Message 171
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Scripture Reading: Exo. 31:1-11; 35:10-19, 30—35, 36:1-2
In the foregoing message we began to consider the workers of the tabernacle, the furniture, and the priestly garment. We saw that in the book of Exodus the master builder was Bezalel, who was filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and all workmanship. We emphasized the fact that the building up of God’s dwelling place, the church, is a noble work to be done by all the saints. Because this work cannot be done in our natural life or natural ability, we all need to be filled with the Spirit of God in knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and workmanship. In this message we shall go on to consider more details related to the workers of the tabernacle, the furniture, and the priestly garment.
Verses 4 and 5 say, “To devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in bronze, and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all workmanship.” In doing the work of building, we do not use clay or brick. We use gold, silver, and bronze. We have already seen that gold signifies the nature of God, the divine nature, that silver signifies Christ’s redemption, and that bronze signifies God’s righteous judgment. If we would build up the church, all the saints must know how to use the divine nature as the gold, the redemption of Christ as the silver, and God’s righteous judgment as the bronze. Most Christians today have no way to build up God’s dwelling place, because they do not know the gold, the silver, and the bronze, and they do not know how to use these materials. But by the Lord’s mercy, even the young people in the Lord’s recovery may know how to use the divine gold for the building up of the church in their locality. They may also know how to use silver and bronze in a practical way for the building up of the church. Even the young sisters should use these materials to build God’s dwelling place.
Verse 5 speaks of “cutting of stones for setting.” Here setting equals building. The cutting of the stones, therefore, is for building up. To cut stones for setting is to help the saints to be transformed into stones and to be adjusted to fit into God’s building. We all need to know how to cut stones for setting.
Many Christian workers do not know how to cut stones for God’s building. But I am also concerned that even in the local churches some elders do not know how to cut stones for this purpose. I do not have the confidence that all the elders in the local churches in this country know how to cut stones for setting. If all the elders were able to do this work, I would be very happy in the Lord. However, my heart is heavy, for I am somewhat concerned that some elders do not know how to cut stones for the work of building.
This word about cutting stones for building is quite enlightening and exposing. This is a word of warning for us all. Even the young sisters should know how to cut stones for setting. When the young sisters are fellowshipping with one another, they should know how to help others to be transformed and to fit into God’s building. A certain sister may have experienced an amount of transformation. However, she may not yet fit into the building. Hence, there is the need for cutting. The proper setting of stones into a wall always requires cutting. Without the cutting, the stones would not be able to fit into the building.
We all need to be reminded that we are not cutting adobe or bricks; we are cutting precious stones, transformed materials, for the building of God’s dwelling place. I believe that most of the saints will be able to understand my word.
The “carving of wood” in verse 5 signifies dealing with our humanity. We are not to be either angels or spirits. God designed us to be human beings with a proper humanity, signified by wood. For the building up of the church, the elders, the serving ones, and all the brothers and sisters, including the young ones, should know how to “carve” humanity. This is a figure of speech to express the thought of working on the humanity of the saints for the sake of God’s building. We all need to learn to fellowship, in the meetings, and in spiritual contact with the saints to cut stones for setting and to carve wood. Both the cutting of stones and the carving of wood are for the building up of the church.
The brothers and sisters in the churches should not place the burden of the building up of the church only on the shoulders of the elders. It is altogether not fair to put the whole burden on them. The elders are not magicians. They cannot be expected to accomplish all the building work. Nevertheless, nearly all the saints somehow expect the elders to do this. This is a dream. Some would even propose that the number of elders in their locality be doubled. Whoever makes this proposal is one who puts too much of the burden upon the elders. If you suggest that we increase the number of elders, I would reply that you need to bear your part of the burden as one of the builders. Do not expect the elders to do all the work of building. The reason the church in your locality is not built up is that many of the saints are not doing their share of the building work. Do not blame the elders. Be assured that I stand with the elders absolutely. If you are tempted to say that the elders have not fulfilled their responsibility, you should first blame yourself for not fulfilling your responsibility. I would urge you to forget about what the elders should do and to take care of your part in the building work.
For years it has been my practice to encourage the saints to take responsibility to do what needs to be done in the church life. For example, if a sister would come to me and complain that the ladies’ rest room needs to be cleaned, I would respond by encouraging her to clean it herself. Eventually, the word went out not to come to me with any complaints, because I would tell the complaining one to take care of the matter himself. The point here is that we all have a part in the work of building up the church.
To build up the dwelling place of God, in addition to the work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting the stones, and in carving the wood, there is the need of the work in all workmanship, such as spinning, weaving, embroidery, and work on the animal skins, etc. These are the works to produce finer virtues in human character with the uplifted humanity of Christ, which are needed for the building up of the church as God’s dwelling place.
Verse 6 speaks of Bezalel’s co-master builder: “And I, behold, I have given with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.” The name Oholiab means the tent or tabernacle of my father. This signifies that one’s whole person cares for God’s tabernacle. Ahisamach, the name of Oholiab’s father, means a brother of strength or support. This co-master worker was a man for the tabernacle of God with strength and support. However, this co-master builder was of the tribe of Dan, the tribe of the lowest estate. The first master builder, Bezalel, was of the tribe of Judah. Judah is a kingly tribe, the tribe of the Lord Jesus. But the second master builder, Oholiab, came from the lowest tribe, the tribe of Dan. This indicates that the building work must include those of both the high estate and the low estate. No matter whether you are high or low, as long as you are one of God’s children, you must be included in the work of building.
