The LORD chose Beazalel, filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge.” Ex: 35:30
We can, when we discuss the gifts of
the Holy Spirit, think of them only being confined to what we read with in the
New Testament, but if we read the Old Treatment, we can see the New Testament
gifts foreshadowed.
In the case of the construction of the
Wilderness Tabernacle in which the God of Israel was to be worshiped, we can
see an example of the Holy Spirit working and the gifting of a man of Israel
named Beazalel , this mas endued, by God through his
Spirit with the skills sets and knowledge needed to construct the Tabernacle.
The LORD chose Beazalel, filled him with the
Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge.”Ex: 35:30
This endowment of the abilities needed
for the task at hand was not conferred upon Beazele for his own uses, but was
given to him so that he might in-turn instruct others in their participation of
the Tabernacle project.
“Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See,
the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe
of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with
understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make
artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set
stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. And
he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the
ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of
work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and
fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.” Ex: 35:30-35
Moses recognizing the “gifting” which the Lord God had given to Bezalel and
proceeds to publicly endorses and appoints Bezalel as the General Overseer of
the construction of God’s Tabernacle.
Though Bezalel's oversight of the
project he then in turn instructs others so that they might participate in the
task of build the Tabernacle.
Along with Bezalel as General Overseer,
another man named Oholiab was named the Forman and he, as well, received skills
to aid in the construction and fashioning of the furnishings of the place of
worship.
And he has given both him and Oholiab son of
Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. (34)
All types of skill
These two-construction leader are, we
are told, able to impart their knowledge to others so that they too might have
a part in this work which produces the meeting and worship place.
the ability to teach others. (34b)
Under Beazalel and Ohiliab leadership
and oversight the sacred Tabernacle project is undertaken and employed a number
of other craftsman and assisting personal utilizing a wide range of skills.
“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.” Ex: 36:1
We are told, as well, in the narrative of
Exodus that there was a willingness on the part of the people to participate in
the fashioning of the Tabernacle.
“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” (2)
Willing to Build
God had put it on their hearts along
with the endowment gifts a willingness to step in and help, to participate and
have involvement. These gifts of skills were not just for their own uses, but
was granted to help and be a part of the work on the Tabernacle. The gifts were
meant to be used in conjunction with others on what God has decreed Israel to
do.
What is the lesson for us, we
Christians, which is the Church? Now, we are called to build the Church, to do
this He has given us Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, at his ascension into the
Heavens, conferred upon all Christians down through the ages the Great
Commission of going into all the world and preach the Gospel and the assurance
that he himself would be present with the Church and provide the means to
fulfill the Commission. Mk: 16:15, Matt: 28:19 and Acts: 1:8
St. Paul tells us that at the
assurances at the ascension of Jesus into the glory of Heaven he did not do so
to leave the Church without the means to fulfill this Great sacred Commission.
“Christ ascended on high, led captives in His
train and gave gifts to men” Eph: 4:8
St. Paul tells us in his Ephesian
Epistle that those in the train of Jesus are the recipients of “gifts”, in many ways this is a glance to the Exodus
theme which we find in the story of the Children of Israel, who the Lord God
had set free and led out of the land of their captivity and were now, though
God’s grace had received many gifts from God on their journey to the Promised
Land.
St. Paul speaks to the Corinth Church
about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and wants to convey to them that they are
not exclusive to only the “ordained clergy”.by
using the term “brethren”, the Apostle is stating
that the gifts are for all believers, the clergy and laity alike.
1Cor: 12:1-I don’t want you to be
ignorant brethren concerning spiritual gifts.
St. Paul is also introducing the concept that
all Christians are “ministers”, this is to all, not just “ministers” in the
ordained positional sense but all Christians are to be minsters and to minster.
