Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 31:1
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
1 6. The nomination of Bal’l and Oholiab.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Exo 35:30-35. This solemn call of Bezaleel and Aholiab is full of instruction. Their work was to be only that of handicraftsmen. Still it was Yahweh Himself who called them by name to their tasks, and the powers which they were now called upon to exercise in their respective crafts, were declared to have been given them by the Holy Spirit. Thus is every effort of skill, every sort of well-ordered labor, when directed to a right end, brought into the very highest sphere of association.
There appears to be sufficient reason for identifying Hur, the grandfather of Bezaleel, with the Hur who assisted Aaron in supporting the hands of Moses during the battle with Amalek at Rephidim Exo 17:10, and who was associated with Aaron in the charge of the people while Moses was on the mountain Exo 24:14. Josephus says that he was the husband of Miriam. It is thus probable that Bezaleel was related to Moses. He was the chief artificer in metal, stone, and wood; he had also to perform the apothecarys work in the composition of the anointing oil and the incense Exo 37:29. He had precedence of all the artificers, but Aholiab appears to have had the entire charge of the textile work Exo 35:35; Exo 38:23.
Exo 31:3
Wisdom, understanding, Knowledge – Or, that right judgment in all things for which we especially pray on Whitsunday; the perceptive faculty; and experience, a practical acquaintance with facts.
Exo 31:4
To devise cunning works – Rather, to devise works of skill. The Hebrew phrase is not the same as that rendered cunning work in respect to textile fabrics in Exo 26:1.
Exo 31:10
And the cloths of service – Rather, And the garments of office; that is, the distinguishing official garments of the high priest. The three kinds of dress mentioned in this verse appear to be the only ones which were unique to the sanctuary. They were:
(1) The richly adorned state robes of the high priest (see Exo. 28:6-38; Exo 39:1 following).
(2) the holy garments of white linen for the high priest, worn on the most solemn occasion in the year (see Exo 28:39; Lev 16:4).
(3) the garments of white linen for all the priests, worn in their regular ministrations (see Exo 28:40-41).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER XXXI
Bezaleel appointed for the work of the tabernacle, 1-5.
Aholiab appointed for the same, 6.
The particular things on which they were to be employed, the
ark and mercy-seat, 7.
Table, candlestick, and altar of incense, 8.
Altar of burnt-offering and the laver, 9.
Priest’s garments, 10.
Anointing oil and sweet incense, 11.
God renews the command relative to the sanctification of the
Sabbath, 12-17.
Delivers to Moses the two tables of stone, 18.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXXI
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And the Lord spake unto Moses,…. After the Lord had given Moses instructions about building a tabernacle, the model of which he had shown him, and what should be the furniture of it, who should minister in it, and what clothes they should wear, he acquaints him that he had provided artificers for this service; which would prevent doubts and objections that might rise up in the mind of Moses, how and by whom all this should be done; since the children of Israel had not been brought up, nor used to any curious work in Egypt, out of which they were but just come:
saying; as follows:
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Builders (cf. Ex 35:30-36:1). – After having given directions for the construction of the sanctuary, and all the things required for the worship, Jehovah pointed out the builders, whom He had called to carry out the work, and had filled with His Spirit for that purpose. To “ call by name ” is to choose or appoint by name for a particular work (cf. Isa 45:3-4). Bezaleel was a grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, who is mentioned in Exo 17:10; Exo 24:14, and was called to be the master-builder, to superintend the whole of the building and carry out the artistic work; consequently he is not only invariably mentioned first (Exo 35:30; Exo 36:1-2), but in the accounts of the execution of the separate portions he is mentioned alone (Exo 37:1; Exo 38:22). Filling with the Spirit of God signifies the communication of an extraordinary and supernatural endowment and qualification, “in wisdom,” etc., i.e., consisting of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and every kind of workmanship, that is to say, for the performance of every kind of work. This did not preclude either natural capacity or acquired skill, but rather presupposed them; for in Exo 31:6 it is expressly stated in relation to his assistants, that God had put wisdom into all that were wise-hearted (see at Exo 28:3). Being thus endowed with a supernaturally exalted gift, Bezaleel was qualified “ to think out inventions,” i.e., ideas or artistic designs. Although everything had been minutely described by Jehovah, designs and plans were still needed in carrying out the work, so that the result should correspond to the divine instructions.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Appointment of Bezaleel and Aholiab. | B. C. 1491. |
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, 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; 7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle, 8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, 9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, 10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office, 11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.
A great deal of fine work God had ordered to be done about the tabernacle; the materials the people were to provide, but who must put them into form? Moses himself was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians, nay, he was well acquainted with the words of God, and the visions of the Almighty; but he knew not how to engrave or embroider. We may suppose that there were some very ingenious men among the Israelites; but, having lived all their days in bondage in Egypt, we cannot think they were any of them instructed in these curious arts. They knew how to make brick and work in clay, but to work in gold and in cutting diamonds was what they had never been brought up to. How should the work be done with the neatness and exactness that were required when they had no goldsmiths or jewellers but what must be made out of masons and bricklayers? We may suppose that there were a sufficient number who would gladly be employed, and would do their best; but it would be hard to find out a proper person to preside in this work. Who was sufficient for these things? But God takes care of this matter also.
I. He nominates the persons that were to be employed, that there might be no contest about the preferment, nor envy at those that were preferred, God himself having made the choice. 1. Bezaleel was to be the architect, or master workman, v. 2. He was of the tribe of Judah, a tribe that God delighted to honour; the grandson of Hur, probably that Hur who had helped to hold up Moses’s hands (ch. xvii.), and was at this time in commission with Aaron for the government of the people in the absence of Moses (ch. xxiv. 14); out of that family which was of note in Israel was the workman chosen, and it added no little honour to the family that a branch of it was employed, though but as a mechanic, or handicraft tradesman, for the service of the tabernacle. The Jews’ tradition is that Hur was the husband of Miriam; and, if so, it was requisite that God should appoint him to this service, lest, if Moses himself had done it, he should be thought partial to his own kindred, his brother Aaron also being advanced to the priesthood. God will put honour upon Moses’s relations, and yet will make it to appear that he takes not the honour to himself or his own family, but that it is purely the Lord’s doing. 2. Aholiab, of the tribe of Dan, is appointed next to Bezaleel, and partner with him, v. 6. Two are better than one. Christ sent forth his disciples who were to rear the gospel tabernacle, two and two, and we read of his two witnesses. Aholiab was of the tribe of Dan, which was one of the less honourable tribes, that the tribes of Judah and Levi might not be lifted up, as if they were to engross all the preferments; to prevent a schism in the body, God gives honour to that part which lacked, 1 Cor. xii. 24. The head cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee. Hiram, who was the head workman in the building of Solomon’s temple, was also of the tribe of Dan, 2 Chron. ii. 14. 3. There were others that were employed by and under these in the several operations about the tabernacle, v. 6. Note, When God has work to do he will never want instruments to do it with, for all hearts and heads too are under his eye, and in his hand; and those may cheerfully go about any service for God, and go on in it, who have reason to think that, one way or other, he has called them to it; for whom he calls he will own and bear out.
II. He qualifies these persons for the service (v. 3): I have filled him with the Spirit of God; and (v. 6) in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom. Note, 1. Skill in common arts and employments is the gift of God; from him are derived both the faculty and the improvement of the faculty. It is he that puts even this wisdom into the inward parts, Job xxxviii. 36. He teaches the husbandman discretion (Isa. xxviii. 26), and the tradesman too; and he must have the praise of it. 2. God dispenses his gifts variously, one gift to one, another to another, and all for the good of the whole body, both of mankind and of the church. Moses was fittest of all to govern Israel, but Bezaleel was fitter than he to build the tabernacle. The common benefit is very much supported by the variety of men’s faculties and inclinations; the genius of some leads them to be serviceable one way, of others another way, and all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 11. This forbids pride, envy, contempt, and carnal emulation, and strengthens the bond of mutual love. 3. Those whom God calls to any service he will either find, or make, fit for it. If God give the commission, he will in some measure give the qualifications, according as the service is. The work, that was to be done here was to make the tabernacle and the utensils of it, which are here particularly reckoned up, v. 7, c. And for this the persons employed were enabled to work in gold, and silver, and brass. When Christ sent his apostles to rear the gospel tabernacle, he poured out his Spirit upon them, to enable them to speak with tongues the wonderful works of God not to work upon metal, but to work upon men; so much more excellent were the gifts, as the tabernacle to be pitched was a greater and more perfect tabernacle, as the apostle calls it, Heb. ix. 11.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
EXODUS – CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Verses 1-11:
God had given precise instructions and specifications regarding the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings, the patterns for the holy garments, and the formulas for the incense and anointing oil. Someone must be designated to carry out these plans.
God chose a man named Bezaleel, whose name means “in the shadow of God.” He was of the tribe of Judah, son of a man named Uri, and grandson of Hur (Ex 17:10; 24:14). He was a man of wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and was talented in “all manner of workmanship,” possessing manual dexterity and the power of artistic execution. He was skilled in metallurgy, gemology, and woodworking. Bezaleel was placed in charge of the tabernacle construction.
The chief assistant of Bezaleel was Aholiab, whose name means “tent of my father.” He was of the tribe of Da Like Bezaleel, he was Divinely endowed with wisdom and skill. The text implies that his expertise was in the field of textiles, and was in charge of making the “holy garments,” and perhaps of the curtains, tent, and coverings of the tabernacle.
The text teaches that the talents and skills which men possess are in reality gifts from God, 2Co 8:12.
The text further teaches that God uses many people with varying gifts and talents to carry out His work, see 1Co 12:4-27.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Exo. 31:1-11
GRACE AND GENIUS
After having given directions for the construction of the sanctuary, and all things required for the worship, Jehovah pointed out the builders whom He had called to carry out the work, and had filled with His Spirit for that purpose. This paragraph is instructive as to the connection between gifts of nature and the influences of grace, between the natural and the supernatural in mans intellectual life. Observe
I. Natural gifts are often discovered by grace. Bezaleel and Aholiab were naturally gifted menmen of artistic faculty. Their natural ability is pre-supposed. Thus Exo. 28:3, Thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. But it is very improbable that these men had as yet revealed anything like great artistic taste or power. Egypt did not know their talent; very probably they did not suspect it themselves. As Trapp well observes: Moses might well doubt where he should find fit workmen among those brickmakers from Egypt. And yet in these brickmakers were artists, architects, painters, embroiderers, and musicians. The grace of God evoked the latent power. It often does so still. Many a man having got a new heart seems also to have got a new head, and reveals mental power and superior aptitudes which had not been suspected before.
II. National gifts are directed by grace. See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri. We speak of men being called to the ministry; are they not called to all spheres? Nature qualifies men for certain spheres, for certain mental or manual work which they will best accomplish. But is it not true that many miss their calling? Let all men seek the grace of God, and none shall miss their providential way. I have called by name. God knows each of us; He knows the kind of our talent and the measure of it; and if we are obedient to God, He who puts everything in its place in nature will find the right groove for every man in society.
III. Natural gifts are heightened by grace. Bezaleel was filled with the Spirit of God, and thus all his natural gifts were supernaturally exalted. Grace acts on the lines of nature. The king in the parable divided to each of his servants his goods according to their several ability. But the influence of Gods Spirit gives to our natural powers a glow and ripeness and force which they could not otherwise have. Did not Milton attain a sublimed strain through living in the presence of Heaven? Did not Angelico find that devotion gave magic to his pencil? Have not holy men in all spheres realised a perfection and power of genius, which they never could have reached had it not been for the inspirations of religion? Let all seek for the Spirit of God to purify and hallow their heart, and they shall find that their intellect has new force, their eye new light, their hand new cunning.
IV. Natural gifts are sanctified by grace. The genius of Bezaleel was directed to a sacred and worthy end. How often have we seen genius directed to paltry ends of mere luxury and amusement, or to immoral ends! Gods grace sanctifies talent to noble uses and ends.
All the work of the world is for God, and every workman needs to be filled with Gods Spirit, so that all may be well and wisely done.
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY
REV. WM. ADAMSON
Mosaic-Mines! Exo. 31:1-18.
(1.) The face of Nature, says Macmillan, is everywhere written over with Divine characters, which he who runs may read. But beside the more obvious lessons which lie, as it were, in the surface of the earth, and which suggest themselves to us often when least disposed for inquiry or reflection, there are more recondite lessons which she teaches to those who make her structure arrangements their special study, and who penetrate to her secret arcana. And those, who read her great volume, passing on leaf after leaf, to the quiet and sober chapters of the interior, will find in these internal details revelations of the deepest interest.
(2.) It is even so with the Bible. In the New Testament, we have a rich robe of vegetation adorning the surface, the beauties of tree and flower, forest, hill and river, and the ever-changing splendours of the sky. In the psalms and prophets we walk amid the beauty of gardens and ornamented parterres, where every-thing thrills with their beauty and fragrance. But in the pentateuch, we descend, as it were, into the crust of the earth. We lose sight of all these upper-air glories; but we find new objects to compensate ustruths written with the finger of Godlessons on the deep things of Goddiamonds which sparkle when brought up within the sphere of the Sun of Righteousness, who has risen with healing in His wings.
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear.
Gray.
Bezaleel and Aholiab! Exo. 31:1 to Exo. 11:1. We have here
(1.) Nomination by God of the architects and artisans;
(2.) Inspiration by the Holy Spirit of their genius;
(3.) Consecration of their artistic gifts to the service of God; and
(4.) Construction of the tabernacle with a view to Sabbath-worship.
2. In these several points we have prefigurations of the Lord Jesus Christthe true Builder and Maker of that spiritual edifice, which is to be the object of enduring and adoring observation on the part of angels and archangelsHe, too, was called of God, and was filled with the spirit of wisdom and knowledge. He, too, devoted His gifts to the worship of Jehovah, and upreared a super-structure for Sabbath adoration.
3. When Christ, says Matthew Henry, sent His ambassadors to uprear the Gospel tabernacle, He poured out His Spirit upon them. He enabled them to speak with tongues the wonderful works of God. He qualified them not to work upon metal, but upon men; so much more excellent were the gifts, as the tabernacle to be pitched was a greater and more perfect tabernacle (Heb. 9:11).
And if to partake of such honour,
A bruised reed dareth to trust,
O Comforter! raise, in Thy goodness,
Thy servant who speaks from the dust.
Art-Inspiration! Exo. 31:2.
(1.) Jacox relates of Fra Giovanni de Fiecoli that he never commenced any workwhether an elaborate fresco, or an illumination for a bookwithout praying. He always carried out the first impression, believing it to be an inspiration. He never retouched or altered anything left as finished.
(2.) Ruskin, in his Modern Painters, writes of Turner as inspired. He apologises for the use of the word as irreverent possibly; but there is no such irreverence, if the word is used by him in the sense and within the scope of Exodus 31. There is such a thing as Art-Inspiration.
(3.) South says, that the greatest poets and thinkers will confess that their highest and most admired conceptions and disclosures were such as darted into their minds like sudden flashes of lightning, they knew not how or when. This is prominent in the case of Watt and his steam-engine; as in the case of those two astronomers at Berlin and London, who at the same moment, independent of and unknown to each other, suggested one of the most remarkable of astronomical phenomena. Thus
Step by step, and throne by throne, we rise
Continually towards the Infinite;
And ever nearernever near to God.
Bailey.
Inspiration-Impetus! Exo. 31:3. The same Spirit, who inspired the eloquence of Isaiah, and the melodies of the chief musician Asaph, also imparted to Samson that wonderful bodily strength which he displayed in Herculean feats against the Philistines: and to Bezaleel and Aholiab the fine sthetic taste and mechanical skill, by which they were enabled to construct the tabernacle after the pattern shown on the mount. As Macmillan says, Gideon and Jephthah carried on their military campaignsElijah and Elisha wrought their singular miraclesHiram of Tyre forged and engraved the precious metals employed in the service of Solomons temple, under the influence of the Holy Spirit;in short, it would appear from Scripture that the influence of the Spirit is co-extensive with the sphere of human affairs; and that nothing with which man has to do is outside of and beyond the proper field of his operations. Yet
The Lamp of Genius, though by His grace lit,
If not protected, trimmd, and fed with care,
Soon dies, or runs to waste with fitful glare.
Wilcox.
Sanctified Genius! Exo. 31:3. One of the most remarkable examples in modern times of natural gifts lying long dormant is that of Joseph Cook. The world dreamt not that within her circle lived a giant thinker, whose thoughts would prove Whitworth hammers to break the huge brazen idol-gates of Dagon-Atheism. Possessed of this gift, for long years, he devoted himself to the study of all the rationalistic theories and arguments, as well as to the arts of rhetoric and science of language. When the time came, like Bezaleel and Aholiabunder the inspirations of the Spirithe appeared before the towering strongholds of Infidelity. His lectures are not only specimens of magnificent critical power; but they are marked by such cultured eloquence that men listen entranced. His natural genius, under the sanctifying cultivation of Divine grace, is furnishing the Church with vessels of gold and tapestries of purple and fine twined linen of rare workmanship and surprising execution.
Thus beams forth his soulgrace-illumined,
As shineth at morning anew
The pastures in gold and in jewels
When wet with the heavenly dew.
School of Art! Exo. 31:4-5. Some of the materials of which the tabernacle was formed were very costly, and not easily procured by Israel during their wilderness wanderings. These were brought with them out of Egypt. The time of their residence in Goshen and employment in Egyptian works, was amply sufficient to render them thoroughly acquainted with all the methods of Egyptian art and manufacture. The precious stones, which were set in the gold of the ephod and breastplate, were engraved by means of the skill acquired by them in Egypt. Bezaleel, to whom God had given ability in the preparation of stones for setting, &c., may have perfected his talent by observation and practice in Egyptian manufactories. Many ornaments of purest gold yet remain, which demonstrate the skill of the Egyptians in the working of that metal.
All thoughts that mould the age begin
Deep down within the primitive soul,
And from the many slowly upward win
To one who grasps the whole.
Lowell.
Genius-Grace! Exo. 31:4. All human skill, all artistic talent, all mechanical invention, are from God.
(1.) How sadly are these inspirations prevented! A Byron destroys that heavenly genius by libidmous poetry. A Shelley perverts that unearthly grace by atheistic poems. A painter perverts that God-given skill by voluptuous pictures. A mechanician perverts that more than human science by missiles of destruction.
(2.) How sorely are these inspirations distorted! One of the most eloquent of scientists is Tyndall; yet he writes to blot out the Christian Heaven in the infinite azure of the past. One of the most talented of Natures students is Darwin; yet he disowns any God beyond the tiny film vapour of evolution. One of the most renowned of naturalists is Wallace; yet he disputes the God of the Christian Revelation. What blessings these Divine Inspirations would have proved to mankind and the men themselves, were they but employedas God conferred themto HIS GLORY!
Behold, theyre Gods! Say not Tis zephyr mild
Which rustles the dead leaf;
They are thy Saviours, yea, thy Gods, my child,
Let not thine ear be deaf;
If I come now in breezes soft and warm,
I may return again upon the storm;
Tis no light fancyfirm be thy belief
They are thy Gods!
Work-Design! Exo. 31:5. The people of Southern Italy convert the soft plastic lava that has devastated their homes and fields into beautiful ornaments worn on the bosom. So should the farmer, who makes grass to grow upon the mountains, and converts the waste places of the earth into fertile meadows and smiling cornfields, endeavour to make the earth a tabernacle for Gods glory and for mans worship and welfare. So should the labourer, who drains and trenches the soil; the engineer, who constructs bridges and roads; the architect, who builds dwellings and temples; the artisan, who changes the metallic ore and the timber of the earth into useful and ornamental articles; the manufacturer, who adapts to human uses the raw materials which the earth furnishes; the artist, who idealises the scenes and objects of nature and human life; and the poet, who moulds the sins and sufferings of the race into forms of beauty in his melodious verse. Then, indeed, will come the Golden Age, when the wide world shall be one tabernacle.
The rest foreshadowed for the Church of God,
The golden eve of Everlasting Day.
Bickersteth.
Egyptian Fabrics! Exo. 31:7-10.
(1.) Leather! Of the preparation of leather by the Egyptians here can be no loss. The representations on the monuments, and the few actual specimens which remain, enable us to understand it. Some of the specimens consist of straps across the bodies of mummies, and are beautifully embossed. Leather was employed for sandals, shoes, seats of chairs, sofas, and chariot ornaments. In the Louvre at Paris was an Egyptian harp, the wood of which was covered with a kind of green morocco, cut in the form of a blossom of the lotus.
