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THE PENTATEUCH

GENESIS ---EXODUS--- LEVITICUS 1.1-7.38 --- 8.1-11.47 --- 12.1-16.34--- 17.1-27.34--- NUMBERS 1-10--- 11-19--- 20-36--- DEUTERONOMY 1.1-4.44 --- 4.45-11.32 --- 12.1-29.1--- 29.2-34.12 --- THE BOOK OF JOSHUA --- THE BOOK OF JUDGES --- PSALMS 1-36--- ECCLESIASTES--- SONG OF SOLOMON --- ISAIAH --- EZEKIEL --- DANIEL 1-7 ---DANIEL 8-12 --- MICAH ---

NAHUM--- HABAKKUK---ZEPHANIAH --- HAGGAI ---ZECHARIAH --- MALACHI --- THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW ---THE GOSPEL OF MARK--- THE GOSPEL OF LUKE --- THE GOSPEL OF JOHN --- THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES --- READINGS IN ROMANS --- 1 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-16 --- 2 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-13 -- -GALATIANS --- EPHESIANS --- COLOSSIANS --- 1 THESSALONIANS --- 2 THESSALONIANS --- 1 TIMOTHY --- 2 TIMOTHY --- TITUS --- HEBREWS 1-6 --- 7-10 --- 11-13 --- JAMES --- 1 & 2 PETER --- JOHN'S LETTERS --- JUDE --- REVELATION

--- THE GOSPELS & ACTS

Commentary on Exodus (part 5).

By Dr Peter Pett BA BD (Hons-London) DD.

Moses in Mount Sinai Receives God’s Revelation.

Moses In The Mountain With Yahweh For Forty Days and Nights (25.1-31.18).

After receiving the covenant and putting it into writing Moses was called by Yahweh to go up to Him into the Mountain. The Great Overlord wished to establish the necessary protocol for His people’s approach to Him. There through revelation Moses was to be given instructions concerning the provision of a Dwellingplace for Yahweh, with all its furniture, which will confirm to Israel His gracious intentions towards them (25.1-29.46), and which will enable them to reveal their continued loyalty and concern for His holiness (30-31).

An Earthly Dwellingplace Is To Be Prepared For Yahweh’s Convenience (25.1-29.46)

The first act is to establish a Dwellingplace which will be a reminder that He is their Overlord. The preparation of the Dwellingplace falls into two sections. That which expresses Yahweh’s sovereign activity towards His people and His provision of atonement (25.1-29.46), at the end of which He expresses His intention to dwell among them (29.45). And this is followed by the provision of the means by which they can express their loyalty to Him, at the end of which He gives them the covenant as sealed by His hand (30.1-31.18).

Yahweh as Suzerain Lord Sets Up His Throne and Palace Among His People (25.1-27.21).

Once the children of Israel had sealed the treaty with Yahweh He established His official presence among them. Previously He has been with them in the pillar of cloud and fire as Guide and Protector, and this would continue, but now He established Himself openly as their King. The ancient Tent of Meeting (33.7-11 - how far back its history went we do not know) would now be replaced by a more splendid model, The Dwelling-place (mishkan, from shakan ‘to dwell’) in which would be the throne of Yahweh. (EVV translate Tabernacle, but the word mainly indicated a ‘dwelling-place’). At this stage this would necessarily be a tent because of their circumstances, but it seems to be suggested that that was how God intended it to be permanently (2 Samuel 7.5-7). Its transient nature was intended to indicate that it was not His permanent home. His home was above. In fact the future Temple would seem to be a concession to man’s weakness for such things, illustrating the way men think, although it was in itself symbolic for it indicated that no Temple was worthy of Yahweh (1 Kings 8.27).

So from now on Yahweh would dwell among His people in a new way, and He would have His own splendid Tent to which they could direct their worship and their obedience, situated at the heart of the camp. But it is made clear that while sometimes they would see His glory on it He Himself would never be seen, nor must He be depicted in any form. That would be to make Him earthly and to degrade and limit Him. This Tent would contain the throne of Yahweh (the ark of the covenant) and the Testimony (the ten words and the covenant which He had made with them), but He Himself would be invisible.

However, great kings had many dwellingplaces, so this one is not therefore to be seen as limiting Yahweh. It was the one He used in communication with His people, it was not His sole home, although it was His sole home on earth. For even the heaven of heavens could not contain Him, how much less this tent. The people knew that Yahweh was the God and Judge of all the earth, and could do what He would wherever He would (15.11-12; 19.5; Genesis 18.25; 1 Kings 8.27), so that even Egypt with all its gods had been unable to prevent Him doing His will. They would not therefore see Him as limited to a tent.

However, as a totally new thing, specifically stated to be of heavenly design, it would help to unite these people of many races (including the mixed multitude - Exodus 12.38) into one unified people. They had all received the covenant together. Now together they would receive the dwellingplace of Yahweh to be in their midst, a dwellingplace designed by Yahweh Himself, an ever present reminder to them that God had personally met with them and made His covenant with them, and would be with them.

Its constructional techniques are paralleled elsewhere. Portable pavilions using practically the same constructional techniques as the Dwellingplace are well witnessed to in Egypt in 2nd millennium BC and dating back into 3rd millennium. And it is noteworthy that a bas-relief dating from the period of Rameses II about 1285 BC showed the tent of the divine king set in the middle of the Egyptian encampment just as the tent of Yahweh was set among His people. Moses would thus be aware of them.

We have already seen that the name Oholibamah (Genesis 36) means ‘tent of the high place’ which suggests a tent shrine, and it is interesting that such a tent shrine has been discovered at Timnah in the Negeb, the region of ancient Edom. Furthermore in the Ugaritic story of King Krt he is spoken of as practising certain rituals within a tent despite the fact that his was an age of roofed houses, and other Ugarit sources suggest that El had such a portable shrine or shrines. Such portable tent shrines were later in use among the Arabs.

So the idea of the tent shrine of the Great King was in itself nothing new, although it had its own unique construction. What was new was that God’s presence was real and marked by invisibility. No image of any kind, which could be seen as representing Yahweh, was allowed. And yet it was a reminder that God was invisibly among them and aware of all that happened.

It may be that the basic plan of the Dwelling-place (Tabernacle), with its division into the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, was patterned on similar Canaanite temples, for there would be Canaanite temples in Egypt to suggest such a pattern (at Baal-zephon (14.2) for example) and the twofold division is hardly unusual. Every palace would have its throne room and ante room.

Besides the division conforms with what we have already seen of different levels of approach to Yahweh with only Moses being able to fully enter His presence and enter into the cloud while the elders were called to approach a certain distance but not the whole way, and the people had to keep their bounds. The dividing curtain into the Most Holy Place is symbolic of the cloud and was the bound past which even the priests and Moses may not go, and the curtain guarding the way to the Holy Place prevented the entry of the people. Thus the Dwelling-place conveys the same ideas as we have seen at Sinai. Its structure therefore fits well into that environment. And its tent structure fits well into the wilderness situation.

The Dwelling-place was also Yahweh’s ‘tent palace’ as Suzerain Lord with, as it were, its personal quarters for Yahweh that none may enter and the outer room for those who would approach Him. While He is the God of all the earth (19.5; 1 Kings 8.27) it signifies that He was dwelling among them in a unique way as a result of the covenant of Sinai.

These changes were psychologically important. They would convey to the people the idea that God was among them in a new way as their Great King and demonstrate that they were now to enter into the realities of the promises.

This next section of the book may be analysed as follows:

  • The people called on to make their offerings so that they can make a Sanctuary for Yahweh to dwell among them (25.1-9)
  • The Making of the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh (of the Testimony) (25.10-22).
  • The Making of the Table of Shewbread (25.23-30).
  • The Making of the Lampstand (25.31-40).
  • The Making of the Dwellingplace (26.1-30).
  • The Making of the Veil (26.31-35).
  • The Making of the Screen (26.36-37).
  • The Making of the Brazen Altar (27.1-8).
  • The Making of the Court of the Dwellingplace (27.9-19).
  • The people called on to bring the Olive Oil for the Continually Burning Lamp (27.20-21).

It will be noted that it opens and closes with the people called on to bring their contribution to Yahweh. The furniture is then described commencing with the Ark which was to contain the covenant and from which Yahweh would speak to Moses. The covenant was of central importance to Yahweh’s dwelling among them. The Sanctuary furniture is then described moving from the Holy of Holies which contained the Ark, through the Holy Place which contained the Table and the Lampstand, all these contained within the Dwellingplace, which was divided by the Veil, and shielded from the court by the screen, moving on to the Brazen Altar, which was in the Court of the Dwellingplace, and finishing with a description of the olive oil which fed the continually burning lamp and was provided by the people. It should also be noted that all these items are a reaching out by Yahweh to His people.

The making of the Veil may seem to be out of place, but that may well be because the writer was seeing curtains, veil and screen all as one item, the Sanctuary in which the furniture was to be situated.

It will be noted that all the items are for representing Yahweh to His people, even the brazen altar, which is God’s opening of an access point to man. (It is noteworthy that in the heavenly Temple of Ezekiel which descends on the unknown mount away from Jerusalem only the brazen altar actually has to be built as the physical access point to the spiritual temple). The altar of incense and the laver which are for man’s approach to God will come later

Provision For Making the Dwellingplace: The People Called On To Make Their Offerings (25.1-9).

We may analyse this passage as follows:

  • a The children of Israel to be called on to make an offering according to their willingness (1-2).
  • b The offering was to be of gold, silver and brazen copper (3).
  • c And blue-violet and purple-red and scarlet, and fine linen (4a).
  • d And goats’ hair and rams’ skins dyed red, and dolphin skins, (4b-5a).
  • d And acacia wood (5b).
  • c Oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense (6).
  • b Onyx stones and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate (7).
  • a And they are to make Him a sanctuary that He may dwell (shakan) among them. According to all that He was to show Moses, the pattern of the Dwellingplace (mishkan - EVV Tabernacle) and the pattern of all its furniture, even so they were to make it.

In ‘a’ the people are called on to make a willing offering, and in the parallel they are to make Him a Holy Place (Sanctuary) in which to dwell in accordance with the heavenly pattern. In the centre we have the treasures of Israel. Note how in ‘b’ we have the precious metals whereas in the parallel we have the (semi-) precious stones. In ‘c’ we have the materials for the dwellingplace which convey the essential message of the Dwellingplace, its heavenly nature, its royalty and its offer of atonement and righteousness, and in the parallel the continual contributions to worship by the people of oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and incense all of which are closely connected to the Sanctuary. In the ‘d’ we have the protective coverings and the wood to add strength, possibly indicating the presence of the earthly aspect in the Dwellingplace..

