Recently as I read Exodus, I was reminded of something in chapter 31 that every Christ-following artist can appreciate:God had just given instructions for the tabernacle, and then he said this: "See, I have chosen Bezalel ... 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. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab ... to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you: the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent--the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand--and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you."
Here's what I love about this: Moses and his siblings weren't the only ones filled with the Spirit; it wasn't just the leaders or the speakers whom God used. He also filled the artists so they could practice their crafts to His glory. Tentmakers. Stonemakers. Weavers. Incense workers. To all of these God gave skill.
God seems to have done something similar in you who have sent files for the art gallery. We can see how you've interacted artistically with the truth in God's Word and through your craftsmanship we get a glimpse of His glory. Surely the Spirit of the Lord is in this place.
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Beautiful thoughts of hope for me, a struggling artist. (Not struggling for a paycheck, just struggling with my identity.
Why do I have this passion to make things? How did I get to be this way? Is this drive for creativity selfish? Would God rather that I be spending my time and effort elsewhere? How can I ever hope to come up with something that would meet His standards?)
Our family just finished building a model of the tabernacle and I was floored (and slightly stressed, truth be told) at how specific God was with the measurements, materials and methods. His tabernacle was to be JUST SO.
If it was so intimidating for me to craft a simple model of the Holy Place, imagine the pressure felt by the men who had to build the real deal!!
God demanded a pure and holy place to dwell, and then like a fresh breeze, He indwelt and empowered frail humans so that they could actually be successful in the task given them. Amen to that!
We are reading through Exodus in our small group. We just finished with Exodus 21 with some VERY specific laws about how to treat slaves and judgements for people who commit personal injury crimes. Our materials asked, what do you think of these judgements?
Harsh, strict, narrow, no room for error.
Holy. Bottom line. His point is holiness.
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