Exodus 31:1-11

¹ The LORD told Moses, ² “Notice, I have called by name Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³ and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, ⁴ to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, ⁵ in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. ⁶ And see, I have appointed as his assistant Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all the skilled workers their skill, so that they may make everything that I have commanded you: ⁷ the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, ⁸ the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, ⁹ and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, ¹⁰ and the finely worked garments, the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons, for their service as priests, ¹¹ and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They will do just what I have commanded you,.”

faith in community

The tabernacle building project shows us how faith in the Israelite community worked. The LORD gave the commands to Moses, and he passed them on to the Bezalel and Oholiab, who would oversee the architectural and artistic details of the construction. Just as Moses had been called to lead the nation, these men also had been specifically called to the task they were to accomplish, and that calling came with skill (wisdom) and intelligence, knowledge and all craftsmanship, all given by the God who called them. Moses had to have faith that God did that for them. He had to trust that the LORD was involved in the process. They had to have faith that God was speaking through Moses, and in their own God-given skill to accomplish what he instructed them to do.

There was added to that another layer as well. God had also called and qualified a group of skillful (wise hearted) workers. The LORD assured Moses that he had given the workers all the skill necessary to build the tabernacle and its furniture to code – that is, to the exact specifications they would hear from him through Moses.

The LORD could have done it another way. He could have called and endowed one special craftsman with all the knowledge and all the skill and set him to work alone to accomplish the task. I’m guessing that the LORD did not do it that way because the Israelites would not learn the lesson of faith in community that way.

Faith in community is a lesson we are called to learn as we do the work of the kingdom today. It takes cooperation and teamwork. It also takes trust in the divine plan as it is being revealed through his servants whom he has called to reveal it. It is hard work, and we do not always get it right. But there is a lesson in the process that glorifies the God who chooses to work within us.

LORD, teach us to trust you, and in the community in which you are working.