Exodus 31:1-18
Bezalel and Oholiab
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— 8 the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— 10 and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”
The Sabbath
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.
14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be 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 rested and was refreshed.’”
18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
2 Kings 6:1-7
An Axhead Floats
6 The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.”
And he said, “Go.”
3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?”
“I will,” Elisha replied. 4 And he went with them.
They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
To say that work is work is not that simple...There are two intriguing story lines about work in the Old Testament...One is about two master craftsmen, who to me do important and greatly skilled type work in building the Tabernacle of God...While the other story is about a miracle of a floating iron axe head...The comparison between the excellent craftsmanship of Bezalel and Oholiab and Elisha’s miracle at the Jordan River reveals a profound truth about the "mundane" aspects of our lives...In 2 Kings 6, when the young prophet cries out because the borrowed iron axe head fell into the water, it wasn't just a lost tool; it was a lost livelihood and a matter of personal integrity…By making the iron float, God demonstrated through Elisha that the heavy, physical tools of manual labor are never beneath His notice…Just as Bezalel and Oholiab were divinely empowered to work with gold, silver, and wood, Elisha’s miracle shows that God is willing to suspend the laws of nature to restore a simple piece of equipment used for honest work…
When we set out to repair the handrails in our community, we weren't just tightening bolts or securing wood; we were providing a steadying hand to our neighbors…Just as Bezalel was called to build the physical supports for the Tabernacle, we recognized that a handrail is a silent form of service—a way to ensure that as we grow older and our balance declines, we can walk easier with something to touch or grab on to with confidence…Every time we sanded down a rough spot or reinforced a bracket, we were acting as "Disciples of Bezalel and Oholiab," ensuring that the physical path was as secure as the spiritual one...It is a reminder that in God’s kingdom, even the most mundane piece of hardware serves a Divine Purpose when it prevents a fall…
There is a profound spiritual discipline in tending to the dumpster and trash areas, a task many want to associate with…We can believe how God is a God of order and cleanliness, and by straightening that area, we were pushing back against the chaos of neglect…This work is the "Oholiab" side of our partnership—taking the discarded and the messy and bringing it back into a state of respectability…By cleaning where we would normally like to look away, we are honoring the dignity of one’s community, proving that no corner of our environment is beneath the touch of a faithful steward…
The work of straightening the leaning fence posts and repainting the lamp posts serves as a powerful metaphor for our own lives…A fence post that has shifted over time and heavy winds needs a firm hand to bring it back into alignment, much like the "gates and bars" mentioned in the Psalms…As one labors over these posts, we saw it as an act of restoration—taking something that was once upright but had been worn down by the elements and making it stand tall and straight again…Similarly, as we applied fresh paint to the lamp posts, we weren't just protecting them from rust and the hot sun and heavy rains; we were ensuring that the light they carry would be housed in something beautiful and well-cared for…These tasks are the visible signs of an invisible commitment to keep the "house of the LORD" in good repair…
This tells us that our daily "working actions"—the chores of one’s community, the maintenance of our homes, —are part of a larger spiritual ecosystem…When we view these tasks through the lens of Bezalel’s "Spirit-filled" craftsmanship and Elisha’s "iron-floating" miracle, the word "mundane" loses its weight…We see that God is Present in the workshop and at the riverbank just as much as He is in the Temple…Whether it is a master artisan weaving fine linen or a laborer swinging an axe, the lesson is clear: when we are faithful in the small, physical details of our work, we are participating in a Divine Partnership where even the most "ordinary" tool can become an instrument of God’s Grace…
Furthermore, these stories remind us that the work we do like "straightening of the fence" or the recovery of a tool is an act of stewardship…Bezalel and Oholiab didn't just build; they maintained the holiness of the space through their precision…Similarly, Elisha didn't just perform a trick; he restored the worker’s ability to finish the task at hand…This elevates our daily responsibilities from mere "to-do" lists to spiritual assignments…It suggests that when we encounter frustrations in our labor—like a lost tool or a difficult repair—we can look to these biblical examples and realize that God is ready to meet us in the grit, the mud and the trash area, ensuring that the work He has called us to do can be completed to His Glory…So let us work for God's Glory, no matter what we do...