To all, her temple spreads its gates; The husbandman, who breathes the dawn, All ranks their several tasks may tend, Then while she calls, her words obey; Her claims accredit, and assume Those habits which will bless the tomb. THE TABERNACLE. EXODUS xxvi. Sent by E. F. In this chapter we have a description of the coverings and boards of the Tabernacle, with also the vail of the door. There was no roof; but on examining the coverings which the Lord ordered, we shall find that they were sufficient, and just fitted for a movable structure. There were four. That which is spoken of from ver. 1-6, was the inner one of "glory and beauty." Next, ver. 7-13, there was one of "goats' hair:" then, ver. 14, one of "rams' skins dyed red:" and for the outside, one of "badgers' skins." These, together, form a beautiful and striking type of the Lord Jesus, as the covering of his people. We have seen Him as the supply of some of our manifold necessities; yet even allowing that we have food and light, a covering is still needed. In the wilderness there were great changes of climate. The noon-day sun was often sending forth scorching rays; the nightly dews fell heavily; while storms were not wanting to add to the discomfort of those who were journeying through. But in every change of atmosphere, those who were within the tabernacle were sheltered and safe. The Holy Spirit, by the prophet Isaiah, thus speaks of the future glory of Israel, when they shall again be the people of the Lord: "And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." (Isa. iv. 6.) And such was the tabernacle to those who served the Lord there. Yet, as we may find much comfort and instruction for ourselves in the verses before us (in Exodus), we will, by the help of the Lord, attempt to discover the truths contained in them. For the sake of the more plainness, we will begin at ver. 14, and take the outer covering first. The four may signify Christ in his life and humiliation; Christ in his death and atonement; Christ in his resurrection; Christ in his glory! The outer covering was of skins: merely skins in their natural state. They would present no beauty to the eye; there would be nothing remarkable in their appearance. Yet on these came the storm, the burning heat, or the chilling night dews. Now read, with this idea, the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." "Surely he' hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Yes, it is even so! The soul that sinneth, it shall die." This is the decree of an unchangeable God. And "all have sinned." The storm of wrath must come, then, and "how shall we escape?" Ah! wondrous love! The pure and holy one of God has suffered the full rigour of the tempest; He has borne all! We have but to lay hold by faith on his finished work. In his life He went through all the appointed days and nights of suffering. "He took upon him the form of a servant." He bore our burdens; He did all for us; and He now can sympathize with us in our daily duties and trials. Under the badgers' skins was a covering of "rams' skins dyed red," signifying, we believe, Christ in his death and atonement. The ram was a substitute, as in the case of Isaac. It has been beautifully remarked that "God did not spare Himself the grief which He spared Abraham; for while He sent a substitute for Isaac, He gave up his own Son to the death." "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." The obedience of Christ was also "unto death, even the death of the cross." (Phil. ii. 8.) He is our substitute, our atonement. His blood was the price of redemption. It has been beautifully observed by another, "If every breaker of the law had been sent to hell, and consigned to endless punishment, there could not have been such a 'full, perfect, and sufficient' satisfaction given to all the attributes of God, as there was by the one 'decease which was accomplished at Jerusalem."" Here the just suffered for the unjust, and God can save with a righteous salvation those who come to Him through the Lord Jesus. Thus "mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." In Christ the attributes and requirements of God are perfectly satisfied, and can harmonize into love, which is "the bond of perfectness," as the various colours meet and blend in light. O that sinners would avail themselves of such a hiding-place! Here is safety; here alone is peace; peace made "through the blood of the cross." (Col. i. 20.) "Consider Jesus" then. Consider Him in his life (Heb. xii. 4); in his death; yet He did not remain in the grave beyond the appointed time, "the third day he rose again from the dead," and we must not stay there. It is said in 1 Cor. xv. 14, "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." Yes, faith may begin at the cross, and the sin-burdened soul may behold Him Who was stretched there, and while viewing the "visage marred more than any man," and counting the wounds, may confess the guilt which nailed Him there, and yet feel that the blood flowing from that pierced side can atone for all sin,-and thus find the peace which could be made in no other way,-yet faith must not end with the cross, and that which does not recognise a risen Saviour is not complete. It has been beautifully remarked, "John the Baptist testified of Christ as the coming One: He testified of Himself as sent the Holy Spirit testifies of Him as the risen One.” The third covering was of "goats' hair;" let us consider how far this may be regarded as a type of Christ in his resurrection. In Leviticus xvi., which tells of the ceremonies to be observed on the day of atonement, we read of two goats (ver. 5), one was to be killed as the sin-offering (ver. 15), the other was to be left alive (ver. 21), and the sins of the people having been confessed over him, he was to be sent into the wilderness. The goat bore the sin, and bore it away, and the people were justified. Thus we read (Rom. iv.25) that Jesus was "delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification," and the question is exultingly asked in Rom. viii. 34, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again. Who is even at the right hand of God; who also maketh intercession for us." There is much practical truth contained here. We should always remember that ours is a risen Saviour, and we should be "risen with" Him (Col. iii. 1), seeking "those things which are above." The resurrection was the great result of all that Christ had done and suffered. His perfect sinlessness was thus proved, and also his victory over death! How much was done in the (to us) unseen world on that glorious day! Satan was conquered; the sting of death was removed, and a pledge was given to all who believe, that they shall also rise again! "Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." (1 Cor. xv. 23.) Yes, when the Lord Jesus comes again, every true disciple, however poor or weak, shall rise to meet Him in the clouds. "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout:" "the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (1 Thess. iv. 16, 17.) Well may the triumphant shout form part of 1 Cor. xv. 55, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" and the song of praise follow: "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" This covering was most probably of goats' hair, woven into a fine white material spotless and pure. Such was the Lord Jesus! He arose and ascended as the righteous one. No stain of sin could have been taken with Him to heaven? and He Himself brings forward his being with the Father, as a proof of his righteousness: see John xvi. 10, "Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more." As if to say, there could be no more doubt very shortly as to his being "the holy one of God:" for those who sought for his body on earth would not find Him,-when the angel at the sepulchre should say, "He is not here, for he is risen;" nay more, when He Himself would lead out his Apostles "as far as to Bethany" (Luke xxiv. 50, 51), and in the very act of blessing them, would be "parted from them, and carried up into heaven." Are we the Lord's tried and afflicted ones?Jesus was once the same: yes, He bore a weight of woe for us! but be of good cheer, He is now above. His sorrows are past: we may say ; "No tears bedew those eyes; No weight, save glory, now is thine to bear; We are thus led on in expectation and hope to the contemplation of the glory of which, it would appear, the inner covering silently tells. Christ in his glory! Yet here we feel almost lost. We are told something of "the sufferings of Christ;" we know but little of "the glory that should follow" (1 Pet. i. 11), and we should know nothing were it not for the blessed revealings of the gracious Spirit of Truth. (1 Cor. ii. 9, 10.) Let us examine this covering. (Exod. xxvi. 1—6.) The materials were altogether different from those of the three last, which were all made in some way from the coats of animals. This is of "fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet." There appears to be deep meaning |