Note also how, in as far as possible with such overall coverage, all is graded so as to go from the centre outwards, from gold through silver to brazen copper; from the inner draping materials to the materials for the outer covering; and we may detect the order, constituents of the inner furniture (gold), drapings and outer coverings, oils and incense for maintenance of worship, jewels for the priestly garments.

The pattern that follows in the subsequent description on the whole parallels the order here, mainly (but not precisely) in the first use of the offering. So we have the making of the inner furniture with the gold (25.10-40), then the making of the Sanctuary with the coloured materials (26.1-6), then the outer covering with the goatskins, etc. (26.7-14), then the frames of acacia wood (26.15-28), then the oil for the lamp (27.20), then the jewels for the priestly garments (28). Although we should note that the acacia wood is also used in the inner furniture, and the gold on the frames. So there may also be a pattern based partly on value. The acacia wood by its position is clearly seen as the element of least value among the constituting materials, even though it is contained in much of the inner furniture, probably because it represents the more earthly aspect of the whole. The anointing oil and sweet incense only come in later in the narrative (30.22-38), although the anointing oil is required for the sanctifying of the priests (29). So we can only discern a trend rather than an exact order.

25.1-2 ‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to the children of Israel that they take an offering for me. You shall take my offering from every man whose heart makes him willing.” ’

From a human point of view this was an offering of tribute, the first requirement of a suzerain lord, but because the recipient was Yahweh it was also an act of worship, an ‘offering’. The tribute was therefore to be voluntary, a willing contribution. He wanted it to come from the heart. The people were to offer willingly. God receives nothing ungraciously given, or given for the wrong motive.

25.3-5 “And this is the offering that you shall take of them, gold and silver and brazen copper, and blue-violet and purple-red and scarlet, and fine linen and goats’ hair. And rams’ skins dyed red, and dolphin skins, and acacia wood.”

This is a list of what would be required for the Dwelling-place and its contents. Gold, silver and brazen copper for the furniture, and for the implements and vessels. Bluey-violet, purpley-red and scarlet for the curtains, goats’ hair as a covering over the curtains (see 26.7; 35.26), and rams’ skin dyed red for the outside (see 35.23). The later Arab tent shrines were also made of red leather. There would be no shortage of these things for some had built up wealth in Egypt and they had ‘spoiled’ the Egyptians of many precious things when leaving.

‘Dolphin skins’ (‘tachash’) The meaning is not certain but it was certainly a leather of fine quality. They were possibly dolphin skins (or porpoise skins) from Red Sea dolphins, or dugong skins. Compare Arabic ‘tuchas’ which means dolphin. But also Egyptian ‘tchs’ which means leather.

We may see the precious metals as a reminder of the glory and splendour of God, the bluey-violet a reminder that this was the place of contact with the heavens (the blue sky would be a daily occurrence), the purpley-red as a reminder that they were approaching a king, and the scarlet as a reminder that they could only do so through the shedding of blood. The fine linen would then represent the true righteousness of the One within, and the acacia wood might be seen as representing the strength and power of God. (It was put within the gold to provide stability and strength). But this is our view of things. They may have seen it differently.

The paucity of words for colour in Hebrew suggests that colour was not considered important in Israel and the words used tended more to suggest the origin of the dyes. And dyed cloth indicated wealth and splendour. The thought may simply therefore be of differing dark, dyed colours, indicating royalty and beauty and the spoils that Yahweh had won for them. The goat’s hair was outside for weather protection and represented the people and the world outside. And finally all would be covered with a covering dyed red. This both made the Dwellingplace prominent and was also a reminder that God could only be approached through the shedding of blood.

The bluey-purple dye was probably indigo and was a common dye used in Egypt, the purpley-red dye was possibly derived from shellfish, the ‘scarlet worm’ would probably be from the cochineal insect found in trees and the fine linen would be from Egyptian flax and of a soft white hue. The word used for linen is of Egyptian provenance.

25.6 “Oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense.”

The oil of pure beaten olive oil (27.20) would be required for the lampstand (25.31) and the perpetually shining light (27.20-21), the spices for the anointing oil (29.7, 21) and incense (30.7). Compare the almost parallel verse in 35.28.

This verse is not found in the Septuagint (LXX) and some therefore see it as a later addition, possibly a scribal note from 35.28 eventually brought into the text. On the other hand it may equally have been accidentally or even deliberately omitted in the family of manuscripts from which the Septuagint was translated, or by the translators themselves.

The oil represented the people’s part in letting the light of God shine out, a reminder to Him (in their eyes) of the fact that He was their light and life. The spices and incense represented a desire to please God.

25.7 “Onyx stones and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breastplate.”

The ephod is described in 28.4, 6 onwards, the breastpouch in 28.15 onwards. The word for ‘onyx stones’ is ‘shoham’ which may also mean beryl (so LXX often). The onyx is a black and white transluscent stone, and is easily engraved, the beryl is a green stone. Other alternatives are also suggested such as lapis lazuli and carnelian.

25.8-9 “And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell (shakan) among them. According to all that I show you, the pattern of the Dwellingplace (mishkan - EVV Tabernacle) and the pattern of all its furniture, even so shall you make it.”

The word for ‘sanctuary’ (miqdash) comes from the root for ‘holy’ (qdsh). It is thus a sacred and holy place. But it is also His ‘dwelling-place’ (mishkan - tabernacle). The King is here to dwell among His people. And the pattern of it and of its furniture is specifically stated to be divinely determined. We later learn that it is a pattern of heavenly things (Hebrews 8.5). But even then it is so idealistically not literally. It was to convey ideas not to describe the literal construction of Heaven, which is of course not physical. But the importance of this is in the idea it contained. Here they were in touch with the heavenly.

‘The Dwellingplace.’ (Mishkan). The temporary nature of the dwellingplace is brought out in 1 Chronicles 6.32 which refers to ‘the mishkan of the tent of meeting until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh’ and 1 Chronicles 17:5 where it says ‘for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one mishkan to another’. ‘Dwelt (yashab) in a house (bayith)’ is there contrasted with ‘tent’ (‘ohel) and ‘dwelling-place’ (mishkan). The stress in the case of the tent is therefore on the tent as a ‘dwelling-place’, but as more temporary of nature. Indeed its temporary nature is stressed, ‘from one tent to another’. It had constantly to be replaced. Once the temple had been built God was seen as more permanently housed in a building (yashab) rather than more temporarily housed in a movable tent (shakan) which led to the fatal error of thinking that God was restricted to the house and would protect His own house against all-comers. So Ezekiel had to indicate His permanent departure from it (Ezekiel 10). In 24.16 Yahweh temporarily dwelt (shakan) on Mount Sinai. He was not restricted to a place, and indeed could not be.

The Throne and Covenant Chest of Yahweh (25.10-22).

The Making of the Ark (25.10-14).

The analysis of this section stresses the make up of the Ark (25.10-14).

  • a They were to make an Ark (chest) of acacia wood covered with gold and a moulding of gold round about (10-11).
  • b Four rings of gold were to be set at the bottom part of the sides of the chest, two on one side and two on the other (12).
  • b Staves were to be made of acacia wood covered with gold, and these were to be but into the rings in the side of the ark.
  • a This was for the purpose of carrying the Ark and all that pertained to it (13-14).

Note how in ‘a’ we have the making of the Ark and in the parallel the bearing of the Ark. And in ‘b’ we have the provision of the rings for carrying it, and of the staves which would fit into the rings.

The Purpose of the Ark (25.15-22).

  • a Into the Ark was to be put the Testimony which Yahweh will give them (15).
  • b A mercy-seat or place of propitiation was to be made to cover the Ark as a kind of lid, and on it, made as one piece with the lid, were to be two cherubim of gold at each end of the mercy-seat (17-19).
  • c And the cherubim were to spread their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat, with their faces facing each other and facing the centre of the mercy-seat (20).
  • c And the mercy-seat was to be put over the Ark and in the Ark was to be the Testimony that Yahweh had given them (21).
  • b And there Yahweh will meet with Moses, and commune with him from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim (22a).
  • a Which are on the Ark of the Testimony, concerning all the commandments which He will give him for the children of Israel - compare Numbers 7.89 (22).

    Note how in ‘a’ the Testimony (the covenant) was to be put into the Ark and in the parallel it is called the Ark of the Testimony, containing all the commandments given through Moss to the children of Israel. In ‘b’ the mercy-seat or place of propitiation is to be made, on which are set, at each end, the two cherubim looking inward, while in the parallel Yahweh will meet with Moses and commune with him from the mercy-seat or place of propitiation, from between the two cherubim. And in ‘c’ the cherubim were to ‘cover’ the mercy-seat, and in the parallel the mercy-seat was to cover the Ark.

    The first and central object in the Tabernacle, although only known to the people by description, was the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh with its covering mercy seat. It represented the throne of Yahweh both for mercy and judgment, and confirmed the covenant that as their Overlord He had made with His people. It was the outward evidence of their unique position as His ‘holy people’, which they were required to live up to (when they finally failed to do so the Ark was finally destroyed).

    It is to us a reminder that our God is enthroned in Heaven, the High and Lofty One, enshrouded in splendour, Who inhabits eternity Whose name is Holy, surrounded by a multitude of heavenly beings, and yet is One Who dwells among the humble and contrite (Isaiah 6.1-4; 57.15). And it is a reminder that to those who trust in Him He offers mercy and forgiveness, and to be their God, to watch over them and keep them, and be perpetually among them.

    That the Ark should be mentioned first emphasises its supreme importance. It represented the essential realities between Yahweh and His people. As His throne it declared Him to be their king, as His Mercy-seat (place of covering of sin) it declared His offer of continual mercy and propitiation (making satisfaction for sin), as containing the covenant tablets it declared that His people’s portion in Him lay though the covenant. Only by receiving and being bound by His covenant could they approach Him as their sovereign and merciful Lord.

    25.10-11 “And you shall make a chest of acacia wood. Its length will be two and a half cubits and its breadth one and a half cubits and its height one and a half cubits. And you will overlay it with pure gold, you will overlay it both inside and outside, and you will make on it a moulding of gold round about.”

