Good Morning.
Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord had commanded Moses. And with him was Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, a weaver of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine linen. (Exodus 38:22-23)
Among all the artisans who brought the Sanctuary and its’ furnishings into being, these two men, Bezalel and Aholiab, were the principle figures. Being that Bezalel was from the tribe of Judah and Aholiab was from Dan, an interesting concept develops. The tribe of Judah and its camp alway led the nation as they traversed the wilderness. It was the tribe of Dan and its camp that always brought up the rear when the nation was on the move. So then, together, Judah and Dan represents the “first and last.” In the persons of Bezalel and Aholiab, the “first and “last” brought the Tabernacle into existence.
From the very beginning, it is clear that God always has desired to build a “house” in which He could dwell with His people. In fact, in Hebrew, first word of Genesis begins with the Hebrew letter ב beit, which in name and in form means “a house.” This desire to dwell with His people is then demonstrated initially in the Garden and eventually in the Tabernacle. So then, that these two men, and the fact that they came from these two tribes is not coincidental — their selection by God speaks to something very important. Messiah, who is the First and the Last, is the greater manifestation of God’s desire to dwell with His people. Paul said:
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:15-17)
Yeshua, as the First and Last, brought the Creation into existence and it is He who made it possible for you and me to become a new creation. God used Bezalel and Aholiab to construct the Tabernacle and “flesh out” the Creator’s desire to build a house. God sent His Son, in the flesh, to bring about the fulfillment of His desire and, accordingly, John said, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us.” Because He did dwell among us, we have the opportunity to commune with the Creator as a Temple of His Spirit with the promise that, one day, we will dwell with Him in a much bigger “house” — the New Jerusalem.
So let us remain faithful knowing that what He initiated in our lives, He will bring to its intended fruition because He is the First and the Last, and the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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