Torah Portion, Vayahkhel-Pekudei, Exodus 35.1-40.38, Haftarah, Kings 7.40-50, 51-8.21
“All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded.” Exodus 35.10 NKJV
I have a photo of my dad standing on the unfinished roof of our worship sanctuary when I was a child. His hands are raised, and from his belt hangs a hammer. Through his carpentry our sanctuary became a reality. Our double Torah portion, Vayahkhel-Pekudi, is a memorial to the craftspeople who contributed their skill to make the Tabernacle. Moses gathered artisans with a generous spirit. Knowing their generous heart, he restated the command of the sabbath.
“Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord.” Exodus 35.1 NKJV
It would have been easy for the people to violate working on the Sabbath in their zeal and love of God. But the Sabbath command also helps us to define the word work. God finished His creating and ceased His work before the Sabbath. The word for work here is specific. There are two main words for work in Hebrew – avodah and malachah. Avodah is a general work or service occurring many times in Scripture. Genesis says that God finished His malachah before the Sabbath! So how do we define the creation work of malachah?
The skilled actions of the artisan in making the Tabernacle are the definition of malachah work! When God fashioned the universe, He called it Malachah. When Bezalel crafted the Tabernacle, it was malachah.
“Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work (malachah) of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.” Exodus 35.21 NKJV
The last chapters of Exodus describe cutting of stone, engraving, embroidering, dying, weaving, and hammering. Jewish commentaries can define from Scripture thirty-nine categories of malachah (work), most associated with building the Tabernacle.
The creative work of Bezalel, Oholiab, and many others, were vital to the ministry and service. God honored their completion by filling the Tabernacle. Often the ministry of work is unseen. For those hearing or reading these words, you may be called to a Bezelel anointing. You are creative because God has filled you and given you wisdom and understanding. For the next few moments look with me at three words of direction and truth to the artisans of the Kingdom.
I. Filled with the Spirit
“He has filled him (Bezalel) with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship.” Exodus 35.31 NKJV
Your gift did not originate with you. The first person “filled with the Spirit” in Scripture was Bezalel, a craftsman. Were there others before him? Perhaps, but he is the first recorded. Bezalel was not simply gifted, he was anointed for all manner of malacha, work. This brings me back to the story of my dad. He never desired to preach a sermon. His understanding of theology was muted, but his knowledge of woodworking was marvelous. His work was a form of worship when offered to the Lord.
What has God anointed you to do? Are you a gifted sound technician, an artist, a joyful greeter? Do you feel led to vacuum the sanctuary or cut the grass? Is there a reward for those who generously respond? Of course there is! Not everyone was a Bezalel, but multitudes donated the materials for the artisans. That is a calling as well.
II. Filled with Wisdom and Understanding
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel…” Exodus 31.1-3 NKJV
Wisdom and Understanding come from God. I know of two individuals whose creative gifts are guiding them to the Creator. You may identity with one or even both. The first, a spine surgeon, and a follower of Messiah spoke at my son’s college graduation. He is one of the top surgeons in the U.S., yet he travels internationally to offer his services to the poor in developing countries, through a ministry that he founded. Along the way, he has patented new medical devices and treatments. He literally operates in a Bezalel anointing!
Perhaps some reading this may identify with the second individual, a Jewish building contractor, not yet a believer. He felt led to approach a Christian lady in Israel, already in her nineties, to fulfill her vision of building a retreat center. The lady could not imagine how her dilapidated apartment could be transformed into a large and beautiful complex of buildings. Anyone however, who visits the center is immediately impressed by the exceptional quality and layout of the facility. The builder confessed that he strongly felt God’s presence supernaturally guiding him in wisdom and for the project. You might ask, could God use someone who is not a believer? God can use anyone! The experience however has set this man on a journey to God.
Bezalel, Exodus, James Tissot, c. 1896-1902
The gifts and calling of God are without repentance
Bezalel could have offered his skills in secular employment, and perhaps for years he had done just that, until one day, God personally spoke his name.
“See, I have called by name Bezalel…”
The gifts and calling upon Israel are irrevocable. (Rom.11.25) As a friend of mine has said, “We are called to be a kingdom of priests, but if we refuse to priest the things of God, we will priest the things of this world.” The same hands used to build a casino may be called to build consecrated structures. The graphic artist working for Disney, may truly be called to illustrate eternal truths. Your wisdom and understand to be an artisan, computer programmer, seamstress, musician, all come from God. Is He calling your name?
III. Filled with the Knowledge of Workmanship
“And he raised up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the screen of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40.33-34 NKJV
At this very time of year, in the first day of the first month of Nisan, just a few days from now, the work was finished, and the Tabernacle erected. (Ex. 40.17) The unique word for work, malachah, appears some twenty-two times in these five chapters. Sometimes it is described as מְלֶ֣אכֶת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ, (work of the holy) sacred work. (Ex. 36.4) The boards with their sockets for the Tabernacle walls were holy. Those weaving of goat hair, to waterproof the Tabernacle, was holy work. The donated secular mirrors of the women were fashioned by Bezalel for sacred ministry along with the ark, table, lampstand, all holy work to the Lord. Those ones who donated became partakers in the work along with the artisans.
When the final curtain was hung, at this sacred season of the year, God’s presence filled the Tabernacle affirming the freewill offering and the artisan’s holy work.
You may not be called to preach, or lead worship, but is there an anointing of creativity which God has given you? When you find a way to marry your gift to the Kingdom you will sense your gifts flow with supernatural anointing.
Conclusion
Bezalel and the artisan’s holy work are a testimony of God’s gifts of creativity. It would have been tempting to work on the Sabbath, but even holy work, must bow to the command of Sabbath rest. When we think of Messiah, how often do we remember His profession as a carpenter? How appropriate that the architect and builder of worlds who has gone to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house should be a carpenter! Yet, in His own hometown of Nazareth, they were offended by the carpenter.
“Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.” Mark 6.3 NKJV
I believe that God singled out Bezalel by name and filled him with the Holy Spirit to affirm and sanctify the creative gifts. Finishing the creative work brought the presence of God into the Tabernacle. There are some whose giftings are not reaching their potential because they have not been freely offered to the Lord. May the Lord fill you with His Spirit, and may you operate in a Bezalel anointing, with understanding, knowledge of all manner of workmanship, and may you see the glory fall upon your freewill offering to Him.
Shavua Tov from Zion
