The little known Bezalel was an important character in the days of Moses when the Tent of Meeting was being constructed in accordance to God’s detailed instructions. In his day, Bezalel was the go to man for craftsmanship. He was specially and uniquely talented, because he was filled with the Spirit of God, to work on different things for the Tabernacle:
See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts– 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 craftsmanship. (Exo 31:2-5)
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 skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts– 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 craftsmanship.” (Exo 35:30-33)
God wanted the Tabernacle to be constructed a certain way and it was not shabby in the slightest! There were beautiful works of art and designs in the Tabernacle done in gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood. Bezalel, and others, were behind it.
Observations About Bezalel
- He was filled with the Spirit of God, yet there is no record he spoke in tongues, as we see in the New Testament! So, YES people in the Old Testament were filled with the Spirit of God! Also, though Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God, he was not a bold preacher, like John the Baptist, who also was filled with God’s Spirit. Bezalel’s God given manual abilities, which were needed, were with all kinds of crafts. The listings of spiritual gifts in the New Testament (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:7-11), mention no such gift as Bezalel had, perhaps because there is no need for his unique craftsmanship abilities today since the house of God is now the physical bodies of Christians (1 Cor. 3:16,17; Heb. 3:6) and not any man-made structure.
Bezalel had nothing to boast of, since his unique and needed abilities were a gift to him. That is not to say he was boasting, for there is no mention of such. Any gift we, likewise, have to serve God has also come from God himself. We have nothing to boast of either. Nothing! Boasting in that way is a sign of ignorance and reflects pride, one of the conditions the devil wants to get us in to devour us just like unforgiveness, hate, lust, jealousy, envy, etc.
Jesus’ Disciples Should Have Pondered Bezalel
Remember Bezalel when you ponder the passages in the NT where Jesus’ disciples were arguing over who was the greatest among them (Mk. 9:34; Lk. 9:46; 22:24). The Lord Jesus gave a hell warning to his own disciples for that:
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never ENTER the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 18:1-4)
NOTE: Jesus’ warning was about not entering the kingdom of heaven and is not a rewards passage. After initial salvation, we must stay humble, which is easier if you realize any abilities you have, were given to you by God! We must be like little children in that way. Pride is a spiritual killer, as God opposes the proud. Remember Bezalel.
