March 20

Exodus 31 Decades ago our children’s Sunday School class was in need of a table for kids. We really didn’t have the money to purchase it. So I obtained some wood and made a table and gave it to the church. I don’t think that it was really very well done, but one of the little old ladies told me, “You remind me of Bezalel and Aholiab who oversaw the making of the tabernacle and its furnishings.” She certainly overstated the case, but for the first time I began to contemplate how the arts truly are a part of holiness and the glory of God. The Lord says of Bezalel in 31:3 “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” And He says of Aholiab 31:6, “I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab. . . ; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you.” A friend of mine, who is a much deeper thinker and more intellectual than I, recently wrote a series of articles in his blog on how the human mind works. According to him, apparently the left side of the brain operates more in the realm of images or emotions, whereas the right side of the brain operates more in the realm of words or logic. The person and culture works best when it can lead with the left (images) and fulfill it with the right (words and logic). It would appear that God seems to be doing that with Israel. He gives them many images in the tabernacle, its furnishings and the priest’s garments. He anoints gifted men to skillfully craft those images and bring them into a beautiful substance. Even the observance of the Sabbath Day rest is an image of how He would work in them. He leads with the left. Finally He sends Moses packing with the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments, the words. He follows through with His right. I think in the circles of the church that I operate in, we do not much appreciate the arts, the images, in declaring the glory of God. Now I know that the second commandment states that we are not to make any graven images of God to bow down and worship Him. Yet, I think we are so fearful of disobeying that command that maybe we fail to recognize the power of images in communication—not for the purpose of bowing down to worship God but for the purpose of communicating truth. After all, God is communicating truth through the images which He has commanded to be crafted. Indeed, he filled people with His Spirit so that they might skillfully craft them. Occasionally, I will present a sermon as what I call a ‘dramatic monologue.’ If the passage of Scripture which I am expounding revolves around a certain person, I might write the sermon as if I were that person telling the story. Usually I will try to dress up in costume to look like what I think that person might have looked like. Of all my sermons, those are the ones which people remember. I lead with my left, and follow with my right. Some years back a retired pastor in my congregation was quite critical of me. He came up with everything under the sun to show why I was unfit to be pastor. Among his criticisms of me was that I so audacious as to “dress up in a Halloween costume” to preach the word of God. Now the costume was of a Biblical character, not of the Halloween variety. I think his suggestion was to cut off the left arm and only use the right. While I think it a terrible waste to spend large amount of monies on buildings which are only used one day a week, there is something to be said for the cathedrals built years ago. They were often the only pieces of art that a peasant could enjoy. The large edifices also caused the worshipper to look up in wonder. Perhaps we need to gain a better appreciation of the arts in communicating truth. Maybe more people would be led to see His glory if we recognized His anointing upon people to do a skillful work to His glory, even if it is a simple thing like building a Sunday School table. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john