Bezaleel - A Laborer for the LORD

Introduction

I began to name this the ‘Bible Person Study’, but chose to go with the ‘Bible Character Study’. I hesitated to name it that, as I don’t want to diminish the fact that these are real people we’ll be examining. But the reason that it’s named the Bible Character Study is because we’ll be focusing on the person’s character throughout. But don’t forget that these were real people, with real lives that made real choices that had real consequences.

I. Bezaleel’s Nature

((What is their History / Background?)

A Common Laborer

Bezaleel did not come from the aristocracy of Israel.

He did not descend from the lineage of Moses or Aaron

He had no former reputation

He wasn’t help lead people out of Egypt

Bezaleel didn’t have a glamorous job

He wasn’t spoken of prior to Ex. 31.

He wasn’t a part of the priesthood (Unlike Nadab & Abihu from last week.)

Bezaleel was a common man with a common occupation. He had no special heritage, reputation or position to afford him any privileges with God or man.

He was a Common Laborer

An Exile from Egypt

Like Nadab & Abihu that we’d studied last week, Bezaleel was an exile from Egypt.

And I mention that again this week to show you somewhat of a contrast.

Like Nadab & Abihu, Bezaleel had front row seats to the miracles of God. He witnessed & lived through them. However, unlike Nadab & Abihu, this must’ve made an impression on Belzaleel.

You see, the old saying that’s true today as it was back then ‘The same sun that melts the ice, hardens the clay’. Meaning, what God does will either have a positive effect on you, or a negative effect - the difference isn’t found in the source, but what it’s projected onto.

John 3:19–21 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

An Exile from Egypt

II. Bezaleel’s Notoriety

(What they are known for?)

Crafting of the Tabernacle

Bezaleel’s name is mentioned 8x in Scripture, all but one in connection with the building of the Tabernacle - the other is a mention of his lineage.

So he’s solely known for the crafting of the Tabernacle.

But when you really start to analyze it, his work is spoken of greatly!

Ex. 37:1;6;10;16;17;25 etc…

He’s known for crafting of the Tabernacle. So what can we learn from this man?

III. What Makes him Noteworthy

(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)

When Filled with the Spirit, you can do Anything (Ex. 31:3; 35:31)

This was an enormous task with as grave of circumstances as you could imagine! Yet, he was able to accomplish it to the pleasing of the LORD through the Spirit of God!

God has called on us to be filled with the Spirit: Ephesians 5:17–18 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

In this passage, we see the Understanding of the will of the LORD connected to being filled with the Spirit.

It’s interesting - much of the Tabernacle items are repeated in Scripture. For instance:

The Ark: Ex. 25:10-15 & Ex. 37:1-5.

What you have is the instruction & the execution. Now the instruction was given to Moses, but the execution done by Bezaleel. Bezaleel was able to make the items of the Tabernacle to perfection, though not getting the info firsthand. This is because He was filled with the Spirit and understood what the Will of the Lord was.

Church, if we are not only sealed, but filled with the Spirit of God - we can have a better understanding of what the Will of the LORD is for our lives and execute it according to God’s Divine Plan! Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

When Filled with the Spirit, you can do Anything!

God Equips who He Calls (Ex. 31:2-5)

God called Bezaleel to do a work. NOTICE THAT IS WASN’T MOSES WHO CHOSE, BUT GOD WHO CALLED! Because God called Belzaleel to this work, he was able to DO the work.

God does not call someone to do a work without equipping them to the task at hand.

Consider the apostles: Peter, James, John, Andrew - they were but mere fishermen. They weren’t learned scholars - they were common men as well - but God equipped them to do the work!

After Jesus sent them out, we read in Luke 10:17 “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”

God Equipped the Apostles

Consider Moses

Moses was an 80yo man who’s only accomplishment here-to-fore was murdering an Egyptian. When God called him in Ex. 3-4 Moses said Exodus 4:10 “And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

Even though Moses could have, God even gave him Aaron as a mouthpiece.

God Equips who He Calls

God’s Plan is Better than Man’s (Ex. 31-32)

Comparing Ex. 31-32 is interesting. You have:

A workman chosen by God (Ch. 31)

A worker chosen by man (Ch. 32)

A Heavenly Design (Ch. 31)

A Carnal Craft (Ch. 32)

On that gives Life (Ch. 31)

One that brought Death (Ch. 32)

God’s Plan is ALWAYS better than mans.

(Ill.) Sometimes my wife & I will be discussing something, and I’ll express a thought. Then sometimes, she’ll come back with ‘That’s great, but what if you do this instead?’. Sometimes, it’s a better suggestion than what I began with, sometimes it’s not.

This is the way man oftentimes treats God. God says ‘This is what I want done’ and man comes along and says ‘Yeah, that’s great & all, but how about doing it this way…’

What works sometimes w/ my wife NEVER works with the LORD. You’ll not devise a better way, system or idea than God already established!

God’s Plan is ALWAYS BETTER than man’s

The Common Man can do Uncommon Things

I pointed out that Bezaleel was a common man because I wanted to stress this point right here. The Common man can do Uncommon things.

Being the craftsman that built the Tabernacle is an amazing work and privilege. Of all the physical things in the Bible that God gave unto man, the only one I can think of that would be greater would be the original tables of stone carved by the finger of God! And to be a part of that? It’s an amazing feat - ACHIEVED BY AN ORDINARY MAN.

For the Christian, we have the opportunity for greatness literally EVERY DAY! Everyday we can do something that is uncommon. In fact, doing the Amazing is achievable every day.

Bezaleel was instrumental in the building of an earthly Tabernacle of God. We can be instrumental in the building of multiple Tabernacles of God when we lead others to Christ! That earthly Tabernacle is gone - but every soul we lead to Christ lasts forever!

The Common Man can do Uncommon Things!

God will Supply for the Work

Vision & Wisdom for His People (Ex. 31:3; 35:34-35)

The Word gives light: Psalm 119:105 “NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.”

The Spirit gives Understanding: Ephesians 5:17–18 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

God will supply in US what we need in order to carry out our share of the Work

Other of His People (Ex. 31:6; 36:1)

Here we see Aholiab and others getting in on the work of God.

That’s what’s so special and important about church - is that we are a God-ordained community to work together and carry out the work of Christ: Hebrews 10:23–25 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

God will supply Other of His People to help in the work

Through His People (Ex. 35:20-29)

Bezaleel would have had nothing to work with had it not been for the generosity of the COI. They brought more than enough offering to build what God had commanded.

The question is - where did they get it?

Exodus 3:22 “But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.”

Exodus 12:36 “And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.”

God had given it unto the people so that they could give a portion of it back. And when everyone is obedient unto God, it’s more than enough to accomplish the task God’s given us! Ex. 36:1-7

Labor for the LORD brings Blessings (Ex. 39:42-43)

Once the labor had ended, Bezaleel was blessed.

In this we see the picture of man standing before God ready to receive that which was the result of his faithful service:

Reminds me of Mat. 25:14-21.

Labor for the LORD brings Blessings

Conclusion