Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 38:1

And he made the altar of burnt offering [of] shittim wood: five cubits [was] the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; [it was] foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.

1. the altar of burnt offering ] for distinction from the altar of incense (Exo 37:25-28). In Exo 27:1 ‘the altar’ simply. See introd. to chs. 30 31 (p. 329).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 7. (Exo 27:1-8 a). The altar of burnt offering. In vv. 4, 5 there are some changes of order: Exo 27:8 b is not repeated.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

For Exo 38:1-7 and Exo 38:9-20 see the notes to Exo. 27.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXXVIII

Bezaleel makes the altar of burnt-offering, 1-7.

He makes the laver and its foot out of the mirrors given

by the women, 8.

The court, its pillars, hangings, c., 9-20.

The whole tabernacle and its work finished by Bezaleel,

Aholiab, and their assistants, 21-23.

The amount of the gold contributed, 24.

The amount of the silver, and how it was expended, 25-28.

The amount of the brass, and how this was used, 29-31.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXVIII

Verse 1. The altar of burnt-offering] See Clarke on Ex 27:1 and for its horns, pots, shovels, basins, &c., see the meaning of the Hebrew terms explained, Ex 27:3-5.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

1. the altar of burnt offeringTherepetitions are continued, in which may be traced the exactconformity of the execution to the order.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Ver. 1-7. And he made the altar of burnt offering,…. That is, Bezaleel made it, or it was made by his direction, he having the care and oversight of it, wherefore the making of it is ascribed to him, 2Ch 1:5 the account of this, its horns, vessels, rings, and staves, is carried on to Ex 38:2 of which

[See comments on Ex 27:1] [See comments on Ex 27:2] [See comments on Ex 27:3] [See comments on Ex 27:4] [See comments on Ex 27:5] [See comments on Ex 27:6] [See comments on Ex 27:7] [See comments on Ex 27:8].

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Tabernacle and Its Furniture.

B. C. 1491.

      1 And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.   2 And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.   3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.   4 And he made for the altar a brazen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.   5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.   6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.   7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.   8 And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking-glasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

      Bezaleel having finished the gold-work, which, though the richest, yet was ordered to lie most out of sight, in the tabernacle itself, here goes on to prepare the court, which lay open to the view of all. Two things the court was furnished with, and both made of brass:–

      I. An altar of burnt-offering, v. 1-7. On this all their sacrifices were offered, and it was this which, being sanctified itself for this purpose by the divine appointment, sanctified the gift that was in faith offered on it. Christ was himself the altar to his own sacrifice of atonement, and so he is to all our sacrifices of acknowledgment. We must have an eye to him in offering them, as God has in accepting them.

      II. A laver, to hold water for the priests to wash in when they went in to minister, v. 8. This signified the provision that is made in the gospel of Christ for the cleansing of our souls from the moral pollution of sin by the merit and grace of Christ, that we may be fit to serve the holy God in holy duties. This is here said to be made of the looking-glasses (or mirrors) of the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle.

      1. It should seem these women were eminent and exemplary for devotion, attending more frequently and seriously at the place of public worship than others did; and notice is here taken of it to their honour. Anna was such a one long afterwards, who departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day, Luke ii. 37. It seems in every age of the church there have been some who have thus distinguished themselves by their serious zealous piety, and they have thereby distinguished themselves; for devout women are really honourable women (Acts xiii. 50), and not the less so for their being called, by the scoffers of the latter days, silly women. Probably these women were such as showed their zeal upon this occasion, by assisting in the work that was now going on for the service of the tabernacle. They assembled by troops, so the word is; a blessed sight, to see so many, and those so zealous and so unanimous, in this good work.

      2. These women parted with their mirrors (which were of the finest brass, burnished for that purpose) for the use of the tabernacle. Those women that admire their own beauty, are in love with their own shadow, and make the putting on of apparel their chief adorning by which they value and recommend themselves, can but ill spare their looking-glasses; yet these women offered them to God, either, (1.) In token of their repentance for the former abuse of them, to the support of their pride and vanity; now that they were convinced of their folly, and had devoted themselves to the service of God at the door of the tabernacle, they thus threw away that which, though lawful and useful in itself, yet had been an occasion of sin to them. Thus Mary Magdalene, who had been a sinner, when she became a penitent wiped Christ’s feet with her hair. Or, (2.) In token of their great zeal for the work of the tabernacle; rather than the workmen should want brass, or not have of the best, they would part with their mirrors, though they could not do well without them. God’s service and glory must always be preferred by us before any satisfactions or accommodations of our own. Let us never complain of the want of that which we may honour God by parting with.

      3. These mirrors were used for the making of the laver. Either they were artfully joined together, or else molten down and cast anew; but it is probable that the laver was so brightly burnished that the sides of it still served for mirrors, that the priests, when they came to wash, might there see their faces, and so discover the spots, to wash them clean. Note, In the washing of repentance, there is need of the looking-glass of self-examination. The word of God is a glass, in which we may see our own faces (see Jam. i. 23); and with it we must compare our own hearts and lives, that, finding out our blemishes, we may wash with particular sorrow, and application of the blood of Christ to our souls. Usually the more particular we are in the confession of sin the more comfort we have in the sense of the pardon.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

EXODUS – CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Verses 1-7:

When the work on the tabernacle itself was completed, the workmen turned their attention to exterior of the structure. The pattern for the brazen (copper, bronze) altar and its appurtenances is given in Ex 27:1-8. In Ex 27:3, the word “pans” occurs. In the present text, the word is “pots,” which is the more accurate rendering. It denotes buckets or scuttles used to carry the ashes from the altar to the ash-heap.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

1. And he made the altar of burnt-offering. The purport of this chapter is the same as that of the last, except that the order of some parts of it is transposed, though not a word is changed. He begins with the altar of burnt-offering, which he states to have been made of the materials and the form prescribed by God, in order that the people might there offer with surer confidence their sacrifices for the expiation of sin, and for thanksgiving. One thing which had not been mentioned before, is here added respecting the laver of brass, or cauldron ( concha,) from whence they took the water of sprinkling for expiation, viz., that this laver was ornamented with the mirrors of the women. Some explain this, (298) that the vessel was so bright that it might be easily discovered on every side whether there was any scandalous, or wanton, or indelicate act committed; for we know that impure and ungodly men sometimes conceal their iniquities under the cover of religion, even as it; is written that the women who frequented the tabernacle for religious exercises were defiled by the sons of Eli, the priests. ( 1Sa 2:22.) But there is another conjecture equally probable, that these mirrors were dedicated by holy women for the ornament of the Temple, and for sacred purposes; for, whereas women are only too much given to outward adornment and finery, they have been always very fond of mirrors, both for the purpose of painting their cheeks and arranging their hair, so that not a single hair should be out of place. Isaiah, therefore, ( Isa 3:23,) enumerates mirrors amongst the luxuries (299) of the female world. Some, then, think that women, being devoted to God’s service, laid aside this vanity, and consecrated their mirrors in testimony of their repentance. It might, however, have been that, amongst the other gifts before spoken of, they offered mirrors also, which were mounted as embossments in this brasen laver. Others suppose that they were carvings, by which the portraits of females were depicted, as if seen in mirrors. The simple notion is most approved by me, that they were votive offerings, wherewith pious women had desired to decorate the sanctuary, and that they had been applied to this use by the advice of the artificers; for he does not speak generally of all the women, but of those who warred or assembled by troops at the door of the tabernacle; for translators (300) variously explain this word צבא, tzaba, both in this passage and that from Samuel which I have just quoted. It is also applied to the Levites, who are said (301) “to war the warfare” of the sanctuary, whilst performing their appointed work. ( Num 4:3.) Indeed this metaphor is by no means unsuitable to watchings and long-continued prayers. The sum is, that the laver was cast of their materials, or, as I rather suppose, embossed with these mirrors, in order that it might be more splendid.

(298) All the difficulties connected with this matter are set at rest by our increased acquaintance with Egyptian Antiquities. C. , and almost all the earlier commentators, were evidently possessed with the idea that the mirrors of the women were literally looking-glasses; and hence arose the various solutions which are here given, and others which might be added. Sir G. Wilkinson, in his “Popular Account of the Ancient Egyptians,” tells us; — “One of the principal objects of the toilet was the mirror. It was of mixed metal, chiefly copper, most carefully wrought and highly polished; and so admirably did the Egyptians succeed in the composition of metals, that this substitute for our modern looking-glass was susceptible of a lustre which has even been partially revived at the present day, in some of those discovered at Thebes, though buried in the earth for many centuries. The same kind of metal-mirror was used by the Israelites, who doubtless brought them from Egypt.” — Vol. 2, p. 346.

(299) “Entre les bagages superflus des femmes.” — Fr.

(300) C. here affords the reader a curious proof that he composed this note with S M. under his eye, by employing Munster’s word labrum for the Hebrew כיור, which he had previously rendered concha in his own text. But whilst S M had translated צבאת אשר צבאו, ( mulierum) militantium, quae militabant, C. had the sagacity to drop the metaphor, and render the words convenientium, quae conveniebant צבא, says Professor Robertson, to assemble for worship, or for war. Clav Pentat in loco. — W

(301) Num 4:3, “All that enter into the host.” — A. V. Num 8:24, “They shall go in to wait upon the service,” margin, “Heb., to war the warfare of the tabernacle.” — A. V.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

CRITICAL NOTES.
Of the looking-glasses of the women]. The contribution of the looking-glasses for making the laver must have been a greater act of sacrifice to those female donors than at first sight appears. Looking-glasses were articles of difficult manufacture, and rare, and highly prized even above golden ornaments. The motive, therefore, must have been a very powerful one that prompted them to the self-denial. Probably it was from a sense of sorrow over the sin for having contributed even their earrings to the golden calf, or perhaps too, to give expression to their disapproval of another Egpytian practice, which was that of women visiting the heathen temples with mirrors in their left hands.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Exo. 38:1-20

C.The Court

And he made the altar of burnt-offering of shittim-wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was four square; and three cubits the height thereof, 38 Exo. 38:1.

I. The altar of burnt-offering, Exo. 38:1-7. This was a hollow square, three cubits high, and five in length and breadth, made of shittim-wood, and overlaid with pearls of brass, having horns, like the altar of incense, at its four corners, each one covered with brass (copper). According to Jewish writers, the hollow square was filled with earth or stones. A sort of terrace, or projecting board, halfway up the altar, compassed it about, and was supported by a brass grating. The various vessels used in connection with the altar were all made of brass. These vessels were

(1) The pans, to cleanse it of the ashes that arose from burning the flesh of the sacrifice upon the altar;
(2) The shovels for cleaning the altar;
(3) The basins for receiving the blood, and sprinkling it upon the altar;
(4) The flesh hooks, or large forks, to turn the piece of flesh or to take them from the altar; and
(5) The fire pans, or coal scoops. As with all the other articles, the altar of burnt-offerings was carried by staves, which passed through rings at the corners: only the rings were of brass, and the staves were covered with brass.

II. The laver, Exo. 38:8, was a round caldron-shaped basin, made of brass. The brass, it is stated here, was taken from the mirrors of the women assembling, who assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation; i.e., of the women who served, assembling by troops (served by turns). Though not washerwomen, these were women who dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah, and spent them in religious exercises in fasting and in prayer, like Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, mentioned in Luk. 2:37.Delitzch. Their mirrors, which had been hitherto used for purposes of personal adornment, they cheerfully renounced for the service of the sanctuary. The brass laver was constructed from them. The use of this laver was for the washing of the priests hands and feet when they touched the holy things, or trod the holy ground. As no mention is made of a vessel whereat to wash the parts of the victims offered in sacrifice, it is presumed that the laver served this purpose also.Kittos Cyclopdia, art. Laver.

III. The outside hangings, Exo. 38:9-20, consisted of spun byssus, or fine twined linen, and were supported on pillars with brass sockets and silvered capitals, with hooks and fastenings for the pillars of silver. On the southern and northern sides were twenty pillars; on the western side ten; and on the eastern side six pillars, three on each side of the gate. The length of the northern and southern sides was one hundred cubits; of the western and eastern sides fifty cubits. The hangings on each side of the gate were fifteen cubits: thus leaving twenty for the gate, which consisted of four pillars in sockets of brass with hooks, fillets, and capitals of silver, supporting a curtain or hanging of blue and purple and scarlet. It is noted that all the pins used in the construction of the Tabernacle and the court were of brass.

In perusing this account of the construction of the court and its different articles of furniture, we are reminded of several things which are prominently present in the Christian Church:

1. Variation in construction. Not merely were the articles in the court different from those in the Holy Place, but in part the materials employed in their construction. Instead of the pure gold of the table and the candlestick and the incense altar, there are now the brass and silver of the altar of burnt-offering, the laver, and the court pillars; from which it may be gathered that there are degrees of importance in things connected with the Christian Church, as Paul reminds us in 1Co. 12:4; yet, of course, parts which are less important are not the less parts of the one great body.

2. Self-abnegation among its inmatesa lesson frequently enforced on the attention, it is here again suggested by the generous conduct of the pious women in parting with their mirrors: a lesson on the consecration of property to God. Not a little remarkable that it was in connection with the making of the laver that these pious women parted with their mirrors. These mirrors were employed for purposes of personal adornment; and the laver was a symbol of the bath of regeneration which purifies and adorns the inner man, and which, wherever it is enjoyed, enables one to dispense with that adornment which is merely outward (cf. 1Pe. 3:3-6). Noticeable, too, that this very special act of self-renunciation was in connection with one of the less important parts of the Tabernacle furniture; which, however, only made it all the greater. Perhaps, too, this was the reason why it has received special mention.

3. Seclusion from the world. The dwelling and its furniture were shut off from the gaze of men by the court hangings; and so is the Church of Christ separated from the world, like a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed (cf. Joh. 15:19; 2Co. 6:17). Three points emerge here that cannot be sufficiently insisted on, viz.,

(1) That the Church and the world are not the same societies, but essentially different, the first being founded on the covenant, and created by the hand, of grace; the second remaining on the platform of creation, and in the sphere of nature.

(2) That the Church ought to keep herself distinct from the world. God having separated her from the world, she should not obliterate the lines of demarcation which He has fixed; and

(3) That the true nature of the Church cannot be apprehended by the world, as the internal aspect of the court and Tabernacle were not visible to those who were without (cf. 1Co. 2:9-14).

SUMMATION OF THE METAL USED

This is the sum of the Tabernacle, even of the Tabernacle of the testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of MosesExo. 38:21-31.

I. The quantity of metal used. Of gold there were 29 talents, 730 shekels; of silver, 100 talents, 1775 shekels; of brass, 70 talents, 2400 shekels. Difficult now to ascertain with accuracy the exact sum represented by these figures. The original meaning of the term talent is a circuit; hence it came to be put for a round cake, and for the weight called a talent (perhaps from its having been taken as a round number or sum total). It is impossible to decide whether the Hebrews had one talent only, or several of different weights, as various other nations had. Art. Weights, in Fairbairns Cyclopdia. The same writer is inclined to think that, in the passage now under consideration, the talent of gold, silver, and brass was a talent of the same weight. From Exo. 38:26, it may be gathered that 1 talent = 3000 shekels. The exact sum employed may be thus represented, reckoning the talent at 93 lbs. 12 oz. avoirdupois weight, and the price of gold and silver at 1, 10s. and 2 Samuel 1 d. per shekel, and taking the brass at 1s. per pound.

Talents.

Shekels.

Weight.

Value.

Gold

29

730

2741 lbs. 3 oz.

=

131,595

0

0

Silver

100

1775

9430 lbs. 2 oz.

=

31,434

18

1

Brass

70

2400

6637 lbs. 8 oz.

=

331

17

0

163,361

15

1

Of course, this calculation makes no claim to accuracy. Dr. A. Clarke makes the sum total to be: Gold, 198,347, 12s. 6d.; silver, 45,266, 5s. 0d.; brass, 513, 17s. 0d. = 244,127, 14s. 6d. Dr. Jamieson calculates the gold as = 150,000 sterling, and the silver as = 35,207. Each of these assign a higher value to the shekel. The largeness of either of these sums has been advanced as an argument against the historic credibility of the narrative; but two things are overlooked by those who advocate it:

(1) That gold and silver were in those days remarkably abundant among Eastern nations. (On this point see Keil in loco); and

(2) That the Israelites are represented as having left Egypt, not as paupers, but as enriched through spoiling the Egyptians. The offering of such a large sum in the circumstances in which they were then placed speaks volumes for the zeal of the offerers. It is doubtful if the liberality of the British nation for religious purposes is on the same scale of magnificence. 603,550 men, having been numbered for taxation, would give upwards of three millions of a population, about equal to the population of Scotland, which may be reckoned, without challenge, the most liberal portion of the empire. In the year 1876, the three great Presbyterian bodies of that country contributed for religious purposesUnited Presbyterian, 378,268, 10s. 4d; Free Church of Scotland, 565,195, 10s. 4d.; Established Church, 384,106, 15s. 2d. Total, 1,327,570, 15s. l0d.; which is nearly ten times more, but still not larger in proportion to the wealth of the countries, and the greater work committed to the Churchs care in Gospel times.

