We had been camped by the mountain for a while.  One day I received word that Moses wanted to see me.  What would this leader want with a craftsman such as me?  But I had been summoned, so I went.  I recalled that over the previous days, I’d seen a steady stream of people bringing materials and offerings to Moses but I hadn’t given it much thought until I was standing before Moses and I heard him say, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel (Bez-uh-lel) the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.  And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood so as to perform in every inventive work” (Ex. 35:30-33).  I was about to receive the greatest assignment of my life- creating the tent that would be the resting place of the Lord amongst His people.
            I imagine that the call to construct the Tabernacle was overwhelming to Bezalel but with the Lord’s Spirit empowering him he must have risen to the occasion.  He is briefly mentioned in a total of 13 verses between Ex. 31 and 37 (Ex. 31:1-5; 35:30-36:2; 37:1) but his work stood the test of time, lasting 40 years in the wilderness and beyond.  He was not alone in this high call.  Oholiab (Oh-hoe-lee-ab), a fellow craftsman, from the tribe of Dan was appointed to assist him in the construction of the Tabernacle and its furnishings (Ex. 31:6; 35:34-36:2).  Ancient craftsmanship should be greatly admired.  If you’ve ever been to a museum and seen pieces from this period (approximately 1450 B. C.) saying that the artistry is impressive would be an understatement.  Ancient craftsmen had many resources at their disposal: clay, stone, wood, and metals were all used widely.  Artisans also worked with precious and semi-precious stones to create jewelry and decorative pieces for wealthier homes.  Religious objects were also highly artistic in nature.  Plant sources were used to create textiles and several murals painted on tomb walls depict both horizontal and vertical looms upon which garments, tapestries and blankets would have been woven. 
            The Israelites had learned a wide variety of artistic skills while they were in Egypt as evidenced in the natural skills that were attributed to Bezalel and Oholiab.  But there was one element they possessed in order to achieve the goal the Lord had in mind.  It set them apart from the other craftsmen who would be working under their leadership.  They were “filled with the Spirit of God” (Ex. 35:31) which enhanced their existing talents so that they could design the Tabernacle according to God’s pattern (Ex. 25:8-9; 36:1).  The words used to describe their endeavors illustrate the unique combination of natural skill and the Spirit’s influence: skillful (Ex. 35:25) is often connected to wisdom meaning one who is skilled because of experience; understanding (35:31) is a noun which illustrates insight; the word knowledge describes God’s gift of technical or specific knowledge along with wisdom and understanding (Ex. 31:3; 35:31); know (Ex. 36:1), a verb which means to learn, to perceive, to experience and to be skillful; mahsabah (mah-say-bayh) which is translated in the NASB as “designs for working” meaning a thought, purpose or intention, a poetic word that indicates the origins of such things are in the mind (Ex. 35:32); and hasab  (hah-sahb) translated as “makers” which speaks of how God endowed certain people with the ability to invent new and artistic things for practical use (Ex. 35:32, 35).  The task that Bezalel and Oholiab demanded the use of both their natural abilities and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  God provided both.
            Every believer is imbued with natural talents and a gifting from God (1 Cor. 12:7-11) which is there for the building up of Christ’s body.  How do you tell the difference between the two?  It is good to remember that talents are inherited (like the Manning brothers of NFL fame or Natalie and Nat King Cole in the music world) but Spiritual gifts are given by God and received by the believer.  And everyone has a “talent” but only believers have spiritual gifts.  While not all the lists of Spiritual Gifts are comprehensive, altogether they offer a complete picture of their purpose in the church (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28-30; Eph. 4:7-12).  How can you discover what gift/gifts you have and where to use them?  Lawrence Richards offers this advice, “Gifts operate in an interpersonal context.  So as a Christian builds close and caring relationships with other believers, the gifts are discovered as they function”.  Simply put- get involved in your church and you will discover what your spiritual gifts are!  Sometimes, as in the case of Bezalel and Oholiab, they will go hand in hand with your natural talents and abilities.  But you’ll never know what they are unless you’re involved.  Where is God calling you to serve?  Are you responding?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
Week of 4/30/2017

            A friend of mine shared a conversation she had with a friend recently.  The discussion centered around the lyrics of a well-known praise song.  “It all comes down to this,” her friend concluded, “You can’t really know God”.  The statement broke my friend’s heart as the woman who said this was part of the worship team.  How could someone who was leading people in worship claim they didn’t know the One they were worshipping?  Many theologians have endeavored to “know God” (J. I. Packer has a best-selling book on the subject!), and some, like Karl Barth, have conclude that God is “Other” and fits none of the descriptions we might use to describe our fellow man so it would be impossible for us to understand Him.  This is true in the sense that He is Infinite and we are most certainly finite.  But is the statement “You can’t really know God” true?  I think not!  And there is one disciple who would definitely agree with me- John.
