Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-12

dCcie with the utmost regard 10 al "'-
tailed regulations. The priests came and
lifted the sacred chest and bore ii on.
followed by the elders and others Who
had been called 10 sanction ana ~ltneN.
the ceremony. Tho procession advanced
from Mount Zion. tie western elevation.
called the city Of David. where David
had lis residence. across a slight de
preston. To the eastern elevation called
Mount Noriah. on which solomon i'h
plo stood The distance was not Srea'
Wei prepared streets there Were. d'"uI
which the passage was effected. II W
virtually a transfer from ON" part @
Jerusalem "a another.
OFFERINGS verses h-"l ~ ms
act OF removing the ark solomon had
the example ~ his father IL guide him
1t is evident that h" made hlmScl'
familiar with what Occurred when me
removal was made from the housH
Obadedom As on that occasion David
sacrificed eli Sam. vi:l3 oxen and Tax
lings so Solomon did in like manner when
the transfer WAS made from Mount Nor
TO the temple on Mount Moriah. ohil
in the latter case the offerings were more
numerous the number Of animals could
not be told. There We're different KINDS
of offerings Some of them were self
dedicatory, designed AS an act OF cons"-
Grafton to God, some were euchariSil'.
having the quality OF making aionement
for sin tHcb. ix: 2@1D. II is probable tnat
all kinds Of offerings We're made that day
and that men sought forgiveness, gave
themselves to God. and, withal. were
thankful for the blessings granted TO the
nation.
CHERUBIMS tverses Is, and 81
The ark was brought by the priests uni"
its place In the temple, the most holy
place Gen. XNvi:2i,. the same relative
position IL occupied in the tabernacle lt
was located that the cherubims covered
II with their wings q Kings vf:2n. Then
the slaves by which the ark was car
ried were removed. signifying that II had
come to its final and appropriate resting
place The cherubims were symbollcai
figures of composite creature-form. They
did not represent actual beings but sym
bols of Divine attributes, omnipotence and
omniscence Some have Thought that
they were borrowed from the rel2ious
insignia OF Egypt. Assyria and Persia.
where as with other imaginative people,
there was an attempt 10 emhody notions
of the supernatural This Is hardly prob
able for the cherubim is found in sacred
history long prior to the exodus teen.
iii:24. 1t is more probable that tn"
heather symbols were adopted and pre-
scented from those mentioned in early
Scripture. In all cases symbols were
employed as helps TO mans spiritual eN-
ercises.
CONTENTS Verse @.-The ark thus
deposited in the most holy place and
covered by the wings of cherubims was
nothing but a sacred receptacle. yet az
such was precious. 1t was CONSTRUCTED
by Moses for the sole purpose GEN.
xXv:2D, by command of the Lord. Ana
through all the intervening centuries. not
withstanding the many vicissitudes. 1t had
been devoted to that exclusive use
Deut. X:5l, namely, to hold the two
tables of stone on which the then conf
mandments were written in Horeb. That
proves that the decalogue was the dearest
thing committed to the Israelitish nation.
The statutes-moral. ceremonial and civil
were intrusted to the keeping Of scribes,
who made copies, but this fundamental
code. however many times transcripts
might be prepared, was preserved In tne
original and laid up in the most sacred
place. When the ark was put in position
nothing else was In It. Exalted TO the
highest place. preserved alone, with moro
original draft of our Declaration, the
document was intended to survive all the
changes OF time.
GLORY Oversees -1I.).-Having de-
posted the ark in the place appointed Tor
it, the priests who had borne it withdrew.
and the sacred chamber was soon filed
by a cloud of the Divine presence. Tho
cloud first appeared before the children or
Israel in their march from Egypt EEK.
xiii:2D, afterward behind them and be-
tween them and the Egyptians tEN..
xiv:20. first guide. then as protec-
ton. 1t rested on the mount when Moses
went up to converse with God tEX., XIV.
Later it filled the tabernacle set up in the
Aes might behold it. And when the cloud
lifted from the tabernacle and moved the
Israelites journeyed tNumb.. kid. What
became Of the symbol of the Divine pres
ence during the long period of the judges
and the reigns of Saul and David history
does not inform US. but now IL reappears
in Solomons temple when the ark is in
position. The fact is presumptfve proof
that the dedication marked an era in the
national life. when God made special eN-
hibition of His glory
SACRIFICES.--The lesson committee
closed our study with the eleventh verse.
1t will assist in forming a just conception
of the dedication if we pass over the
verses Immediately following and note
that in verses t. and is the king and all
Israel $50 many We're in Jerusalem
uniting with him) offered sacrifices. These
were peace offerings. expressions of graft
tude and joy. The exercises would be
paralleled in our time by singing the doX-
oloey and other hymns of rejoicing.
Twenty-Five thousand oxen and 1O.tD
sheep were laid on the altar. As the ami
mails after they were offered were eaten
Numb. xviii:1oD, this became great
feast day. and that fact increased the
general rejoicing. Ii is easy. even at this
diSta nce Of time, to estimate the clements
that would enter into the joyful expires
sions of that occasion. There stood the
magnificent structure, SO greatly desired
by David completed after so many years
at All immense cost. the most splendid
building OF the age. III llad peen gwen 10
God by the formal act of the king. and He
had shown His marked approval Well
might all the people rejoice in such an
achievement.
CONCLUSION. - The temple was
greatly needed to unity the religious
thought and practice of Israel. Some inn
posing spot where God would record His
name (EX., XX :24, and come and visit His
people in special manner. according 10
the promise would protect them against
the abOminable practices in which the
heather INDUCED The long annual jour
nays from all parts of the land. made at
stated times, would promote the national
feeling But the temple proved to he
snare. the source Of much evil. be-
cause it usurped the place in the hearts
of the people which God only might occu-
Ply. Accordingly. its services relapsed
into profitless Journalism. An enemy Was
sent to tear down its walls and to carry
away its holy vessels with the captive
people And even after the second tenn
pie was built the people in like manner
held it with idolatrous reverence as iii
the time OF Christ and ii was destroyed
tMatt.. XXiV:a. How prone is man TO
turn the blessings of God into curses.