Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship.” Exodus 31:1-5.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Each person has a special gift for a particular time and place but it always has to do with the benefit and growth of My covenant people. Think of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Leah, Joseph, Moses, Bezalel, Oholiab, Joshua, Deborah, Ruth, Samuel, David, Daniel, John the Baptist, Mary, Peter, Paul, Lydia, Priscill and Aquila, and I could go on and on. But today, gifts outside of and inside of My covenant people are for the growth and shalom of the body of Christ.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11.
The Holy Spirit gives grace gifts that are manifold, but all are working to bringing the glory of the Kingdom in salvation, supply, power, and works of excellence into the earth, in order to plant and establish the flow of Heaven upon the earth so all may be one in Me. The word in the Greek in which the New Testament was originally written is charisma (χάρισμα): grace-gift, spiritual gift. This refers to supernatural empowerment—clothed in power from on high, that is not limited in endowment or application. It is what is needed at a particular time and place in your life and the lives of others at the moment but which will endure to the coming generations. For My plans for you are shalom (the whole beautiful pie of life with no piece missing) and not evil, to give you a future and the hope of eternal life that I promised you from everlasting to everlasting.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the benefit of all. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.
Many of you recognize the grace endowments given by the Holy Spirit as He wills that include the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, special faith, gifts of healing, the effecting of miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues, but do not limit the gifts of My grace to those categories only. Skills imparted by grace by My Spirit are for a particular tasks, positions, and production that must be done for the future glory to manifest at the proper time. These are not worked up but are given. You can quench them, but they are always functioning as a whole and must be acted upon when given to achieve the purpose for which they are sent.
When Moses led the Israelites redeemed from slavery into the desert on the way to the promised land, I wanted to form them and shape them into a mighty nation filled with My love, wisdom, peace, and righteousness. I sought to form a people who understood and walked with Me as My royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart called out of darkness into My marvelous light. I gave them the written Word to create a nation of faith where all would know Me from the least to the greatest. And to do that, I had to travel and dwell with them. So I gave them the plans for the tabernacle, so I could tangibly dwell among them and in the plan of the tabernacle teach them about and prepare them for Jesus as the true Lamb of God and the fulfillment of every promise that I planned.
I gave Moses the plans for My dwelling place among My covenant people. They were intricate plans for beauty and glory. I called by name those who had the hearts attuned to Me and gave them the skills by My Spirit to construct the intricate structure where everything had to perfectly coincide with the tabernacle in the heavenly Zion and show the path to salvation in Christ by a new and living way.
I called Bezalel and Oholiab for just that time, formed from their mothers’ wombs with the plans for their lives written in advance by My Spirit that they might walk in them. The name “Bezalel” means “in the shadow of God,” and the name “Oholiab” means “in the tent of My Father.” And they cooperated and loved their callings. And, as I am for each one of you, I was very specific and particular in what skills I entrusted to them according to the talents I had put within them–their special gifts of grace with the place, means, and path all prepared in advance that they might walk in them. If you are willing and obey you will have the best of the land.
Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of testimony, and the mercy seat upon it, and all the furniture of the tent, the table also and its utensils, and the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering also with all its utensils, and the laver and its stand, the woven garments as well, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, with which to carry on their priesthood; the anointing oil also, and the fragrant incense for the holy place, they are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.” Exodus 31:1-11.
But when I have great works to do, My Spirit moves upon many to include all. I began this great work by foretelling it to Abraham:
God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.” Genesis 15:13-14.
I told this to Moses as well. Exodus 3:19-22. And it came to pass that the night Pharaoh sent the descendants of Abraham out of Egypt at the Passover that I gave them favor with their neighbors and they gave them articles of silver and gold, fine jewels, fine fabrics, yarn, and clothing. They went out laden with treasures and not a feeble one among them. And I had prepared a broad plateau under the sea for them to bring their treasures and livestock over safely when Moses reached out his staff and his hand and parted the sea. All prepared in advance but the people had to go forward to enjoy it.
And once in the wilderness, I spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai about My dream to dwell with them in a place of rich symbolism, prophecy, beauty and glory that would fold up and travel with them and lead them by a pillar of cloud to the promised land. And I did not stop there, I did it for them again when they came out of the exile in Babylon.
As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. “The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:5-9.
The promise of My Spirit abiding among you, empowering you in every way to do the works of glory and majesty even now upon the earth. Skill and song.
When Moses brought the people out of Egypt he composed a song of victory. If the people had just sung that song every day, the song of the redeemed, they would have had faith to take the promised land. But they stopped singing that Spirit-sent song, and instead turned to grumbling and complaining and no longer remembered the victory, and lost their first love and their skill.
