Evening capital., 1888-07-28
AS TO THE TABERNACLE.
LESSON v, THIRD QUARTER, IN
TERNATloNAL SERIES, JULY 2e.

Text of the Lesson. Eek. xl, I-i0-Commit
Verses, 1-3-Golden Text, Rev. xxi. ;.
Commentary by Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
condensed from Lesson Helper Quarterly. by
ln@.iS''1 llsaeTi = : HOFFMAN f0'A's'p''A p'''
|. "And the Lord spalxe unto Moses How
often we read this sentence and how little we
are apt to think OF the meaning of it or Of
the sThus saith the Lord" Of the prophets,
or the 81 say unto youn of Jesus Himself,
who was the Lord God of the prophets. We
cannot give too much heed to the word Of
God, nor heed it too reverently; and unless
we really hear God speaking to US in His
word it win not profit us
2. "On the first day of the first month"
It was the second year tverse ~ and just
year since the great passover night on which
they left the land of bondage gxii, q xiii A..
That month was ever to be q memorable
month to them because Of the great deliver
ance Although it was the seventh month of
their civil year, they were henceforth to
count it the first month, for 1t was the first
month of the first year of their history as
redeemed people. Every Christian has two
birthdays, the day Of his birth into this
world and the day of his birth as child OF
God
1.-THE tabernacle of the tent of meeting"
OR. " God has delivered the nation from
the bondage of Egypt and brought them
unto Himself that they might be unto Him
peculiar treasure above all people, king
dom of priests, holy nation txix, 8, o., to
mako him name QI Sam. vii, 23l, and now
He win dwell among them by visible pres
ence In this tabernacle specially prepared for
Him txxv, 81 The tabernacle after some
500 ytsars gave place to the Temple Of Solo
mon. which, with some rebuilding, continued
until Christ came the true tabernacle (Heb.
viii, o.; but he, being rejected by the nation,
rejected them also for time, and their tenn
pie and city and land became ruin and des-
olate because of their rejection of their king.
When He shall return in power and glory to
sit on David's throne and reign over the
house Of Jacob forever luke i, 32, 33l, and
to restore all things of which the prophets
have spoken Acts iii, 1920, then there shall
be q new temple according to Eek xl to
XVIII, and Jerusalem shall be O city of truth
and peace and Righteousness, and to it the
nations shall 60 up from year to year to
worship the King, the Lord Of Hosts. Czech.
viii and xiv, l6) Meantime, between the
scattering and regathering of Israel, God is
adding TO the seed of Abraham from all the
nations of the earth and building temple of
living stones Eph. ii 1922; Pet. Ii, 5; Gal.iii,
29l, which according to our golden text and the
chapter in which it is found, will come down
from God out of heaven, be light to all the
nations of earth, and the dwelling place Of
Christ and His saints in connection with this
earth when the kingdom comes
8. '"rhe ark of the testimony" The dimen-
sions of all the vessels except the candlestick
can only briefly refer to the material, situa-
tion and significance of each. The ark, table
and altar of incense were each made of shit
tim or acacia wood, covered with gold re-
minding us of the incorruptible humanity
and divinity of Christ. The ark was the
only vessel in the Holy of HOLES, room ten
cubits long and wide and high, three sides of
which were boards covered with gold ;
the fourth was the veil, a type of
the body of Christ Heb. K, 20); the
ceiling was the beautiful curtains, and
the floor was the earth. The cover
of the ark, called the mercy seat or
propitiatory Heb. TX, 8, r. ", margin),
was of pure gold, and oZt Of it was beaten at
each end cherub overshadowing it. Over
the mercy seat, between the cherubim, in this
Holy of Holes, was the place of the manifest
presence of God. (Ex. XIV, 17-22.l The ark
was made TO contain the tables Of testimony,
and there they were kept. The people could
not keep that holy law, but Christ, the true
ark, kept it perfectly, and of Him it is writ
ten, "A body has thou prepared for me- y
4 '.The table," on which was placed every
week--every Sabbath day--twelve cakes of
bread in two rows, with frankincense upon
each row. Q,ev xiv, 5-9l The table and the
bread and the incense all speak of Him.
'sThe candlestick" was made of a talent
Of pure gold gxxv. 39,, and would therefore
be worth about $4,000 1t was more like
a lampstand than what we understand by
candlestick- Each of its seven branches held
lamp which every day had to be trimmed
and filed with oil so as to burn continually
before the Lord Christ is the light Of the
world, the true light. and He is pleased to
say TO us sYe are the light of the world
5. ssThe altar Of incense On this the
priest was to burn incense every morning
and evening while be trimmed the lamps
Xxx, z, s., teaching us that although moth
ing that we do can be acceptable in it
self because of our sinfulness, yet whatever
Is heartily done in His name with sincere
desire for His glory is made acceptable by
the incense of His merits, which Is ever
sweet perfume to God.
These three vessels, the table, the candle
stick and the altar of incense, were in the
holy place or first room into which the high
priest went every day, but into the holy Of
holies he went only once a year.
6, z. "The altar Of burnt Offering and the
laver" These were the only two vessels ia
the outer court of the tabernacle; the first
was made Of wood covered with brass, and
was just inside the gate Of the court; it
speaks to rs Of the Goldman, our sacrifice
for sin. and tells us that If we are unwilling
70 accept the blood Of the Lamb as our ram
som, there is no possibility of our coming to
Cod The laver was made out Of the brazen
mirrors Of the women txxxviii. s., and
contained water with which the priests
washed their hands and feet. reminding US
that he that Is washed Gn the E10od) needeth
not save to wash his feet with the water OF
the worD, but is clean every whit.
&. ~Ihe court and gate Curtains Of fine
linen hanging up0n sixty wooden pillars
standing in brass sockets and kept a,pr;ohf