Sunday Worship 14 May 2023 : “I have filled him with the Spirit of God”

Text: Exodus 31
14 May 2023

INTRODUCTION

1. The work of filling

a) It is from the LORD
b) It is carefully given

2. A challenge to understand

a) How this is done
b) Why this is done

THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. 3 And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; 4 blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; 5 ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; 6 oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; 7 onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. 8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.

Exodus 25:1-9

1. Let them make Me a sanctuary   (Exodus 25:8a)

2. That I may dwell among them   (Exodus 25:8b)

3. Bring Me an offering   (Exodus 25:2a)

4. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart   (Exodus 25:2b)

5. According to all that I show you

a) The pattern of the Tabernacle
b) The pattern of all its furnishings

THE BUILDERS OF THE TABERNACLE

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

6 “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle— 8 the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base— 10 the garments of ministry, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

Exodus 31:1-11

1. A Call from God

a) Bezalel the son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah   (Exodus 31:2)
b) Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan  (Exodus 31:6)

2. Filled with the Spirit of God  (Exodus 31:3)

a) Bezalel  (Exodus 31:1-5)
i) Wisdom
ii) Understanding
iii) Knowledge
iv) All manner of workmanship
v) To design artistic works
vi) To work in gold, silver, bronze
vii) In cutting jewels for setting
viii) In carving wood
ix) To work in all manner of workmanship
b) Aholiab   (Exodus 31:6-11)
i) Aholiab appointed   (Exodus 31:6)
ii) All gifted artisans   (Exodus 31:6b)

3. Expressions of the filling of the Spirit

a) Wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans   (Exodus 31:6)
b) To make all that God commands
i) The tabernacle of meeting
ii) The ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it
iii) And all the furniture of the tabernacle—
iv) The table and its utensils
v) The pure gold lampstand with all its utensils
vi) The altar of incense
vii) The altar of burnt offering with all its utensils
viii) And the laver and its base
ix) The garments of ministry
x) The holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests,
xi) The anointing oil and sweet incense for the holy place.
According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.

THE CONSECRATION OF THE TABERNACLE

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3 You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and [a]partition off the ark with the veil. 4 You shall bring in the table and arrange the things that are to be set in order on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and [b]light its lamps. 5 You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the Testimony, and put up the screen for the door of the tabernacle. 6 Then you shall set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 7 And you shall set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 You shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen at the court gate.

9 “And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy. 10 You shall anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar. The altar shall be most holy. 11 And you shall anoint the laver and its base, and consecrate it.

12 “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of meeting and wash them with water. 13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. 14 And you shall bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. 15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”

16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did.

Exodus 40:1-16

1. The completion of the building of the Tabernacle

2. The consecration:

a) The Tabernacle
b) The priests of the Tabernacle
i) Aaron the high priest
ii) His sons as priests

THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Exodus 40:34-38

1. The glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle

2. The Cloud of the LORD covered the Tabernacle of meeting

3. Not even Moses was able to enter the Tabernacle of meeting

4. The Cloud of the LORD and the Column of Fire were present with the house of Israel

CONCLUSION

1. The special gifts of the Holy Spirit

a) Wisdom
b) Understanding
c) Skill

2. The utilisation of the Gifts

a) Cultivation of the Gifts
b) Application of the Gifts

3. The Approval of the LORD

a) His Presence
b) His Power