The purpose was not self-enrichment; God sovereignly gave Israel Egypt's wealth to provide back wages and to supply the materials for the tabernacle.
Les Feldick shows that God caused the Egyptians to give freely, not through deceit. Israel then carried that gold, silver, and precious material to Sinai, where it was used to build the tabernacle as God instructed in Exodus 25. The wealth was also God's way of repaying Israel for years of slavery.
Exodus 3:21-22 — God promised Israel they would not leave Egypt empty-handed and would spoil the Egyptians.
Exodus 12:35-36 — Records the fulfillment as the Egyptians gave Israel jewels, gold, and raiment.
Exodus 25:1-8 — God asks for the kind of materials Israel received from Egypt, to build the tabernacle.
In Exodus 3:21-22, God promised Moses that Israel would not leave Egypt empty; every woman would ask her neighbor for jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment, and they would spoil the Egyptians. Exodus 12:35-36 records the fulfillment: the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses, they asked the Egyptians for jewels of silver, gold, and raiment, and the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. Later, at Mount Sinai, God instructed Israel to bring an offering for a sanctuary: gold, silver, brass, blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair, rams' skins dyed red, badgers' skins, shittim wood, oil for the light, spices, onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and breastplate (Exodus 25:1-8). Scripture thus connects the wealth carried out of Egypt to the materials later used in the tabernacle.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the Israelites did not take Egypt's wealth to enrich themselves. The Lord was instrumental in the whole exchange: He gave Israel favor in the Egyptians' eyes, and the Egyptians willingly gave jewels, gold, silver, and clothing as Israel departed. Les calls this a sovereign act, not a scheme to deceive Egypt.
Les Feldick says the word 'borrow' gives the wrong impression if it means 'to return.' The idea is that the Israelites asked the Egyptians for goods and the Egyptians willingly gave them. He says the word should be 'they gave unto them such things as they required,' and the Lord had given Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians. The exchange was sovereignly directed by God, not a deceptive loan.
As soon as Israel reached Sinai, God gave instructions to build the tabernacle. Les points out that the gold, silver, precious stones, fine linen, oil, spices, and onyx stones that Israel brought out of Egypt were exactly the materials needed for the tabernacle. God had all this in mind when He caused the Egyptians to give their wealth to Israel.
Les notes that Egypt was a complete shambles economically, socially, militarily, and otherwise by the time Israel left. The sovereign God had laid it on the Egyptians to give Israel everything they had. Les also describes it as back wages for years of slavery—God saw to it that Israel received their pay, and the Egyptians were glad to be rid of them.
Who Spoke from the Burning Bush? The Mystery of "I AM" Revealed
kind of bored real fast. But when we get to the tabernacle, I'm going to at least show very clearly that the word propitiation back there in Romans chapter 3 is lived out in all of its fullness in every jot and tittle of that tabernacle back here in Exodus. Everything that's in that tabernacle is a picture of Christ.
Not to Pad Israel's Pockets
Les Feldick says God did not spoil Egypt merely to enrich Israel; the gold, silver, and precious materials were to be used for the tabernacle.
Sovereign God Caused Egypt to Give
Les explains that Israel took the wealth of Egypt not by deceit but because God sovereignly moved the Egyptians to give everything they had.
Tabernacle Materials Came from Egypt
Les identifies the oil, spices, onyx stones, and other tabernacle materials as coming from Egypt, showing God had this purpose in mind.
Why Israel Failed to Enter the Promised Land (Exodus 23 & Deut 1)
And I imagine that 99 out of 100 casual Bible students, at least, do not understand that that was not part of God's plan at all. God intended for them to trust Him explicitly. After all, He had already brought them out of Egypt miraculously. He had brought them through the Red Sea.
The 3 Parts of the Law & Why They Don't Save You
For example, let's say that for the most part until at least Israel got into the land, here was the little old tabernacle, that little tent, and all around it were the twelve tribes. Now you want to remember that when they're encamped at least at Sinai, and they'd recently come out of Egypt, there were anywhere from three to five, six million people.
Back Wages for Israel's Slavery
Les describes the Egyptians' gifts as back wages for years of slavery; God caused them to give generously so Israel could depart.
Why Israel Failed to Enter the Promised Land (Exodus 23 & Deut 1)
But they got the intellectual world, with all of their intelligence and with all of their education, poo-pooing the Scripture, and so what does man say? Well, now really, how can I believe this? That's unbelief, see? And this is what gets to the very heart of God. All right, back, if you will, now then, to Exodus. So God is preparing the nation of Israel.
Exodus 3:21-22: And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.
God's promise that Israel would not leave empty-handed and would spoil Egypt.
Exodus 12:35-36: And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
The record of Israel's departure and the Egyptians giving what was required.
Exodus 25:1-8: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
God later asks for the materials that Israel received from Egypt for the tabernacle.
No. In Les Feldick's teaching, the Lord gave Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and the Egyptians gave them what they required. Les says God sovereignly laid it on the Egyptians to give Israel everything they had, so it was not taken by deceit.
Israel carried gold, silver, precious stones, fine linen, and other costly materials out of Egypt. At Sinai, God instructed them to bring an offering of exactly these kinds of materials for the tabernacle. Les says God had this in mind when He caused the Egyptians to give.
Les says yes. The word should be understood as asking and receiving, not borrowing to be returned. The Egyptians gave such things as they required, and in the exchange Israel spoiled Egypt.
Watch the Teaching: Who Spoke from the Burning Bush? The Mystery of "I AM" Revealed