Exodus 31:1-6

Let us look at that even a little bit more closely. First of all, it was a personal appointment of Bezaleel and Aholiab, "I have called by name." "I have put..." Do you understand that they were given favor by God to carry out this responsibility in His behalf for Israel? God put wisdom in them. The basic concept or idea behind the Hebrew word here that is translated wisdom is more synonymous with the English word skill. It is a word with wide-ranging application. For instance, back in Proverbs it says, "Get wisdom. Above all, get wisdom." In that context, it means skill in living, skill in common sense, skill in relationships with other people. We are to be skilled at doing those things.

The example of Bezaleel and Aholiab is skill in being a supervisor over others, and in teaching others how to do things, and also being able to do things themselves. Another way of putting it would be, "I have put in them strength of capacity. I have expanded their minds." In addition to that, God gave them understanding, which means discernment. In this context, in building a building, it would mean being able to arrange or to connect all the different parts together.

God also increased in them knowledge, which means a particular acquaintance. Cunning works means being inventive, and having a mind to be able to look at something and say, We need this kind of a tool to accomplish it, and be able then to produce the tool to make it. By inspiration God added to natural ability so that they would be able to execute God's design. He gave them things far over and beyond their natural abilities.

Exodus 31:4-6

The key to understanding this in a personal way is that these people were involved in building the Tabernacle, which like the Temple is a type of the church. We are to understand that we too, in like manner, have been appointed by God personally to work in edifying—building up—the church. He empowered them with wisdom, and that means skills, or strength of capacity at performing some operation.

He gave them understanding, which means discernment and the ability to arrange or connect knowledge, meaning, specific acquaintance to do cunning works, inventions. By inspiration, by God's Spirit, God added to the natural ability, and so they were empowered to execute God's design in building the church. That is in there for our admonition so that we will understand that every one of us has been handpicked, and that we have been given of God's Spirit, empowered to fulfill our responsibility. The gifts, the ability—the power is already there—and it can be drawn upon. We have the responsibility within our stewardship to use it properly.

Exodus 31:2-6

Thus, spirit is used to represent states of mind, feelings, and desires, because you cannot see it on the outside until you see it with your eye; but it is there, latent within the person until it motivates. We can shorten this particular use and them all by thinking the word spirit can be aspects of character and personality.

What we have here are men and women gifted with extraordinary artistry beyond what a human craftsman would ordinarily develop by means of human qualities. In this case, spirit reveals itself by means of this artistry for the purpose of building the Tabernacle. The skill that these people showed is attributed to spirit, an invisible internal power.

Exodus 31:2-6

It was God who had placed special skills within these men. And He even gave them extra of His Spirit to enhance the skills they may have already had. They were given talents in the fields of making, carving, creating, designing, drawing, and, as we saw in the one example, weaving. But they made artistic works.

Exodus 31:1-6

Does God speak to those who are serving Him? Absolutely He does. In this case it did not matter whether they were a seamstress, or somebody who was working in jewelry.