(2.) Leather Manufacture.On the monuments may be seen a man dipping the skins to soak in water before removing the hair. In other pictures Egyptian curriers are engaged in cutting leather with a knife, in shape resembling the semi-circular blade in use among modern curriers. In tanning, the Egyptians used the pods of the Acacia Nilotica, the juice of the unripe fruit of which is still imported from Egypt to Europe for medicinal purposes.
Kindred objects, kindred thoughts inspire,
As summer clouds flash forth electric fire.
Rogers.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
THE TEXT OF EXODUS
TRANSLATION
31 And Je-ho-vah spake unto Mo-ses, saying, (2) See, I have called by name Be-zal-el the son of U-ri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Ju-dah: (3) and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, (4) to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, (5) and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship. (6) And I, behold, I have appointed with him O-ho-li-ab, the son of A-his-a-mach, 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: (7) the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the Tent, (8) and the table and its vessels, and the pure candlestick with all its vessels, and the altar of incense, (9) and the altar of burnt-offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base, (10) and the finely wrought garments, and the holy garments for Aar-on the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priests office. (11) and the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.
(12) And Je-ho-vah spake unto Mo-ses, saying, (13) Speak thou also unto the children of Is-ra-el, saying, Verily ye shall keep my sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Je-ho-vah who sanctifieth you. (14) Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. (15) Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Je-ho-vah; whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. (16) Wherefore the children of Is-ra-el shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. (17) It is a sign between me and the children of Is-ra-el for ever: for in six days Je-ho-vah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
(18) And he gave unto Mo-ses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Si-nai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone written with the finger of God.
EXPLORING EXODUS: CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
QUESTIONS ANSWERABLE FROM THE BIBLE
1.
After careful reading, propose a brief title (topic or theme) for the chapter.
2.
How many times does the expression Jehovah (the LORD) spake unto Moses occur in chapters 3031? Does this expression seem to mark the start of new paragraphs?
3.
What man had God called to be a skillful workman? (Exo. 31:2; Compare Exo. 17:10; Exo. 17:12; Exo. 24:14.) How specific was the call? Of what tribe was he?
4.
How had God assisted the craftsman to do his work? (Exo. 31:3)
5.
What particular skills was this man given? (Exo. 31:4-5)
6.
Who also was appointed to work with the first craftsman? (Exo. 31:6) Of what tribe was he?
7.
Were these two the only ones to be given help by God in craft work? (Exo. 31:6)
8.
How is the candlestick (lampstand) described? (Exo. 31:8)
9.
What are the finely wrought garments? (Exo. 31:10; Exo. 35:19; Exo. 39:1; Exo. 39:41)
10.
What items were the craftsmen to make? (Exo. 31:11; Exo. 31:6)
11.
Of whom may these craftsmen possibly have been a type? (Joh. 14:26; Joh. 16:13; Act. 1:8)
12.
What was to be a sign between Israel and the Lord? (Exo. 31:13; Exo. 31:17)
13.
What was keeping the Sabbath to cause Israel to know? (Exo. 31:13)
14.
What does sanctify mean? (Exo. 31:13)
15.
What was the penalty for profaning (defiling) the Sabbath? (Exo. 31:14-15)
16.
What day of the week was the Sabbath day? (Exo. 31:15)
17.
How did God view the Sabbath? (Exo. 31:15)
18.
How long was the Sabbath to be kept? (Exo. 31:16. Compare Col. 2:16-17.)
19.
What did the Sabbath commemorate? (Exo. 31:17)
20.
What effect on God did the seventh day rest have? (Exo. 31:17)
21.
What did God give to Moses? When? (Exo. 31:18)
22.
What is the testimony? (Exo. 31:18; Exo. 34:28)
23.
How were the tables (tablets) written? (Exo. 31:18. Compare Exo. 24:12, Exo. 32:15-16; Exo. 34:1; Exo. 34:4; Exo. 34:28.)
24.
How long had Moses been up in the mount? (Exo. 24:18; Deu. 9:11)
EXODUS THIRTY-ONE: THE WORKMEN AND THE SABBATH
I.
WISE WORKMEN; Exo. 31:1-11.
1.
Called by name; Exo. 31:1-2; Exo. 31:6.
2.
Filled with the Spirit; Exo. 31:3.
3.
Given skills; Exo. 31:4-5.
4.
Appointed to make the tabernacle; Exo. 31:7-11.
5.
Limited to what God commanded; Exo. 31:11.
II.
THE SIGN OF THE SABBATH; Exo. 31:12-17.
1.
The practice (Verily ye shall keep it.); Exo. 31:12-13.
2.
The purpose (That ye may know that I am Jehovah.); Exo. 31:13.
3.
The preciousness (It is holy.); Exo. 31:14.
4.
The penalty (He shall surely be put to death.); Exo. 31:14-15.
5.
The permanence (for a perpetual covenant); Exo. 31:16-17.
6.
The proclamation (or commemoration). In six days Jehovah made heaven and earth.; Exo. 31:18.
GODS SPIRIT IN GODS MEN! (Exo. 31:1-11)
1.
Filled them; Exo. 31:1-3.
2.
Furnished them skills; Exo. 31:4-5.
3.
Furthered their natural talents; Exo. 31:6.
4.
Fulfilled what God commanded; Exo. 31:11; Exo. 31:6.
THE SABBATH, A SIGN! (Exo. 31:13; Exo. 31:17)
1.
A sign God had spoken to Israel.
2.
A sign of concern for human weariness; (Exo. 23:12)
3.
A sign of faith that God is creator.
4.
A sign of faith that God will provide.
5.
A sign of commitment to obey God.
TABLETS OF TESTIMONY! (Exo. 31:18)
1.
Based on the spoken word; (Exo. 20:1 ff; Deu. 9:10)
2.
Promised by God to Moses; (Exo. 24:12)
3.
Written by God; (Exo. 32:16; Deu. 4:13)
4.
Presented by God to Moses; (Exo. 32:18)
EXPLORING EXODUS: NOTES ON CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
1.
What is in Exodus thirty-one?
The chapter tells of Gods calling the SKILLED WORKMEN to make the tabernacle, its furniture, etc. Then it commands the keeping of the SABBATH as a sign between God and Israel. The chapter closes with a statement about Gods giving the stone tablets of the ten commandments to Moses.
Exo. 31:1 starts a new paragraph, as is indicated by the words And Jehovah spake unto Moses saying. . . . Compare Exo. 30:11; Exo. 30:17; Exo. 30:22; Exo. 30:34; Exo. 31:12. With the completion of directions for construction of the sanctuary, the names of its builders are now given.
2.
What man had God called as a skillful workman? (Exo. 31:1-2)
God had called Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. His grandfather appears to have been the Hur who, along with Aaron, held up Moses hands during battle (Exo. 17:10), and was with Aaron while Moses was in the mountain (Exo. 24:14). (See notes on these passages.) Bezalel was the chief artificer in metal, stone, and wood; and he performed the apothecarys work in compounding the anointing oil and incense (Exo. 37:1; Exo. 37:29).
We suppose that Bezalels ancestry is that given in 1Ch. 2:3; 1Ch. 2:5; 1Ch. 2:9; 1Ch. 2:18-19 Judah, Perez, Hezron, Caleb[420] (or Chelubai), Hur Uri, Bezalel.
[420] Certainly this is not the famous Caleb, son of Jephunneh, who was associated with Joshua.
Bezalels name seems to mean In Gods (Els) shadow. We do not feel that this meaning of his name has great significance. But it is significant that God called him BY NAME. God knows us individually and uses us individually. Note that the great Persian ruler Cyrus was called by name. (Isa. 45:4).
The workmen who were chosen were Gods choice, not necessarily Mosess. The power imparted to the workmen was Gods power and not mens.
Bezalel was more prominent than his co-craftsman Oholiab. Bezalel is sometimes mentioned alone (Exo. 37:1), and when both are named, Bezalel is always named first (Exo. 35:30; Exo. 35:34; Exo. 36:1-2).
Martin Noth in his characteristic liberal fashion at-tributes chapter thirty-one to a post-Babylonian exile Priestly author, and then even says that parts (e.g., Exo. 31:7-11) of the chapter are secondary additions to P. He associates the names Bezalel and Hur with men of the same names in Ezr. 10:30; Neh. 3:9; 1Ch. 2:50; 1Ch. 4:1; 1Ch. 4:4. Since these writings are post-exilic, he says This could suggest a post-exilic origin for the tradition.[421] Noth fails to mention that there was also a Hur in the time of King Solomon (1Ki. 4:8). (This would not support his theory of late priestly authorship.) Cole[422] says that the names Bezalel and Oholiab are archaic, since neither contains a form of the divine name YAH. We agree that they are archaic!
[421] Op. cit., p. 240. Noths argument is unproven, to say the least.
[422] Op. cit., p. 209.
3.
How did God assist the craftsman in his work? (Exo. 31:3; Exo. 35:30 to Exo. 36:1)
Jehovah filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God. This assisted him in wisdom, in understanding, knowledge, and all manner of workmanship. Understanding refers to insight, understanding, and intelligence; whereas wisdom seems to be the ability to use intelligence effectively.
Exo. 31:6 suggests that these craftsmen were already naturally wise-hearted. To their naturally-given talents God added His Spirit. The passage certainly does not belittle natural abilities. They are as much a gift from God as are specially bestowed abilities. Even Moses was possessed of natural ability and training before God aided him yet more. Similarly the seven deacons of Act. 6:3 were men of wisdom even before they were appointed to their special work.
Please note that wisdom included skills of artistry, mechanics, and construction. Note also that Gods Spirit bestowed the wisdom of this type. We usually think of the Spirit empowering prophecy (as in Num. 11:17 ff) and moral and spiritual qualities. But the Spirit also empowers other works. On occasion He may impart military power (Jdg. 3:10). And here in Exo. 31:3 we read of the Spirit bestowing skill in art and construction. The Spirit thus seems to empower all of lifes activities that are within the will of God.
4.
What particular skills was Bezalel given? (Exo. 31:4-5)
All types of manual skills are listed. He was to devise skilful works. The Hebrew words thus translated may also be rendered to devise devices or to think thoughts. This suggests that he was to think out artistic designs, ideas, and inventions, all of course within the limits of what God had commanded to Moses. Thus these men were not automated puppets but were granted use of their own creative abilities within limits.
Cassuto[423] says that later Jewish traditions sought to magnify the tabernacle and said it was built miraculously of its own accord. But he correctly affirms that this is not the meaning inherent in the simple interpretations of the text.
[423] Op. cit., p. 402.
5.
What other man was appointed with the first craftsman? (Exo. 31:6-8)
Oholiab of the tribe of Dan was appointed. No other Bible person bears this name. He was from the tribe of Dan, the same tribe as Hiram, the chief architect of Solomons temple (2Ch. 2:13-14). He appears to have had primary charge of the textile work (Exo. 38:23; Exo. 35:34-35). His name means something like My tent (or shelter) (is) the father (or God). His name has in it the Hebrew word ohei, which means tent. This does seem very appropriate since he was the maker of the tent curtains.
The I at the start of Exo. 31:6 is emphatic. The word behold seems to be inserted to arrest our attention upon a significant fact.
Exo. 31:6 mentions that God had also granted wisdom to others who were wise, so they also could make the tabernacle parts that God had commanded Moses.
Exo. 31:7-11 lists the items to be made, all of which have been described in detail previously, and all of which will be described again during the account of the construction, which is given in chapters 3539.
The furniture of Exo. 31:7-9 literally refers to vessels.
6.
What are the finely wrought garments? (Exo. 31:10)
This expression finely wrought garments (KJV, cloths of service) appears here for the first time. It is also in Exo. 35:19 and Exo. 39:1; Exo. 39:41. The Hebrew word serad (finely wrought) occurs only these four times in the O.T. Its meaning is somewhat uncertain. It appears to be derived from a verb meaning to twist, weave together, knot. (This accounts for the ASV translation.) The Greek LXX rendered it robes of ministry (leitourgikai), from which the KJV rendered it cloths of service.
We feel that Barnes[424] has correctly identified the finely wrought garments as the robes of the high priest described in Exo. 28:6-38; Exo. 39:1 ff. The holy garments referred to in Exo. 31:10 are probably the linen garments worn by the high priest on solemn occasions like the day of atonement. Note the expression holy garments in both Exo. 31:10 and Lev. 16:4-5. Exo. 31:10 seems to list as a third class of priestly garments the garments of Aarons sons which were made of linen and worn in their regular ministrations (Exo. 28:40-41).
[424] Op. cit., p. 86.
Other identifications for the finely wrought garments include the rabbinical view that they were wrappers for vessels of the sanctuary while in transit, and Gesenius view that they were inner curtains of the tabernacle or inner hangings of the dwelling place.[425] Cassuto[426] felt that they may have been inner garments worn by the priests under their tunics in winter time. To us these views seem improbable. 7. Of whom may these craftsmen have been a type? (Joh. 14:26; Joh. 16:13; Act. 1:8)
[425] Keil and Delitzsch, op. cit., p. 218.
[426] Op. cit., p. 403.
The scripture does not say they were types of anyone, of Christ or of anyone else. Certainly Christ builds His own church, and Bezalel and Oholiab could have been types of Christ in this aspect (Mat. 16:18; Eph. 2:19-22).
Jesus also called his holy apostles to build his church. He called them by name (Joh. 6:70; Mar. 3:14-19), as Bezalel was called by name. Jesus gave them power by the Holy Spirit (Act. 1:1), so they would be led into all truth (Joh. 16:13), and would speak the things of Christ (Joh. 16:14). In these respects Bezalel and Oholiab resembled the apostles sufficiently to justify comparing the two.
8.
What was to be a sign between Israel and the Lord? (Exo. 31:12-13; Exo. 31:17)
The Sabbath day was to be the sign. The Sabbath day is referred to here for the first time as a sign. Compare Eze. 20:12; Eze. 20:20.
Circumcision (Gen. 17:1), and unleavened bread (Exo. 13:19) are also said to be signs between God and Israel. The Sabbath, circumcision, and unleavened bread were all practiced outside of Israel, but only in Israel did they have a religious significance.
Note that God calls the Sabbath MY Sabbath.
Most commentators say that the reference to the Sabbath here relates especially to the keeping of the Sabbath during the construction of the tabernacle. As important and exciting as the construction would be, it was not to be done on the Sabbath days. All of this is true, but it is not set forth in the text as the reason for asserting the Sabbath law just here. Rather, the text emphasizes here that the Sabbath was to be kept throughout your generations. The application is more for all time than for that particular time.
The keeping of the Sabbath was to cause Israel to know[427] that God was the LORD who sanctified them (made them holy). Failure to observe times of worship makes men forget that God is the LORD who makes us holy. Regarding the Sabbath day, see notes on Exo. 20:8-11.
[427] That ye may know is literally just to know. Some Jewish interpreters have supplied as the subject for to know that all nations shall know. See J. H. Hertz, Pentateuch and Haftorahs, p. 356. This idea seems legitimate. When the Jews kept the Sabbath, all nations knew that Jehovah was their God. Nonetheless, the text does not definitely imply that all nations is the subject of to know.
9.
What was the penalty for profaning the Sabbath day? (Exo. 31:14-15)
Execution! The surely in surely be put to death is emphatic.
To profane (KJV, defile) the Sabbath is to break it or regard it as unholy.
Is there a difference between being put to death for profaning the Sabbath, and being cut off from among the people (by excommunication) for working on the Sabbath? We think not. These appear to be parallel statements and not two different assertions. Exo. 31:15 plainly says that doing any work on the Sabbath (such as the work referred to in Exo. 31:14) was to be punished by execution. Compare Exo. 35:2.
Num. 15:32-36 tells of one man who was executed (stoned) for gathering sticks on the Sabbath. We have no record of any others who were slain for breaking the Sabbath. Nehemiah later enforced the Sabbath with considerable severity (Neh. 13:15-22). Neh. 13:17-18 declares that the Jews went into captivity because they failed to keep the Sabbaths. Christ was threatened with death for breaking the Sabbath (Joh. 5:16-18). Nonetheless, it appears plain that very few people were ever executed for breaking the Sabbath.
How can we explain this neglect to enforce a plainly-stated penalty for Sabbath-breaking? First of all, if it had been universally enforced, there would have been a near-total depletion of the population! Secondly, God has often laid down clear penalties for certain offenses and then only enforced it occasionally in this age, as if to make examples of the few. Thus Uzzah was slain, but not the men who loaded the ark on the cart (2Sa. 6:6-7; Num. 4:15). David and Bathsheba were spared from the penalty of adultery (Lev. 20:10). Ananias and Sapphira died quickly for lying about the use of their money (Act. 5:5; Act. 5:10), but God in His longsuffering has generally delayed this punishment, apparently to give opportunity for men to repent and be forgiven (2Pe. 3:8). The punishments for disobeying God will certainly come, but very often God in His grace defers the punishment to allow opportunity for repentance and forgiveness.
7.
How did God view the Sabbath? (Exo. 31:15)
He viewed it as holy to Jehovah (or holiness to Jehovah). (This is the same expression as that on the high priests golden plate. Exo. 28:36.)
God wanted the Sabbath to be a Sabbath of solemn rest (Heb., shabbat shabbaton), meaning a complete cessation of work. (The use of shabbaton in Lev. 23:3; Lev. 25:5 show it meant rest or complete rest.) Not even fires were to be kindled on the Sabbath. (Num. 35:31.)
8.
What day of the week was the Sabbath day? (Exo. 31:15)
The seventh day of the week, our Saturday. For reasons why Christians are certainly not obligated to keep Saturday as a Sabbath rest, see notes on Exo. 20:8-11.
9.
How long was the Sabbath to be kept? (Exo. 31:16-17)
Israel was to keep it throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. perpetual covenant is literally a covenant for distant future. The same expression was applied to the priesthood in Exo. 29:9. (See notes on that passage). It does not necessarily mean for an endless future eternity.
10.
What did the Sabbath commemorate? (Exo. 31:17)
It commemorated Gods creation of the world in six days and His resting on the seventh day. See Exo. 20:11; Deu. 20:15. Keeping the Sabbath was for an Israelite a constantly recurring proclamation that God was the creator and king of the universe, and thus to desecrate the Sabbath was an open denial of God. We ought to take our worship of God with equal seriousness.
11.
What effect on God did the seventh day of rest have? (Exo. 31:17)
He was refreshed! Literally, He took breath or caught his breath. (The verb refreshed is a translation of a verb related to the word nephesh, meaning soul, life, breath.)
The application of this expression to the creator is surprising and remarkable. It is not used elsewhere in reference to Him. The same expression is used in Exo. 23:12 to refer to the rest and refreshing of servants by the Sabbath rest.
We do not feel we should try to be wise by commenting on how God might be refreshed. We leave the statement as the scripture gives it. God does not need our analysis or defense.
12.
What did God give to Moses? When? (Exo. 13:18)
God gave to Moses the two stone tablets inscribed with the words of the ten commandments (the testimony). Compare Exo. 32:15; Exo. 34:1; Exo. 34:28; Exo. 25:16. God had promised to give these tablets to Moses (Exo. 24:12). The other parts of the law were written in a book, probably a scroll (Exo. 24:7).
The stone tables were given at the close of Gods communing (speaking) with Moses. Moses had been up on the mount forty days. See Exo. 24:18; Deu. 9:11.
The choice of stone as the material and engraving (cutting) as the method for writing both suggests the imperishable duration of the words of God.
The inscription upon the tablets was written with the finger of God. Does this mean that God himself engraved the writing, or that He wrote it in that he caused Moses to write it? Commentators have mostly taken the latter view. Still the literal force of the statement sounds as if God wrote it. Exo. 32:16 definitely says the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God. Exo. 34:1 instructs Moses to hew out a second set of stone slabs to replace the first set (which he broke), but God indicated that He himself would do the writing. Exo. 34:27-28 contains a commandment for Moses himself to write these words; but the words there seem to refer to the covenant words in Exodus 34. The assertion in Exo. 34:28 he wrote could refer either to Gods act or Mosess.
The expression finger of God is understood by all to point to a divine source or causation. Its use in Exo. 8:19 to refer to the plague of lice suggests it refers to a direct work of God, rather than one done by an intermediary. Similarly finger of God in Luk. 11:20 (referring to Jesus casting out demons) seems to describe direct divine action. Cassuto[428] thinks that the use of finger of GOD instead of finger of the LORD and the use of finger instead of hand (since writing requires more, than one finger for man) show that the expression does not refer to Gods actual physical act of writing. This argument does not seem very strong to us. But whichever view we take, God was the author of the words on the tablets.
