Exodus 31 verses 1 down to verse 5. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name Bazaliel, 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, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set them in the carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. Amen. We know the Lord will add his blessing to the reading of his word. There are two passages in which Basaliel is mentioned for service here in chapter 31, where we learn that these are God's words to Moses concerning this man, Basaliel. And then also in Exodus chapter 35 verses 20 to 29 are Moses' words to the children of Israel about what God said about Basalia. And so there are those two occasions that are special in the word of God and I just highlight that point to you. Exodus 31. God tells Moses about Basaliel, here is the man. And then whenever Moses now brings God's work before the people, in Exodus chapter 35, and he tells them here's what God wants us to build the tabernacle, and here is how God wants the work to be done, Moses then tells the people, here is the man. that God has put before you, as in to oversee the building program, who will be responsible to Moses, who will be responsible to God, and that is Basaliel. We noticed last time that his name has several meanings. It means under the shadow of the Almighty, or protection, and taking the name symbolically, we considered that this man lived in the presence, in the power, and in the praise of God. It is the Lord who singled out this man, as he does any man, for service. The Bible tells us in Psalm 4, verse 3, But know that the Lord has set apart him that is godly for himself. In fact, in looking at the life of Basaliel and taking everything that is said about him in the two passages and the work that he is involved with, we can use the words that are spoken about Elisha in 2 Kings 4, verse 9. Behold, I perceive this day, and holy man of God, which path is by us continually. And you can apply those words to the life of Basaliel. As he labored in the work, as he organized the various work programs, there was a man passing by the people daily, a man who was a holy man of God. Among the congregation of Israel, Basaliel lived by example. He's a man who trusts and obeys the Lord. He's a man who would come to do God's work, God's way. And Moses instructs the people. as given by God. Here is the man that has been chosen, the chief craftsman in building the foundation, the framework and the furniture of the tabernacle. The man who will gather together all the workers and tell them what needs to be done and where needs to go where with regards to building the tabernacle. So God give Moses the tabernacle pattern. Here's what I want to be built. Here's the way I want it to be built. And then Moses tells the people, here's what God wants to be built. And here's the way God wants this tabernacle to be built. And Basaliel is the man chosen to oversee that work. So he's a wonderful man of scripture and many lessons to look forward to. And we made the point last time, it's the same with God's work. God tells the preacher the message to bring forth on the Lord's day. And then the preacher conveys that message to the people and how to serve and how to live for the Lord. And later on, we will see when we come to our final message on Basaliel and we bring the messages regarding the people in the congregation, you will see what is special, that whenever Moses brought the message of God, we read, of the people together both men and women who came to do the work of God. That's a wonderful statement but we'll get there on another occasion. Today as we look at the second message of Basaliel there's two points I want to leave with you. The first point is Basaliel was a man appointed for a particular work. Basaliel was appointed for a particular work. Chapter 31 verses 1 and 2. The Lord spake on to Moses saying, See I have called by name Basaliel the son of Uri the son of Ur of the tribe of Judah. Now we dealt with those words last time in great detail but There was a point in Basali El's life, though not recorded, but he was called by the Lord out of sin. He was called into the glorious liberty of the gospel. And the point I'm making here, the Lord calls sinners to salvation for a purpose to serve him. He turns a sinful people into serving people. When he saves sinners, he then appoints them into his work. And we must realize that, child of God, you who are saved today, you've been bought with a price. You are not your own. God has saved you by his beloved son in order to serve him, to live for him. And in saving your soul, He has given you a work to do. There's no Christian that has nothing to do for God. If you have nothing to do, it's because you make yourself redundant. God has saved you with a holy purpose to serve Him. Again, Isaiah 43 verse 1, fear not. For I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name, thou art mine." Jeremiah 1, verses 4 and 5, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee. And before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. And the word ordained means to place, to set, to appoint. Remember the Lord Jesus regarding his own chosen people in saving a people and calling that people out in John