THOSE who have been reading the thrilling chapters of Old Testament history, day by day, the past four months, with minds open to the quick, penetrating impressions of the Spirit, must often have been aroused by the powerful setting forth of some great object attained; by the lucid, pungent portrayal of some noble incident; by the gathering of some golden fruitage, after sorrowful sowing and nurturing; by the granting to a heavily burdened heart some cheering stimulus when courage was about to fail; by the ministering to a heart, smitten by enmity, censure, or ingratitude, some soothing comfort in an hour of despondency; or by the visiting of swift, telling punishment upon some wilful, hazardous infractor of God's intents and commands.
Conspicuous among the many striking deeds and events, recorded down to the days of Samuel, was the building of the wonderful tabernacle at Sinai.
We are apt to conceive of Israel—ready, waiting to move out of Egypt the night their chains were broken—as a destitute, urgent, inquisitive body, just emerging from slavery, bearing their unbaked bread upon their shoulders. But it will pay us to study the remarkable company later.
It is the third month of the year of their marvelous release from the land of Pharaoh. We observe the slow-moving throng as it emerges from the wilderness of Sin, lying between Elim and Sinai, in Western Arabia, ever since renowned above all other summits of earth.
Its fourth encampment thereafter took place at Sinai, the most celebrated of all earth's mountains, because of the majestic scenes it witnessed; because of the words of power to which it listened.
To Israel that mountain became a schoolhouse of flame, from whose lofty, burning doorway spoke the Teacher of the universe, giving out to that lowly, amazed throng many momentous lessons of LIFE if received and obeyed, lessons of DEATH if disobeyed.
Here, during the year which followed, was constructed the tabernacle, that most singular of all earthly buildings, a structure the like of which no human architect had ever designed. Its original occupied eminent place in the heavens, where dwelt the God of Israel. And of this original there was entrusted to Moses, on the great mountain, a pattern definite, careful, in the extreme, with rigid instructions not to deviate therefrom.
Reader, bear a little urging. Take seat. Read slowly, carefully, very thoughtfully, the book of Exodus, from chapter 25 to 31 inclusive, bringing to the surface, with aid of your mental microscope, the multitude of invigorating and instructive ideas, suggestions, lessons, which flood that wonderfully itemized text.
The depths of all its meaning we can not see, perhaps. All the reasons for the extreme exactness, the minute detail we can not fathom, may be. The complete motive for the profuse use of gold, silver, costly gems, and fine linen in the structure of the tabernacle, and the priestly attire for Aaron and his sons, we can not appreciate, possibly; but in the study there will be served us enough vitalizing food to strengthen our famishing hearts; enough water of life to refresh our worn spirits thru long, long days.
At the very beginning of chapter 25 the reader finds himself amazed at God's free, ready, unhesitating request—order—that the encamped people bring Him an offering, so varied, so bountiful, of materials so precious, of fine goods rarely possessed by a host just released from toilsome bondage.4But God knew in what state they had come out of Egypt. He had not forgotten the consoling pledge He made to Abraham, His friend, more than 400 years before, touching this very body of people now tented before Him, Abraham's descendants. Listen to the promise. Gen. 15:14, "That nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance."
And thus, at Sinai, we find them able to comply to the uttermost with God's request that they bring Him "an offering," a gift, with which to build Him a marvelous dwelling-place among them. And they responded without grudge or stint or objection; but promptly, willingly, freely, gave their treasured things, gold, silver, fine brass, precious jewels—cut and uncut,—fine twined linen, costly skins of animals, "principal spices" for the anointing oils, and "sweet spices" for the fragrant perfume, of neither of which were they ever to make the like for themselves.
"Both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, brought bracelets, earrings, rings, tablets, jewels of gold. And every man with whom was found blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair, red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them, with silver, brass, and acacia wood, an offering unto the Lord." "All the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, both blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and brought that which they had spun." And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastplate, and oil for the light, for the anointing, and for the sweet incense.
And this varied, affluent giving continued until "much more than enough for the work which the Lord had commanded" had been contributed.
But when, where, and how, did Israel obtain this munificent provision for the undreamed-of building in the desert? And whence came the many animals for daily sacrifices and offerings as soon as the tabernacle was finished?
In Exodus 12:31 we have these pressing, urgent words from the mouth of Pharaoh, as from the lips of a man in sore peril, weighed down with fear. They were spoken to Moses and Aaron in the night: "Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, ye, and the children of Israel. Go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Take all your flocks and herds, and be gone; and bless me also!"
In verse thirty-five we read: "And the children of Israel . . . asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and Jehovah gave them favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And they spoiled the Egyptians."
Here then, we learn, in part, certainly, how the children of Israel left the land of their captivity with GREAT SUBSTANCE, as God promised Abraham they should. And perhaps, too, we here discern a reason for the overflowing abundance they contributed toward the building of that unique edifice at the foot of Sinai. Freely they had received. Freely they gave.
There is one point more—the effect upon Moses of those many days of nearness to God in the mountain, while he was being shown how to construct the building God was to honor with His presence. The most vivid imagination can not conceive the full result,—the enlargement of aim, purpose, endeavor, for the future of his life; the glad expanding of ideas Godward; the rapid increase of ability to comprehend God; the blessed lessening of the magnetic drawing power of this world.
