Tabernacle Craftsmen, the High Priest and the Glory Cloudby KalebRosendahl
35:32Exodus 35:32
And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
God himself devised the plan for the wilderness tabernacle and gave Moses its detailed instructions, then specially filled Bezaleel of Judah and Aholiab of Dan with his Spirit in wisdom, understanding, knowledge and workmanship to devise skilled work in gold and silver and brass and to engrave, embroider and weave. That tact, aptitude and skill to devise and make such works came from God through his instruction, guidance and education, not from human wisdom, and it grew greater as they faithfully used what he gave them to overcome difficulties. He required exactitude, perfection and wholehearted physical labor in every line of that work, which was to represent the exalted character of his service and the sacredness of the human temple, and its skill was never to make the workmen exalted over others. The same giving continues today to all who have a part in his cause when they depend wholly upon him and work as accountable to him, whether in erecting a meeting-house with faithfulness, stability and fitness or in combining fruits, grains and roots into healthful foods for the blessing of others. Yet that God-given skill can be turned from sacred service to selfish gain, as when the heirs of that craftsmanship lost hold on God, demanded higher wages for superior skill, cherished covetousness and served heathen kings to the dishonor of their Maker.
Skilled Work for Tabernacle
The verse describes the building of the wilderness tabernacle, whose plan God himself devised and whose detailed instructions he gave to Moses for skilled men to carry out in gold, silver, and brass. The work called for devising ingenious designs and then making them in those metals.
God specially filled Bezaleel of the tribe of Judah and Aholiab of the tribe of Dan with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and all manner of workmanship. By that filling they were enabled to devise cunning, intricate work in gold and silver and brass, and to do the work of the engraver, the cunning workman, the embroiderer, and the weaver for the tabernacle. Part of the work was embroidery made with great ingenuity by women, and part was solid-gold vessels made by skilled men. The workmen were given abilities beyond their natural talents, and Bezaleel and every wise-hearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding wrought the work with the cooperation of heavenly intelligences.
It was put in their hearts that they might teach others, so the wisdom given to them was to be passed on. In the building different lines of work were assigned to different ones, while all labored under the supervision of God. Their descendants in Judah and Dan inherited a large degree of that conferred skill and were regarded as especially cunning in the finer arts.
Skill as Divine Gift
The wisdom, understanding, tact, aptitude, and skill to devise and make works in gold, silver, and brass did not arise from human wisdom but came from God through His instruction, guidance, and education of the workers. He planned the work and educated the men to carry it out, and their ability for the most skillful workmanship was given by the Lord for His glory. As they used the talents He gave them, they received still greater wisdom, understanding, and skill to overcome difficulties. The same giving continues today, with tact, skill, and wisdom imparted to all who have a part in His cause to do His work. It is received when they depend wholly upon Him, are willing to be controlled and guided by Him, and walk and work as men and women accountable to God.
God called men who had qualifications of character for this work and did not leave them to their own human wisdom. The work they were called to accomplish was to be a special representation of the exalted character of His service, and was also to represent the sacredness of the human temple. Ability for the most skillful work, being given by the Lord, must not make artisans exalted because of their skill and aptitude. Working men need not be lacking in refinement and true Christian courtesy. God required exactitude, skill, tact, wisdom, and perfection in devising curious works in gold and silver and brass, and He requires perfection in every line of work that has to do with His service.
All workers in their various occupations are to train their minds to do the very highest service and to desire mental strength, so that everything is done according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount. Their physical, strenuous labor, performed with heart, soul, and strength and with wholehearted effort, honored God, expressed love for Him, and was to be used for His glory. The construction was part of the education given to Israel, teaching order, discipline, cooperation, and useful service to God through practical work done with skill and understanding. That wisdom shows God's power and majesty, and the work honored His name.
In the building different lines of work were assigned to different ones while all labored under the supervision of God. This means God gives men talents fitting each one for special work, with varied trusts proportioned to varied capabilities, so that each one is allowed to do the special work for which he is fitted and part fits perfectly to part. It requires bringing in varied gifts, unity in diversity instead of expecting all to work in exactly the same way, giving other men a chance to take hold together, helping one another and holding up one another's hands, and giving fellow workers the respect each wishes for himself.
