"Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them. Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the leaders of the tribes and over those who were numbered, made an offering. And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle." (vv.1-3)
Chapter 7 is all about giving to support the services of the Tabernacle. This chapter (the second longest in the Bible), records how the leaders of each tribe brought a total of six carts (a cart for every two of the leaders) and twelve oxen (each one an ox), to transport the tabernacle through the wilderness. At this time, such carts were a great luxury – and no doubt, a significant offering from the tribes.
The LORD then spoke to Moses saying, “Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service.”
So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, for they had the responsibility of transporting the fabrics of the tabernacle (Numbers 4:25-26). Then and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, double the number of what the Gershonites had, because their carriage was heavier - boards and pillars (Numbers 4:31-32). But to the sons of Kohath Moses gave none, because theirs was the service of the holy things, which they were to carry on their shoulders. Though this seems unfair, it removed any temptation for them to disobey God's law.
These gifts (and the dedication gifts to the tabernacle vv.12-88) were given by the twelve tribes to support the work of the tabernacle. Moses did not give some big sermon on giving to guilt them into it. He did however have the responsibility to distribute them wisely to make the best use of them for their intended service.
Today when we give to our respective churches gifts from the bounty of what God has given to us, we should indeed pray for wisdom to be given to those who are responsible and accountable for the use of those funds.
The Truth: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