But back for a moment to the construction of the glorious tabernacle, My first church. Jacob had declared Bethel (Mt. Moriah) to be a house of God and a gate of Heaven for he experienced My presence there and My loving care and it was there the love and gratitude came into his heart to honor Me with the tithe, which his grandfather Abraham had always done, even to Melchizedek (the Holy Spirit). My house is a place where you are to experience My presence. And that spot Jacob experienced became the place I put My Name in the temple build by Solomon that was designed by David. David sang he would dwell in My house now and forever in his life.
When the Holy Spirit rushed on David in his anointing as king by Samuel, My Spirit never left him, and gave him skill in battle, skill in government, and skill in songs. He had songs and music played before the ark of the covenant night and day without ceasing and great was the shalom of Jerusalem during his reign. No enemy could take them down.
With Moses in the wilderness, the first thing I told him about the tabernacle he was to construct with the plans I gave him was to ask for an offering from all the people that those whose hearts were moved by My Spirit to give to the work, to give from the treasures I gave them when they departed Egypt. I made it a gift I gave them that then they gave to Me to have a part in the work and its reward. The people responded with grateful hearts and gave so much treasure to the work the workmen finally had to tell Moses to make the people stop giving as they had over and above what was needed. The people were still rich with overflow, even though they had known only the work of slaves. I provide for all your needs according to My riches in Christ Jesus in glory. I supplied everything for the tabernacle and everything for their physical life as well, the manna, a perfect food from Heaven fell to them everyday on the dewfall. But they had to go out early and gather it or it melted away in the hot afternoon sun. I was teaching you how to follow Me day by day.
I would like to show you how this all worked together for good and involved all My people as it should, you who are My church must act as one even though the body has many members, but the Holy Spirit gives the grace, first to be saved and then to have the supplies and skill and songs from the members as each joint and ligament, organ and bone, supplies. There should be no divisions in the Body of Christ, this grieves My Spirit.
Moses spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying, ‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze, and blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goats’ hair, and rams’ skins dyed red, and porpoise skins, and acacia wood, and oil for lighting, and spices for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense and onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. Let every skillful man among you come, and make all that the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets; the ark and its poles, the mercy seat, and the curtain of the screen; the table and its poles, and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand also for the light and its utensils and its lamps and the oil for the light; and the altar of incense and its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the doorway at the entrance of the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; the hangings of the court, its pillars and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court; the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court and their cords; the woven garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests.’ Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel departed from Moses’ presence. Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit [t]moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments. Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the Lord. Every man, who had in his possession blue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats’ hair and rams’ skins dyed red and porpoise skins, brought them. Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the Lord’s contribution; and every man who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought it. All the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen. All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair. The rulers brought the onyx stones and the stones for setting for the ephod and for the breastpiece; and the spice and the oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the Lord. Then Moses said to the sons of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship; to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs. Exodus 35:4-35.
Everyone had a part to play to make the plan that began as a desire in My heart that was for you and for Me to come to pass. I could not do it without you and you cannot do it without Me and I planned it that way, a partnership in fellowship of one big beautiful family of love. Perfect and complete in one another. And all the way I was teaching you about the one true and living way to Me, to teach you about Christ and the sacrifice of atonement for sin by a pure lamb who would have eternal blood, My Son, the lamb that Abraham foretold I would supply.
And it is all wrapped up in a song, My Song, the Song of Songs, of My great love for every one of you. I planned you from the start, conceived you deep within My heart, and gave special grace gifts and great works to do. Not by the power of the flesh but of My Spirit in you and on you making you One with Me for excellent things. Leah sang praise, Moses wrote songs, Deborah wrote songs, David wrote songs, Solomon wrote songs, Isaiah wrote songs, Elisha wrote songs, Mary wrote songs, Jesus wrote songs (the song of the Lamb is sung in Heaven), Paul wrote songs, but they are all Spirit-sent songs.
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourself and one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father. Ephesians 5:15-20.
There is so much more I could say about this. Use your gifts well, do not grieve the Holy Spirit, and never blaspheme Him by calling Him unclean. He is pure and holy and will make you that way if you will use the grace gifts He gives you in the way He leads and guides you. The Holy Spirit takes you from glory to glory and faith to faith until your life becomes My song and I become your song. My Words are your songs in the house of your pilgrimage. You enter Zion singing with everlasting joy on your head. Isaiah 35:8-10. Spirit songs in tongues build you up to be strong in Me as you speak mysteries that will be revealed as you go along.
I love you. I am your strength and your song. Never forget that.