Faithful Use Today
Buildings erected for God are to display faithfulness, stability, and fitness in every part, for the wisdom that enabled workers to devise and fashion work in gold, silver, and brass for the tabernacle reveals divine power and majesty and honored His name. That same wisdom and skill for building remains a gift God bestows on His own people, and He is pleased when those so gifted employ them to erect a meeting-house in a locality where His opening providence makes it necessary.
The God who imparted skill and understanding for the tabernacle, including work in gold, silver, and bronze, likewise imparts skill and understanding to combine natural food products and prepare healthful foods. Spirit-led tact and intelligence are given for the skilled work of manufacturing food and building up the body, just as craftsmanship was given for devising work in gold, silver, and bronze. He is teaching many minds in many places to make healthful foods, showing how to secure a wholesome diet by combining fruits, grains, and roots, so that ingenuity in preparing foods becomes a blessing especially to those who cannot afford more expensive health foods, and this combining of foods is the Lord's work.
Skilled craftsmanship in gold, silver, and brass, valued among Israel's useful occupations, illustrates the importance of learning and practicing a trade. God specially filled Bezaleel of Judah and Aholiab of Dan with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and all manner of workmanship to devise cunning work in gold and silver and brass and to perform the work of the engraver, the cunning workman, the embroiderer, and the weaver for the wilderness tabernacle, and put it in their hearts that they might teach others, so that Bezaleel and every wise-hearted man wrought with the cooperation of heavenly intelligences. Their descendants in Judah and Dan inherited a large degree of that conferred skill and were regarded as especially cunning in the finer arts, remaining for a time humble and unselfish in the noble spirit of self-sacrifice of their ancestors.
Gradually and almost imperceptibly they lost hold on God and His truth, asked higher wages because of superior skill, found employment among surrounding nations when refused, cherished covetousness and grasped for more and more, and served heathen kings with God-given skill to dishonor their Maker. Such craftsmanship was a God-given talent for designing and making fine work in gold, silver, and bronze, passed down among the workers from Judah and Dan, but skill could be used without consecration to God, serving selfish gain instead of sacred service.
God himself devised the plan for the wilderness tabernacle and gave Moses its detailed instructions, then specially filled Bezaleel of Judah and Aholiab of Dan with his Spirit in wisdom, understanding, knowledge and workmanship to devise skilled work in gold and silver and brass and to engrave, embroider and weave. That tact, aptitude and skill to devise and make such works came from God through his instruction, guidance and education, not from human wisdom, and it grew greater as they faithfully used what he gave them to overcome difficulties. He required exactitude, perfection and wholehearted physical labor in every line of that work, which was to represent the exalted character of his service and the sacredness of the human temple, and its skill was never to make the workmen exalted over others. The same giving continues today to all who have a part in his cause when they depend wholly upon him and work as accountable to him, whether in erecting a meeting-house with faithfulness, stability and fitness or in combining fruits, grains and roots into healthful foods for the blessing of others. Yet that God-given skill can be turned from sacred service to selfish gain, as when the heirs of that craftsmanship lost hold on God, demanded higher wages for superior skill, cherished covetousness and served heathen kings to the dishonor of their Maker.
Skilled Work for Tabernacle
The verse describes the building of the wilderness tabernacle, whose plan God himself devised and whose detailed instructions he gave to Moses for skilled men to carry out in gold, silver, and brass. The work called for devising ingenious designs and then making them in those metals.
God specially filled Bezaleel of the tribe of Judah and Aholiab of the tribe of Dan with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and all manner of workmanship. By that filling they were enabled to devise cunning, intricate work in gold and silver and brass, and to do the work of the engraver, the cunning workman, the embroiderer, and the weaver for the tabernacle. Part of the work was embroidery made with great ingenuity by women, and part was solid-gold vessels made by skilled men. The workmen were given abilities beyond their natural talents, and Bezaleel and every wise-hearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding wrought the work with the cooperation of heavenly intelligences.
It was put in their hearts that they might teach others, so the wisdom given to them was to be passed on. In the building different lines of work were assigned to different ones, while all labored under the supervision of God. Their descendants in Judah and Dan inherited a large degree of that conferred skill and were regarded as especially cunning in the finer arts.
