The first mention of art in the Bible is in Exodus 31. God is instructing Moses to create a tent for the ark of the covenant, and God mentions several artisans whom He has chosen to create “artistic designs” to beautify the tent. God says, “In the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill.” We learn two things about God’s view of art in this passage: He likes it, and He is the source of it. He wants man to create beautiful things, and their skill in doing so is from Him. According to the Old Testament, God created the world in seven days. Much Christian art, however, focuses on the final creation of man. One iconic image has come to exemplify the divine creation of humanity: Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam (1511–12), the central motif in the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Although it has become one of the most parodied motifs in art history, the fresco’s incredible singularity stems from its emotionally charged imagining of the moment God, unusually represented in human form, gives life to mankind via Adam’s outstretched fingertips. To a contemporary audience, the biblical narratives that appear in Western art from the Middle Ages through the modern era can appear impenetrably obscure. The ubiquity of New and Old Testament images in art originates from the need to visually illustrate and spiritually inspire largely illiterate audiences in an emotional—rather than intellectual—manner. 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. 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?

If you read about Solomon’s building of the temple, you will get a glimpse of how majestic and glorious every detail was. Other popular subjects of biblical art include the stories of the Old Testament, such as David and Goliath, the parting of the Red Sea, and the creation of the world. These stories have inspired some of the most memorable and powerful images in the history of art, from the epic landscapes of the Hudson River School to the dynamic and emotional sculptures of Auguste Rodin. 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. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul explains that he desires to go to heaven, but he must stay on earth to benefit other people.

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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.). 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. 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.

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. Our work is for people around us to enjoy and an opportunity to point them towards Jesus Christ, who is our source. Throughout the Bible, God works with people as vessels to reveal who He is. Howes, Graham. The Art of the Sacred: An Introduction to the Aesthetics of Art and Belief. London: I.B. Tauris, 2007.Proverbs 16:2 says the LORD weighs our motives. Eve took the fruit because, in her heart, she wanted to be like God and since that first bite, every human has fallen prey to the same lie at some point. 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 David observes in Psalm 19:1 that the heavens declare God’s glory, the skies proclaiming his handiwork. We reveal His glory, as do the heavens and skies and all of God’s creation. Everything was created with purpose but also with pleasure. Does the Bible Verse about No Graven Images Mean No Art?

When our alarm goes off we have a schedule full of meetings, work, a 30-minute lunch break, phone calls, and more. It never ends. Oftentimes, the best ingredient to a work of art is patience. It’s easy to neglect this principle. We live in a world that’s running on a strict schedule.

After Moses delivers the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, he receives the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. Descending from the mountain, Moses discovers that his people have created a false idol to worship, and he smashes the stone tablets in anger. This overwrought moment is often depicted as a stormy scene with smoke and fire. Rembrandt van Rijn’s Moses Breaking the Tablets of the Law (1659) isolates the bearded patriarch within a closely cropped frame, the tablets held above his head, ready to crash down. The muted palette and Moses’s resigned expression serve as intimate counterpoints to the oncoming violence of his reproach.