Throughout God’s Word, we read about people He used for various purposes—from the obscure but effective judge Shamgar (Judges 3:31; 5:6) to the humble yet powerful apostle Paul.
In the book of Exodus, Moses introduces a man named Oholiab to readers of the Bible. Who was this man, and why is he mentioned in Scripture?
Where Does the Bible Mention Oholiab?
The Bible’s first reference to Oholiab occurs in Exodus 31:6 concerning God’s instructions to Moses to assign Bezalel a creative, supervisory position in the construction of the tabernacle—namely its furnishings, utensils, and the garments for its attending priests. The passage says, “And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you…”
Oholiab is further mentioned in Exodus 35:34, 36:1,2, and 38:23 regarding his role as Bezalel’s assistant/co-worker.
What Work Does Oholiab Do for the Tabernacle?
God gave Moses detailed instructions for His tabernacle, which He would fill with His glory (Exodus 40:34-35). Because God is holy, holy, holy (Isaiah 6:3), any structure He chose to “inhabit” must be as perfect as man can make it. It would take a supernatural act of God to see that His tabernacle would be constructed in the exact manner befitting His majesty and holiness.
Oholiab, therefore, was supernaturally given the skill as “an engraver and designer and embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen” (Exodus 38:23b). In the Bible’s reference to Oholiab within the context of Bezalel, it infers Oholiab was in the manner of a co-worker or assistant beside him, and before the Bible gives Oholiab’s skillset, it says, “and with him (Bezalel) was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan” (Exodus 38:23a).
This look at Oholiab’s lineage is important because it affirms his qualification to work on the temple. He was of one of the twelve tribes of Israel—the tribe of Dan.
Scripture, however, tells us God chose Bezalel of the tribe of Judah and filled him with the Holy Spirit to fashion the furnishings for the tabernacle. He appointed Oholiab of the tribe of Dan to assist Bezalel. Two men from two different tribes—one from the lineage from whom Jesus would come and the other from a smaller clan from whom Samson the judge came (Judges 13:2, 5, 24). Bezalel was chosen first, and then Oholiab. Since the Spirit brings His fruit to those whom He indwells (Galatians 5:22-23), we can assume the working relationship between all the tabernacle artisans was peaceful and productive.
God filled Bezalel with the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit gave skills to Oholiab. His function as an assistant to Bezalel and his creative responsibilities were outlined in Exodus 31:8-11. He and the other skilled men were to make “the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”
God equipped them specifically for the work He required of them. Given the detailed list, one knows it would take God’s Holy Spirit to enable them to construct each elaborate element. The Holy Spirit gave each worker the skills to complete their tasks.
Can Oholiab Be Considered an Artist?
By any standard, Oholiab can be considered a creative artist. Any human with creative faculties may be deemed an artist. When we consider our own artistry, what do we have that we don’t receive by the grace of God? His very creation fuels the imaginations of almost every human (Psalm 19). But Christians, having the Helper—the Holy Spirit—see God’s creation by the light only His Spirit can give. Oholiab was just as much an artist as we are in that he was led directly by the Lord in his creative work.
What Does Ohaliab’s Work Teach Us about Creativity?
The Bible tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24). God appointed Oholiab to help create something beautiful and radiant, reflecting His beauty.
We should do everything we are given stewardship over for God’s glory—including our creative skills. Furthermore, we should share the why of our creative endeavors with people so they may know from Whom and to Whom we carry our talents.
The workings done by Bezalel and Oholiab and all the other skilled workers must have been breathtaking to behold—especially since they received detailed, Spirit-led instructions. They worked for God’s delight. John 15:16 says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you.”
Jesus has chosen and appointed even us (Christians) to bear abiding fruit for His kingdom, so the world will know He is the Lord. Anything we design—from artwork pointing to our Father to a dozen chocolate chip cookies we give a neighbor to share Christ’s love—displays the fruit of the Spirit. When we create, we add the Gospel so people know why we create.
God is the ultimate Creator; we are made in His image and share some of His communicable attributes. One of them is creativity. We don’t create something from nothing (ex nihilo) as God did in Genesis 1:1, but we do make things out of the creativity he gave us, emulating his creative capacities.
Anything we “create,” beautiful as it is, can only hint at the glory of God. We can make many kinds of art—painting, writing, music, even a beautiful garment or a house. Whatever we do, we can use our creativity to proclaim who we are in Christ.
Who Are Some Modern Creatives Glorifying God with Their Skills?
Many Christian artists proclaim the glory of God through various mediums. For example, Makoto Fujimura is a Christian painter and writer. In his book, Art and Faith, he says, “May we steward well what the Creator King has given us, and accept God’s invitation to sanctify our imagination and creativity, even as we labor hard on this side of eternity.”
Filmmakers serving God include the Act One Program, which describes their goal as to “train and equip storytellers to create works of truth, goodness and beauty.”
Music plays a huge role in our culture. Many songwriters and musicians write and perform music that glorifies the Lord. One of the best sources for hymns and praise songs is Sovereign Grace Music, whose strengths include “over 35 years of producing Christ-exalting songs and training for the church from our local churches.”
God has given us several examples in Scripture of people He enabled to create for His glory. Oholiab is just one. As you read about others in the Bible, take note of people like Lydia, a seller of purple goods who “was a worshiper of God.” The Bible doesn’t describe the purple goods, but we can imagine how she honored the Lord with fine quality.
Our creative undertakings may be considered our work. As we read earlier from Colossians, we must work with all our hearts for God. Our eternal rewards will come in heaven, but God can also reward us here.
“Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank” (Proverbs 22:29).
God indeed values skill and creativity.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/yunava1
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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