    The chest or ark would contain the Testimony, the ten words (25.21). It was to be made of acacia wood and totally covered in gold. Thus it depicted His strength and His glory. Only gold was worthy of the throne of Yahweh. In the Tabernacle that which is gold must not come in contact with the more mundane. Thus it stresses the holiness of all that is made of gold. The word for ‘chest’ was used for Joseph’s coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50.26) and a money chest for collecting the ‘ransom’ (Exodus 30.12), as well as freewill gifts, when the people were numbered (2 Chronicles 24.8-11; 2 Kings 12.9). Otherwise it is exclusive to the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh.

    ‘Acacia wood.’ This was obtainable in the Sinai region and came from a spreading, thorny tree which would produce hard wood of sufficient size. Some of the people already had some in stock (35.24).

    ‘Totally covered in gold’, both inside and out. Gold represented all that was most splendid. In the Tabernacle it represented all that was most holy. The Semites were recognised as highly skilled craftsmen in precious metals, as various Egyptian tomb scenes, depicting the giving of tribute, demonstrate. The moulding was probably shaped to receive the covering, the throne seat (25.17). We must not just look on Israel as merely a desert people. They would have had ample opportunity to expand skills that were already among them while Joseph was vizier and these would have continued in use even when they were enslaved. Skilful slaves were always treasured.

    ‘Cubits.’ The cubit was the length from elbow to finger tip. This was the natural or common cubit. It was about 44.45 centimetres or 17.5 inches. The chest was thus about 111 centimetres or three foot eight inches long, and about 66.68 centimetres or two foot six inches wide.

    25.12 “And you will cast four rings of gold for it, and put them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it.”

    These rings were to receive the staves by which the Ark would be carried. They were probably at the bottom (its four feet), possibly at the corners. But we must recognise that in all the descriptions there may be technical terms which were far better understood then than they are now.

    25.13-15 “And you shall make staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. And you will put the staves into the rings on the sides of the chest, to carry the chest by them. The staves shall be in the rings of the chest. They shall not be taken from it.”

    The staves for carrying the chest were made of the same wood as the chest, providing strength, and overlaid with gold, demonstrating overlordship and holiness. For Yahweh all was to be the very best. The staves ensured that the Ark never needed to be touched and were to be kept in the rings permanently although it would appear that when the Ark was being elaborately prepared for travelling they would be temporarily removed and then immediately replaced (Numbers 4.5-6) by the priests. It was holy to Yahweh, as Mount Sinai had been (19.12-13). The staves were long enough to protrude into the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies) (1 Kings 8.8). One purpose therefore of keeping them permanently in the rings was so that they would be seen through the veil as a permanent reminder of the presence of the unseen Ark. Another was that having touched the Ark they were not to be treated casually by being stored away.

    25.16 “And you shall put the Testimony which I will give you into the chest.”

    The chest was to contain the stone tablets written by ‘the finger of God’ (31.18; 32.16), later to be replaced, due to Israel’s sin, by tablets written by Moses (34.28). These were called ‘The Testimony’, for they testified to the solemn covenant between Yahweh and His people. This was why the chest is regularly called ‘the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh’.

    25.17-20 “And you shall make a mercy-seat of pure gold. Its length shall be two and a half cubits, and its breadth one and a half cubits. And you shall make two cherubim of gold. You shall make them of beaten work at the two ends of the mercy-seat. And make one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim on its two ends of one piece with the mercy seat. And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, with their faces one towards the other. The faces of the cherubim shall be towards the mercy-seat”

    The gold slab which covered the chest was to be of solid gold, and moulded on it at either end were to be two figures of cherubim, looking inwards towards the centre, with their wings outspread stretched over the mercy-seat.

    ‘A mercy seat.’ The ‘kapporeth’, literally the place of propitiation, the place where reconciliation and atonement was finally performed. This was a solid gold slab on which were the two cherubim at either end looking inward. It was the same size as the chest. It comes from the root ‘kpr’ (to cover) and the conjugation used signifies the place where sins are ‘covered’ so that they are no longer seen by God and held against the sinner (Jeremiah 18.23). It is the place of propitiation and expiation, the place where the punishment for sin was met by the application of the shedding of blood, the place of atonement, of reconciliation, where he and His people were made at one.

    ‘Pure gold.’ The most precious physical thing that the world could offer. In the Tabernacle it represented what was most holy.

    ‘Cherubim.’ These were only previously mentioned in Genesis 3.24 where the ideas of a storm wind (along with the ‘flaming sword’ of lightning) and acting as guardians were very much in mind. They are connected elsewhere with the wind. Thus in 2 Samuel 22.11 and Psalm 18.10 God ‘rode on a cherub and did fly, yes, He was seen on the wings of the wind’ (compare Ezekiel 1.3-4). But it was a divine wind. Their ‘likeness’ was clearly well known to the children of Israel. They represented celestial beings, and unlike angels were seen as having wings, and therefore very mobile. Yahweh is described as ‘dwelling between (or on) the cherubim’ (1 Samuel 4.4; 2 Samuel 6.2; 2 Kings 19.15; Psalm 80.1; 99.1 etc.), no doubt with the Ark in mind, sometimes explicitly. In Ezekiel 10 they appear as bearers of the travelling throne of Yahweh and in Ezekiel 1, as the ‘living creatures’ and bearers of the throne, they were closely connected with a stormy wind (verses 3-4) and bore the throne wherever it went.

    The idea behind their presence here was as a reminder that all heavenly beings were totally subjected to Yahweh and under His command. Not only the whole world but heaven itself was at His feet.

    They were also later connected with the animal world. Thus in Ezekiel 1.10 and 10.14 each had the faces of man, lion, ox and eagle, and they had the hands of a man (1.8; 10.8) and feet like calves’ feet (1.7). In the Temple they were represented on curtains along with lions (1 Kings 7.36) and lions and oxen (7.29) and palm trees and open flowers (1 Kings 6.29, 37; 7.36). They were two-winged (1 Kings 6.27). If we see the wings as the wings of an eagle we have here a parallel combination to that in Ezekiel 1 and 10 of lion, ox and eagle. In Ezekiel 41.18-20 they were connected with palm trees and had the faces of a man and a lion.

    On the Ark they would seemingly have one face each (unless they have four faces facing in the same direction, which seems unlikely). And the later descriptions might suggest that their shape was somewhat similar to those found in excavations at Samaria and in Phoenicia with human face, lion body, four legs and two conspicuous and elaborate wings. This would explain where Ezekiel got his ideas from. At Byblos such beings were found supporting the throne of the king. The idea behind the presence of the cherubim would then include the fact that Yahweh is attended by those who represent the whole of creation, man, wild beast, domestic beast and bird. The later palm trees and open flowers on the curtains would represent the inanimate creation. They are not quite so closely connected with Yahweh.

    But none of this is actually stated about the Tabernacle. There only the cherubim are spoken of, without description apart from their having wings.

    We are not to take the descriptions as referring specifically to literal beings (contrast Revelation 4.7-8) for they could also be depicted as having six wings, of which four were to hide face and feet in the presence of Yahweh (Isaiah 6.2 of the seraphim; see also Revelation 4.8 of the living creatures, the latter with both human and animal features). They are symbolic rather than literal representations. Revelation 4 seems to borrow features of both seraphim and cherubim. They incidentally demonstrate that what the commandments forbade were graven images intended to be worshipped or venerated, not graven images themselves.

    It would appear therefore that the Mercy-seat was seen as the throne of the invisible Yahweh, from which He dispensed mercy, and that the position on the Ark of the cherubim suggests that they act as symbols of a greater reality as attendants and guardians, representing both all heavenly beings and the whole animate creation, and protecting and guarding the holiness of Yahweh as in Genesis 3. They were a reminder that there were other beings besides God and man who enjoyed God’s immediate presence.

    25.21-22 “And you shall put the Mercy-seat above on the Ark, and in the Ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you, and there I will meet with you, and I will commune with you from above the Mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the Ark of the Testimony, of all things which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.”

    The Mercy-seat is not only a place of atonement, it is a throne where the Great Overlord meets and speaks with His people, through their representative, on the basis of the covenant. So the Ark is Mercy-seat and Throne and Testimony and Judgment Throne combined. It represents all that Yahweh is to His people and expects from them.

    “I will commune with you --- of all things which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.” The Great Overlord will reign over them and dispense mercy from the Mercy-seat on which His throne is established, as agreed in the covenant. In Numbers 7.89 we are told that ‘the Voice (of Yahweh) spoke to him (Moses) from above the Mercy-seat that was on the Ark of the Testimony from between the two cherubim’.

    Note. Gold overlaid wooden receptacles and portable shrines are known from the ancient Near East in pre-Mosaic times, although not as containing treaty records. Among certain Arabic tribes are objects similar to some extent with the Ark which still survive. In time of war they accompanied the tribe into battle and guided them in their wanderings. They stood near the tent of the chief and often contained sacred stones or were seen as the dwelling-place of a god. The idea may well go back into the mists of time and would explain why the significance of the Ark, superstitiously speaking, was recognised by enemies (1 Samuel 4.7). But in Israel superstitious objects were replaced by the words of the covenant, and the chest was made into a throne for the invisible God. All superstition was done away. End of note.

    The Table of Showbread and the Seven-branched Lampstand (25.23-40).

    This Table and Lampstand were a perpetual reminder of Yahweh’s provision for His people, and especially of His gifts of bread, and of life and light, and could be seen as a constant appeal to Him (through their maintenance) to continue their supply. But the primary significance of the lampstand was as reminding Israel that He was their light. Yahweh made His face to shine on them (Numbers 6.25). Yet they were within the Holy Place lest any think that His blessings could be obtained lightly. Light and life were available to Israel, available to those whose hearts were right towards Him, when they approached Him sincerely in the way that He ordained.

    Thus when Jesus came He came offering Himself as the Bread of life (John 6.35) and the Light of life (John 8.12). The blessing symbolised in the Tabernacle became a reality in Him, to be enjoyed by those who became the Temple of His Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6.16-18). On Him they would feed spiritually and from Him they would receive understanding and truth.

    This passage may be analysed as follows:

    • a The making of the table of acacia wood covered with gold (23-24).
    • b The making of a border and golden rim round about (25).
    • c The making of four rings of gold to put on the four feet at its corners placed so as to take the carrying staves (26-27)
    • c The making of four staves of acacia wood made with gold for the carrying of the table (28).
    • b The making of vessels of pure gold for use on the table (29).
    • a The showbread to be set on the table before Yahweh always (30).