II. Reasons for the employment of so much precious metal. Dr. A. Clarke suggests three, which are well worth consideration:

1. To impress the peoples minds with the glory and dignity of the Divine Majesty, and the importance of His service.
2. To take out of their hands the occasion of covetousness; for as they brought much spoil out of Egypt, and could have little, if any, use for gold and silver in the wilderness, where it does not appear they had much intercourse with any other people, and were miraculously supported, so that they did not need their riches, it was right to employ them in the worship of God, which otherwise might have engendered that love of money which is the root of all evil.
3. To prevent pride and vain glory, by leading them to give up to the Divine service even the ornaments of their persons, which would have had too direct a tendency to divert their minds from better things.

III. Reasons for its summation. These are not stated in the narrative, and can therefore only be conjectured. It does not appear that Moses was commanded by God to sum up the peoples contributions, but that he did so of his own accord. While, therefore, we have not here a Divine command to be obeyed, we have at least an excellent example to be copied. The summation of the metal used was

(1.) A justification to Moses, vindicating, as it were, his integrity by showing that none of it had been embezzled for private usesan example that might be copied with advantage by all who have charge of monies, and especially of church or charitable society monies. All matters of finance in connection with the Church of Christ should be conducted with scrupulous exactness. Religion will thrive none the less for noting its receipts and disbursements with business regularity and minuteness. Were this rule always followed, many scandals would be avoided.

(2.) An encouragement to the people, giving them some idea of the vastness of the work in which they had been engaged, and of the wide-spread interest it had evokedfrom which the practical hint might be taken by those who are entrusted with the management of church affairs, that it is not always a disadvantage to publish printed lists of contributions for church building, missionary societies, and other schemes. People as a rule like to know what they are doing when they part with their money, and like to see where their money goes when it leaves them. To this rule Christians are no exception: nor is there cause why they should be exceptions.

ILLUSTRATIONS

BY
REV. WILLIAM ADAMSON

Old Testament Truth! Exo. 38:1-31. Joseph Cook says that the Scriptures are a map of the universe, and not of Palestine merely. We are not abreast of our privileges when we live in Judea. If we are full of the spirit of the Scriptures, the wings of philosophy will tire us only by their tardiness and narrow range of flight. He means that the Old Testament was not designed to teach Jews only, but likewise Christians. There are many truths to be learned from that ancient schoolmasterthe Hebrew Theocracy. All the lesson-books he employed may not be of use to the world now, for Christianity has suspended these themes by her heavenly classics. But we need not discardnot even disregardthe old teacher. He can still tell us something about Divine wisdom and love. We may

Still see, and hear, and breathe the evidence
Of Gods deep wisdom in that teachers school.

Willis.

Sacrifices! Exo. 38:1-7. The Vazimba were the supposed aborigines of the central parts of the Island of Madagascar. They neither made images, nor associated charms with their religious rites. A plain stone, or a mound of stonesoften in the midst of a grovewas their temple and altar. Their worshipthe most esteemed in the countrycombined homage and invocation, and was accompanied with sacrifices of oxen, sheep, and poultry, the blood and fat of which were offered on the altar, and the rest eaten by the worshippers. These were the only sacrifices offered in Anhova. Were these rites derived from a knowledge of the Mosaic sacrifices, or do they owe their existence in Madagascar to some more primitive and patriarchal model, such as that of Abraham or Noah, when

Altar of thanksgiving he
Built on Ararat?Gerok.

Burnt-Offerings! Exo. 38:1.

(1.) One of the saddest features of the modern ministry is the disposition to eliminate the idea of substitution, or atonement, from the Mosaic sacrifice; and so from that nobler Messianic sacrifice on which man rests for admission into Gods presence here before the incensealtar, and into His immediate presence hereafter before the throne on high. We give a Scotch Professors extraordinary theory, followed by the holy utterances of an English Dean:In the Passover, and in the subsequent sacrifices of the law of Moses, the idea predominates of salvation through sacrifice, not only the first idea of Abel, of life being owed to God, but the further idea, which would soon grow out of the first one, of life fulfilling its true end, attaining to its true position in the sight of God, doing its proper duty by Him, through sacrificesacrifice of which the offering of the lamb or other victim was but the type, sacrifice of selfof a life throughout its whole being and history devoted to God. This was the meaning of all sacrifice for sin.
(2.) In every age, not least in this, Satan erects his many counterfeits, and calls them Christ. He decks them with false show. He slopes a flowery path to the bewitching snare. He smooths with skilful hands the slippery descent. He plants the altar of mans fancied worth. He prompts the dream that rubbish dug from natures quarry, and shaped by sin-soiled hands, and worked by sin-soiled tools, may form a sufficient base. He bids men offer Christ on this, and then lie down content. Mans merit forms the broad foundation. His tears of self-wronght penitence, his long array of self-denials, his train of ostentatious self-sacrifice, construct the fabric. Such altars stand on ruins ground. Think what the end must be of a creed thus emasculating the substitution of Christ, and substituting self instead! How miserable those

Who strive to pull Christ Jesus from His Throne,
And in the place of heavens Eternal King,
Set up that pigmy SELF.

Glynn.

Altar-Sacrifices! Exo. 38:1. It is an interesting fact that in the Island of Madagascar the idea of blood having an efficacy to make atonement for sin is a marked feature in the sacrifices occasionally offered by the people; and also that the inner fat of the victim was regarded, as in the Jewish ritual, as the most appropriate portion to be offered, together with the blood. In crossing many of the smaller streams, certain rocks in the midst of the current are often seen smeared with fat as a propitiatory offering to the guardian genius or deity of the river. The upright stones fixed at the head of graves are anointed with blood and fat, as an offering to the spirits of the ancestors of the family.

Thus the idolaters with fear approach
Their reverend shrines, and there for mercy sue,
And, trembling too, they wash the hallowd earth,
And groan to be forgiven.

Lee.

Altar-Horns! Exo. 38:2.

(1.) Flandin mentions two fire-altars, upon which the sacred fire of the Persians was kept perpetually burning, as being still in existence at Nachi-i-Roustan. Upon a rock, which elevates itself to a moderate altitude from the plain, stand two altars sculptured out of the solid mass, and so exactly alike as to present the aspect of twins. The four corners are adorned with small pilasters cornered out in relief from the same block. These are in reality horns. Heathen altars were not only placed in groves, but on the summits of hills, us being nearer the gods to whom they were dedicated.

(2.) In Psa. 118:28 we have the sacrifice spoken of as bound with cords to the horn altars. This Psalm breathes a spirit of jubilant trust in the Lord. Its trumpet tones made it one of Luthers hymns. Of it he says, I would not give it in exchange for the honour, wealth, and power of all the world, Pope, Turk, or Emperor. In the midsummer of 1530, when Melancthon was deputed to present the Confession of the Protestant Churches of Germany to the Diet at Augsburg, Luther was advised to abstain from any public appearance. In this Desert, as he calls it, he was able to bind the sacrifice of thanksgiving with cords, yea, even unto the horns of the altar.

For truth shall flourish in immortal youth,
Unhurt amidst the war of elements,
The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds.

Addison.

Horn-Hints! Exo. 38:2.

(1.) Strength! Law regards these as speaking of all-subduing might. The horned tribes move as the terror of the forest. When they assail their foes, whether man or beast, they prevail. Christ is thus armed for conquest. This thought is precious. Self is a broken arm, a pointless dart, a crumbling staff; and yet the soul has strong assaults to repel, strong corruptions to tread down, strong temptations to baffle, and heavy trials to bear. But Christ is strength. I can do all things through Christ. He is the horn of our salvation.

(2.) Shelter! Thomson says that the expression horn of salvation was probably derived from ancient altars, the raised corners of which were so-called. Temples, and especially the altars within them, were regarded as sanctuaries, and the greatest criminal, if he could but reach the temple, and lay hold of the altar, was for the time safe. These corners of the altar were indeed horns of salvation on this account, as many striking examples in Biblical History show.

(3.) Salvation! To the devout Hebrew Jehovah was the only reliable sanctuary, and these material objects were but significant symbols of Him. Christ is the horn of our salvation. Let nothing part you from your hold on Him. As Satan cannot seize Christ, and drag Him from His Throne; so he cannot pluck you from Christ if you hold fast by Him.

What comfort to the saints to know
That He controls their every foe.

Hopkins.

Altar-Fire Coals! Exo. 38:4.

(1.) In Ezekiel 10 we have the vision of the man clothed in linen with the inkhorn at his side. He seals the faithful few who, when terrific judgments were about to burst on Jerusalem, had a mark set on their foreheads. He is commanded to go in between the wheels under the cherub, and fill his hand with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.

(2.) In Revelation 8 there is the beautiful vision of the Angel-Intercessor standing by the golden altar of incense. Immediately subsequent to the reception of the prayers of the saints, the same Angel-Priest took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it on the earth; and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. In both books then we have the symbols of judgment.

(3.) The hot ashes, says Macduff, thrown by the very hand that had just been revealed as strong to save, indicate that to the wicked His arm is strong to smite. These glowing coals, if they mingle not with the prayer-offering of the saints, will be cast forth amidst despisers and scorners. The fire which does not purify will, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, consume and destroy.

The Angel in his golden censer took
Fire blazing from that altar-hearth, and cast
Earthward the flaming coals, which as they fell
Kindled the tempest, charged electric air.

Bickersteth.

Propitiation! Exo. 38:4-7. The wild people of the Khond district in India believed that the only way to make their crops grow was to capture a human victimoffer him up in sacrificeand then sow bits of his body over the field with the seed-corn. This superstition cost hundreds of lives a year, and so immovably rooted was it, that when the practice was interdicted the Khonds rebelled. It became necessary to watch the Khonds, and to rescue all prisoners retained for slaughter. The result was that in ten years more than 1300 lives were rescued; and the practice was stamped out. But was the evil heart of unbelief extracted by this measure? No. Only the Gospel brought to bear upon the Khonds could eradicate the root of bitterness. Then they could understand the One Great Sacrifice that roots and fruits might abound over the field of humanity.

Thou art the One! Yea, Lord, I now confess

Great is my sin to Thee;

Oh! in Thy pitying love and gentleness

Have mercy upon me!

Divine-Purposes! Exo. 38:8-20.

(1.) During the age of ferns, the conditions of the earth were unsuitable for flowers. Flowers can only breathe oxygentheir bright colours being due to rapid oxidation; whereas the atmosphere of the early geological epochs was densely charged with carbonic acid gas.
(2.) So during the earlier epochs of humanity, the moral atmosphere was unsuitable for the flowers of New Testament truth. Only the fern-truths of blood of bulls and goats, of material fabrics, and of ritual observances were adopted to that early human atmosphere.
(3.) Dark and gloomy, however, as was the sight of the eye of ferns, there were not wanting faint rays of an approaching floral dawn. In those ferns were hints and predictions, typical speech, and silent prophecy of flower vegetation destined to appear above the horizon of human life.
(4) So those crimson tints on the fern-rites of blood and incense and brazen lustrations were in reality prefigurations of nobler truth-life yet to appear. Like the Baptist, they heralded greater yet to be manifested. Like Wickhffe, they announced a brighter yet to arise. They prefigured the blood of Christ, the fragrant intercession of the Mediator, and the purifying graces of the Spirit.

And down the long and branching porticoes,
On every flower-sculptured capital,
Glitters the brilliance of the Gospels beams.

Milman.

Brazen-Laver! Exo. 38:8.

(1.) Eternal love devised the planeternal wisdom drew the modeleternal grace came down to build it. Observe the choice material. It is the strongest metalbrassto shadow forth the strength of Christ. He came to do the mightiest of mighty works; therefore He brought omnipotence in His hands. But by whom can it be filled? Jesus Himself pours in the stream. He brings the rich supply; then with a voice loud as the sound of many waters, sweet as the melody of heaven, He cries, Wash and be clean. The waters symbolised the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit. Hence we have St. Paul speaking of the laver of regeneration, which is the renewing grace of the Holy Ghost, which God hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ. Then

Bathe thy woundsHis stream of mercy

Ever runneth oer;

But when thou art healed and pardoned,

Go and sin no more.

Mirror-Symbolism! Exo. 38:8.

(1.) Law says faith seeks, nor seeks in vain, to gain instruction here. Women give aid to form this Gospel-type. Here seems to be a bud of truth. The virgin-mother holds the full-blown flower. The gift of gifts comes in through female means.
(2.) New feelings bear new fruits. These mirrors were recently prized as implements of vanityas handmaids of self-love. But now the eyes are opened to far nobler views. Self has no charms when one glimpse of things divine is caught.
(3.) The offering was not scorned. That which was framed to cast back poor natures image, is accepted to form semblances of grace. We see to what use our worldly vanities may rise when placed on the altar of Christian self-sacrifice.

These things are our examples, given

Till He, Whom type and lay foretold
In mystic signs and songs of old,
Shall lead us oer lifes dreary wold,

Safe to our happy home in heaven.

Holy Seasons.

Looking-glasses! Exo. 38:8.Various metals were used in their composition. The Arabs at the present day use polished steel. Mirrors were never hung upon walls, as with us, but fixed to a handle, sometimes curiously, sometimes hideously carved; and were carried in the hand, or fastened to a girdle round the waist. The mirrors given by the devout Israelitish women were evidently of brass. The metallic composition of ancient mirrors illustrates Job. 37:18, A molten looking-glass. In such mirrors as these the objects reflected would be but dimly and defectively seen. See 1Co. 13:12.

And yet, as angels in some brighter dreams

Call to the soul when man doth sleep,

So some strange thoughts transcend our wonted themes,

And into glory peep.

Vaughan.

Revelation-Growth! Exo. 38:9-20.

(1.) How instructive it is to notice the elevation of the part that bears our human food during the geological epochs, from flat lichens creeping over rocks, and roots of ferns to the summits of annual plants and the boughs of treesfrom roots to fruitsfrom the first and lowest stage of growth to the last and highest development of the plantfrom the humblest and least organised to the noblest and most perfectly organised plants.
(2.) More instructive still is it to observe the gradual development of the mystery of God in the Holy Scriptures, from the seed in the garden of Eden to the stem of Abraham, and from the plant of Moses to the flower of Isaiah, until the fruit-growth is attained in the New Testament. Thus even natures progressive developing growth was, like the ritual of the tabernacle, a type of better things to come.
(3.) The wilderness tent, with its sandy foundation, its perishable curtains and draperies, gave place to the more stable foundations of Zion-rock, with its lordly temple-pile of less decaying materials; while these in turn were succeeded by that to whose advent they silently testified in type, viz., the Rock of Ages, with the uprising structure of living stonesthe house eternal in the heavens.

And then were new discoveries soon made
Of Gods unbounded wisdom, power, and love,
Which gave the understanding larger room
To swell its hymn of ever-growing praise.

Pollok.

Tabernacle-Typism! Exo. 38:21-31.

(1.) It is interesting to notice in the earliest natural productions of our earth the same laws and processes which we observe in the latest and most highly-developed flowers and trees. The earlier forms of plant-life are but the types of those of later creation. The later complex forms of vegetalion are but developments of rudimentary parts existing in the more simple.
(2.) Gods dealings with mankind, as revealed in Scripture, are precisely analogous. The earlier events and persons were types of those of later date; and spoke of coming greater ones. Christianity itself is but the development of the types and shadows and beggarly elements of the Jewish dispensation which preceded it.
(3.) Even the Mosaic enumeration of the costliness and self-sacrifice connected with the tabernacle were an emblem of the great treasures required, and the great self-sacrifice demanded for the construction of that more glorious fabricbuilt, not on the shifting sands of time, but on the Cleft Rock, which endureth unto eternal life, for Him hath God the Father scaled.

So teach us on Thy shrine to lay
Our hearts, and let them day by day

Intenser blaze, and higher.

Keble.

Tabernacle-Cost-Hints! Exo. 38:24-31.

(1.) Gray says that the cost of the tabernacle reminds us that, however great, it may be defrayed by the manythat, however small, it will help to make up the great wholeand that nothing is impossible to diligent minds, industrious hands, and earnest hearts.

(2.) It is the many blades of grass, bristling like spears in the sunlight, or sparkling at the dawntide with jewels of dew, that unitedly make the verdant carpet of nature which we admire so much. A drop of water is but a little, yet if it were not for the drops where would the vastness be? What wonderful results spring from those tiny coral builders in the Southern Seas, or from the industrious bee of our own land.
(3.) The various missionary societies have the larger portion of their enormous incomes made up of these many, many littles. There is a story told of a magnificent church being erected by the united efforts of a whole community.each of whom brought a atone, or a beam of wood, or a pane of glass.

Despise not then the pence,

They help to make the pound;

And each may help to spread abroad

The Gospels joyful sound.

Mosaic-Typology! Exo. 38:1-31.

