Funding the Work of God Pg193 Bible study

1 Kings 17:8-16 The Widow of Zarephath -8- Then the word of the LORD came to him, -9- "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you." -10- So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." -11- And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." -12- And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now 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." -13- And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. -14- For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" -15- And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. -16- The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 19:1-8 Elijah Flees Jezebel -19:1- Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. -2- Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." -3- Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. -4- But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." -5- And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat." -6- And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. -7- And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you." -8- And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. Exodus 25 - 31 Contributions for the Sanctuary -25:1- The LORD said to Moses, -2- "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. -3- And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, -4- blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, -5- tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood, -6- oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, -7- onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. -8- And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. -9- Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. The Ark of the Covenant -10- "They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -11- You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. -12- You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. -13- You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. -14- And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. -15- The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. -16- And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you. -17- "You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. -18- And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. -19- Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. -20- The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. -21- And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. -22- There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. The Table for Bread -23- "You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -24- You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. -25- And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. -26- And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. -27- Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table. -28- You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. -29- And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. -30- And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly. The Golden Lampstand -31- "You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. -32- And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; -33- three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. -34- And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, -35- and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. -36- Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. -37- You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. -38- Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. -39- It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent of pure gold. -40- And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain. The Tabernacle -26:1- "Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. -2- The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. -3- Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. -4- And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. -5- Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. -6- And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole. -7- "You shall also make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. -8- The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size. -9- You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. -10- You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. -11- "You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole. -12- And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. -13- And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. -14- And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and a covering of goatskins on top. -15- "You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. -16- Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. -17- There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle. -18- You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; -19- and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons; -20- and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, -21- and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame. -22- And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. -23- And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; -24- they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners. -25- And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame. -26- "You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, -27- and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. -28- The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall run from end to end. -29- You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold. -30- Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain. -31- "And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. -32- And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. -33- And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. -34- You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. -35- And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side. -36- "You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. -37- And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them. The Bronze Altar -27:1- "You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. -2- And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. -3- You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. -4- You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. -5- And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar. -6- And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. -7- And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. -8- You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made. The Court of the Tabernacle -9- "You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. -10- Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. -11- And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. -12- And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. -13- The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. -14- The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. -15- On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. -16- For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases. -17- All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. -18- The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. -19- All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze. Oil for the Lamp -20- "You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. -21- In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel. The Priests' Garments -28:1- "Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests--Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. -2- And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. -3- You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. -4- These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. -5- They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -6- "And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked. -7- It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. -8- And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -9- You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, -10- six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. -11- As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. -12- And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance. -13- You shall make settings of gold filigree, -14- and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings. -15- "You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work. In the style of the ephod you shall make it--of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen shall you make it. -16- It shall be square and doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth. -17- You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; -18- and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; -19- and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; -20- and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree. -21- There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. -22- You shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. -23- And you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. -24- And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. -25- The two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. -26- You shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. -27- And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. -28- And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. -29- So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD. -30- And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the LORD regularly. -31- "You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. -32- It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, so that it may not tear. -33- On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, -34- a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. -35- And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the LORD, and when he comes out, so that he does not die. -36- "You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, 'Holy to the LORD.' -37- And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. -38- It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. -39- "You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework. -40- "For Aaron's sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty. -41- And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. -42- You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs; -43- and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him. Consecration of the Priests -29:1- "Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, -2- and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. -3- You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. -4- You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. -5- Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. -6- And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. -7- You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. -8- Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, -9- and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. -10- "Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. -11- Then you shall kill the bull before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting, -12- and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. -13- And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. -14- But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering. -15- "Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, -16- and you shall kill the ram and shall take its blood and throw it against the sides of the altar. -17- Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, -18- and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offeringto the LORD. -19- "You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, -20- and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar. -21- Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons' garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons' garments with him. -22- "You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), -23- and one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD. -24- You shall put all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. -25- Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the LORD. It is a food offering to the LORD. -26- "You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron's ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD, and it shall be your portion. -27- And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests' portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron's and his sons. -28- It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is a contribution. It shall be a contribution from the people of Israel from their peace offerings, their contribution to the LORD. -29- "The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. -30- The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days. -31- "You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. -32- And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting. -33- They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. -34- And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy. -35- "Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them, -36- and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. -37- Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy. -38- "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. -39- One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. -40- And with the first lamb a tenth seah of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. -41- The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. -42- It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. -43- There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. -44- I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. -45- I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. -46- And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God. The Altar of Incense -30:1- "You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. -2- A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. -3- You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. -4- And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. -5- You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. -6- And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. -7- And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, -8- and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. -9- You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. -10- Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD." The Census Tax -11- The LORD said to Moses, -12- "When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. -13- Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD. -14- Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD's offering. -15- The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives. -16- You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for your lives." The Bronze Basin -17- The LORD said to Moses, -18- "You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, -19- with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. -20- When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. -21- They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations." The Anointing Oil and Incense -22- The LORD said to Moses, -23- "Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, -24- and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. -25- And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. -26- With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, -27- and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, -28- and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. -29- You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. -30- You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. -31- And you shall say to the people of Israel, 'This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. -32- It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. -33- Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.'" -34- The LORD said to Moses, "Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), -35- and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. -36- You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you. -37- And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the LORD. -38- Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people." Oholiab and Bezalel -31:1- The LORD said to Moses, -2- "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, -3- and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, -4- to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, -5- in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. -6- And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: -7- the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, -8- the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, -9- and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, -10- and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, -11- and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do." The Sabbath -12- And the LORD said to Moses, -13- "You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. -14- You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. -15- Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. -16- Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. -17- It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'" -18- And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Exodus 35 - 40 Sabbath Regulations -35:1- Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, "These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. -2- Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. -3- You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day." Contributions for the Tabernacle -4- Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. -5- Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; -6- blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats' hair, -7- tanned rams' skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, -8- oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, -9- and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. -10- "Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: -11- the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; -12- the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; -13- the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; -14- the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; -15- and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; -16- the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; -17- the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; -18- the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; -19- the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests." -20- Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. -21- And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. -22- So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. -23- And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats' hair or tanned rams' skins or goatskins brought them. -24- Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD's contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. -25- And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. -26- All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats' hair. -27- And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, -28- and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. -29- All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD. Construction of the Tabernacle -30- Then Moses said to the people of Israel, "See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; -31- and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, -32- to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, -33- in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. -34- And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. -35- He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver--by any sort of workman or skilled designer. -36:1- "Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the LORD has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded." -2- And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. -3- And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, -4- so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, -5- and said to Moses, "The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do." -6- So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, "Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing, -7- for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. -8- And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains. They were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked. -9- The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size. -10- He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another. -11- He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of the first set. Likewise he made them on the edge of the outermost curtain of the second set. -12- He made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set. The loops were opposite one another. -13- And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole. -14- He also made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle. He made eleven curtains. -15- The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains were the same size. -16- He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. -17- And he made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain of the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain. -18- And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be a single whole. -19- And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins. -20- Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. -21- Ten cubits was the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. -22- Each frame had two tenons for fitting together. He did this for all the frames of the tabernacle. -23- The frames for the tabernacle he made thus: twenty frames for the south side. -24- And he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons. -25- For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames -26- and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame and two bases under the next frame. -27- For the rear of the tabernacle westward he made six frames. -28- He made two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear. -29- And they were separate beneath but joined at the top, at the first ring. He made two of them this way for the two corners. -30- There were eight frames with their bases of silver: sixteen bases, under every frame two bases. -31- He made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, -32- and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle at the rear westward. -33- And he made the middle bar to run from end to end halfway up the frames. -34- And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold. -35- He made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; with cherubim skillfully worked into it he made it. -36- And for it he made four pillars of acacia and overlaid them with gold. Their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver. -37- He also made a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework, -38- and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals, and their fillets were of gold, but their five bases were of bronze. Making the Ark -37:1- Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half as its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -2- And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. -3- And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. -4- And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold -5- and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. -6- And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. -7- And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, -8- one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. -9- The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim. Making the Table -10- He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -11- And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. -12- And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. -13- He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. -14- Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. -15- He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. -16- And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings. Making the Lampstand -17- He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. -18- And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; -19- three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. -20- And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, -21- and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. -22- Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. -23- And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. -24- He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold. Making the Altar of Incense -25- He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. -26- He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, -27- and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. -28- And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. -29- He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer. Making the Altar of Burnt Offering -38:1- He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. Five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth. It was square, and three cubits was its height. -2- He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. -3- And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its utensils of bronze. -4- And he made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down. -5- He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating as holders for the poles. -6- He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. -7- And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar to carry it with them. He made it hollow, with boards. Making the Bronze Basin -8- He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting. Making the Court -9- And he made the court. For the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits; -10- their twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. -11- And for the north side there were hangings of a hundred cubits, their twenty pillars, their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. -12- And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their ten pillars, and their ten bases; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. -13- And for the front to the east, fifty cubits. -14- The hangings for one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. -15- And so for the other side. On both sides of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three bases. -16- All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. -17- And the bases for the pillars were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. The overlaying of their capitals was also of silver, and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. -18- And the screen for the gate of the court was embroidered with needlework in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It was twenty cubits long and five cubits high in its breadth, corresponding to the hangings of the court. -19- And their pillars were four in number. Their four bases were of bronze, their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and their fillets of silver. -20- And all the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court all around were of bronze. Materials for the Tabernacle -21- These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were recorded at the commandment of Moses, the responsibility of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. -22- Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses; -23- and with him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer and embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. -24- All the gold that was used for the work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was twenty-nine talents and 730 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary. -25- The silver from those of the congregation who were recorded was a hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary: -26- a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone who was listed in the records, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men. -27- The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil; a hundred bases for the hundred talents, a talent a base. -28- And of the 1,775 shekels he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their capitals and made fillets for them. -29- The bronze that was offered was seventy talents and 2,400 shekels; -30- with it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar, -31- the bases around the court, and the bases of the gate of the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs around the court. Making the Priestly Garments -39:1- From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made finely woven garments, for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -2- He made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -3- And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet yarns, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. -4- They made for the ephod attaching shoulder pieces, joined to it at its two edges. -5- And the skillfully woven band on it was of one piece with it and made like it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -6- They made the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold filigree, and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. -7- And he set them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -8- He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, in