    We note that in ‘a’ the table is constructed which is worthy of the Sanctuary, and in the parallel the showbread is to be set on it before Yahweh for ever. In ‘b’ the making of the border and golden rim for keeping the vessels on the table are described, and in the parallel the vessels of gold are themselves described. And in ‘c’ we have the golden rings for making the staves, and in the parallel the making of the staves.

    25.23 “And you shall make a table of acacia wood, its length will be two cubits and its breadth one cubit and its height one and a half cubits.

    The table is to measure approximately a metre (or three feet) long, by half a metre (or eighteen inches) wide, by three quarters of a metre (two foot three inches) deep. Its purpose is to carry the showbread.

    25.24-25 “And you shall overlay it with pure gold and make on it a moulding of gold round about, and you will make it to a handbreadth round about and you shall make a moulding of gold to its border round about.”

    ‘Overlay it with pure gold.’ The result of the ‘spoiling’ of the Egyptians (12.35-36) was now being used to good effect. The gold demonstrated the majesty of God and the holiness of the purpose of the table.

    The moulding of gold round about (verse 24) is described, in the form known to him, by Josephus, a Jewish historian in 1st century AD, in these words, ‘it was hollowed out on each side to a depth of about three inches, a spiral border running round the upper and lower portion of the body of the table’. But that may not describe accurately the original table. The main point is that it was not plain but decorated, demonstrating God’s care for detail and beauty.

    There is some doubt as to the meaning of verse 25, although it would no doubt be quite clear at the time. (Compare how a modern carpenter might speak of ‘a piece of four by two’. Everyone now would know what he meant but in two centuries time it might be a total mystery, and they might say ‘something must have dropped out from the text’. We can imagine the fun commentators might have with it). Some see it as meaning that an eight centimetre moulding went round the top of the table going upwards as a rim, others as signifying an eight centimetre wide horizontal border, and others as eight centimetre wide cross-struts between the legs of the table. The last seems to have been the interpretation put on it when the table was made for Herod’s Temple. RSV takes this view and translates, ‘and you shall make around it a frame a handbreadth wide, and a moulding of gold around the frame’.

    25.26-27 “And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on its four legs. The rings will be close by the border (or frame), for places for the staves to bear the table.”

    The rings are either attached half way down (by the frame) or near the top (by the border). They are to take the staves with which the table will be carried.

    25.28 “And you will make the staves of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that the table may be carried with them.”

    The staves are similar to those that bear the Ark (25.13). The wood provided the strength, the gold their uniqueness, as expressing appreciation of God and as symbols of His holiness.

    25.29 “And you shall make its plates and its dishes, and its flagons and its bowls with which to pour out, you shall make them of pure gold.

    All is made of pure gold as befits the God of all the earth. The plates were for carrying the showbread, the dishes for carrying incense, the flagons and bowls for pouring out libations (see also 38.16).

    25.30 “And on the table you shall set the bread of the Presence (showbread) before me always.”

    The ‘bread of the Presence’ or showbread is literally ‘bread of the face’, that is bread set before the face or presence of God. It consisted of twelve very large baked cakes made of fine flour each containing two tenths of an ephah (Leviticus 24.5). They were set on the table in two rows, six to a row. Frankincense was then placed on them ‘as a memorial’ and this was then offered by fire to Yahweh (Leviticus 24.7). This and the bread were seen as ‘the most holy to Him of the offerings by fire to Yahweh’, the frankincense being burned for Yahweh and the bread being eaten by the priests (Leviticus 24.9). This demonstrates the huge importance of the showbread. New showbread was baked every sabbath and the old was then eaten by the priests in the holy place because the cakes were ‘most holy’ (Leviticus 24.8-9). Certainly later it was unleavened bread (according to Josephus).

    The significance of the showbread is never explained, although it is stated to be for an everlasting covenant on behalf of the children of Israel (Leviticus 24.8). This may confirm their connection with the everlasting covenant of Genesis 9.16 which guaranteed the rain that provided bread. It also confirms that the number twelve relates to the number of the tribes of Israel. Compare for the everlasting covenant Genesis 9.16; 17.7, 9, 13 where the everlasting covenant guarantees the seasons for ever, with resulting fruitfulness; promises the land as an everlasting possession, and assures them that the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be His for ever and He will be their God. It would seem therefore that the twelve loaves represent the twelve tribes of Israel before God, as the twelve pillars did previously (24.4), keeping them ever before His face that He might show His love towards them, and in their eyes ‘reminding’ Him of His covenant with them, and of their need for bread.

    But we are also reminded that Abram set bread before Yahweh (Genesis 18.5). They are thus also an indication of Israel’s welcome to Yahweh in His house. They continually signify the welcoming by the twelve tribes of His presence.

    But the fact that the bread was eaten by the priests further suggests it has a God to man significance. While it is probable that they were to be seen as a continual offering of thanksgiving to God for food provided and a reminder (memorial) to God of His promise of provision, they were also a reminder to Israel of the food God put in their mouths, that the daily bread that they ate came from God. That it was given to them from God.

    Thus Jesus will have these loaves in mind when He speaks of Himself as ‘the bread of life’ (John 6.35). Jesus is the One on Whom we must continually feed by constant faith (John 6.53-55). He who ‘eats’ of Him (by believing) will live because of Him (John 6.57)). It is also called ‘holy bread’ (1 Samuel 21.4, 6), ‘continual bread’ (Numbers 4.7) and ‘bread of setting out (or layering)’ (1 Chronicles 9.32; 23.29; 2 Chronicles 13.11; Nehemiah 10.34).

    The setting of bread before gods was common practise elsewhere and the Assyrians at least placed twelve loaves before their gods which were associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac. Consider also the cakes kneaded for the Queen of heaven (Jeremiah 7.18). In the apocryphal story of Bel and the Dragon food was set before the god and supposed to be eaten by him, although the eating was done secretly by the priests (1.11-13). Israel reinterpreted the practise and removed the dishonesty. There is no suggestion that the loaves were to be eaten by Yahweh. They were eaten by the priests.

    ‘Always.’ This practise was to be maintained in perpetuity. The bread of the presence must never cease before God as long as Israel never ceased before Him.

    The Golden Lampstand (25.31-40).

    The making of this may be analysed as follows:

    • a The lampstand to be made of beaten work of pure gold: its base, its shaft its cups, its buds and its flowers, all made of one piece with it (31).
    • b As well as the shaft it has to have six branches going out from it, three each side of the shaft, with cups made like almond blossoms , a bud and a flower. The shaft to have four cups, made like almond blossoms with the buds and flowers (32-34).
    • c The description of the buds on the branches (35).
    • c The making of the buds and the branches in pure beaten gold (36).
    • b The total of lamps are to be seven (the shaft and the six branches) and they shall light its lamps to give light opposite to it (illuminating the table of showbread), and these are to be made along with the tongs and fire-holders of pure gold (37-38).
    • a The whole is to be made of a talent of pure gold in accordance with the pattern shown in the mount (39-40).

    Note that in ‘a’ the lampstand is to be of pure beaten gold, and in the parallel the gold required for it and all connected with it is measured. In ‘b’ we have the description of the lampstand with its six branches and its shaft, while in the parallel we are told it is sevenfold, and is to be lit to shine on the table of showbread (compare Numbers 6.25 with 8.3). In ‘c’ we have details of the making of buds and branches.

    25.31-34 “And you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand will be made of beaten work, even its base and its shaft. And its cups, its buds and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. And there will be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of its one side and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side. Three cups made like almond blossoms on one branch, each with a bud and a flower. And three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, each with a bud and a flower. Thus for the six branches going out of the lampstand. And in the lampstand four cups made like almond blossoms with its buds and its flowers.”

    The general pattern is clear, a central shaft from which will go from each side three branches per side, a main stem and six branches in all making a sevenfold lampstand. And at the top of the branches and the shaft will be cups made like almonds blossoms to receive the lamps. It would seem that each branch had three cups and the central shaft four. The lampstand was to one side of the Holy Place, the table of showbread to the other.

    25.35-36 “And a bud under a pair of branches, of one piece with it, and a bud under a pair of branches, of one piece with it, and a bud under a pair of branches, of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lampstand. Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one beaten work of pure gold.”

    Under each pair of branches there is an almond bud and the buds and branches are specifically to be of one piece with the whole. Thus one significance of the lampstand is that, with its branches and its almond buds and flowers, it symbolises an almond tree. The almond tree (shaked) was ‘the waker’, the first tree to come to life and blossom after the dry season. So it is a symbol of new life, the new life into which Israel has entered. Furthermore in Jeremiah 1.11-12 the almond tree also symbolises the watching (shoked) of Yahweh over His word. Thus it symbolises His watch over the covenant.

    25.37 “And you shall make its lamps seven, and they will light its lamps to give light over against it.”

    The seven lamps, possibly made of terracotta, symbolise divinely perfect light. ‘Over against it’ presumably means that they are set to throw their light forward towards the centre. Thus the lampstand speaks of life (the almond tree) and light (the fire in the lamps) coming from God. This is why Jesus could speak of the ‘light of life’ in relation to it (John 8.12). That was during the Feast of Tabernacles and the lampstand was closely connected with that feast.

    In Zechariah the lampstand (chapter 4) signifies the all-knowingness of God (Zechariah 4.10) and the presence of the living God feeding life to His anointed ones. Just as a man’s life was often called his ‘lamp’ (Job 21.17; Proverbs 20.20; 24.20 see also 2 Samuel 21.17; 1 Kings 11.36), and the lampstand, once removed, signified the death of the church (Revelation 2.5), so the lampstand represents spiritual life. Thus the lampstand represents the living God, ‘the Lord of the whole earth’, fully present and fully aware behind the veil, in His giving of that life to His people.

    So in the Most Holy Place is the throne of God between the guardian Cherubim, who continually bow before Him, which no man can behold, but which can be approached from behind a veil which safeguards man from the awesomeness of His presence, and in the Holy Place are the Table of Showbread and the golden Lampstand which represent His feeding of His people, both physically and spiritually, and His giving of life and light to them. We learn both of His total ‘otherness’ which cannot be experienced in its fullness, and of His gracious giving of Himself to His people.

    In the Book of Revelation we have the expansion of this when one day His own will walk openly in the light of His presence, and will enjoy the light of God and will feast on the tree of life (Revelation 21.22-22.5).