[428] Op. cit., pp. 405, 406.
We can only guess as to the size of the ten commandments. Certainly they were smaller than the ark of the covenant, and light enough to be carried in the hand (Exo. 32:15). Keil and Delitzsch[429] suggest that stone slabs about one cubit by one and a half cubits would be large enough for the 172 words of the ten commandments without the writing being excessively small.
[429] Op. cit., pp. 219, 220.
Exo. 31:18 is a transitional verse between the instructions about the tabernacle and the priesthood and the story of the golden calf that follows in chapters 3234. Notice Exo. 32:15; Exo. 32:19.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
XXXI.
THE APPOINTMENT OF BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB.
(1-11) The instructions needed for the making of the tabernacle, its furniture, and the priests dresses, were now complete. Moses was sufficiently informed, by what he had heard and seen, both as to the Tent of Meeting itself, and as to all its appurtenances and paraphernalia. But Moses was not himself an artist. Among the branches of knowledge comprised in his Egyptian education the skill of the artistic constructor had not been included. (See Excursus B. at the end of the Book.) It was therefore necessary that the manual work of carrying out the instructions given him should be entrusted to others. We might have expected that it would have been left to Moses to select the individuals from among the thousands of artificers who had accompanied him out of Egypt. But God saw fit to mark the importance of the work by taking the direct appointment of the persons to be employed upon Himself. He knew what was in man. He knew to whom he had given the highest artistic power, and who at the same time that they possessed it would work in the most religious spirit. He accordingly named two persons, Bezaleel and Aholiab, as those to whom the superintendence of the whole business should be given. Bezaleel was to be leader and chief, Aholiab assistant. Bezaleels task was to be general, Aholiabs, apparently, special (Exo. 38:23). Both, however, were to receive the special assistance of Gods Holy Spirit for the due execution of their respective tasks (Exo. 31:3-6), and both, as chosen instruments of God, and faithful workers in His service, had their names equally commemorated in His Holy Book, and were thus upheld as examples to future ages.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB, Exo 31:1-11.
2. I have called by name The artistic construction of the house of God is no ordinary work, and after its plan and dimensions and the most minute details of its furniture and materials had been given to Moses, Jehovah designated a chosen architect, as called and qualified (Exo 31:3) for carrying out the plans and specifications. This distinguished workman was Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. Aaron and Hur had stayed up the hands of Moses during the conflict with Amalek, (Exo 17:10-13,) and now the grandson of that Hur is made the chief assistant of Moses in the construction of the tabernacle. May not the piety of the grandfather have had something to do with the mechanical ability of the grandson?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Appointment of the Men for The Task Of Producing All That Has Been Described ( Exo 31:1-11 ).
The list of what demonstrates men’s responsive loyalty and concern is now added to in terms of those who are chosen for the supremely important work of producing the Tent of Meeting and the sacred furniture.
The Appointment of Bezalel ( Exo 31:1-5 ).
Yahweh has called Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah, and has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, and knowledge and all manner of workmanship (Exo 31:1-4).
To devise cunning works, to work in gold and silver and brazen copper, and in cutting stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship (Exo 31:5).
Notice how the two statements are balanced by ‘in all manner of workmanship’.
Exo 31:1-5
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “See, I have called by name Bezalel, 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 intricate (cunning) workmanship, to work in gold, and in silver and in bronze, and in cutting of stones for setting, and in cutting of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship.”
It is easy to misrepresent what is said here. This does not say that all artistic gifts are the result of the work of the Spirit in men, for they patently are not. What it does say is that God can take those with artistic gifts and by His Spirit enable them to produce even greater works for His name.
Bezalel (meaning ‘in the shadow of God’) was to be put in charge of the construction of the Dwellingplace and its furniture. He was from the tribe of Judah and his ancestor Hur may well have been the one who was a prime assistant of Moses (Exo 17:10; Exo 17:12; Exo 24:14). Only his father and his prominent ancestors are mentioned. He was a man whose artistic ability was well known.
But Yahweh has ‘called him by name’. This is said of few (e.g. Moses (3:4; 33:12, 17); Cyrus (Isa 45:3-4); the Servant (Isa 49:1)) He is personally called to a vital ministry. And he has been carefully prepared for this special task and has now been endued by God’s Spirit in order to carry it through. Just as God created the world through His Spirit (Gen 1:2), so He establishes His Dwellingplace by His Spirit.
“ In wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge.” He has been given all the attributes of wisdom, understanding and knowledge. We may see this as signifying, by wisdom the power to invent and originate and work wisely, by understanding the ability to receive and take in all guidance from God and all His directions, and by knowledge the expertise necessary for the task. This is then expanded to include all manner of workmanship, including intricate work, metal work, jewellery work, and woodwork. As usual when the need arises God has His man especially prepared.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Appointment of Craftsmen for the Building of the Tabernacle Exo 31:1-11 describes the appointment of the craftsmen for the building of the Tabernacle. It is important to note that God gave Moses general instructions on the building of this Tabernacle and of the making of the priestly garments. However, God left it up to the creativity of the craftsmen, being inspired under their anointing, to design the details of each item they made. In the same way, God will give us instructions for our lives, but He often allows us to make the decisions about many of the details as we are inspired by the Holy Spirit each day.
Exo 31:1-11 God Appoints Bezaleel – God anointed Bezaleel so that he could “devise cunning works.” This phrase tells us that he was going to build and carve and create a work that had never been done on earth before, a work so beautiful and unique that it could only have come from the mind of God and imparted to man by the Spirit of God. Bezaleel began to have “God ideas” on how to design and construct the Tabernacle. These thoughts were inspired by the Spirit of God.
Exo 31:1-11 God Appoints Bezaleel (The Symbolism of the Materials Used in the Building of the Tabernacle) – We see the children of Israel building bricks out of straw and stubble while in Egyptian bondage.
Exo 5:12, “So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.”
When they were delivered, they began to build the tabernacle out of gold, silver, brass and precious stones. God anointed Bezaleel, the son of Uri, to work with these valuable metals, stones and wood carvings (see also Exo 35:30-33).
The gold, silver, and precious stones could represent the works that we do in faith, being led by the Spirit. It could represent the good, the acceptable and the perfect will of God. In contrast, the wood, hay, and stubble could represent the works of the flesh, also as three levels of works. Note how these works are contrasted in 1Co 3:11-15:
1Co 3:12-13, “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”
Note these comments from Frances J. Roberts, who refers to the works of the flesh as being symbolized by straw and stubble:
“My people shall obey Me (not a human leader) saith the Lord. My people shall not labor in vain in the straw and stubble of the works of the flesh. But My people shall walk in newness of life and they shall be energized and led by My Spirit, saith the Lord.” [97]
[97] Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved (Ojai, California: King’s Farspan, Inc., 1973), 62.
Exo 31:4 Word Study on “To devise” Strong says the Hebrew word “to devise” ( ) (H2803) is a primitive root that means, “to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.” The Enhanced Strong says it is used 124 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as “ count 23, devise 22, think 18, imagine 9, cunning 8, reckon 7, purpose 6, esteem 6, account 5, impute 4, forecast 2, regard 2, workman 2, conceived 1, misc 9.”
Exo 31:4 Word Study on “cunning works” Strong says the Hebrew word “cunning works” ( ) (H4284) means, “a thought, a device, plan, purpose or invention.” The Enhanced Strong says it is found 56 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as “ thought 28, device 12, purpose 6, work 3, imaginations 3, cunning 1, devised 1, invented 1, means 1. ”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Exo 24:9 to Exo 31:18 Instructions to Build Tabernacle (Ceremonial Law) In Exo 24:9 to Exo 31:18 God instructs Moses on the details of the building of the Tabernacle. In the description of the building of the articles, the Lord begins with those of the inner sanctuary, the ark of the covenant and mercy seat, then the altar of incense, followed by the table of showbread and the candlestick. Thus, the construction of these articles are arranged in a logical order, from the innermost sanctuary to the outermost. Perhaps one reason for this order is the fact that the order of the erection of the Tabernacle begins with the innermost articles and expands outward to the hangings of the outer court, as described in Exo 40:1-33. Thus, the order of the construction of the Tabernacle follows the order of its erection.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Instructions Concerning the Building of the Tabernacle – In Exo 25:1 to Exo 31:18 the Lord gives Moses instructions concerning the building of the Tabernacle and its articles, as well as the priestly garments. According to Heb 8:5, the Lord showed to Moses this pattern visually, probably while he was on the Mount, for God told Moses to make everything according to the pattern that He showed Moses on the mount. The Lord revealed it to him audibly as recorded in this section of the book of Exodus.
Heb 8:5, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount .’
It is important to note that God gave Moses general instructions on the building of this Tabernacle and of the making of the priestly garments. But God left it up to the creativity of the craftsmen, being inspired under their anointing, to design the details of each item they made. In the same way, God will give us instructions for our lives, but He often allows us to make the decisions about many of the details as we are inspired by the Holy Spirit each day.
Here is a proposed outline of Exo 25:1 to Exo 31:18:
The Offerings for the Sanctuary Exo 25:1-9 The Furniture of the Tabernacle Exo 25:10-40 The Ark of the Covenant, Mercy Seat & Cherubim Exo 25:10-22 The Table of Shewbread & its Accessories Exo 25:23-30 The Candlestick Exo 25:31-39 Concluding Statement Exo 25:40 The Building to House the Articles of the Tabernacle Exo 26:1-37 The Altar of Burnt Offering Exo 27:1-8 The Court of the Tabernacle Exo 27:9-19 The Care of the Lampstand Exo 27:20-21 The Garments for the Priesthood Exo 28:1-43 Introduction Exo 28:1-4 The Ephod Exo 28:5-14 The Breastplate of Judgment Exo 28:15-30 The Robe, Mitre, Girdle & Linen Breeches Exo 28:31-42 Concluding Statement Exo 28:43 The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons Exo 29:1-35 The Consecration & Service of the Burnt Altar Exo 29:36-46 The Altar of Incense Exo 30:1-10 The Ransom Money Exo 30:11-16 The Bronze Laver Exo 30:17-21 The Holy Anointing Oil Exo 30:22-33 The Incense Exo 30:34-38 The Appointment of Craftsmen Exo 31:1-11
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The Master Craftsmen Engaged
v. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, v. 2. See, I have called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, v. 3. and I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, v. 4. to devise cunning works, v. 5. and in cutting of stones, to set them, v. 6. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, 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, v. 7. the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the Ark of the Testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture, v. 8. and the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, v. 9. and the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, v. 10. and the cloths of service, v. 11. and the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the Holy Place; according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
THE CALL OF BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB. The directions for the construction of the tabernacle and its furniture being now complete, and the composition of the holy oil and the holy incense having been laid down minutely, it only remained to designate the persons to whom the oversight of the work was to be especially entrusted. These were to be twoBezaleel, of the tribe of Judah, as head and chief; Aholiab, of the tribe of Dan, as his assistant. There can be no doubt that they were selected, primarily, as already possessing superior artistic powers and acquirements; but in appointing them God promised an infusion of special wisdom and knowledge, so that they were at once naturally and supernaturally fitted for their task. It is important to note that artistic ability is thus distinctly recognised as being quite as much a gift of God as any other, and indeed as coming to man through the Spirit of God (Exo 31:3). Artistic excellence is not a thing to be despised. It is very capable of abuse; but in itself it is a high gift, bestowed by God on a few only, with the special intent that it should be used to his honour and glorynot indeed in his direct service onlybut always so as to improve, elevate, refine mankind, and thus help towards the advancement of God’s kingdom
Exo 31:2
I have called by name. God “calls by name” only those whom he appoints to some high office, as Moses (Exo 3:4; Exo 33:12), Cyrus (Isa 45:3, Isa 45:4), and here Bezaleel and Aholiab. He honours us highly in even condescending to “know us by name,” still more in “calling” us. Bezaleel is traced to Judah in Chronicles through five ancestorsUri, Hur, Caleb, Hezron, and Pharez, Judah’s son by Tamar. The genealogy, though less contracted than most of those in Exodus, probably contains two or three omissions. The son of Hur. Hur, the grandfather of Bezaleel, is thought to be the person mentioned in Exo 17:10, and Exo 24:14.
Exo 31:3
The Spirit of God. There is no article in the Hebrew, any more than in Gen 1:1; and some would therefore translate “a Divine Spirit”; but no change is needed. Ruakh elohim contains in itself the idea of singularity, since God has but one Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the medium of communication whereby God the Father bestows all gifts upon us. In wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge. By the first of these terms is meant the power to invent and originate; by the second ability to receive and appreciate directions and suggestions; by the third, such information as is acquired by experience and acquaintance with facts. Bezaleel was to have all these, and, in addition, was to be wise in all manner of workmanship; i.e.to possess manual dexterity, the power of artistic execution.
Exo 31:4, Exo 31:5
The result of these gifts would be to enable him1. To devise cunning worksi.e; to design everything excellently; and 2. To work in all manner of workmanshipi.e; to carry out his designs with success. It has been said that “as everything that had to be done was prescribed in strict and precise detail, there was to be no exercise of original powers of invention nor of taste” (Cook); but this was scarcely so. The forms of the cherubim, the patterns to be woven into the stuffs, or embroidered on them, the shapes of the vessels, of the capitals of the pillars, and of the laver were not prescribed in the directions. Bezaleel and Aholiab would have had to design them after such a description as Moses could give of the “pattern” which he had seen in the mount. In doing this, there would be much room for the exercise of inventive power and taste.
Exo 31:5
In cutting of stonesi.e; “in Genesis-curling.” The fabric of the tabernacle was entirely of metal, cloth, and wood. In carving of timber. Rather “cutting.” The word is the same as that used of the stones. And no ornamental “carving” of the woodwork was prescribed.
Exo 31:6
Aholiab appears to have had the entire charge of the textile fabrics, both woven and embroidered (Exo 38:23). Of the tribe of Ban. It is remarkable that Hiram, the chief artist employed by Solomon for the ornamental work of the temple, was also a descendant of Dan (2Ch 2:14). Yet the Danites were in general rather warlike and rude than artistic (Gen 49:17; Deu 33:22; Jdg 13:2; Jdg 18:11, Jdg 18:27). In the hearts of all that are wise hearted have I put wisdom. “Unto him that hath shall be given. Those who were already “wise heartedpossessed, that is, of artistic powerwere selected by God to receive extraordinary gifts of the same kind.
Exo 31:7-11
Contain an enumeration of the various works already commanded to be made The same order is observed, except that here the tabernacle itself is placed first, and the altar of incense takes its natural position next to the candlestick.
Exo 31:10
The cloths of service. Rather “the vestments of office’i.e; the distinguishing vestments of the High Priest, which he alone was allowed to wear. These were the blue robe, the ephod, the girdle of the ephod, and the breast-plate (Exo 28:6-35). The holy garments. The rest of the High Priest’s dressi.e; the linen drawers, the diapered tunic, the inner girdle and the mitre (Exo 28:39, Exo 28:43; Le Exo 16:4), which constituted his whole apparel on the great day of atonement. The garments of his sonsi.e, the linen drawers, tunics, girdles, and caps, mentioned in Exo 28:40, Exo 28:42.
HOMILETICS
Exo 31:3-6
Artistic excellence.
I. ITS FOUNDATION A NATURAL GIFT. God singled out from the mass of the people such as were “wise hearted.” A natural foundation was necessary for his spirit to work upon. It is generally allowed, in the case of a poet, that “nascitur, non fit.” But the same is true of all art-genius. Every artist, be he poet, painter, sculptor, musician, or mere designer of furniture, requires to have a something implanted within him from the first, out of which his artistic power is to grow, and without which he could never attain to excellence. Bezaleel and Aholiab were such persons. They were men of natural genius, with a special aptitude for the task to which they were set.
II. THE NATURAL GIFT MAY BE LARGELY INCREASED AND IMPROVED BY GRACE. There is a natural affinity between artistic excellence and spirituality. God, who gives artistic power originally for wise and good purposes, will, if men use the power worthily, augment it by the direct action of his Spirit on their intellects. Those poets, painters, etc; who have been good men, have found their artistic ability improve with time. Those who have lived evil lives have found it deteriorate. The spirit of devotion gave to the school of Angelico, Francis, and Perugino, its wonderful power and intensity. Milton’s religious ardour sublimised his poetry. The best art has always had a religious purpose, and derived much of its excellence from its association with religion. Men who regard their gifts as a trust, and exercise them in the fear of God, find constantly that their conceptions grow in grandeur and dignity, while their execution becomes more and more happy. The spirit of God fills them with wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge, and even with “all manner of workmanship.”
III. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE NATURAL GIFT MAY BE PERVERTED TO EVIL, AND BECOME A CURSE BOTH TO ITS POSSESSOR AND OTHERS. There is no intellectual power which is not liable to misuse. Artistic excellence is perhaps more liable to it than most others. If it is divorced from moral goodness, and made a mere instrument of self-glorification, it becomes debased at once. And the decline is easy from bad to worse. “Facilis descensus Averni.” There are few things which have worked greater evil in the world than high artistic genius combined with moral depravity. A whole generation may be utterly corrupted by a single sensualistic poet. Sculpture and painting have less influence; yet still a sensualistic school of either may have a most deleterious effect upon the morals of an age. It is of the greatest importance that such a perversion of artistic genius should not take place. It should be impressed on all that their artistic powers are the gift of God, to be accounted for just as much as other gifts; to be used, as all gifts are to be used, to his honour; to be made to subserve the ends for which his kingdom has been established upon earththe advance of holiness, the general elevation, refinement and spiritualisation of mankind, and the special purifying to himself of a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
HOMILIES BY J. ORR
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
IV. The Architects. Exo 31:1-11
The summoning of Bezaleel and his assistants, Aholiab and other master-workmen, is at once a definition of sacred art and a recognition of natural artistic talent. The idea of the sanctuary is indeed a gift of Jehovah, transmitted by Moses to Bezaleel. Yet even in the wider sense the fact respecting art is that the artist exhibits himself more purely, the more he follows objective images, found in actual life, and formed by God. This limitation does not exclude the originality of the wise-hearted; but it shows itself in four ways: (1) In the plastic impulse, or the talent of construction, such as was shown by Wisdom, as artist, at the formation of the earth (Genesis 1; Proverbs 8). Wisdom effects the execution of the impulse in beautiful phenomenal forms. (2) But what she creates in general, must be realized in particular by perception, or good sense, in its patient studies. Then (3) in order to true creation there is needed furthermore, on the one hand, knowledge, in the form of ideal reflection, standing over the plastic impulse, and, on the other hand, (4) practical understanding, such as enables one to work up the material. But the artistic talent of the wise-hearted becomes sacred art only through the Spirit of God. Keil understands by this a supernatural endowment. It is not to be denied that there is something supernatural in every sanctification of a natural endowment. But it is a question whether he so meant it. As to the names Bezaleel and Aholiab, vid. the Encyclopedias. On the obscure expression , comp. Keil. The context confirms his assumption, that this phrase denotes those garments which belonged to the high-priest alone, while the other garments belonged to him and his sons alike. See other very divergent explanations in Keil. Gesenius refers the word to the curtains of the tabernaclean interpretation which does not accord with the explanatory expression. to do service in the holy place [Exo 35:19]. Perhaps, in accordance with the meaning of II. [in Gesenius], the phrase may designate an exceptional kind of clothing, to be distinguished from all other garments.
V. The Condition of Vitality in the Ritual Worship, the Sabbath, Exo 31:12-17. Conclusion, Exo 31:18
The reason why the observance of the Sabbath is here again so strictly inculcated, Keil finds in the fact that one might easily regard the neglect of the observance as permissible in the construction of a great work designed for the worship of Jehovah. Similarly Knobel. But the perpetual observance of the Sabbath is here enjoineda fact which Keil himself afterwards notices, but which does not accord with this merely outward reason for the injunction. It should also be observed that in Exo 35:1 sqq. the command respecting the Sabbath recurs again, and this time precedes the order concerning the erection of the tabernacle. The Sabbath belonged as essentially to the tabernacle and the temple as the Christian Sunday to Christian worship.A sign between me and you. i. e., so to speak, the public symbol of the relation between Jehovah and Israel. Hence breaking the Sabbath is punished as a capital crime. This doom is twice denounced, and the Sabbath itself is called by the emphatic name . Properly, says Knobel, rest of restfulness [Ruhe der Ruhigkeit] i.e., entire rest, complete abandonment of business, the combination of synonyms (?) enhancing the notion (vid. x. 22). This term is applied only to the Sabbath (Exo 35:2; Lev 23:3), the day of atonement (Lev 16:31; Lev 23:32), and to the Sabbatical year (Lev 25:4).Keil feels constrained to take the words of Exo 31:18 literally. According to Exo 32:16 the tables also are a work of God. Only, he says, we are not to think of a bodily finger of God as implied in the statement about the tables being written with His finger. It is true that Moses co-operation with Jehovah (for he did not need to be on the mountain forty days merely in order to receive the tables) is to be conceived as absolutely merged in Gods authority and authorship. Conjectures on the size of the tables vid. in Keil.1 Alleged contradictions vid. in Knobel, p. 310.
