1491 B.C.
1-6. The Artificers.
1,2. The principal, Bezaleel.
3. His qualification.
4,5. His work.
6-. His subordinates, Aholiab and others.
-6-. Their qualification.
-6. Their work (= L4, vv. 7-11).
(Moses has been up on mount Sinai for many days as God was giving to him the details of the tabernacle, the altars, the furniture and the clothing and holy things to be worn by the High priest and priests that serve Him. So now we will see how these instructions will be fulfilled in the building of each item.)
Exodus 31:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
2 "See, I have called by name
(note the qualifications: "I have filled", "I have given", "I have put", &c. Cp. John 3:27.)
Bezaleel
(= in the shadow of God.)
the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
(When God has a job to do, He selects His people and places the gifts necessary for them to do the job. This is no different that what we see going on in ministries today, for Paul reminds us in Romans 12:4-6; For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then Gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Some Christians are given gifts to preach, while other are prayer warriors, other have talent to sing, and other are so well blessed in wealth to support the ministry.)
3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship,
(When God's Spirit is in you, you have the wisdom, understanding of how it is to be, and the knowledge in the manner of workmanship that God requires.)
4 To devise skillful works: to work in gold and in silver and in brass,
5 And in cutting of stones to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are wisehearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee:
(It is very important to recognize that it was God that gave the wisdom for these men to do this job. In verse two God said, "I have called", and when God calls someone to do a task, He fits that person completely for all the parts of that task. John 3:27,28 reminds us of this; John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him." God called and sent John to bear witness, and gave him the ability to do that work.
God had given to Moses a very detailed mission to build this tabernacle, all the instruments, clothing and woodwork, and overlay it with gold, with silver work. However God also prepared Bezaleel in his mind and given him the skills for that ministry to take place. God gave Bezaleel a helper in the task, and notice also that Aholiab was from the tribe of Dan, also of the seed of Abraham. Some today would have you believe that these artificers were from Tubal-Cain, from the seed of Satan through Cain, and no Satan and the Kenites had no part in the making of these sacred items for the tabernacle of the children of Israel to worship Almighty God. When God has a mission to do, He will raise up the person to do it, and give him or her the gifts to get that job done as it should be. So every part of the Tabernacle of God, the Ark of the Covenant, and all the parts of worship will be provided by God, for our worship of Him.
Even today when we study His Word, our wisdom and knowledge only come when the Holy Spirit of God opens our minds to the truth, and gives us the understanding. Proverbs 1:7 The reverence of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction. The method of obtaining that knowledge of God is given to us in Proverbs 2:1-6; "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge And liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and Searches for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, And fine knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: Out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." The wisdom has to be there before knowledge and understanding can flow from your mouth.
God has prepared these two men, Bezaleel and Aholiab with the wisdom, and the words and workmanship from God will allow God will to be done correctly.)
7-11. Furniture.
7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and
(12 "ands" emphasizing 12 things to be made vv.7-11, #12 = governmental perfection.)
the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,
8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,
9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,
10 And the clothes of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office,
11 And the anointing oil and sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded thee shall they do."
12-17. The six days and the seventh.
12 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
13 "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, 'Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep;
(Another special reference to this in connection with any special position in which Israel might be placed. a) The manna, Ch. 16; b) the giving of the law, Ch. 20; c) the making of the Tabernacle, Ch. 31.)
for it is a sign between Me and you
(Israel, not the church of God.)
throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the LORD who doth sanctify you.
(When Jesus Christ came down of the cross and placed in the tomb and rose from the dead, He became our Sabbaths, and our Sabbaths or resting place is in Him all the time, every day, and moment of the day.)
14 Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you. Every one who defileth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Six days may work be done, but on the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whosoever doeth any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'"
18 And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tablets of testimony,
(These first tables were "the work of God", 32:16; 24:12.)
tablets of stone,
(Singular. The second tables were hewn by Moses, 34:1-4, and stones in plural. Both written by God.)
written with the finger of God.
(The ten commandments are a guide for our lives, and are just as true today as they were in Moses day. They are part of the Law, and when Christ came, he fulfilled all of the ordinances in that law that pertained to blood sacrifice and ritual. Christ became that true sacrifice for one and all times.)