EXODUS 31:1–11
“I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship”
(Ex. 31:3).
The Holy Spirit is responsible for endowing human beings with intellectual, moral, and aesthetic qualities that set man apart from the rest of creation. Unlike the apes, birds, cattle, etc., we possess a rational nature: God “teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven” (Job 35:11). Though humanists try to identify us with the animals, making all creatures equal and thus robbing man of his dignity, such deviant ideas are contrary to the reality of God’s design. Only man possesses a living soul.
The Spirit also enables men to perform specific tasks. We see this in the case of Bezaleel, who was filled with the Spirit of God “in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in bronze” (Ex. 31:2–4). God chose Bezaleel to build His temple and enabled him to perform the task with extraordinary skill.
By His Spirit, God gave Moses the ability, the wisdom and understanding, to carry out his calling as leader of Israel. This extraordinary ability was extended to others when Moses shared his burden with the 70 elders: “I will take of the Spirit which is upon you, and will put it upon them” (Num. 11:17). We see this kind of work ascribed to the Spirit throughout the Scriptures regarding Joshua, Othniel (Judges 3:10), Gideon, and Samson. We also see it in the case of Saul who was filled with the Spirit so he could rule Israel. But when Saul offended God, the Spirit left him (1 Sam. 16:14). Then, when Samuel anointed David, the Spirit came upon him. The filling of the Spirit in the case of Saul was the endowment of leadership abilities, not redemptive grace. “When the Spirit came on Samson or upon Saul, it was not to render them holy, but to endue them with extraordinary physical and intellectual power,” Hodge wrote. “And when He is said to have departed from them, it means that those extraordinary endowments were withdrawn.”
Just as God enabled men in the Old Testament to perform extraordinary tasks, so He endows leaders in the church today with the wisdom and understanding to oversee His flock. Godly men do not govern by their own wisdom, but by understanding given to them by the Spirit of God.
CORAM DEO
Proverbs 3–4
1 Corinthians 14
If you have the opportunity to go to a museum, do so this week. As you look at the art, praise God for giving man the ability to produce such beauty. If you can’t go to a museum, put on a tape or cd (or read some good poetry). As you listen and read, meditate on the beauty of God as He has revealed Himself in man’s works.
For further study: Num. 11:16–30; 27:12–23 • Judges 3:7–11 • 1 Sam. 16:1–14
thursday
september