    25.38-39 “And its tongs and its fire-holders shall be of pure gold. With all these vessels it shall be made with one talent of pure gold.”

    The lampstand and its appurtenances are to be made of a talent of gold, that is about thirty kilogrammes. ‘Fireholders.’ The significance of the word is uncertain. They possibly received the old wicks when they were removed from the lamps.

    25.40 “And see that you make them after their pattern, which has been showed to you in the Mount.”

    This verse finalises the details of the three most important pieces of furniture to be placed in the new Dwelling-place, referring back to verse 9. Each is important and they are important as a unit. They represent different aspects of Yahweh’s covenant with His people, firstly, the reign of Yahweh and the covenant requirements, secondly, the giving of life and light by Yahweh and His guarantee of bread, and thirdly their receiving by it (for it represented all that they needed) of all that they needed for the future.

    It is stressed that they must follow the pattern shown to Moses which demonstrates that the detail was vital. Nothing must be added. Nothing must be changed. They speak of heavenly things. That they are spoken of first and separately shows how very important all three were seen to be. (The altar of incense is not mentioned here because that represented worship from man to God, whereas the above furniture was from God to man).

    (Notes on the Christian significance of this passage.

    In the New Testament it is made clear that the Dwellingplace was no longer a tent. Paul could say to all true believers, ‘we are a sanctuary of the living God, even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” ’ (2 Corinthians 6.16-17). And again in 1 Corinthians 3.9, 16-17, ‘You are God’s husbandry, God’s building -- do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you -- the temple of God is holy, which temple you are’. For God would tabernacle among His people, first in Jesus Christ (John 1.14) and then by His Holy Spirit in His people (Ephesians 2.22). In 1 Corinthians 6.19 each Christian is therefore a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit within the whole sanctuary. The significance that can be drawn from this is that we are indwelt by God and by Christ (Galatians 2.20; John 17.22-23; Ephesians 3.17, and that therefore our inner lives with their outward expression must be worthy of Him. Daily as we go out to meet the world we must each say to ourselves, ‘the only way the world will know about God and about Christ is what they see of Him in me, for I am where He dwells in this sinful world, I am the one through whom He is to be made known. Lord, live out your life through me today that men may see through the purity of my life that Jesus Christ still walks among them’.

    Furthermore men once gazed at the ancient Sanctuary and were comforted by the thought that God was close to them, dwelling among them. That is what they should sense also when they look on God’s true people, the church of the living God, a people vibrant and joyful and full of actively revealed concern because they follow the Master. But sadly often all they see is a church wrapped up in itself.

    The fact that we all make up one sanctuary stresses the unity and fellowship that there should be between all who truly love Christ. All contribute to the whole, and without a part the church is mutilated.

    The Ark of the covenant within the Dwellingplace is a reminder that God Himself dwells in us (as God’s dwellingplace), that Christ lives within us and seeks to live out His life through us (Galatians 2.20; Romans 6.4). There in our heart of hearts is the living Christ (Ephesians 3.17) Who reigns in us so that we might reign through Him (Revelation 5.10), and through Whom we should know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3.19). Thus we are to reckon ourselves as dead to sin and alive to God, in Jesus Christ (Romans 6.11). But how easily we forget that it is so, and just as the people of old tended to overlook the significance of the Tabernacle in their daily lives, so sadly do we as we leave our houses each day. We keep God locked in the throne room, while we control our own affairs. Some have seen in the Ark a picture of Jesus Christ as both God (gold) and man (acacia wood).

    The Table of Showbread reminds us that Christ is the bread of life (John 6.35). That we who eat of Him by believing in Him will live for ever. He is the living bread that came down from heaven that we might live and not die (John 6.51). Thus do we pray, ‘give us today the bread of the great Tomorrow’. And as we look to Him He feeds us with His very life.

    The Lampstand is a reminder that Christ constantly shines in our hearts revealing His truth and revealing God (2 Corinthians 4.6), that God’s great light shines on His people Who are ever before Him, and that through knowing Christ Who is the light we do not walk in darkness. And it is a reminder too that we are to be a light to the world (Matthew 5.16; Revelation 1.12-13). The one who is a true Christian walks daily in that light (1 John 1.7), and comes constantly to the light that his deeds may be open to God’s scrutiny (John 3.18 ff).

    But it also has a heavenly significance. For the Dwellingplace is a reminder that God is in heaven where He dwells (Hebrews 8.1-2) and that we may approach Him through our Lord Jesus Christ Who is out great High Priest (Hebrews 9.11-12) Who makes propitiation for us (Hebrews 2.17). We can therefore enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, the new and living way which He has prepared for us through His becoming man and offering up His flesh for us (Hebrews 10.19-20), and thus we can obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And there dwells God in unapproachable light Whom no man has seen nor can see (1 Timothy 6.16). Although one day all who are truly His will dwell in that light (Revelation 21.23-24). And there we shall feed on Him for ever (Revelation 7.17).

    End of note).

    The Dwelling-place Itself (26.1-27.19).

    Having described the main contents of the Sanctuary which represented the permanent blessing which came from Him in His presence, we now move on to the Dwellingplace proper.

    The Dwellingplace was to be splendid in beauty. Its glory represented the glory of its King and His supreme righteousness. But it had to be patterned according to how God revealed it (26.30). Nothing mundane must enter into its construction, and no ideas of man. It had to be kept pure in what it represented. The fine detail of its construction was a reminder of God’s detailed activity on behalf of His own (compare Ephesians 2.21).

    The Dwelling-place was to be about thirty cubits by ten cubits made of large curtains flung over a framework, the Most Holy Place being a perfect cube, ten cubits by ten cubits by ten cubits, symbolising the perfection of God, and the Holy Place twenty cubits by ten cubits. These were then covered by goats’ hair, and then by rams’ skins dyed red and finally by dolphin or dugong skins.

    The Tabernacle/Temple would finally be dispensed with when God found a more splendid and more fitting Dwellingplace, the living temple of His people (2 Corinthians 6.16; Ephesians 2.20-22) who would submit at His throne, and receive the bread and light of life. And it would finally find its fulfilment in Heaven (Hebrews 8.2; 9.24).

    The Curtains of the Dwellingplace and the Outer Tent (26.1-14)

    The making of these may be analysed as follows:

    • a The Dwellingplace to be made of ten curtains of fine-twined linen, and bluey-purple and purpley-red, and scarlet worked with pictures of cherubim, and made by skilful workmen (1).
    • b Length and breadth of the curtain in cubits (2).
    • c Two sets of five curtains to be coupled together (3).
    • d Loops to be made on the edges of the curtains (4).
    • e Fifty loops on one set of curtains and fifty loops on the other, the loops to be opposite one another (5).
    • f Fifty clasps of gold are to be made to couple the curtains and make the Dwellingplace one (6).
    • g Curtains of goats’ hair to be made to form a tent over the Dwellingplace, there are to be eleven curtains (7).
    • g The length and breadth of the eleven curtains of the outer tent is described (8).
    • f The method of coupling the curtains for the outer tent is described (9).
    • e Fifty loops on one set of curtains and fifty loops on the other, the loops to be opposite one another, on the curtains for the outer tent (10).
    • d Fifty clasps of brass are to be put in the loops to bring the curtains together (11).
    • c The overhanging of the curtains is described (12).
    • b Description of the overhanging in cubits (13).
    • a The tent covering is to be made of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins (14).

      It will be noted that in ‘a’ the making of the Dwellingplace is described and in the parallel the making of the outer tent. In ‘b’ the curtains are measured in cubits, and in the parallel the overhanging is measured in cubits (apart from in verse 8 the only mention of cubits in the narrative). In ‘c’ the curtains are described, in the parallel the overhanging of the curtains is described. In ‘d’ the loops are described and in the parallel the clasps that utilise the loops. In ‘e’ we have fifty loops on each set of curtains opposite each other, and in the parallel the same. In ‘f’ fifty clasps of gold join the loops and make the Dwellingplace one, and in the parallel the method of coupling for the outer tent is described. In ‘g’ the overtent of goats’ hair is composed of eleven curtains, while in the parallel the length and breadth of the eleven curtains are described.

      We would suggest that the way in which the making of the two sets of curtains is described in such a way that we have a chiasmus by using keywords is very clever and quite remarkable, while if we compare each section verse by verse they would not wholly fit.

      26.1-3 “Moreover you shall make the Dwelling-place with ten curtains. You shall make them as the work of a skilful craftsman of fine twined linen, and of blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim woven in. The length of each curtain shall be twenty eight cubits and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains shall have one measure. Five curtains shall be coupled together, the one to the other, and the other five curtains shall be coupled together the one to the other.”

      The first procedure in making the Dwelling-place is to make ten curtains of the same size, of different colours, of which two are then to be made each consisting of five of the ten curtains joined together. They are to be made of fine twined linen and multicoloured cloth (sections consisting of the different colours having been attached together) with cherubim patterned in. Thus the final large curtains would appear to be twenty eight cubits by twenty cubits (about thirteen metres by ten metres or forty foot by thirty foot). It appears that the edge was then woven making a selvedge.

      It has been suggested that bluey-purple represents its heavenly connections, purpley-red its royal connections, red symbolises the shedding of blood and the fine linen represents purity (but see above on 25.4). The cherubim, symbolising a heavenly reality, were a reminder of the spiritual beings who attended on the throne of Yahweh. The size of the curtains was limited both for practical purposes and by their methods of manufacture.

      26.4-6 “And you shall make loops of bluey-violet on the edge of the one curtain along the woven edge in the set, and in the same way you shall make loops on the outmost edge of the curtain in the second set. You will make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you will make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set. The loops shall be opposite one another. And you will make fifty clasps of gold and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps, and the Dwelling-place shall be one.”

      The use of loops and clasps was a popular method of joining curtains together in the Ancient Near East and is still used today. The two curtains were joined by fifty loops. They could thus be split apart for travelling. When fitting together the whole would be flung over the framework described below forming the Dwelling-place. This would then be protected by a goat-hair covering so that the curtains were only seen from the inside.

      Paul uses these fittings and framework of the Tabernacle as a picture of God’s careful concern for His people (Ephesians 2.21).

      26.7-13 “And you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the Dwelling-place. You shall make eleven curtains. The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall have one measure. And you shall join five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves. And you will double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. And you will make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is on the outside of the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is on the outside of the second set. And you shall make fifty clasps of copper, and put the clasps into the loops and couple the tent together that it may be one. And the overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the rear of the Dwelling-place, and the cubit on the one side and the cubit on the other side of what remains in the length of the curtains in the tent, shall overhang the sides of the Dwelling-place on this side and on that to cover it.”

