Bezalel and Oholiab… ever heard of them?
Sometimes I wonder why we have the story of Samson in children’s bibles and not the story of Bezalel and Oholiab.
In the book of Exodus God gives great details about how the tabernacle and all of its furnishings will be built. About two-thirds of the way into the story of the tabernacle in Exodus 31 God tells Moses about Bezalel (son of Uri, the son of Hur from the tribe of Benjamin) and about Oholiab (son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan). These men are “filled with the Spirit of God, with skill ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts” (Ex. 31:3). They are introduced in Exodus 31 and their story picks up again in chapters 35 and 36. In 35:34 it states that not only do these two have the ability to do the work but they also have “the ability to teach others.”
“Filled with the Spirit”. I think this is the first time this phrase is used in the Bible.
What do we think about God filling two craftsmen with the Spirit to work on the tabernacle?
Does that seem odd?
These guys are doers, they get things done. They are craftsman, they are artists. They take the word of God and build and mold the future of Israel’s house of worship. These are the guys who built the ark of the covenant as the center of God’s presence.
But yet many of us haven’t heard of them before.
What is in this story for us?
How is this relevant for us in 2023?
Check out their story in Exodus chapter 31.
Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
~ Pastor Dustin
