Exodus 36:4-39
Verses 4 and 8
- 4, “All the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary….”
- 8, “And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle….”
The Hebrew is: v. 4, “VA’YA’VO KOL-HA’CHA’CHA’MIM HA’O’SIM ET KOL-ME’LE’CHET HA’KODESH (Then came all the wise [people] who performed the holy work)
And v. 8, “VA’YA’ASU CHOL-CHA’CHAM-LEV BE’OSEI HAM’ME’LA’CHAH ET-HAM’MISH’KAN
(And the wise-hearted who did the work of the tabernacle)
In the decade of the 1980’s, Darlene and I were motivated by the LORD to build from scratch a church somewhere in North Houston, Texas. We had a small amount of resource provided for us by a handful of people who were devoted to supporting our vision of ministry. From that tiny seed the LORD provided an increase of support and activity from the community where we began—Kingwood, Texas in Northeast Houston on Lake Houston. It took thirteen years to see the work completed. Throughout the complexities of those years, it was “wise-hearted people” who engaged themselves at various levels to bring about the building of a functioning congregation, the purchase of seven acres of prime land and the construction of a sanctuary for the fellowship to occupy—a beautiful Chapel in the Forest. Today this church is growing and flourishing, spreading out on its property with multiple buildings and with a congregation that ministers in its immediate city and from there throughout the world.
What God wills he performs through people who are inhabited by His Holy Spirit, The Divine Presence Who operates through them by means of the Incarnate Wisdom of God.
The entire book of Proverbs deals with the characteristics of Wisdom. In chapter 8 verses 4 and 5 the scripture says, “Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand wisdom: and, you who are foolish, be of an understanding heart.” Then, beginning at verse 22, the scripture reveals the deep source of Wisdom—it is THE LOGOS of God, the pre-incarnate WORD OF GOD, whom we know to be The Christ, The Messiah, the SON OF THE FATHER, “full of grace and truth.” (John 1:15-18; Colossians 2:3)
It is “Christ in you” that is “the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) It is HIS WISDOM that builds eternal things into our lives and into our world. It is He who gives us true success.
Chapter 36 of Exodus details the construction of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle of Witness, in which the Divine Presence dwelt among the People of God. It is the same Presence that builds the Kingdom of God into our hearts today by faith in the Gospel.
Let us then receive this Wisdom that is from above. (James 3:13-18) It is the wisdom of Messiah—our Lord Jesus—that does the building. For He said, “On this Rock I will build my church—and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
We are Messiah’s instruments. But it is His Wisdom that provides the natural resources and the spiritual graces by which we are enabled to build strong families into the Family of God.
This wisdom is yours for the asking. (James 1:5 seq.)
