THE THEME OF THIS DEVOTION IS:
GIFTING AND FAITH TO EXERCISE ONE’S GIFT ARE NOT COMPLETE UNTIL THE ACTUAL WORK OF THE GIFTING IS ENGAGED AND BROUGHT TO COMPLETION.
VA’YIKRA MOSHE ET—BE’TZAL’EL VE’ET—AH’HO’LI’AV VE’EL KOL—ISH ASHER CHA’CHAM—LEYV
“Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab and every gifted artisan [and every man who was wise of heart]
ASHER NA’TAN Y”H CHOCH’MAH BE’LI’VO
In whose heart the LORD had put* wisdom,
KOL ASHER NE’SA’OH LI’BO LE’KAR’VAH
every one whose heart was stirred,
[every man whose heart inspired him, STONE]
[*: “had put”; NA’TAN: Qal perfect—indicating a completed action not to be reversed—” For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance”, Romans 11:29]
EL—HAM’ME’LA’CHA LA’A’SOHT O’TA’H
to come and to do the work
[“to come unto the work, TO DO IT”, Owens, emph. mine].”
[NKJV translation]
“HAD PUT.” Notice that the gifting to accomplish the work of constructing the Holy Mishkan had already been placed by God into the hearts of the artisans who were to actually do the work.
“TO DO IT.” Notice the emphatic placing of the Hebrew word at the end of the sentence: “O’TA’H”—IT.
The final HEY with a dagesh at the end of the word is an emphatic expression with DIRECTIONALITY. TO DO IT.
WE HAVE A GOAL TO ACHIEVE!
Our faith in God is completed when we finish the THING or the PURPOSE for which we have been both CALLED and ENDOWED.
You should never let discouragement rule your life (Joshua 1:7-9). GOD IS WITH YOU TO DO THE WORK WHICH HE HAS ASSIGNED TO YOU TO ACCOMPLISH.
You should never draw back in unbelief, for WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED HE IS ABLE TO PERFORM—THROUGH YOU!
On the small scale and on the grand scale, it is as the Writer has exhorted us in Hebrews 10:35-39,
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompence of reward. For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
CONFIDENCE. PERSEVERANCE. REWARD. (C.P.R.)
The artisans approached the work—they tackled the project; then they accomplished it—they got the work done.
So let it be with us. At the end of the way, we must lay at our LORD’S feet the profits from his investment in us.
(See the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25)
DO YOUR WORK WITH JOY, MY FRIENDS!
IN THE WORK ITSELF IS THE GREATEST PLEASURE—
NOT IN THE IDEA OF THE WORK!
