FROM a correspondent, we have received the following:—
“Please explain the fourteenth chapter of Romans, especially the fifth verse, through the SIGNS.
This chapter is one of the stumbling-stones of the unregenerate. It matters not how strong may be the reasons and proofs for the perpetuity of God's law in all its entirety, he who wishes to avoid the unpleasant and unpopular duty (to the carnal heart only) of the observance of the fourth commandment, finds in this, he thinks, an excuse for thus doing. So he “turns away his ear from hearing the law,” tramples under foot its fourth precept, simply because it is said in Rom. 14 that everyone should be persuaded in their own mind as regards the observance of certain days. Those who love God's law have no stumbling-block (Ps. 119: 165, margin), while those who transgress it, stumble at noonday as in the night (Isa. 30: 10)—stumble because they are disobedient. 1 Peter 2: 8.
The apostle does not refer to moral duties in Rom. 14. If so, he would not be so indifferent concerning it, neither would he give such instruction to the church. He has before declared that the reason why men do not obey the law is because their hearts are “carnal” (Rom. 8: 7); he states emphatically that the law is established by faith (Rom. 3: 31); and this law to which the apostle refers is the law which points out sin (Rom. 3: 20)—the decalogue (Rom. 7: 7.) But while the law cannot justify, grace can; and that same grace will so transform men that they will fulfill the righteousness of the law. Further he declares that he who has received the grace of Christ does not thereby have license to sin; but if we commit sin, that is, transgress the law, we are servants of sin. Rom. 6: 13-16. But lest men should get the idea that this justification had reference to sins against God alone, the transgression of the first four precepts of the law, the apostle shows in Rom. 13 that every precept guarding our duty to man is also included. “Love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13: 10); “If ye love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14: 15); “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5: 4. And the apostle concludes his wonderful argument on grace and its results in the following words: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” Rom. 13: 14.
But lest the members of the church should judge one another with respect to eating and drinking, the apostle writes the instructions of chapter 14. The weak in faith are to be received, even though they may have doubts as to whether they ought not to continue in former observances not required by the gospel. One believed that he could eat all things allowed of God for that purpose, another thought that he ought not do this at all times. They were not to sit in judgment upon each other, God had accepted them, and that was sufficient.
Some of the Roman Church were from among the Gentiles, some from among the Jews. The latter brought with them many customs made dear by sacred association, and by commandment and blessing of God. Among these were such days as those of the passover, pentecost, etc. While they did not hold them as means of justification, and yet could not see clearly just how these feasts were met in Christ, they were not to be condemned. One still regarded the passover, and ate his bitter herbs (Ex. 12: 6-8), and did it for the Lord's sake; while another, with clearer knowledge and stronger faith, saw all these types met in Christ. One should not condemn the other. “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” in regard to these matters. If the Jew still thought that the day of atonement was better than other days, and kept that day by fasting and prayer, he should not be condemned by a brother who did not regard that day.
But does not the apostle use the words, “every day”? and does not “every day” include the Sabbath? No; for the Sabbath is among the settled things belonging to God. What belonged to God was not counted with things common. So the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel, because they belonged to the Lord. Num. 2: 33. Even so when the Lord told the children of Israel, “And thou shalt say, I will eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after,” he did not include all meats, only the clean. (See Lev. 11 and Deut. 14.) Yet the objector could take this general statement, and say, “That means all beasts, clean and unclean,” with just as much show of truth as he could say that the “every day” of Rom. 14 included the Sabbath.
Again: In Ex. 16: 4 it is said that the people should go out and gather manna “every day;” but this does not include the Sabbath, because no manna fell on that day. Some of the rebellious evidently thought it did, but were rebuked. Verse 27. The “every day” of both Ex. 16: 4 and Rom. 14: 5 includes only those days which in their very nature are alike and equal. These are “the six working-days;” the Sabbath is not to be counted among them. Like the Levites, it belongs to the Lord. The typical, yearly holy days of the Jews fell on different ones of the “six working-days.” They were then better by reason of this than the others until Christ came. But aside from this, all were on an equality. It was originally so, it has been so in the Christian dispensation. But the seventh day of the week has from the creation, will be through all time to come, the holy rest-day of the Lord our God.
This is the lesson of the chapter. We must not condemn the conscience of our brethren in non-essentials. As long as they are meeting God's requirements to the best of their knowledge, deal with them charitably. To God they stand or fall. And we should also be careful to give them no cause to stumble by any course we pursue. It may not seem sin to us to indulge in sweet wine or cider, but “it is good not to do” that, or aught else, “whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Verse 21. “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.” Chap. 15: 1, 2. Error will not edify, or build up, love will.