chapter 15 verse 16. Ye have not chosen me. But I have chosen you. There is justification. There is salvation. If it was up to ourselves by nature, we would never have chosen the Lord in salvation. Because we love our sin. We love the tense of our sin. We love the pleasures of our sin. We never would have sought the Lord. We never would have chosen Him. That's why the Bible says, you have not chosen me, I have chosen you. You're saved because I have chosen you. You've been brought out of sin because I have chosen you. Now notice why. "...and ordained you, appointed you, that ye should go forth and bring forth fruit." So the Lord saves His people for them to serve Him. He set apart Jeremiah and others in salvation and in service. How do they know this? How do you know that God has saved you to serve? How do I know that? How am I just making this up? Preacher, but surely I'm saved. I'm going to heaven. That's good enough for me. Let me live my life the way I want to live it. I'm not worried about coming to church maybe an odd day and different things like that and maybe speaking about the Lord an odd time, but I'm going to heaven. That should be enough. How do you know that? That God actually has saved me to serve him. Well, because the Lord said Himself. Because those words, the Lord spoke to His people. He communicated His word. In forgiving sin, the Lord has a particular work for you to do. Again, we learned this morning, whenever the Lord saved Saul of Tarsus, and called him out of darkness. The Bible says in Acts chapter 9 verse 15, for he is a chosen vessel unto me. Why? To bear my name before the Gentiles and the Kings and the children of Israel. And so the Lord's purpose in saving Saul for his own glory was to use that man for the furtherance of the gospel, to shed abroad the glorious light for the saving of sinners. Now at that stage, Paul didn't know God's purpose and plan for his life. But the Lord revealed that. We learn in Acts chapter 22 verse 14, Paul records in his testimony, And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou, notice, should know his will, and see that the just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. And we learn, don't we, that the Lord had set Paul apart for the preaching of the gospel. Mark those words, that thou shouldest know his will. Child of God, it is God's will that you know his will. He has saved you to know what you ought to do. And if you don't know what you ought to be doing, it's because we're not in the word of God. God has revealed his will through his word. God reveals his will to you through his word. You want to know what God wants you to do, you will find it in his word. And God's word, or God's will, is revealed both generally and particularly for all believers. His will is generally revealed in how we can glorify him and enjoy him. And these are things that we don't need to pray about. Rather, these are things to obey. For instance, you know every morning you ought to brush your teeth. You don't have to be told that. You know you need to brush your teeth. Maybe you do need to be told, I don't know, but you know these are things you need to do. You get up and make your bed, get washed, get dressed. These are things you know to do. And so for the Christian, I don't need to pray. Lord, do I read your Bible? Do I read your word? I don't need to pray that. That is something the child of God does. We read God's word. Praying, I don't need to pray to Lord, should I talk to you today in prayer? Lord, should I come to church on Sunday to hear your word? These are things we don't need to pray about, evangelizing the lost, because these are commands in Scripture that we ought to be doing every day, living for God. We read the Bible, because that's God's Word for our lives. That's what God wants us to do. And then we talk to God about His Word. We pray about what the Lord would have us to do. And then we live for him, we glorify him, as he said, go into all the world and preach the gospel. So we evangelize, we give the gospel and we invite people under the word of God. But there is God's particular will and that is not the same for all believers. Some he calls in the Bible college, some he calls to public ministering, some he calls to foreign lands like St. Paul and Barnabas, or to a particular role of employment, maybe a business owner like Joseph the carpenter, or like Boaz who was in charge of many fields, maybe a teacher like Ezra, maybe a builder like Noah, maybe in the medical field like Luke, or maybe into government office like Joseph, like David, Deborah, maybe to work outdoors like Ruth, maybe to work with clothes or in the clothes industry or different things like the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31, or to have many skills as we've noted from this man Basaliel. And so God saves sinners and he appoints his people to serve him. He has a general will to read his word, to pray, to serve him, but then particularly he places us in different areas around the world in life to serve him for his own honour and his own glory. And just as he appointed the work for the tabernacle and the preparing of it and the making of it, so God had his own people. And the only way to know God's particular