            The disciple John came from the town of Capernaum (Mt. 4:21-23; Mk. 1:20-21) on the northern side of the Sea of Galilee.  His family was in the fishing business and along with his brother James, John made his living on the “sea”.  He was apparently the youngest of the original 12 disciples (Lk. 5:10-11; 6:14) and according to tradition out-lived all the others.  Another early tradition maintained by extra-Biblical writers who knew John, has him settling in Ephesus where he cared for Mary, the mother of Jesus and established a church.  The Bible records that John was one of Jesus’ “inner circle” (Mt. 17:1; 26:37; Mk. 5:37; 14:33; Lk. 8:51), that he was a pillar of the Jerusalem church (Gal. 2:6-10), and most commentators believe that he is “the disciple whom Jesus loved” mentioned in Jn. 13:23; 19:26; 20:2 and 21:7, 20-24.  He was briefly exiled to the island of Patmos and it is there he received a vision from the Lord which became the Book of Revelation.   After this he returned to Ephesus and later died of old age earning him the distinction of being the only original disciple who was not martyred.
            Lawrence Richards writes, “Three incidents in the Gospels give a surprising picture of this “apostle of love”:  1) his passion for purity in Jesus’ ministry (Lk. 9:49); 2) his expressed and fiery response to inhospitality toward Jesus (Mk. 3:17); and 3) his sense of positioning when Christ’s kingdom would be established (Mt. 20:20-28).  In each of these cases John appears to be aggressive and self-centered.  But perhaps a better description might be that John was passionate about his faith and the One he believed in.  It is evident from John’s writings that those characteristics and that passion changed drastically under the influence of Jesus.  The transformation of John is summed up in a beautiful passage from his first letter, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God…since God so loved us, we ought to love one another” (1 Jn. 4:7, 11). 
            John is accredited with 5 books within the pages of Scripture: the Gospel which bears his name, 3 “pastoral” letters and the Book of Revelation.  Throughout his Gospel and within the verses of his letters John is concerned with a growing influence on the early church.  Known as Gnosticism, this philosophy claimed that anything in the material world was evil and only the spiritual world was good.  But the common man could not “know” the spiritual realm without some sort of special knowledge which was acquired through punishing the body through self-denial and mystical practices to remove worldly influences on the spirit.  Simply put, without special “knowledge” a person could not really know God.  John however was absolutely certain that God could be known but not through Gnosticism.  A key word throughout John’s Gospel is “witness” which implies the use of the 5 senses to understand and testify to the event or person in question.  According to John, if you can see it, touch it, hear it, smell it, or taste it, you can know it!
            Therefore John claims we CAN know God.  He writes in 1 Jn. 2:13-14, “I have written to you because you know Him Who has been from the beginning.”  But perhaps his most compelling arguments come from the first chapter in his Gospel.  Jn. 1:2 proclaims that the Word (Jesus) was manifested to us.  He could be perceived and understood through the use of the senses.  And Jn. 1:18 takes this a step further by saying that Jesus enables us to know God because He has explained Him.  This understanding is not just “knowing” as in the ability to pull out some sort of trivial fact about a random topic.  It is a deep and abiding knowledge that comes from hands-on experience.  Of course the key component of this knowledge is time spent with the Person in question.  Like any good relationship, to really know God you must spend time with Him- in prayer, in His word and with His people.  “Yes!” John says, “You can know God.  Just look at and listen to Jesus.” 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.  