But pleasing God is first; and the things which he approves, which are more excellent, are revealed in his will, his holy law. Rom. 2: 18. These are essential. But let us remember that it is only possible to obey this law through our Lord Jesus Christ.
A MANIFESTATION OF LOVE.
Love for a people is not always manifested in yielding compliance to their wishes. This is shown in the conduct of Moses and Aaron. Aaron's love for the people—if it could be called love—led him to yield to them without reproving them; but, when he was reproved, he endeavored to excuse himself by censuring the people, although his own sin was so great that if it had not been for the intercession of Moses, he would have been destroyed. Deut. 9:20. But Moses, "meek above all men," sternly reproves the people, "Ye have sinned a great sin." But is this because of his anger?—No; but his love. He continues, "And now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin." Ex. 32:30.201And then the "man of God" goes up to meet with the Lord, to plead with him for poor, rebellious, foolish Israel. He is persistent; for forty days and nights he pleads with God. He says: "I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned." Deut. 9:18. The desire of his soul swallowed up all else. He pleads God's mercy and goodness, his love and promises. The Spirit of his great Antitype breathes through the prayer; he will give his very life for the people. Ex. 32:32. His prayer is heard. Aaron was moved by motives wholly selfish; Moses by motives wholly unselfish. Aaron's seeming kindness was destruction to the people. Moses' reproof was their salvation. "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be as oil upon the head; let not my head refuse it." Ps. 141:5, Revised Version.
THE SABBATH OF THE LORD.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
REFERENCE was made last week to the last warning message of Rev. 14:6-14. That it is a closing message, is indicated by the fact that it ushers in the coming of Christ to reap "the harvest of the earth." Verse 14. "The harvest is the end of the world." Matt. 13:39. Those who reject this warning will receive of the unmixed wrath (wrath not mixed with mercy, compare Ps. 75:8; Hab. 3:2; Isa. 51:17) of God. Probation closes with the message. The decree goes forth from the heavenly temple, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still, and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Rev. 22:11.
The foundation of this whole message, so far as Bible truth is concerned, is found in verses 6 and 7, quoted last week. These are here given again, with some of the prominent words italicized:—
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
Let us briefly consider this scripture:—
1. Angel is the anglicization of the Greek word meaning messenger. It here symbolizes that body of God's faithful servants which will bear this message to all the world.
2. The messengers bear the everlasting, or, literally, age-lasting gospel. It includes the all of the gospel. The general idea of the gospel is that it is simply glad tidings of a Redeemer who will forgive sins, and in some way make us happy. But it means much more than is generally conceived. Gospel does mean glad tidings of a Saviour. Luke 2:10, 11. He is a Saviour from sin. Matt. 1:21. Sin is the transgression of the law of ten commandments. 1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:7. Therefore if Christ saves a person from sin, he saves him from the transgression of every command of his law. Further, the wages of sin is death. Rom. 6:23; Jas. 1:15. If Jesus saves from sin, he not only saves from transgression, but he saves from death by giving life. John 3:16. But he gives this life at the last day, at his second coming. John 6:40; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17; et al. Therefore the gospel includes the second coming of Christ, and the kingdom of God, which will then be given. In fact, that is the blessed hope of the gospel, as it is the climax of all its hopes. Titus 2:13. The gospel also recognizes the integrity and holiness of the law, and demands obedience thereto. But of this more further on.
3. The message is world-wide. It is to go to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." The same thing is taught by Matt. 24:14: "But this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
4. Men are called from giving glory to the creature. It is an age of man-fearing and man-worship. "What will the world say?" "How will Mrs. Grundy look at it?" are stock questions, asked mentally, if not vocally, when an unpleasant, unpopular duty is presented. God foresaw this. The very words indicate that this spirit would be manifest. Giving glory to men is a prominent characteristic of our age. Men are lauded and flattered and glorified for what Christ may do through them, and the Master is left in the background. And many times glory is given to men for that which is unworthy of thought even. All this the Lord knew. And just when Christ is about to come, this message falls due: "Fear God, and give glory to him."
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments." Such is the wisdom or understanding that the fear of God teaches. This is also stated by Job 28:28: "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." Departing from evil is to cease to transgress God's commandments. Again, the way the people of God are to glorify, or honor, him, is to "bear much fruit." John 15:8. But to be the people of God we must have the Spirit of Christ (Rev. 8:9); and the fruit of the Spirit is love (Gal. 5:22). But as "this is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3) the fruit which glorifies God is obedience to his holy law. Again, the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. And God's law is righteousness and truth. Ps. 119:143, 176; Isa. 51:6, 7. Therefore to glorify, or give glory to, God is to be obedient to all his commandments through the grace of his gospel, and the strength of Christ.
