“Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” — Exodus 36:1
Who did the Spirit of God first explicitly indwell in the Bible? Abraham or Moses? Some prophet? Or did He wait until the New Testament?
It was Bazalel, a craftsman with bizarre name (Exodus 35:31). All that is beautiful reflects the beauty of our God, and as God built an earthly home, He declared that it should be beautiful. If this is who our God is, to neglect beauty and craft in our Kingdom work is to deliver an incomplete message. The Gifted Artisan understands this well.
Goodness, truth, and beauty spill forth from the work of his hands. He is not satisfied by slapping on some decor at the end of the project, tacked on with glue as an after-thought. He adorns and imbues the work at all levels with artistry. He is the architect, the wise master builder (1 Corinthians 3:10); the craftsman and artist; the expert in the visual arts; and a creator, wherever he goes.
People are moved by beauty. A well crafted image can mobilize God’s people to move, to do hard things, and to go to hard places. The Gifted Artisan is the visual storyteller, speaking the Good News with imagery, or designing the typefaces, the fonts of a newly translated Bible. The Gifted Artisan uses his craft and the crafts of those around him to build community. His craft speaks, gathers, and builds, all unto the glory of our beautiful and mighty King.
Let not the Good News of the Kingdom only go forth in sterile pragmatism. Adorn it in beauty. Its words are life. Its declaration goes forth in goodness and beauty. Build God’s Kingdom. The same Spirit of Bezalel resides within you; now set your hand to work.