will for your life, what God wants you to do, is when you obey His word or His will generally for your life. When you're reading His word, when you're praying, when you're seeking Him. then you will know what God wants you to do. Again, Psalm 32 verse 8. What did the Lord say? I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye. We see this illustrated whenever God would appoint a new king over Israel. And this was made known to Samuel the prophet. You remember in 1 Samuel chapter 16, God told Samuel to fill his horn with oil and go, and I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite. for I have provided me a king among his sons." And so Samuel did that which the Lord had spoken. Now notice the words, the Lord spoke, that which the Lord spoke. So here is God's word to Samuel. Remember, They didn't have the copy of the scriptures as we have today. And so they heard the audible voice of God. We today don't go by dreams and illusions and elevations and all these things. We have the word of God. So anything that God speaks to you about is by his word, the Bible, the written word of God. But in the Bible times, when they had not got the full copy of the word of God, God spoke audibly. But still the same principle, it's by the word of the Lord. And so the Lord told Samuel, go to the house of Jesse. And verse 3 of 1 Samuel 16, I will show thee, notice, what thou shalt do. And thou shalt anoint, notice, unto him whom I name unto thee. Now that's pretty clear. Samuel, go to Jesse's house. The next king of Israel will be there, but you are only to anoint the one who I tell you. No one else. It doesn't matter who you think should be anointed. It doesn't matter who anybody else thinks should be anointed. Only anoint who I tell you. And so Jesse goes, and Samuel goes to Jesse's house, and Jesse lines up seven. of his eight children. Now you know the story well, don't you? And they all line up one by one before Samuel. And outwardly, each one looks like they could be the king. Samuel looks on their outward appearance. And he looks on the seven sons. Again, remember, Samuel doesn't know there's eight. He only knows the seven that's before him. And he looks at them. You could be the king. You could be the king. You could be the king. I think you'd be a strong man to be the next king. And so we learn in verse 10, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, the Lord hath not chosen these. Oh to Samuel, they could have been chosen. But God didn't say anything to Samuel. And so Samuel says, God has not chosen these. Remember the words that God told Samuel, the one who I anoint, the one who I tell thee, he is the one who is to anoint. Verse five, thou shalt anoint who I shall tell thee. But the Lord hasn't said anything about these other sons. And so Samuel thinks, well, God has sent me to this house to anoint the next king of Israel. And he's told me that he will tell me which one it is to anoint. And I've got seven men before me, but the Lord hasn't told me about any of them. So either I've got something wrong, God's got something wrong, or Jesse's got something wrong. Now we know God never gets anything wrong. And we know we get some things wrong. But when we listen to the Word of God, then we get things right. That's only when we act in our own accord, we get things wrong. Samuel stuck with the Word of God. And then he asked Jesse, are these all thy children? And then he learns after, well, there's one more son. called David the eighth son. And he's out in the field. He's just a young lad, a small fella. He's tending the sheep. But Samuel says, call him down. And David comes down, and as soon as he comes down, verse 12, Now had Samuel went on his own accord and not listened to the word of God, he would have made a big mistake. But the lesson was, the one who I tell thee, he is the one to anoint. And the lesson is, always stay with the Bible. When you're not sure about something, don't take a whimshot. Don't do what people do today. Get these wee sticks, get someone else to get me two sticks, cut them different shapes or sizes, and I'll pull one, and whatever one is that, that's the way to go. Or any, meeny, miny, moe, this is the way that I should go. No, stay by the Bible. Stay by God's word. He will guide you. He will lead you. He will direct you. And you're in a decision and you don't know what to do. Don't go on your own court because it's something you like. Rather, wait for the Lord and have that peace, no matter how long it takes. Again, we learn in Acts 13, verse 22, when he had about David, we learn that God had chosen him because he was a man after God's own heart. You see, the other brothers, their heart was not right with the Lord, but David's heart was right. Again, Psalm 40, referring to David, but also typifies Christ. David had a delight to do the will of God. And that draws us to Jesus, who had a delight to do the Father's will. And so the Lord is looking for one in this room who has a heart for Him, who delights themself in Him, who dearly strives after Him. A life to be moulded, a life to be shaped. Such a life the Lord will not pass. Whatever God's particular will is for your life, and I want you to grasp this, and I want you to learn