Exodus 38:23
And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen. And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.
Aholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, was one of the craftsmen God called and filled with wisdom and His Spirit to do every kind of engraving and skillful embroidery in blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen for the sanctuary exactly according to the pattern shown to Moses. The verse belongs to the closing portion of Exodus, where Israel, after deliverance from Egyptian bondage and organization as a nation with laws and worship, carried out in Exodus 35 to 40 the minute directions for the tabernacle and its furniture given in Exodus 25 to 31. That tabernacle was to be God's sacred dwelling among His people, a manifold object lesson of the great plan of salvation built from free-will offerings after centuries of slavery had unfitted them to comprehend His character. When completed according to command the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord filled it, and though it answered every purpose for which it was made, it was always typical of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man, with all its rites pointing to the Lamb of God. Pitched first in the wilderness and afterward succeeded by Solomon's temple, it remained the center of true worship until the death of Christ rent the veil and the earthly sanctuary passed away forever.
Setting and Workmanship
Exodus 38 stands in the final worship division of Exodus, in the very minute and detailed description of Exodus 25 to 40, and Exodus 35 to 40 records how Israel carried out the directions for building the sanctuary and its furniture given in Exodus 25 to 30 and in Exodus 25 to 31. It was made exactly according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, showing that the Lord's directions were carried out. The preparation and fitting of the tabernacle thus completed, it was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Exodus. It is also reckoned among the chapters containing God's instructions for constructing the sanctuary.
In history the account belongs to Israel after deliverance from Egypt, for Exodus takes its name from the Greek meaning going out, referring to Israel's departure. It tells how the family comfortably settled in Egypt grew more and mightier than the Egyptians, fell into bitter bondage and oppression, and was greatly delivered. So delivered, Israel became a nation with thorough organization, efficient leadership, a complete code of laws and an established form of worship.
The verse names with Bezaleel Aholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and a skilled workman and an embroiderer in blue and in purple and in scarlet and fine linen. He was one of the workmen God called and specially endowed with wisdom and His Spirit to perform every kind of work for the service of the sanctuary. The pattern for the work was divine, given by God to Moses in the mount, and they were to build exactly according to the pattern He showed for a sacred place where He would dwell among Israel and receive their worship. God thus placed His Spirit on Oholiab and the other builders, showing that He blesses consecrated workers in practical, material tasks as well as workers in spiritual tasks.
The embroidered linen curtain inside the tabernacle, with figures of cherubim in those colors, reflects the kind of work described in the verse. The embroidered linen curtains of the sanctuary ceiling likewise bore figures of angels in blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen. Those figures represented the angels of heaven who wait upon Jehovah's bidding.
Purpose and Fulfillment
The skilled work named in the verse belonged to the building of the sanctuary as God's sacred dwelling place among His people, where He would dwell among Israel and receive their worship and reveal His love. It was part of the carrying out in Exodus 35-40 of the directions for the sanctuary and its furniture given in Exodus 25-30, built exactly according to the pattern shown in the mount by workmen whom God specially endowed with wisdom for the work. The structure so raised was marvelously beautiful, made from free-will offerings commanded through Moses of all that would be used in its building. After redeeming Israel from Egyptian bondage with a mighty hand, when hundreds of years of slavery had unfitted them to comprehend His great salvation and the character He required, God gave by its various forms and rites a great multiple object-lesson comprehending the great plan of salvation. The pattern for all the work was divine.
The worldly sanctuary so constructed in the wilderness, with its dimensions, material and furnishings exactly as commanded, was fashioned as a dwelling-place so God might dwell among them, and when completed the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. It answered every purpose for which it was constructed, yet it was always typical of and foreshadowed a better temple, the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. All its rites and ceremonies were object lessons pointing to the Lamb of God and His power to forgive sin, transform character and deliver from burdens. First pitched in the wilderness and afterward succeeded by the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, it was the center of true worship until the death of Christ rent the veil, when the typical and shadowy earthly sanctuary passed away entirely and forever. God placed His Spirit on Oholiab and the other builders, showing that He blesses consecrated workers in practical, material tasks as well as workers in spiritual tasks.