Footnotes:
[1][The tables, Keil remarks, could hardly have been as long and wide as the interior of the ark (into which they were put); for two stone tablets, each four feet long and over two feet wide, and thick enough not to break with their own weight, must have been too heavy for any one but a Samson to carry down the mountain. As they were written on both sid s, and had to contain only one hundred and seventy-two words, a length of about two feet and a width of one and a half feet would have been ample.Tr.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
H.The vision or the ideal of the tabernacle. The ordering of the ark and of the house of the covenant; of the living presence of the law and of the dwelling-place of the law-giver
Exodus 25-31
I. Contributions for the Building. Preliminary Condition
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart 3[whose heart maketh him willing] ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, 4And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats hair, 5And rams skins dyed red, and badgers [seals] skins, and shittim [acacia] wood, 6Oil for the light, spices for anointing [the anointing] oil, and for sweet [the sweet] incense, 7Onyx stones, and stones to be set in [set, for] the ephod, and in [for] the breast-plate. 8And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. 9According to all that I shew thee, after [thee,] the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments [furniture] thereof, even so shall ye make it.
II. The Structure itself. The Place of Worship
1. The Ark
10And they shall make an ark of shittim [acacia] wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 11And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown [moulding] of gold round about. 12And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners [feet] thereof; and two rings shall be in [on] the one side of it, and two rings in [on] the other side of it. 13And thou shalt make staves of shittim 14[acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them [to bear the ark with]. 15The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. 16And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 17And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18And thou shalt make two cherubims [cherubim] of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them in [at] the two ends of the mercy-seat. 19And make one cherub on [at] the one end, and the other cherub on [at] the other end: even of [of one piece with] the mercy-seat1 shall ye make the cherubims [cherubim] on [at] the two ends thereof. 20And the cherubims [cherubim] shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, and their faces shall look [with their faces] one to another: toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubims [cherubim] be. 21And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubims [cherubim] which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
2. The Table
23Thou shalt also make a table of shittim [acacia] wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 24And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown [moulding] of gold round about. 25And thou shalt make unto it a border of an [a] hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown [moulding] to the border thereof round about. 26And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in [on] the four 27corners that are on [belong to] the four feet thereof. Over against [Close by] the border shall the rings be for places of [for] the staves to bear the table. 28And thou shalt make the staves of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. 29And thou shalt make the dishes [plates] thereof, and spoons [the cups] thereof, and covers [the flagons] thereof, and bowls [the bowls] thereof, to cover [pour out] withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. 30And thou shalt set upon the table shew-bread before me alway.
3. The Candlestick
31And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers shall be of the same [of beaten work shall be made the candlestick, its base and its shaft: its cups, its knobs, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it].2 32And six branches shall come out [coming out] of the sides of it: three branches of the candlestick out of the one side [one side of it], and three branches of the candlestick 33out of the other side [side of it]: Three bowls [cups] made like unto almonds [almond-blossoms] with a knop and a flower in one branch [in one branch, a knob and a flower]; and three bowls [cups] made like almonds [almond-blossoms] in the other branch, with [branch,] a knop [knob] and a flower: so in 34[for] the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls [cups] made like unto almonds, with [almond-blossoms,] their 35[its] knops [knobs] and their [its] flowers. And there shall be 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] the six branches that proceed 36[come] out of the candlestick. Their knops [knobs] and their branches shall be of the same [of one piece with it]: all it [all of it] shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof; and they shall light [set up] the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 38And the tongs [snuffers] 39thereof, and the snuff-dishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. Of a talent of pure 40gold shall he make it [shall it be made], with all these vessels [instruments]. And look [see] that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
4. The Dwelling (the Tent)
Exo 26:1. Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of [curtains: of] fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with [scarlet, with] cherubims [cherubim] of cunning work [the work of a skilful weaver] shalt thou make them. 2The length of one [each] curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one [each] curtain four cubits: and every one of the 3[all the] curtains shall have one measure. The five [Five of the] curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other [the other] five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one [first] curtain from the selvedge [at the border] in the coupling [the set of curtains]; and likewise shalt thou make in [so shalt thou do with] the uttermost edge of another curtain [the edge of the outmost curtain] in the coupling of the second [in the second set of curtains]. 5Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second [in the second set of curtains]; that the loops may take hold one of [the loops shall be opposite one to] another. 6And thou shalt make fifty taches [clasps] of gold, and couple the curtains together [one to another] with the taches [clasps]; and it shall be one tabernacle [the tabernacle shall be one]. 7And thou shalt make curtains of goats hair to be a [for a] covering [tent] upon [over] the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8The length of one [each] curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one [each] curtain four cubits: and [cubits:] the eleven curtains shall be all of [shall have] one measure. 9And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double [fold together] the sixth curtain in the forefront [front] of the tabernacle [tent]. 10And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling [first set of curtains], and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second 11[is the second set]. And thou shalt make fifty taches [clasps] of brass, and put the taches [clasps] into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may [and it shall] be one. 12And the remnant [excess] that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the back-side [back] of the 13tabernacle. And a [the] cubit on the one side, and a [the] cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it [tent,] shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it. 14And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers skins [of seal-skins above]. 15And thou shalt make boards 16[the boards] for the tabernacle of shittim [acacia] wood standing up. Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one 17[each] board. Two tenons shall there be in one [each] board, set in order one against [equally distant from one] another: thus shalt thou make for [do unto] all the boards of the tabernacle. 18And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on [for] the south side southward. 19And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his [its] two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his [its] two tenons. 20And for the second side of the tabernacle on [for] the north side there shall be twenty boards: 21And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 22And for the sides [rear] of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 23And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides [in the rear]. 24And they shall be coupled together [be double] beneath, and they shall be coupled together3 above the head of it unto one ring [and together they shall be whole up to the top of it, unto the first ring]: 25thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. And they [there] shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 26And thou shalt make bars of shittim [acacia] wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 27And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides [the rear] westward. 28And the middle bar in the midst [middle] of the boards shall reach [pass through] from end to end. 29And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: 30and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. And thou shalt rear [set] up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was [hath been] shewed thee in the mount.
5. The Veil
31And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims [linen: with cherubim, the work of a skilful workman] shall it be made. 32And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim [acacia] wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon four sockets of silExo Exo 25:33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches [clasps], that thou mayest bring [and shalt bring] in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy [the holy of holies]. 34And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place [holy of holies]. 35And thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side. 36And thou shalt make an hanging [a screen] for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needle-work 37[the work of the embroiderer]. And thou shalt make for the hanging [screen] five pillars of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold; and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
6. The Altar of Burnt-offering
Chap. Exo 27:1 And thou shalt make an [the] altar of shittim [acacia] wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be four-square: and the height thereof shall be three cubits. 2And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his [its] horns shall be of the same [of one piece with it]: 3and thou shalt overlay it with brass. And thou shalt make his [its] pans [pots] to receive his [to take away its] ashes, and his [its] shovels, and his [its] basins, and his [its] fleshhooks, and his [its] firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass [copper]. 4And thou shalt make for it a grate [grating] of network of brass [copper]; and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen [copper] rings in 5[on] the four corners thereof. And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath [below, under the ledge of the altar], that the net may be even to the midst [and the net shall reach up to the middle] of the altar. 6And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with brass [copper]. 7And the staves [staves thereof] shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it [in bearing it]. 8Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was [hath been] shewed thee in the mount; so shall they make it.
7. The Court
9And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine-twined linen of an hundred [linen a hundred] cubits long for one side: 10And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass [copper]; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [rods] shall be of silExo Exo 25:11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred [hangings a hundred] cubits long, and his [its] twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass 12[copper]; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [rods] of silver. And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits [hangings fiftycubits long]: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. 13And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits. 14The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits [Fifteen cubits of hangings shall be on one side of the gate]: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 15And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits [fifteen cubits of hangings]: their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging [a screen] of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine-twined linen, wrought with needle-work [linen, embroidered work]: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four. 17All the pillars round about the court [of the court round about] shall be filleted with silver [joined with rods of silver]; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass [copper]. 18The length of the court shall be an [a] hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty everywhere, and the height five cubits, of fine-twined linen, and their sockets of brass [copper]. 19All the vessels [furniture] of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court shall be of brass [copper].
III. The Persons and Things occupying the Building. The Ritual Worship
1. The Oil for the Lamp
20And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten [beaten olive oil] for the light, to cause the [a] lamp to burn always [continually]. 21In the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] without the veil, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order [trim] it from evening to morning before Jehovah: it shall be a statute forever unto [throughout] their generations on the behalf of [on the part of] the children of Israel.
2. The Clothing of the Priest and of his Sacerdotal Assistants
Exo 28:1 And take thou [bring thou near] unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priests office [that he may be a priest unto me], even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aarons sons. 2And thou shalt make holy [sacred] garments for Aaron thy brother for glory [honor] and for beauty. 3And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted [all the skilful-hearted], whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom [skill], that they may make Aarons garments to consecrate [sanctify] him, that he may minister unto me in the priests office [that Hebrews 4 may be a priest unto me]. And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered [checkered] coat, a mitre [turban], and a girdle: and they shall make holy [sacred] garments for Aaron thy brother, and [and for] his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priests office 5[that he may be a priest unto me]. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 6And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine-twined linen, with cunning work [linen, the work of askilful weaver]. 7It shall have the two shoulder-pieces thereof joined at [have two shoulder-pieces joined to] the two edges thereof: and so it [and it] shall be joined together. 8And the curious girdle of the ephod [the embroidered belt for girding it], which is upon it, shall be of the same [same piece], according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine-twined linen. 9And thou shalt take two onyx stones and grave [engrave] on them the names of the children of Israel: 10Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest [and thenames of the six remaining ones] on the other stone, according to their birth. 11With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with [according to] the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set [inclosed] in ouches [settings] of gold. 12And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders [shoulder-pieces] of the ephod for stones of memorial unto [as memorial stones for] the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulders for a memorial. 13And thou shalt make ouches [settings] of gold; 14And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them [pure gold; like cords shalt thou make them, of wreathen work]: and fasten [and thou shalt put] the wreathen chains to the ouches 15[on the settings]. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment, with cunning work [the work of a skilful weaver]; after [like] the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt 16 thou make it. Four square it shall be being doubled [It shall be square and double]; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. 17And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be [stones: a row of sardius, topaz, and emerald shall be] the first row. 18And the second row shall be an emerald, [carbuncle], a sapphire, and a diamond. 19And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 20And the fourth row a beryl [chrysolite], and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall set in gold in their inclosings. 21And the stones shall be with [according to] the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like [names: like] the engravings of a signet; every [signet, every] one with [accordingto] his name shall they be according to [be for] the twelve tribes. 22And thou shalt make upon the breast-plate chains at the ends [like cords] of wreathen work of pure gold. 23And thou shalt make upon the breast-plate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breast-plate. 24And thou shalt put the two wreathen 25chains of gold in [on] the two rings which are on the ends of the breast-plate. And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches [put on the two settings], and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod before it [onthe front of it]. 26And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breast-plate, in [on] the border thereof which is in [toward] 27the side of the ephod inward. And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides [shoulder-pieces] of the ephod underneath, toward [on] the fore-part thereof, over against [close by] the other coupling [the coupling] thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod [the embroidered belt of theephod]. 28And they shall bind the breast-plate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace [cord] of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle [the embroidered belt] of the ephod, and that the breast-plate be not loosed from the ephod. 29And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before Jehovah continually. 30And thou shalt put in the breast-plate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aarons heart, when he goeth in before Jehovah: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before Jehovah continually. 31And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue. 32And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof [And its opening for the head shall be in the middle of it]: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it [its opening], as it were the hole 33of an habergeon [like the opening of a coat of mail], that it be not rent. And beneath upon [And upon] the hem of it [its skirts] thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem [skirts] thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 34A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem [skirts] of the robe round about. 35And it shall be upon Aaron to minister [for ministering]: and his sound [the sound thereof] shall be heard when he goeth in unto [goeth into] the holy place before Jehovah, and when he cometh out, that he die not. 36And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave [engrave] upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO JEHOVAH. 37And thou shalt put it on a blue lace [cord], that it may be [and it shall be] upon the mitre [turban]; upon the forefront [front] of the mitre 38[turban] it shall be. And it shall be upon Aarons forehead, that Aaron may [and Aaron shall] bear the iniquity of the holy [sacred] things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy [sacred] gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before Jehovah. 39And thou shalt embroider [weave] the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre [turban] of fine linen, and thou shalt make the [a] girdle of needle-work [embroidered work]. 40And for Aarons sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets [caps] shalt thou make for them, for glory [honor] and for beauty. 41And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate [ordain] them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priests office [and they shall be priests unto me]. 42And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their [the flesh of their] nakedness; from the loins even unto [loins unto] the thighs they shall reach: 43And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto [come into] the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his [and unto his] seed after him.
3. The Consecration of the Priests
Exo 29:1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priests office [to be priests unto me]: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, 2and unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered [mingled] with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. 3And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. 4And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], and shalt wash them with water. 5And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breast-plate, and gird him with the curious girdle [embroidered belt] of the ephod. 6And thou shalt put the mitre [turban] upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre [turban]. 7Then shalt thou [And thou shalt] take the anointing oil, and pour itupon his head, and anoint him. 8And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them. 9And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets [bind caps] on them: and the priests office [priesthood] shall be theirs for [by] a perpetual statute: 10and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought [bring the bullock] before the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting]: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. 11And thou shalt kill the bullock before Jehovah, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting]. 12And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom [at the base] of the altar. 13And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above [lobe above] the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them, and burn themupon the altar. 14But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin-offering. 15Thou shalt also take one [the one] ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put [lay] their hands upon the head of the ram. 16And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. 17And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him [his inwards], and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head. 18And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering unto Jehovah: it is a sweet savor, an offering made by fire [a fire-offering] unto Jehovah. 19And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put [lay] their hands upon the head of the ram. 20Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 21And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons garments with him. 22Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump [the fat tail], and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above [lobe of] the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration: 23And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before Jehovah: 24And thou shalt put all [the whole] in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave-offering before Jehovah. 25And thou shalt receive [take] them of [from] their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a [upon the] burnt-offering, for a sweet savor before Jehovah: it is an offering made by fire [a fire-offering] unto Jehovah. 26And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aarons consecration [of Aarons ram of consecration], and wave it for [as] a wave-offering before Jehovah: and it shall be thy part. 27And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave-offering, and the shoulder of the heave-offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the [of] consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: 28And it shall be Aarons and his sons by a statute for ever from the children of Israel; for it is an [a] heave-offering: and it shall be an [a] heave-offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their [Israel of their] peace-offerings,even their heave-offering unto Jehovah. 29And the holy garments of Aaron shall be 30his sons after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them. And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days [Seven days shall he of his sons who is priest in his stead put them on], when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] to minister in the holy place. 31And thou shalt take the ram of the [of] consecration, and seethe [boil] his flesh in the 32[a] holy place. And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tentof meeting]. 33And they shall eat those things wherewith the [wherewith] atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them; but a stranger shall not eat thereof, 34because they are holy. And if aught of the flesh of the consecrations [consecration], or of the bread, remain unto [until] the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. 35And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron and to his sons, according to all things which [all that] I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.
4. Consecration and Design of the Altar of Burnt-offering
36And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin-offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an [by making] atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. 37Seven days thou shalt make an [make] atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever 38toucheth the altar shall be holy. Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar: two lambs of the first year [a year old] day by day continually. 39The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 40And with the one lamb a tenth deal [part] of flour mingled with the fourth part of an [a] hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an [a] hin of wine for a drink-offering. 41And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat-offering of [shalt offer with it the same meal-offering as in] the morning, and according to the drink-offering thereof [and the same drink-offering], for a sweet savor, an offering made by fire [a fire-offering] unto Jehovah. 42This shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] before Jehovah; where I will meet [meet with] you, to speak there unto thee. 43And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle [and it] shall be sanctified by my glory. 44And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priests office 45[to be priests unto me]. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46And they shall know that I am Jehovah their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may [might] dwell among them: I am Jehovah their God.
5. The Altar of Incense
Exo 30:1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim 2[acacia] wood shalt thou make it. A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; four-square shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same [of one piece with it]. 3And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto [for] it a crown of gold round about. 4And two golden rings shalt thou make to [for] it under the crown of it, by the two corners [upon the two flanks] thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal [with]. 5And thou shalt make the staves of shittim [acacia] wood, and overlay them with gold. 6And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. 7And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth [trimmeth] the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8And when Aaron lighteth [setteth up] the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it [burn it], a perpetual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations. 9Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt-sacrifice [burnt-offering], nor meat-offering [meal-offering]; neither shall ye pour [and ye shall pour no] drink-offering thereon. 10And Aaron shall make an [make] atonement upon [for] the horns of it once in a [the] year with the blood of the sin-offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon [for] it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.
6. The Contributions for the Sanctuary (Poll-tax)
11And Jehovah spake unto Moses saying, 12When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after [according to] their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, when thou numberest them; that there be [maybe] no plague among them, when thou numberest them. 13This they shall give, every one that passeth among [over unto] them that are numbered, half a shekel after [according to] the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs): an [a] half shekel shall be the offering of [unto] Jehovah. 14Every one that passeth among [over unto] them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto Jehovah [Jehovahs offering]. 15The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a [the half] shekel, when they give an offering unto Jehovah [give Jehovahs offering], to make an [make] atonement for your souls. 16And thou shalt take the atonement money of [from] the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting]; that it may be [and it shall be] a memorial unto [for] the children of Israel before Jehovah, to make an [make] atonement for your souls.
7. The Laver
17And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 18Thou shalt also make a laver of brass [copper], and his foot also of brass [its base of copper], to wash withal [in]: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting] and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat [from it]: 20When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire [afire-offering] unto Jehovah: 21So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
8. The holy Anointing Oil
22Moreover Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 23Take thou also unto thee principal spices [the chief spices], of pure [flowing] myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24And of cassia five hundred shekels, after [accordingto] the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an [olive oil a] hin: 25And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment [a holy anointing oil], an ointment compound [compounded] after the art of the apothecary [a perfumed ointment, the work of theperfumer]: it shall be an [a] holy anointing oil. 26And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith [therewith the tent of meeting], and the ark of the testimony, 27And the table and all his vessels [its furniture], and the candlestick and his vessels [its furniture] and the altar of incense, 28And the altar of burnt-offering with all his vessels [its furniture], and the laver and his foot [its base]. 29And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever [whosoever] toucheth them shall be holy. 30And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priests office [to be priests unto me]. 31And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an [a] holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. 32Upon mans flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it [and ye shall make none like it with its33proportions]: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even [he shall] be cut off from his people.
9. The Incense
34And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight [an equal part]: 35And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection, after the art of the apothecary, tempered together [make of it an incense, a perfume, thework of the perfumer, salted], pure, and holy: 36And thou shalt beat some of it very small [it fine], and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. 37And as for the perfume [And the incense] which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to [for] yourselves according to the composition [with its proportions]: it shall be unto thee holy for [unto] Jehovah. 38Whosoever shall make [make any] like unto that, to smell thereto [thereof], shall even [he shall] be cut off from his people.
IV. The Architects. The Master-workman Bezaleel and his Vocation. Sacred Art
Exo 31:1, And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner [kinds] of workmanship, 4To devise cunning [skilful] works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass [copper], 5And in cutting of stones, to set them [stones for setting], and in carving of timber, to work in all manner [kinds] of workmanship. 6And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, 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 make all that I have commanded thee: 7The tabernacle of the congregation [tent of meeting], and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle [tent], 8And the table and his [its] furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his [its] furniture, and the altar of incense, 9And the altar of burnt-offering with all his [its] furniture, and the laver and his foot [its base], 10And the cloths [garments] of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priests office [aspriests], 11And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.