the style of the ephod, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -9- It was square. They made the breastpiece doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth when doubled. -10- And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row; -11- and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; -12- and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; -13- and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold filigree. -14- There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. -15- And they made on the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. -16- And they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. -17- And they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. -18- They attached the two ends of the two cords to the two settings of filigree. Thus they attached it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. -19- Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. -20- And they made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. -21- And they bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it should lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -22- He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue, -23- opening of the robe in it was like the opening in a garment, with a binding around the opening, so that it might not tear. -24- On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. -25- They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe, between the pomegranates-- -26- a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate around the hem of the robe for ministering, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -27- They also made the coats, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, -28- and the turban of fine linen, and the caps of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twined linen, -29- and the sash of fine twined linen and of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, embroidered needlework, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -30- They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, "Holy to the LORD." -31- And they tied to it a cord of blue to fasten it on the turban above, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -32- Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did. -33- Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; -34- the covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins, and the veil of the screen; -35- the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; -36- the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; -37- the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; -38- the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent; -39- the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin and its stand; -40- the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; -41- the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons for their service as priests. -42- According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work. -43- And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them. The Tabernacle Erected -40:1- The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, -2- "On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. -3- And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. -4- And you shall bring in the table and arrange it, and you shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. -5- And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle. -6- You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, -7- and lace the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. -8- And you shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. -9- "Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it may become holy. -10- You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, so that the altar may become most holy. -11- You shall also anoint the basin and its stand, and consecrate it. -12- Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall wash them with water -13- and put on Aaron the holy garments. And you shall anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve me as priest. -14- You shall bring his sons also and put coats on them, -15- and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests. And their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations." -16- This Moses did; according to all that the LORD commanded him, so he did. -17- In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. -18- Moses erected the tabernacle. He laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars. -19- And he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -20- He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark. -21- And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -22- He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, -23- and arranged the bread on it before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -24- He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, -25- and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -26- He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil, -27- and burned fragrant incense on it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -28- He put in place the screen for the door of the tabernacle. -29- And he set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -30- He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, -31- with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. -32- When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the LORD commanded Moses. -33- And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. The Glory of the LORD -34- Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. -35- And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. -36- Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. -37- But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. -38- For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. 2 Chronicles 2 Preparing to Build the Temple -2:1- Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. -2- And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them. -3- And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: "As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. -4- Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel. -5- The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. -6- But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? -7- So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. -8- Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, -9- to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful. -10- I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil." -11- Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them." -12- Hiram also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. -13- "Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, -14- the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father. -15- Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. -16- And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem." -17- Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. -18- Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work. 1 Chronicles 29 Offerings for the Temple -29:1- And David the king said to all the assembly, "Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the LORD God. -2- So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. -3- Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: -4- 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house, -5- and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the LORD?" -6- Then the leaders of fathers' houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officers over the king's work. -7- They gave for the service of the house of God 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze and 100,000 talents of iron. -8- And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. -9- Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly. David Prays in the Assembly -10- Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: "Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. -11- Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. -12- Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. -13- And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. -14- "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. -15- For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. -16- O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. -17- I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. -18- O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. -19- Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision." -20- Then David said to all the assembly, "Bless the LORD your God." And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and paid homage to the LORD and to the king. -21- And they offered sacrifices to the LORD, and on the next day offered burnt offerings to the LORD, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. -22- And they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness. Solomon Anointed King And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the LORD, and Zadok as priest. -23- Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. -24- All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. -25- And the LORD made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. The Death of David -26- Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. -27- The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. -28- Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place. -29- Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer, -30- with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries. 2 Chronicles 2 Preparing to Build the Temple -2:1- Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. -2- And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them. -3- And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: "As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. -4- Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel. -5- The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. -6- But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? -7- So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. -8- Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, -9- to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful. -10- I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil." -11- Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them." -12- Hiram also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. -13- "Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, -14- the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father. -15- Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. -16- And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem." -17- Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. -18- Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work. Acts 4:32-5:11 They Had Everything in Common -32- Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. -33- And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. -34- There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold -35- and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. -36- Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, -37- sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Ananias and Sapphira -5:1- But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, -2- and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. -3- But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? -4- While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." -5- When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. -6- The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. -7- After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. -8- And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." -9- But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." -10- Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. -11- And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 2 Chronicles 24:4-14 -4- After this Joash decided to restore the house of the LORD. -5- And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly." But the Levites did not act quickly. -6- So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and said to him, "Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the congregation of Israel for the tent of testimony?" -7- For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also used all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD for the Baals. -8- So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the LORD. -9- And proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. -10- And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished. -11- And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus they did day after day, and collected money in abundance. -12- And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work of the house of the LORD, and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the LORD. -13- So those who were engaged in the work labored, and the repairing went forward in their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. -14- And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the LORD, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD regularly all the days of Jehoiada. Ezra 1 The Proclamation of Cyrus -1:1- In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: -2- "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. -3- Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel-- he is the God who is in Jerusalem. -4- And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem." -5- Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem. -6- And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. -7- Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. -8- Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. -9- And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, -10- 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; -11- all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2:1-8 Nehemiah Sent to Judah -2:1- In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. -2- And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid. -3- I said to the king, "Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" -4- Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. -5- And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it." -6- And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. -7- And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, -8- and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me. 1 Samuel 9:7-8 -7- Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" -8- The servant answered Saul again, "Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way." Luke 21:1-4 The Widow's Offering -21:1- Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, -2- and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. -3- And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. -4- For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.crosswaybibles.org

