‘I have chosen
Bezalel.’ Exodus 31:2 NIV
"Every occupation has its own honor before God. Ordinary work
is a divine vocation or calling." - Martin
Luther.
The first person in the Bible who was said to be ‘filled
with the Spirit of God’ was Bezalel. And if his name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s
because he wasn’t a prophet, priest, king, or apostle. He was a craftsman,
skilled in design. He had an eye for colour and a flair for management, and
when it came time for building the tabernacle, he oversaw the job. Here is what
God said about him: ‘I have chosen Bezalel…and…filled him with the Spirit of
God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of
skills – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut
and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts’ (Exodus
31:2-5 NIV).