V. The Condition of the Vitality of the Ritual. The Sabbath
12And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 13Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Jehovah that doth sanctify you. 14Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore [And ye shall keep the sabbath]; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth [profaneth] it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15Six days may work be done; but in [on] the seventh is the [a] sabbath of rest, holy to Jehovah: whosoever doeth any work in [on] the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for [as] a perpetual 17covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 18And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing [speaking] with him upon mount Sinai, two [the two] tables of [of the] testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
[Exo 25:19. , etc. Literally, From the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim. This is understood by some to mean: rising up from the mercy-seat. But the simple hardly conveys that notion; it has, perhaps, somewhat of its original import, part, so that the direction is to make the cherubim a part of the mercy-seat, i.e., of one piece with it.Tr.]
[Exo 25:31. The change proposed in the punctuation is one required by the Masoretic accentuation, as well as by the sense, though adopted by only a few commentators (Knobel, Do Wette, Bunsen). When it is said, its base and its shaft, etc., shall be made of the same, the question arises, the same with what? For the several specifications include the whole of the candlestick. The direction thus would be to make all the several parts of the candlestick of the same piece with the candlestickwhich is senseless.Tr.]
[Exo 26:24. The A. V. rendering (favored also by Kalisch, Gesenius, Glaire, De Wette, Frst, and Canon Cook) assumes to be a contracted form of . But it is singular (if this is the case) that both forms should occur in the same verse, and more singular still that there should be the same conjunction of the two forms in the parallel passage Exo 36:29. So long as at the best the obscurity of the description is not relieved by such an assumption, it seems much more reasonable to take in its natural sense of perfect, whole, and elucidate the meaning, if possible, on that assumption.Tr.]
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
The origin of the tabernacle is twice recorded in Exodus: first, (considered from its divine side) as a command of God, or (considered from its human side) as a vision or ideal (the tabernacle which God showed Moses on the mount), 2531; secondly, as the historical fact of the execution of the building of the work commanded by Jehovah, but interrupted by the history of the golden calf, 3540.
The tabernacle is not merely a place of worship; but, as being the house of the ark of the covenant or of the tables of the law, and as being the house of the Lord of the covenant who manifests Himself in the Holy of holies, it is first of all the centre of the whole legislation and the residence of the lawgiver Himself, who holds sway between the cherubim over His law, and will not let it become a dead ordinance, but makes sure that from out of the Holy of holies it shall grow into a living power. Hence, therefore, the history of this institution properly stands in Exodus, not in Leviticus. Jehovah has redeemed His people out of the house of bondage, and brought them to His holy house, which is at once palace, temple, and court-house, or public gathering-placethe house in which Jehovah meets with His people.
The tabernacle has been called a nomadic temple. It is indeed the preliminary form of the temple, but itself continued, after the people ceased their wanderings, for a long time to change its location in Israel until Solomons temple was built. As the prototype and opposite of garish heathen temples; as the historical model of the Israelitish temple in its three principal historical forms (temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel, and Herod); as the religious model, or outline, the type of Christian places of worship; and as the symbol of the proportions of the kingdom of God, both outwardly and inwardly considered; accordingly, as the fundamental form of every real sanctuary, the tabernacle preserves an imperishable significancealmost more significant in its naked simplicity than with its ornamentation and wealth. When the outward glory of the temple is gone, God will rebuild the tabernacle of David (Amo 9:11-12).
The tabernacle as Moses idea, which indeed he owes to divine revelation, characterizes Moses as also a great and original man in Hebrew art. Bezaleel was only the artist or master-workman who carried out the idea, working according to Moses plan; and even Michel Angelo, who chiselled the figure of Moses, worked, as architect, according to the theocratic outline which had been introduced into the world through Moses.
Of the numerous treatises on this sanctuary comp. besides Bhr (Symbolik des mosaischen Kultus I. p. 53 sqq.) and Keil (Bibl. Archologie 1, 17 sqq.), especially Leyrer in Herzogs Real-Encyklopdie, Art. Stiftshtte, which gives a condensed view of all the opinions and conjectures which have been propounded respecting its structure and significance. The latest monograms are: Wilh. Neumann, Die Stiftshtte in Bild und Wort gezeichnet, Gotha, 1861 (rich in fantastic hypotheses derived from the discoveries at Nineveh), and C. J. Riggenbach, Die mosaische Stiftshtte mit drei lithogr. Tafeln. (Basel, 18624). Vid. Knobel, Commentary, pp. 249257. Popper, Der biblische Bericht ber die Stiftshtte, etc. (Leipzig, 1862). Wangemann, Die Bedeutung der Stiftshtte. Wissenschaftlicher Vortrag, etc. (Berlin, 1866). Also Winers Reallexicon and Zellers Biblisches Wrterbuch. [To these may be added, besides Smiths Bible Dictionary and Kittos Cyclopedia, Kurtz, Sacrificial Offerings of the O. T.; Haneberg, Die religisen Alterthmer der Bibel (Munich, 1869); T. O. Paine, Solomons Temple (Boston, H. H. & T. W. Carter, 1870); and E. E. Atwater, History and Significance of the Sacred Tabernacle of the Hebrews (Dodd & Mead, New York, 1875).Tr.]
I. General view of the ideal plan of the building. Exo 25:1 to Exo 31:11
External Prerequisites. Building Materials. Assessments for the Building. Exo 25:1-9.
a. The Divine Side of the Dwelling
1. The Ark of the Covenant, with the Mercy-seat and the Cherubim, as the chief thing in the whole Building, Exo 25:10-22. Object of it: the continual, living Revelation of God. Exo 25:22. The Holy of Holies.
2. The Table of Shew-bread (of Communion with God, consecrated to God, Exo 25:30), and the Candlestick with its Appurtenances (the Divine Illumination in accordance with the Ideal, Exo 25:40), Exo 25:23-40.
3. The Sanctuary. Divine and Human. The Tent, or the Dwelling itself, Exo 26:1-30. Conformed to the Ideal, Exo 26:30.
4. The Veil to distinguish and divide the Holy of Holies from the Sanctuary, Exo 26:31-37.
b. The Human Side of the Dwelling
1. The Altar of Burnt-offering. Chap. Exo 27:1-8. Conformed to the Ideal, Exo 27:8.
2. The Court, Exo 27:9-19.
c. Functions Connected with the Building
1. Bringing of the holy Oil, and the Preparation of the Candlestick, Exo 27:20-21.
2. Equipment of the Priest, the High priest and his Assistants, Exo 28:1-43. Object of it, Exo 28:35; Exo 28:43.
3. Consecration of the Priests and the Sacrificial Functions of the Priest, Exo 29:1-46. Object, Exo 29:43-46.
4. Altar of Incense, and its Use, Exo 30:1-10.
5. Assessment for the Sanctuary as a Continual Memorial for the People, Exo 30:11-16.
6. The Brazen Laver in the Court for the Priests to wash from, Exo 30:17-21.
7. The Anointing of the Holy Things. The most holy Ointment, Exo 30:22-33.
8. The Most Holy Incense, Exo 30:34-38.
d. The Master-workmen
Exo 31:1-11.
*****Conclusion.The fundamental condition on which the meeting between Jehovah and His people ideally rests: the Sabbath, Exo 31:12-17. The addition of the Directions concerning the Tabernacle to the completed written Law, Exo 31:18.
II. General view of the actual construction of the building
Foundation: The Sabbath as Prerequisite to the Tabernacle. Exo 35:1-3 (Exo 31:14-17).
1. The Assessments for the Building, and the Preparation of the Material made under the direction of the Master-workmen, Exo 35:4 to Exo 36:7 (Exo 25:1-9; Exo 31:1-11).
2. The Work on the Dwelling, Exo 36:8-38 (Exo 26:1-37).
3. The Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy-seat, and the Cherubim, Exo 37:1-9 (Exo 25:10-22).
4. The Table, with its Appurtenances, Exo 37:10-16 (Exo 25:23-30).
5. The Candlestick, Exo 37:17-24 (Exo 25:31-40).
6. The Altar of Incense, the Incense, and the Anointing Oil, Exo 37:25-29 (Exo 30:1-10; Exo 30:23-38).
7. The Altar of Burnt-offering, Exo 38:1-7 (Exo 27:1-8).
8. The Brazen Laver, and the Court, Exo 38:8-20 (Exo 27:9-19).
9. The Reckoning of the Material used, Exo 38:21-31.
10. The official Garments of the Priests, Exo 39:1-31 (Exo 28:1-43). The Consecration of the Priests, and the Ordinance of the Sacrifices, Exo 29:1-46.
11. The Presentation of the Constituent Parts of the Dwelling, Exo 39:32-43.
12. The Erection of the Dwelling, and the Heavenly Consecration of it by means of the Pillar of Cloud and Fire, the Sign of the Veiled Presence of the Glory of the Lord, chap. 40.
Knobel calls attention to the exact reckoning in Exo 38:21 sqq. and the extraordinary circumstantiality and diffuseness which is found in no other narrator to the same degree. So extended a repetition does not occur elsewhere in all the Old Testament. As to the diffuseness, the O. T. everywhere gives details when the sanctuary is concerned, as becomes the symbolical significance of the sanctuary and the religious spirit of the Israelites, vid. 1 Samuel 4-7; 1Ki 5:1 to 1Ki 9:15; 2 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 2-7; Ezekiel 40-47; the whole of Haggai; Zechariah 3, 4. It is taken for granted that here in every individual feature there is to be recognized the reflection of a religious thought. As to the repetition, however, stress is to be laid on the general consciousness of connection between ideal and real worship, as well as the special consciousness that the real tabernacle was built exactly according to the idea of it. Moreover, the second account is not a mere repetition of the first. In the presentation of the idea, the master-workmen come at the end; in the narrative of the actual erection of the building, at the beginning,quite in accordance with the relations of real life. In the execution of the work of the tabernacle the sacerdotal garments are described, and even the calculation of the cost of the buildingthe church account, so to speak. So the denunciation of a severe penalty on the manufacture, for private use, of the holy anointing oil and of the incense, is one of the means used to prevent the profanation of a legally prescribed system of worship. Even the hinderance in the execution of the work prescribed in the mount, occasioned by the golden calf, is not without meaning. How often it is a golden calf which hinders the execution of pure ideal ecclesiastical conceptions! Here, however, is everywhere manifested this feature of revelation, that the idea must become fact, and that the fact must answer to the idea.
We make five general divisions in the things commanded: I. The Prerequisitethe Materials. II. The Precept concerning the Structure itself. III. The Persons and Things occupying the Building. IV. The Architects and their Work. V. The Condition of the Vitality of the Institutionthe Sabbath.
Footnotes:
[1][Exo 25:19. , etc. Literally, From the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim. This is understood by some to mean: rising up from the mercy-seat. But the simple hardly conveys that notion; it has, perhaps, somewhat of its original import, part, so that the direction is to make the cherubim a part of the mercy-seat, i.e., of one piece with it.Tr.]
[2][Exo 25:31. The change proposed in the punctuation is one required by the Masoretic accentuation, as well as by the sense, though adopted by only a few commentators (Knobel, Do Wette, Bunsen). When it is said, its base and its shaft, etc., shall be made of the same, the question arises, the same with what? For the several specifications include the whole of the candlestick. The direction thus would be to make all the several parts of the candlestick of the same piece with the candlestickwhich is senseless.Tr.]
[3][Exo 26:24. The A. V. rendering (favored also by Kalisch, Gesenius, Glaire, De Wette, Frst, and Canon Cook) assumes to be a contracted form of . But it is singular (if this is the case) that both forms should occur in the same verse, and more singular still that there should be the same conjunction of the two forms in the parallel passage Exo 36:29. So long as at the best the obscurity of the description is not relieved by such an assumption, it seems much more reasonable to take in its natural sense of perfect, whole, and elucidate the meaning, if possible, on that assumption.Tr.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
CONTENTS
The same interesting interview between God and his servant is continued, and the account of it is recorded in this Chapter. The Lord tells Moses who shall be appointed for the workmen in the tabernacle; the Lord again enjoins the holy observance of the Sabbath, and delivers to Moses the two tables of testimony which he had written.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
It is profitable to observe, that all the appointments, as well of Providence as of grace, are of divine authority. Eph 4:11-12 ; Pro 16:33 .
It is equally profitable to remark, that the common gifts of understanding, as well as the special gifts of grace, are all from the same Almighty Giver. Isa 28:26 ; Job 38:36 . And how sweetly doth the Apostle speak of these things; 1Co 12:4-11 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 31:3-4
The ambition of art, to come ever nearer to a perfect work, is an evidence that the spirit of the Master-Artist stirs and quickens the human spirit. ‘See, 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.’ In the spirit of God every art is latent…. Faith and art have all the sympathy of mother and child. Neither of them is content with nature’s conditions. Faith discerns a higher world, and art would fain body it forth.
Dr. John Pulsford, The Supremacy of Man, pp. 97 f.
Compare Adam Bede’s words to his brother, in the opening chapter of Adam Bede: ‘There’s such a thing as being over-speritial; we must have something beside Gospel i’ this world. Look at the canals, an’ th’ aqueducs, an’ th’ coal-pit engines, and Arkwright’s mills there at Cranford; a man must learn summat beside Gospel to make them things, I reckon. But t’ hear some o’ them preachers, you’d think as a man must be doing nothing all’s life but shutting’s eyes and looking what’s a-going on inside him. I know a man must have the love o’ God in his soul, and the Bible’s God’s word. But what does the Bible say? Why, it says as God put His sperrit into the workman as built the tabernacle, to make him do all the carved work and things as wanted a nice hand. And this is my way o’ lookin’ at it: there’s the sperrit o’ God in all things and all times week-day as well as Sunday and i’ the great works and inventions, and i’ the figuring and the mechanics. And God helps us with our headpieces and our hands as well as with our souls.’
Reference. XXXI. 3-4. G. Matheson, Voices of the Spirit, p. 8.
Exo 31:13
If we measure things not as they were divinely intended, nor as they are in themselves, but as they are subjectively entertained, it might be a question whether the Scottish Sabbath was not for 200 years a greater Christian Sacrament, a larger, more vital, and more influential fact in the Christianity of the country than the annual or sometimes semi-annual celebration of the Lord’s Supper, or the initiatory rite of Baptism, or both together…. We are born, on each Lord’s day morning, into a new climate, a new atmosphere; and in that new atmosphere (so to speak), by the law of a renovated nature, the lungs and heart of the Christian life should spontaneously and continuously drink in the vital air.
W. E. Gladstone, Later Gleanings, pp. 342 f.
Where every day is not the Lord’s, the Sunday is His least of all.
George Macdonald, Donal Grant, chap. VII.
There is a deep Christian instinct in England, an instinct which has come down to us through many generations, and for the last 350 years at any rate, founded in a large measure on Puritan belief, fed by what may be called the ‘two Puritan Sacraments’ the Bible and Sunday.
Father Dolling in The Pilot (10 Nov., 1900).
References. XXXII. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xli. No. 2398. XXXII. 1 . W. C. E. Newbolt, Church Times, vol. xxxii. 1894, p. 244. W. C. Magee, Outlines of Sermons on the Old Testament, p. 28. XXXII. 1-8, 30-35. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Exodus, etc., p. 171. XXXII. 1-29. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. liii. No. 2884.
Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson
The Method of Providence
Exo 31:1-11
We must never forget that all these instructions were given in a mountain and were to be carried out in a wilderness. These circumstances turn their execution into a Divine miracle. In the interpretation of the sacred record, bear in mind the circumstances. If you lose sight of the wilderness, you will not see the tabernacle; yea, though its glory a tender glory of beauty may gleam upon you and excite your imagination. If you detach the tabernacle from the sandy and dreary wilderness, you will fail to see all the mystery of light. The things belong to one another for instructive purposes. We do not let God have a fair place for building. We have turned the whole earth into wilderness, so that if he would build at all he must build under circumstances which act as a definite foil to every touch of beauty and every line of light Yet God will build in the wilderness as if it were a heaven. He will not be discouraged by the stones, the sands, the bleak surroundings. We could not work under such conditions; we should complain of the environment, asking with bitterness of tone, “Who can work in a place so dreary? and what is the reward for putting up in the wilderness a thing fit for the streets of the golden Jerusalem?” God builds everything with an eye to beauty. When he rounded off the earth and sent it flying in its appointed circuit, he blessed the little thing as a man might bless his child, and said with infinite pathos, “It is very good.” Now that he comes to build upon it, we have spoiled it altogether, and if he were less than God he could not lay one stone upon another on a foundation so debased and spoiled as is now the earth under our devastating and unsparing hand. Behold, as otherwhere and everywhere, the tender goodness of God! He lets down his best things upon the earth as if it were a fit receiving-house, “He spared not his own Son.” Having sent down law and priesthood, tabernacle, and ark, and prophet, and a long line of angel-visitants with messages struck in every key of eloquence, last of all he sent his Son. So there must be something in this little night-world we have never seen; there must be in the substance of things verily a mystery which, whilst it is acknowledged by philosophy, is known and esteemed infinitely by its Creator. The philosophers are quite right when they cannot see in what they term “phenomena” any reason for the wondrous revelation of Christ as the heart and image of God. There is nothing in phenomena worthy of the Cross, or fully explanatory of it; but God sees the heart of things, the innermost enfoldment, the sanctum sanctorum , that entity, that pulse, which is hidden from every created eye. Instead, therefore, of finding the revelation of the Gospel to be in excess of the phenomena, I will go further and say that God must find his own balance; he must put in the one scale what is equal to the other, and doing so, he does not degrade himself he lifts up the work of his hands and the purpose of his heart.
God would have everything built beautifully. What an image of beauty have we seen this tabernacle to be through and through, flushed with colours we have never seen, and bright with lights that could not show themselves fully in the murkiness of this air! He would make us more beautiful than our dwelling-place. He would not have the house more valuable than the tenant. He did not mean the worshipper to be less than the tabernacle which he set up for worship. Are we living the beautiful life the life solemn with sweet harmonies, broad in its generous purpose, noble in the sublimity of its prayer, like God in the perpetual sacrifice of its life? To answer such questions in the affirmative, or in any tone hinting positiveness, is to be building a life which will outshine the tabernacle, though it were outlined by the very finger of God.
Not only will God build everything beautifully; his purpose is to have everything built for religious uses. He will not have mere beauty of form, for in the creation of form he may perpetrate an irony that would distress his own heart. His meaning is that the form shall help the thought, that images appealing to the eye shall also touch the imagination and graciously affect the whole spirit, and subdue into tender obedience and worship the soul and heart of man. What can be more ironical and therefore to the spiritual mind more distressful than for the stone church to be more beautiful than the living temple? an organ out-singing the human voice? some spectacle appealing to the fleshly eye grander than the invisible revelation, seeking the attention of the inward vision of the soul? We are the worse for the beauty that is round about us if not the better. We cannot live under beautiful environments and circumstances without being debased by them, except we rise to their appeal and put all meaner things under our feet. It is a sad thing to become familiar with beauty, so familiar with it as not really to see its charm. It is an awful thing to have heard the Gospel so often as to feel weary under the appeal of its gracious thunder or its melting tenderness. We must watch our senses: they will victimise us if we do not; we shall be brought into a state of contemptuousness where we ought to be in a condition of worship. God, then, docs not build for mere beauty of form: he always seeks to help the worshipper. He builds altars. Whatever he touches he sanctifies. How possible it is to be living amongst beauty of landscape, of art, and beauty of every imaginable kind, and yet for the soul to sink into unresponsiveness, not seeing “sermons in stones, books in the running brooks, good in everything.” That is irony; that is the contradiction which makes fools of men, a depth below even moral degradation, for in moral degradation there may yet remain a kind of intellectual flicker, a species of intellectual majesty; but in the other condition the whole nature is depleted, debased, diabolised. God does not build for the gratification of taste, otherwise he would subserve the interests of mere vanity. There are some who are still worshippers of the goddess they call Taste. Be it that a thing is in what they call taste, and they are satisfied. They will not ask whether the child is living or dead, if the form is preserved in beauty of outline. Taste has its right place.
The tabernacle as a work of art is never to be held in contempt; but we miss its meaning; all its Divine poetry is lost upon us, so long as we can merely admire it. To admire under such circumstances is to insult. The true admiration is worship; the true applause is forgetfulness of the thing itself, complete absorption in the thought it can but dimly express. When our souls are on fire, when our blood is aflame with the true zeal, our senses will be ordered back that our spirit may go forward and turn the wilderness into heaven and common bread into a type of the Lord’s body.