      The goats’ hair covering was to be made in the same way but was to be larger than the inner curtains so that it overhung and could be tucked in at the front and would protect the inner curtains at front, rear and at both sides from the weather.

      Note that the goat’s hair is ‘a tent over the Dwelling-place’. Thus the Dwelling-place strictly consists of the framework plus the inner curtains. These latter are overhung by the goats’ hair by two cubits (twenty eight cubits compared with thirty cubits).

      26.14 “And you shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of dolphin (or dugong) skins above.”

      These were the final weatherproofing and protected the whole. The red rams’ skins over portable religious tents are witnessed later among the Bedouin.

      The Framework of the Dwelling-place (26.15-25) .

      This can be analysed as follows:

      • a The frames are to be made standing up and the measurements are given in cubits (15-16).
      • b Two tenons to be made for each frame to join them up (17).
      • c Twenty frames to be made for the south side (18).
      • d Forty sockets of silver to be made to support the frames, two per frame (19).
      • e Twenty frames to be made for the north side (20).
      • d Forty sockets of silver to be made to support the frames, two per frame (21).
      • c Six frames to be made for the west side, the rear of the Dwellingplace (22).
      • b Two frames to form the corners at the rear doubled up (23-24).
      • a There are to be eight frames and sixteen sockets, two sockets to a frame (25).

      Again we see the clever way in which the writer uses his descriptions so as to form parallels by key words. In ‘a’ the frames are to be made standing up, and in the parallel they way in which they stand up is described. In ‘b’ there are two tenons for each frame and in the parallel there are two frames for each corner. In ‘c’ the frames for the south side are described and in the parallel the frames for the rear, the west side. In ‘d’ and its parallel the forty sockets of silver to be made to support the frames, two per frame, are described. And in the centre the twenty frames for the north side are described. While the twenty frames of the north side would have made a better parallel with the south side, the west side had to be described after the north side because of what subsequently followed.

      26.15-17 “And you shall make upright frames for the Dwelling-place of acacia wood. The length of a frame shall be ten cubits and the breadth of each frame a cubit and a half. In each frame there will be two uprights (or tenons) joined to one another. You will make all the frames for the Dwelling-place in this way.”

      ‘Frames’. (Kerashim). Probably not planks or boards but upright frames which would be lighter to carry and provide firmness and strength. The ‘uprights joined together’ probably referred to a ladder-like structure. The kerashim framework was paralleled at Ugarit, and similar frames were known from Egypt.

      26.18-25 “And you will make the frames for the Dwelling-place, twenty frames for the south side southward, and you shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty frames, two sockets under one frame for its two uprights and two sockets under another frame for its two uprights, and for the second side of the Dwelling-place, on the north side, twenty frames and their forty sockets of silver, two sockets under one frame and two sockets under another frame. And for the rear part of the Dwelling-place westward you will make six frames. And you shall make two frames for the corners of the rear part, and they shall be double beneath, and they shall be the same right to their top in the one ring. It shall be the same for both. They shall be for the two corners. And there will be eight frames, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets, two sockets under one frame and two sockets under the other frame.”

      The general pattern was clear although we do not have sufficient knowledge of their technical language to be certain of the full meaning. Each side would be based on twenty frames at one and a half cubits a frame, and would therefore be thirty cubits. The rear would be based on six similar frames plus two specially designed corner frames which doubled up for strength. The frames were held up by sockets with connection across by bars. It is possible that the extra two frames doubled up under the final ones of the six frames. That would make the actual width nine cubits upwards. But this would depend on exactly how they were combined together.

      The sockets were to be of silver. These prevented the pillars having contact with the ground. The gold which represented the holiness of God could not be allowed to touch ground other than that which was most holy. The gold of the Ark, the table and the lampstand appear to have been allowed to touch the ground. This suggests that the ground there was seen as most holy. But the sockets tended of course to be at the division between the most holy ground and the slightly less holy ground.

      The veil was also on pillars with silver sockets. But the outer pillars of that would again be seen as coming at the border where the most holy met the less holy, and the variety of curtains (which themselves did not touch the ground), may have been seen as making the ground within them most holy, with the ground on which the pillars actually stood, less holy.

      The Making of the Bars To Hold The Frames Together (26-29).

      This may be analysed as follows:

      • Five bars were to be made of acacia wood for the frames for each of the south, north and west sides (26-27).
      • The middle bar was to pass from end to end right along the frames (28).
      • The frames were to be overlaid with gold, they were to attach rings of gold to hold the bars, and the bars were to be overlaid with gold (29).

      In ‘a’ we have the description of the making of the five bars for the frames and in the parallel what the bars are to be overlaid with, and how connected to the frames. The middle bar is central.

      26.26-28 “And you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the Dwelling-place, and five bars for the frames on the other side of the Dwelling-place, and five bars for the frames of the side of the Dwelling-place for the rear part westward. And the middle bar in the middle of the frames will pass through from end to end.”

      The bars would hold the frames together and be connected to them by rings of gold as then described. The middle bar went all the way along. Possibly each of the two above and below went half way along, one from the rear and one from the front, the shorter bars giving added strength.

      26.29 “And you shall overlay the frames with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold.”

      Moses did not have to guess or work it out from the instructions, for he had already been shown, while in the Mount, how it was all to be fitted together. The instructions were merely there to remind him of the main plan. No instruction is given as to how the roof is to be supported. It may have been unsupported, in which case it would have sagged in the middle, especially when it rained, but this is very unlikely. It would hardly have remained stable. Or it may have been supported by a kind of lattice work or by bars going across, a method probably already connected in their minds with the kerashim framework and therefore not needing to be explained. Its measurements would be determined by the other measurements.

      To sum up. The framework was thirty cubits long by nine to ten wide by ten high. The curtains of forty cubits by twenty eight and forty four cubits by thirty would cover the top and both sides plus the rear, with the overhangs mentioned for the goats’ hair. The inner curtains would not quite reach the floor, for this would have been seen as defiling the Dwellingplace. The front was seemingly open. Thus a screen will be made to cover this opening (verse 36) although the outer coverings of rams’ skins dyed red and dolphin skin may also have been long enough to provide covering.

      The Making of the Veil and the Ordering of the Dwellingplace (26.30-37).

      Verse 30 is regularly connected with what precedes, but it is very different from 25.40, and the chiastic pattern connects it with what follows. Furthermore it fits in well with this following passage which deals not only with the veil but also with the ordering of the furniture in the Dwellingplace

      The Most Holy Place was to be separated from the Holy Place by a large veil. This would keep the Most Holy Place in darkness except for when the light of Yahweh shone there, apart from a glimmer of light from the Holy Place. It was to prevent access to all men, even including the priests, apart from on the Day of Atonement when ‘the Priest’ (the High Priest) alone could enter to make final atonement for the people. It symbolised that while men could approach God they could not enter directly into His presence. He must always be veiled from them because no man could see God or enter His immediate presence and live. We can imagine the awe with which the priest approached the veil aware that beyond it was the Presence before Whom no man could enter and Whom no man could see and live.

      When the holy veil was made no one could have even dreamed that over a thousand years later that veil would be torn in half by God Himself, but in the death of Jesus the veil was torn apart for Him (Mark 15.38), symbolic of the fact that through it went our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, to act as Mediator on our behalf, and to represent us in God’s presence for ever (Hebrews 9.12, 15, 24; 10.12) with the result that we too can spiritually enter through the veil by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10.19-22).

      But this is only partial, for the final glory still awaits when our great High Priest returns from within the veil (Hebrews 9.28) and we then have access not only spiritually but literally to behold His full glory (Revelation 21.23; 22.4-5).

      This passage may be analysed as follows:

      • a The Dwellingplace was to be set up in accordance with the pattern shown on the mount (30).
      • b A veil was to be made of bluey-purple, purpley-red, scarlet and fine twined linen embroidered with cherubim, all to be done by skilled workmen and was to be hung on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, supported by four sockets of silver (one per pillar) (31-32).
      • c The veil being held up with clasps the Ark of the Testimony was to be brought within the veil (33a).
      • d The veil will divide between the Holy of Holies (the Most Holy Place) and the Holy Place (33b).
      • c The mercy-seat (place of propitiation) shall be put on the Ark of the Testimony in the Holy of Holies (34).
      • b Outside the veil in the Holy Place are to be placed the table on the north side and the lampstand on the south (35).
      • a The Dwelling place was to be set off from the people by a screen for the door of the Tent, of bluey-purple, purpley-red, scarlet and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer, and was to be hung on five pillars of acacia overlaid with gold by means of golden hooks and supported by five sockets of brazen copper (36-37).

      It will be noted that in ‘a’ the Dwellingplace is set up and in the parallel the screen which separates the people from the Dwellingplace. In ‘b’ the veil is made and hung, and in the parallel the table and lampstand are set outside the veil. In ‘c’ the Ark of the Testimony is brought within the veil into the Holy of Holies, and in the parallel the mercy-seat is put on the Ark of the Testimony in the Holy of Holies. In a sense central to all (in the passage) is the veil which separates the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place and thus guards the Ark but gives access to the lampstand and the table of showbread.

      26.30-33 “And you shall rear up the Dwelling-place in accordance with its pattern which has been shown you in the Mount, and you shall make a veil of bluey violet, and purpley red, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skilful workman. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks of gold, on four sockets of silver. And you shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring within there, within the veil, the Ark of the Testimony, and the veil shall divide for you between the holy place and the most holy.”

      When the Dwelling place was raised up in accordance with the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, the Holy Place was to be separated from the Most Holy by this veil. This was to be made of multicoloured cloth and fine linen and was to hang down from the top of the hooks on the four pillars. The four pillars would be in sockets of silver. It separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies). Within the Most Holy Place were set the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh called here the Ark of the Testimony because it contained the Covenant tablets, and it testified to that covenant. It may also have contained the ancient covenant tablets from which the narrative of Genesis was obtained. It was the most sacred of all the furniture in the Tabernacle, and was seen as the place from where God dispensed justice and mercy.

      The veil acted as a barrier between it and man, through which no man might pass, apart from ‘the Priest’ (the High Priest) once a year under special restrictions. The cherubim designed on it were a reminder of the cherubim who guarded the way to the tree of life and would not allow man to approach it. They signified the extreme holiness of the Most Holy Place, that a man could go so far and no further in his approach to God.

