In the Book of Zechariah, the Lord spirited Zerubbabel. He, one of the first group of Jews returning from Babylonian Exile, was tasked to rebuild the Temple. In imbuing Zerubbabel, the Lord famously stated: “Not through might or through power, but through My spirit.” Zechariah 4:6.
An individual divine spirited is not a one-time scripture instance. Throughout the Torah and the rest of the Hebrew Bible, certain individuals have been spirited. The Torah Portion Miketz provides an excellent illustration of such an occurrence. While the scripture does not specifically use the words, the text clearly implies it. From this, this post will survey the others from the Torah who were divinely spirited.
The Portion Miketz
Mitketz tells of an imprisoned Joseph. At that point, Joseph- an individual with neither power or might- was an individual seen as a person having spirit.
Joseph
Even before the Portion Miketz, the Torah tells Joseph’s gifts. After being imprisoned, the Torah tells that the Lord was with Joseph. And, “the Lord would make whatever he did successful.” Genesis 39:23. The Prison’s Warden placed the prisoners in Joseph’s hands. Genesis 39:22.
In Miketz, due to Pharaoh’s perplexing dreams and Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, Joseph is summoned by the Pharoah. After Joseph successfully interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams (seven good years followed by seven bad years), the Pharoah commented: “Will we find such a man as this that God’s spirit is in him?” Genesis 41:38. While Joseph’s narrative never states it, he was filled by the Lord’s spirit; even the Pharaoh knew.
The Spirited
Within the Torah, a few individuals received this divine spirit. The Torah documents two other particular moments; one concerned the construction of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle, and the other concerned a leadership crisis.
The initial instance related to the Ark and the Tabernacle’s construction.
Bezalel
With respect to the building of the Ark and Tabernacle, the Torah indicates that Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah was filled by the Lord: “with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in the knowledge and in every kind of work, to form conceptions to make in gold and in silver and in bronze and in cutting stone for setting and in cutting wood- for making things in every kind of work.” Exodus 31:1-15; 35:31.
Beyond valuing craftsmanship, the combination of wisdom, understanding and knowledge was expressed as a powerful equation.
The next reference to spirit came during a leadership crisis.
Moses and the Elders
In the Book of Numbers, after the delivery of manna to the people, they become malcontents. Because of , the Lord is infuriated by them. Moses in turn indicates that it is too heavy of burden upon himself to carry the load of handling all of the people.
In response to Moses and to avert a complete meltdown of the Exodus project, the Lord tells him: “Gather to me seventy men from Israel’s elders who you’ve known because they’re the elders and its officers, and you’ll take them back to the Tent of Meeting, and they’ll stand up there with you. And I’ll come down and speak with you there, and I’ll take some of the spirit hat is on you and I’ll set it on them, and they’ll carry the burden of the people with you.” Numbers 11:16-17.
Conclusion
Spirit, in the Torah, truly is not something of might or power. It is about individuals involved in varying tasks. For Joseph, it was both in prison administration as well as dream interpretation. He would then be assigned by the Pharaoh to run Egypt. For Bezalel, it was in craftsmanship. He was to build holy structures. For Moses and the Elders, it was in leadership; the shepherding of a large and stubborn populace. Miketz’ Biblical Literacy Moment revealed how divinely acquired spirit within the Torah was used to serve diverse purposes.
Be well!!
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