Treats from the Tabernacle {Day 9}

We're back in the Word today, looking at God's creative bent.  If Creation wasn't enough for you take a good look at the detail that went into the tabernacle in Exodus!  Several chapters of Exodus are given over to the plans for the tabernacle.  If you start reading around chapter 25 you will see all the detail that God laid out.

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I love how God particularly gifted craftsmen to oversee the work of the tabernacle.  Check out chapter 31...

Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³ and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—⁴ to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, ⁵ to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. ⁶ Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: ⁷ the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— ⁸ the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, ⁹ the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— ¹⁰ and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, ¹¹ and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.” (NIV - copied from www.biblegateway.com)

As a person who LOVES to craft and create this was a very validating portion of scripture to me.  God wanted everything to look a certain way.  He was very specific on the design detail and then not just anyone was allowed to create these items for the tabernacle.  God chose the craftsmen and then filled them with the Holy Spirit to complete the work.

God chose patterns, designs and colors.  He gave special detail to measurement and design.  Beth Moore has great insight into the measurement and overall design of the tabernacle in her bible study Exodus:  A Woman's Heart.  I was amazed at how God didn't leave any detail to chance.  He even prescribed the places in which the various tribes would camp around the tabernacle.  From an aerial view, He would have seen the whole company in the shape of a cross!  How cool is that?

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Over my lifetime my skills and abilities have been chalked up to nice hobbies, thoughtful gifts or at the very worst, something to keep me busy and out of trouble.  When I studied these scriptures several years ago it finally felt like someone was saying that fine craftsmanship was important, not a waste of time or a filler of it.

I pray that you, too will feel the validation for what you do, whether it is working with words, metal, fabric, paint, music or whatever else it may be.  God designed this gift into you for a purpose...to make His praise glorious!

This post is one in an ongoing series called {31 days of Uncommon Creativity}.  If you'd like to start back at the beginning you can do so by clicking here!  You can find a lot of other 31 day-ers over at Nesting Place. go check it out you may find some great stuff there that is just begging for you to read it!

*eucharisteo*
Grace * Thanksgiving * Joy

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