Exodus 31
McGeeCHAPTER 31THEME: The call of Spirit-filled craftsmen; the Sabbath Day becomes a sign
Exodus 31:1
THE CALL OF SPIRIT-FILLED CRAFTSMENThis chapter seems to be a departure from the study of the tabernacle, but actually it is not. What we have here is an interval between the giving of the Law and the instructions of the tabernacle. Moses spent a great deal of time on Mt. Sinai, receiving all the instructions. The children of Israel became somewhat impatient while they were waiting for him to return. This chapter tells us about the workmen who made the tabernacle and about one in particular who was given a special gift for making the articles of furniture, especially the more difficult pieces. These men and their helpers were given special gifts for craftsmanship. They made the tabernacle furniture and also the garments. The Spirit of God equipped them for their work. The question might arise as to the trade of Bezaleel before God called him to do this work. I believe craftsmanship was his trade, and that he worked with gold and silver and other delicate things. But he was given a special gift from God to do His work. My feeling is that whatever a man is equipped to do, that is the thing he should do unless God makes it clear that he should do otherwise. I find today that there are those who cannot speak well before an audience and yet want to. I know several laymen who are determined that they are going to be speakers, but they are not equipped for it. They have no trace of the gift of speaking, but they stubbornly continue to speak when other useful gifts they have go to waste. I know a man in radio work who is a technical expert, but all he wants to do is speak. He has a special gift, and I think he should confine himself to the gift God has given him. When I was a pastor in Nashville, one of the deacons of my church came to me the first day I arrived and asked me never to call on him for public prayer. “It scares me to death; I have stage fright and I cannot seem to overcome my fear. It must be abnormal, but I make a fool of myself when I try to speak in public,” he said. This man was the superintendent of a street car company and held an executive position, but he confessed to me that he could not do any public speaking that made sense. He did tell me, however, that if there was anything that needed to be done around the church, to let him know. He turned out to be a wonderful helper and he was right there whenever I called on him. Before I left that church, I was thanking God that this man did not have the gift of public speaking because it made him faithful to the gift that God had given him. Bezaleel could have been very much like some laymen today. He could have said, “Look here, Lord, I want to wear these high priestly garments like Aaron. I want to serve You like that.” But God said, “That is not the way I want you to serve me.” In one sense this man’s gift is more important than Aaron’s gift. His gift was essential for the building of the tabernacle. God will give you a gift, friend, that will develop the talents that you have. God gives us talents, but He wants us to dedicate them to Him. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to take us and use us. We do not all have the same talents and gifts. There is a wrong impression circulating in the church today that if you cannot sing in the choir, teach a Sunday school class, speak publicly, or be an usher, you are pretty much out of the picture. I think there are literally hundreds of gifts that God gives to men to serve Him. It is up to the individual to determine what is his gift. Whatever gift God has given you, He would like the Spirit of God to take it and use it for His service.
Exodus 31:12
THE SABBATH DAY BECOMES A SIGNThere is something else in this chapter that is of profound interest and is important to see. It has to do with the Sabbath Day. It is something that many people pass over. The Sabbath Day was given to man right after creation, and it was observed universally. When we come to the Mosaic system, we find that God made it one of the Ten Commandments for the children of Israel. At this time God makes it quite clear that the Sabbath is only for the children of Israel. The Sabbath was given specifically to Israel. I do not believe it was ever given to the church. When someone asks me, “When was the Sabbath Day changed?” I always reply that it never was changed. It was done away with, as far as the church is concerned. We are not under the Sabbath Day which is Saturday. We do not observe SaturdayJesus was dead that day and we are not serving a dead Christ. On the first day of the week Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The church from the very beginning met on the first day of the week. That is when the church was born; the day of Pentecost was on the day after the Sabbath. The Sabbath was first given to the entire human race but man turned away from God, and God gave the Sabbath exclusively to Israel.
Exodus 31:14
I would like to ask the people who claim to keep the Sabbath if they keep it all the time. And are those of their number who do not keep the Sabbath all the time put to death as the law requires?
Exodus 31:15
If a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath Day, he was stoned to death in Israel.
Exodus 31:16
This passage expressly says that the children of Israel, not the church, were to keep the Sabbath. The Israelites are an earthly people belonging to the first creation. The church is a new creation and it was given a new day to observe which is the first day of the week.