God will not have the building put up as an expression of mere sentiment: otherwise, he would be assisting the cause of idolatry. Nothing will satisfy him but a recognition of the supreme purpose. What is the tabernacle for? for worship. What is the meaning of it? it is a gate opening upon heaven. Why was it set up? to lift us nearer God. If we fail to seize these purposes, if we fail of magnifying and glorifying them so as to ennoble our own life in the process, we have never seen the tabernacle. We have seen the thing which an artificer might have made a toy fit for a bazaar, but not the Church of God, the holy place, the Divine tabernacle let down amongst the dwellings of men. Herein is it for ever true that we may have a Bible but no revelation; a sermon but no Gospel; we may be in the church, yet not in the sanctuary; we may admire beauty, and yet live the life of the drunkard and the debauchee.
In all his building and God is always building he qualifies every man for a particular work in connection with the edifice. Verily, God leaves nothing to Moses! When Moses goes down from this mountain, he will go as an errand-bearer, a messenger; he will simply go to carry out instructions. Nothing has been left to his own invention; he will represent God. That is the true picture of all things. We have nothing to say, if we are true teachers, but what we have been told to say. God will tell every man the message which he wishes to have repeated, and every man will tell it in his own voice and in his own individuality of tone; but the message is God’s, or it is not a message at all. No man has any right, in this kind of work, to address any other man except that right is founded upon his inspiration. There is no impertinence more intolerable than for any man to stand up and tell his fellow-men to be good, to repent, if so be he is delivering something which he attributes to the heat and zeal of his own imagination. The culmination of impertinence is in what is called the pulpit if any man shall stand up, and of his own morality tell other men to repent. The utterance must be Divine! it cannot be tolerated in the man, for we are so constituted that human nature would charge upon the man his own action as a contradiction of his speech, and would order him out to reconcile himself with himself before he found fault with the policy of the world. But when the preacher knows that he is preaching to himself, that he is putting into human utterance what he believes to be a Divine message, then though his life be before him as a mocking contradiction, calling him liar when he prays, and hypocrite when he preaches, he knows that he has not gone a warfare at his own charges, and that he is but the medium on which the infinite thought breaks into human speech. Not that the man will rest content with this. Whilst part of his supreme comfort may come to him along such lines, it will ever be his careful business with an industry that knows no relaxation to make his life equal to his speech. The point is that no teacher Moses, Aaron, Isaiah, Paul must stand up of his own motion to tell men to be better. Every man must speak that appealing word as the result of Divine inspiration and constraint. God qualifies every man for the work which he has to do. Aaron was not Moses, Bezaleel was not Aaron. Each had his own place, his own mission, his own work; each was Divinely chosen. When Bezaleel lifted the chisel he was performing a Divine purpose as much so as was Aaron when he went forth with his garment distinguished by all colours of beauty and eloquent with the chime of golden bells. The one man wants the other man. The work stands still till that other man comes in. Moses, Aaron, and the sons of Aaron, and the seventy elders of Israel, are all standing still till the man with the chisel comes in; looking round upon their incomplete number, they say, “There is some man wanting.” That is the true ideal of unity. Division of labour is necessary to the very bond of unity. Each man must feel that he is Divinely called and inspired to do a particular work, and he must feel that the Church cannot move in its completeness until he is in it. Then the shepherd shall be as the king, the nurse shall be almost a mother, the lighter of the lamp shall have a distinct position as if he were in the family of Aaron, and the humblest toiler in the vineyard will erect himself in the solemn eventide and bless God that he has had some share in the day’s varied toil. Who has courage to read the following words aright, and to apply them to the practical history of mankind?
“And I have filled him (Bezaleel) 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” ( Exo 31:3-5 ).
Who can read these words as they ought to be read? How it makes ministers of God by the thousand! We have thought that Aaron was a religious man because of his clothing and because of many peculiarities which separated him from other men; but the Lord distinctly claims the artificer as another kind of Aaron. He will undertake to show a man how to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting stones, and in carving timber, and in all manner of workmanship. Who divides life into sacred and profane? Who introduces the element of meanness into human occupation and service? God claims all things for himself. When he hears man speak and woman sing, he says perhaps with a father’s pride (we use human terms to express human thoughts) “Who hath made man’s mouth? Have not I, the Lord?” When he sees the sculptor making a rock into an image of Moses, may he not say, “Who hath made man’s hand, and given movement to his fingers and wrist? Have not I, the Lord”? Who will say that the preacher is a religious man, but the artificer is a secular worker? Who will say that one man is inspired, and another man found out his own way for himself? If he found a low way, a mean or shallow way, a way without perspective, and suggestion, and apocalyptic outlook and issue, verily he found it out for himself. But let us claim all true workers as inspired men. We know that there is an inspired art. The world knows it; instinctively, unconsciously, the world uncovers before it.
There is an inspired poetry, make it of what measure you will. The great common heart knows it, says, “That is the true verse; how it rises, falls, plashes like a fountain, flows like a stream, breathes like a summer wind, speaks the thoughts we have long understood, but could never articulate!” The great human heart says, “That is the voice Divine; that is the appeal of Heaven.” Why should we say that inspiration is not given to all true workers, whether in gold or in thought, whether in song or in prayer, whether in the type or in the magic eloquence of the burning tongue? Let us enlarge life, and enlarge Providence, rather than contract it, and not, whilst praying to a God in the heavens, have no God in the heart. You would work better if you realised that God is the Teacher of the fingers, and the Guide of the hand. All service would look tenderer to you, richer and larger, if you could say when it is done, “This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful and glorious in wisdom and in power.” A new solemnity gathers around me as I think on these things. The universe is steadier. The whole temple is lifted up to higher grandeur. Nature becomes a sublime totality. Prayer is clothed with broader meaning. Labour is churched and glorified. Art turns its chiselled and flushed features towards its native heaven. Sin acquires a deadlier blackness, and begs to be hidden in some deepening hell. Through all cloud and noise, all rush and strife, God’s great trumpet clears a way for the commandments which represent his righteousness, and for the statutes which are to become songs in the house of human pilgrimage. Realise the unity of things. See the structural completeness of the whole idea of the universe and of life. Verily, “the tabernacle of God is with men upon the earth,” and from the weariest wilderness of sand there is a straight path to the city whose streets are gold.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
XXV
THE FEAST OF THE COVENANT, THE ASCENT OF MOSES AND JOSHUA INTO THE MOUNTAIN, THE BREACH OF THE COVENANT, THE COVENANT RESTORED BUT MODIFIED
Exo 24:9-34:35
1. What is this lesson and its outline?
Ans. The lesson is from Exo 24:9 to the end of that chapter, with a mere glance at the next seven chapters, 25-31, and then 32; it covers three full chapters, nearly all of another chapter, and a glance at seven other chapters. I will explain to you about that glance as we go along.
The outline of the lesson is:
The Feast of the Covenant, Exo 24:9-11 .
The Ascent of Moses and Joshua into the Mountain, Why and How Long, Exo 24:12-31:18 .
The Breach of the Covenant, Exo 22:1-6 .
The Covenant Restored but Modified, Exo 32:1-34:35 .
We commence at the first item of the outline, viz.:
The Feast of the Covenant. That part of the lesson is Exo 24 and commences at Exo 24:9-11 . Let us read that: “Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu [two sons of Aaron], and seventy of the elders of Israel [and we learn from Exo 24:17 that Joshua, the minister or servant of Moses, was along. That makes seventy-five persons [: and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the very heaven for clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: and they beheld God and did eat and drink.” That is the feast of the covenant.
2. What of the custom after ratifying a covenant and an example from Genesis?
Ans. Nearly always just after a covenant was ratified the parties to the covenant partook together of a meal to show their fraternity and communion. The Genesis example you will find where Laban and Jacob made a covenant. The covenant is prepared, they agree to enter into a covenant, they put up a token of the covenant, they build an altar, they make sacrifices, they ratify the covenant in the blood of that sacrifice. Then they sit down and eat a meal together, which is the feast of the covenant. You will find all of that in the Genesis account of Laban and Jacob. So here a covenant having been proposed, an agreement to enter into it made, a preparation for it, the terms of the covenant given as stated in their threefold characters, that covenant carefully read, an altar erected, sacrifices offered, the blood of the covenant sprinkled upon the altar and upon the people, and so ratified, then follows this feast of the covenant.
3. What are the provisions used at the feast in such cases?
Ans. The provisions are the bodies of the peace offering. There are two offerings, viz.: the burnt offering, which has to be burned up, then the eucharistic or thank offering. That thank offering furnishes the material of the feast after the covenant is ratified.
4. Who was the representative at this feast with God and a New Testament analogy?
Ans. The representatives here are: First, Moses, then his servant Joshua, his army chief; second, the high priest and his two sons that is five; and third, the seventy elders of Israel. All Israel did not meet God and partake of a feast, but the representatives of Israel in the persons of Moses, Joshua, Aaron and his two sons, and the seventy elders, who meet God and partake of this feast. Now the New Testament analogy is that the Lord’s Supper which was to memorialize the sacrifice of Christ was participated in by representatives of the church, the apostles. The apostles were there, but not there as individuals. They represented the church just as they represented the church in receiving the Commission, so that it was simply a church observance even at the time of its institution.
5. What of the communion in this feast and the New Testaments analogy?
Ans. The communion is not the communion between Moses, Aaron, and the elders, that is, it is not a communion with each other, but it is a communion with God, and the New Testament analogy is as Paul expresses in his first letter to the Corinthians: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion, or participation, of the blood of Christ?” and yet how often people misrepresent the idea of that communion, as when A, B, and C commune together to show their fellowship for each other, or a man’s communing to show his fellowship for his wife. The word means “participation” and the one in whom is the participation is God: “The loaf which we bless, is it not a participation, the communion of the body of Jesus?” So here these representatives of all Israel communed with God a little way up the mountain, not far.
6. The record says that they saw God. What kind of a sight of God did they see, and what other cases in the Old and New Testaments?
Ans. They did not see any form or likeness of God. Moses is very careful to say that “no man can see God and live.” He is careful to say in Deu 4 that at Sinai they saw no similitude or likeness. Now, in Isa 6 he (Isaiah) sees God as they saw him, that is, he sees the throne; he sees the pavement; he sees a great many things about the throne, the angels, the cherubim and the seraphim, but he doesn’t see any likeness of God, though he hears God talking. Precisely so you find it in Eze 1 . He sees the chariot of God, four cherubim, their wheels, their wings, and their faces looking every way, but he doesn’t see the One in the chariot, and so it is in Rev 4 where John is caught up to heaven and he sees the very same thing, this very pavement, and the throne, the cherubim, the angels round about the throne, and he sees something that represents the Holy Spirit, and he sees something that represents Jesus Christ, a precious stone which represents God, but he doesn’t see God.
7. Apply this thought to transubstantiation and consubstantiation in our feast, as the Romanists and Luther taught.
Ans. The Romanist says, “This is the very body and the very blood of Christ; you can see it and you can taste it.” And the consubstantiation advocate, Luther, says, “The bread is not the body of Christ and the wine is not the blood of Christ, but Christ is there this way: You take a knife and put it in the fire and take it out of the fire when it is red hot, and you have the same metal, but you have something there that was not there before, viz.: heat, you can touch it and feel the effect of that heat burning.” You can take cognizance of that kind of a presence, but in this analogous communication with God they saw no similitude, no form.
8. Explain that part of the feast where it is said that “God laid not his hand on the elders of Israel, though they saw him.”
Ans. It means that God did not slay them. The declaration is often made, “Whoever sees God shall die.” They can’t bear the sight of God. But the kind of a sight of God that these people saw, they were able to see without having the hand of God laid on them, and what a beautiful lesson! Before the covenant was made, when the trumpet sounded and the darkness came and the earth quaked and the lightning flashed, and that strange, awful voice speaking the ten words, the people were scared almost to death; they wanted a mediator, somebody to come between them and that awful Being. But knowing that a covenant had been established and had been ratified by the blood of a substitute, they can see God in the sacrifice of the substitute and not die; see him in perfect peace, just as you, before you are converted, look upon God as distant and unapproachable, but after you see him in Christ in the covenant, the terror of God is taken away and you can sit there just as if eating a meal with a friend.
9. Give again a complete outline of the covenant.
Ans. The complete outline of the covenant is:
(1) God’s proposition of a covenant and their agreement to enter into a covenant;
(2) Their preparation for the covenant;
(3) The three great terms of the covenant;
(4) The ratification of the covenant;
(5) The feast that follows the covenant. Will you keep that in mind? You need to be drilled on that every now and then, so that when anybody asks you where there can be found a copy of the Sinai covenant and all the parts of it, you can answer: “It commences with Exo 19 , and closes with Exo 24 .” That is the whole thing in all its parts.
The Ascent of Moses into the Mount, Why and How Long? This is the second item of the outline. That is found immediately after what we have been discussing, commencing at Exo 24:12 . “And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there”: that means, Moses, you are to be there quite awhile; “and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them.” And Moses rose up, and his servant Joshua; and Moses went up into the mount of God. And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. And Moses went up into the mount, and the cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the midst of the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” Now here are the questions on that:
10. Why is Moses, after the covenant is ratified and the feast is held, taken up into the mount? (He and Joshua alone go).
Ans. He is carried up to receive the same law which had been spoken orally, now in writing “which I have written.” And what he went up particularly to get was the two tables or the Ten Commandments, and in God’s own handwriting that he might keep them as a witness. “The tables of the Testimony” is the name of them. Moses wrote a copy that the people learned, but that particular copy was God’s own autograph. That was put up and preserved as “tables of the testimony.”
11. What is the meaning of “tables of stone,” “the law,” and “the commandment”?
Ans. The tables of stone I have just described. But what was the law that Moses goes up after? You would miss that if you had to answer it off-hand, and the commentators all miss it. They don’t get in a thousand miles of it. You will find that it was what he received when he went up there a special law, and that special law was that the sabbath, God’s sabbath, should be the sign of the covenant. You find that at the end of this section that we are now on. So the law he went after was the law of the sign. Then what was the commandment he went after? The Commandments are all given in seven chapters (25-32) and every one of them touches the law of the altar. We will glance at the outline of that directly.
12. Why were these tables of testimony and this sign of the covenant and these laws concerning the altar given to Moses?
Ans. The lesson says, “That thou mayest teach them.”
13. Who was to represent Moses in the camp while he was absent in the mount?
Ans. Aaron and Hur.
14. What reminder of a New Testament incident is in these words of Moses: “Tarry ye here for us until we come again”?
Ans. It is Jesus in Gethsemane, when he let the representatives stop, and said, “Stay here while I go yonder and pray.”
15. What was the visible token that God was present with Moses, and why that token?
Ans. Exo 24:16-17 : “And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it and the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.” Now, why is that last word, or clause, “In the eyes of the children of Israel”? That was a token to them not to get impatient. “When you begin to say, ‘Moses stays a long time,’ you look up there at that cloud on top of that mountain, how exceedingly glorious it is, you may know that Moses is right in that cloud communing with God.”
16. How long was Moses up there in that cloud before God spoke to him, and why did he speak to him on the particular day that he did?
Ans. Moses was up there six days. God called him up there: “Don’t you get impatient. Here is the test of your faith. You wait. I have called you up here, to have an interview and to receive certain things, and you wait; be patient.” Now on the seventh day, that is, the sabbath, which was the sign of the covenant, God spoke.
17. How long was Moses in the mount, and what is the New Testament parallel?
Ans. Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights, and the New Testament parallel is that after Christ was sacrificed for the ratification of the covenant and they had eaten the feast of the covenant and Christ was risen from the dead, he remains with them forty days, instructing them. That is just exactly what God is doing with Moses. Just as Jesus uses forty days after his sacrifice in careful instruction of his disciples, so God after this sacrifice and ratification of the covenant, takes Moses up into that mountain for forty days of continued explanation.
18. Give, for the present, a mere summary of what Moses received on the mount, set forth in the seven chapters, 25-31.
Ans. Just now all we want is a summary and the reason we don’t want to go into the details is that we take that up in the next chapter in connection with what follows. But all you want to know now is the outline. The outline is:
(1) He received the tables of the testimony;
(2) He received the law of the sign;
(3) He received the commandments as follows:
(a) The commandment upon the people to furnish voluntary offerings for what was to be made;
(b) The making of the ark with the mercy seat on it where God was to be met; the making of a tabernacle for the shewbread; the making of the candlestick; the making of a tabernacle or tent with its subdivisions and its marvelous veil between the divisions; and the court and the oil that was to supply the lampstand or candlestick;
(c) The garments for Aaron, the high priest, when he officiated before God;
(d) The law of the consecration of Aaron to the office of high priest;
(e) The law of the consecration of the altar by which approach to God was to be made;
(f) The law of the daily sacrifice;
(g) The law of the golden altar, or the altar of incense, and bow it is to be offered. Incense is to be offered twice a day just like the lamp is to be lit twice a day and the sacrifice is to be offered twice a day in the morning Aaron goes to trim the lamps as the morning offering and the ascent of the morning cloud of incense representing the going up of the prayers of God’s people, and in the afternoon he goes to light the lamp, and there is the evening sacrifice and the going up of the incense;
(h) The atonement or ransom money and what that signifies;
(i) The laver, that was to be between the altar and the mercy seat, and what it was to be used for;
(j) The marvelous recipe of the anointing oil that was to be poured upon the head of a prophet or a priest or a king or a sacrifice;
(k) The perfume that was to be put at the place of entrance, indicating that they were to meet the fragrance of God right at the threshold of entrance or approach to him;
(l) The inspiration of the artificers of all this work. Just as an apostle was inspired to do his work, so certain men were here named that were inspired to do this work called for in all these things;
(m) That sabbath for a sign which I have already mentioned.
The Breach of the Covenant. This is the third item. Where do you find that breach of the covenant? In chapter 32. We are coming to awful things now. The most interesting thing in the Old Testament: “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf: and they said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”
19. Give the seven elements of this breach of the covenant.
Ans.
(1) The rejection of Moses and of God and a demand for other gods to be made: “Make us gods.”
(2) This god, of course, being man made, was an idol.
(3) The form of the god was the Egyptian god, Apis, calf or ox, the Egyptian god that died of the murrain through one of the miracles of Moses.
(4) They built an altar of worship and of sacrifice.
(5) They offered both burnt and peace offerings.
(6) They had a feast to follow this covenant they were making with this new god, and,
(7) Stripping off their clothes, naked, they go into a drunken orgy and practice all of the beastly and infamous lusts that characterized that worship in Egypt and in other idol worshiping countries. Paul says, “The people sat down to eat and rose up to play,” and then adds, “Be ye not fornicators and adulterers as they were.”
20. What was God’s announcement to Moses and what were the purposes announced concerning Israel and the raising up of a new people?
Ans. God saw that breach of the covenant that had just been made. The answer is this, commencing with Exo 32:7 : “The Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and have said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and now, behold it is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.” That is the terrible announcement. They have broken the covenant. “I will instantly destroy them; I will raise up a new people from Moses. He will be the basis of the new people.” Now before they get out of this trouble there will be four intercessions of Moses.
21. What was the first intercession of Moses and its result?
Ans. I quote it, commencing at Exo 32:11 : “And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swearest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.” So the first thing was to stop instant destruction of that people. The result: “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” He didn’t kill them right then, but he at least suspended that terrible bolt of divine wrath that was about to fall upon them.
22. What did Moses and Joshua see on their return to the camp?
Ans. All the above happened before Moses came down from the mount. Joshua says, “I hear a great shout down in the camp. There must be an army or there must be a battle.” Moses says, “No, that is not the shout, neither of men on the battlefield, nor of men crying for mercy. That is the shout of singing; those people are singing down there.” And they came down and saw that calf; they saw their naked and beastly orgies; they saw the whole hideous sin which the people had committed.
23. What was the first token that the covenant was broken?
Ans. Moses took the tables of the testimony and broke them all to pieces right in the sight of the people. “You do not need these tokens any more. I have brought you in the handwriting of God the witness of the covenant; you broke it; let the token be broken.”
