The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-08-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR AUG. 4 BY THE
REV. I. w. HENDERSON.
Subject: The Tabernacle, Elk. fol-
10, S4-3S-Golden Text, Elk.
4O:34-Memory Verses, S4-35-

SuDJSSSs - 49,
10, 34-3S-Golden Text, Elk.
4O:34-Memory Verses, $685.
Commentary.
The tabernacle that Moses set up
in the midst of the ~journeying peo4
pie of Israel after the commands OF
Jehovah c%oncretely and wildly e1.
presses and exemplifies the concep.
ton of the relation between God and
Israel that was dominant at ting
time. 1t may perhaps be difficult for
many to become very acutely intert
ested in the study of the fashion Of
the tent and its furnishings. But
that will be largely because we fail
to grasp the underlying and uni
versal religious needs and expet
riences of which the structure in ALI
its parts Is an objective representa-
ton. The tabernacle represents In
outward fashion the central and con-
trolling religious fact of all the ages
that God is in the midst Of His peO-
pie. 1t represents the outwork1ng OF
subjective religious experiences into.
outward and material expressions.
1t symbolizes in it's furnishings:
many lasting and precious spiritual
truths. We shall be foolish IL we.
do not learn spiritual lessons and per-
ceive spiritual meanings and secure.
spiritual instruction and comfort as.
we study this Scripture. The ark, the
vail, the incense, the burnt offering,
the oil, the conservation of the priest,
surely the mention of each should
supply US with suggestive thought.
In verse 2 in the authorized YER
sion the Scripture is translated tent
of the congregation" The revised
version properly translates these
words tent Of the meeting" And
the change is as suggestive as 1t iss
corrective. Here indeed. in a word
is given the reason for the taber-
nacle; here in a word is described
the use to which 1t was to be put
and was put by the chosen people,
of God. Meeting, Here they met
Jehovah in that peculiarly sacred
manner that was a distinguishing
feature of their religious expression.
Here they met Jehovah in the hottest
and most satisfying manner. Here.
they met God. 1t was indeed a place
of meeting. A tent dedicated to.
meeting from time to time with God
Himself. 1t was also the place where
they gathered in the expression OF
their common religious longings n
for the exercise in IN especial manner
of their spiritual inclinations.
Everything within and about the
tabernacle was to be holy. All that
went into the serviceo Of God was holy.
And it was wise that such an emphasis
should be laid. The Israelites had
long been living in the midst of a.
people whose religion was not what
it might have been. There was every
danger as We have seen in previous.
lessons that they would get to have
a shallow conception Of religious
truth and that they would place a
light valuation upon those things
that are religiously most essential to-
humanity. The tabernacle simply,
exemplified to them what should be-
the hallowedness Of their OWE lives.
1t kept constantly before them the
value and the beauty of holiness. 1t
emphasized in no uncertain fashion
that only that which was pure
and undeiled was Of highest use to.
God. It stood as a constant rebuke
to personal or national uncleannesE
and unworthiness Of mind or heart
or soul. They met the hallowed all
tar of sacrifice as they approached
the sacred precincts Of the taber-
nacle. The sacrifice enforced the les
son of personal responsibility before
God and the need for personal con-
fession of sin as the primal requisite
for entrance into the presence of
God. AS with the altar Of sacrifice
so with every other bit Of material
in and about the tabernacle. BY
process of association all was exem-
plary.
We note also that the priest who
was to oficiate in the services Of the
temple was to be washed and
anointed and sanctifed., And that
was a valuable regulation. The
priesthood Of the surrounding a
lions we're not always men OF the
deepest spiritual experience or the
most consecrated. Judging from the
previous lessons Aaron needed the
washing and the amounting and the
sanctifying to make him properly ap-
preciative of the high Office to which
in Gods providence he had been
called. A clean priesthood is as
necessary to God as a clean people
and a clean and holy temple.
1t is also noticeable that as soon
as Gods commands were complied
with Israel entered into a new ex-
perience of God. Verse 33 tells us
that Moses finished the work"
Verse "a relates that then the cloud
covered the tent of meeting and the
glory of the Lord filled the taber-
nacle." Further comment Is unnce-
essary.
All that the tabernacle was we
ought to be ourselves. All that 1t
symbolized we as living temples
ought to exemplify. God should find
in us the sacrifice OF a clean heart
and of a contrite spirit and should
be able out Of US to construct a tenn
pie holy to Himself. All that the tab
ernacle was Christ is to us. May
God give us all the vision to see
many precious and helpful truths In
the lesson for the day. For in that
which is usually considered pretty
dry reading we may discover much
that is helpful and instructive and
suggestive. Under the guidance OF
the Spirit of God we may have I'M
thought of beauties revealed to us.