(1.) Turn upon the sky your unarranged telescope at random, and you see nothing. Direct it properly, but fail to arrange its lenses, and everything visible through the tube is blurred. But arrange the lenses, and bring the telescope exactly upon the star, or upon the rising sun, and the instant there is perfect accord between the line of the axis of the tube and the line of the ray from the star, or the orb of day, the image of the star or sun starts up in the chamber of the instrument.
(2.) Is it not so with the Word-firmament? The soul must direct the telescope of the human mind straight at some truth-orb, or type-star; and the human mind must be rightly adjusted to the focus of faith to enable us to see that orb of truth which the hand of the Invisible has placed in the Old Testament sky. The mind is the glassthe faith of Christ is the focusthe soul is under the guidance of the Spirit, the directing and adjusting power.

Then shall this scheme, which now to human sight
Seems so unworthy Wisdom Infinite,
A system of consummate skill appear,
And, every cloud dispersed, be beautiful and clear.

Jenyns.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

THE TEXT OF EXODUS
TRANSLATION

38 And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof. (2) And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of one piece with it: and he overlaid it with brass. (3) And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basisn, the flesh-hooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass. (4) And he made for the altar a grating of network of brass, under the ledge round it beneath, reaching halfway up. (5) And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grating of brass, to be places for the staves. (6) And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with brass. (7) And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, wherewith to bear it; he made it hollow with planks.

(8)

And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the ministering women that ministered at the door of the tent of meeting.

(9)

And he made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits; (10) their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. (11) And for the north side a hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. (12) And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver. (13) And for the east side eastward fifty cubits. (14) The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three; (15) and so for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. (16) All the hangings on the court round about were of fine twined linen. (17) And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver; and the overlaying of their capitals, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. (18) And the screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court. (19) And their pillars were four, and their sockets four of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals, and their fillets, of silver. (20) And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about were of brass.

(21) This is the sum of the things for the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Mo-ses, for the service of the Le-vites, by the hand of Ith-a-mar, the son of Aar-on the priest. (22) And Be-zal-el the son of U-ri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Ju-dah, made all that Je-ho-vah commanded Mo-ses. (23) And with him was O-ho-li-ab, the son of A-his-a-mach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skilful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in pruple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen.

(24) All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shek-els, after the shek-el of the sanctuary. (25) And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shek-els, after the shek-el of the sanctuary: (26) a be-ka a head, that is, half a shek-el, after the shek-el of the sanctuary, for every one that passed over to them that were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. (27) And the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; a hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. (28) And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shek-els he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them. (29) And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shek-els. (30) And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tent of meeting, and the brazen altar, and the brazen grating for it, and all the vessels of the altar, (31) and the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.

EXPLORING EXODUS: CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

1.

Topic: The Outside Furniture and court; Cost of Materials. The theme of Outside Furniture gives this chapter an easily-remembered topic that contrasts with that of chapter thirty-seven.

2.

Parallel passages: (See the notes on the earlier parallel passages.)

(1)

Exo. 38:1-7 (Altar of burnt-offering) Exo. 27:1-8.

(2)

Exo. 38:8 (Laver) Exo. 30:17-31.

(3)

Exo. 38:9-20 (Court) Exo. 27:9-19.

(4)

Exo. 38:22-23 (Builders) Exo. 31:1-11; Exo. 35:10-18, Exo. 30:1 to Exo. 36:1.

3.

Questions Answerable from the Bible:

(1)

What was the source of the brass for the laver and its base? (Exo. 38:8)

(2)

Which tribe was to do service for the tabernacle? (Exo. 38:21)

(3)

Under whose hand (or leadership) was the sum (accounts) of the tabernacle materials counted? (Exo. 38:21)

(4)

What craft work was Oholiab particularly skilled in? What materials did he use? (Exo. 38:23)

(5)

How much gold was used in the sanctuary? (Exo. 38:24)

(6)

How much silver was used in the sanctuary? (Exo. 38:25)

(7)

How much silver had been given by each of the men over twenty? (Exo. 38:26; Compare Exo. 30:12-14.)

(8)

How many Israelite men were counted and assessed for silver? (Exo. 38:26; Compare Num. 1:46.)

(9)

What was the silver used for? (Exo. 38:27-28)

(10)

How much brass was contributed for the sanctuary? (Exo. 38:29)

(11)

What was the brass used for? (Exo. 38:30-31)

4.

Notes on Exodus 38 :

Exo. 38:1 The fuller title altar of burnt-offering is used here, to distinguish the altar from the altar of incense (Exo. 37:25). Exo. 27:1 simply referred to the altar because the altar of incense had not yet been introduced.

Exo. 38:8 Only here is the information given that the laver and its bases were made from copper from the mirrors of the ministering women. See notes on Exo. 30:17-21. The laver and its base were not made from the material donated in the Lords offering (Exo. 38:29), but from the brass mirrors of the women.

This verse refers to the ministering women for the first time. The verb translated minister (tsabah) means to assemble for service (Num. 4:23), to assemble for military service, to go forth to war (Num. 3:17). The verb is related to the Hebrew word for host (as in the Lord of hosts). The same word is applied to the women in 1Sa. 2:22, whom the sons of Eli wickedly lay with.

Statements have been made that the reference to the women ministering at the door of the tent of meeting is an anachronism, because there was not yet any tent of meeting built before which they could minister. (See Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, [1969], p. 466.) This statement is nonsense, if not blasphemy. The tent of meeting referred to is obviously the tent of meeting mentioned in Exo. 33:7. These women served there; and after the tabernacle was built, they continued their service around the new structure.

Exo. 38:20 The reference to the pins in the tabernacle is found only here. The word refers to a peg, nail or pin, something used for fastening. Probably it refers to the pins or stakes used to hold upright the tabernacle court and boards.

Exo. 38:21 Translation (with slight paraphrase in parentheses): These are the enumerations (or accounts) of (the materials collected for) the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony (or law), which were numbered (counted) by the order (literally mouth) of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand (the work of leadership) of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest. On Ithamar, see Exo. 6:23 and Exo. 28:1.

Moses specifically ordered an inventory of the materials used. Apparently the Levites did the tabulating and Ithamar supervised the Levites.

The sum (literally enumerations) of the materials the gold, silver and brass is given in Exo. 38:24-31.

Observe the striking name tabernacle of the testimony. Regarding the testimony, see Exo. 25:1. Testimony means precept, law, or testimony, and refers to the ten commandments.

This verse is the first mention of the service of the Levites since they were consecrated to Jehovah in Exo. 32:29. The formal appointment of the Levites to the service of tabernacle is related in Num. 3:5-51. A special setting-apart ceremony for them was done at yet a later time, and is mentioned in Deu. 10:8.

Exo. 38:22 High tribute is here paid to Bezalel. The Greek Bible relates erroneously that Bezalel had made the brazen altar of the brazen censers which belonged to the rebels who joined with Korah. See Num. 16:36-39 for the real facts about this incident.

Exo. 38:24 A talent was approximately seventy-five pounds. A talent consisted of 3000 shekels, as can be calculated easily from Exo. 38:25-26. A shekel was about four-tenths of an ounce.

From these values we learn that the gold of the sanctuary amounted to one ton and 350 pounds. This would be worth over five and a half million dollars at $150 an ounce. Gold of the offering is literally gold of waving. It was in Gods sight a type of wave-offering. See Exo. 29:26.

The amount of metals offered for the sanctuary may seem very large. But vast amounts of gold, silver and copper are known to have been assembled by ancient kings. See Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 2, pp. 251252, for examples. The Egyptians had a great love for valuable and elegant ornaments, gold, rings, necklaces, etc., as can be seen from their monuments, The Israelites had collected much of this Egyptian jewelry.

Exo. 38:25 The silver for the sanctuary amounted to four tons. The silver mentioned here was not the silver from the offering of Exo. 35:5, but was the silver obtained from the numbering of the men, who all gave a half-shekel when numbered. See Exo. 30:12-14. This silver was used for the silver sockets (pedestals), and for overlaying the capitals of the pillars.

We are not informed concerning the uses made of the silver referred to in Exo. 35:24. Possibly, as Cassuto suggests (op. cit., p. 472), the silver in Exo. 35:24 is actually the same silver as that referred to in Exo. 39:25. This appears uncertain to us.

Exo. 38:26 The word bekah (from a verb meaning to divide) means half, hence, half-shekel. Concerning the heavier shekel of the sanctuary see Exo. 30:13.

See Exo. 30:11-14 for the instructions about taking a census and collecting the half-shekel atonement money. A major census is described in Num. 1:1. It was taken only a month after the tabernacle was set up (Exo. 40:17). But the count in Exo. 36:26 was obviously taken before the tabernacle was built. Yet the number of people counted 603, 550 is exactly the same in Exodus 36 and Numbers 1!

It appears from Num. 1:18 that that count of the Israelites by families and by tribes was done in a single day! To accomplish such a feat would require complete cooperation by the people and thorough preparation and organization in advance by the leaders. Such preparation is exactly what the count in Exodus thirty-eight would have provided. The names of the people were all already written down (possibly on potsherds). With the names already on hand, the census takers could quickly have checked and collated them into tribes and families. See Num. 1:2; Num. 1:20; Num. 1:22; Num. 1:24, passim.

A collection of money similar to that mentioned in Exo. 38:26 was made in the time of King Joash (2Ch. 24:4-6), apparently at the same rate per head, for the repairing of the temple, This was not an annual tax, but a special one. The tax of Mat. 17:27 (which seems to have been an annual levy) was a later and different tax, even though it involved the same sum (half a shekel) as the special levy for the sanctuary.

Exo. 38:27 Regarding the sockets, see Exo. 26:19-25.

Exo. 38:28 Regarding the pillars, see Exo. 27:10; Exo. 27:17.

Exo. 38:29-30 The brass (copper) of the offering amounted to two tons and 500 pounds.

The uses of the brass are described in Exo. 38:30. No mention is made of the laver among these uses listed, because the brass for the laver came from a separate source.

See Exo. 27:4 concerning the brazen grating. This grating seems to have been a network of brass on the sides of the altar, through which a draft of air could be drawn up into the fire inside the altar.

Exo. 38:31 The heavy brass and silver sockets and other heavy items were transported about in six covered wagons pulled by twelve oxen. See Num. 7:2-5.

Does the great amount of gold, silver, and brass in the tabernacle indicate that Gods people should expect to live in wealthy surroundings and comfort? Does it indicate that we should build church buildings of luxurious quality?

The Israelites themselves, who made the tabernacle, were often brought low and even caused to hunger, that they might learn that man does not live by bread alone, but by the word of God (Deu. 8:2-3). These people did not live in luxury, even though their tabernacle was somewhat luxurious. Neither can we as Gods people expect soft luxurious living. The people of God have often been destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (Heb. 11:37). The early Christians took joyfully the spoiling of their possessions (Heb. 10:34). We really must not expect better treatment.

There is, however, another side to this matter. Gods prophet Isaiah (Isa. 60:5-14) spoke of the time when the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee, referring to Zion, the people of God. Similarly Hag. 2:7-8 prophesied that the precious things of all nations would come to fill Gods house with glory. In fulfillment of these prophecies, there have indeed been times when the church has had a great deal of wealth. Even Paul declared that he knew how both to abound (have abundance) and to suffer need (Php. 4:2). Thus it appears that the church should not expect to be poor at all times in all places. The important thing is to learn to be content, whatever our lot, and not to set our hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God. (Php. 4:11; 1Ti. 6:17)

Does the luxury of the tabernacle suggest that we should build luxurious church buildings? Probably not. The New Testament does not even mention church buildings. The PEOPLE of God now constitute His temple, rather than a building of stones and gold (1Pe. 2:5; Eph. 2:19-22). The Christians in apostolic times met in homes, public porches, school houses, etc. They were aware that everything in this earth is to be burned up (2Pe. 3:10). They did not consider that the tabernacle or even Solomons temple was a precedent to them to make luxurious structures. In fact, God had never asked Solomon to build any temple; and God caused the temple to be demolished when the people became unfaithful to Him. God dwells with him that is poor and of a contrite spirit (Isa. 66:2). We do not condemn the making of adequate attractive meeting houses. They may be helpful and even quite necessary. But the tabernacle is hardly a precedent to us to build buildings of great luxury. If God should grant us on some occasions a degree of luxury, we shall pray it may be used to His glory. If we suffer want, we shall still praise Him, and be content.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

XXXVIII.

(1) He made the altar.From the furniture of the sanctuary, the transition is natural to the furniture of the court in which it stood. This is now is now described. It consisted of the brazen altar, or altar of burnt-offering, and the great brazen laver. The construction of the former is related in Exo. 38:1-7; that of the latter in Exo. 38:8.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

(1-9) This passage corresponds to Exo. 38:1-8 of Exodus 27 in all main particulars, but is somewhat differently worded. The order of the clauses in Exo. 38:4-5 is changed, and a distinct statement is made, which was not contained in the instructims, that the rings were for places for the staves.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERINGS, Exo 38:1-7.

See notes on Exo 27:1-7.

THE LAVER, Exo 38:8.

See notes on Exo 30:17-21.

THE COURT OF THE TABERNACLE, Exo 38:9-20.

See notes on Exo 27:9-19.

THE AMOUNT OF METALS USED FOR THE TABERNACLE, Exo 38:21-31.

21. This is the sum Literally, the things reckoned, meaning, according to what follows, the weight of the gold, silver, and brass employed in the construction of the sanctuary and what belonged to it . The amount, as summed up, is recorded as:

Gold=29 talents and 730 shekels.

Silver=100 talents and 1,775 shekels,

Brass=70 talents and 2,400 shekels.

The uncertainty attaching to the exact weight and value of the gold, silver, and brass talents and shekels makes it impossible to determine precisely the gross amount of the cost of the tabernacle. Then, further, the different relative value of a given amount of these metals in ancient and in modern times would greatly affect any estimate. The weight of the metals here mentioned, as estimated in the Speaker’s Commentary, is as follows, in avoirdupois weight:

Gold, 1 ton 4 cwt. 2 qrs. 13 lbs.

Silver, 4 tons 4 cwt. 2 qrs. 20 lbs.

Bronze, 2 tons 19 cwt. 2 qrs. 11 lbs.

The entire value of these metals, at the lowest approximate estimate in American currency, would be over a million dollars. This estimate of the cost of the tabernacle does not include the large amount of other material for curtains, boards, and pillars, nor take into account at all the value of the labour, which the men and women of Israel gave as freely as they did the gold and silver and other things. On the question whence the Israelites obtained such vast amounts of precious things, see note on Exo 25:3.

We are not to think of the tabernacle as of a modern Christian Church. The latter, as a house of worship, serves mainly for the comfort and convenience of an assembly of worshippers, and each true worshipper is supposed to have risen in spirit into the profound realities of which the tabernacle and its services were only symbols. Serving the purpose of material symbols of the unseen and eternal, the tabernacle was appropriately made of the most costly materials, for these, with their various values, were, for the time, “object lessons” of the better things to come.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Making of The Altar of Whole Burnt Offering ( Exo 38:1-7 ).

Exo 38:1-7

‘And he made the altar of whole burnt offering of acacia wood: five cubits was its length, and five cubits was its breadth, it was foursquare; and three cubits was its height. And he made its horns on the four corners of it; its horns were of one piece with it: and he overlaid it with bronze. And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, the flesh-hooks, and the firepans: all its utensils he made of bronze. And he made for the altar a grating of network of bronze, under the ledge round it beneath, reaching halfway up. And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grating of bronze, to be places for the staves. And he made the staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze. And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to bear it; he made it hollow with boards.’

For details of the Altar of Burnt Offering see on Exo 27:1-8.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Altar of Burnt Offering

v. 1. And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood; five cubits was the length thereof and five cubits the breadth thereof (it was foursquare) and three cubits the height thereof. There is no top or plate mentioned, and it is probable that the hollow frame-work was filled with earth or stones whenever the altar was in position.

v. 2. And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same, made of acacia wood; and he overlaid it with brass.

v. 3. And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basins, bowls used for sprinkling and pouring the blood of the sacrifices, and the flesh-hooks, for spearing the meat in the caldrons, 1Sa 2:13, and the fire-pans, for carrying the live coals used in kindling the fires ; all the vessels thereof made he of brass, of copper or one of its alloys.

v. 4. And he made for the altar a brazen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.

v. 5. And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.

v. 6. And he made the staves of shittim wood and overlaid them with brass.

v. 7. And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar to bear it withal. He made the altar hollow with boards. Cf Exo 27:1-8.

v. 8. And he made the laver of brass and the foot of it of brass, of the looking-glasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation. These were women that served in the court of the Tabernacle, probably by washing and polishing the articles used in the sacred worship. They freely scarified their metal mirrors, otherwise thought indispensable pieces of furniture, for the Sanctuary of the Lord. The laver was a reservoir for the water used in the Sanctuary and in the court, and its base may have contained wash-basins for the prescribed ablutions. Cf Exo 30:17-21.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

Exo 38:1-8

THE FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE WORKTHE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FURNITURE FOR THE COURT.Exo 38:9-20.AND OF THE COURT ITSELF. On the completion of the tabernacle, Bezaleel and his assistants turned their attention to the court and its furniture; and constructed, first, the altar of burnt offering (Exo 38:1-7); secondly, the bronze laver (Exo 38:8); and thirdly, the hangings, pillars, connecting-rods, hooks and pins for the circuit of the court (Exo 38:9-20). Exo 38:1-7 correspond to Exo 38:1-8 of Exo 27:1-21.; Exo 27:8 corresponds to Exo 27:18 of Exo 30:1-38.; and Exo 30:9-20 correspond to Exo 30:9-19 of Exo 27:1-21.

