LESSON 5.—AUGUST 3.—THE TABERNACLE.
1 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil. And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the
5 things that are upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candle-stick, and light the lamps thereof. And thou shalt set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put
6 the screen of the door to the tabernacle. And thou shalt set
7 the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. And thou shalt set the laver between the
8 tent of meeting and the altar, and shalt put water therein. And
9 thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the screen of the gate of the court. And thou shalt take the anointing
10 oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and
shall hallow it, and all the furniture thereof: and it shall be
11 holy. And thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and
all its vessels, and sanctify the altar: and the altar shall be most
12 holy. And thou shalt anoint the laver and its base, and sanc-
13 tify it. And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door
of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water. And
thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments; and thou shalt
anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister unto me in
the priest's office." Golden Text.—"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Ps. 100:4. (1) What command did the Lord give Moses concerning the tabernacle? How long was this after the departure from Egypt? Verse 1, 2. Note 1. (2) What was commanded concerning the ark? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) What direction was given concerning the table? And the candlestick? What did the candlestick represent? Verse 4. Note 3. (4) What was said of the altar of incense? What did the incense signify? Verse 5. Note 4. (5) Where was the altar of burnt-offering situated? Of what was it a symbol? Verse 6. Note 5. (6) Where was the laver to be placed? What did this laver signify? Verse 7. Note 6. (7) What was set round about the tabernacle? Verse 8. (8) What then was to be done to the tabernacle? Verse 9. (9) How was the altar of burnt-offering to be dedicated? What would be the effect of this anointing? Verse 10. (10) What was to be the dedication of the laver? Verse 11. (11) What was the first act in setting apart the priests? Verse 12. Note 7. (12) What further was to be done to Aaron? For what would this qualify him? Verse 13. For an excellent help see "Patriarchs and Prophets," chapter 27, pages 313, 314; chapter 29, pages 334-336. 1. The Time.—The Israelites left Egypt on the fifteenth day of the first month (Ex. 12: 2, 6-8, 28-32) and arrived at Sinai in just two months from that day. Ch. 19: 1. From that time to the end of Moses' second period of forty days in the mountain with God was about three months, and the remainder of the year was occupied in building the tabernacle. 2. "The ark of the testimony" was so called because it contained the tables of the law, which were called "the tables of testimony." Ex. 31: 18. They testified of God's will (Ps. 40: 8.) There was also the "book of the law" in the side of the ark, or before it, which testified against the people because of their rebellious tendencies. Also the pot of manna and Aaron's rod that budded, which testified to God's goodness to them notwithstanding their unworthiness. The ark is described in Ex. 25: 10-22. 3. "The table" here referred to was the table of showbread. On it were placed twelve loaves, or cakes, of bread, which were renewed every Sabbath. For detailed description, see Ex. 25: 23-30; Lev. 24: 5-9. The candlestick, or lamp-stand, is described in Ex. 25: 31-39, and its value was about $28,000. The candlestick represented the church, the oil represented the Spirit of God, and the light symbolized the light of truth which God's people are to show to the world. See Zech. 4: 1-6; Rev. 1: 10-16, 20. 4. The incense represented the merit of Christ, which alone makes the prayers and services of fallible man acceptable to God. Rev. 8: 3, 4. 5. The altar of burnt-offering was pre-eminently the symbol of sacrifice. It was placed in the forefront of the tabernacle service, and was accessible to all the people. It signified entire self-sacrifice, inasmuch as all offerings upon it were entirely consumed, and offerings for the people were made daily. 6. The laver was a symbol of purity, as the priests were required to wash their hands and feet before entering the sanctuary. "Tent of meeting" signifies that in the tabernacle the Lord met with his chosen representatives of the people. The expression "tent of the congregation" in the Common Version is misleading, as the congregation could not go into the "tent." 7. The prime qualification of a minister of the Gospel is that he shall be clean? "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord." Isa. 52: 11. The holy anointing of the Spirit will not be imparted until there be first the cleansing by the blood of Christ, and also the putting away of the "filthiness of the flesh."