The greatest hidden miracle?

Exodus 39:32-43 NIV

So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses. Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather and the shielding curtain; the ark of the covenant law with its poles and the atonement cover; the table with all its articles and the bread of the Presence; the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and all its accessories, and the olive oil for the light; the gold altar, the anointing oil, the fragrant incense, and the curtain for the entrance to the tent; the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; and the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.  The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

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People prize things.

Crossing the Red Sea was quite the miracle. But I'm inclined to see the building of the tabernacle as an even greater miracle.

To be sure there were a lot of people (maybe  more than a million) and since they were facing a wet wide deep sea they had their proverbial backs against the wall. There were ducks, cows, sheep, horses, chickens, and all manner of livestock. Then there was the large load of swag. Everybody had a looters paradise of booty. Wonderful to possess but a pig to transport. And lastly there was an army with horses and chariots in hot pursuit intent on getting back the contents of the of their mattresses, closets and safety deposit boxes. So the Israelites had a big motivation to exit stage left and make like a tree and leave.
The rest of the story is well known rehearsed and sung about for many millenia. Dry crossing was provided by God for the Israelites as a trap to bury Pharaoh's army, horses, chariots and at the bottom of the sea in Davy Jones' locker.

But think about it everyone was highly motivated by survival and treasure! A combination that has kept the laziest focused and active.

Now consider the tabernacle. First miracle is that God's people give so much by way of  building materials the workers have to ask Moses to stop the people. Unbridled generosity is rare in an individual and then to see a band of refugees give up more than a ton of gold, and absolutely train loads of other materials willingly is unprecedented and unparalleled. Take for instance the bronze basin recorded for us and paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in the Message (Exodus 38:8 MSG)

He made the Bronze Washbasin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women's work group who were assigned to serve at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

Thier mirrors would have been highly valued items, often used and greatly desirable.

Then there's the fact the tabernacle was finished exactly according to plan, on time and with a budget surplus.

There were no overruns, nothing over budget, all the required skill was procured in house nothing had to be subbed out to another nation.

With so many people working on a project in the middle of no where makes the US Navy sea bees look like complete armatures.
And everything fit. And worked together. Neither the function nor the artistry was compromised. Every detail was finely crafted.

And why? These people complained about food, water, wandering, Moses' extended quiet time and they made the golden calf idol to worship thereby breaking the first simple rule they were given.

The tabernacle didn't feed them, it didn't increase their wealth. Most of them would never see the pretty parts of the tabernacle.

On every level this tabernacle project defies logic and human nature.

Truly this was one of the most extraordinary miracles ever recorded in human history.

Oh and it wasn't completed by taxing the people nor by commanding or coercion.

Exodus 35:29 NLT

So the people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the Lord .

This could be the greatest miracle in all of Exodus.

Has God done anything like this in your heart, or in your church?