You are gifted by God - August 27, 2023

NewLife Christian Fellowship's Podcast

We are continuing this morning in our sermon series The Power of One Life, looking each week at a minor character in the Bible and the impact they had, for better or worse, on their world. This morning I want to look at the life of a man named Bezalel in Exodus 35:30-36:7.

The book of Exodus begins with the story of the deliverance of the Jewish people under the leadership of Moses from slavery in Egypt. The whole nation passes through the Red Sea, and comes to Mt. Sinai, where God makes a covenant with them that explains to them what it means to be the people of God and how they are to interact with each other. One of the central features of that covenant is the restoration of God’s presence, which was lost in Eden, to the midst of God’s people. To this end, a big part of the book of Exodus is given over to explaining how to construct the Tabernacle, which will be the place where God dwells in their midst. It’s not easy reading for a 21st century American, but the point of all the details is that this is where God’s presence will be among them. This is why the finest materials are used – gold, fine linen, silver, bronze, precious stones – because this will be the place where people meet with God, where he dwells, so only the finest materials must be used in order to give him the honor He is due.

And in the midst of the tabernacle instructions, we read about a man named Bezalel, in Exodus 35:30-36:3.

Exodus 35:30 - 36:7 - Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-- 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers-- all of them master craftsmen and designers. NIV Exodus 36:1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded." 2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done." 6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.