Exodus 31:1-18; Matthew 26:57-68; Psalms 33:1-5; Proverbs 11:27
OT: “The Lord also spoke to Moses: “Look, I have appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every craft. I have also selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be with him. I have put wisdom in the heart of every skilled artisan in order to make all that I have commanded you… They must make them according to all that I have commanded you.”” (Exodus 31:1-6, 11b CSB)
The Lord gave Moses a long and specific list of things to build and make, and there is a good possibility that Moses wasn’t skilled or equipped to do any of it. But God wasn’t calling him to do everything on his own – to do it all by himself. God had a team for Moses to lead – skilled artisans, trained and practiced in multiple disciplines, and gifted with the creativity of the Lord. He even named two of them by name: Bezalel and Oholiab. God is a creative God. He creates beautiful and majestic things out of nothing. As He has made mankind in His image, He has also given man the ability to create… the ability to take raw, unformed materials and craft them into something magnificent. He specifically and uniquely gifted Bezalel and Oholiab with all that was needed to craft and oversee the construction of the articles of worship. God poured His creativity into those men, so that out of them would flow His creativity to intricately craft the instruments of worship that would allow His people to worship and draw near to Him. That is true inspiration.
Psalms: “Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the lyre; make music to him with a ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song to him; play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout. For the word of the Lord is right, and all his work is trustworthy. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the Lord’s unfailing love.” (Psalms 33:1-5 CSB)
The psalmist here calls for the blessing that God has bestowed on His people to flow out of them in expressions of creativity: expressing thanks and praise with new, never-before heard, fresh and alive instead of rotely repeated songs and musical pieces. For those who are musically skilled – what a beautiful and amazing opportunity you have to allow God’s transforming, life-giving, creative grace to flow into you, and then flow out of you in masterfully crafted works of music and song, that can then lead God’s people to worship and draw near to Him – that they might know His trustworthiness and receive of His righteousness, justice, and unfailing love.
Jamie Hicks 