Exo 38:3

The pots. This translation is better than that of Exo 27:3, which is “pans.” Buckets or scuttles to convey the ashes from the altar to the ash-heap (Le Exo 1:16) are intended.

Exo 38:8

Of the looking-glasses of the women. This interesting fact has not been previously mentioned. Bronze plates, circular or oval, admitting of a high polish, were used by the Egyptian women as mirrors from a very early date, and may be seen in the Egyptian collection of the British Museum. They have handles like those of our fire-screens, generally also of bronze. It was natural that the Hebrew women should possess similar articles, and should have taken care to bring them with them out of Egypt. The sacrifice of them for a sacred purpose is rather to be ascribed to their own serf-denying piety than to any command issued by Moses (Spencer). Which assembled. Literally, “who came by troops.” Women assembled themselves by troops at the entrance of the “tent of meeting” set up lay. Moses (Exo 33:7), as at a later date we find Hannah (1Sa 1:9-12) and other women who were less worthy (1Sa 2:22) doing. The women who showed this zeal were those that made the sacrifice of their mirrors for God’s service. There is no reason to suppose (with Hengstenberg and others) that they constituted a regular “order.”

Exo 38:10

Their fillets. Rather, “their connecting-rods,” as in Exo 27:10.

Exo 38:17

The overlaying of their chapiters of silver. This is additional to what is recorded in Exo 27:1-21; and is parallel to what we find related of the tabernacle pillars in Exo 36:38. Filleted with silver. Rather, “connected with silver rods.” Compare Exo 27:17.

Exo 38:18

The height in the breadth was five cubits. The height of the hangings all round the court was required to be five cubits, or seven and a half feet (Exo 27:18). It appears by the expression here used”in the breadth”that the material was woven of exactly this width.

Exo 38:19

Their chapiters. This again is additional to the directions given Compare the comment on Exo 38:17.

HOMILETICS

Exo 38:8

The triumph of female piety over female vanity.

Hebrew women were, it must be presumed, much like other women in their natural dispositions, and therefore not without their share of personal vanity. The fact, that in all the haste of their sudden departure from Egypt they had not omitted to carry with them their metal mirrors, is indicative of this. The mirror was the most valued of toilet articles, and the most indispensable for effecting that end, at which almost all women aimthe making the best of those advantages of personal appearance which nature has vouchsafed to them. It is difficult to imagine any material sacrifice to which a woman would not more readily have consented than the loss of her mirror. Yet we know that the sacrifice was made by large numbers; for the laver was a vessel of considerable size. Let us consider then,

1. The motive of the act;

2. the antecedent conduct which led up to it;

3. the reward which it obtained.

I. THE MOTIVE OF THE ACT. No other motive can be conceived of than true piety. Piety loves to make offerings to God. Piety does not count the cost. Piety, the gift of grace, can triumph over nature; transform a poor vain worldling into a saint; make no sacrifice seem a hard one. It must have been piety which made these women give their mirrors, either,

1. In addition to their personal ornaments (Exo 35:22), or

2. In default of them.

Some after offering their ear-rings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and the like, may have desired, from pure love of God, to give more, and casting about to consider what more they could give, may have bethought them of their mirrors. Others may have had no personal ornaments to give; and if unable to spin, may have had nothing else but their mirrors which they could contribute. In either case, piety was at the root of their giving.

II. THE ANTECEDENT CONDUCT WHICH LED UP TO IT, They who contributed their mirrors were women wont to “assemble at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” In other words, they were such as had previously made all the use they could of their religious opportunities. We see that God does not shower down his precious gifts of grace at randombut “helps such as help themselves.” He granted the priceless grace of self-denying love to those who were constant in serving him at the place where he had “set his name,” and was to be found of them that sought him. Much prayer, much waiting upon God, had gone to form the character of those who now found themselves able to make a willing sacrifice of their vanity.

III. THE REWARD WHICH THEIR ACT OF SACRIFICE OBTAINED FOR THEM. It obtained for them the high reward of special mention in God’s holy worda place in his “Valhalla”a record in his “Roll of worthies.” Of the other offerings we know not, for the most part, whether they were made by men or womenmuch less by what class of men, or what class of women. Only here, and in Exo 35:25, Exo 35:26, is the sex specified, and only here the class. Let women take this to heart. Let them be ready to sacrifice to him all their adornments”braided hair and gold and pearls, and costly array” (1Ti 2:9)let them be ready to sacrifice even, if need be, their personal charms (as many do in fever or small-pox hospitals), and they will not be forgotten by himthey will not go without a recompense. If their act be not recorded in any other book it will be written in that heavenly record, out of which all will be judged at the last day (Rev 20:12).

For other Homiletics on the subjects of this chapter, see those on Exo 27:1-21.

HOMILIES BY J. ORR

Exo 38:1-21

The brazen altar, the laver, and the court.

See Homilies on Exo 27:1-20; Exo 30:17-22.J.O.

Exo 38:8

The mirrors of the women.

The women assembling at the door of the tabernacle (see Hengstenberg’s “Egypt and the Books of Moses,””The Institution of Holy Women “) gave up their mirrors for the making of the laver. Learn

1. Peculiar devotion to God expresses itself in acts of sacrifice.

2. Religion gives power to make sacrifices.

3. It weans the affections from the world.

4. It gives superiority to the motives of personal vanity. The mirror is peculiarly a woman’s instrument of self-pleasing. It is her means of pleasing the world.

5. Religion teaches godly women to study simplicity in personal adornment (1Pe 3:1-5).

6. Self-denial in outward adornment is valueless, unless” in the hidden man of the heart,” there be the positive inward adornment of holiness (1Pe 3:4). This was taught by the use to which Moses put the offeringsthe making of the “laver.” Regeneration is the true beautifier.J.O.

HOMILIES BY J. URQUHART

Exo 38:1-31

The Court and its lessons.

I. THE FURNISHING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE COURT

(1) The altar on which the sacrifice for Israel’s sin was laid, and their own offerings accepted. Christ is the foundation and the power of all our service.

(2) The laver. It was fashioned from the mirrors of the women, The adornment of the outward was exchanged for inward purity, the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. It stood there for the daily use of God’s priests. They could pass into God’s presence only as their defilement had been washed away. “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” Are we being washed ere that hour comes when we must appear before him?

2. The construction of the court.

(1) God’s grace makes a separation between the Church and the world. To break down this is to undo God’s work.

(2) The wall of separation was fine twined linen. It is a separation not only between faith and unbelief, but between righteousness and unrighteousness.

(3) The world sees the results only, the means by which they are attained are hid from its view; but the results are a call to come and see.

3. The order in which they were made. The altar first, then the laver, and, last of all, the enclosing of the court. First, Christ and his sacrifice; next, the washing of regeneration by him through the Spirit; and, last of all, the gathering together of the Church. This is the Divine order. The true Church has ever this history. None have a right to be there on whom the work of altar and laver has not first been done.

II. THE MATERIAL.

1. The record of it is kept. There is nothing of all that is given for God’s service, the history or place of which is forgotten.

2. The use to which it is applied. The gold is put to the highest use; the silverthe redemption moneyis the foundation of the sanctuary; the brass is used for the altar, the laver, and the court. Each is put to its proper use, and a place is found for all. No gift can be brought to God which he will not employ.U.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Exo 38:1-8. The brazen altar for the sacrifices, and the laver for the priests, are next fashioned: both typical of him, who made the one atonement for sin, and whose blood alone can cleanse our souls from the guilt or the defilement of it. This laver was made of the looking-glasses of the devout women, who frequently assembled to worship at the door of the congregation. Be it remembered to their honour. Note; 1. They who appear often before the sanctuary, and in the glass of God’s holy law see the deformity of their nature, will never spend their time at their toilette in admiring their persons. 2. When God’s service requires it, we should be willing to part with any thing, however useful to us or precious, and count that best bestowed, which is employed for his glory. 3. When we go to the laver of Christ’s blood, we must look into the glass of the law, and then we shall see more distinctly in the one, how much we want the other.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

D.the ark and the mercyseat,1 and the cherubim

Exo 37:1-9

1And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim [acacia] wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it: 2And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown [rim] of gold to [for] it round about. 3And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by [gold, on] the four corners of it [its four feet]; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it. 4And he made staves of shittim 5[acacia] wood, and overlaid them with gold. And he put the staves into the rings by [on] the sides of the ark, to bear the ark. 6And he made the [a] mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 7And he made two cherubims [cherubim] of gold, beaten out of one piece [of beaten work] made he them, on [at] the two ends of the mercy-seat. 8One cherub on the end on this side [at the one end], and another [one] cherub on the other end on that side [at the other end]: out of [of one piece with] the mercy-seat made he the cherubims on [at] the two ends thereof. 9And the cherubims [cherubim] spread out their wings on high [upwards], and covered [covering] with their wings over [wings] the mercy-seat, with their faces one to [towards] another: even to the mercy-seatward [towards the mercy-seat] were the faces of the cherubims [cherubim].

E.the table and its vessels

Exo 37:10-16

10And he made the table of shittim [acacia] wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: 11And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown [for it a rim] of gold round 12about. Also [And] he made thereunto [for it] a border of an [a] handbreadth round about; and made a crown [rim] of gold for the border thereof round about. 13And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon [in] the four corners 14that were in [on] the four feet thereof. Over against [Close by] the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table. 15And he made the staves of shittim 16[acacia] wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table. And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes [its plates], and his spoons [its cups], and his [its] bowls, and his covers to cover withal [its flagons to pour out with], of pure gold.

F.the candlestick and the utensils belonging to it

Exo 37:17-24

17And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same [the candlestick, its base, and its shaft: its cups, its knobs, and its flowers wereof one piece with it]: 18And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof: 19Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in [Three cups made like almond-blossoms on] one branch, a knop [knob] and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in [almond-blossoms on] another branch, a knop [knob] and a flower: so throughout [for] the six branches 20going out of the candlestick. And in [on] the candlestick were four bowls [cups] made like almonds [almond-blossoms], his knops [its knobs], and his [its] flowers: 21And a knop [knob] under two branches of the same [of one piece with it], and a knop [knob] under two branches of the same [of one piece with it], and a knop [knob] under two branches of the same [of one piece with it], according to [for] 22the six branches going [that go] out of it. Their knops [knobs] and their branches were of the same [of one piece with it]: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold. 23And he made his [its] seven lamps, and his [its] snuffers, and his [its] snuff-dishes, 24of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.

G.the altar of incense and its appurtenances

Exo 37:25-29

25And he made the incense altar [altar of incense] of shittim [acacia] wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same [of one piece withit]. 26And he overlaid it with pure gold, both [gold,] the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto [for] it a crown [rim] of gold round about. 27And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown [rim] thereof, by the two corners [on the two flanks] of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be [for] places for the staves to bear it withal. 28And he made the staves of shittim 29[acacia] wood, and overlaid them with gold. And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary [spices, the work of the perfumer].

H.the altar of burnt-offering with its utensils, and the laver

Exo 38:1-8

1And he made the altar of burnt-offering of shittim [acacia] wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof. 2And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same [of one piece with it]: and he overlaid it with brass [copper]. 3And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots and the shovels, and the basins, and the fleshhooks, and the fire-pans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass [copper]. 4And he made for the altar a brazen grate of network [a grating of network of copper] under the compass [ledge] thereof beneath unto the midst of it [reaching to the middle of it]. 5And he cast four rings for the four ends [corners] of the grate of brass [copper grating], to be [for] places for the staves. 6And he made the staves of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlaid them with brass 7[copper]. And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar [made it] hollow with boards. 8And he made the laver of brass [copper], and the foot [base] of it of brass [copper], of the looking-glasses of the women assembling, which assembled [the serving women, who served] at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting].

I.the court.

Exo 38:9-20

9And he made the court: on [for] the south side southward the hangings of the 10court were of fine-twined linen, an [a] hundred cubits: Their pillars were twenty, and their brazen [copper] sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets 11[rods] were of silver. And for the north side the hangings were an [side a] hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass [copper] twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [rods] of silExo Exo 38:12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [rods] of silExo Exo 38:13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits. 14The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 15And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand [So for the other side; on this hand, and on that hand, by the gate of the court], were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16All the hangings of the court round about were of fine-twined linen. 17And the sockets for the pillars were of brass [copper]; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [rods] of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters [capitals] of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with [joined with rods of] silExo Exo 38:18 And the hanging [screen] for the gate of the court was needlework [embroidered work], of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine-twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable [corresponding] to the hangings of the court. 19And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass [copper] four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters [capitals] and their fillets [rods] of silExo Exo 38:20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass [copper].

J.amount of the metal Used

Exo 38:21-31

21This is the sum of [These are the amounts for] the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of [of the] testimony, as it was [they were] counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest. 22And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Jehovah commanded Moses. 23And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman [a skilful weaver], and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.

24All the gold that was occupied [used] for the work in all the work of the holy place [sanctuary], even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 25And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an [a] hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 26A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be [passed over to them that were] numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. 27And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; an [a] hundred sockets of 28[for] the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters 29[capitals], and filleted them [joined them with rods]. And the brass [copper] of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels. 30And therewith he made the sockets to [for] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], and the brazen [copper] altar, and the brazen grate 31[copper grating] for it, and all the vessels of the altar, And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate [gate of the court], and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.

K.preparation of the priests vestament

Exo 39:1-31

1And of the blue, an purple, and scarlet, they made cloths [garments] of service, to do service [for ministering] in the holy place and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

1. The Ephod

2And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine-twined linen. 3And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires [threads], to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, 4with cunning work [linen, the work of the skilful weaver]. They made shoulder-pieces for it, to couple it together [joined together]: by [at] the two edges was it coupled [joined] together. 5And the curious girdle of his ephod [the embroidered belt for girding it], that was upon it, was of the same [of one piece with it], according to the work [like the work] thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine-twined linen; as Jehovah commanded Moses. 6And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches [settings] of gold, graven as signets are graven [graven with theengravings of a signet], with the names of the children of Israel. 7And he put them on the shoulders [shoulder-pieces] of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to [ephod, as memorial stones for] the children of Israel; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

2. The Breast-plate

8And he made the breast-plate of cunning work [with the work of the skilful weaver], like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and 9fine-twined linen. It was four-square; they made the breast-plate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled. 10And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row: [stones: a row of sardius, topaz,and emerald was the first row]. 11And the second row, an emerald [a carbuncle], a sapphire, and a diamond. 12And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 13And the fourth row, a beryl [chrysolite], an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches [settings] of gold in their inclosings. 14And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to 15[for] the twelve tribes. And they made upon the breast-plate chains at the ends 16[chains like cords] of wreathen work of pure gold. And they made two ouches [settings] of gold, and two gold rings [rings of gold]; and put the two rings in [on] the two ends of the breast-plate. 17And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in [on] the two rings on [at] the ends of the breast-plate. 18And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in [put on] the two ouches [settings], and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, before it [on the front of it]. 19And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breast-plate, upon the border of it, which was on [toward] the side of the ephod inward. 20And they made two other [two] golden rings, and put them on the two sides [shoulder-pieces] of the ephod underneath, toward [on] the forepart of it, over against [close by] the other [the] coupling thereof, above the curious girdle [embroidered belt] of the ephod. 21And they did bind the breast-plate by his [its] rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace [cord] of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of [embroidered belt] the ephod, and that the breast-plate might not be loosed from the ephod; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

3. The Robe

22, 23And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, [And the opening of the robe in the middle of it was] as the hole of an habergeon [like the opening of a coat of mail], with a band [binding] round about the hole [opening], that it should not rend [might notbe rent]. 24And they made upon the hems [skirts] of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen [scarlet, twined]. 25And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem [skirts] of the robe, round about between the pomegranates; 26A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe [upon the skirts of the robe round about], to minister in; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

4. The Coat, Breeches, and Girdle

27And they made coats [the coats] of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sons, 28And a mitre [the turban] of fine linen, and goodly bonnets [the goodly29caps] of fine linen, and linen [the linen] breeches of fine-twined linen, And a [the] girdle of fine-twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needle work [scarlet, embroidered work]; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

5. The Plate of Gold

30And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO JEHOVAH. 31And they tied unto it a lace [cord] of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre [turban]; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

a. The Curtains of the Tent and their Coverings. Exo 36:8-19. Vid. Exo 26:1-14. Jacobi, in his pamphlet, Die Lehre der Irvingiten (Berlin, 1853), p. 52 sqq., has told how the Irvingites interpret, in a fantastic, allegorical way, the curtains of the tabernacle as pointing to their offices; and, in general, their arbitrary trifling with Old Testament symbols. In a similar way they deal with the Apocalypse. Vid. Stockmeyer, Kurze Nachricht ber den Irvingismus, p. 13. Keil observes that the verbs in Exo 36:8, in Exo 36:10, and in Exo 36:11, etc., are in the third Pers. Sing. with an indefinite subject. But this is not borne out by Exo 36:8, where first stands in the plural. It is more likely that the whole work is called Bezaleels.

b. The Frame-work of the Tent, Exo 36:20-34; vid. Exo 26:15-30.

c. The Veil and the Screen, Exo 36:35-38; vid. Exo 26:31-37. Exo 36:38. Not the whole of the pillars of the screen was overlaid with gold, but only the tips, and the rods running across the upper ends. The other pillars of the court only had their tips and cross-rods overlaid with silver.

d. The Ark, the Mercy-seat, the Cherubim, Exo 37:1-9; vid. Exo 25:10-22. It is called the master-workman Bezaleels own work.

e. The Table of Shew-bread and its Vessels, Exo 37:10-16; vid. Exo 25:23-30. In the direction the dishes are called , ,, and ; the same here, except that the order of the last two is inverted.

f. The Candlestick and the Utensils belonging to it, Exo 37:17-24; vid. Exo 25:31-40.

g. The Altar of Incense with its Appurtenances, Exo 37:25-29; vid. Exo 30:1-10. The Anointing Od and the Incense, Exo 30:22-28.

h. The Altar of Burnt-offering, with its Implements, and the Laver, Exo 38:1-8. On the Altar vid. Exo 27:1-8. On the Laver vid.Exo 30:17-21. Knobels notion about Exo 38:8 is very strange [vid. above, p. 127]. He thinks that on the base there were fashioned figures of the women who, as Levite women, came into the court to wash and furbish. [But Knobel does not represent the figures as on the base.]

i. The Court, Exo 38:9-20 : vid. Exo 27:9-19.

j. Summation of the Metal used, Exo 38:21-31. The estimations (Exo 38:21). Keil, The enumerated things. The duty of counting the amount was committed to the Levites under the direction of Aarons son, Ithamar.