24. What, in order, are the other things done in that camp by Moses when he got down there?
Ans. Moses was not a man to go down there and hold his finger in his mouth. When he sees that thing he is stirred. Let us see now what, in order, were the things that he did. First, he took that calf and burned it until it pulverized; then he mingled the ashes of it in water and made the people drink it. Second, he shook his finger in the face of Aaron and said, “What have these people done unto you that you led them into this sin? I went up in that mountain to meet God; I left you as my representative. Now what have these people ever done to you that you should lead them into this?” And Aaron pleads the baby act if ever a man did in the world. He says, “Well, they they they said, ‘Make us a god,’ and I told them to bring me the earrings and I put the earrings into the fire and there came out this calf; the fire did it.” An old father who, when his boy came home disappointed and broken in health and knowing nothing, after several years away at school, said, “All that money I put into the fire of education and there came out this calf.” Third, Moses said unto them in the camp, while naked and half drunk they stood before him not daring to open their lips, “Whoso is on the Lord’s side, let him stand by me. I am going to draw a line. Somebody in this great camp surely is on the Lord’s side.” And the Levites came. You remember when Jacob pronounced the prophecy of blessing on his children he gave a big slice to Levi. When Moses goes to pronounce a blessing he is going to pronounce a great honor on Levi, and he is going to assign as a reason what Levi does this day. That whole tribe lined up on the side of Moses. They didn’t stand up there just as a show. “Now, if you are on the Lord’s side, draw your swords and wade into that crowd. Don’t stop if it is your brother, or father, or mother, no matter how close kin to you. There must be a penalty inflicted for this awful sin,” and Levi pitched in and slew three thousand. Fourth, he began to take steps toward saving those people from temporal and eternal destruction, and that brings us to the next question:
25. What was the second intercession of Moses and God’s reply?
Ans. Moses said, “You have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord: peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.” Now you come to the next intercession of Moses: “And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said [and this is the greatest piece of intercession that ever took place on earth except in the case of Christ], Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” Only one other man ever said anything like that, and concerning this same stiffnecked people, and that was Paul, “I could wish myself accursed from Christ for my brethren’s sake.” Moses, in other words, offered himself as a substitute for the people: “Don’t, don’t destroy them! Destroy me!” It was a grand proposition. Now, what did God say to that intercession? “The Lord said to Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me,, him will I blot out of my book. I will not blot you out for them. The soul that sinneth it shall die. Therefore now go, lead these people unto the place of which I have spoken unto them; behold mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.”
26. What of the effect of this upon the people?
Ans. They mourned and laid aside their ornaments and did not put them on from Mount Horeb onward.
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
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
Exo 31:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses. ] At “sundry times,” during those forty days, and not all at once, were these directions delivered to Moses.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the LORD [Hebrew. Jehovah. spake. See note on Exo 6:16, and compare note on Exo 3:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Chapter 31
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: I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass ( Exo 31:1-4 ),
So now God has anointed Bezaleel and given him certain talents and abilities.
It is marvelous to see people who have just innate abilities and talents that have been given to them by God. It’s just in them, it’s in their-it’s encoded, I think, in their gene structures. There are some people who just have natural music ability. I don’t care how hard you study music; you can never achieve what they have achieved just through natural, innate ability. There are people who are natural linguists. Languages just come naturally to them.
One of the translators of King James-and I’m gonna bring you some lessons on the King James translations one of these days and show you why I am opposed to anything other than the King James translation, why I believe that it was inspired of God, like no other translation has been since. There is an endeavor to put down the scholarship of the King James translation. But I’m going to show you some interesting facts of history of what really happened to translations. And I’m gonna show you the error of the reasoning of Westcott and Hort, who created the text from which all modern translations are taken, basing what they said, “the most ancient manuscripts would be the more correct manuscripts”. I’m gonna show you the fallacy of their reasoning.
A conspiracy of Satan to rob us from the true Word of God. I’ll be showing you the errors of a lot of these modern translations because they were taken from Westcott and Hort. “You know, the King James is so hard to read.” Listen, there’s nothing like it. Now they are coming out with a new King James, the New Testament is now out. They’ve gone back to Textus Receptus. This is one of the best things that has happened in translation, because I believe that the Textus Receptus is closer to the original text than anything else.
I think that the Westcott and Hort text is a gigantic perversion of Satan to rob from the deity of Jesus Christ, because of the Aryan influence in the early church and of the fifty copies that were made in Alexandria, in which they deliberately perverted and changed the scriptures that had to do with the deity of Jesus Christ, from which came the Codex Sinaiticus, the Codex Vaticanus, and also the Vulgate, for Jerome used it in his translation.
I’ll show you where the true translations came from, the church of Antioch, which was interested in keeping the purity of the scriptures. Quite a bit there to learn and to know. Don’t let anybody put down your King James. There are some eleven hundred and twenty-eight changes in the revised standards that are horrible. They are doing away with the deity of Christ. I do not respect or admire the so-called scholarship of Westcott and Hort. I think they were a couple of big plants.
They put down the scholarship of King James. And this is where I started; one of the translators of King James could read and write Hebrew when he was five-years old; a natural linguist, could converse in forty-five different languages. Some people are just born with that ability. Some people are born with mathematics ability. Some people are born with electronic abilities. Some people are born with artistic abilities. There are certain innate abilities that men have.
Now these innate abilities actually come as a gift from God. What you do with them is up to you. But it’s tragic when a person takes an ability given to them by God, and prostitutes it for his own profit or gain. Whatever God has given to us, He has given to us to use for His glory.
Languages were the hardest thing in the world for me. I struggled with languages. It didn’t come easy at all. And yet some people just have no problem with language, and the study of foreign languages comes so easy for them. It’s just an inward gift; it’s just something that is there. I’ve been looking for what God has gifted me with for a long time. One of these days I hope to find it. But I’m just Mister Plain Normal. But I love to see people who have been gifted of God. I love to see an artist, really gifted artist, as they’re drawing or as they’re working. To me it’s just fascinating. I love to watch a gifted carpenter. People who have just been given that innate ability to do things.
Now God said, “I put my Spirit on Bezaleel for skillful, cunning work.” This fellow who was just anointed of God to be the superintendent, and to oversee to make sure it was all done right. That to me is glorious that God has so gifted people in various areas. Now that’s where the body is neat, because as we are here in the body, we have every kind of gift imaginable, here within the body. There’s really probably nothing that we can’t do collectively.
We announced the problem with the brakes on the truck at the camp. Fellow came up said, “Well, I drive a truck. I’ll take my toolbox”, and he went up and fixed the brakes. That’s neat. If I’d gone up there to look at the brakes, I wouldn’t know where to start looking. So it’s glorious that God has brought together collectively in all of us, probably the abilities and the talents for just about anything. The whole body concept is beautiful, because as we pool the resources together, oh, so much can be accomplished for God, by the pooling of our combined abilities and talents. That’s what God intends is that we each put our part in. The body is composed of many parts, and not all parts do the same thing. Your hands can’t do what your feet were designed to do. Your feet can’t do what your hands were designed to do, but each part is important to this functioning of the body.
So here we are the body of Christ, and God has you here for a plan and for a purpose. Your place within the body, to fill that place, and when the need arises in which God will give you those special talents and abilities, you can step in and say, “Well, hey I can do that. You know there’s nothing to that.” Oh, yes there is something to that if you don’t know anything about it, if you haven’t been talented by God in that area.
So the collective pooling of the resources are talents as we anoint, give them to God and let them be anointed as His. Because always, always your talent will find its greatest release when anointed by God’s Spirit and doing the work of God. Anything less will always be a little unsatisfactory. You won’t have a total sense of fulfillment until you’ve consecrated to God, let Him anoint it, and let Him use it and then, oh, then the glory that comes from consecrating my talent to God, and letting Him use it for His glory. It’s really great.
So Bezaleel, a man anointed to devise the cunning works, to work in gold, silver, brass. He’s just a natural at it.
And cutting of stones, carving the timber, and to work in all kinds of workmanship. [The guy’s just skilled with his hands.] And I’ve given with him Aholiab, from 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; The tabernacle of the congregation, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat, the furniture of the tabernacle, The table and all of these things ( Exo 31:5-8 ),
God just gave these fellows abilities and wisdom.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths shall ye keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; and that you may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; it is holy unto you: everyone that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. [Capital punishment.] Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. And so he gave unto Moses, when he made an end of communing with him on mount Sinai, gave him the two tables of testimony, the tables of stone, written with the finger of God ( Exo 31:12-18 ).
Now notice on the Sabbath day that it is a definite covenant between God and the nation of Israel, for their generations, “between Me and Israel forever”. The Sabbath was not a law made for the Gentile. And nowhere in the scripture, except for a Gentile would move into Israel, would he to observe the Sabbath. But the Gentile church was never placed under the Sabbath law in the scriptures. In the early church when there was an endeavor to put the Gentile church under the law, a counsel was called in Jerusalem in which it was determined that they should not try to put the Gentiles under the law, which Peter called, “the yoke of bondage, which neither we, nor our fathers were able to keep” ( Act 15:10 ). Why should we tie it on the necks of the Gentiles?
So when they wrote to them, the Gentile church of Antioch, concerning this relationship to the law of Moses, they said, “Keep yourself from fornication and from things that are strangled ( Act 15:20 ). And if you do this, you do well. God bless you. But nothing about the observance of the Sabbath day. Thus Paul the apostle said in Romans fourteen, “In one day, one man esteems one day above another, another man esteems every day alike, let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind.” In Colossians he said, “Therefore let no man judge you in respect to sabbath days, new moons, holy days, which were all a shadow of things to come, the real substance is of Christ”( Col 2:16 ).
Now what was the Jewish Sabbath signifying? That God wanted His people to rest in Him. But they never did rest in Him, even though they did nothing on the Sabbath day. Now Christ is the fulfillment of the Sabbath day, for Christ is our rest. We who are in Christ have entered into His rest, so we have a perpetual Sabbath. I have ceased from my own labors; I have entered into the finished work of Jesus Christ. And even as God is now resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ, as far as my salvation, I must rest where God is resting, and realize that there is no work that I can offer to God of my hands, that can save me.
The only thing that can possibly save me is Jesus Christ, and His sacrifice for my sins. And I rest in that sacrifice; that finished work of Jesus Christ. As far as my salvation is concerned, I’m resting that Christ is gonna take care of it. Through His sacrifice of His blood upon the cross, I’m resting; and thus, I have entered into the true Sabbath, that which the Jews haven’t yet discovered, though they light their candles and say their prayers, and stay in bed on Saturday. How glorious it is to know the true rest of God, the true Sabbath of God, even Jesus Christ.
“
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
It should be borne in mind that in a certain way, these people were necessarily vulgarized by centuries of slavery and almost certainly devoid of that artistic ability which would enable them to construct the Tabernacle according to pattern. Moreover, they were far removed from the centers of human refinement. They were, however, a people gathered around God, who is ever equal to the task of fitting His people for doing all that His will appoints. Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God, and the effect of that on him is described. He had “wisdom,” that is capacity; “understanding,” which indicates progress; and “knowledge,” the attainment of skill.
The commandment concerning the Sabbath had already been enunciated in the Law. The insertion of a reference to it at this point is interesting.God had commissioned the people to a work specially sacred. Moreover, He had provided for carrying out the work in the special equipment of certain men. How easy it would have been for them to imagine that in doing this work they might dispense with the Sabbath observance.
This first period of communion between God and Moses ended with giving the two tables of stone written with the finger of God.
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Wise Workmen for the Tabernacle
Exo 31:1-18
Whenever there is special work to be done God will find and endow the men who are to do it. I have called, I have filled, I have appointed, etc. There is a niche for each of us in Gods service, to each a special work is given; and for each those talents are imparted, which are requisite and adequate. Created unto good works, says the Apostle, which God has before prepared that we should walk in them, Eph 2:10. The talent for the sphere and the sphere for the talent-Gods call binding the two with golden clasps.
But amid all our work for God there should be Sabbath-keeping-i.e., the inner rest of the soul. We are by nature full of our own works and schemes and plans; but when the spirit of rest enters us, all this is altered. Then we are not agents, but instruments; we do not work for God, but God works through us; we enter into His rest, and cease from ourselves. See Heb 4:10.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Exo 31:12-13
From the moment in which He created man, God required that one day in seven should be consecrated to Himself; and however this requisition may have formed the basis for much that is peculiar in the Jewish economy, the requisition itself must belong to all ages.
I. The Fourth Commandment differs from every other in the Decalogue in that it is not the authoritative publication of a law which might have been ascertained by natural religion. It is a sign, high, clear, and beautiful as the rainbow, that God is not unmindful of this earth, and has made known to it His will, and watches over its history.
II. The keeping of a Sabbath was a sign or symbol by which the Israelites might know what God they worshipped, even a God that could sanctify His worshippers.
III. The commandment decides the proportion of time that we are to devote to God. After every six days of labour there is to be a solemn rest.
IV. By keeping the Sabbath the Israelites acknowledged Jehovah as Creator, and commemorated their deliverance from Egypt. We do the same in keeping the Christian Sabbath. As amongst the Jews the Sabbath was made to fall on the day of their deliverance from Pharaoh, so amongst the Christians it should fall on the day when their redemption was completed. With the Jews the Sabbath was a sign that their God had vanquished the Egyptians, divided the Red Sea, and led the nation to Canaan; with us it is a sign that our God hath defeated Satan, cleft the waters of death, and opened a way to the heavenly Canaan.
H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit, No. 2461.
References: Exo 31:16, Exo 31:17.-S. Cox, Expositions, 3rd series, p. 366. Exo 31:18.-Parker, vol. ii., p. 258.
Fuente: The Sermon Bible
CHAPTER 31 The Workmen and the Sabbath
1. The workmen called (Exo 31:1-11)
2. The Sabbath law emphasized (Exo 31:12-17)
3. Moses receives the tables of stone (Exo 31:18)
The call of the builders of the tabernacle follows the instructions. The plan and worship of the tabernacle was by divine appointment, only God could give such a plan foreshadowing the redemption work of His Son. To carry out this plan, the Lord called His own workmen by name and filled them with His Spirit, so that they could do the work in a manner which would please Him. I have called; I have given; I have filled are the words of Jehovah showing that He selected and qualified the two men to undertake the work. The New Testament ministry rests equally in the hands of the Lord. He has the exclusive right to select His servants for the ministry. As the risen Lord in Glory He gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Eph 4:11-12). And whom He calls into the work of the ministry He also qualifies. His Spirit gives the wisdom and power to carry out the work into which the Lord calls. It is therefore all of Him; no room for boasting or jealousy.
What confusion would have resulted if certain Israelites had decided to do part of the work and others, calling themselves superintendents, had directed the construction of the tabernacle, or a committee selected the design of the breastplate and another committee examined drawings of the cherubim. Great is the confusion in the professing church with its man-made, self appointed ministry, with its organizations, committees and worldly methods. The truth so clearly revealed in the New Testament epistles concerning the ministry in the body of Christ and the Holy Spirit who fits for this ministry, is almost entirely forgotten. But wherever there is the divine call and divine qualification through the Spirit of God, there the work is done and is accompanied by the power and blessing of God.
The principal workman called was Bezaleel, the grandson of Hur of the tribe of Judah . He had an assistant in Aholiab, as well as others who were wisehearted and to whom God gave wisdom (Exo 31:6). Bezaleel means, in the shadow of God; this tells of his trust, filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding. He may well be taken as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Uri means Light of Jehovah; and Hur means white. All these words point clearly to the great workman selected by God to fashion a dwelling place for Him and to make a kingdom of priests unto God, the Lord Jesus Christ. And as Bezaleel did all as God commanded so that He was pleased, so our Lord has done the work in perfect wisdom to the eternal glory of God His Father.
Aholiab, Bezaleels assistant, means tent of my father. Ahisamach has the meaning brother of support. This, likewise, reminds us of our Lord. Bezaleel belonged to the tribe of Judah, the leader in the camp of Israel , and Aholiab to Dan, the last in the camp. Thus the first and the last were selected to do the work. What a glorious time is yet to come when all Israel , saved by grace in that day of His appearing, filled with the Spirit and divine wisdom, erects the great millennial temple (Ezek. 40-48).
The Sabbath law is restated and emphasized. This was also done when the manna was given. Here the Sabbath is especially mentioned as a sign between Me and you in your generations. The Sabbath is altogether a Jewish institution; it is always mentioned when Israel is seen in their responsibility in the special position given to them. Here the penalty for breaking the Sabbath is stated for the first time; it is death. Notice the peculiar expression in Exo 31:17, that the Lord rested on the seventh day and was refreshed He must have looked forward to His own work on the cross and the marvellous results of this work.
We quote from another some well-put distinctions between the Sabbath Israel had and could not keep, and the Lords day. This distinction is of importance in the days when some consciences are disturbed by teachers who would force the seventh day upon those who are under Grace.
1. The Sabbath was the seventh day; the Lords day is the first.
2. The Sabbath was a test of Israel s condition; the Lords day is the proof of the Churchs acceptance, on wholly unconditional grounds.
3. The Sabbath belonged to the old creation; the Lords day belongs to the new.
4. The Sabbath was a day of bodily rest for the Jew; the Lords day is a day of spiritual rest for the Christian.
5. If the Jew worked on the Sabbath, he was to be put to death; if the Christian does not work on the Lords day, he gives little proof of life;–that is to say, if he does not work for the benefit of the souls of men, the extension of Christs glory and the spread of His truth. In point of fact, the devoted Christian who possesses any gift is generally more fatigued on the evening of the Lords day than on any other in the week, for how can he rest while souls are perishing around him?
6. The Jew was commanded by the law to abide in his tent; the Christian is led by the spirit of the gospel to go forth, whether it be to attend the public assembly or to minister to the souls of perishing sinners. (C.H. Mackintosh, Notes on Exodus.)
How higher criticism, the whole rationalistic school, and their brethren, the infidels, have amused themselves with Exo 31:18. Why should this be thought to be impossible with God? Their sneers but reveal their darkened and wicked hearts. God had made the tables and wrote on them (Exo 32:16).
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
smell
What is condemned here is making worship a mere pleasure to the natural man, whether sensuous, as in beautiful music to please the ear, or eloquence, merely to give delight to the natural mind. (Cf) Joh 4:23; Joh 4:24.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Reciprocal: Exo 35:1 – These Exo 35:10 – General Exo 36:1 – Bezaleel Exo 38:22 – Bezaleel Num 3:31 – the ark
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 31:1-2. See, I have called Bezaleel The grandson of Hur, probably that Hur who had helped to hold up Mosess hands, chap. 17., and was at this time in commission with Aaron for the government of the people in the absence of Moses. Aholiab, of the tribe of Dan, is appointed next to Bezaleel, and partner with him. Hiram, who was the head workman in the building of Solomons temple, was also of the tribe of Dan, 2Ch 2:14.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 31:3. I have filled him with the Spirit of God. How just to ascribe the glory to God for the powers of genius, seeing he has assuredly disposed the minds of men to the arts and sciences, as much as he allures and draws the soul to piety. It often wounds our feelings to hear the egotisms of our mechanics, who being practical men, despise scientific men, who are notwithstanding the ultimate guides of ingenious artists.
Exo 31:8. The pure candlestick; because always kept bright and clean, or because made of pure gold.
Exo 31:13. My sabbaths ye shall keep. This precept seems to be here repeated, to limit the time for doing the forementioned works. Though the work of the tabernacle and its utensils be holy, and for a holy use, yet I will not have it done upon my holy day. Eze 20:12.I the Lord doth sanctify you. I have selected you out of all people, and consecrated you to myself, to my service and worship, a great part whereof is the due observance of the sabbath.
Exo 31:17. Was refreshed. Which denotes the pleasure or delight God took in reflecting upon his works, beholding that every thing he had made was very good. Gen 1:31.
Exo 31:18. Written with the finger of God. By Gods own powerful operation, and not by the art of man; or as the Jews say, by the express command and direction of God, by the ministration of an angel. This was not the first writing; the order and power of the alphabet among the Persians, the Goths, and the Hebrews, having one origin, undoubtedly from Noah, proves the contrary.
REFLECTIONS.
There are four reflections to be made on this chapter. First, That God did not leave it to the people to make choice of persons to work in the tabernacle, but named those who were to have the principal direction of this work; that it might appear that every thing relating to the divine service was done by his order and authority. Secondly, We find by this and the following chapters, that though the children of Israel had been in a state of oppression in Egypt, there were nevertheless among them some persons of both sexes who had ingenuity and capacity for all kinds of workmanship.
Thirdly, God on this occasion repeated the law concerning the observance of the sabbath, lest those who were to work in the tabernacle might imagine themselves at liberty not to rest on that day. The frequent repetition of this law, and the punishment of death denounced against its transgressors, sufficiently show its great importance. The constant observance of this day of rest served also to remind the Jews that they were the worshippers of the true God, and were by this means to be kept from falling into idolatry.
Lastly, After God had pronounced the law from Mount Sinai, he was pleased to engrave it upon two tables of stone, that it might be preserved to future ages without alteration. It has always been the will of God that men should adhere to his word, and to the revelation he has made of his will, without adding to or diminishing from it, or making the least alteration: and that they should make it the unalterable rule of their faith and practice.
