Exodus Chapter 31, Verses 1-11 

:1 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; 7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle, 8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, 9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, 10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office, 11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.”

Ps. 127:1 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”  Jesus said in Matt. 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  The LORD is the great builder.  He oversaw the construction of the tabernacle, the temple, and the church which we are told is the house of God: 1 Tim. 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”   

The LORD chose and called whom he would to build the tabernacle.  Notice the ones he chose where not the ones who chose, but God did the choosing.  Likewise, it is the Lord who chooses and calls his ministers to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances of the church.  They did not did the choosing, but God did the choosing.   

The Lord chose Bezaleel and Aholiab and all that were wise hearted to do the building and making of the tabernacle and all that was associated with the work.  Next, we notice that it was the LORD who “filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.”  Likewise, we see this pattern carried over in the New Testament Church as it is the Lord who gives the gifts of the ministry and gives them the talents that they possess.  Moreover, he gives to each member of the New Testament Church their spiritual gifts for the work that he has for them: 1 Cor. 12:11 “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 

Moreover, all the gifts that the LORD gave to those who were to build the tabernacle were sufficient for the work that was to be done.  Likewise, the LORD gives to the membership of the local church all the gifts and abilities that are necessary for the work he has for them to do.   

Additionally, the LORD has given those who worked on the tabernacle the wisdom to build the tabernacle and all associated with it.  This wisdom was from God and not from them.  We are taught to ask God for wisdom: James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  God has promised to give us wisdom for our daily living and also wisdom to use the gifts that God has given us for the service we are to perform according to his direction. 

The LORD had already given the pattern for the tabernacle, its furnishings, the garments and the anointing oil and sweet perfume to Moses.  Those who worked on the tabernacle were to build “according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.” 

We are admonished to not add to or take away from the words that the Lord has given us.  In the New Testament church we are to build according to the pattern for the scriptures has thoroughly furnished us everything we need to all good works: 2 Tim. 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Verses 12-17 

:12 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. 14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”

The word Sabbath has a duel meaning.  The bible number 7 is the bible number associated with completion.  God created the heavens and the earth and all things therein in six days and rested on the seventh.  The work of natural creation was complete.  Sabbath also means rest.  God rested from his work of creation on the 7^th day.  The children of Israel were commanded to observe the Sabbath.  They were to work six days and rest on the seventh day.  This was in honor and praise to God for His completed work of creation.  Thus, the children of Israel were to rest in honor of God’s completed work of creation.   

To defile the Sabbath day was to disrespect and dishonor to God.  The penalty of defiling the Sabbath day was death.  The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and the children of Israel forever:  “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”  Moreover, as the Lord was refreshed on the seventh day so it was a blessing that God had given the children of Israel that they would rest and refresh themselves on the seventh day.   

Today, we are given another Sabbath as set forth in Heb. 4:9 “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”  The word, rest, comes from the Greek word for Sabbath.  By studying chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews it is plainly seen that we are to rest in the finished work of eternal redemption by Jesus Christ.  Christ has finished the work of redeeming His people from their sins.  We are to rest in that finished work knowing that our works cannot redeem us or bring about redemption.  It is by His work and by His grace that we are redeemed and we rest in that finished work when we acknowledge that it was all by His grace and that we did nothing to bring about that redemption.  All the praise and glory is to be given to Christ for redeeming us, just as all the praise and glory of creation was to be given to God by the children of Israel by their resting on the 7^th day.  For us to claim that any of our works are partly responsible for our eternal redemption is to dishonor the work of Christ in redeeming us.   

The work of redemption of the elect family of God is a covenant work as set forth in Rom. 8:29, 30: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”  Resting in the covenant work of Christ is to give glory and honor unto God for his covenant work