Mensa Otabil - Wise Works (11/09/2025)
Welcome to a brand new week as we continue our study of wisdom. Today we will discuss the spirit of wisdom from Exodus chapter 31, verses 1 to 3. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, «See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.»
This relates to when God wanted Israel to build a tabernacle of worship. This is where He would meet them, and this is where they would worship. God gave Moses the blueprint, the plan, the concept. Then God said to Moses that He had called a particular person among the Israelites: his name is Bezalel. God said He had also equipped him; He poured His spirit upon him and gave him the ability to translate these ideas into reality. To help Bezalel fulfill his assignment, God filled him with the spirit. There are three aspects of God’s empowerment given to Bezalel that speak to wisdom, and this is practical wisdom -wisdom that gets things done.
The first aspect God mentions is wisdom, which in Hebrew is «chokmah.» It means technical skill or technical competence. It is the ability to have know-how. When God calls us to do something, we must possess the know-how. Just as in everything we do: if you are a pharmacist, you must have know-how in pharmacy. If you are a lawyer, you must have know-how in law. You must possess technical skills in those fields. Wisdom includes an aspect of technical skill. Most of the time, we go to school to gain this technical competence. We need to learn particular sets of information to acquire the wisdom necessary to be competent in a specific area. Therefore, moving in wisdom requires technical training or technical competence.
The second thing God says He has given to Bezalel, in addition to technical competence, is understanding. In Hebrew, the word used means the capacity to think. So, he has technical competence, and now God gives him the capacity to think. Every job is a thinking job. Regardless of what the job is — whether it’s boxing, athletics, medicine, carpentry, or anything else-what we do is not merely physical work. It involves thinking. If you lack the ability to think about the work you are doing, you may be physically prepared, but without the mental capability, you won’t be able to succeed. God enabled Bezalel to have a mental grasp of what he was about to do. Remember, God is a spirit. He gives Moses instructions, and Bezalel is not there. Moses goes to inform Bezalel, «This is what God says we should do. No one has seen it before; no one has an idea. You should be able to conceptualize it and think about it.» The capacity to mentally wrap your mind around an idea is wisdom. So, it involves technical competence and also the mental capacity to hold an idea.
Thirdly, God says, «I’ve given him knowledge.» The Hebrew word translated as knowledge signifies mastery -mastery over something. Bezalel will have three things that enable him to execute God’s assignment: technical skill and competence, the mental ability to comprehend it, and mastery of what he is about to do. When we say we are walking in wisdom, especially regarding getting things done -considering wisdom not just in terms of philosophy and discussion but as wisdom that accomplishes requires technical competence. It necessitates the mental capacity to control what we possess and demands that we are masters of what we do. This is how wisdom ensures excellence in execution. I believe the same God who anointed Bezalel with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge is your God, and He will also anoint you with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge for the assignments He has called you to complete.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, anoint me for my assignment. I receive wisdom, understanding, and knowledge for success in Jesus' name. Amen. And amen.»