Exo 38:24. The Gold. Thenius and Keil reckon it at 87,730 shekels, or 877,300 Thaler,a gold shekel being estimated as = 10 Thaler [ = 7 Dollars and 20 cents. Poole, in Smiths Bible Dictionary, makes it a little more.Tr.]

Exo 38:25-28. The Silver. Of the silver there is reckoned only the amount of the atonement money collected from those who were numbered, a half-shekel to every male, the voluntary gifts of silver not being mentioned (Keil). It is not to be supposed that amidst the voluntary contributions of gold, copper, etc., a legally imposed tax would be specified. But it may well be conjectured that the standard, afterwards fixed for the tax for the sanctuary, served as a guide in the voluntary contributions, as has been already remarked [p. 126]. On the abundance of gold and silver among the ancient Orientals, as showing the possibility of the actual correctness of these accounts in opposition to modern doubts, vid. Keil, page 251; Knobel, page 333.

k. Exo 39:1-31. The preparation of the priestly garments, to the description of which a transition is formed by a statement of the materials for them and of the design of them. The ephod, Exo 39:2-7, corresponds to Exo 28:6-12; the breast-plate, Exo 39:8-21, to Exo 28:15-29the Urim and Thummim, which needed no special preparation, being passed over. The robe, Exo 39:22-26, answers to Exo 28:31-34; the coats, head-pieces, breeches, and girdles for Aaron and his sons, Exo 39:27-29 to Exo 28:39-40; Exo 28:42. The head-covering of the common priests in Exo 28:40 () is here (Exo 39:28) called ornamental caps (Keil). Vid. Knobel for archological notes, p. 334.

___________________

Fifth Section

The Religious Presentation of all the Component Parts of the Sanctuary, and Moses Blessing

Exo 39:32-43

32Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation [tent of meeting] finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so did they. 33And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his [its] furniture, his taches [its clasps], his [its] boards, his [its] bars, and his 34[its] pillars, and his [its] sockets, And the covering of rams skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers [seals] skins, and the veil of the covering [screen], 35The ark of 36the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy-seat, The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shew-bread, 37The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the [thereof, the] lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels [utensils]thereof, and the oil for light [the light], 38And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging [screen] for the tabernacle-door [door39of the tent of meeting], The brazen [copper] altar, and his grate of brass [its copper grating], his [its] staves, and all his [its] vessels, the laver and his foot [itsbase], 40The hangings of the court, his [its] pillars, and his [its] sockets, and the hanging [screen] for the court-gate, his [its] cords, and his [its] pins, and all the vessels [furniture] of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation 41[of meeting], The cloths [garments] of service to do service [for ministering] in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons garments, to minister in the priests office [to minister in as priests]. 42According to all that Jehovah commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made [did] all the work. 43And Moses did look upon [saw] all the work, and, behold, they had done it as Jehovah had commanded, even [commanded,] so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Besides the minute enumeration of the several parts of the tabernacle, is especially noticeable the repeated observation that they had done everything according to Jehovahs commandment, Exo 39:32; Exo 39:43. The enthusiasm and the joy in making offerings was at the same time a punctilious obedience to the lawan obedience which, being rendered primarily to Moses, shows that the new order of things, or the Old covenant, is again established.

Exo 39:33-34. By are meant the two tent-cloths composed of curtains, the purple one and the one made of goats hair, which made the tabernacle () a tent (). It thence follows beyond a doubt that the variegated curtains formed the inner walls of the tabernacle, or covered the boards on the inside (? how then could they be stretched?). On the other hand, the goats hair curtains formed the outer covering (Keil). The colored curtains formed the inside even if they were stretched over the boards.

Exo 39:43. The readiness with which the people had brought in abundance the requisite gifts for this work, and the zeal with which they had accomplished the work in half a year or less (vid. xl. 17), were delightful signs of Israels willingness to serve the Lord; and for this the blessing of God could not fail to be given (Keil).

Footnotes:

[1][Lange renders lid of expiation, and remarks that the term is as difficult to translate with one word as is the name . Luthers rendering, Gnadenstuhl (mercy-seat), he commends as conveying substantially the right impression. But it is questionable whether one can properly combine the literal and the topical in a translation, as Lange does.Tr.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

The account of the building is continued through this Chapter. Here is given the particulars of framing the altar of burnt offering: the laver of brass: of the pillars and hangings for the court of the tabernacle; and a account of the sum which the people willingly offered.

Exo 38:1

Was not this altar a type of the cross? Heb 13:10 . Five cubits was about three yards, two inches.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Old Things Turned to New Uses

Exo 38:8

The mirrors of the period were made of burnished brass. Women having such looking-glasses at the door of the Tent of Meeting refers to an idolatrous custom. In many ancient religions women took a leading part in some of the ceremonies. This was so in Egypt. The Israelites had no doubt observed the custom and imitated it in some degree, or part of the “mixed multitude” that went up with Israel out of Egypt may have continued the idolatrous practice. Each woman had a looking-glass made of polished brass, and that mirror was used in some way in connection with idolatrous practices. When the tabernacle was being built the women gave up their mirrors and so contributed to the formation of the laver, which was made of brass, and the foot of it of brass. Thus we have old things turned to new uses, and it is for us to say whether we shall regard this incident as a piece of ancient history, or whether we shall enter into the spirit of it and realise the action in our own day and on a broader scale. We can modernise the incident; we need not allow the centuries to gather between us and the instance of consecration. We need not smile at the ancient story; we had better seize its spiritual intent and realise its purpose in our own daily behaviour.

How came the women to give up their looking-glasses to assist in constructing the laver? Because a superior spirit had taken possession of them. That is the philosophy and that the explanation of the case. That must be the philosophy and the explanation of corresponding service upon our part. This kind of action, if it is to be of the true quality and to have real virtue and merit in the sight of Heaven, cannot be done as a trick, or as an act of mechanism, or for the satisfaction of personal vanity, or for the purpose of being like other people; it must express the fact that into our souls there has come a new principle of living, a new purpose, a nobler spirit than we have yet entertained, and the action must show that we are ruled by considerations which deprive all temporal things of the slightest permanent value. We are too prone to make ancient history; it is a fault of ours. We might be younger if we determined not to be so old. We might see the old poetry written over again with a young hand. We might revivify all the sacred past and be rich in memory and inspiration. Is it not so that when a greater spirit takes possession of the man he is willing to attest the reality of the new occupancy by giving up that which aforetime he valued? Great enthusiasms dispossess the soul of mean idolatries. Christ in you the hope of glory alters every standard of valuation and every test of accuracy. When a preacher has set upon his platform a little black slave-child and looking a great congregation in the face has said Her price is so much: shall we subscribe the amount and invest the child with freedom? what has been the reply? Men have taken off their watches and chains and cast them into the treasury; women have stripped their fingers of jewellery and said, “Take the baubles and buy the child’s liberty with them.” That is the philosophy, and until we get some such spirit as that we shall be niggards and mean men, content with little things, careful that the temperature does not rise too high; we shall be the victims of prudence, we shall not know the sovereignty and Divinity of purest passion.

This is not to be accomplished by mere argument in words. The soul must see its own Divine sights and hear the call addressed specially to itself; it must feel the glow of a new love, the appeal of a grand challenge; it must answer in its own way without heeding the judgment or fearing the contempt of others. We cannot do the greatest actions in life as mere duties. Duty is a measurable term: it begins and ends; it has appointed days, stipulations, covenants; it goes by weights, scales, and measures. A great life can never be founded upon the mere discharge of mechanical duty. There is a conception of duty which takes up all the elements that are necessary to constitute and preserve a Divine enthusiasm; but I am dealing now with the every-day conception quid pro quo , the so much for so much, and that is the spirit of the hireling, and it never can end in enthusiasm, consecration, Calvary. What then is the spirit that is to enter into us? None other than the spirit of Christ. We might use many words in describing the spirit, but all the words would focalise themselves at last in this sublime expression “For Christ’s sake.” When Christ enters into a man and takes full possession of him, the world is not worth fighting for; time is so small as to be unmeasurable, and all the prizes of life are leaves that wither in the plucking. Argument can never do this; creed and dogma and written form of faith can never do it. Men cannot be followers of mere isms, and impersonalities, and abstract propositions. There are those who seek to quench the spirit of individuality. They do not want mere personal following to be the rule of religious life; they would have men live for an ism, an abstract statement. This can never be done. We are so constituted that personality rules our thinking, stirs our enthusiasm, brings to consecration our hesitating, inquiring, and reluctant will. The highest personality is Christ. We follow him, and in proportion as we follow him all things we possess are his. We feel heaven enough in the realisation of the fact that he is willing to accept and use them.

There is room in the sanctuary for everything. This is the point we have so often missed in our Christian teaching. No punishment is burning enough for the men who would belittle God’s house. They are the plague of every ministry, they are the obstruction of every kingdom that is righteous and pure, are those who would limit the Holy One of Israel. What have you? You have nothing that cannot be used in the building of God’s house and kingdom. Have you nothing but the little looking-glass? It can be used. Is yours, on the other hand, but one small flower which a child could pluck? It was God’s flower before it was yours, and he will never consent to lose a flower; it cost him thought and care and love; he dressed the flower as Solomon never could dress himself. Are yours very great faculties? They will be small enough in relation to the kingdom which is Christ’s and the house which is God’s. Many a great man feels himself much contracted when he comes into the infinite kingdom of Christ. The faculties which dazzled the senate are hardly seen in the Church always provided that the term Church is defined in the largest and truest way. This will be seen some time. Meanwhile, the standard of valuation is different, and men “dressed in a little brief authority,” rebuke wandering people who stop public religious services. When the men who so act as George Fox acted begin to explain themselves, the illustrious quacks call the speech nonsense. Are you a statesman? What a field there is in the Church for you! Here is your opportunity a world to liberate, a world to illuminate, a world to bless; a world? one world? ten thousand worlds, when measured by the generations which rapidly and passionately succeed one another in the passage to eternity! How is your statesmanship being employed? In building paper walls? In outwitting rivals and competitors struggling for a prize that will perish before it is reached? A vain and mean life! Let the Church (truly defined) never be ashamed to claim for herself the grandest function which human genius and human strength can exercise. Have you music some gift of touch, some gift of voice, the faculty of rendering thought into the eloquence of music? What a field there is in the Church for you! for the pure man to pronounce pure words, for the soul to sing as well as the throat and the lips to sing the world up to heaven’s gate the weary, sighing, brokenhearted world. Who will exclude the musician from the Church? He must be brought inside, though the elder brother be offended much by the music and dancing. Better the elder brother be offended than that the passion of love and gratitude be extinguished in the soul. The elder brother must not rule us.

The time has come when men must settle this question. What spirit is to rule the Church? the spirit of ice if ice can be said to have a spirit or the spirit of fire? The man of ice must be put out: he must be excommunicated as worse than a heretic and a most mischievous form of hypocrite. What is your talent? Is it a faculty of amusing men? We want you. This poor human life needs occasional recreation and gentle withdrawment from studies that would afflict it by the very profoundness of their solemnity. The child wants you the little child all dimples, the little life all dream and laughter; that little creature does not want the theologian, the philosopher, the dogmatist. There is every kind of life upon the face of the earth and within the compass of the government of God, and each must be attended to according to its degree and quality and compass. The Church must consecrate its laughter; it must turn its very amusement into an instrument of religious use and blessedness. Nothing is to be turned away from the Church, except that which is impure, untrue, vicious, mean, and debasing.

Bright will be the day when all faculties which are now employed in mischief are employed in doing good. There are clever men on the bad side men who could triumph over some of us in many departments of human skill who are giving all their time and attention to the service of the Evil One. We want all their faculties; we must make room for their exercise. If the men say, We cannot exercise our faculties within the lines of the Church, then somebody has taken away from the amplitude of the Church, and room must be found for every man who is willing to consecrate his faculties to the true enlightenment, advancement, comfort, civilisation, and progress of mankind.

There are others to whom an appeal may be fittingly addressed namely, those who are using great powers for little purposes or unworthy ends. Is it worth your while to carve heads upon cherry-stones? Taking all things into account, is it worthy of your power and dignity to be found running errands that are without a purpose, casting vessels into empty wells and drawing nothing up? Is there nothing better for you to do than to be throwing water into a sieve all day long and finding it empty at eventide? There may be no absolute mischief in what you are doing, but the faculties could be turned to positive beneficence real, sound, healthy, good-doing, and when so turned the day is without a cloud, the time of cessation comes too soon, and as for he wages, they are paid in every stroke of the work.

Many entertain the hope that a day will come when all things will be turned to the building and consolidation of God’s kingdom. Prophecy encourages us to take that view. As for Christ

Blessed will be the day when the breweries of the country are turned into mechanics’ institutes, great sanitary establishments for the washing and cleansing of the people. Blessed will be the day when the rich man’s saloons shall be thrown open to the poorest neighbours he has who will come to look at his articles of vertu , who will turn over his curiosities and examine them with honest fingers, and so admire them as to be touched into desire for broader life. Blessed bright will be the day when in that sense we shall have all things common; when the strong man’s strength shall be the weak man’s refuge; when the homeless shall have a large home in the charity and love of his richer brother; when the one object of every heart will be to extend the happiness of mankind, the one question in the morning being, What good can be done to-day? and the one question at eventide, What good has been accomplished? My persuasion is that if ever that time is to be brought about, it can only be by the extension of the spirit of Jesus Christ. He turned every man’s faculties to use; he found a place for every man in his clientle he turned none away, saying “In the formation of my kingdom I never anticipated peculiarities and gifts like yours.” I know of no teacher with so keen a vision, so large a heart, so tender a sympathy, so noble a priestliness. This I say of him as a mere character in history without approaching him along any theological lines; but meeting him on the open highway of civilisation and listening to him, I say, “My Lord and my God, no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him.” If I withheld that tribute from his gentle majesty, it would be because I had suppressed the purest passion that ever inflamed and ennobled my heart.