We see the same principle in the building of the temple under Solomon (2 Chron. 2:11-14). The master builder was King Solomon, who was of the tribe of Judah. But the co-master builder was once again of the tribe of Dan. But his estate was even lower than that of Oholiab, for he was the son of a Danite woman and of a Tyrian father. How wonderful the Bible is! With the building of both the tabernacle and the temple the master builder was of the tribe of Judah, a kingly tribe, and the co-master builder was of the tribe of Dan, a lowly tribe. There is nothing coincidental here. This arrangement is according to God’s sovereignty.
Exodus 35:34 indicates that Oholiab’s main task was to teach. No doubt, Oholiab was wise. However, he must have received most of his knowledge, understanding, and wisdom from Bezalel. Receiving all this from the master builder, he then went out to teach others. Here we see a beautiful and pleasant coordination.
Exodus 35:34 says that both Bezalel and Oholiab did the work of teaching. But I believe that most of the teaching was done by Oholiab. This indicates that in the building up of the church there is the need of adequate teaching. We need some to be today’s Oholiab to teach the saints concerning God’s building according to the knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and skill received from the master builder.
Exodus 35:35 says of Bezalel and Oholiab that they were filled with wisdom of heart to do every work of the engraver or craftsman, the skilled workman, and the embroiderer in blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen. What is the difference between an engraver or craftsman and a workman? I believe that an engraver or craftsman has a special gift, whereas a workman does ordinary work with skill. The embroiderers, who may have been female workers, worked in blue, signifying heavenliness; in purple, signifying the kingship or royalty of Christ; in scarlet, signifying Christ’s redemption; and in fine linen, signifying Christ’s humanity.
Exodus 35:35 also speaks of the weaver, the doers of every work, and those who plan designs. By all this we can see that the building up of God’s dwelling place is a fine, detailed work. The fact that many of the words used to describe the workers are similar in meaning indicates that the work of building up the church is fine, delicate, and detailed.
Exodus 31:6b says, “And in the heart of everyone that is wisehearted I have given wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you.” Also, 36:2 speaks of “every wisehearted man, in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom.” These verses indicate that all the builders of the tabernacle were wisehearted. They all received wisdom and understanding from God. Here there is no mention of knowledge. It is common for people to have knowledge, at least in a general way. But what is needed for the work of building is wisdom and understanding, not only knowledge. If we have wisdom and understanding, we shall be wisehearted persons.
According to 36:2, the builders were those whose heart stirred them up to come to do the work of building. This is to have a heart burning for God’s building. This burning heart stirs us up to participate in the building up of the church. We all need such a heart. This kind of heart is an inner motor motivating us to do the work of building up God’s dwelling place.
In 31:7-11 we have a list of the things built. Verses 7 through 9 say, “The tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the propitiatory cover which is upon it, and all the utensils of the tent; and the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand and all its utensils, and the altar of incense; and the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its base.” We have already covered the details concerning all these items. You may want to consult the foregoing messages on these matters. Here it is sufficient to point out that the ark of the testimony is Christ as God’s testimony, that the table indicates that Christ is the life supply in the tabernacle to the serving priests, that the golden lampstand indicates that Christ is the light of life inside the dwelling place of God, and that the altar of incense indicates that Christ is the Intercessor to whom we should join to offer to God the incense of the salted prayer. Furthermore, to experience the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils means that we experience Christ as all the offerings offered to God for us on the cross.
Verse 10 says, “And the finely woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to serve as priests.” This verse indicates that the workers also made the garments for Aaron and for his sons. These garments typify the garments of Christ and of all the believers. For the building up of the church we need the garment of Christ and the garments of all the serving ones. This should cause us to realize, once again, how much there is the need for knowledge, understanding, and wisdom for the work of building up the church.
Verse 11 concludes, “And the anointing oil, and the incense of fragrant spices for the holy place; according to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.” The anointing oil, which typifies the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, is a very important item. Since I have been in this country, I have given many messages concerning the anointing oil. But due to the inaccurate teachings that have been promoted by certain ones, the truth concerning the anointing oil, the Spirit, has been a subject of debate. The fight over this matter is still going on, and it will continue, I believe, for quite a time. But the truth is the truth, and the Lord will gain the victory. For a time it is possible for the truth to be veiled but eventually, the veil will be removed, and the truth will be discovered.
I can testify that the more I speak on the all-inclusive Spirit, the more I am confirmed that what we teach concerning the Spirit is according to the divine revelation in the pure Word of God. Therefore, we shall continue to place the truth concerning the all-inclusive Spirit before the Lord’s people. Let those who wish to criticize our teaching consider all things in the light of the Word. Be assured that all our writings concerning the Spirit are done carefully and with consideration according to the pure Word of God.
We have seen that in order to do the work of building up God’s dwelling place, we need to be filled with the Spirit of God in knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and workmanship. We also need to learn how to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in the carving of wood. The building work includes those of both high estate and low estate. What we need now is to become wisehearted, receiving wisdom and understanding from God, and to be stirred up by our heart to do the noble work of building up the church, God’s dwelling place on earth today.