Week of 4/23/2017

          It is not often that it happens, but every once in a while, there is a moment in my life where I think, “This is where I’m supposed to be.  I’ve worked for this, put my all into it, and here I am!”  Some might call that DESTINY.  In the general sense though, I can’t really say if I was destined to do anything or not.  Scripture on the other hand is quite clear about the Messiah’s destiny and His destiny was intrinsically linked to Jerusalem.  He was to enter it triumphantly (Zech. 9:9), be crucified there (Ps. 22:14-16; Zech. 12:10) and rise from the dead (Ps. 16:10; 30:3).  Jesus fulfilled all of these and more (Mt. 21:8-11; 27:31; 28:5-7; Mk. 15:20; 16:6-7; Lk. 19:35-37; Jn. 12:12-15; 19:15-16; Acts 2:27-31; 1 Cor. 15:17, 20).  I am always struck by Jesus’ resolve to “set his face toward Jerusalem” (Lk. 9:51) since He knew what would happen there.  He even weeps over it in spite of the rejection He will face from its people (Lk. 19:41-44).   He was both destined and determined to fulfill the words spoken by Isaiah (Is. 52:13-53:12) and Jerusalem was to be the place where that would happen.
On my first trip to Israel, by the time I got to Jerusalem, I was overwhelmed with information and the sheer experience of being in Israel.  But on my second trip, and perhaps because of the teacher who took our class there, Jerusalem and its significance in Jesus’ life really impacted me.  On our last day in Israel, we walked in the footsteps of Jesus from Gethsemane to Golgotha.  We actually saw how close it was to shuffle Jesus back and forth between Herod and Caiaphas.  We walked the road from Antonia’s Fortress where Jesus stood before Pilate to Golgotha where He was crucified (now inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher; then “outside the gate”).  We saw and felt it all- reading Scripture and contemplating on what Jesus must have felt in His final hours on earth.  It was a powerful and moving experience which is hard to capture in words.  But Jesus was resolute to reach Jerusalem because it was there He would become “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:35-36).
            Hebrews says He did this for “the glory that was set before Him” (Heb. 12:2).  These words remind me of Jesus’ act of humility at the Passover.  John says, “Jesus, knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”  (John 13:1)  At that moment, Jesus who within 24 hours would be scourged, stabbed with thorns and pierced with nails, gets up and washes the disciples’ feet.  It is an act of humility that has never been matched throughout history (Jn. 13:1-5).
            It would be easy to let the story end there and admire Jesus, worship Him, and go merrily on my way.  But in the next chapter of John, Jesus reveals that He is going to the cross to “prepare a place for you” (Jn. 14:2).  The imagery in this passage comes directly from the Jewish wedding custom whereupon after the proposal has been made and the bride-price (a pre-wedding gift to the future in-laws) has been received, the groom goes back to his hometown and begins construction on the couple’s future living quarters.  This could take up to a year, but when it is completed, the groom will return (usually at an unexpected but anticipated time) and bring his bride home.  What a wonderful picture!  Jesus has returned to His hometown (Heaven) and is preparing not just a house, but an entire city for us (Heb. 11:13-16).  And what a glorious city it is (Rev. 21:2-3, (9-20), 21-27; 22:1-5)!  Having been to the earthly Jerusalem, walking its streets and enjoying its beauty I feel as if I’ve had a taste of what glories the heavenly Jerusalem may hold.  I am now waiting for my Bridegroom to come and call me home.  All I can say is, “Come quickly Lord Jesus!
            Like the bride who waits for her betrothed to return for her, I am now waiting for Jesus to return.  The question is, “Am I ready?” (Mt. 25:1-13).  Jesus spent His final hours on earth in humble submission to His Father’s will, but He stayed in Jerusalem nonetheless.  It is a challenge to remain faithful to the Father’s will. And sometimes, like Peter I think that the path to my Jerusalem should contain no opposition or danger, no trials or strife, and certainly not death (Mt. 16:13-23).  But Jesus continually taught His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die (Mk. 10:32-33; Lk. 18:17-19, 31-34).  For Jesus, Jerusalem was the city of destiny, but His ultimate destination was just outside its walls on the cross (Mt. 16:24-27).  The cross is our destiny too (Gal. 2:19-20).  We never truly know when our last hour on this earth will occur.  So, while we are waiting it is important to live as if it will happen at any moment and make ourselves ready (Mt. 24:32-44; Mk. 13:32-37).  If we stay mindful that we have a glorious destination ahead the things of this world become less important.  Like an athlete who eyes the victor’s trophy, our eyes are fixed on a heavenly prize- living with Jesus eternally (Phil. 3:7-14).  I’m looking forward to my future home.  How about you?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
Week of 4/16/2017

            The tour bus winds and weaves its way through rush hour traffic.  The sun has set and golden yellow lights line the busy streets.  Unlike New York’s flat grid-locked maze of vehicles, Jerusalem’s motorists must make their way up hills and around both modern and ancient stones.  It’s quite an experience- but I’m truly excited to be going “up to Jerusalem”! (Travel diary-Dec. 2002)
            Jerusalem is an ancient city.  It was first noted in the Bible as Salem the city-kingdom of Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-20) and later Jebus (1 Chron. 11:4-5, 7-8).  It was also acknowledged in Egyptian documents from the 20th and 19th c. B. C.  From those records we learn that the earliest building took place there next to the Gihon Spring (the city’s water source).  By the 18th century B. C. it became necessary to build Jerusalem’s first fortified wall whose remnants can still be seen today. 
            David made Jerusalem his capitol after conquering it (2 Sam. 5:7-9) and it then became known as “The City of David”.  It appears to be an odd choice for a capitol at first glance.  Located in the semi-barren Judean Hills (in David’s day but not now!), holding nothing in material value and having a limited water source, Jerusalem would not be a good choice in our minds.  But scholars have noted that those characteristics actually made Jerusalem an excellent choice since it lay within David’s tribal allotment, had no material appeal to fight over, and was politically in a good position in relation to the other tribes.  During his reign David modified the layout of the city but his greatest addition to Jerusalem was bringing the Ark of the Covenant to reside there (1 Chron. 15:1-12, 16, 25-29) placing it in a tent on land purchased from Araunah the Jebusite (2 Sam. 24:15-25).  Solomon ultimately made Jerusalem both the political and religious capitol of Israel when he built the Temple on the northern side of the palace complex and installed the Ark within it (1 Kin. 8:1-21).
            Chaim Be’er wrote, “The Jerusalem stone, so resilient and supple, bows to the transient follies of humankind, bearing testimony like a hundred witnesses, and yet, remains silent”.  Jerusalem has certainly seen its fair share of ruin and rebuilding.  When Babylon destroyed it in 586 B. C. most of the inhabitants who were carried off into exile lamented it would never be seen again.  But Cyrus, King of Persia, changed all that in 538 B. C. declaring that Jerusalem could be rebuilt for religious purposes (2 Chron. 36:22-23; Ezr. 1:1-11).  However, it would be a lengthy process full of further wars and government upheavals before Jerusalem and the Temple returned to a glory similar to that of Solomon’s day.  The man attributed to that status is Herod the Great, a voracious builder but unstable leader placed in authority by the Romans and despised by the people he was to govern.  In spite of his unpopularity, his acclaim as an architect was famous.  Sayings such as “Of the ten measures of beauty that descended on the world, Jerusalem took nine, and the rest of the entire world-one” and “ He who has not seen Herod’s Temple, has not seen a fine building in his life” sum up the view of his capabilities.  Herod’s Jerusalem was the Jerusalem that Jesus knew and visited.  It is also the “ancient” Jerusalem that is most evident to the traveler today, although remnants of the eras in between and beyond David and Jesus can be seen too.
            Jerusalem continues to be the center of attention in the modern world.  Today three of the world’s great religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, view it as a central figure in their history, although it formerly did not hold that much importance to Islam.   Although there are thousands of years between the writing of Ps. 122 and 2017, you can still see that Jerusalem is “built as a city that is compact together” (Ps. 122:3).  In spite of its importance to the other religions who regard it highly, it is truly the heart of Judaism and the Jewish people.  Not only did it hold this place in Biblical times, modern history has borne this out as well.  In 1948 when Israel sprang back to life as a nation, her beloved city was divided by the hands of man.  However in 1967, being nothing short of a miracle, it was reunited by Israel and has been hers ever since. 
            I don’t know if there is any other city on earth that can evoke the wide range of emotions that have been expressed over Jerusalem.  Even Jesus was moved to tears when He thought about the gamut of events which occurred there and the prophets who tried to turn the hearts of its people back to the Lord (Lk. 19:28-44).   While Jerusalem today seems to be a cacophony of political and religious strife, its future remains glorious (Is. 62; Rev. 21).   So it is all the more reason for believers to pray for peace to be present there (Ps. 122:6-9) and for the fulfillment of God’s promises concerning it (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Jer. 3:17; Eze. 38-48; Zech. 12-14; Jl. 3; Mic. 4:7-8; Lk. 1:32-33).  This week as you celebrate Palm Sunday, why not make those prayers a part of your worship?
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
Week of 4/9/2017