Exodus 31 - Artisans for Building the Tabernacle, The Sabbath Law

Summary https://marksbiblejourney.blogspot.com
"God tells Moses that he has appointed various Israelites and given them wisdom in order to be skilled craftsmen.  These craftsmen will make all the things that the Lord has commanded Moses to make for the tabernacle.  God tells Moses that for six days work may be done, but on the seventh day, there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, dedicated to the Lord.  It is a sign forever between Me and the Israelites, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the Earth, but on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.  When God finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave hum the two stone tablets of the testimony (containing the Ten Commandments) inscribed by the finger of God."

Exodus 31 Amplified Bible (AMP)

https://www.biblegateway.com 
 

Now the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel, son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom and skill, in understanding and intelligence, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, 5 and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, to work in all kinds of craftsmanship. 6 And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; to all who are wise-hearted I have given the skill and ability to make everything that I have commanded you: 7 the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony, the mercy seat that is upon it, all the furnishings of the tent— 8 the table [for the bread] and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the [golden] altar of incense, 9 the [bronze] altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, the basin and its base— 10 the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the [high] priest and the garments for his sons to minister as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and the sweet and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.”

 

 https://www.goodsalt.com/details/prcas5161.html

• SKILLED CRAFTSMEN. Moses, as a prophet and leader of Israel, was given by God the instructions about building the Tabernacle, but he will not be the one to 'build' it. He will be like a 'foreman' to the workers/builders, as he was the one who saw everything in vision from God. With God's great powers, He has appointed and chosen specific people in whom He has given His Spirit of wisdom and skill. That is truly amazing! The Israelites were just a slave and brick-makers while they were in Egypt, so they did not have any training about arts and craftsmanship, I think. So in order to follow all of God's commands, God has gifted Bezalel and Oholiab outstanding talents and skills. And this was all for God's glory.

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

 "There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work." 1 Corinthians 12:5-6 

 
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:10-11  

 
12 And the Lord said to Moses, 13 “But as for you, say to the Israelites, ‘You shall most certainly observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you may know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that I am the Lord who sanctifies you and sets you apart [for Myself]. 14 Therefore, you shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it must be put to death; for whoever does work on the Sabbath, that person (soul) shall be cut off from among his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them]. 15 For six days work may be done, but the seventh is the Sabbath of complete rest, sacred to the Lord; whoever does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. 16 So the Israelites shall observe the Sabbath, to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ 17 It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He ceased and was refreshed.”
18 When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

 

 https://www.wattpad.com/729576369-the-holy-bible-the-message-version-exodus-31-the

• THE 'REST' THAT IS JESUS. The Lord gave emphasis and highlight in keeping and observing the "Sabbath" or the 7th day rest among all the Israelites, as it will be SIGN of God's covenant to them. If they love God, they should obey Him and all His commandments. Israel was chosen, and God's firstborn, they were set apart. Sabbath means 'complete rest' and I think it also represents or foreshadow who Lord Jesus is. He is the only one who can give us a 'complete rest'. He is rest Himself, He is peace Himself. The Sabbath Law was just the physical symbolism of what Jesus will do and accomplish for us, and for God's glory. One can rest for a day, but without Jesus in his heart, he can never be truly at rest.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
 
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30
 
"Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him." Psalm 62:1

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" 1 Peter 2:9  
  



After reading, I always check out the Study Guide Commentary from David Guzik (very helpful!):

God supernaturally enabled Bezalel to do the work of building the Tabernacle. God saw this work as just as spiritual, and just as dependent on the Holy Spirit’s power, as the work Moses and Aaron did.

 i. This divine empowering wasn’t restricted only to Bezalel: I have put wisdom in the hearts of all who are gifted artisans. God wanted every worker’s labor to be blessed and prompted by the Holy Spirit.
 ii. Yet they were filled with the Holy Spirit not to work unto themselves, but unto the Lord: that they may make all that I have commanded you. God’s empowering isn’t to be used for our own selfish ends. Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men (Colossians 3:23).

 b. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do: This reminds us that God wanted the tabernacle and its furnishings built according to a specific pattern. It was a deliberate model of a heavenly reality.
 b. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever: Though in the New Covenant we are not bound by the Sabbath (Romans 14:5; Colossians 2:16-17), the principle is still important. Our rest in the finished work of Jesus is never to be eclipsed by our work for God. When workers for God are burnt-out, they have almost always allowed their work for God to be bigger in their minds than His work for them.

i. The difference between what Jesus has done for us and what we do for Him is like the difference between the sun and the moon, and the sun is almost unbelievably larger than the moon. Yet if the moon is in the exactly right (or wrong) place, it is possible for the moon to eclipse the sun. Some Christians live in a constant state of total eclipse, allowing what they do for Jesus to seem more important than what Jesus did for them.

 b.Two tablets of the Testimony: These tablets of stone were placed in the Ark of the Testimony, also known as the Ark of the Covenant. They were kept in the ark, later joined by Aaron’s rod that budded and a jar of manna. 

  Reference and credits to https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-31.cfm ©2013 David Guzik