Skill as Divine Gift
The wisdom, understanding, tact, aptitude, and skill to devise and make works in gold, silver, and brass did not arise from human wisdom but came from God through His instruction, guidance, and education of the workers. He planned the work and educated the men to carry it out, and their ability for the most skillful workmanship was given by the Lord for His glory. As they used the talents He gave them, they received still greater wisdom, understanding, and skill to overcome difficulties. The same giving continues today, with tact, skill, and wisdom imparted to all who have a part in His cause to do His work. It is received when they depend wholly upon Him, are willing to be controlled and guided by Him, and walk and work as men and women accountable to God.
God called men who had qualifications of character for this work and did not leave them to their own human wisdom. The work they were called to accomplish was to be a special representation of the exalted character of His service, and was also to represent the sacredness of the human temple. Ability for the most skillful work, being given by the Lord, must not make artisans exalted because of their skill and aptitude. Working men need not be lacking in refinement and true Christian courtesy. God required exactitude, skill, tact, wisdom, and perfection in devising curious works in gold and silver and brass, and He requires perfection in every line of work that has to do with His service.
All workers in their various occupations are to train their minds to do the very highest service and to desire mental strength, so that everything is done according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount. Their physical, strenuous labor, performed with heart, soul, and strength and with wholehearted effort, honored God, expressed love for Him, and was to be used for His glory. The construction was part of the education given to Israel, teaching order, discipline, cooperation, and useful service to God through practical work done with skill and understanding. That wisdom shows God's power and majesty, and the work honored His name.
In the building different lines of work were assigned to different ones while all labored under the supervision of God. This means God gives men talents fitting each one for special work, with varied trusts proportioned to varied capabilities, so that each one is allowed to do the special work for which he is fitted and part fits perfectly to part. It requires bringing in varied gifts, unity in diversity instead of expecting all to work in exactly the same way, giving other men a chance to take hold together, helping one another and holding up one another's hands, and giving fellow workers the respect each wishes for himself.
Faithful Use Today
Buildings erected for God are to display faithfulness, stability, and fitness in every part, for the wisdom that enabled workers to devise and fashion work in gold, silver, and brass for the tabernacle reveals divine power and majesty and honored His name. That same wisdom and skill for building remains a gift God bestows on His own people, and He is pleased when those so gifted employ them to erect a meeting-house in a locality where His opening providence makes it necessary.
The God who imparted skill and understanding for the tabernacle, including work in gold, silver, and bronze, likewise imparts skill and understanding to combine natural food products and prepare healthful foods. Spirit-led tact and intelligence are given for the skilled work of manufacturing food and building up the body, just as craftsmanship was given for devising work in gold, silver, and bronze. He is teaching many minds in many places to make healthful foods, showing how to secure a wholesome diet by combining fruits, grains, and roots, so that ingenuity in preparing foods becomes a blessing especially to those who cannot afford more expensive health foods, and this combining of foods is the Lord's work.
Skilled craftsmanship in gold, silver, and brass, valued among Israel's useful occupations, illustrates the importance of learning and practicing a trade. God specially filled Bezaleel of Judah and Aholiab of Dan with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and all manner of workmanship to devise cunning work in gold and silver and brass and to perform the work of the engraver, the cunning workman, the embroiderer, and the weaver for the wilderness tabernacle, and put it in their hearts that they might teach others, so that Bezaleel and every wise-hearted man wrought with the cooperation of heavenly intelligences. Their descendants in Judah and Dan inherited a large degree of that conferred skill and were regarded as especially cunning in the finer arts, remaining for a time humble and unselfish in the noble spirit of self-sacrifice of their ancestors.
Gradually and almost imperceptibly they lost hold on God and His truth, asked higher wages because of superior skill, found employment among surrounding nations when refused, cherished covetousness and grasped for more and more, and served heathen kings with God-given skill to dishonor their Maker. Such craftsmanship was a God-given talent for designing and making fine work in gold, silver, and bronze, passed down among the workers from Judah and Dan, but skill could be used without consecration to God, serving selfish gain instead of sacred service.