The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-02

purpose of the ark was to contain invio-
| late the Divine autograph OF the two
| tables Of stone on which was written the
| law of God. the most sacred thing of the
| Levitical dspensation In the Holy Place
| was the altar of incense, table of show
| bread, and the golden candlestick, de-
| scribed In Exodus XVI, xxxiv, and xxxv.
Around the tabernacle was a court open
| to the sky a parallelogram 100 cubits
| long and 80 cubits broad This court was
| enclosed with curtains that were hung
upon a series of pillars of acacia, which
were five cubits In height held upright
| by cords and pins. The furniture of the
| court consisted of the altar OF burnt Of
ferng. used for sacrifices, and thu laver
Of brass containing water for the priests
to wash their hands and feet before Of
ferng sacrifice
ERECT1ON.-we now come to the first
part of our lesson proper. the setting UP
Of the tabernacle oversees 1 to 81. This
was done on the first day of the first
month at the command of God, about
one year after leaving Egypt. The inten-
tion was to prepare for the passover
which was celebrated on the fifteenth
day CIx. xii:1S). The tabernacle was
made the center of the camp The null
titude of Israel grouped around II In
fixed order according to tribal rank. Sec
Numbers second chapter. On the east
were Judah. Zebuum and lssacher; on
the west, Ephraim. Manasseh and Benja-
min; on the south, Reuben, Simeon and
Cad; on the north, Dan, Asher and
Naphtali. Thus the sanctuary of God be-
came the rallying point of Israel. Our
lesson gives the order in which the parts
were to he set up, not only for the first
time. but every time the camp was
formed This order was not only a mat
ter of convenience. but of instruction as
well-the tabernacle proper, the ark of
testimony, the table of show bread. the
candlestick whose lamps should be light
ed. the altar Of incense, the altar of burnt
offering, the laver. and then the outer
court. Here were eight distinct and reg
ular acts of construction. to be done with
due reverence and care always in obed-
ience to the Divine word U Cor. xiv:4O).
1t was intended that by this prescribed.
uniform and oft-repeated method the
places OF religious worship should be es-
tablished in order and that those who
had to do with them should know that
not their pleasure but Gods will should
determine every form.
CONSIDERATIONS 9-12). The
construction and erection Of the taber-
nacle was mechanical When performed
after the Divine direction every minute
detail being followed 1t would seem to
be, at completion purely human prod
uct. Something must he done to give
sanctity to the place. and to awaken rev.
crence for it in the minds of the people.
That was effected by what we would
term a dedication, first of the tabernacle
and next of the men who were appointed
to minister there. This was done by
Moses in very simple ceremony. He
touched every part with the oil of unc-
tion. compound of olive oil and spices
hi tnI, to bod Jt,-oD bod 10 ol<a
cording to given prescription. and
which 1t was a crime to compound or
employ for any other than sacred uses
CIXod. Xxx:23-25) Olive oil answered
three purposes in domestic life, 1t was
used as butter is with us; it illuminated
dwellings; it supplied an agreeable un-
guent for the skin. In correspondence
with these three uses 1t served as an eX-
cellent religious symbol. The same oil
was applied to Aaron and his sons after
they were washed in the laver. They
were the clad in their priestly garments.
made after the directions of the AL
mighty. Ali this ceremony set the places
and persons apart as holy or sacred, re-
moving them forever from the common
or secular.
sIGNIFTCANCE.-Th was purpose
in all this which every student must
seek for himself. the chief points OF
which may be set forth in series OF
statements. 1. 1t helped to make the
transition from the worship of Egypt
with which the Israelites had been ac-
quainted to the worship of Jehovah.
Many objects and forms of Egyptian wor-
ship were retained and given a new
meaning. The people were not prepared
for sudden change. g The tabernacle
symbolized the truths of the Mosoic reve-
lation, to an extent which cannot here be
fully stated. The unity of God (monothe-
ism. a doctrine received from Abraham.
and the personality and spirituality of
God are especially prominent. 3. The
tabernacle was the pattern of the temple.
built by Solomon at Jerusalem. which
in its permanent form became the great
central place of national worship. 4.
The tabernacle typified the truths OF
Christianity. This is clearly shown by
the author of the epistle to the He
brews. and many modern scholars have
set forth the illustrative power of this
ancient sanctuary. See Professor At
waters excellent treatise on THE Tab
ernacle." in which he traces the SYM
bolsm of color. form and number and in
terprets every article of furniture and
of apparel of the priests. o. Without
doubt the tabernacle exhibited the king
dom of God, not only in the stage of de-
velopment In which it then existed. but
stages. Jesus appears to have had this
thought in mind (John ii:2D. Hence, the
tabernacle is important to the Christian
as an aid in interpreting the New Tes-
lament.
CONCLUSlON.-1. We see how wisely
and gently God dealt with people in their
ignorance and weakness. Just delivered
from Egypt the Israeites We're not pre-
pared for the elevating truths of a pure
monothesm, and forms and ceremonies
were introduced that should help them.
gradually elevating and educating them
for better system. q We see how re-
ligious interests are progressive That
which Is instituted in one age, while i'm
perfect nevertheless prepares for that
which must come after, The tabernacle
preceded the temple and that the church,
and each successive period gathers up
what is good of preceding times and in
stitutions. 3, When any clearly defined
form or institute is established by Divine
authority men ought to observe and pre-
serve IT, for the purpose for which II was
originally intended, that thereby Gods
work may advance and His plan unfold
and mature.