If there’s any chapter in the Bible that seems to cry out for an editor, it would be Numbers 7. For how could it have been necessary to list the exact contents of each one of twelve identical offerings? And why did the leaders of each tribe have to be named twice, at both the beginning and the end of their offerings’ description?

Well, as we see so many times in Scripture, repetition is an indication of importance. So, what’s so important about these people and their offerings? It turns out, they have something critical to tell us about the worship of God today.

For in our world of polished praised bands and slick oratory, it’s easy to think that worship is something that professionals do while ordinary church members just watch. And it’s just as easy for professional clergy and musicians to imagine that their efforts are the only ones that matter. But today’s passage reminds us that all the people of God have important contributions to make – in fact, it would have been much harder for the Levites to carry all the equipment of the Tabernacle from place to place without the wagons that the leaders provided for them (Numbers 7:4).

And what do we learn about these twelve leaders of the twelve tribes, who brought their offerings in the order in which they camped and marched, an order specified for them in Numbers chapter 2? We see that they took the initiative to bring these gifts. After all, they were not specifically prompted to bring these things, and God had to tell Moses to accept them (Numbers 7:5). In the same way, it is still important for ruling elders not simply to wait around for their pastors to have all the big ideas for ministry, but to use their own creativity and their knowledge of their community to come up with new ways of showing and sharing the love of Jesus. Those elected to serve their congregations as leaders should, in fact, lead.

This passage also affirms the idea that we should give of our best to God. These offerings were not afterthoughts or leftovers, things given to the church because we didn’t need or want them anymore. Since five shekels constituted a year’s wage for a herdsman in those days, each tribe’s offering was costly indeed.

And this passage makes it plain that the offerings from each of the tribes were equally valuable. That meant that everyone was equally committed to the work of God, that everyone was all in. And just to make sure we don’t miss this point, we read it over and over – twelve times.

So, how about us? Elders and members alike, whether we are leading in worship or faithful in our participation or generous with our gifts, are we all in for God? Are we all doing the best we can to demonstrate His glory and His love to each other and to the world around us?

Numbers 7:1-17 (NASB)

Now it came about on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it with all its furnishings and the altar and all its utensils; he anointed them and consecrated them also.
2 Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ households, made an offering (they were the leaders of the tribes; they were the ones who were over the numbered men).
3 When they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders and an ox for each one, then they presented them before the tabernacle.
4 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
5 “Accept these things from them, that they may be used in the service of the tent of meeting, and you shall give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.”
6 So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.
7 Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service,
8 and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
9 But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder.
10 And the leaders offered the dedication offering for the altar when it was anointed, so the leaders offered their offering before the altar.
11 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Let them present their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”
12 Now the one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah;
13 and his offering was one silver dish whose weight was one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
14 one gold pan of ten shekels, full of incense;
15 one bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering;
16 one male goat for a sin offering;
17 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.