Taking the Christian view, all becomes larger still and brighter, and the hope is given that one day everybody will be in the kingdom, and every man, woman, and child will be doing their very best to make that kingdom what God means it to be. The great men, by heroic strength, by dauntless valour, will carry on their sublime occupation; the patient women gentle souls, having the genius of sympathy and the faculty of interpreting by suffering will contribute their important, their ineffably valuable share; and little children will make up the sum total of the consecration. They can say nothing, but they can laugh us out of despair; they cannot preach, but they can hug the Cross with a trust that ought to be full of significance to us. All people serving the Saviour, all houses consecrated to the Son of God, and the whole earth, casting out the devil and his hell, shall have no room in all its radiant hue but for the Christ of God. “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Note

The Hebrew women on coming out of Egypt probably brought with them mirrors like those which were used by the Egyptians, and were made of a mixed metal, chiefly copper, wrought with such admirable skill, says Sir G. Wilkinson, that they were “susceptible of a lustre, which has even been partially revived at the present day, in some of those discovered at Thebes, though buried in the earth for many centuries. The mirror itself was nearly round, inserted into a handle of wood, stone, or metal, whose form varied according to the taste of the owner. Some presented the figure of a female, a flower, a column, or a rod ornamented with the head of Athor, a bird, or a fancy device; and sometimes the face of a Typhonian monster was introduced to support the mirror, serving as a contrast to the features whose beauty was displayed within it.” With regard to the metal of which the ancient mirrors were composed there is not much difference of opinion. Pliny mentions that anciently the best were made at Brundusium, of a mixture of copper and tin or of tin alone. Praxiteles, in the time of Pompey the Great, is said to have been the first who made them of silver, though these were afterwards so common, as, in the time of Pliny, to be used by the ladies’-maids. They are mentioned by Chrysostom among the extravagances of fashion, for which he rebuked the ladies of his time, and Seneca long before was loud in his denunciation of similar follies. Mirrors were used by the Roman women in the worship of Juno. In the Egyptian temples, says Cyril of Alexandria, it was the custom for the women to worship in linen garments, holding a mirror in their left hands and a sistrum in their right, and the Israelites, having fallen into the idolatries of the country, had brought with them the mirrors which they used in their worship. Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible.

“The Bible is the flaming book which men fear will be destroyed; but sooner will you pluck the stars out of heaven, than one star out of this divine book…. All theories respecting the history and structure of the Bible may be mooted and disputed; but there it is, a book whose fruits rise higher, smell sweeter, taste more flavoursome, inspire more health, than any or all others that have been produced upon the plane of human life.”

Henry Ward Beecher

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

XXVII

THE TABERNACLE

Exodus 25-31; Exodus 35-40

This chapter covers thirteen chapters of Exodus, and, of course, I can only touch them in places. These chapters are 25-31; 35-40.

1. Was there a temporary tent before this tabernacle was built?

Ans. You will find in Exo 33:7-11 , that there was a temporary tent and on one occasion it was moved outside of the camp.

2. What were the names of the tabernacle and the reasons therefore?

Ans. First, the “tabernacle of testimony, or witness,” Exo 38:21 ; Num 17:7-8 . Those two names mean the same thing. The tabernacle of testimony, or of witness; and the reason of this is that this tent was the depository of the testimonials; anything that was to be kept for a testimony was to be kept in this tent; for example, in it were the tables of testimony or God’s autograph on the two tables of stone containing the Ten Commandments. That copy was kept as a witness; then in it was the book of the covenant, that is, those chapters, Exo 19:1-24:9 . That part is called the book of the covenant. That was in Moses’ handwriting. Then there were the records made by Moses, that is, the Pentateuch, the entire Pentateuch was put in the tent and kept in there; then Aaron’s rod that budded was put in there and a pot of the manna and later the brazen serpent that Moses erected. All of these were memorials. Now the tent that held these testimonials was called the tabernacle of the witness, or the testimony. That accounts for one of its names.

Next name, it is called the “temple of the Lord.” You will find this name in 1Sa 1:9 , and 1Sa 3:3 ; the reason of that name is that there God was approached and propitiated and worshiped and that gave the name “temple.”

The third name is the “house of the Lord,” because he occupied it. He was the dweller in it. As a Shekinah he dwelt in there symbolically between the Cherubim on the mercy seat and hence it was called the “house of the Lord.”

The fourth name is “sanctuary,” that is on account of its holiness. It was holy unto God; the most holy place, the holy place and the whole ground, or campus, was set apart to sacred purposes, hence, the sanctuary.

The fifth name for it was the “holy oracles”; that applied, of course, only to what is called the “most holy place”; that is very frequently in the Bible called the oracle of the temple, the most holy place. It is so called in Psa 28:2 , and in 1Ki 6:5 . Now, it obtained this name because there God spoke. An oracle is to give an answer to questions propounded. There God spoke, and it was also called the oracle, because in it were kept the written words of God, the place of the oracle; the book of the Pentateuch was kept in there. Now, the references here are very numerous on this oracle question. In 2Sa 16:23 ; in Act 7:38 , and in Rom 3:2 are some references to this most holy place as the oracle: “What advantage then hath the Jew? Much every way, but chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God.” There the oracles mean the same thing as the Bible, that is, as their Bible grew in volume it was kept in that place; that was the oracle for their Bible.

Now, I repeat the names of this tabernacle: (1) The tabernacle of the testimony, or witness; (2) the temple of the Lord; (3) the tabernacle is called the house of the Lord; (4) the sanctuary; (5) the oracle.

3. What can you say about the pattern of this tabernacle?

Ans. It was God’s pattern, copy, shadow, or type of a true sanctuary in heaven, that is, there is in heaven a true sanctuary, a true holy place, a most holy place, and as the poet Campbell says, “Coming events cast their shadows before,” so that reality in heaven casts its shadow before in the form of this copy or type. And when the real thing came of course the shadow disappeared. Anyone walking from a light casts his shadow before him, and the shadow will get to an object first; now when the substance gets there, the shadow is gone. I give you some very particular references on this word pattern, what it means and about God’s being the author of it. He furnishes the complete plan and every detail of the specifications. Not only for this sanctuary but for its successor, the Temple, and for the Temple’s successor, the church on earth, and for its successor, the church in glory. I give you some scriptures in point: Exo 25:40 ; Exo 26:33 ; Exo 27:9 ; Exo 39:32 ; Act 7:44 ; Heb 8:2 ; Heb 8:5 ; Heb 10:1 .

All of those refer to this sanctuary that Moses built as having been made according to a pattern which God furnished. Moses was commanded to see to it that everything be made according to the pattern. Now to give you an illustration that will come more nearly home to you, I got an architect to draw me a plan of a house to live in near the Seminary in Fort Worth. He drew four floors, that is, four floor plans; two side elevations, a front and a rear elevation; then a long list of specifications as to material, how that material was to be used, and the bill of the lumber, and of the brick and of the stone, and everything in it was put down. Now when I went to let that contract the contractor entered into a contract to build it according to the plans and specifications. If he had varied a hair’s breadth from what that architect put down, I could have held him liable.

I make this remark to you in order to correct some loose thoughts. People that insist upon sticking to God’s plans and specifications on the tabernacle and on the Temple, will deny that he has any plans and specifications on their successor, the church, and that nearly anything will do for a church, and that they can put things in nearly any sort of an order; they can commence with communion on the outside before a man is ever converted, and as a means to conversion; they can baptize him before he is converted, or they can dispense with it altogether. It is one of the most appalling signs of the times, that there is such looseness with reference to God’s positive institutions. It is a thousand times more important that the church be strictly continued and followed in all God’s plans and specifications than it was with this tabernacle, and yet there was not one-eighth of an inch variation in the measurements of this tabernacle. You may settle it that God is a God of order and not of confusion. This tells us here about certain tables and it tells us how those tables were to be constructed, and what was to go on them, and just where they must put them and just how they were to use them. Some people take the table of the church and put it outdoors and just call up Tom) Dick, and Harry to come and partake; a thing that you wouldn’t dare to do in my house; you couldn’t say where my table should be put. I do that. We certainly ought to allow God the same privilege about his table. You could not invite guests to my house, to dine; I must do that. We ought to allow God that privilege. You are the judge of what you put on your table, and we should let the Lord tell us what to put on his table. Then don’t go and invent a hundred things to tack onto what God has specified.

4. What were the materials of this sanctuary and their value?

Ans. There are eight kinds of materials specified. I will commence with the costliest. There are quite a number of very precious stones, jewels, some of them of exceeding great value and beauty. They are enumerated. The next was gold. The pattern tells you just exactly what gold must be put in it. Some of it was simply threads of gold. The gold must be beaten out very thin and then cut into the finest threads of gold and work these threads into the cloth. And the plans must not be varied from by one single thread of that battered gold.

Then the next material used was silver. It specifies in every particular where that silver was to be used. And the next was brass, and then it tells just what should be made of brass, whether the outside mold, or the brazen altar, or some brazen socket in which a pole or post rested.

The fifth material was the acacia wood, very common in that wilderness, and it was a very hard wood, hence exceedingly durable for building purposes of any kind. Now, it is a notable fact that this old tent had a good deal of acacia wood in it in certain places; it was existing up to the time that Solomon built the Temple, all the posts around it, all of acacia wood. When I read about it I am reminded of what a little boy in North Texas said with reference to bois d’arc. He said a bois d’arc fence would last through two eternities; that he and his daddy had tried it several times. In other words, it doesn’t wear out at all and it doesn’t rot. I know a bois d’arc fence now that is ninety-one years old, and it is just as sound as a silver dollar. So that acacia was the kind of wood to be used. The wood that went into the ark of the covenant consisted of a base of wood and then there was a covering of gold, and the wooden base of that ark was there in that Temple nearly a thousand years later when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple. I mention that to show you how much better it was for those people to follow God’s specifications about the wood. Suppose they had put in something that would have rotted in about two years.

The sixth element of material was the various kinds of cloth. This cloth would either be what is called fine twined linen, finished linen made out of the flax, or it was a coarse cloth made of goat’s hair or it was woolen cloth, or it was made out of skins what is called badgers’ skins, though probably not badgers’. It was more likely to have been the skins of sea animals and that skin was impervious to water when the animal was in the water, and remained impervious to water. They needed cloths for all things, for the girdles, and for the different classes of garments that are specified and for the veils. The seventh element of material was olive oil, pure beaten olive oil. That was to be for the lamps, and the eighth and last specification of the material was spices, perfumes that were to be for anointing. For instance he gives a prescription of the holy anointing oil, with olive oil as a base, and his directions will tell you just what spices to put in it and precisely what proportion; so many parts of one and so many parts of another. And they are not only commanded not to vary from that but they were never to make that holy anointing oil to be used for any secular purpose whatever. A king on his throne couldn’t have as much made as would stick to his little finger.

The question says, give the materials and their value. Unfortunately we have no means of valuing all the materials that were used. There is one place in your lesson that gives you the weight, troy weight, of the gold, silver, and brass, and I can tell you what that was: 3,350 pounds, troy weight, of pure gold; 11,526 pounds, troy weight, of pure silver; 8,112 pounds of brass. The measure is given. A shekel was a weight or measure as well as a piece of money. They give it in shekels and these shekels converted into pounds, troy weight, and you can convert these pounds, troy weight, into dollars and cents so far as gold and silver are concerned, into the present worth.

5. How was this vast amount of materials obtained?

Ans. Every bit of it was by voluntary contribution. Chapter 25 commences with the word of God to Moses to call upon the people to make an offering for the sanctuary. But God declines to take any offering unless it is a free will offering; it must be on the part of the willing heart. And when you turn over to read about how David got the material for erecting the Temple it is a most thrilling part of the Old Testament; the biggest contribution the world ever saw was collected. It is a fine thing to preach on, and a good suggestion to preachers when building a sanctuary for the Lord to take contributions from the willing heart.

6. Who were the artificers that made all these things, and how were they qualified to make them?

Ans. Some of the work was very delicate and required the greatest possible skill and nicety in construction. Exo 31:2 : “And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel 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, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiad the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee.” Only two of them are mentioned by name.

7. What arts were implied in building this tabernacle?

Ans. Well, you can see that they couldn’t have cloths unless there were weavers and they would not have different cloths unless they had industries, and that precious stones couldn’t be cut unless there was lapidaries; and wood couldn’t be carved so beautifully unless there were skilled men in wood carving, and the structure couldn’t be planned and carried out unless there were architects. Then there bad to be the most exquisite work on the high priest’s garment there was to be on the bottom or border a row of pomegranates and bells, a pomegranate and a little bell, then a pomegranate and a bell, and so on all around it. It bad to be the most perfect thing. Whenever the high priest moved the bells would ring, and he couldn’t stop when he was performing the ceremonies in the most holy place. If the bells stopped ringing he would die instantly; and the people ‘would keep praying on the outside as long as they heard the bells on the high priest’s garments ringing. That shows that the high priest rings out to God the petition that they send up, and that shows the intercession. The bells in heaven upon his robe are always ringing, so he is praying for you all the time.

Now you see that to have the instruments to do all these things implied manufacturers; the jeweler’s tools, the carving tools, and the brass; they must have foundries. Think of the number of arts, and what a tremendous change had taken place in these people after they went into Egypt. They were nomads, ranch people, cowboys till then; when they got to Egypt they learned agriculture, city building, architecture, all sorts of fine work, and now it is all brought out with them, and when they go to leave Egypt, the Egyptians are so glad to get rid of them, God put it in the hearts of the Egyptians to bestow on the Jews gold and silver and jewels, and that is where all this gold and silver comes from that they are using now to build the tabernacle.

8. Define the whole space of the court.

Ans. Here the student should make a diagram and let that diagram show the relative places of the entire court, the heights of the curtain wall around that court and the gate of entrance and where the altar, i.e., the brazen altar, is placed, and where the laver is placed, and how they got into the holy place and then into the holy of holies. And he should show in that diagram just where Moses’ place was, and where Aaron’s place was, and the places all around that diagram of the court where the Levites were, and which of them on this side and which on that side, and then show the tribes camped around it; what three tribes on the north side, what three on the south, on the east and on the west. If you want to see a diagram so that you will have nothing to do but copy it, get (and every reader of this book ought to have what I have urged them to have) the Rand-MeNally’s Atlas by J. L. Hurlbut. You ought to read what it has to say about every lesson that we have. And if you have the Hurlbut Atlas it gives you just the picture that I have drawn mentally and orally, showing the length, breadth, and height of the court; showing you where the gate is on the east; showing you just where Moses was to be, where Aaron was to be, where the Levites were to camp, and where the other tribes were to be placed all around it; how big the tabernacle was, how big each division was, and how big the most holy place was in cubic measurement. The question is, Define the whole space of the court.

9. What are the tent divisions, and the sizes of the divisions?

Ans. The tent was divided into two divisions, the holy place and the most holy place, and they were separated by what is called the veil of the Temple, but it came to be a tremendous thing in the Herodian Temple seventy feet long and thirty feet wide, and four inches thick, and so woven that ten yoke of oxen couldn’t tear it, and yet when Jesus died it was rent in twain from top to bottom. The sizes are given in the Atlas.

10. What were the contents of the most holy place?

Ans. There were just two things in there, and don’t you ever put anything else in there. These are the articles, viz.: the ark, which is one thing, and the mercy seat which rested right on top of it; of course, the mercy seat which rested right on top of it had its propitiatory place where the atonement was made, and the Cherubim of pure gold (of course, there were things in the ark the witnesses: the pot of manna, Aaron’s rod, the brazen serpent, and so on). But two things are in there the mercy seat, which is on top of the ark: a chest with its contents inside, and the mercy seat resting on it.

11. How was the most holy place lighted?

Ans. There was no light in it, but clouds of darkness: “a thick pavilion of darkness is my habitation.” Whenever you get to the church in glory the expression, “There is no temple, there is no altar or shrine,” doesn’t mean the general structure about the shrines, just as the mercy seat on top of the ark constituted the shrine. When you get to the church in glory there is no shrine there. Why? Because the Lord God and the Lamb are the light thereof. Now down here in this tabernacle there was a shrine, the Cherubim) and the Shekinah signifying the presence of God.

12. Who enters, and how often, into the most holy place?

Ans. The high priest only, and that only one time a year. Nobody could ever see the outside of what was in there. They couldn’t see the outside of the ark nor the outside of the mercy seat. It was always carried, but it was carried covered. And the tent was first put up upon arriving at a camp and after the tent was put up the bearers of the ark carried it on the inside, and when they went out Aaron alone uncovered it. He was the only one that ever saw it.

13. What were the contents of the holy place, where were the contents set up, and what did they represent?

Ans. Just three things were in there. There was the seven-branched golden candlestick; the light of that lamp was never allowed to go out at night. It was trimmed every morning and lighted every evening just before dark. That candlestick or lampstand was just one lampstand. The one that was in the Temple when Titus captured Jerusalem was carried to Rome as a trophy. Another thing in there was a table, and on the table six loaves of bread in one place and six loaves of bread in another place and a cup; in the third place, there was a little altar called the golden altar in contradistinction from the big one on the outside, the brazen altar. This altar was covered with gold and on that was the frankincense, or incense; the material is frankincense, and it became incense, going up when it was burning in a beautiful smoke and very fragrant. Now as you enter that division from the east, the right hand will be the north. Which one of the things do you out on the north? Do you put a table, a candlestick, or a golden altar? Which one do you put to the south, and which one in the center right opposite the veil that has to be lifted aside by Aaron once a year? The Atlas shows all this.

