Enduring Work: Part I

King Solomon had just given his inauguration speech when he decided to publicly worship God. However, the tabernacle and altar weren’t in Jerusalem where Solomon lived and wished to worship.

Approximately 440 years before Solomon became king, a craftsman named Bezalel had been charged by God to build the altar, the ark, and most elements inside the tabernacle.

2 Chronicles 1:5 says, “But the bronze altar that Bezalel of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon in front of the tabernacle of the Lord; so Solomon and the assembly inquired of him there. (NIV)

The altar that Bezalel made survived 40 years in the desert and hundreds of additional years of use at the tabernacle. Bezalel’s work endured 440 years! In the following verses, King Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings. The king of the Jews selected Bezalel’s altar to worship. He was in a position to have the very best of all the resources in the country, and his altar of choice for not only himself but future generations was Bezalel’s.

In this series, we will discuss Bezalel’s attributes that made his work so enduring and worthy of a place in the temple.

Questions For Reflection

• What does enduring mean? In what ways do you want your work to be more enduring? In what aspects of your life do desire more endurance?
• Why is it important that your work endure? What is necessary about your work? Who will benefit from the endurance of your work?