Exodus 38

Bezalel's name was at the beginning of the prior chapter, “Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood.” His name also appeared toward the end of this chapter, “Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses.”

The following chapter especially described the garments for the priests, and the word “they” was prominent, so that we can conclude that there were other hands at work in all of the work involving cloth, particularly the hand Oholiab of Dan. But in chapter 37 and the beginning of chapter 38, the description of the construction of these great objects of gold, silver, and bronze must be associated with Bezalel. Instead of recording what “they” did, Israel was to understand that this was something that “he” did, referring to Bezalel.

Bezalel made the ark. Bezalel made the table for the bread. Bezalel made the lampstand. Bezalel made the alter of incense. That was all described in the prior chapter which focused on the making of these great objects that would be within the two-room tent structure that was the tabernacle proper.

Outside the tabernacle itself, but within the court of the tabernacle, were two other important works of metal. These were also made by Bezalel. Bezalel made the altar of burnt offering, and Bezalel made the bronze basin.

The altar had a purpose, and the maker of that altar had to know what it was. It was made for the burning of animals. The square altar and all the utensils that would be used with it testified to the maker of these objects that slain animals were an important part of the religion of Israel. Would the man whose hands made this altar have wondered what went so wrong with the world that the shedding of so much blood was necessary? The bronze alter of burnt offering was like a cross before any cross was known of. Its existence should have caused the people of Israel to ask some very good questions. Forks, shovels, the network of bronze grating under the altar's ledge, the poles for moving this altar through the wilderness should certainly have caused Bezalel to think about how these objects would be used, and perhaps to ask the questions that are of first importance. For instance: Could the blood of bulls and goats really satisfy God, who was angry concerning the offenses that human beings had committed against Him?

Similar concerns would be very natural regarding the bronze basin between the altar and the entrance to the worship of God. Would water actually cleanse a person in the way he needed to be cleaned in order to appear before God or in order to make a sacrifice to God? What could be done to cleanse the heart of a man? Where could anyone find water that would bring life to a world with so much death?

The bronze for this basin came from the contribution of mirrors from the women who served in the entrance of the tent of meeting. They gave what they could, and God used His servant to create an object for ceremonial cleansing. Was this some of the bounty that originally came from Egyptian women at the request of the women of Israel?

There was also bronze and silver work necessary for the construction of the court. Bezalel built this as well. But could the curtains that would hang on the hooks and the pillars keep out what was unclean in God's eyes? How could anyone approach Almighty God at all? Yet the Lord was ordering through Moses that this work be done. God had showed all of this to the mediator, and now Bezalel was making the structure that would help distinguish that which was inside from that which was outside, on the south and the north, and on the west and the east. It all had such an exalted purpose, and yet it was all so simple. Could God come here? Would this court even hold together if the Lord passed by?

These questions demanded an answer that would come in the fullness of time. Now was the time to contribute and to build. Now was also the time to keep a record of what was done. Moses commanded this too, perhaps for some future generation to consider. Then the deepest questions of Tabernacle worship would find their answer in Christ and His body, the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Until that time, everyone who knew about the Lord's command considered a man named Bezalel, his assistant, Ohaliab, Moses the mediator, Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest, the Levites with their various responsibilities. They thought about the gold that was used for this work, and all the silver and bronze. They counted it up, all the contributions from over 600,000 people who were included in the military census according to God's command.

One day, the apostles of a far more glorious moving house of worship, the church, would proclaim these words: “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” See Acts 3:6. The gold, silver, and bronze that came from Egypt was good enough for the time of preparation. When the Lord determined to build His resurrection temple, the source of life would come from a far more glorious place.