The passage today is about skilled men building the Tabernacle.

In chapter 35:30 to the end we read that the Lord chose Bezalel and Oholiab and filled them with the Spirit of God and gave them skill, ability and knowledge. These men were gifted by God to do the work He required of them on the Tabernacle.

Then in chapter 36 we are told that others who were skilled by the Lord also joined them, those who were willing. Verse 3 tells us the people brought freewill offerings for the building of the Tabernacle, and they brought so much that Moses had to tell them they had more than enough. The rest of the chapter is devoted to the detail of the outside of the Tabernacle, what it was made of and how the people put it together.

The building of the Tabernacle was to house the Presence of the Lord, and so was a specific job, and a very special job. The Lord chose the people He wanted to complete that work.

In the New Testament, Paul talks of the Church and how that is built up. 1 Corinthians 12:7 – 11 tells us that the Church is one in the Spirit, but each of us have different spiritual gifts: some have wisdom, some knowledge, some faith, some healings, some miracles, some prophecy, some discernment, some tongues and some interpretation. Many gifts, but, one body. These are some of the gifts the Lord gives, we may have others.

The Exodus passage clearly tells us that the Lord gives the gifts, and this is confirmed in 1 Corinthians. Each of us has gifts given to us by the Lord. A friend of mine says she has “the ministry of rubber gloves”. What a wonderful gift to have. We all have different gifts; we may not all be healers or preachers, but the Lord has given us all gifts that glorify Him, and each one of us is responsible for that gift or gifts, to use it/them in the body of Christ, for the glory of the Lord.

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Father show me the gifts You have given to me and show me how to use them today for Your glory. Amen.