Bezalel and Oholiab – Artisans of God       Exodus 31:1-11

A lot of attention is given to the calling of prophets and apostles and other men of mighty deeds, but God also calls people for less notable tasks. Bezalel and Oholiab were called to make things.

All believers are called to some kind of service. How do we know what God is calling us to do? Do you want to do it? Have you been asked to do it? Can you see that something needs doing? Does it bother you? Are you able to do it? Even if you’re not currently able, could it be that God will equip you for the task? Prayerful consideration is required.

Bezalel and Oholiab were talented men. God filled them with the Holy Spirit so they could make things the way He wanted them. If God is calling us to do something, He will enable us to do it.

There was a whole tabernacle to build and all of the things to go in it, as well as the priest’s garments. Bezalel and Oholiab needed help. God provided other talented men. God used the existing talents of the people who were there but added to them. He took ordinary talent and turned it into extraordinary talent.

All of the best materials and skillful labour were used to build the tabernacle and all of its furnishings, but they were just an earthly reflection of things in heaven (Hebrews 9, Revelation 21:9-21)

Bezalel and Oholiab and all of the other artisans weren’t perfect. These men were doubtless with all of the other Israelites who worshipped the golden calf. I wonder if they also had a hand in making it. Despite this, they remained God’s chosen artisans just as the Jews remained God’s chosen people. It’s just as well God is willing to use imperfect people, otherwise, what hope would we have?

In the same way that God’s chosen artisans used their talents for His glory, we are all called to use our talents for His glory. Consider the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. God has entrusted us with abilities. There are rewards for using them, but there are also consequences for not faithfully using what God has entrusted to us.

The tabernacle was a mobile temple. There is currently no building on earth that we can point to and say ‘there is God’s Temple or Tabernacle’. There is, however, a place where God and man come together on this earth and that’s in the bodies of believers. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. And just as God used Bezalel and Oholiab to adorn the tabernacle, so we are called to adorn these bodies or temples. There is merit in eating sensibly and keeping fit, but God has little to say about that. He is more concerned with how presentable we are spiritually. (1 Timothy 2:9 & 4:8)

Appropriate adornments for these temples (our bodies); the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. A believer who exhibits all of these attributes brings more glory to God than the best work from the hands of Bezalel and Oholiab. Just as the Holy Spirit enabled Bezalel and Oholiab to make beautiful furnishings for the tabernacle, the Holy Spirit within us enables us to adorn ourselves with the fruit of the Spirit. A believer who strongly exhibits all of the fruit of the Spirit shows the craftsmanship of a truly gifted artisan. When we walk by the Spirit, we won’t be gratifying the desires of the flesh.

The fruit of the spirit builds and strengthens the whole fellowship. When we all exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, our witness to the world is much more powerful.

We labour in furnishing these earthly temples for God’s glory, but like the gifted workers who helped Bezalel and Oholiab, we are the lesser craftsmen. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Master Artisans. While Jesus lived on earth, He gave us the perfect example of the fruit of the Spirit. We do our best work when we follow the example of Jesus and obey his instructions. 

While we live in these bodies, we still have shortcomings, but someday God will complete his work in us. These earthly temples are still subject to decay, but someday we will be given new, perfect bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:53)

Are you a temple of the Holy Spirit; full of life; full of the spirit of God, or are you a tomb; a mausoleum? You might look great on the outside, but without the Holy Spirit, full of death and decay. The corpses in a tomb can’t turn it into temple. Only God can do this. He is the master craftsman and the first work that he does in a believer is to make him alive.

How do we know he can do this? John 2:19 Jesus (said)…, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”[1] The temple he was speaking of was his body. They did destroy his temple. They killed him; crucified him on the cross and on the third day he rose again. If he could raise himself, then he can certainly raise you. He gives life to the spiritually dead.

All we need is to trust in him. Once we are alive in him, he will continue his work in us. If we follow his instructions and his example, we will become things of real beauty crafted for the glory of God.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 2:19.