Funding the Work Of God - page 192 Bible Study

Romans 15:20-24 -20- and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, -21- but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." Paul's Plan to Visit Rome -22- This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. -23- But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, -24- I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 2 Corinthians 1:16 -16- I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 1 Corinthians 16:6 -6- and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. Philemon Greeting -1:1- Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker -2- and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: -3- Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon's Love and Faith -4- I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, -5- because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, -6- and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. -7- For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. Paul's Plea for Onesimus -8- Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, -9- yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus-- -10- I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. -11- (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) -12- I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. -13- I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, -14- but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will. -15- For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, -16- no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother--especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. -17- So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. -18- If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. -19- I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it--to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. -20- Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. -21- Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. -22- At the same time, repare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Final Greetings -23- Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, -24- and so do Mark, ristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. -25- The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Titus 3:14 -14-And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 Encouragement to Give Generously -8:1- We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, -2- for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. -3- For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, -4- begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints-- -5- and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. -6- Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. -7- But as you excel in everything-- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you--see that you excel in this act of grace also. -8- I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. -9- For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. -10- And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. -11- So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. -12- For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. -13- I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness -14- your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. -15- As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack." Commendation of Titus -16- But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. -17- For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. -18- With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. -19- And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. -20- We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, -21- for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. -22- And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. -23- As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. -24- So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem -9:1- Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, -2- for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. -3- But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. -4- Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated--to say nothing of you--for being so confident. -5- So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. The Cheerful Giver -6- The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. -7- Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. -8- And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. -9- As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." -10- He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. -11- You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. -12- For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. -13- By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, -14- while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. -15- Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! 1 Corinthians 16:1-5 The Collection for the Saints -16:1- Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. -2- On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. -3- And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. -4- If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. Plans for Travel -5- I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 3 John 1:5-8 Support and Opposition -5- Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, -6- who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. -7- For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. -8- Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. Romans 15:25-29 -25- At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. -26- For macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. -27- They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. -28- When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. -29- I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. Nehemiah 13:10-13 -10- I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. -11- So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. -12- Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. -13- And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. Acts 11:27-30 -27- Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. -28- And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). -29- So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. -30- And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. Philippians 4:10-20 God's Provision -10- I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. -11- Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. -12- I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. -13- I can do all things through him who strengthens me. -14- Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. -15- And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. -16- Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. -17- Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. -18- I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. -19- And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. -20- To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Kings 17:1-7 Elijah Predicts a Drought -17:1- Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." -2- And the word of the LORD came to him, -3- "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. -4- You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." -5- So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. -6- And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. -7- And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.crosswaybibles.org

Funding the Work of God PAGE 191 - Bible Study Verses

I found that there were a million verses in this study so I set this up for future reference or any one else. Excelent Book and study though.

---

2 Chronicles 31:4 -4-And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the LORD. Numbers 18:21-24 -21-"To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting, -22-so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. -23-But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. -24-For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel." Deuteronomy 14:22-29 Tithes -22-"You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. -23-And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. -24-And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the LORD your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God chooses, to set his name there, -25-then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses -26-and spend the money for whatever you desire--oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. -27-And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you. -28-"At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. -29-And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do. Acts 18:1-5 Paul in Corinth -18:1-After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. -2-And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, -3-and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. -4-And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. -5-When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 2:9 -9-For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. Nehemiah 13:10 -10-I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 2 Thessalonians 3:8 -8-nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 2 Thessalonians 3:9 -9-It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. Matthew 10:5-15 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles -5-These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, -6-but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. -7-And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' -8-Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. -9-Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, -10-no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. -11-And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. -12-As you enter the house, greet it. -13-And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. -14-And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. -15-Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. Luke 8:1-3 Women Accompanying Jesus -8:1-Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, -2-and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, -3-and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. Galatians 6:6 -6-One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Exodus 16:13-17 -13-In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. -14-And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. -15-When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. -16-This is what the LORD has commanded: 'Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.'" -17-And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. Joshua 5:12 -12-And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.crosswaybibles.org

Quote: kingdom of Heaven

"You go to certain Death, All death is certain"

Quote: Greed - Baroness Eberfeld in the Sound of Music

"I need someone who needs me desperately or at least needs my money desperately"

Baroness Eberfeld in the Sound of Music

Verses on missions: Christian missions in the Bible SNU

Old Testament and missions

- Genesis 12:1-3 (repeated in Gen. 18:18, 22:17-18, 26:24 and 28:12-14)

- Exodus 9:14-16 -- purpose of the plagues

- Exodus 19:6 -- Israel was to be a "kingdom of priests"

- Numbers 14:21 -- glory of Lord fills the whole earth

- Deuteronomy 4:6-8 -- show your understanding to the nations

- Deuteronomy 10:19 -- "You are to love those who are aliens"

- Deuteronomy 28:10 -- "all the peoples on the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord"

- Deuteronomy 32:1 - "Hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."

- Joshua 4:24 -- "so that all the peoples of the earth might know"

- 1 Samuel 2:10 -- "The LORD will judge the ends of the earth."

- 1 Samuel 17:46 -- "the whole world will know there is a God in Israel"

- 1 Kings 8:41-43, 59-60 (also in 2 Chronicles 6:32-33) -- "so that all peoples of the earth may know your name" (Solomon's prayer at dedication of temple)

- 2 Kings 19:15 -- "Hezekiah prayed . . . : O LORD, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.'"

- 1 Chronicles 16:31 "Let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, The Lord reigns!'"

- 1 Chronicles 16:24 -- "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples"

- 2 Chronicles 6:33 -- "so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you"

- Psalm 2:7-10 -- "You are my Son . . . I will make the nations your inheritance"

- Psalm 7:7-8 -- "Let the Lord judge the peoples"

- Psalm 8:9 -- "How majestic is your name in all the earth!"

- Psalm 18:49 -- "I will praise you among the nations"

- Psalm 22:26-28 -- "all the families of the nations will bow down"

- Psalm 19:1-4 -- "their words to the ends of the world"

- Psalm 22:27 -- "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord"

- Psalm 24 -- "The earth is the Lord's"

- Psalm 33 -- "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord"

- Psalm 45:17 -- "The nations will praise you for ever and ever"

- Psalm 46:10 -- "I will be exalted among the nations"

- Psalm 47 -- "God reigns over the nations"

- Psalm 48:10 -- "Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth"

- Psalm 49:1 -- "Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world"

- Psalm 50 -- "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets"

- Psalm 57 -- "I will sing of you among the peoples"

- Psalm 59:13 -- "It will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob."

- Psalm 65:5-8 -- "the hope of all the ends of the earth . . . where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy"

- Psalm 66 -- "All the earth bows down to you . . . Praise our God, O peoples"

- Psalm 67 -- "your salvation among all peoples"

- Psalm 68:32 -- "Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth"

- Psalm 72 -- "all nations will serve him"

- Psalm 72:9 -- "the desert tribes will bow before him"

- Psalm 72:17, 19 -- "All nations will be blessed through him . . . May the whole earth be filled with his glory"

- Psalm 77:14 -- "you display your power among the peoples"

- Psalm 82 -- "all the nations are your inheritance"

- Psalm 83:18 -- "You alone are the Most High over all the earth."

- Psalm 86:8-13 -- all nations will come and worship

- Psalm 87 -- the register of the peoples

- Psalm 96 -- "sing to the Lord, all the earth . . . Declare his glory among the nations"

- Psalm 97 -- "The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice"

- Psalm 98:3 -- "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."

- Psalm 98:9 -- "He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity."

- Psalm 99:1-3 -- "He is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name"

- Psalm 102:15 -- "The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory."

- Psalm 102:22 -- "when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord"

- Psalm 105:1 -- "make known among the nations what He has done"

- Psalm 106:8 -- reason for dividing the Red Sea

- Psalm 108:3 -- "I will sing of you among the peoples"

- Psalm 108:5 -- "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth."

- Psalm 110:6 -- "He will judge the nations,"

- Psalm 113:3 -- "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised"

- Psalm 117 -- "Praise the Lord, all you nations"

- Psalm 126 -- "it was said among the nations"

- Psalm 135 -- "our Lord is greater than all gods"

- Psalm 138:4 -- "may all the kings of the earth praise you, O Lord"

- Isaiah 2:3 -- "Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.

- Isaiah 6:3 -- "They were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'"

- Isaiah 11:9 -- "fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord"

- Isaiah 11:10 -- "in that day a Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples, the nations . . ."

- Isaiah 12:4 -- "Make known among the nations what He has done"

- Isaiah 24:16 -- "From the ends of the earth we hear singing: Glory to the Righteous One.'"