this, Whatever God's particular will for your life will be, it will always center upon redemption. When you are saved by the grace of God, your life will never be separated from redemption. Your life now centers upon redemption. Anything God does through you, by you, it's always centering upon redemption. And wherever God places you, whether the medical field, the school field, the political field, the police world, the fire office, wherever it may be, it will always be for you to live out the gospel. You will not have a weekend free where I can set off my Christianity and go out and party with the lads as it's such and then pick up again where I left off after the weekend. It will always center upon redemption. because Christ lived for the Father's glory. We learn in Psalm 89, verse 19, I have exalted one chosen out of the people. Christ was appointed for a particular work. He called it in Luke 2, verse 49, my Father's business. John chapter 6, verse 40, he spoke about it. This is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son believeth on him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day." Basaliel was appointed for a particular work. And so it is, child of God, you too have been appointed for a particular work. to serve the Lord, to live for the Lord, to glorify the Lord in this house. Some have the children's ministry, some the music ministry, the audio ministry, some the office bearer ministry, some the welcome ministry, some the cleaning ministry, some putting things together ministry, some the cooking ministry, whatever ministry you want to mention. There's the toilet ministry, people clean that as well. So many ministries all to be a part of. in the house of God in this house but one of the greatest ministries you have is serving the Lord by being in God's house. Notice finally and briefly Basaliel was anointed for a particular work. Not only was he appointed but he was also anointed. Exodus 31 verse 3 and chapter 35 verse 31 shows that he is a man filled with the Spirit. And so it goes together, the one who is appointed for a particular work, They need an anointing for that work. The preacher, the Sunday school teacher, the office bearer, the deacon, the elder, the welcome ministry, whatever it may be, all need the filling of the Holy Spirit, because when you're filled with the Holy Spirit, it's a life control. The Lord speaking to Moses about Basaliel said in Exodus 31 verse 3, I have filled with the Spirit. So the Lord had anointed him and the Lord had filled him. Notice Exodus 31 verse 2 and 3, I have called by name Basaliel. I have filled him with the Spirit. And so it must be seen in the light of scripture our greatest need as the people of God is to be filled with the Spirit of God. Again Judges chapter 6 verse 34 about Gideon the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. And such believers who serve the Lord at home, at work, anywhere, we need the infilling of the Spirit. The preacher needs the infilling of the Spirit. The customer assistant needs the infilling of the Spirit, because we are ambassadors for the Lord. Again, Paul said in Ephesians 5, verse 18, in speaking to the church, Be ye filled with the Spirit. And that word filled means to be filled full. It means that whenever, there's different ways you can illustrate it, but let me put it like this. Whenever you're cooking in the house, it can be used for aroma, but when you're cooking in the house, this smell, and maybe you close the doors so the smell doesn't go all over the place. You close the doors and it's restricted to one place and it fills that whole room. Maybe it's the whole kitchen. And then someone walks in and goes, oh, it's rice and chicken or rice and fish or whatever it may be. And it tastes so nice because it just, the whole smell fills the place. And again, I'm getting myself set for the next time we have a supper for the church and we hence what to bring. But the point is this here, the smell fills the room. Or I have some fellas in our house who like to go around and go, with all the aftership and just fills the whole house so it does and that's the word that's what this word Phil means when he says be filled the whole room was filled with the odor and that's what it means your whole life is to be controlled by the spirit your mouth controlled by a spirit you'll not be sworn Or we can take other things as well. The eyes controlled by the spirit. Not be looking at things we ought not to be looking at. Our mind controlled by the spirit. But not be thinking of things that we shouldn't be. A life controlled by the spirit. And that's why Paul in chapter 5 makes that comparison about being filled with the spirit and not to be drunk. Because a person who drinks alcohol and then drinks a bit too much and gets drunk. And what happens? You see it on TV. Whenever the police stop someone, what do they do? They do these different tests. They draw a straight line and they tell the person to walk in a straight line and they can't walk in a straight line. Why? Because the alcohol has been an influence in their life. Every part of their life has been influenced by the alcohol. And that's why Paul says, not to be filled with that, but be filled with the Spirit. Have your