St. Paul wants all believers to
understand that there is a diversity to these gifts, and that unlike what we
read in the Exodus account of the Tabernacle construction, the gifts are not “task oriented” but rather “relational oriented”
in order to build up and bind together the “brethren” through
the diversity of the gifts given to each by God, but he reminds us that it is
all from the Spirit of God.
“There are different kinds of
gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of
service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in
all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the
Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the
Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the
same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of
healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy,
to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different
kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All
these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each
one, just as he determines.” (4-11)
St. Paul again stresses the relational
nature of the gifts by recalling the theme of inter- related nature of the
Church as the very body of Jesus, each having their part and
participation. The gifts of the Spirit are not for the sake of "tasks", but the ultimate end is relationships, the "work of God" is relationships.
One Body
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts,
but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were
all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or
Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink Even so
the body is not made up of one part but of many.”(12-14)
St. Paul wants his readers to
understand that above what sort of gifts God has blessed us with, the main
objective is that we have deep abiding relationships within the Church. The
Apostle does this by leading his discourse on the gifts directly into in his
expounding about the divine love of God as it should be made manifested in our
lives for all see.
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of
angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging
cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and
all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have
love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my
body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not
envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it
is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of
wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It
always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are
prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” 1Cor:13:1-8
Overseers
God has in his wisdom, however, has
made a part of his purpose for the Church overseers which we see foreshadowed
in Beazalel and Ohiliab. These men were to supervise the Tabernacle’s
construction and to assign the workers to varies task involved in the project.
This pattern is seen even within the
nature of the Church. God has, through public endorsement and commissioning,
provided supervision in the Church. St. Paul list these positions of
appointment to help build up the Church.
Those given oversight of a Church are
to help others it recognizes their gifts affirm them and teach and empower
other Christians, especially within the context of a local Church, to identify
and serve so that the Church grows and matures in the Christian life.
“So Christ himself gave the apostles,
the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his
people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built
up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son
of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of
Christ.” Eph: 4:11-13
St. Paul had no echelon thinking into his
approach to the Church, he saw each Christian as vital and having their place
in the function of the Church as a whole or on a local level. All were, in his
eyes of the same importance but with different gifts of participation, but all
equal in importance.
“each part dose it work in the process of
building the church” (16)
The Church needs the participation of
all members and their gifts to build the Church, just as the “skilled” men built the Tabernacle, out of the
offerings given by the people of Israel.
We each and all need our Lord’s help us
use our gifts especially now in the times in which we live. The need for local
personal evangelism is growing more needful within local congregations and to
individuals.
We each and all need to assemble
together and seek our Lord Jesus for his guidance and for opportunities to use
the gifts given us. Jesus Christ lives in you to do the work.
Greater Things
As great as the work of our Lord Jesus
was in the days when he was upon the Earth were, Jesus was only one man in one
place at a time in his humanity, but now that our Lord has ascended into the
height of Heaven, and has sent us the Holy Spirit to be made manifested our
lives , he can and does function through the body of the Church Universal in
many way in many places to accomplish many things.
This tells us that Jesus is still even
to this very hour is still ministering, but through the body of his Church
across the face of the Earth and that his Church would even in his own words “do greater things” then he did.
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me
will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than
these”, Jhn: 14:12a
That is an astounding thought, that we,
frail sinful humans could do greater things than our Lord Jesus, the Second
person of the Holy Trinity incarnate, yet Jesus then proceeds to us why that
can and is true.
“because I am going to the
Father.”(12b)
Jesus’ ascension to his Father above is
the reason that we can do these “great things” and upon his ascension Jesus has
sent the Holy Spirit, so that we might receive the gifts, the very same Spirit
who enabled the over sight and building of the Wilderness Tabernacle to
Beazalel and Ohiliab.
Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to
Christians throughout the ages to enable us each and all to participate in his
work and so that we might build up the Church and that place where our God is
worshiped for, we are gifted to build.
Benediction: May we each and all willing use
the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to participate in the building up of the Church,
today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.
Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
" If It Is Not About
Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"
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