      In the Temple, doors separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, but the veil was hung over the doors so as to continue to fulfil its purpose. It was this veil that was torn in two at the time of the crucifixion of Christ. For Him there could be no veil to hide Him from the Father and He entered directly into His presence. And it symbolically opened the way of access spiritually into God's presence for all who came through Him (Hebrews 10.20; Matthew 27.50-51; Mark 15.37-38; Luke 23.45-46). But in the end that rending of the veil is also the declaration that one day we shall enjoy the glory of His presence in its fullness (Revelation 21.23-24; 22.5).

      26.34 “And you shall put the mercy seat on the Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.”

      Thus while the Ark contained within it the Testimony (the ten words), the covenant and all the moral requirements demanded by a holy God that revealed the sinfulness and failure of man, above them was the place of propitiation, the mercy seat, where propitiation and atonement could be found. In the midst of judgment there was always mercy through the shedding of blood. It was the place where men’s sins were finally done away.

      We might suggest that the Mercy-seat represented the opening words of the covenant, ‘I am Yahweh your God Who delivered you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage’, and the chest the commands which followed required by their Overlord.

      26.35 “And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the south, and you will put the table on the north side.”

      The table and lampstand were set in the Holy Place, the table to the north side and the lampstand opposite it on the south side. Thus as a priest entered the Holy Place through the entrance from outside he saw ahead of him the table on the left and the lampstand on the right. The fact that they were outside the veil confirms further that there was no thought of Yahweh eating the bread. It was their provision, not His requirement, and they partook of it themselves through their priests. It was a sign of God’s provision for them, not for Himself.

      26.36 “And you shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of bluey-violet and purpley-red and scarlet and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer. And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five sockets of brass for them.”

      The way in and out of the Holy Place from the courtyard outside was to be covered by a screen of multicoloured cloth and fine linen, hung on five pillars. This suggests that it was wider than the inner veil, (with its four pillars), and extended at each side of the entrance. It prevented access by the unauthorised and those not duly sanctified. The gradation of entry emphasised that the nearer men came to God the more holy the ground, and the more thorough the preparation needed for the approach, and that between man and God there was a great gulf that could only be dealt with by atonement and cleansing.

      Note that there were no cherubim on this curtain. Their representation was only allowed within the Sanctuary, for they spoke of the heavenly. Such representations must not be seen by ordinary people for they could result in wrong ideas.

      The outer screen had sockets of brazen copper to hold the golden pillars. It was where the more holy ground came in contact with the even less holy ground. It should be noted that gold never touches the ground, (apart from the furniture in the holy Sanctuary) and that even within the Sanctuary, when contact with the ground is made by the pillars it is by silver sockets. The ground is more holy where they are but not most holy, for there the more holy connects with the less holy.

      Notes for Christians.

      Here in this picture of the construction of the Dwellingplace we have a symbol of how sinful men can through Christ become the temple of the living God by the indwelling of the Spirit, and what it means. There were differing qualities of cloth within and without the Dwellingplace. Outwardly we portray the Porpoise skins and the goatskins, for we are rough hewn and have to be tough to face the world. But that roughness and toughness, if right, comes from the inner harmony and beauty, the blue cloth which symbolises heaven in our hearts, the purple which reminds us that we are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2.9), the red which reminds us that we are constantly cleansed by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1.7), the pure linen cloth which is indicative of the righteousnesses of His people (Revelation 19.8). And the intricate details are a reminder of God’s perfect work within us as He ‘fitly frames us together’ (Ephesians 2.21) in order to make us a suitable dwellingplace. The very detail of the description is a reminder of the care with which He goes about His work. Bezalel is a novice in comparison. God’s frames support us, His pegs hold us secure, His loops and clasps hold us together. And not one is unimportant. We may see His pegs as faith, hope and love, His loops and clasps as the intricacies of His word which speak to every need, and His frames as the great promises in which we trust. For all is His provision. But in the end it speaks of all that He provides for our spiritual growth.

      Alternatively these different parts of the Dwellingplace may be seen as representing the part played by different Christians in the whole united ‘temple of God’ consisting of His people, each having a part to play, some larger, some smaller, but all essential to the whole.

      And the veil reminds us of the sin that prevents men’s access, but for us it has been torn asunder by our great High priest and sacrifice, so that through Him we can enter humbly but joyously within the veil (Hebrews 10.19 ff), ever aware of the glory of the One Who awaits us there.

      End of note.)

      The Altar of Burnt Offering (27.1-8).

      The altar was to be covered with ‘brazen copper’, probably copper alloyed with tin to make bronze. It was thus of inferior material compared with the gold and silver in the sanctuary, and served to demonstrate that through it earth met with heaven. It was the place where sin was dealt with. (There may also have been the practical purpose of it being more weatherproof and fireproof).

      On that altar would be offered all the offerings and sacrifices of Israel which would result in forgiveness and mercy, pardon for sins, and the declaration of being made righteous (that is, as seen as without guilt) through the death of a substitute and representative offering, and would be the means by which they could offer themselves to God in dedication and thanksgiving, in praise and in worship, until the greater sacrifice came Who would offer Himself up once and for all (Hebrews 10.10).

      We can analyse the passage as follows:

      • a The brazen alter was to be made of acacia wood overlaid with an alloy of bronze and copper. It was to have horns (upward projections) on its corners and be frousquare (1-2).
      • b Its vessels to take away its ashes (literally ‘cleanse it from fat’), and its shovels and its basins and its fleshhooks and its firepans (or ‘receptacles’), all its accoutrements, were to be made with brazen copper (3).
      • c They were to make a network grating of brass (copper), and on the net they were to make four brazen rings in its four corners.
      • c They were to put the network grating under the ledge (or ‘band’) round the altar beneath, that the network might reach halfway up the altar (4-5).
      • b They were to make staves for the altar, staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with brazen copper, and its staves were to be put into the rings, and the staves would be on the two sides of the altar for carrying it.
      • a They were to make it hollow with boards as shown to Moses in the Mount.

      Note that in ‘a’ how the brazen altar is to be constructed is described, and in the parallel it is to be made hollow with boards as Moses had been shown in the mount. In order for it to be used as an altar, earth or unhewn stone (20.24-25) would have to be put within it on which to build the fire. In ‘b’ we are informed about the instruments to be available for use at the altar, and in the parallel how it was to be carried. In ‘c’ we have the description of the grating at the bottom of the altar and in the parallel the place where it was to be situated on the altar.

      27.1-2 “And you shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be foursquare, and its height shall be three cubits. And you shall make its horns on its four corners. Its horns shall be one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with brazen copper.”

      The altar, which would be placed in the courtyard facing the Holy Place, was five by five by three cubits (220 x 220 x133 centimetres or 7 feet by 7 feet by 4.5 feet). It was made of acacia wood covered with brazen copper, (copper alloyed with tin. The exact type of metal is not certain and copper would be better suited and equally valuable) signifying God’s strength and glory, but of a lesser value than the gold and silver within the sanctuary. But the brazen copper would be better placed to take the heat than gold. However, as much else is of brazen copper in this part of the Dwellingplace it is clear that it is intended to be an indication that the place was not as holy as the inner sanctuary. (And there would be a limit to the amount of gold available).

      The setting of the altar outside the inner sanctuary would be necessary because of the continual smoke that would arise from the altar. But it was probably also in order to make it accessible to the people and to prevent any contact with sin from entering the inner sanctuary. It was an indication that in approaching God the very first step must be atonement.

      Five was the number of covenant (compare the five words on each of the two tablets of the Law), and five by five, making a foursquare altar (emphasised as indicating its total compatability with its purpose), indicated the perfection of the covenant, and of this means of atoning for breaches in the covenant. The height of three cubits indicated completeness.

      The four ‘horns’ were upward projections at each of the four corners of the altar as found on the altars of other peoples discovered elsewhere. They may have been for tying the sacrifices to the altar (they were used for this - Psalm 118.27), or they may have indicated a pointing or reaching up to God. They may also have been intended to simulate the horns of an animal and thus be indicative of strength and power. As the altar of incense on which no sacrifices were offered also had these projections upwards the latter two interpretations are more probable as the main significance. Tying on the sacrifices was an added extra. This would suggest that the altar indicated heavenward movement and strength and power.

      The foursquareness emphasis its perfection, but also that it falls short of the Most Holy Place which was a perfect cube. Compare also ‘the new Jerusalem’ which represented the perfected people of God prepared as a bride for her Husband (Revelation 21.2, 16-17).

      The blood of offerings and sacrifices was smeared on the horn with the finger (29.12 - in the sanctifying of Aaron; 30.10 - in making atonement for the people once a year; Leviticus 4.18, 25, 30 - for the application of various sin offerings; Leviticus 8.15 - to purify it; Leviticus 9.9 - the sin offering for Aaron; Leviticus 16.18 - on the day of atonement for all the people; etc.), indicating that their significance was more than that of convenient projections for tying sacrifices on. This would serve to confirm the idea that they pointed upwards towards God.

      The altar was seemingly a large hollow box, made hollow with planks (verse 8) and it is probable that unhewn stones and earth were used to fill the box preparatory to laying the wood for sacrifice (20.24-25). These could be emptied out when it had to be carried, with new innards made whenever they became stationary at God’s command. It was ideal for wilderness travel. It was the place where atonement was made (Leviticus 17.11). On it were offered the various offerings and sacrifices required by the Law.

      The use of the definite article with altar has been overemphasised by some. Quite apart from the fact that the Hebrew definite article can simply mean ‘the one I am talking about’ and nothing more, the making of a sanctuary would demand an altar of sacrifice and the article could thus mean simply ‘the altar necessary for the sanctuary’. It is not saying that there could not be an altar with a different significance as in 30.1.

      27.3 “And you shall make its vessels to take away its ashes (literally ‘cleanse it from fat’), and its shovels and its basins and its fleshhooks and its firepans (or ‘receptacles’), all its accoutrements you will make of brazen copper.”

      The different accoutrements for the altar were also made of brazen copper. The vessels for carrying away the ashes and remains of the fat, the shovels for shovelling them, the basins for catching the blood (24.6), the fleshhooks for manoeuvring the sacrifices, and the firepans possibly for such tasks as carrying the ashes from the altar to the altar of incense (Leviticus 16.12).