life controlled by the Spirit. So, Basaliel, interesting, the man who will do the Lord's work is a man filled with the Spirit. Again, you can take time to read chapter 31, verse 3, chapter 35, verse 31, about the works that he would be in full with, the cutting, all those things. He had wisdom given by the Lord, understanding, discernment, everything he needed to carry out the work of God. He knew the filling off the spirit. Remember as well, we've learned things in the tabernacle about the different shapes. Remember the candlestick we learned about? about the mercy seat. We learned as well about the cherubim placed on that mercy seat, and how they look upon the mercy seat, and about the different fabrics that were given, the different colours about the curtains. Everything, Basaliel was all over that. And as the people brought the materials, he hammered. As the people brought the materials, he told them where it must go, and here's what the Lord wants to be done with it. Such a man was filled with the Spirit, because a man who is filled with the Spirit will do God's work God's way. Lord anoints and fills his people to give them the ability to do the work. Interesting to note, 1st Kings, now notice this, 1st Kings chapter 19 verse 16, God told Elijah, to anoint Elisha for the work of the prophet. Exodus 28 verse 41 Aaron and his sons were anointed in the priestly ministry. They would offer prayer, they would offer sacrifice. So the prophet was anointed, the priest was anointed. 1 Samuel chapter 16, we looked at Samuel anointed David. Does anybody want to guess then what David was? The king. David was the king. So there we have prophet, priest, and a king. All three roles. where they were filled, they were anointed and that's symbolically symbolizing the anointing of the spirit because the Lord Jesus Christ as our mediator, as our redeemer, our prophet, our priest and our king was not only appointed for service but he was anointed for service. Luke 4, verse 1, Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost. Acts 10, verse 38, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. Again, on the Sabbath day, he opened up the word of God from Isaiah 61, and we learn in Luke 4, verse 18, he said, the Savior said, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel." And so for the Lord's particular call, his particular mission, he had the Holy Spirit upon him. And therefore, child of God, Everything we do, we need to have the Spirit of God upon us. And there's no telling what the Lord can do through life that is yielded to Him, that is filled with the Holy Spirit. You have a particular role, position, college, school, shop assistant, whatever it may be. You need the Holy Spirit. You need the infilling of the Spirit in order to respond, in order to react to certain situations. Because when we're not filled with the Spirit, that is when we handle things terribly. And we act in ways we ought not to be. Because we were controlled by the flesh. We acted by the flesh, but not by the Spirit. And you will get people who will rub you up the wrong way. Maybe people who come to you may think, well, you know what? I'm a person. I'm retired. I'm a stay-at-home mum. I stay at home. I don't go out to work. I don't see anybody outdoors. I'll be OK. You'll get someone who will come to your door and rub you up the wrong way. And therefore you need to have the Spirit of God to respond. You may be a customer assistant. Listen, I've worked in retail as well. Awkward customers. And you get this phrase, the customer is always right. Well, I've worked with people who said to me, well, I'll change that myself and make sure I'm always right, and different things. And you can have all those arguments. But the point is this. We need to be filled with the Spirit, be controlled, influenced by the Spirit to glorify God. in every situation. So Basaliel was a man, we're only looking at the first two points. He was appointed for a particular work. And you think of the pressure he was under, or would be under, doing that work, building that tabernacle. And then he was anointed for that work. You see, you could be appointed for work, But for that work to be successful, you must be anointed. You want to be the best at your field? Then you need the anointing, because without the Lord, you, we, I can do nothing. And therefore, through the Lord, we can do all things. That's why we were always taught growing up in the Free Presbyterian Church, every day you leave the house, And every time you come to God's house, pray, Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit. Pray for your preacher, Lord, fill my preacher with the Holy Spirit. Because for God's work to be successful, one may be appointed, but if he's not anointed, it will come to nothing. So Vesaliel is a man anointed for service and a man appointed and anointed for service. Next time we will look at the other points for this man and we pray that God will use us mightily and help us in our growth. If anything you've got from this lesson today, this message today, may it be, Lord, I need to be filled with the Spirit. When was the last time you prayed that? Well, if you learn to pray that from this message, then God has blessed you by his word.