Hidden Heroes: Bezalel, Spirit-Filled Creative
by David Chadwick
Stories are full of heroes and villains. Good guys and bad guys. My favorite thing to do lately has been to dig into God’s Word to pull out some of the lesser known, more hidden heroes. There are so many!
Bezalel is one of my favorite hidden heroes. His story is found in Exodus 31:1-11 and Exodus 36-39. Bezalel was the chief artisan of the building of the tabernacle. Caleb was his great-grandfather.
The Spirit of God filled him and he was given the skill, ability, and knowledge to do all kinds of work. He was able to design pieces made from gold, silver, and bronze. To cut jewels and put them into metal. To carve wood and do all kinds of different work for God in the construction of the tabernacle.
Think about that for just a moment. The first person for the Bible to record ever be filled with the Holy Spirit was an artist! Are any of you creatively gifted? Maybe you are a painter, dancer, or sculptor? If so, you should find great joy in the fact that the God of creation saw it fit to fill Bezalel, a creative individual, with his Spirit so that beauty could be expressed throughout the tabernacle as a display of the beauty, wonder, and creativity of God himself.
Bezelel was also in charge of the holy oils and incense used during worship in the tabernacle of meeting. I think this is fascinating because it’s more of an indicator of how God appreciates an atmosphere of creativity even in worship!
He was absolutely essential in the designing and constructing of the glory and beauty of the tabernacle. Israel’s mobile worship tent where God dwelt as he was with his people in the wilderness wanderings and as they went into the Promised Land.
Bezelel’s name means “in the shadow or protection of God.” True to his name, he rested under God’s authority and allowed the gifts given to him to be used to the glory of God.
What does this mean for us today? Bezalel reminds us that to be Spirit-filled from God has a very practical side. It means taking the natural gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given us and to use them for his glory. This includes carpentry, plumbing, building, design, jewelry-making, fashion design, sewing, interior design, tent-making, and so forth. It is all to be used by God and a display of him when he fills us with his Spirit to carry it out!