Inspiration

Bezalel

By Connie Arnold

At Mt. Sinai, before Moses met with the people, he met with the Lord. According to God’s directive, the people of Israel were to bring offerings of gold, silver, bronze, yarns of crimson, blue, purple, acacia wood. A spiritual revival, igniting the desire to give, brought in freewill offerings more than enough for the completion of the tabernacle tent and its furnishings; Moses had to restrain the people from further giving.

After Moses received the Lord’s instructions for building the tabernacle, I’m sure he really felt inadequate. It is one thing to hear the instructions and understand the patterns, but quite another thing to have experience in getting it built. But the Lord said, “…you shall speak to all who have ability, whom I have endowed with skill…,” (Exodus 28: 3, NRSV). Note the phrase whom I have endowed with skill.

The man God was talking about was Bezalel. “See, I have called by name Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic design, to work in gold, silver, bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every craft.” Upon hearing this, I am sure Moses breathed a sigh of relief.

The name Bezalel means “in the shadow (protection) of God”. After learning this, you might want to name your next son Bezalel. You might really consider it after you learn how to pronounce it and learn what he could do. You might even consider pitching your tent near this man. The Lord says he filled him with divine spirit.

Bezalel was given a gift from God. The divine spirit that he enjoyed was the ability, intelligence, and knowledge for every kind of craft in every media: gold, silver, bronze, leather, woodwork, weaving, and other building trade material. We can picture his craft shop, set up in the area occupied by the tribe Judah. Women might have come to buy household utensils, and men to purchase leather goods, wooden framing, and to have repairs made. He was busy, busy, because his work was blessed. This is pure speculation, but Bezalel was perfecting his artistic abilities for future work. Oholiab, from the tribe of Dan, was also gifted with artistic ability. Whether he helped Bezalel in his shop before the tent work commenced, the Scripture does not say.

God also appointed and blessed Oholiab, from the tribe of Dan, with artistic ability similar to that of Bezalel. From Exodus chapter thirty-one to the end of the book, we see Bezalel teaching his craft, as well as, doing work himself. He joined in the effort to hang curtains for the tabernacle sides after skillful women had woven the material. He made the vestments for Aaron to be worn when he functioned as high priest. He made upright frames for the tabernacle,  the ark, tables, lampstands, altar of incense, and horns for the four corners of the altar of burnt offerings which were all overlaid with pure gold. He switched to bronze to make utensils, shovels, basins, forks, and firepans. He oversaw the blending of the holy anointing oil and incense blended by perfumers. He was a Renaissance Man before the term came into existence.

Moses was in charge of the anointing and consecration of Aaron and his sons. He placed the furnishings. Isaiah 40 explains how Moses positioned and sanctified the pieces.

The plunder the Israelites brought from Egypt is now used in devotion for God’s purpose. The reason for Bezalel’s gift is now made plain. His desire to practice his craft has become God’s destiny for him.

For us, God has given spiritual, and material, gifts to the members of His Church. What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror, then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete.