Web Theologian

Over the past few weeks two friends have engaged me in conversation on the inspiration of Scripture which was interesting, but outside of what helped me pass ordination exams and some loose thoughts I have had recently, I did not have much to say. This morning in my reading of Exodus 38-40 I was struck with the detail that Moses described the craftsmanship of the Tabernacle. In the past I would have imagined God “telling” Moses these details, whereas today I had a different thought.

Moses the elder of Israel, he was slammed with meetings on the mountain with God and serving as judge for the disputes of the people of Israel. These two ‘jobs’ would have been enough for anyone to call it a day, and yet Moses has a detailed knowledge of the work and craft that went into the building of the Tabernacle. While Moses was not a craftsman himself perhaps he understood what he was writing, describing materials and details in a spectacular way. Perhaps Moses studied, learned, appreciated, and committed himself to a deep understanding of the art that was essential to the worship of God’s people.

The descriptions in these chapters are more detailed then my minds eye would allow. I can picture Moses actually looking at the final product and sitting alongside the craftsman to provide the description we have in Scripture, or perhaps he learned it during the process of creation. The only frame of reference I have is the work that my family did on our new house, even then my description of our kitchen leaves much to be desired regarding the details when comparent with Moses description. What would it mean for me to have an appreciation of art and craftsmanship that would inspire worship? What are the parts of my life I would have to slow down and pay attention to in order to learn? We all have our excuses for not engaging the beauty of the world around us, but today I am inspired to take a moment, ask a questions, and learn from those reflecting the beauty of God in their craftsmanship.