(d) Wood: the shittim-wood, the timber of the wild acacia of the desert Itself, the tree of the "burning bush." (e) Oil, spices, and incense, for anointing the priests, and burning in the tabernacle. (f) Gems: onyx stones, and the precious stones for the breastplate of the high-priest. The people gave jewels, and plates of gold and silver, and brass; wood, skins, hair, and linen; the women wove; the rulers offered precious stones, oil, spices, and incense; and the artists soon had more than they needed.5 The superintendence of the work was intrusted to Bazaleel, of the tribe of Judah, and to Aholiab, of the tribe of Dan, who were skilled S in all manner of workmanship. § 3. The TABERNACLE was the tent of Jehovah, called by the same name as the tents of the people, in the midst of which it stood. It was also call ed the sanctuary, and the tabernacle of the congrega tion. It was a portable building, designed to contain the sacred ark, the special symbol of God's presence, and was surrounded by an outer court. (i.) The Court of the Tabernacle, in which the Tabernacle itself stood, was an oblong space, 100 cubits by 50 (i. e., 150 feet It by 75), having its longer axis east and west, with its front to the east. was surrounded by canvas screens-in the East called Kannauts-5 cubits 5 Ex. xxv. 1-8, xxxv. 4-29, xxxvi. 5–7. 6 Ex. xxxi. 2, 6, xxxv. 30, 34. 7 See chap. xii. § 12, p. 173, note. cubit (see p. 697), equal to 18 English inches. A smaller cubit of 15 inches was used for ves sels and metal-work. The plan shows the The cubit here spoken of was the full full extent of the roof of the Tabernacle, pro in height, and supported by pillars of brass 5 cubits apart, to which the curtains were attached by hooks and fillets of silver. This enclosure was only broken on the eastern side by the entrance, which was 20 cubits wide, and closed by curtains of fine twined linen, wrought with needle-work, and of the most gorgeous colors. In the outer or eastern half of the court was placed the altar of burnt-offering, and between it and the Tabernacle itself, the laver at which the priests washed their hands and feet on entering the Temple. § 4. (ii.) The Tabernacle itself was placed toward the western end of this enclosure. It was an oblong rectangular structure, 30 cubits in length by 10 in width (45 feet by 15), and 10 in height; the interior being divided into two chambers, the first or outer of 20 cubits in length, the inner of 10 cubits, and consequently an exact cube. The former was the Holy Place, or First Tabernacle, containing the golden candlestick on one side, the table of shew-bread opposite, and between them in the centre the altar of incense. The latter was the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies, containing the ark, surmounted by the cherubim, with the two tables inside. 10 The two sides, and the further or western end, were enclosed by boards of shittim-wood overlaid with gold, twenty on the north and south side, six on the western side, and the corner-boards doubled. They stood upright, edge to edge, their lower ends being made with tenons, which dropped into sockets of silver, and the corner-boards being coupled at the top with rings. They were furnished with golden rings, through which passed bars of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold, five to each side, and the middle bar passing from end to end, so as to brace the whole together. Four successive coverings of curtains looped together were placed over the open top, and fell down over the sides. The first, or inmost, was a splendid fabric of linen, embroidered with figures of cherubim, in blue, purple, and scarlet, and looped together by golden fastenings. It seems probable that the ends of this set of curtains hung down within the Tabernacle, forming a sumptuous tapestry. The next was a woolen covering of goats' hair; the third, of rams' skins dyed red; and the outermost, of badgers' skins. It has been usually supposed that these coverings were thrown over the walls, like a pall is thrown over a coffin; but this would have allowed every drop of rain that fell on the Tabernacle to fall through; for, however tightly the curtains might be stretched, the water could never run over the edge, and the sheepskins would only make the matter worse, as, when wetted, their weight would depress the centre, and probably tear any curtain that could be made. There can be no reasonable doubt that the tent had a ridge, as all tents have had from the days of Moses down to the present day. 11 The front of the Sanctuary was closed by a hanging of fine linen, em、 broidered in blue, purple, and scarlet, and supported by golden hooks, on five pillars of shittim-wood overlaid with gold, and standing in brass sockts; and the covering of goats' hair was so made as to fall down over this when required. A more sumptuous curtain of the same kind, embroidered with cherubim, hung on four such pillars, with silver sockets, divided the jecting beyond the walls 5 cubits on every 10 Heb. ix. 2. 11 So called in our version; but the Ho brew word probably signifies seal-skins. 12 It should be noticed that, while the Holy of Holies was divided from the Holy Place br Holy from the Most Holy Place. It was called the VEIL,13 as it hid from the eyes of all but the high-priest the inmost sanctuary, where Jehovah dwelt on his mercy-seat, between the cherubim above the ark. Hence, "to enter within the veil" is to have the closest access to God. It was only passed by the high-priest once a year, on the Day of Atonement, in token of the mediation of Christ, who, with his own blood, hath entered for us within the veil which separates God's own abode from earth. 14 In the temple, the solemn barrier was at length profaned by a Roman conqueror, to warn the Jews that the privileges they had forfeited were "ready to vanish away;" and the veil was at last rent by the hand of God himself, at the same moment that the body of Christ was rent upon the cross, to indicate that the entrance into the holiest of all is now laid open to all believers "by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.''15 The Holy Place was only entered by the priests daily, to offer incense at the time of morning and evening prayer, and to renew the lights on the golden candlestick; and on the Sab bath, to remove the old shew-bread, and to place the new upon the table § 5. (iii.) The Sacred Furniture and Instruments of the Tabernacle. a screen of four pillars supporting curtains, there were in the entrance five pillars in a similar space. Now, no one would put a pillar in the centre of an entrance without a motive; but the moment a ridge is assumed it becomes indispensable. 