernacle, including what is used on the ark, the tables of presence and incense, the tools and utensils, the lampstands, the basins, the altar, curtain rings, etc. It includes the gold listed above (* equals about 1 ton), the silver, and the bronze. Collectively, all the precious metal put together comes out to approximately 7.25 tons, or 14,500 pounds(!) of precious metal. This is an amount of immense earthly value.

However ... 14,500 pounds equals 232,000 ounces. We are told there were ~600,000 men who were part of the exodus, which historical experts translate (based on family dynamics and sizes of the time) to mean roughly 2,000,000 people. This means that every individual contributed ... 0.116 ounces of precious metal. That's less than one modern 'sterling silver' earring. This is an amount of insignificant earthly value.

When it comes to giving, THIS is how God does math. He doesn't suck us all dry and require us to go broke on earth so that he can have some elaborate artifacts that honor him. He simply tells us to be faithful with just a little - so little that we may not even notice it - and somehow it becomes an amount that changes world history.

Application: There were two verses today that related directly to personal finances. The most obvious was in Proverbs 6 (which Dave Ramsey often quotes). However, I am more moved by the implications of the tabernacle.

When I was first reading this, I was thinking, "that's a lot of gold and silver and bronze, how could these slaves that just fled from bondage have so much?" Well ... they didn't have much, and they didn't need much! In fact, they all had barely any, and somehow they simultaneously had so much.

I know this is how the Lord guides us with regards to our earthly resources. He gives us so much, and asks that - as a simple act of faith - we give a little of it to him, without question, no conditions, joyfully. Over and over, the results associated with believers giving just a little are amazing. The math rarely makes sense.

Prayer: Lord, may faithful believers all around the world understand more and more how their very simple, very basic, very disposal tithe, can actually change the world. Amen.