Then Moses said to the people of Israel, "See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver--by any sort of workman or skilled designer.
Exodus 35:30-35
Comment has already been made on the appointment of these workmen, in the Note on 31:1-11 which see. Here we content ourselves with noting the detailed excellence and beauty of the work which they were to accomplish. There was nothing merely utilitarian in the whole conception. When we remember that this was the house in which God was to dwell, a spiritual application becomes helpful and fruitful. 'Your body', says Paul, 'is the temple of the Holy Ghost' (1 Corinthians 6:19), and since this is so, and since also God is pleased to dwell among His people (Colossians 1:27 may be fairly rendered 'Christ among you'), we may understand the care and concern God has for His people, in seeking to fashion them for His glory. He is not content with an initial salvation for them; they must go on to perfection, to maturity of character, and not be satisfied with living in the shallows of spiritual experience. And with what patience and with what grim determination does He apply His gracious disciplines to the wayward and, too often, intractable material of our lives, in order to recreate in us His own image. Nothing less than the plenary power of the Holy Spirit is sufficient for such a task. But He is able (cf 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:21) and He will not be content with less in us His people.