June 4: The Beautifying Spirit

“2See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge, and all craftsmanship.” –Exodus 31.2-3
Throughout the Old Testament the Holy Spirit of God produced abilities in men and women in order that they might carry out specific tasks according to His plan. God has had the plan in His mind from eternity to redeem the world from the corruption that came in through Adam and Eve. The Spirit then gave men and women the abilities necessary to make that redemption happen.
Here in Exodus the Holy Spirit enabled Bezalel and those with him to beautifully form the things which God wanted in Israel. The world was and is dark and hideous without God’s presence. But the Holy Spirit enabled Bezalel to bring God’s beauty into the world by means of the tabernacle and all that went along with it. As theologian Sinclair Ferguson has said about this passage, “A hint was thus given that the work of ‘re-creation’ must begin with the chosen people.”
Throughout history God the Holy Spirit has brought beauty back into the world by recreating that beauty through His people. Every honest day’s work, every act of love, every well-fashioned art piece, every thing that possesses beauty has come from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
1. Why was it important – even necessary – for the Holy Spirit to give people these abilities in the Old Testament?
2. Where in your life, and across the world, do you see the Holy Spirit bringing beauty back into the world? And how are you resisting that work of the Spirit?