13 Sometimes the second veil, either in ref. erence to the first at the entrance of tha Holy Place, or as being the veil of the second sanctuary (Heb. ix. 3). 14 Heb. vi. 19. 16 Heb. x. 19, 20. 3. In the Outer Court (a) The Altar of Burnt-offering stood in the midst of the court, and formed the central point of the outer services, in which the people had a part. On it all sacrifices and oblations were presented, except the sin-offerings, which were burnt without the camp. It was a large hollow case or coffer, 5 cubits square by 3 in height, made of shittim-wood, overlaid with plates of brass, and with a grating of brass in the middle to place the wood upon, and rings to lift the grating. At the four corners were projections called “horns,” the “laying hold" of which was the sign of throwing one's self upon the mercy of God, and a means of fleeing to take sanctuary from man's vengeance. Like the ark, the altar of incense, and the table of shewbread, it was furnished with rings, through which were passed bars to carry it when the people were on the march. Its utensils of brass are enumerated in Exod. xxxviii. 3. The priests went up to it, not by steps, but by a sloping mound of earth. (B) The Brazen Laver, a vessel, on a foot, to hold water for the ablutions of the priests, stood between the altar of burnt-offering and the entrance to the holy place. It was made of the brass mirrors which were offered by the women. Its size and form are not mentioned: it is commonly represented as round; it need not have been very large, as the priests washed themselves at, not in it. § 6. (ii.) In the Holy Place.-The furniture of the court was connected with sacrifice, that of the sanctuary itself with the deeper mysteries of mediation and access to God. The First Sanctuary contained three objects: the altar of incense in the centre, so as to be directly in front of the ark of the covenant, 16 the table of shew-bread on its right or north side, and the golden candlestick on the left or south side. These objects were all considered as being placed before the presence of Jehovah, who dwelt in the holiest of all, though with the veil between. (a) The Altar of Incense, a double cube of 1 cubit square by 2 high, with orns, was of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold, whence it is often called the olden Altar," to distinguish it from the altar of burnt-offering, which was lled the Brazen Altar. 18 It had a cornice of gold, and four golden rings to receive the staves of shittim-wood overlaid with gold, for carrying it." Neither burnt-offering, nor meat-offering, nor drink-offering, was to be laid upon it; but the blood of the sin offering of atonement was sprinkled upon its horns once a year.20. The incense burnt upon it was a sacred composi tion of spices of divine prescription.' It was offered every morning and evening, at first by Aaron and his sons, and afterward by the priests officiaing in weekly course, and by the high-priest on great occasions. The priest took some of the sacred fire off the altar of burnt-offering in his censer, and threw the incense upon it: then, entering the holy place, he emptied the censer upon the altar, prayed, and performed the other duties of his office. Meanwhile the people prayed outside;22 and thus was typified the intercession of Christ in heaven, making his people's prayers on earth ac 16 1 K. vi. 22. 17 Ex. xxxix. 28; Num. iv. 11. 18 Ex. xxxviii. 30. 21 20 Ex. xxx. 1-10, xxxvii. 25-28. 21 Exod. xxv. 6, xxx. 34: the ingredients were stacte, onycha, galbanum, and purs 19 Its appearance may be illustrated by frankincense, with salt, as the symbol of in the figure on p. 230. corruptness. 22 Luke i. 10, 23 ceptable. It was highly criminal to offer "strange" incense, or "strange fire upon the altar, or for any one to usurp the function of the priests, or to Nadab and Abihu make, or apply to any other use, the sacred incense. were slain for the second of these offenses;24 King Uzziah was smitten with leprosy for the third;25 and the punishment of death was appointed for the fourth.20 Supposed form of the Altar of Incense. (3) The Tuble of Shew-bread was an oblong table, with legs, 2 cubits long, 1 broad, and 14 high. It was of shittim-wood, covered with gold, and finished, like the altar, with a golden rim, and four rings and staves. It was furnished with dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls, of pure gold. It stood on the north, or right side of the altar of incense.27 Upon this table were placed twelve cakes of fine flour, in two rows of six each, with frankincense upon each row. This "Shew-bread," as it was called from being exposed before Jehovah, was placed fresh upon the table every Sabbath by the priests, who ate the old loaves in the holy place.28 The letter of this law was transgressed on one occasion, which is rendered most memorable by Christ's appeal to it in one of his arguments with the Pharisees. When David fled from Saul, Abimelech the priest gave to him and his companions, in their necessity, the shew-bread which had just been removed from the table. David pleaded for it as being in a manner common, since fresh bread had been sanctified in the sacred vessels, and the priest laid more stress on the purity of the young men than on the sacredness of the bread. 29 It would be difficult to say whether the whole proceeding, including David's pretense of a mission from Saul, was morally justifiable. The point to which our Saviour's argument is directed is somewhat different. He appea's to the case in which the sanctity both of the holy place and of holy thing 23 Ps. cxli. 2: Rev. v. 8, viii. 1-5: every clause of the last passage contains some allusion to the mode of offering the incense in the later temple service. 28 Lev. xxiv. 5-9. 24 Lev. x. 1-7. See chap. xiii. § 3. 26 Ex. xxx. 37, 38. 27 Ex. xxv. 31-40, xxxvii. 17-24. |