The tabernacle was not an ordinary building like
those the Israelites had built for Pharaoh. For those monumental buildings that
they constructed while in Egypt, they did it as slaves. Here in the
construction of the Tabernacle of God they did it as free men, drawn by God to
Himself. It was unique and specially designed by God to reveal His glory
and the way of salvation. The layout of the furnishings also intended to reveal
how sinful men could approach the holy God. It was a building given in
preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, God’s means through whom sinful men
could have an everlasting relationship with God. With such a noble purpose, the
Tabernacle was built. So, the pattern came from God to Moses. Upon Mount Sinai,
he was shown how it was to be built. We now enter into the building phase.
First, the people were invited to participate by giving what they had for the
building. Both men and women whose hearts were stirred by God gave willingly
and cheerfully to the project. Then the right and skillful people were required
to do the job. So God specially endowed those skillful artisans for the tasks.
Two persons Bezalel and Oholiab were specially mentioned.
Bezalel
was filled “…with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in
knowledge and in all craftsmanship; to make designs for working in
gold and in silver and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for
settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work.”
Together, both Bezalel and Oholiab were given “…skills to perform every
work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and
in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a
weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs.”
There
are many things said of these two but notice that Bezalel
was described to be filled with the Spirit of God. The same Spirit who was at
the creation of the world was with him to build God’s Tabernacle. The Holy
Spirit is an indispensable person in the building of God’s dwelling. That’s also
why we see Him actively present in the building up of the church, the Body of
Christ, God’s New Testament dwelling place. To be effective, we need the
Holy Spirit. There are many things that could be said of Bezalel and Oholiab,
but suffice to say that it was God who gave them their abilities to do what
they were called to do. Their lives show us that to be effective to do the
ministry God wants us to engage in, we need His Spirit and His given abilities.
We also notice that wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and how to apply come
from God. Hence this tells us that to be effective, we need to rely on God. So,
in whatever ministry we are called to do, let us lean on God, the source of our
ability.
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