JUDEAN WORKMAN, BEZALEEL THE SON OF URI.

CREDIT: crossref-it.info

JUDEAN WORKMAN, BEZALEEL THE SON OF URI.

Bezaleel possessed outstripping knack, wisdom and potential to an incredible degree. And all of these were for a very specific purpose. His copious gifting was to enable this uncommon Judean workman to fill in as chief craftsman and the architect cum artist-in-chief of Israel. He was to lead the ‘creativity crew’, as I choose to call the group of artisans and workers assigned the construction of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Ark of the Testimony. Bezaleel the Son of Uri was purpose-built for these tasks!

Here was an eminent craftsman anointed for an appointed moment within the divine purpose and plan. When the people of God required spiritual symbols and sundry structures, the Lord was on hand to present a God-sent worker who nobody by the wildest stretch of the imagination could dismiss him as an imposter.

There was no need for an advertisement to be splash across the pages of the news media, soliciting top-flight property developers and high priced contractors with track record.

There was no question of gathering specialists under the auspices of the religious authorities, to face a competitive bid process to determine which firm(s) to handle the project. The God of Heaven had prepared the RIGHT MAN for the job ahead of schedule; He presented the credentials of this divine appointee to His chief servant, Moses.

See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. Exodus 31:2-5 (NKJV)

May you be the man for divine assignation in appropriate season. Let me repeat that earnest prayer: May you be the RIGHT MAN for divine assignation in the hour of need for God’s chosen generation! I pray that your creativity and talents should mark you out for divine assignment! May the Hand of Heaven separate you for an inimitable task in your generation. The obstructers of fecund productivity would not deny you the moment of revelation on a platform built by the Hands of God. Amen!

The Lord had elaborated the tasks Bezaleel and his crew of skilled workmen were to do:

…. In the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle, and the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offerings with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, and the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the holy garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office, and the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do. Exodus 31:6-11

CREDIT: rockyespy.com

With the arrangements of men, the scope of the
construction project would have required the work to be split into several specializations like: architectural designs, quantity survey, civil construction, metal fabrications, woodcrafts, tailoring/garment making and interior decoration. The Maker of everything, however, wrapped all these in one versatile assembly, selecting Bezaleel as arrowhead.

Every jeweler or goldsmith can attest to the fact that various precious metals exhibit different properties and temperament while processing. Thus, if you handled silver as you would gold, it is predictable you would mess things up. Bezaleel, however, possessed the dexterity to handle all three metals with exquisite finesse. He was filled with the Spirit of God so he was enabled to be a multiple- skilled workman. Along with great flair, Bezaleel was imbued with leadership and people management skills, to supervise co-workmen and complete intricate projects.

Many talented people fail at this juncture! Often, they fail to provide leadership when pressed for direction. It is possible these people do not comprehend that the primary Beneficiary of their creativity ought to be the Lord the Giver. Mind you, there are people nervous of handling responsibility conferred by exceptional talents. These same people readily make the mistake of succumbing to the trap of irresponsible negligence. They readily forsake devotion to and withhold veneration from the Giver of the blessings. Bezaleel was too distinguished to fall for this manner of self-

debilitating blemish. He was up to the task of handling his prodigy as well as leading men at the same time. Of course, he was a man of destiny and he knew it!

The details of the work done by Bezaleel and his ‘creativity crew’ are rendered in the Book of Exodus from chapters 36 to 39.

Leonardo da Vinci, a Florentine artist, was a masterful painter, an architect, sculptor, engineer, and scientist. His pursuit of knowledge was relentless and his discoveries left lasting changes in the fields of art and science. His innovations in painting influenced the course of Italian art for more than a century after his death, and his scientific studies, particularly in the fields of anatomy, optics, and hydraulics, anticipated many of the developments of modern science. Leonardo da Vinci (a bona fide polymath) was hugely talented, but before him, lived Bezaleel, God’s own master craftsman.

People of God, do you venerate God with your gifts? Do you consider Him a primary beneficiary of all your aptitudes? Or do you aggrandize yourself with self-adulation? When called upon to lead a team, are you too busy showing off your abilities that the group falls apart due to lack of direction, guidance or an outright leadership dereliction? What are you doing with your gifts?