- Isaiah 25:6 -- "the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples"

- Isaiah 42:4 -- "in His law the islands will put their hope"

- Isaiah 42:6 -- "I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles."

- Isaiah 34:1 -- "Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples!"

- Isaiah 37:16 -- "O Lord Almighty . . . , you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth."

- Isaiah 42:4 -- "He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."

- Isaiah 43:6 -- "I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'"

- Isaiah 45:6 -- "from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me."

- Isaiah 45:22 -- "Turn to me . . . all you ends of the earth"

- Isaiah 49:1-6 -- "I will make you a light for the Gentiles"

- Isaiah 49:22 -- "The Sovereign Lord says: "See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples."

- Isaiah 52:10 -- "The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."

- Isaiah 56:7 -- "my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations"

- Isaiah 59:19 -- "From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere His glory."

- Isaiah 60:3 -- "Nations will come to your light"

- Isaiah 62:11 -- "The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth"

- Isaiah 66:19 -- "They will proclaim my glory among the nations"

- Jeremiah 3:17 -- "All nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the Lord"

- Jeremiah 16:19 To you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, "Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good."

- Ezekiel 36:22-23 -- "The nations will know I am the Lord"

- Daniel 2:47; 4:1-2; 6:25 -- "Surely your God is the God of gods"

- Daniel 7:13, 14 -- "all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him"

- Jonah's story -- the missionary book of the Old Testament [ e-book on Jonah ]

- Micah 1:2 -- "Hear, O peoples, all of you, listen, O earth and all who are in it."

- Micah 4:2 -- "Many nations will come"

- Micah 5:4 -- "His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth."

- Habbakuk 2:14 -- "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the water cover the sea"

- Zephaniah 2:11 -- "Nations on every shore will worship him"

- Zephaniah 3:9 -- "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord."

- Haggai 2:7 -- "Desire of all nations"   Zechariah 2:11 -- "Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people"

- Zechariah 8:20-23 -- "Many peoples and inhabitants of many cities will come"

- Zechariah 9:10 -- "He will proclaim peace to the nations"

- Zechariah 14:9 -- "The Lord will be king over the whole earth."

- Malachi 1:10-11 -- "My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun" New Testament and missions

- Matthew 4:8-11 -- Temptation of Jesus

- Matthew 6:9-10 -- The Lord's prayer

- Matthew 10:18 -- "On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles."

- Matthew 13 (Ezekiel 17:23) -- parables of sower, weeds, mustard seed, fishing net

- Matthew 24:14 -- the gospel will be preached in the whole world

- Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15 - The Great Commission (which many say is a re-statement of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12) [ Rev. Susan Fitkin's reflection on the passage ]

- Mark 11:17 (Isaiah 56:7) -- a house of prayer for all nations

- Mark 13:10 -- "the gospel must first be preached to all nations"

- Mark 16:15 (see Matthew 28:19-20)

- Luke 2:32 -- "a light for revelation to the Gentiles"

- Luke 10:2 -- "harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few"

- Luke 10:27 -- "love your neighbor as yourself"

- John 3:16 [ text of verse ]

- John 12:32 -- "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

- John 21:4-14 -- some Biblical commentators have said the 153 fish equals the number of all the tribes and nations which the ancients thought existed on earth

- Acts 1:8; 2:5-12 13:47 (Isaiah 49:6) -- witnesses in all the earth

- Acts 3:25 -- "He said to Abraham, Through your offspring, all peoples on earth will be blessed.'"

- Acts 9:15 "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings."

- Acts 11:18 -- "They praised God, saying, So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.'"

- Acts 13:47 -- "I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)

- Acts 14:27 -- "They reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles."

- Acts 28:28 -- "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"

- Romans 1:5 -- "We received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to obedience."

- Romans 3:29 -- "Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too."

- Romans 10:12-15 -- "How can they hear?"

- Romans 15:10 "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." (Deuteronomy 32:43]

- Romans 15:11 "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples." (Psalm 117:1)

- Romans 16:26 -- So that all nations might believe

- 2 Corinthians 4:15 -- "grace that is reaching more and more people"

- Galatians 3:8 -- "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: All nations will be blessed through you.'" (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18)

- Galatians 3:14 -- "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles."

- Ephesians 1:10 -- "To bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ."

- Ephesians 2:11-19 -- "you are no longer foreigners and aliens"

- Philippians 2:10 -- Every knee shall bow

- 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16 -- "to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved"

- Hebrews 6:13-14 -- God's promise to Abraham

- 2 Peter 3:9, 12 -- "not wanting anyone to perish"

- 1 John 2:2 -- "He is the atoning sacrifice . . . for the sins of the whole world"

- Revelation 5:9 -- "you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation"

- Revelation 7:9 -- Every tribe, tongue, people and nation

- Revelation 14:6 -- "The angel had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, language and people."

- Revelation 15:4 -- "all nations will come and worship before you"

- Revelation 21:23-24 -- "The Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light" Into whatever groups we divide humanity -- races, nations, languages, cultures -- it is clear that God loves all of them and wants people from all those groupings to be reconciled to Him.