What do those three things represent?

Ans. They represent the blessings of salvation by grace like the food and the spirit of prayer, as communicants get those spiritual blessings. That bread also represents the twelve tribes shewbread that is, it is bread for exhibition, very sacred, nobody was ever allowed to eat it. David did eat a piece once when he was very hungry and Jesus excused him under the circumstances (he was starving) though “He did eat the shewbread which was against the law.” Now we have found out the contents of the holy place, and how they were set up, and what they represented.

14. Who enters the holy place (not the most holy place) and how often?

Ans. Not the Levites but the priests. The Levites had the run of the court) Aaron the most holy place, the priests the holy place, every day.

15. What are the contents of the court and their respective positions and signification?

Ans. In the open court around the tent there were these things: (1) Near the east gate of the court was the brazen altar, the altar of burnt offering and sin offering. That was the altar of sacrifices. (2) Between that altar and the entrance into the holy place was the laver, a vessel containing water used by the priests in the ablutions necessary to the performance of their duties.

16. Who entered this court and how often?

Ans. Aaron and his sons that constituted the priesthood, and the Levites the whole tribe of Levi that served in the matters of the public worship. They all entered this court. Some of them were in there every day. There were daily offerings, one every morning and one every evening; so that was open all the time to Aaron or his sons or the Levites having special work to perform in there.

17. Where did the people come?

Ans. They came to the gate in the east; they didn’t get inside the gate except in case of their offerings. They brought their offerings to the altar before the tent of meeting.

18. Who were the ministers in the sacrifices and how were they set apart? Divide their respective duties of the court.

Ans. Your lesson tells you all about that: that the ministers consisted of Aaron, the high priest, the priests, and the Levites; just exactly how each one of them was to be consecrated to office; the ritual, etc. Aaron does certain things, and he alone; the priests, certain things, and they alone; the Levites, certain things, and they alone.

XXVIII

THE TABERNACLE (Continued)

1. What was the high priest’s apparel, its use and meaning?

Ans. Your book has a great deal to say about the clothing of the high priest but I shall confine my answer to only two articles of that apparel, viz.: the mitre and the ephod. The mitre was a headdress; towering, and on the front of it just over Aaron’s forehead was a golden plate fastened to the mitre, and on that inscribed, “Holiness to the Lord.” He was never allowed to exercise his high priestly functions unless he had that mitre on.

Now, the other portion of his dress that requires very particular mention is the ephod. The ephod was a garment, a vestment that had a hole cut in it like you see cowboys have in their blankets. It was put on by putting it over the head and the head coming up through that hole, and it came down to the knees. There was an inner robe of course, but I am talking about the ephod. It was carefully hemmed and embroidered around that hole so it wouldn’t tear, just as a buttonhole is, to keep it from widening. At the bottom of the ephod were the pomegranates and little bells that I have told you about. And the bells were to ring all the time that the high priest was performing his functions. It was death to him if they stopped, and their sound was the indication to the people that the high priest’s work was going on and they, on the outside, would pray as long as they heard the bells ringing. That is the ephod proper.

But that ephod had a breastplate, just a span square, at the shoulders; on the ephod was a hook, an ouch, on each side. This breastplate was just a span wide and on it four rows three in a row of very valuable jewels and each jewel had inscribed on it the name of one of the twelve tribes. So that whenever Aaron acted officially he carried over his heart, as a representative, the whole nation of Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel were there, carried on his heart.

The breastplate had two gold chains. The upper part of it had rings and the gold chains went up and fastened to the ouch, or hook, on the shoulder piece of the ephod. Having put on the ephod, he would then take up the breastplate by the two gold chains and hook it to the clasps on the ephod. That would let it drop down on his breast. Then the sides of the breastplate had rings and they were fastened to other hooks on the ephod and that kept it from falling forward, kept it in place.

Now, besides the twelve great jewels that represented the twelve tribes of Israel there were two other jewels, called the urim and thummirn. They went on the breastplate. I am not quite sure but that they were under the breastplate on the inside. The names, urim and thummirn, mean light and perfection. The use of the two particular jewels was to communicate with Jehovah. When the cloud would come down and rest over the tent to signify that Jehovah wanted to have a talk, the high priest would come into the holy place, and the communication would take place. Now, the two jewels Aaron would look at and how, I don’t know and nobody else knows, but through those jewels as a medium, he would understand the communication that had been given to him. Hence a high priest’s method of communicating with God was always through the urim and thummirn. Moses didn’t do it that way, because he was a prophet. God spoke to him direct. But the high priest could only communicate with God through the urim and the thummirn. If he lost those jewels he couldn’t talk with God.

Now, the ephod carrying the breastplate and the two precious stones, the urim and the thummim, was strictly an official robe; so that you often find in the accounts in the Old Testament the expression, “Get me the ephod.” “What do you want with the ephod?” “I want to communicate with God.” The ephod was the robe of communication. You read in the life of David that he went to where the high priest was and told him to put on his ephod and answer him certain questions. Well, the high priest put on the ephod, went up to the door of the holy place, propounded David’s question, looked at the urim and the thummirn, understood the answer, and gave it to David. You read in the book of Judges that Gideon when he assumed to be king had an ephod made so that he could communicate with God. And you read in the prophet Hosea that Israel shall be a long time without a king, without an ephod, and without a prophet. They shall have no means of communicating with God. That is the condition of Israel this day. They have no Temple; they have no high priest; they have lost the urim and thummirn; they have no ephod; no way of communicating with God. Since they reject Christ, the only means of communication, they are shut off. So that the particular thing about the breastplate and its urim and thummirn is that it was a God-appointed means of communicating with the people through the high priest. He adopted a different method when he spoke with the prophets. A prophet was higher than a priest. The prophets communicated with God directly. There are other things about Aaron’s dress, all the details of which had a meaning, but these are the great meanings of the dress of the high priest.

20. What were the regular times of service in this tabernacle?

Ans. Here were the regular times: The daily services every morning and every evening; the sabbath services, that is, once a week; the monthly services, the monthly sabbaths, and the annual sabbaths. Those were the great festivals, three great festivals, and then the Jubilee sabbaths, and in connection with it there came the great Day of Atonement. Those were the regular times of service, but there were provisions for special times of services that I will not now discuss.

21. What the offerings and their meanings?

Ans. I have to answer it so elaborately when I come to Leviticus, I only give now in general terms these offerings: Sin offerings, burnt offerings, eucharistic, or thank offerings; in a burnt offering, all of it had to be burned up. Now, a sin offering had to be burned, but every burnt offering was not a sin offering. I give you this example: If a man wanted to consecrate his whole life to God and brought an offering, that was a burnt offering. Now, that offering had to be burned to ashes on the brazen altar, to signify that God accepted that entire consecration. The sin offering was also burned. Nobody could eat a part of a sin offering. But certain parts of the eucharist, or thank offering, or peace offering, or meat offering could be eaten. Moses ate a certain part, and Aaron and his sons a certain part, and the Levites certain parts.

22. What was the ritual?

Ans. The ritual is that set of rules that told them just how everything was to be done. Almost the whole book of Leviticus is ritual and the larger part of Numbers. For instance, it tells just how every particular offering must be offered. The ritual is the system of rules prescribed, the service and the order of the service in all of its parts.

23. What was the place of the sanctuary in the camp and order of encampment around it?

Ans. I will answer that question more fully when we come to the book of Leviticus. We will suppose Israel is on a march and the cloud stops. As soon as the cloud stops Aaron and Moses stop. As soon as they stop, those carrying the furniture of the most holy place, that is, the ark and mercy seat, set it down there covered. And then the tent is put over it, and then all the arrangements are made about the various articles of the holy place and the court. Then the fence is put up, i.e., the court fence. Now, the Levites come in and camp on three sides, and every tribe knew just where it was to camp one on the north side, one on the east, one on the west, and so on.

24. When was this tabernacle completed and what was the order of setting it up?

Ans. In Exo 39:42 , we have this statement: “According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses saw all the work, and, behold, they had done it.” Exo 39:42 of that chapter says, “Then was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished and they brought all the material together before Moses.” Now, the other part of the question was: The order of its setting up? That is explained to you in Exo 40:1-8 ; Exo 40:17 , “And it came to pass in the first month in the second year [that is, since they left Egypt], on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up. And Moses reared up the tabernacle.” Then it tells how the tent was put up: “Then Moses took and put the testimony into the ark,” brought the ark into its place and then all the other things into their places in order.

25. When was it anointed?

Ans. It was anointed after the setting up, and Exo 40:9-11 , tells about that anointing, that is, setting it apart. And this is what it says on that, “And thou shalt take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is therein and shall hallow it; and all the vessels thereof and it shall be holy, and thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt-offering and all its vessels and sanctify the altar and it shall be an altar most holy.” “Thou shalt anoint the laver; thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons and make them put on their official robes and anoint them. Thus did Moses.”

26. When was it filled?

Ans. As soon as it was set up and was get apart, and anointed, the record says (Exo 40:34 ), the cloud came down and filled the tent and the glory of it was such that Moses couldn’t enter it. Then God says, “My glory sanctifies this tent.” When we get to Lev 18 , we learn that the tabernacle was sprinkled with blood as well as anointed with oil. Now, you will see from a careful reading of the last chapter of Exodus that a great many commandments are given, telling how things are to be done. Go to Leviticus and Numbers to find out how these orders given in the last chapter of Exodus are carried out. They are prescribed here and they tell you how it is to be done; the orders are given, but in Leviticus and Numbers they are carried out.

27. How dedicated?

Ans. Now, although the cloud had filled the tent, you don’t learn how that house was dedicated until you get to Num 7 . Nearly all of Leviticus and about a third of Numbers ought to be studied with the last part of Exodus. I am going to close what I have to say on this by giving you a little subsequent history of this tabernacle. It went with the children of Israel through all their wanderings. When Joshua got over into the Holy Land he set it up at Shiloh and after awhile it was moved to Nob. There it was in David’s time; then it went to Bethel; then in Solomon’s time it was at Gibeon. David erected a new tent. He didn’t make a new ark of the covenant and new altars and things of that kind, but he did make a new tent when he brought the ark up and put it in Jerusalem. Then he sent to Gibeon later on and that old tent that stood empty at Gibeon was brought but not set up, but just rolled up and when the Temple was built it was put in a chamber of the Temple and preserved, how long, I don’t know.

28. Give the parallels of a later date.

Ans. Well, just as that tabernacle was first prepared fully in all its materials, and these materials were brought together in one place, just so it was done with the Temple. So that when they started to put up the Temple they do so without the sound of hammer. Everything was so carefully prepared before it went up. Just as the church in glory will go up when the time comes. Every living stone will be thoroughly complete: body there, glorified; soul there, sanctified; no work to be done that day. It just goes into place by assembling. In my sermon on the church you will find just how the church in glory will be finally set up, and how that when our Lord built his church, John the Baptist prepared some of the material, which Jesus accepted; and Jesus prepared some of the material. But not all the work of the church was completed until Christ died. When he died he said, “It is finished.” The church was completed.

But that church was not anointed until the day of Pentecost, just as the old tabernacle had to be anointed and the smoke came and filled it. So the church that Jesus built stood open after he left it. He was the guide in it. He was the Shekinah as long as he lived, but when he went away it stood open until the day of Pentecost, when, as Daniel says, the most holy place was anointed. The Spirit came down and filled that house just as the cloud filled the house that Solomon built, and the house that Moses built.

29. What was the position of the cloud with reference to this tabernacle and its signals?

Ans. The normal place of the cloud was up in the air above the tabernacle. If the cloud moved, they moved, and they kept right under it. That was the normal place. If the cloud stopped, they stopped. So that one of the cloud’s signals was its moving, or its stopping. Another one of the cloud’s signals was its coming down and resting on the tent. That signified a communication was desired with the people through the priests. Then the high priest put on his ephod with his urim and thummirn, and went in to receive the communication. If a communication was wanted with Moses, he needed no ephod, since he was a prophet and talked direct with God.

30. What was the value of that cloud for light, shade, defense and guidance?

Ans. All night the cloud up in the air was one great pillar of fire, brighter than all the electric lights of New York City. Night couldn’t come up and touch them. Just think of it being forty years that they never saw the night. Then in the daytime the cloud spread out as a shade and kept the burning sun off them. The heat didn’t smite them for forty years. Then the cloud by its movements infallibly guided them just exactly where to go. They didn’t have to make any inquiries concerning the road they were to follow. They were to follow the cloud. They didn’t have to ask about how soon to start next morning. They were just to wait on the cloud. If it didn’t move, they were to stay right there if it was a year. The whole question was settled as to guidance by the cloud. How was it as a defense? Well, as enemies came, if the enemies were in the rear the cloud moved to the rear and got between them and the enemies with the black face of it toward the enemies. It had a black face and a light face. It would turn the light face toward the Israelites. It did that way when Pharaoh came up after them, and it looked to him like the blackest night the world ever saw, coming right between him and the Israelites, and it stayed there; Pharaoh couldn’t see through the black part of the cloud that was throwing light over Israel, and the Israelites passed through the Red Sea; as soon as they were across the cloud rose up and went on ahead of the Israelites, and Pharaoh following when he got into the midst of the sea, he and his army were swallowed up.

31. What was the value of the sanctuary as a center?

Ans. It was absolutely essential to hold this crowd together. Put three million people out and no center of unity and they will disintegrate; they will go in every direction, but no matter how many the people nor how far out the columns had to spread in marching and the herds had to go in grazing, all they had to do at any time was to look up; away yonder they could see, if in the daytime, the pillar of cloud, if at night, the pillar of fire.

32. What was the value of the sanctuary as an oracle?

Ans. An oracle is a supernatural voice that answers questions and tells you what you are to do.

33. Where was the oracle and what was it?

Ans. The most holy place is many times called the oracle, not because it was the oracle, t)ut because it was there that the oracle spoke. Nobody can estimate how much is the value of an infallible oracle. A case would come up that Moses would not know what to do. “Well, I will go and ask the oracle. I will ask God. God will tell me what to do.” In the New Testament Jesus says, “While you are now asking me questions [they were firing questions at him all the time, and right then in that very discussion of his, Philip says, “Lord, this,” and Thomas says, “Lord, this” and Jude says “Lord, this”] when the other Advacate comes, you shall ask me nothing. You will ask him. You will ask the Holy Spirit. I am going away and you think you will have nobody to answer your questions?” Disciples are interrogation points. They ask questions all the time and often very foolish questions, but Jesus patiently listened and answered, but when he went away that was the thing that troubled them: “Who will answer our questions?” “In that day when the Holy Spirit comes, you will ask me nothing. Just ask him,” says Jesus.

34. How was a communication signified?

Ans. If it was the high priest that was to ask a question, he would put on the ephod with the urim and thummirn and come to the Holy Place, and if the cloud was willing to hear him it would settle down and talk to him, and the same way with Moses, only Moses didn’t use the urim and thummirn.

35. How was the answer obtained and give examples?

Ans. If it was a priest wanting it, the answer was obtained through the urim and thummirn; I will give you some examples: 1Sa 23:9-12 ,-1Sa 28:6 ; 1Sa 30:7-8 ; Hos 3:4 . All these are cases when questions were brought, the methods by which they were brought and how answers were obtained.

36. What was the relative value of this tent and all the other tents?

Ans. A great many tents were necessary for three millions of people. I will let the psalmist answer that question. He says, “The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the tents of Israel.” That tent was worth all the rest of them put together. Without that tent the others would not stand. It was not only the center of unity and the place where the oracle spoke and by which they were defended and guided, but it was the place of God’s presence.

37. What description and explanation the best?

Ans. About the best I know is found in Rand-McNally’s Atlas of the Bible. If you had that book you could turn to a certain page and see the picture of the whole tabernacle, see the diagram showing you just how every tribe camped, where Moses stood, where Aaron stood, etc.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

cubits. See App-51.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

In the history of construction we now pass to the court itself. Here again the furniture was first prepared. The brazen altar led the way as the symbol of absolute devotion to God. This was followed by the laver, a gracious provision for the constant cleansing of those who were to find their way into the Holy Place for communion and testimony. Then followed the making of the courts, its curtains, its pillars, and its sockets of redemption silver. Finally the screen of embroidered work for the gate was prepared.

The study of this pattern and the work done to carry it out must inevitably lead the thought to the fulfillment of everything symbolized in and through Christ. Whereas there may be fanciful and almost fantastic interpretations, there can be no doubt that everything was intended to teach great lessons and to lead the thought of these people to the spiritual nature of their life under the government of God. If we may use the term with all reverence, lifting it on to the highest level of application, the whole Hebrew economy was that of an elementary education, the employment of the kindergarten method of pictures, leading to underlying and eternal truth.

Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

CHAPTER 38 The Burnt Offering Altar, the Laver, the Court and the Metals Used

1. The altar of burnt offering (Exo 38:1-7)

2. The laver (Exo 38:8)

3. The court (Exo 38:9-20)

4. The amount of metal used (Exo 38:21-31)

The pattern as previously given is closely followed and everything done according to the divine command. Nothing was left in the work to the choice of the workman. They had the pattern and the spirit of God gave the power to carry it out. Thus God expects us to work and serve after His own pattern in the power of the indwelling Spirit. He will eventually carry out all His revealed plans and purposes concerning this earth. Women furnished the material for the laver. They gave their looking glasses, which were of shining metal. (See Job 37:18.) They were pious women of Israel who gave willingly what must have been a costly possession. They assembled at the door of the tabernacle. The Chaldean paraphrase is of the mirrors of the women, which came to pray at the door of the tabernacle.

Interesting is the estimate of the amount of metal used. Gold occupies the first place: 29 talents and 730 shekels. Silver was given by every male a half of a shekel (the atonement money). The number of men from 20 years and upward was 603,550; so they gave 301,775 shekels of silver. Then there was the brass (copper). Precious metals, like gold and silver, were plentiful in Egypt , which had immense gold mines.

Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

shittim

i.e. acacia.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

the altar: This altar consisted of four boards of shittim – acacia wood, covered with brass, and hollow in the middle; but it is supposed to have been filled up with earth when used, for it is expressly said – Exo 20:24 that the altar is to be of earth. As it was five cubits long and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, if the cubit be reckoned at 21 inches, it must have been eight feet nine inches square, and about five feet three inches in height. Exo 27:1-8, Exo 40:6, Exo 40:29, 2Ch 4:1, Eze 43:13-17, Rom 8:3, Rom 8:4, Rom 12:1, Heb 3:1, Heb 9:14, Heb 13:10, 1Pe 2:5

foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof: Eze 43:16, Joh 6:37, Heb 13:8, Rev 21:16

Reciprocal: Exo 31:9 – the altar Exo 35:16 – The altar Lev 1:3 – a burnt Num 3:31 – the altars Num 4:14 – all the vessels thereof 2Ch 1:5 – the brazen

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Exo 38:1. Having finished the furniture of the house itself, Bezaleel, and those who were employed under him, proceeded next to that of the court of the tabernacle, where the sacrifices and services were commonly performed; wherein first they made the great brazen altar for burnt-sacrifices, with all its appurtenances, in mode and form exactly agreeable to the orders given about it in Exo 27:1-3. On this all their sacrifices were offered. Christ was himself the altar to his own sacrifice of atonement, and so he is to all our sacrifices of acknowledgment. We must have an eye to him in offering them, as God hath in accepting them.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exo 38:1. The altar. The tabernacle had two celebrated altars, the altar of incense within the sanctuary, and the altar of burnt-offering mentioned here, which was without. The exterior frame was wood, the platform was a hollow network of brass, that the ashes might pass through, and that the air having free access to the fire, the victims might be quickly consumed. Many hallowed implements also appertained to the altar, as shovels and pans to bring the coals and take away the ashes, and hooks to turn the pieces of the victims. It was provided also with brazen dishes or censers, in which the priest conveyed the fire into the holy place when he burnt incense. From these mysteries I learn that my sinful soul ever needs to take refuge at the atoning altar; and my heart has need to be constantly warmed with the flame of redeeming love: and I would never cease to offer up to God, through Jesus my great High-priest, the sacrifices of prayer and praise. Let the sinner likewise flee and take hold of the horns of this altar, on which the great propitiatory sacrifice has been offered up, and there wait for pardon and acceptance through the atoning blood.

Exo 38:8. The laver. This was made of pieces of polished brass, used by the women as mirrors. It stood near the altar, and here the priest washed his hands and his feet. This laver presignified the cleansing waters of baptism, or rather of regeneration, in which we are cleansed by the blood and the Spirit of Christ from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, that we may afterwards proceed to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord.Looking glasses. This is an accommodated reading; glasses not being used till after our Saviours time. The Hebrew raah, is he saw, as in Gen 29:32; the Lord hath looked on my affliction. Here the word looked is equivalent to that of a reflector. Among the Greeks those reflectors were made of mixed metals, copper, tin and brass. The apostle refers to these in 1Co 13:12 : Now we see in a speculum darkly.

REFLECTIONS.

How immense the oblations of a poor and afflicted people! What gold and silver, and precious stones; what brass and linen, and riches they bestowed on the sanctuary of the Lord; and yet they continued to give till forcibly restrained by a refusal of their gifts. Yet what are all these perishable gifts, when compared with the gift of Christ, and all his grace! God who is rich in mercy, when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath raised us up together with Christ, and made us sit together in heavenly places. And shall we think any thing too rich to give to God, or too hard to do for his service. Oh no: had we the wisdom of Bezaleel, the skill of Aholiab and Ahisamach, we should employ the whole for him; and bless him that he has counted us worthy to have a name and a place in his house for ever.

Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exodus 35 – 40

These chapters contain a recapitulation of the various parts of the tabernacle and its furniture; and inasmuch as, I have already given what I believe to be the import of the more prominent parts, it were needless to add more. There are, however, two things in this section from which we may deduce most profitable instruction, and these are, first, the voluntary devotedness; and, secondly, the implicit obedience of the people with respect to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation. And first, as to their voluntary devotedness, we read, “And all the consecration of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold : and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord. And every man with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers’ skins, brought them. Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass, brought the Lord’s offering: and every man with whom was found shittim wood? for any work of the service, brought it. And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair. And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate: and spice and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring, for all manner of work which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.” (Ex. 35: 20-29.) And, again, we read, “And all the wise men that; wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; and they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make, . . . . for the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.” (Ver. 4-7.)

A lovely picture this of devotedness to the work of the sanctuary! It needed no effort to move the hearts of the people to give, no earnest appeals, no impressive arguments. Oh! no; their “hearts stirred them up.” This was the true way. The streams of voluntary devotedness flowed from within. “Rulers,” “men,” “women” – all felt it to he their sweet privilege to give to the Lord, not with a narrow heart or niggard hand, but after such a princely fashion that they had “enough and too much.”

Then, as to their implicit obedience, we read, “according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.” (Ex. 39: 42, 43) The Lord had given the most minute instructions concerning the entire work of the tabernacle. Every pin, every socket, every loop, every tach, was accurately set forth. There was no room left for man’s expediency, his reason, or his common sense. Jehovah did not give a great outline and leave man to fill it up He left no margin whatever in which man might enter his regulations. By no means. “See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount. (Ex. 25: 40; Ex. 26: 30; Heb. 8: 5) This left no room for human device. If man had been allowed to make a single pin, that pin would, most assuredly, have been out of place in the judgement of God. We can see what man’s “graving tool” produces in Ex. 32. Thank God, it had no place in the tabernacle. They did, in this matter, just what they were told – nothing more – nothing less. Salutary lesson this for the professing church! There are many things in the history of Israel which we should earnestly seek to avoid – their impatient murmurings, their legal vows, and their idolatry; but in those two things may we imitate them. May our devotedness be more whole hearted, and our obedience more implicit. We may safely assert, that if all had not been done “according to the pattern showed in the mount,” we should not have to read, “then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” (Ex. 40: 34, 35) The tabernacle was, in all respects, according to the divine pattern, and, therefore, it could be filled with the divine glory. There is a volume of instruction in this. We are too prone to regard the Word of God as insufficient for the most minute details connected with His worship, and service. This is a great mistake, a mistake which has proved the fruitful source of evils and errors, in the professing Church. The word of God is amply sufficient for everything, whether as regards personal salvation and walk, or the order and rule of the assembly. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim. 3: 16, 17) This settles the question. If the Word of God furnishes a man thoroughly unto “all good works,” it follows, as a, necessary consequence, that whatever I find not in its pages, cannot possibly be a good work. and, further, be it remembered, that the divine glory cannot connect itself with ought that is not according to the divine pattern.

– – – – – – –

Beloved reader, we have now travelled together through this most precious book. We have, I fondly hope, reaped some profit from our study. I trust we have gathered up some refreshing thoughts of Jesus and His sacrifice as we passed along. Feeble, indeed, must be our most vigorous thoughts, and shallow our deepest apprehensions, as to the mind of God in all that this Book contains. It is happy to remember that through grace, we are on our way to that glory where we shall know, even as we are known; and where we shall bask in the sunshine of His countenance who is the beginning and ending of all the ways of God, whether in creation, in providence, or redemption. To Him I do most affectionately commend you, in body, soul, and spirit. May you know the deep blessedness of having your portion in Christ, and be kept in patient waiting for His glorious advent. Amen.

C. H. M.

Fuente: Mackintosh’s Notes on the Pentateuch

Exodus 38. Ps. Altar, Laver, and Court.The great altar of burnt-offering is now so distinguished in Exo 38:1-7 (in Exo 27:1-8* it is the altar). The laver is briefly mentioned (Exo 38:8 a, cf. Exo 30:18-21), the reference to the mirrors of the host of women (Exo 38:8 b) being regarded as a gloss because presupposing the erection of the Tent. In Exo 38:9-20 the Outer Court is described (cf. Exo 27:9-19), the latter part containing variations. In Exo 38:15 the words on this hand . . . court, not in Exo 27:15, are an obvious gloss, misplaced here. In Exo 38:21-31 we have a late supplement specifying the metals used. The census of Numbers 1 and the appointment of Levites in Numbers 3 are presupposed, and the poll-tax for maintenance is taken as a contribution of silver for manufacture into utensils. Driver renders Exo 38:21, These are the reckoning of (the metals employed for) the Dwelling, even the Dwelling of the testimony, which were reckoned . . . Moses; (being) the work of the Levites, under the hand of Ithamar. Then in Exo 38:22 f. the leading craftsmen, Bezalel and Oholiab, are reintroduced. The silver reckoned in Exo 38:25-28 is solely the product of the tax, worth 16,262 at present rates; and the silver given according to Exo 35:5; Exo 35:24 is ignored. Three specimens of the beka (Exo 38:26) have been found in Palestine, their weight averaging under 100 grains, indicating that they were Phnician half-shekels of 112 grains when new.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

THE ALTAR OP BURNT OFFERING

(vs.1-7)

This altar was placed outside the tabernacle, being the first object one would meet after entering the court. It was made of acacia wood, covered with copper, thus reminding us of the true humanity of the Lord Jesus (the acacia wood) and the holiness of His divine glory (the copper).

Its size was five cubits in length and the same in width, and its height three cubits. The number five is that of responsibility, as the human hand with its five fingers teaches. Only four fingers would be weakness, but the thumb gives strength, thus showing that responsibility is met only by God’s support in weakness. Three is the number of resurrection, and reminds us that, though atonement for sin is accomplished only by the sacrifice of Christ, yet the outcome of His sacrifice is His promised and certain resurrection.

The utensils for use in connection with this altar were made of copper; pans, shovels, basins, forks and firepans A grate was made also and set inside the altar, half way between the top and bottom. The four rings were on the four corners of the grate, which no doubt necessitated having four openings in the sides, so that the rings protruded through these, thus securing the grate in its place and providing for the altar being carried with poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold, being inserted through the rings.

The copper altar speaks of Christ as the only One whose person is so great that He is able to sustain the responsibility for being the great sacrifice for our sins, for the altar speaks of His person, while every sacrifice was typical of His work of atonement. When first coming into the court, therefore, one would be faced with that which speaks of Christ and Him crucified, just as anyone coming to God must first face the Lord Jesus as the one great sacrifice for our sins.

THE COPPER LAVER

(v.8)

Only a brief mention is made of the making of the laver, which we are told in chapter 30:19-21 was for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet when going into the tabernacle or when offering sacrifices. It was totally made of copper, obtained from the mirrors of serving women. Thus it would be highly polished copper in which the feet of the priests would be reflected. If purification by blood is seen at the copper altar, purification by water is emphasized in the laver. For the blood of Christ cleanses believers judicially before God, while the water of the word of God (Eph 5:26; Joh 13:8) is the means of moral cleansing, which is also essential in our drawing near to God.

THE COURT ENCLOSURE

(vs.9-20)

The court of the tabernacle was enclosed by hangings of fine linen held up by silver hooks attached to copper pillars, each of which was based on a copper socket. Copper speaks of the holiness of God seen in perfection in Christ. But the silver hooks indicate redemption, so that the hangings can only speak of believers, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. They hang from, or depend on, the Lord Jesus, the Holy One of God, whose sacrifice has redeemed them.

The pillars were not seen from the outside, but only the fine white linen. This speaks of “the righteous acts of saints” (Rev 19:8). Thus, the testimony of believers in the purity of devoted obedience to the Lord is that which should draw the attention to those outside. It is not their words so much as their actions.

The south and north sides of the court were 100 cubits long, each with 20 pillars, while the east and west sides were 50 cubits in length, with 10 pillars on the west side. But the east side included the gate, so that there were three pillars on either side of this, and four pillars (v.19) to hold up the hangings for the gate.

The hanging for the gate was not only fine linen, but woven of blue, purple and scarlet thread intermingled with the fine linen. Therefore the gate speaks of Christ, the only entrance for anyone into the presence of God. But since hanging by silver hooks on the copper pillars, it is intimated that only by His redemption of Calvary can we have any right to enter. The entrance then was much more attractive than the white enclosure. How true of the Lord Jesus!

SUMMARY OF MATERIALS AND COSTS

(vs.21-31)

All these things that were made in connection with the tabernacle were according to the command of Moses, and all to be cared for by the Levites, under the supervision of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest (1Pe 2:5), and all are also servants (as the Levites were), so that we are responsible to guard carefully the truths that are symbolized in all the service of the tabernacle. These are valuable, and must not be stolen from us, or lost. Bezaleel and Aholiab are again mentioned as the master craftsmen of all the work (vs.22-23).

The total weight of gold is given as 29 talents and 730 shekels, which would amount to nearly 3800 pounds. The silver amounted to 100 talents and 1775 shekels, which would weigh about 11,635 pounds. Verse 26 refers to the one-half shekel of silver that each person of Israel over 20 paid as atonement money, the number of persons being 603,550. The 100 talents of silver were used for the socket under each of the boards of the sanctuary and under the pillars for the veil. The remaining 175 shekels of silver served for making hooks on the pillars of the court to hold up the hangings.

The weight of the copper was 70 talents and 2400 shekels, which would amount to about 8160 pounds. This was used for sockets for the door of the tabernacle, the altar of burnt offering and its utensils, the sockets for the pillars of the court and pegs. Whether the weight of the laver is included in this we are not told.

Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE CONCLUSION.

Exo 35:1-35 – Exo 40:1-38.

The remainder of the narrative sets forth in terms almost identical with the directions already given, the manner in which the Divine injunctions were obeyed. The people, purified in heart by danger, chastisement and shame, brought much more than was required. A quarter of a million would poorly represent the value of the shrine in which, at the last, Moses and Aaron approached their God, while the cloud covered the tent and the glory filled the tabernacle, and Moses failed to overcome his awe and enter.

Thenceforth the cloud was the guide of their halting and their march. Many a time they grieved their God in the wilderness, yet the cloud was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire therein by night, throughout all their journeyings.

That cloud is seen no longer; but One has said, “Lo, I am with you all the days.” If the presence is less material, it is because we ought to be more spiritual.

* * * * *

Looking back upon the story, we can discern more clearly what was asserted when we began–the forming and training of a nation.

They are called from shameful servitude by the devotion of a patriot and a hero, who has learned in failure and exile the difference between self-confidence and faith. The new name of God, and His remembrance of their fathers, inspire them at the same time with awe and hope and nationality. They see the hollowness of earthly force, and of superstitious worships, in the abasement and ruin of Egypt. They are taught by the Paschal sacrifice to confess that the Divine favour is a gift and not a right, that their lives also are justly forfeited. The overthrow of Pharaoh’s army and the passage of the Sea brings them into a new and utterly strange life, in an atmosphere and amid scenes well calculated to expand and deepen their emotions, to develop their sense of freedom and self-respect, and yet to oblige them to depend wholly on their God. Privation at Marah chastens them. The attack of Amalek introduces them to war, and forbids their dependence to sink into abject softness. The awful scene of Horeb burns and brands his littleness into man. The covenant shows them that, however little in themselves, they may enter into communion with the Eternal. It also crushes out what is selfish and individualising, by making them feel the superiority of what they all share over anything that is peculiar to one of them. The Decalogue reveals a holiness at once simple and profound, and forms a type of character such as will make any nation great. The sacrificial system tells them at once of the pardon and the heinousness of sin. Religion is both exalted above the world and infused into it, so that all is consecrated. The priesthood and the shrine tell them of sin and pardon, exclusion and hope; but that hope is a common heritage, which none may appropriate without his brother.

The especial sanctity of a sacred calling is balanced by an immediate assertion of the sacredness of toil, and the Divine Spirit is recognised even in the gift of handicraft.

A tragic and shameful failure teaches them, more painfully than any symbolic system of curtains and secret chambers, how little fitted they are for the immediate intercourse of heaven. And yet the ever-present cloud, and the shrine in the heart of their encampment, assure them that God is with them of a truth.

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary

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