5. That this is a just conclusion is shown by the reason given why men should do this, "For the hour of his judgment is come." If men do not turn to God and fear and glorify him, they will be condemned in the Judgment. Therefore not to fear and glorify God is to transgress the standard of the judgment. But the rule, or standard, of the judgment is God's law. Eccl. 12:13, 14; Rom. 2:12; Jas. 2:8-12. Hence to fear and glorify God is to render obedience to the law of God, the rule of his judgment.
6. "And worship Him that made heaven, and earth, the sea and the fountains of waters." And who is this Being?—The Creator, who has "made his wonderful works to be remembered" (Ps. 111:4); and the memorial of those works is "throughout all generations" (Ps. 135:13). This carries us right back to the fourth commandment. "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work; . . . for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore [for which reason] he blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it." Ex. 20:8-11. The Sabbath is God's memorial throughout all generations. It points out the one supreme God, the Creator of all, and it is the only part of God's law which does. And to worship him as Creator, is to hallow the day which he has set apart. No other conclusion from the text is legitimate.
This part of this threefold message which we have quoted from Rev. 14:6, 7 is to bring men back to obedience to all the commandments of God, including the fourth.
The next part of the message foretells the result to the divided church of rejecting the first part. "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." The rejection of light brings darkness. The church divided becomes the church fallen. "We would have healed [the divisions in] Babylon," says the Lord through the prophet, "but she is not healed." Jer. 51:9. She rejected the remedy, the divine means of healing.
The next and last part of the message, borne by the third angel, is a solemn warning against all errors and practices condemned by the truth of God. The first part of the message is positive injunction; the second a solemn lamentation; the third a solemn warning, with fearful penalties for its neglect. One cannot heed the first without heeding the third. The result of the message is seen in the development of two classes. The first is mentioned in Rev. 16:1, 2; the second, with which we are chiefly concerned, in Rev. 14:12: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Now the commandments of God do not have reference to the gospel; for that is expressed in the faith of Jesus. They refer directly to that law which godly fear will lead us to keep, which to keep is to render glory and worship to God, which will be the rule of judgment, which is comprehended in the decalogue.
But if they keep the commandments, they must keep every one. A man who was breaking the first or sixth could not be said to be keeping the commandments. Is it not just as true as regards the fourth? Are they not in the same law? Were they not spoken and confirmed by the same Being again and again? Then the unavoidable conclusion is that this threefold message develops a class of commandment-keeping, or Sabbatarian, Christians. Of the Reformation church it is said, "Here is the patience and faith of the saints." Rev. 13:10. They were not commandment keepers; they had not yet seen the light. But the remnant church keeps all the commandments of God. This arouses Satan's wrath, causing him to influence earthly powers to persecute them. Rev. 12:17: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman [the church], and went to make war with the remnant [the very last] of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus." This is the same class brought to view in Rev. 14:12, who are prepared for Christ's coming. Their robes have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb; God's holy law has been written in their hearts. They have gotten the victory over the beast and his image; they are numbered with the true Israel of God, to whom the holy Sabbath was to be a perpetual sign.
This series of articles will be concluded in the next number. M. C. W.
"THEN SHALL THE SANCTUARY BE CLEANSED."
By C. P. B.
(Concluded.)
WHEN Christ comes the second time the righteous living will be changed and the righteous dead raised to immortality. See 1 Thess. 4:16, 17; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52. It is manifest, therefore, that the cases of all are decided before the Lord comes to earth. The righteous dead are not raised to be judged, but previous to their resurrection they are accounted worthy (Luke 20:35) of a resurrection to eternal life. Of them the apostle says, "The dead shall be raised incorruptible." This work of judgment takes place in the heavenly sanctuary, and answers to the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary upon the tenth day of the seventh month of the Jewish year.
Under the Levitical priesthood sins were forgiven (see Lev. 4:20, 26, and numerous other texts) but they were not blotted out. The blood of the offering was borne into the sanctuary, and that blood was a confession of sin, for in bringing the offering the worshiper confessed that he was a sinner. But no record of sin was kept in the earthly sanctuary, nor was any such record removed, when, at the close of the year's work, that sanctuary was cleansed. This work was done only in figure, but not so in the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary; there are the books containing a faithful record of the sins of all who have ever had an interest in Christ, and the last work of our great High Priest is the blotting out of that record. This is the work referred to by the angel when he said, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," or the sins of the people of God be blotted out.
