Never have I been challenged like I had been when I submitted my gifts to the Lord. I was so used to doing my own thing at my own pace. No one was really involved in my creative process. It was not for anyone else, just me and for my enjoyment. One day was one day- God found me! My whole world up…side down.
Serving God is such a Holy act. I did not realise this at first. The book of Exodus showed me that. When the tabernacle was being built and specific instructions had to be followed otherwise it would not serve it’s purpose. Artists had to build something that would HOUSE THE SPIRIT OF GOD, a sanctuary (Ex.25: 8 ESV). What a Holy, prestigious and heavy task to carry out. Going back to how I saw art; there was no heavy responsibility when I did my art. Nothing followed but people liking it or not disliking it, teachers grading it. This task of building the tabernacle is not about the craftsmen (in terms of them doing what they want when they want). They have to do everything exactly as the Lord has said or else… His spirit will not dwell in their midst (Ex.25:8 ESV) . The pressure!
Selah.
The consequences of the craftsmen doing their own thing because they felt like exercising ‘creative freedom’ would have been SEVERE. It would have affected everyone. The Holy Spirit had not come down yet; what would Moses have to do to repent on behalf of the craftsmen? What would happen to the craftsmen? This point is not to scare anyone but rather to highlight the importance of what God will commission a submitted craftsmen to do for Him. It may not hold the same weight as the tabernacle but He will have specific instructions for you to follow so that your art piece can carry out His will. The pride that would come with creating something that affects people powerfully. If I were one of the craftsmen, I would have struggled with pride for sure! If I made the plate of the Holy crown, don’t even talk to me unless you’re Moses, Oholiab or Bezalel. That’s just the beginning. See how pride can easily cause one to do nonsensical things, one could claim those as their own because their hands made it. The Word says that God gave them knowledge and wisdom to do all that He has instructed. Not just any skilled person could just do anything in the tabernacle. He called two people by name to lead the rest of the craftsmen. All of them had to let go and give glory to God, this was God’s sanctuary. Another thing to speak of is how we hold on to our creations, if they get lost or broken, you freak out. This should be something that one takes to the Lord in prayer because then you are controlled by your creations. If I had built that tabernacle, no one would set foot in there. Such a prestigious project? Gold and all in there? God giving me the wisdom and knowledge and CALLING ME BY NAME to come build this? You’re playing, you’re not going anywhere near that; but what purpose does that serve? No redemption for anyone and God would probably destroy it because it would inadvertently become my idol. How quickly things get messy because of pride. Hear me, I am not saying you should not sign your work, even the Bible talks about what Bezalel built but it wasn’t his tabernacle. It was not Moses’ tabernacle either. It was a sanctuary for God so He could dwell amidst His people because sin separated them in some way or other.
This is a life of SACRIFICE, to walk with God and seek His kingdom no matter which area you are in (art, finance, government etc).
Let us take a look at some of the things that were made by the craftsmen. The plate of the holy crown. “You are to make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal, ‘Set apart for ADONAI’. Fasten it to the turban, over Aharon’s forehead. Because Aharon bears the guilt for any errors committed by the people of Isra’el in consecrating their holy gifts, this ornament is always to be on his forehead, so that the gifts for ADONAI will be accepted by him. “ ~ Exodus 28: 36-38 CJB
This ornament, among others, has such an important role. Without it, repentance cannot take place as it should. Without God’s instructions, where would one know how to make a holy piece? There is no holiness on earth so where would one start? Holiness only comes from Him; the tabernacle could only be built according to His instructions. After all, the tabernacle was a shadow of what is in heaven (Heb. 8- 5).
Personally would have preferred a book based on the craftsmen to see how they lived their lives. The direct comparison between them and those who built idols. Aaron built an idol when Moses went up the mountain to pray then he got his life together and served God in the temple. His story from an artist’s angle would be interesting but I haven’t seen much about him making other pieces after this one incident in the Bible. There must have at least been one person who used to make idols then turned his life around and served God. The book of Isaiah speaks of craftsmen who make idols and how it is essentially futile;
“19No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
20Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” ~ Isa.l 44: 19-20 NIV.
It will be a challenge to find all the information I am looking for but I look forward to finding out more about craftsmen in the Bible.
This platform is to really explore the life of craftsmen, especially those who serve the Lord and are called according to His will. We at Called Craftsmen want to explore all parts of this, those who lived only to make idols, those who built the kingdom of God and those who haven’t given much thought to either option. so we can see the power of art and why we need to think carefully about what we create. What are your thoughts?
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