The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Happiness, Your Heritage,” October 2008 general conference
In conjunction with a new moral code, God put the newly-freed Israelites to work creating something new. “Of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering,” He instructed Moses. Then, He listed some of the materials they would need, much of which the children of Israel had only recently acquired when their captors sent them away: “gold, and silver, and brass, … and fine linen, … shittim wood, … spices for anointing oil, … onyx stones” (Exodus 25:3-7; see also Exodus 35:5-9; Exodus 12:35-36). Many years later, Nephi would follow a similar pattern as he established a new city:
I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.
And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.
2 Nephi 5:15-16
Solomon’s temple was in turn modeled after the tabernacle, so Nephi’s building project was following a tradition which stretched back to the wilderness at Sinai.
All of these offerings were wonderful, but they had to be organized by someone who knew what they were doing. Moses announced to the children of Israel that God had called a man named Bezaleel to lead the work of building the tabernacle. He explained to them that God had “filled [Bezaleel] with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (Exodus 35:31). He also called several other artisans with similar talents to help Bezaleel.
The name Bezaleel, or Betsalel (בְּצַלְאֵל) means “in the shadow of God.” This is a fitting name for the builder of a tabernacle which would be covered by a cloud representing the glory of God (Exodus 40:34-38). It’s also fitting for a man who would never achieve widespread name recognition like Moses. His role was to execute the vision God had given to Moses, and he did so very well, without needing to come out of the shadow.
The first challenge Bezaleel’s team encountered was a surplus of materials. “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work,” they said to Moses (Exodus 36:5). So Moses had to tell the people to stop giving.
And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
Exodus 36:6-7
It’s easy to relate. When there is a genuine need, and a large number of people have the ability to help, there is always the risk of overwhelming the problem with excessive, unorganized offerings. As difficult as it may be, sometimes our generosity needs to be restrained. As King Benjamin cautioned his people, all giving should be “done in wisdom and order” (Mosiah 4:27).
When the tabernacle was complete, Moses examined it and approved it, just as God had approved the work each day during the Creation:
And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
Exodus 39:43
Nephi used similar language to describe his family’s reaction after they had completed their ship:
After I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.
1 Nephi 18:4
A well-crafted tabernacle or ship can fill us with a sense of wonder, even if we were the ones who built it.
Today I will create intentionally, recruiting help as needed, investing in wisdom and order, and pausing to celebrate the finished work.