It was this judgment which is thus described by the prophet in Dan. 7:9, 10: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened."
God the Father, "the Ancient of days," sits as Judge; "thousand thousands" of angels minister unto him, "and ten thousand times ten thousand" of those heavenly messengers stand before him bearing the records of the lives of men. The judgment is set, and the books are opened. In verse 13 another character is introduced, namely, the Son of God, our great Advocate. He it is who represents before that august tribunal those who have committed their cases to him, not in the aggregate, but singly; as the names are called he confesses before his Father and before the holy angels those who have been faithful and have confessed him before men (Matt. 10:32, 33); their names are retained in the book of life (Rev. 3:5), and their sins are blotted out; but the names of those who have failed, who have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins, are blotted from the book. Christ refuses to own them before his Father and before the angels, and their sins stand against them to condemn them to a part in the second resurrection and to the second death in the lake of fire.
Following this judgment, the kingdoms of this world are given to Christ. Says the prophet: "And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Dan. 7:14. Then Christ comes to claim his own; "on his vesture and on his thigh" is "a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS;" with the breath of his mouth he slays the wicked (Isa. 11:4; 2 Thess. 2:8); the dead saints hear his voice, and they that hear, live (John 5:28); the righteous living are changed, and together they are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, so to ever be with the Lord.
This work of blotting out the sins of the righteous dead is none other than the cleansing of the sanctuary, which, according to the word of the angel, began at the end of the 2,300 years, in the autumn of 1844. That it has not long since been completed, is due to the fact that God is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But we are assured that "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10.
That this work was to cover a considerable period of time, and that during its continuance the wicked powers of earth were to hold sway as before, is evident from Dan. 7:11, 12. These words are thrown in by the prophet in the midst of his description of the judgment, which answers to the cleansing work of the earthly sanctuary. He says: "I beheld then, because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." While the judgment is sitting, while cases are being decided for eternity, the little horn, the Papacy, speaks great words against God; and when did that power ever speak so great words as in A. D. 1870, when the great council of Rome passed the decree of Papal infallibility? After the other beasts lost their dominion, they lived for a time; Babylon still continued as Babylon after it was conquered by Medo-Persia, and the same was true of the powers which followed it; but of the little horn power the prophet says: "I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame." The Papacy is a blasphemous power to the last. "Rome never changes."
But though this wicked power still blasphemes the name of God, the judgment, which is to answer the important question, "Who shall be able to stand" (Rev. 6:17) is fast passing, and the all-important matter with us is to know that Jesus is our Advocate, and that he will confess our names before his Father and before the angels, and that he will not blot our names out of the book of life.
The Sabbath-School.
Old Testament History.
THE TABERNACLE.
(Lesson 15, April 13, 1889.)
1. WHAT was the object of the sanctuary which the Lord told the children of Israel to build?
"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Ex. 25:8.
2. Was this an entirely new thought to them?
"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation; he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him." Ex. 15:1, 2.
3. Of what was the frame-work of the tabernacle made?
"And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up." Ex. 26:15.
4. How many boards were there on each side?
"And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward." "And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards." Verses 18, 20.
5. What were the dimensions of each board?
"Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board." Verse 16.
6. Then what was the length and the height of the tabernacle?
7. How were these boards kept in an upright position? Verses 17, 19, 26-28.
8. Describe the west end of the tabernacle.
"And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring; thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board." Verses 22-25.
9. With what was all the wood-work covered?
"And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars; and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold." Verse 29.
10. How was the east end inclosed?
"And thou shalt make a hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold; and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them." Verses 36, 37.
11. What formed the ceiling of the tabernacle?
"Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet; with cherubim of cunning work shalt thou make them." Verse 1; see also verses 2-6.
12. What covering was above this?
"And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle; eleven curtains shalt thou make." Verse 7; see also verses 8-13.
13. What further protection did the tabernacle have above?
"And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins." Verse 14.
14. How many apartments were there in the tabernacle? what were they called? and how were they separated?
"And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work; with cherubim shall it be made. And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony; and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy." Verses 31-33.
15. How was Moses guided in building this tabernacle?
"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." Ex. 25:8, 9.
17. What were these "holy places" which Moses made?
"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." Heb. 9:23, 24.
20. In the type, what were pictured on all the curtains within? Ex. 26:1, 31.
21. What were these to represent in the reality?
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." Rev. 5:11.