"The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" -- Luke 10:2 (New King James Version)

A simplified history of Missions SNU

Fulfilling Christ's Great Commission

1. 0-400 AD Winning the Romans: Evangelizing the empire of the Caesars 2. 400-800 AD Evangelization of the Barbarians [ read more ] 3. 800-1200 AD Evangelization of the Vikings [ read more ] 4. 1200-1600 AD Evangelization of the Saracens / Muslims 5. 1600-2000 AD Evangelization of the Ends of the Earth [ read more ]

Researcher David Barrett has also divided that same period into five eras. Approaching it from a statistical point of view, his epochs of mission history are a little different:

1. 500 AD The Apostolic Era (Luke and Paul) 2. 500-1750 AD The Ecclesiastical Era (Cosmas Indicopleustes and Francis Xavier) [ read more ] 3. 1750-1900 AD The Church Growth era - William Carey, the "father of modern missions" [ more info ] - Henry Venn -- "self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating churches" 4. 1900-1990 AD The Global Mission era (John R. Mott and Kenneth Grubb) 5. 1990- present The Global Discipling era

from "Five Statistical Eras of Global Mission" by David Barrett, published in Missiology, January 1984

Praying hands from SNU

Praying hands for missions "Pray for us." -- Hebrews 13:18 Making your "concerts of prayer" effective: Praying for world evangelism's front-line workers Want to know how to pray for those working to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission among those yet unreached? You can use your fingers as memory aids when you pray for missions. Here's how:

1.Thumb Since your thumb is nearest to you, begin by praying for those missionaries closest to you. They are the easiest ones to remember. C.S. Lewis said that praying for those we love is a "sweet duty." 2. Index or pointing finder Let your "pointing finger" remind you to pray for missionaries who teach, instruct, and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and evangelists. They need support and wisdom for pointing others in the right direction. 3. Middle finger Our tallest finger reminds us of our church leaders. We can never pray too much for them. Pray for those who supervise and direct missionary outreach. 4. Ring finger Surprisingly, the ring finger is our weakest finger (as any piano teacher will testify). This weak finger reminds us to pray for those missionaries who are discouraged, in trouble, or in pain. 5. Little finger Our little finger is the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place our individual wants and desires in relation to world evangelism needs. The Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for the people of the world who have the greatest need to find Jesus. Pray that they will open their eyes and see Him.

--Author unknown contributed by Bev Borbe, former General Nazarene Missions International President

Missions Quotes from SNU

Missions slogans and quotes from missionaries


"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light" -- John Keith Falconer

"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply" -- Hudson Taylor [ video ]

"God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" -- Hudson Taylor

"The Great Commission1 is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed" -- Hudson Taylor

"If I had 1,000 lives, I'd give them all for China" -- Hudson Taylor

"God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him." – Hudson Taylor, missionary to China [ video ]

"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God" -- William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions [ more info ]

"The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become." -- Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia

"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" -- Jim Elliot, missionary martyr who lost his life in the late 1950's trying to reach the Auca Indians of Ecuador [ info on video ] [ brief biography ]

"We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it" -- P.F. Bresee, founder of the Church of the Nazarene

"In the vast plain to the north I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been" -- Robert Moffat, who inspired David Livingstone

"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" -- David Livingstone

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." -- David Livingstone, missionary to Africa

"Can't you do just a little bit more?" -- J.G. Morrison pleading with Nazarenes in the 1930's Great Depression to support their missionaries

"Lost people matter to God, and so they must matter to us." -- Keith Wright

"The Bible is not the basis of missions; missions is the basis of the Bible" -- Ralph Winter, U.S. Center for World Mission

"Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." -- C.T. Studd

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." -- C.T. Studd

"No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." -- Oswald J. Smith [ more on Oswald Smith ]

"Any church that is not seriously involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission has forfeited its biblical right to exist." -- Oswald J. Smith

"The mission of the church is missions" -- Oswald J. Smith
"We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first." -- Oswald J. Smith

"This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!" -- Keith Green
"There is nothing in the world or the Church -- except the church's disobedience -- to render the evangelization of the world in this generation an impossibility." -- Robert Speer, leader in Student Volunteer Movement
"If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king" -- Jordan Groom (variations of this also credited to G. K. Chesterson, Thomas Carlyle and Charles Haddon Spurgeon)
"If you found a cure for cancer, wouldn't it be inconceivable to hide it from the rest of mankind? How much more inconceivable to keep silent the cure from the eternal wages of death." -- Dave Davidson

"World missions was on God's mind from the beginning." -- Dave Davidson

"In our lifetime, wouldn't it be sad if we spent more time washing dishes or swatting flies or mowing the yard or watching television than praying for world missions?" -- Dave Davidson

"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart" -- Bob Pierce, World Vision founder

"No reserves. No retreats. No regrets" -- William Borden

"If ten men are carrying a log -- nine of them on the little end and one at the heavy end -- and you want to help, which end will you lift on?" -- William Borden, as he reflected on the numbers of Christian workers in the U.S. as compared to those among unreached peoples in China

"The reason some folks don't believe in missions is that the brand of religion they have isn't worth propagating." -- unknown
When James Calvert went out as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the ship captain tried to turn him back, saying, "You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages." To that, Calvert replied, "We died before we came here."

