God designated Bezalel from the tribe of Judah and Oholiab from the tribe of Dan to take the lead in constructing Israel's tabernacle in the wilderness, empowering these two men for their task (Ex 31:1-11).
God also had a special calling for the Israelites as a group: to be witnesses to the world that he is the supreme, incomparable Creator and Ruler of the Universe (Isa 43:10,12).
Often the Israelites fell short in this mission. Shortly after entering into covenant with God at Mount Sinai, they constructed a golden calf and fell into idolatry (Ex 32). Later, in Isaiah's time, the people of Judah are described as spiritually blind and deaf (Isa 43:8).
But God would not give up on them. Judah's unfaithfulness would lead to their exile in Babylon (vv 22- 28), but God would not leave them there. He would bring them out in a new and greater Exodus and transform them through his Spirit (Isa 43:16-21; 44:1-5). Then they would be powerful witnesses for him.
Incidentally, one can argue that God's patience and faithfulness as expressed in Isa 43-44 and elsewhere are evidence that he did not seriously intend to wipe out the Israelites at Sinai in Exodus 32:9-10. Instead, he may have been preparing Moses to face what awaited him at the foot of the mountain.
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