The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-07-12
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By a Study OF the Ints
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed I
July D. Ex So 1929,

July -. Ex., So 20-29.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l
SUBJECT: OFFERINGS OF THE IsRAELTTEs FOR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR TABERNACLE
AND ITS FURNITURE.
l. Time
The lessons date is 1891 B. c.. or 2513 A. NJ.
We are carried back in history for more than
30 centuries. The scene of the lesson is Mt.
Sinai and its surroundings. Geographically we
find ourselves in the Eastern Hemisphere, in
Asia, Arabia, wilderness of Sinai.
2 The Occasion.
For 2,513 years there was no place of worship
save the open air. Affairs were built of rude
stones out in fields or on hillsides. It was de-
cided to have a rooted structure, elegant, costly,
inspiring reverence, centralizing worship, call
ing for support, creating unity of feeling among
the people, Materials must be collected. The
willingness of the masses to sacrifice for re-
ligion was to be put to the test. The taber-
nacle spoken of in 1871 was most likely simply
the personal tent of Moses extempOriZed for
place of meeting between God and the leader
of the Israeites 1t may have suggested the
public or general tent afterward constructed
and for which this lesson shows that offerings
were made. The having place of meeting
between Jehovah and his people was real ad-
vance in civilization and religion.
g. The Order.
The command to build the tabernacle origi-
mated with God. 1t was seen such q structure
necessity. Let them make me a sane
tuary that / may dwell among them," were the
words of Jehovah in issuing the order. (25: 8.
Compare verse g. Verse 8 just following
shows that the plans for building and furnish
ing were devised by Jehovah. Us 40; 20 30.)
God could be no more present by reason of
tahprnaaIa than ba is al anA hare
and yet he has power to focaize and specially
manifest himself. Such presence of Deity
greatly aided the Israeiites in their conception
of Jehovah. There doubtless is peculiar con-
seriousness of Gods influence on US even now
when we enter the courts of his house, the
church building. Though the command to
build the tabernacle originated with God it
was promulgated by Moses who acted as aman-
uensis, spokesman and agent for Jehovah.
4. The Gigers and Workers.
The gifts came from the children of Israel
in general. (V 29.) Men and women shared
in the sacrifices and toll. (V. 22) The rulers,
leading men of wealth, persons of position,
gave literally. (Y. ~ The meaning of
rulers y in verse q is eUen the rulers. This
implies that all in the lower grades of the null
titude gave and worked. The women's part
largely was to spin. US %, 26. Compare
Prov, 81 10, % 24l Notice "every one" did
tiful in the unanimity, heartiness and prompt
ness with which the people acted so soon as in
formed of the object. We think they did so
not only out of respect to the source of the
command, but also from a consciousness of the
utility of religious structure and from felt
need.
5. The Gifts
Bracelets, earrings, rings, tablets, jewels of
gold; blue purple and scarlet; fine linen, goats'
I Il - -
tim wood, onyx stones, stone gems in general,
spices, oil, gold, silver, brass.
We notice as to the above that the Israelites
| possessed much wealth. They evidently had
a taste for Ornamentation and jewelry. The
arts were quite well understOod-as spinning,
| weaving, dyeing, engraving, casting, archi-
| lecture. They learned much in Egypt. They
carried Off with them into the wilderness great
| stores of valuable materials.
| Though they contributed much for the max
| ing Of the golden calf, it was scarcely missed
| Then they gave only some of their earrings
| Bracelets, earrings rings, tablets, etc, men,
| toned in this lesson, were probably melted
| Most of them were of gold, and hence "jewels
! of gold" ~ 3d. and hence the supplies of that
metal for making parts of the tabernacle and
| its utensils. By "blue purple and scarlet y
| (V. 23) we understand goods made of wool, OF
possibly of silk, and dyed with said respective
colors. Us Il 50: 6, %, 25.) From such tex
| lures were made the 10 inner curtains which
covered the tabernacle (26 1-6) the vail be-
tween the Holy Place and the Most Holy
Place (26: 81, 32) the hanging serving for the
door to the tabernacle (26: 80, 30; the hang
ing serving for a gate to the court vi: l6)
the garments for the priests (28: Isl, to wit
for making the ephOd (28: 81, the breastplatt
Us: 49,, the robe (23 33). Fine linen (V
23) was used in making the 10 curtains serving
for the first or inner covering of the roof of the
tabernacle (26: 1-6); the vail between the Holy
Place and the Holy of Holes (26: 81; thu
hanging serving fer door to the tabernacle
(26 36); the haugings about the court Ut
9-15l; the hanging answering for a gate to thu
court (27: 16); the ephod (28: g.; breastplat'
(28: 15); inter and coat (29: 39); apparel TO
lower limbs (23: AZ The goats hair" "
26) was needed for making the IL curtain
which were for a second covering for the tab
ernacle. 1t was spread above the 10 curtain
made of blue, purple and scarlet. (26: ~ TIL
rams skins dyed red" ". 23) were used 70
the third covering of the tabernacle bein
placed above the covering of goats hair. (26
14) The badgers skins" ". 81 formed
fourth covering, being above that of the rams
skins. A badger is a quadruped something
like the bear. Students are not quite agrees
as to the animal meant. DR.. Adam Clark
thinks it was the seal. (See 20 8; %: IA.
! The shittim wood (V. "a was used for maxim
the sides and ends of the tabernacle and 70
the bars running along the sides of the board
and serving to keep the upright boards i
place (26: $500; for the four pillars on whic
was suspended the vail between the Holy Plae
and the Holy of Holes (26 81, 32); for tn
five pillars on which hung the door cover
ing (2G: sc, 81, and probably for the fou
pillars by which the gate covering was sus
pended. ct: 16 H. The wood referre
TO is that of the acacia, a thOrny tree grow
ing in Egypt and Arabia. Onyx stone
". 81 were placed on the shoulders Q
the ephod one of the priestly garment
est; % ~; the onyx is a beautiful cha
cedOny, having layers of variegated color
: blended bewitchingly. 1t is rare and exper
siye. Hence rulers gave SUCH only they coul
afford gifts so valuable. Stones to be set.
(V. 81 They were to be set in the breastplat,
(23: 10 For their names see %: 17-2
T "Spice" (V.23. See %: 81 Spices were use
in making the amounting oil. go: 22-26.) The
were also employed in making the sweet III
cense. (See recipe, 30 81 49, "On." (V. %
This was pure olive oil. (27: 20.) 1t was use
{ for light. (25:6, 81; 81; 20; 35: g, 14); als
for anointing go: 1885, e. g., priests (2S: IL
% y waters (29 q. "Gold /" (V. 22) wa
used for OVERLAPPING the wood of the ark an
slaves with which it was carried, for til
crown or top, the four rings and the cherubil
(25: 11-13, II, 49,; for the table of shew breat
including top, rings and border, dishes, spoon
covers, bowls (25: 3-30); for the candlestic
shaft, six branches, bowls, KNOBS, flowers, tong
snuf-dishes (25 3l-40); for the taches of I'll
, | 10 curtains (26: l-6) for OVERLAPPING the foU