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exodus 31
The opening of this brief chapter records the divine call and the divine qualification of “Bezaleel and Aholiab” to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation. “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….. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab 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.” Whether for “the work of the tabernacle” of old, or “the work of the ministry” now, there should be the divine selection, the divine call, the divine qualification, the divine appointment; and all must be done according to the divine commandment. Man could not select, call, qualify, or appoint to do the work of the tabernacle; neither can he, to do the work of the ministry. Furthermore, no man could presume to appoint himself to do the work of the tabernacle; neither can he to do the work of the ministry. It was, it is, it must be, wholly and absolutely divine. Men may run as sent of their fellow, or men may run of themselves; but let it be remembered that all who run, without being sent of God, shall, one day or other, be covered with shame and confusion of face. Such is the plain and wholesome doctrine suggested by the words, “I have called” “I have filled,” “I have given,” “I have put,” “I have commanded.” The words of the Baptist must ever hold good, “a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.” (John 3: 27) He can, therefore, have but little room to boast of himself; and just as little to be jealous of his fellow.
There is a profitable lesson to be learnt from a comparison of this chapter with Genesis 6. “Tubal-cain was an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron.” The descendants of Cain were endowed with unhallowed skill to make a cursed and groaning earth a delectable spot, without the presence of God. “Bezaleel and Aholiab,” on the contrary, were endowed with divine skill to beautify a sanctuary which was to be hallowed and blessed by the presence and glory of the God of Israel.
Reader, let me ask you just to pause and put this solemn question to your conscience, “Whether am I devoting whatever of skill or energy I possess to the interests of the Church, which is God’s dwelling place, or to beautify an ungodly, Christless world?” Say not, in thine heart, “I am not divinely called or divinely qualified for the work of the ministry.” Remember that though all Israel were not Bezaleels or Aholiabs, yet all could serve the interests of the sanctuary. There was an open door for all to communicate. Thus it is now. Each one has a place to occupy, a ministry to fulfil, a responsibility to discharge; and you and I are, at this moment, either promoting the interests of the house of God – the body of Christ – the Church, or helping on the godless schemes of a world, yet stained with the blood of Christ and the blood of all His martyred saints. Oh! let us deeply ponder this, as in the presence of the great Searcher of hearts, whom none can deceive – to whom all are known.
Our chapter closes with a special reference to the institution of the Sabbath. It was referred to in Ex. 16 in connection with the manna; it was distinctly enjoined in Ex. 20, when the people were formally put under law; and here we have it again in connection with the setting up of the tabernacle. Whenever the nation of Israel is presented in some special position, or recognised as a people in special responsibility, then the Sabbath is introduced. And let my reader carefully note both the day and the mode in which it was to be observed, and also the object for which it was instituted in Israel. “Ye shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.” This is as explicit and absolute as anything can be. It fixes “the seventh day” and none other; and it positively forbids, on pain of death, all manner of work. There can be no avoiding the plain sense of this. And, be it remembered, that there is not so much as a single line of Scripture to prove that the Sabbath has been changed, or the strict principles of its observance, in the smallest degree, relaxed. If there be any Scripture proof, let my reader look it out for his own satisfaction.
Now, let us inquire if indeed professing Christians do keep God’s Sabbath on the day and after the manner which He commanded. It were idle to lose time in proving that they do not. Well, what are the consequences of a single breach of the Sabbath? “Cut off” – “Put to death.”
But, it will be said, “we are not under law, but under grace.” Blessed be God for the sweet assurance! Were we under law, there is not one throughout the wide range of Christendom who should not, long since, have fallen beneath the stone of judgement, even upon the one solitary point of the Sabbath. But, if we are under grace, what is the day which belongs to us? Assuredly, “the first day of the week,” “the Lord’s day.” This is the Church’s day, the resurrection day of Jesus, who, having spent the Sabbath in the tomb, rose triumphant over all the powers of darkness, thus leading His people out of the old creation, and all that pertains thereto, into the new creation, of which He is the Head, and of which the first day of the week is the apt expression.
This distinction is worthy of the serious attention of the reader. Let him examine it prayerfully in the light of Scripture. There may be nothing and there may be a great deal in a mere name. In the present instance, there is a great deal more involved in the distinction between “the Sabbath” and ” the Lord’s day ” than many Christians seem to be aware of. It is very evident that the first day of the week gets a place, in the Word of God, which no other day gets. No other day is ever called by that majestic and elevated title, “the Lord’s day.” Some, I am aware, deny that Rev. 1: 10 refers to the first day of the week; but I feel most fully assured that sound criticism and sound exegesis do both warrant, yea, demand the application of that passage, not to the day of Christ’s advent in glory, but to the day of his resurrection from the dead.
But, most assuredly, the Lord’s day is never once called the Sabbath. So far from this, the two days are, again and again, spoken of in their proper distinctness. Hence, therefore, my reader will have to keep clear of two extremes. In the first place, he will have to avoid the legalism which one finds so much linked with the term “Sabbath;” and, in the second place, he will need to bear a very decided testimony against every attempt to dishonour the Lord’s day, or lower it to the level of an ordinary day. The believer is delivered, most completely, from the observance of “days and months, and times and years.” Association with a risen Christ has taken him clean out of all such superstitious observances. But, while this is most blessedly true, we see that “the first day of the week ” has a place assigned to it in the New Testament which no other has. Let the Christian give it that place. It is a sweet and happy privilege, not a grievous yoke.
Space forbids my further entrance upon this interesting subject. It has been gone into, elsewhere, as already intimated, in the earlier pages of this volume. I shall close these remarks by pointing out, in one or two particulars, the contrast between “the Sabbath” and “the Lord’s day.”
1. The Sabbath was the seventh day; the Lord’s day is the First.
2. The Sabbath was a test of Israel’s condition; the Lord’s day is the proof of the Church’s acceptance, on wholly unconditional grounds.
3. The Sabbath belonged to the old creation; the Lords day belongs to the new.
4. The Sabbath was a day of bodily rest for the Jew; the Lord’s day is a day of spiritual rest for the Christian.
5. If the Jew worked on the Sabbath, he was to be put to death : if the Christian does not work on the Lord’s day, he gives little proof of life. That is to say, if he does not work for the benefit of the souls of men, the extension of Christ’s glory, and the spread of His truth. In point of fact, the devoted Christian, who possesses any gift, is generally more fatigued on the evening of the Lord’s day than on any other in the week, for how can he rest while souls are perishing around him ?
6. The Jew was commanded by the law to abide in his tent; the Christian is led by the spirit of the gospel to go forth, whether it be to attend the public assembly, or to minister to the souls of perishing sinners. The Lord enable us, beloved reader, to rest more artlessly in, and labour more vigorously for, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! We should rest in the spirit of a Child; and labour with the energy of a man.
Fuente: Mackintosh’s Notes on the Pentateuch
These two chapters form an appendix to Exodus 25-29. The golden incense altar finds no place in Exodus 25 or Exo 26:33-36 or Leviticus 16 (where the annual rite of Exo 30:10 is ignored). Instead we hear of censers in Lev 16:12 and Num 16:6 f., while the great altar in the court is called the altar, as if no other were recognised. Similarly Exo 30:30, requiring the unction of Aarons sons, betrays itself as later than the series of passages in which the High Priest alone receives it, being often indeed called the anointed priest. Hence these features, mention of the incense altar, reference to anointing of priests, and distinctive naming of the brazen altar or the altar of burnt-offering, are all marks of secondary elements, wherever they occur. From their contents or phraseology the other sections of Exodus 30 f. betray themselves as supplements.
Exo 31:1-11 Ps. The Inspiration of the Craftsmen (cf. Exo 35:30 to Exo 36:3).The inclusion of the incense altar and laver in their proper places in the list of things to be made (Exo 31:7-11) shows that this section also is part of the appendix. It contains a clear recognition of the Divine calling of the artist, and of the principle that only the best of mans handiwork is good enough for the sanctuary (Exo 31:3 f.). The chief of the craftsmen is Bezalel, and his colleague is Oholiab (Exo 31:6). The name Bezalel is late in form, and he is in 1Ch 2:19 f. noted as of Calebite descent, while Oholiab is a foreign name and he is a Danite. Following MNeile, we may conjecture that some old, obscure tradition connected the Danites with the Calebites and Judahites in the south, and finked them with the sanctuary (cf. Judges 18*). The phrase finely wrought garments in Exo 31:10, perhaps meaning with plaiting like basket-work, is not in Exodus 28 P, but recurs in Exo 35:19, Exo 39:1, Exo. 41 Ps.
Exo 31:12-17 Ps. (Exo 31:12 b Exo 31:14 a H). The Sabbath.One of the late editors, devoted to the institution of the Sabbath (pp. 101f.), and seeing deep into its religious value, has expanded an older law into what MNeile calls the locus classicus on Sabbath observance in the OT. The weekly rest-day is the sacrament of time, linking God and His people in mutual remembrance, and revealing the invisible God to an unbelieving world. Read in Exo 31:13, as in the close parallel, Eze 20:12, that men may know that I am Yahweh, which sanctify you. The older law of H punished the profanation of the Sabbath with death (Exo 31:14); the later demands a sabbath of entire rest, breach bringing death upon the excommunicated offender (Exo 31:14 b Exo 31:15, cf. Num 16:35). The disuse of sacrifice among the Jews had emphasised it as the mark of a perpetual covenant. The strong phrase for the Divine rest after creation, was refreshed (lit. took breath), supports the view that the priestly writer is here dependent upon an earlier writing from simpler age.
Exo 31:18 a P, Exo 31:18 b E. The Tables of Stone.This is now a link verse, leading up to Exodus 32-34, by relating the gift of the two tables of the testimony (cf. Exo 25:12; Exo 25:21 b P), the tables of stone, written with the finger of God (cf. Deu 9:10, based on E).
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
GOD’S CHOICE OF WORKMAN
(vs.1-11)
God now announced whom He Himself has called to do the work in building the tabernacle, men who could be depended on to fully follow God’s instructions. No one was allowed to take this honor on himself, but he must receive it directly from God (Heb 5:4). How important it is that God’s work should be done by God’s workmen. All human credentials are nothing in the work of God. Only God’s credentials count.
This is true too in the building of the Church of God. Paul was a wise master builder who laid the foundation of that building fully according to God’s instructions (1Co 3:10). The foundation is Christ (v.11), and Paul has laid down the full truth concerning Christ in all His relationships, in the Word of God which lives and abides forever. The truth therefore is complete in the Word of God, and we must take it as it stands, not daring to add to it or depreciate from it.
Bezaleel was the chief artisan, whom God had filled with His Spirit, giving him “wisdom in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, silver and copper, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship” (vs.3-4). This was not merely a man who could be called a jack of all trades,” but rather a master of all trades. Such an unusual man could only be the result of God’s special working, as was certainly true of Paul the apostle.
God had also appointed with Bezaleel another able man, Aholiab (v.6). While we may not be sure that Bezaleel is typical of Paul and Aholiab typical of Peter, yet there is an interesting analogy. Paul and Peter were specially chosen by God, Paul as an apostle to the Gentiles, Peter to Jews. Both of these speak of the house of God, Paul being, as we have seen, “a wise master builder,” Peter pressing upon Jewish believers that they are “living stones,” built up as a spiritual house in contrast to the material house of the Old Testament (1 Peter 2:65). Both of these worked together in godly cooperation, for God intended Jewish and Gentile believers to form one house, the Church of God, in vital unity.
But also God worked in the hearts of others in Israel, unnamed, giving skill for all the various aspects of the work. How good to know today that, not only to prominent men, but to every believer grace is given from God “according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Eph 4:7). Paul had various remarkable gifts which we cannot expect for everyone, but the smallest gift is yet valuable in its place, and is to be used for God in the blessing of others, the building up of the Church of God. Can we not be content to be little if we are in the place God has put us in and are doing only what He has given us ability to do? Do we have to be named so as to get some recognition from others?
Some would have work to do in the making of the tent itself, others in making the ark and the mercy seat, others in making the table with its utensils, others the lampstand and its utensils, others the altar of incense, others the altar of burnt offering and its utensils, others the laver and its base, others the garments for Aaron and his sons, and others the anointing oil and the incense. So the work was diversified. One could not say his work was more important than another’s, nor could anyone consider his work as of no account. Consider what 1Co 12:1-31 has to say about the diversity of the members in the body of Christ, the Church, and the unity with which they are called upon to function.
It is not human appointment to a certain work that empowers the gifts to do their individual work in unity with the rest of the body. This can only be accomplished by the vital operation of the Spirit of God. But as the individuals were required to do their work precisely as God commanded Moses, so we too are to fully obey the Word of God in the way our work is done in connection with the Church of God. For the Spirit of God always acts in concert with the truth of the word of God.
THE SABBATH: A SIGN BETWEEN GOD AND ISRAEL
(vs.12-18)
In this place God’s insistence on the keeping of the Sabbath is most appropriate. When work has been given us to do, there may be a danger of our getting carried away because of the work we are doing. One day in the week the work was therefore to cease. Even a matter so important as the building of the tabernacle was to give place to the rest that is necessary both physically and spiritually. “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mar 2:27), for God has true consideration for the need of physical rest, but as well as this, in man’s ceasing one day a week from his work, he is intended to realize that he is not to depend on his own work but on the grace of God. This last day of the week was therefore set aside that man might have his soul specially encouraged and strengthened in the Lord.
The sabbaths were to be kept for the Lord, as a sign between God and Israel. This was not told to Gentiles, just as the law was given only to Israel, not to other nations. The sabbath therefore was a special witness to the relationship that existed between God and Israel, to be kept throughout all their generations, for the purpose of keeping Israel reminded of the greatness of the living God, who sanctified them, or set them apart for Himself.
Anyone who defiled the Sabbath was immediately under sentence of death. Whoever did any work on that day was to be cut off in death. Does this seem cruel? The answer is that any Israelite guilty of breaking the Sabbath was showing contempt for God. Whether people think lightly of this or not, this is enormous wickedness. Israel was guilty of disobeying this consistently, and rulers did not carry out God’s sentence of death. Certainly people today are no less guilty when they coldly disobey the Word of God, but God deals in patient grace, not judging yet, but giving opportunity to sinners to repent and be saved.
Today believers are not under law, but under grace. We are not told to keep the Sabbath (Col 2:16), but by grace the first day of the week is provided by God as a day in which believers may willingly rest from their usual employment and devote the time to pleasing the Lord. No law is attached to this at all, but willing hearts will respond thankfully to such scriptures as Act 20:7 : “on the first day of the week — the disciples came together to bread.”
Verses 16 and 17 emphasize again that it is the children of Israel who were told to keep the Sabbath as a sign between God and them, “for,” it is added, “in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed. “thus the Lord’s working and the Lord’s resting provide a basis for Israel’s obedience.
God’s instructions to Moses being complete, He then gave to him two tables of stone on which were written with the finger of God the ten commandments for Israel.
Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible
9. The builders of the tabernacle 31:1-11
Chapter 31 summarizes what God required for His people to approach Him. God appointed the men who would be responsible for interpreting Moses’ instructions about the tabernacle and constructing it. He filled them with His Spirit so they would make choices consistent with His will (Exo 31:3).
Bezalel ("In the shadow of God") was evidently Miriam’s grandson. [Note: Josephus, 3:6:1.] Oholiab ("The Father is my tent") was his assistant. God endowed both men with natural ability as well as with the Holy Spirit to do the work He had appointed for them (cf. Act 6:3).
"Though they were skilled, the narrative emphasizes clearly that they were to do the work of building the tabernacle by means of the skills that the Spirit of God would give them. There is an important parallel here with God’s work of Creation in Genesis 1. Just as God did his work of Creation by means of his Spirit (Gen 1:2 to Gen 2:3), so also Israel was to do their work of building the tabernacle by God’s Spirit.
"The parallels between God’s work in Creation and Israel’s work on the tabernacle are part of the Pentateuch’s larger emphasis on the importance of the work of God’s Spirit among his people. . . . It is of interest here to note that the two key characters in the Pentateuch who provide a clear picture of genuine obedience to God’s will, Joseph and Joshua, are specifically portrayed in the narrative as those who are filled with the Spirit of God (Gen 41:38; Deu 34:9)." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 309.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
CHAPTER XXXI.
BEZALEEL AND AHOLIAB.
Exo 31:1-18.
Next after this marking off so sharply of the holy from the profane, this consecration of men to special service, this protection of sacred unguents and sacred gums from secular use, we come upon a passage curiously contrasted, yet not really antagonistic to the last, of marvellous practical wisdom, and well calculated to make a nation wise and great.
The Lord announces that He has called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, and has filled him with the Spirit of God. To what sacred office, then, is he called? Simply to be a supreme craftsman, the rarest of artisans. This also is a divine gift. “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 for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship,”–that is to say, of manual dexterity. With him God had appointed Aholiab; “and in the hearts of all the wise-hearted I have put wisdom.” Thus should be fitly made the tabernacle and its furniture, and the finely wrought garments, and the anointing oil and the incense.
So then it appears that the Holy Spirit of God is to be recognised in the work of the carpenter and the jeweller, the apothecary and the tailor. Probably we object to such a statement, so baldly put. But inspiration does not object. Moses told the children of Israel that Jehovah had filled Bezaleel with the Spirit of God, and also Aholiab, for the work “of the engraver … and of the embroiderer … and of the weaver” (Exo 35:31, Exo 35:35).
It is quite clear that we must cease to think of the Divine Spirit as inspiring only prayers and hymns and sermons. All that is good and beautiful and wise in human art is the gift of God. We feel that the supreme Artist is audible in the wind among the pines; but is man left to himself when he marshals into more sublime significance the voices of the wind among the organ tubes? At sunrise and sunset we feel that
“On the beautiful mountains the pictures of God are hung”;
but is there no revelation of glory and of freshness in other pictures? Once the assertion that a great masterpiece was “inspired” was a clear recognition of the central fire at which all genius lights its lamp: now, alas! it has become little more than a sceptical assumption that Isaiah and Milton are much upon a level. But the doctrine of this passage is the divinity of all endowment; it is quite another thing to claim Divine authority for a given product sprung from the free human being who is so richly crowned and gifted.
Thus far we have smoothed our way by speaking only of poetry, painting, music–things which really compete with nature in their spiritual suggestiveness. But Moses spoke of the robe-maker, the embroiderer, the weaver, and the perfumer.
Nevertheless, the one is carried with the other. Where shall we draw the line, for example, in architecture or in ironwork? And there is another consideration which must not be overlooked. God is assuredly in the growth of humanity, in the progress of true civilisation–in all, the recognition of which makes history philosophical. It is not only the saints who feel themselves to be the instruments of a Greater than they. Cromwell and Bismarck, Columbus, Raleigh and Drake, William the Silent and William the Third, felt it. Mr. Stanley has told us how the consciousness that he was being used grew up in him, not through fanaticism but by slow experience, groping his way through the gloom of Central Africa.
But none will deny that one of the greatest factors in modern history is its industrial development. Is there, then, no sacredness here?
The doctrine of Scripture is not that man is a tool, but that he is responsible for vast gifts, which come directly from heaven–that every good gift is from above, that it was God Himself Who planted in Paradise the tree of knowledge.
Nor would anything do more to restrain the passions, to calm the impulses and to elevate the self-respect of modern life, to call back its energies from the base competition for gold, and make our industries what dreamers persuade themselves that the mediaeval industries were, than a quick and general perception of what is meant when faculty goes by such names as talent, endowment, gift–of the glory of its use, the tragedy of its defilement. Many persons, indeed, reject this doctrine because they cannot believe that man has power to abase so high a thing so sadly. But what, then, do they think of the human body?
What connection is there between all this and the reiteration of the law of the Sabbath? Not merely that the moral law is now made a civic statute as well, for this had been done already (Exo 23:12). But, as our Lord has taught us that a Jew on the Sabbath was free to perform works of mercy, it might easily be supposed lawful, and even meritorious, to hasten forward the construction of the place where God would meet His people. But He who said “I will have mercy and not sacrifice” said also that to obey was better than sacrifice. Accordingly this caution closes the long story of plans and preparations. And when Moses called the people to the work, his first words were to repeat it (Exo 35:2).
Finally, there was given to Moses the deposit for which so noble a shrine was planned–the two tables of the law, miraculously produced.
If any one, without supposing that they were literally written with a literal finger, conceives that this was the meaning conveyed to a Hebrew by the expression “written with the finger of God,” he entirely misses the Hebrew mode of thought, which habitually connects the Lord with an arm, with a chariot, with a bow made naked, with a tent and curtains, without the slightest taint of materialism in its conception. Did not the magicians, failing to imitate the third plague, say “This is the finger of a God”? Did not Jesus Himself “cast out devils by the finger of God”? (Exo 8:19; Luk 11:20).