"Someone asked Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we -- who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not -- can be saved." -- Charles Spurgeon

The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time" -- Carl F. H. Henry

"Our God of Grace often gives us a second chance, but there is no second chance to harvest a ripe crop." -- Kurt von Schleicher [ Apple pickers' parable ]

"Missions is the overflow of our delight in God because missions is the overflow of God's delight in being God." --John Piper

"God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose." -- John Piper
"You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving." -- Amy Carmichael, missionary to India

"Only as the church fulfills her missionary obligation does she justify her existence." -- Unknown
"As long as there are millions destitute of the Word of God and knowledge of Jesus Christ, it will be impossible for me to devote time and energy to those who have both." -- J. L. Ewen

"The command has been to 'go,' but we have stayed -- in body, gifts, prayer and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth ... but 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland." -- Robert Savage, Latin American Mission

"People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." -- Nate Saint, missionary martyr [ devotional thoughts ]

"We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God." -- John Stott

"Believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story." -- K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia Bible Society

"Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ." -- Francis Xavier, missionary to India, the Philippines, and Japan

"The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity." -- Mike Stachura

"The true greatness of any church in not how many it seats but how many it sends!" -- Unknown

"'Not called!' did you say?
'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.
Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face -- whose mercy you have professed to obey -- and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. -- William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

"It is not in our choice to spread the gospel or not. It is our death if we do not." -- Peter Taylor Forsyth

"If God's love is for anybody anywhere, it's for everybody everywhere." – Edward Lawlor, Nazarene General Superintendent

"Never pity missionaries; envy them. They are where the real action is -- where life and death, sin and grace, Heaven and Hell converge." -- Robert C. Shannon

"People who don't believe in missions have not read the New Testament. Right from the beginning Jesus said the field is the world. The early church took Him at His word and went East, West, North and South." -- J. Howard Edington

"It is possible for the most obscure person in a church, with a heart right toward God, to exercise as much power for the evangelization of the world, as it is for those who stand in the most prominent positions." -- John R. Mott
"In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God's work, especially the work of world evangelism, as in intercessory prayer." -- Dick Eastman, president of Every Home for Christ (formerly World Literature Crusade)

"What's your dream and to what corner of the missions world will it take you?" -- Eleanor Roat, missions mobilizer

"We can reach our world, if we will. The greatest lack today is not people or funds. The greatest need is prayer." -- Wesley Duewel, head of OMS International

"Love is the root of missions; sacrifice is the fruit of missions" -- Roderick Davis

"Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love" -- Roland Allen

"I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ." -- Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf

"If you take missions out of the Bible, you won't have anything left but the covers" -- Nina Gunter

"If the Church is 'in Christ,' she is involved in mission. Her whole existence then has a missionary character. Her conduct as well as her words will convince the unbelievers and put their ignorance and stupidity to silence." -- David Bosch

"Missions is not the 'ministry of choice' for a few hyperactive Christians in the church. Missions is the purpose of the church." -- Unknown

"The concern for world evangelization is not something tacked on to a man's personal Christianity, which he may take or leave as he chooses. It is rooted in the character of the God who has come to us in Christ Jesus. Thus, it can never be the province of a few enthusiasts, a sideline or a specialty of those who happen to have a bent that way. It is the distinctive mark of being a Christian." -- James S. Stewart

"The average pastor views his church as a local church with a missions program; while he ought to realize that if he is in fact pastoring a church, it is to be a global church with a missions purpose." -- Unknown

"The Christian is not obedient unless he is doing all in his power to send the Gospel to the heathen world." -- A. B. Simpson [ missionary hymns by Simpson ]

"The will of God -- nothing less, nothing more, nothing else." -- F. E. Marsh (also attributed to Bobby Richardson)
"If the Great Commission is true, our plans are not too big; they are too small." -- Pat Morley

"If missions languish, it is because the whole life of godliness is feeble. The command to go everywhere and preach to everybody is not obeyed until the will is lost by self-surrender in the will of God. Living, praying, giving and going will always be found together." -- Arthur T. Pierson

"The history of missions is the history of answered prayer. From Pentecost to the Haystack meeting in New England and from the days when Robert Morrison landed in China to the martyrdom of John and Betty Stam, prayer has been the source of power and the secret of spiritual triumph." -- Samuel Zwemer

"'Go ye' is as much a part of Christ's Gospel as 'Come unto Me.' You are not even a Christian until you have honestly faced your responsibility in regard to the carrying of the Gospel to the ends of the earth." -- J. Stuart Holden