Meditations

Question on openline on moody radio on February 9, 2019
Just a quick question: In Exodus 31:3, where it’s talking about the building of the tabernacle and it says: I have filled him with the Spirit of God and wisdom and understanding and knowledge and in all manner of workmanship, talking about the gentleman that will be the leaders of the building process, I believe. So, is this the Holy Spirit? Is this something different, I am not sure exactly sure Spirit they are talking about in this case.

Michael Rydelnik:
The name of the man is Bezalel. That’s his Hebrew name. He’s been filled with God’s Spirit, that’s the Holy Spirit. The word filling means controlled or enablement, that’s the idea, when God’s Spirit fills us, He controls us, so He controls Bezalel, son of Hur, with His Spirit. His Spirit controls him, fills him with His Spirit so that he has wisdom, some translation translates that to skillful living or skill for design, for that’s what wisdom really is, it’s skillful living. So, with that verses, I fill him with God’s Spirit, with skill or with wisdom, understanding an ability in every craft. So, God gave him divinely enabled skill through His Spirit, so that he could build the tabernacle.

Listener:
So, it is the Holy Spirit …

Michael Rydelnik:
Yah. What else the Spirit could it possibly be, Jeff?

Listener:
The Holy Spirit in the old testament kind of comes into people and then can leave, where in the New Testament, we’ve today, as I understand it, were sealed all the time with the Holy Spirit.

Michael Rydelnik:
We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, although we are not filled with the Holy Spirit the whole time. The word filling has to do with being controlled by the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18, it says, don’t be drunk with wine or don’t be controlled by wine but be filled with the Spirit, so it has to do with the Spirit’s control, so it is possible that we are not filled, we are not controlled, we should obey that command and be controlled, of course people wanna know what, how to get controlled by the Spirit. I think in Colossians 3 where you have a parallel passage to Epheisians 5:18. In Colossians 3, the reason I think it is parallel is it has the same command or a command and it has the same outcome and it says in verse 17, whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, it has family relationships would be appropriate, I am sorry, verse 16 has worship first and then family relationships and then what we would call slaves and master or employer employee relationships, they all are going to come out to being filled with the Spirit, together with Ephesians 5:18. The command is different though in Colossians 3, there it says let the word of Messiah dwell richly among you, let the Word of Messiah, the word of God take forcible occupation of your life and it will have the same consequences as the Spirit of God empowering us, enabling us, controlling us, which is what filling of the Spirit means, Seems to me, when I take this two parallel passages, since they both have the same result but different command, is the way to be controlled by the Spirit is to input the Word of God into our lives, let it take forcible occupation so that we live in obedience to it, that’s how the Spirit controls us.

Listener:
Thank you.

Related scripture:

Exodus 31
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel 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, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. -nkjv
Ephesians 5
15 See then that you walk [e]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of [f]God. -nkjv

Colossians 3
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
The Christian Home
18 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for[a] you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.  -nkjv