"SANCTUARY" means, according to Young, a "place set apart." So when the Lord said in Ex. 25:8: "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them," he meant that a place should be built, separated unto his worship, holy unto the Lord. As sanctifying the Sabbath was setting it apart to the worship of God, so the sanctuary denotes a place set apart for service unto the Lord. This building of the sanctuary had been predicted by Moses in his inspired song of triumph, recorded in Ex. 15. He says, "I will prepare Him a habitation;" that was the design of the sanctuary,—a dwelling-place for the presence of the Lord.
THE size of the sanctuary was, in English measurement, reckoning one and one-half feet to the cubit, forty-five feet long, fifteen feet wide, and fifteen feet high, making its length three times its breadth. It was divided into two compartments,—the "holy place," fifteen feet wide by thirty long, and the "most holy place," fifteen feet square. This latter apartment formed a perfect cube. The sides and the west end of the sanctuary were formed of upright boards of acacia wood overlaid with gold, the top was covered with a curtain of fine-twined linen, wrought with cherubs, that is, the images of cherubs, an order of angels, was woven or wrought into the cloth; these represented the angels round about God's throne in Heaven. Rev. 5:11. The entrance to the tabernacle was through a curtain, or veil, of fine linen, and a similar veil separated the holy from the most holy place.203
THE first set of curtains, of fine-twined linen, rested upon the tabernacle itself, forming a surpassingly beautiful ceiling (Ex. 26:1-6), the ends of the curtains hanging down the sides to within three feet of the ground. The other curtains, of goats' hair, rams' skins, and badgers' skins (seal-skin), were not laid down flat upon the tabernacle, but were the coverings of a tent over the tabernacle. There are two words translated tabernacle in our version, one referring to the tabernacle, or sanctuary, the other to the tent over the sanctuary. In the Revised Version, Ex. 26:7 reads: "And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle." And this was covered with ram-skins, and that with seal-skins, rendering the tent impervious to water. The term translated in our version "badgers-skins" is translated in the Revised Version "seal-skins," with "porpoise-skins" in the margin.
THE entrance to the sanctuary, when the building was erected, was always toward the east. The court surrounding it was one hundred and fifty feet wide by three hundred feet long, the tabernacle being placed in the center as regards the sides, but at a less distance from the west end than from the east, the open space at the west being thirty feet, and at the east end, or front, seventy-five feet. In this open space of seventy-five by one hundred feet, was the altar of burnt-offerings, and here also were brought the beasts and other articles to be offered.
IN the first, or most holy, compartment of the tabernacle, were the seven-branched candle-stick (on the south side), the table of shewbread (on the north side), and the altar of incense (on the west end, just before the second vail). In the most holy place was the ark of the covenant, within which was the law, over which was the mercy-seat; upon the mercy-seat rested the glorious shekinah, the visible symbol of God's presence.
AROUND this glorious and consecrated center, Israel encamped under the standards of four tribes, three tribes under each standard. The standard of Judah was on the east, Reuben on the south, Ephraim on the west, Dan on the north (see Numbers 2), while between these and the tabernacle were the Levites. Arrayed in perfect order, with the glory of God in the center, no language could more fittingly describe the encampment of the people of God than that which the Lord put in the mouth of Balaam: "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters." Num. 24:5, 6.
ANOTHER thought as regards the position of the tabernacle, as contrasted with the Catholic churches and those fashioned after them. The entrance of the tabernacle, as before stated, was toward the east. The priest, therefore, in burning incense on the altar, or as he stood before the mercy-seat, worshiped and performed service with his face to the west. If rendering service either before the candlestick or table of shewbread, his face was either toward the north or south. But it was never toward the east in all his worship while in the presence of the Lord.
WHY this contrast? Evidently to emphasize the fact that the worship of Jehovah could have nothing in common with "the oldest . . . of all the forms of idolatry known to man,"—sun-worship. The "eastward position," as it is called, is heathen in its origin; it is, like Sunday, a venerated relic of sun-worship. Worshiping toward the east was a sign of the grossest of idolatry, as it was the most offensive in the sight of God. For a divine comment on this custom, read the climax of sins as shown to Ezekiel the prophet (chap. 8:15, 16):—
"Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east."
ONE fact, among others, is made prominent in this lesson,—a fact which always ought to be borne in mind,—and that is, God is very particular. All things were to be made like the divine pattern showed to Moses (Ex. 25:9), and this injunction was twice repeated (verse 40, and chap. 26:30). It manifested in type God's wisdom, glory, goodness, and mercy in the plan of salvation. It was connected with his holy law, the transgression of which is sin. While the thought of how particular the Lord is concerning his precepts may well cause us to tremble, we can gain equal courage in knowing that he whose precepts fail not, will not fail in his promises.