The Bible in Art: The Old Testament

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We pride ourselves on only offering the highest quality wall art, we know you will love them. Sometimes though, there can be situations where products need to be returned. We aim to help you get through those times as painlessly as possible. Scripture engagement through art assists in your spiritual development by letting you share in the wealth of insights God has already given to others. The reintroduction of fairy tales to my redeemed imagination helped me to see the Maker, his Word, and the abounding human (but sometimes Spirit-commanded) tales as inter-connected. It was like holding the intricate crystal of Scripture up to the light, seeing it lovely and complete, then discovering on the sidewalk a spray of refracted colors. The colors aren’t Scripture, nor are they the light behind it. Rather, they’re an expression of the truth, born of the light beyond, framed by the prism of revelation, and given expression on solid ground.”

Biblical images are not just for those who cannot read, however. Images connect with our emotions and can convey deep truths. We have a faith that includes our minds and our emotions. Images can be powerful triggers to help us both remember the stories and truths of the Bible and to be motivated toward obedience. Jesus often used varieties of figures of speech (e.g., parables, metaphors, and similes) to convey his message. The Bible describes God in the abstract (holy, eternal, infinite, etc.), but it more often describes him using powerful and emotion-filled images (Father, King, Friend, Master, Warrior, etc.). Visual art—including stained glass, sculptures, and paintings—was incredibly important in the Middle Ages when most people were illiterate. Reading the Bible was unavailable except to the upper classes (who were more likely to be literate). But as artists used their gifts in visual arts to tell the stories, the biblical account became available to everyone. Biblical art was known as biblia paupernum or “the Bible of the poor.” and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.” Exodus 35:31-33 NKJVNow the weight of gold which came in to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, besides that from the traders and the wares of the merchants and all the kings of the Arabs and the governors of the country. King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of gold on each large shield. read more. Of course, not all biblical art is created equal, and there have been many controversies and debates over the centuries regarding the appropriateness of certain depictions of biblical stories. Some artists have pushed the boundaries of what is considered acceptable, such as Caravaggio's gritty and realistic portrayals of biblical figures or Salvador Dali's surreal and dreamlike interpretations of the Last Supper. To embrace the fact that art is not limited to a canvas or clay is to free ourselves from those opinions which seek only to hinder and distract us from our God-given purpose. What Does the Bible Say about Sacred and Secular Art? When we are filled with the Spirit of God, we are also full of wisdom and intelligence and ready for what He's called us to. Here, Paul faced a dilemma: it would benefit him to pass on and enjoy the brilliance of heaven, but he knew it wasn’t all about him and what he wanted (see Phil. 1:24). He loved the people around him and remained strong and steadfast in his service to them.

remember that one holy way of mending the world is to sing, to write, to paint, to weave new worlds. Because the seed of your feeble-yet-faithful work fell to the ground, died, and rose again, what Christ has done through you will call forth praise from lonesome travelers long after your name is forgotten. They will know someone lived and loved there.” 4 Lessons We Can Learn from Artists in the Bible Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.” Exodus 28:3 NIV We’re frustrated when the drive-thru line moves too slow because it’s taking more time than we expected. Solomon the son of David established himself in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great. Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to all the leaders in all Israel, the heads of fathers' houses. And Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon, for the tent of meeting of God, which Moses the servant of the Lord had made in the wilderness, was there. (But David had brought up the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.) Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, had made, was there before the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the assembly sought it out. ... Suggest a Verse Enter a Verse Reference (e.g., John 3:16-17) We are created in God’s image ( Genesis 1:27); because of this, we too are wired to create and desire a sanctified imagination. N.T. Wright reflects on how we can use art to heal the world and rethink about the future God has in store for us.

The highest-quality paintings, music, food, and statues all take time to create, sometimes a single piece of artwork takes years to complete. Hone your skills and watch expectantly.My favorite part of Bezalel‘s story started years before he was named the chief artisan for building the Tabernacle. He wasn’t raised in a privileged home with every resource at his fingertips. Bezalel honed his craft while a slave in Egypt. He couldn’t have known then how God was preparing him for a major role in history, as well as being the first person mentioned in the Bible to be filled with the spirit of God. Our responsibility is to show up and do the work required to sharpen the skills God has given us, trusting He will use them for His glory, whether we see those results or not.

The priestly garments that Aaron wore were nothing short of a work of art. Other verses in Exodus chapter 28 tell us that Aaron's robes were woven together with the finest linens and different colored yarns. Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. He was a widow's son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work. He fashioned the two pillars of bronze; eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of both. read more. From his birth, David knew that Solomon was the one who was commanded to build the house of the Lord. Solomon knew that this would be no small project, and he needed to find the right people for the job. That doesn’t mean all of us will be skillful metal workers or jewelers. You don’t need to learn how to carve all kinds of wood or paint canvases. Ouspensky, Léonide, and Vladimir Lossky. The Meaning of Icons. 3d ed. Translated by G. E. H. Palmer and E. Kadloubovsky. Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1989.One specific example of God using an artist is found in Exodus 35:30-35 where God called the artist Bezalel and filled him with his Spirit and with wisdom and understanding to make the tabernacle beautiful. The artwork that Bezalel and other artists created was commanded by God and became part of the center of Israel’s worship. There were engraved stones, cords of fabric, and gold woven in. The task of making this was a challenge fit only for these artists who had the wisdom of the Lord. Since art is often complicated and takes time to understand, it can help you slow down and meditate on a passage. In the presence of the Holy Spirit, you can combine a piece of art and the inspired words of the Bible, helping you to encounter the God of the Bible in a new way. If you read about Solomon’s building of the temple, you will get a glimpse of how majestic and glorious every detail was.

When we’re doing anything, our primary focus can’t be to impress people or make ourselves the center of attention. While we work, we need to invest ourselves in what we’re doing and be uncompromising in quality. Moses was speaking to skilled craftsmen who were gifted by God to create garments. These aren’t just normal clothes. This breathtaking building project took seven years to complete and many thousands of workers who had the gift of craftsmanship. Now the weight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, besides that which the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, using 600 shekels of beaten gold on each large shield. read more. Later, in 1 Kings 6, we see Solomon creating a temple for the Lord. In verse 4, “artistic frames” were made for the house. This reinforces the fact that God does desire beauty and likes to be surrounded by it. If Solomon did not think that God was glorified by beauty, he would never have taken the trouble to create “artistic” window frames. Again, in Song of Solomon, the beauty of the bride is compared to “the work of the hands of an artist” (7:1). God is the creator; He is the artist whose hands create beauty. It follows that any beauty we create is glorifying to God, our creator.He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV Kidd, Judith A. Behind the Image: Understanding the Old Testament in Medieval Art. Oxford and New York: Peter Lang, 2014. This scripture also shows us how we should use the artistic gifts that God gives us. The artists could’ve used their skills for their benefit and created their own eccentric robes rather than the priests. Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father." 2 Chronicles 2:13-14 ESV