      27.4-5 “And you shall make for it a network grating of brass (copper), and on the net you will make four brazen rings in its four corners. And you will put it under the ledge (or ‘band’) round the altar beneath, that the network might reach halfway up the altar.”

      The network grating was in order to provide sufficient draught for the fire, and/or it may have contained the ashes that fell through from above, or it may have been a protection to prevent the actual altar being touched by the priests. The four rings were to take the poles used for carrying the altar. There was clearly a ledge (or band) round the altar midway between top and bottom, probably for the priests to stand on as they ministered at the altar. It could be made accessible by a mound of earth surrounding the altar. This would be why the priests wore special breeches. The altar was not to be approached by steps (20.26). The priests would have been of smaller stature than most of us and the altar would therefore be at head level. Others have argued that the ledge or band was only for decoration and strengthening.

      Although overlaid with copper or brazen copper it will be quite apparent that this altar could not by itself contain a continually burning fire. It is clear therefore that some materials would have to be put within it on which the fire could be lit, which would absorb the heat. These materials were probably the earth or unhewn stones of 20.24, 25. Thus did this permanent altar act in place of the altars built temporarily in different places where Yahweh recorded His name.

      27.6-7 “And you will make staves for the altar, staves of acacia wood, and overlay them with brazen copper, and its staves will be put into the rings, and the staves will be on the two sides of the altar for carrying it.”

      When on the move the altar would be borne by staves which went through the rings on each side of the altar.

      27.8 “Hollow with boards you will make it. As it has been shown you in the Mount, so shall you make it.”

      This confirms that the altar was hollow inside. The making of it in the exact pattern was necessary (compare 25.40) in order to prevent false impressions being given by the addition of things added to conform with other altars they had known. Beauty and splendour were incorporated but idolatrous associations must be abjured. The way to God had to be taken in the way that God laid down.

      The Courtyard of The Tabernacle (27.9-19).

      Before and around the sanctuary was a large courtyard into which the people themselves could come. They could not enter the sanctuary, only the chosen priests would be able to do that, but they (usually the heads of households except where individual offerings were to be offered) could come before it with their offerings and their prayers knowing that He was there to hear. And here they could offer their worship and their thanksgiving to God.

      But it must be appreciated that many would not even enter this court except through their representatives, the fathers of their houses. It was a sacred place and not to be entered lightly. To the vast majority of Israel the area around the courtyard would be the place where they came to meet with Yahweh. This may well be why in Deuteronomy, when speaking to the people as a whole, Moses spoke of ‘the place’ (maqom) which Yahweh had chosen which incorporated the whole. They were not, however forbidden entry when it was necessary, especially for judgment before the door of the Tent (e.g. Numbers 5.16, 18, 25).

      We may analyse this passage as follows:

      • a They were to make the court of the Dwellingplace, and along the south side were to be hangings of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long suspended on twenty pillars seated in twenty sockets of brazen copper. The hooks and connecting rods were to be made of silver (9-10).
      • b Along the north side were to be hangings of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long suspended on twenty pillars seated in twenty sockets of brazen copper. The hooks and connecting rods were to be made of silver (11).
      • c Along the west side (the rear) there were to be hangings stretching for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and sockets (12).
      • d Along the breadth of the court on the East side was to be fifty cubits, but as the entrance had to be there the hangings each side of the entrance on each side were to be fifteen cubits, leaving a gap of twenty cubits for the entrance. Each fifteen cubit hanging would be supported on three pillars and three sockets. (13-15)
      • d For the entrance of the court there was to be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue and purple and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer, with four pillars and four sockets (16).
      • c All the pillars of the court round about were to be filleted with silver (or ‘joined by silver rods’), their hooks of silver and their sockets of brazen copper (17).
      • b The length of the court was to be one hundred cubits and the breadth fifty everywhere, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, with sockets of brazen copper (18).
      • a All the instruments of the Dwellingplace in all its service, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court were to be of brazen copper (19).

      The patterning must have been difficult in this particular case and yet it was to some extent achieved. In ‘a’ the making of the courtyard of the Dwellingplace is called for and the length of the south side of it described, while in the parallel the instruments to be used in that courtyard are to be of brazen copper. In ‘b’ the north side is one hundred cubits and in the parallel the court is to be one hundred cubits. In ‘c’ the west side (the rear) is to have hangings stretching for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and sockets, while in the parallel the pillars were to be connected with silver rods and to have silver hooks and sockets of brazen copper. In ‘d’ we have the hangings on each side of the entrance, and in the parallel details about the entrance.

      27.9-11 “And you shall make the court of the Dwellingplace. From the south side southwards (or ‘on the south side on the right’) there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits long for one side. And its pillars will be twenty, and their sockets twenty of brazen copper. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets (or connecting rods) will be of silver. And in the same way for the north side in length there will be hangings a hundred cubits long, and its pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brazen copper. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets (or connecting rods) of silver.”

      The two sides of the courtyard were to be one hundred cubits in length and to be formed by fine twined linen on twenty pillars whose hooks and fillets were of silver. The fillets may in fact have been connecting rods connecting the pillars and supporting the curtains, although some see them as a band running round the base of the pillars.

      The twined linen separated the court from the outside world and may well have depicted the idea of purity and righteousness in contrast with the sinfulness of the outside world. Those who would come before God must do so in purity and righteousness. Leaving their sins behind they must enter to obtain atonement and enjoy time in God’s presence. While the pillars could be of brazen copper the actual fittings that held the curtain material must be of silver.

      So as we go along we see that gold is used in the sanctuary itself, although silver is used where contact has to be made of the holy with the marginal ground. Silver is also used to connect the holy with what is earthy, such as here, connecting the twined linen with the pillars, and mainly brazen copper for what is outside the sanctuary, again denoting the movement from the most holy to the less holy. The silver hooks on the brazen copper pillars may therefore here depict the linen curtain as being of a holy nature, and therefore not to be treated lightly (but not most holy). But there may also have been another practical purpose in all this. Gold easily available may have been seen by God as too great a temptation to place before men where it could be accessed too easily. They were not likely to enter the sanctuary, but they might well have been prepared to despoil the fencing of the outer court for gold. He knew the hearts of men.

      ‘Southwards.’ Directions were determined by facing the rising of the sun, so the East was before, the West behind, the South to the right and the North to the left (see Job 23.8-9).

      27.12-13 “And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits. Their pillars ten and their sockets ten. And the breadth of the court on the East side eastwards (or ‘in front’) shall be fifty cubits.”

      Looking from the front, the courtyard was fifty cubits wide and thus only required half the number of pillars. The court was thus one hundred cubits by fifty cubits, in proper proportion but without the perfection of the perfect square of the Holy of Holies.

      27.14-16 “The hangings for the one side shall be fifteen cubits. Their pillars three and their sockets three, and for the other side will be hangings of fifteen cubits. Their pillars three and their sockets three. And for the entrance of the court will be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue and purple and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer, their pillar four and their sockets four.”

      The entrance to the courtyard was to be on the east side, with the actual entrance twenty cubits wide, with fences of fifteen cubits either side. The entrance curtain was to be multicoloured, and very carefully wrought, in distinction from the fine twined linen of the outer screen, a reminder that they were entering the courtyard of the king.

      Here again there are ten (three + four + three) pillars as with the west side. Whether the end pillars of the north and south sides were also utilised for these screens, or doubled up, is an unanswered question.

      Various attempts have been made to construct the Tabernacle as described. Some have found difficulty because they have made assumptions that were not stated such as that the pillars were always the same distance apart, or that the entrance screen was necessarily continuous with the other screens on the eastern side, rather than set in a little in order to provide entrances at the side of the entrance screen. Others have been more successful. But all we can say is that this is how it might have been, not that this is how it was. Anyone who has tried to construct something by use of only written guidance will know how difficult it often is to know exactly what was meant. Fortunately Moses had been shown the pattern on the Mount, and much, such as the shape of the Cherubim, might then have been something that was well known.

      27.17-18 “All the pillars of the court round about shall be filleted with silver (or ‘joined by silver rods’), their hooks of silver and their sockets of brazen copper. The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits and the breadth fifty everywhere, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brazen copper.”

      The actual size of the court is now stated with the added information that the white linen screen will be five cubits high. It will be noted how all is, where practicable, in multiples of five, the covenant number. This is the Dwellingplace of their covenant God, and entering it they enter, as it were, within the covenant blessing, and sacrifice at the covenant altar.

      27.19 “All the instruments of the Dwellingplace in all its service, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court will be brazen copper.”

      All that is used in the outer court will be brazen copper. Inferior to the gold of the sanctuary, and indicative of the fact that the courtyard is not most holy, but still valuable as a metal and indicating its genuine holiness. Such would include the laver of brazen copper, the tent pegs, and many other accoutrements. It was a useful and pliable metal.

      The Burning of the Light of Israel Before Yahweh (27.20-21).

      The account of the making of the Dwellingplace finishes with a description of how the common people can have their part in the worship of the inner Sanctuary. Regularly they are to provide the oil for the feeding of the lamp which burns continually in the Holy Place. This compares with their free and liberal giving in the beginning (25.1-9).

      We can analyse this as follows:

      • The children of Israel were to be commanded to bring to Moses pure olive oil, beaten, for the lamp, so as to cause a light to burn continually (20).
      • In the tent of meeting, outside the veil, but in front of the Testimony (hidden behind the veil) Aaron and his sons were to order the maintenance of the lamp from evening to morning before Yahweh (21a).
      • This was to be a continual statute through their generations for ever on behalf of the children of Israel (21b).

        In ‘a’ ‘the children of Israel’ were to bring the oil for the lamp so that it would burn continually, and in the parallel ‘the children of Israel’ were to fulfil this ministry as a continual statute. Inside the Holy Place it would be Aaron and his sons who on behalf of the whole people maintained the light of the lamp. This central stress on Aaron and his sons now lead on to the next chapter.

        27.20-21 “And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually. In the Tent of Meeting outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons will order it from evening to morning before Yahweh. It shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations from the children of Israel.”

        The type of olive oil described, beaten but not crushed, gave a clear, pure light. This was to be provided by the people and prepared with great care which confirms that this light shone on their behalf. They would feel that they had a real part in what went on in the Sanctuary. This was probably the light on one branch (or more) of the lampstand. Whether ‘continually’ meant that it never went out, or that it shone continually through the night only is open to question. The fact that it was ‘ordered’ from evening to morning seems to suggest the latter (compare Exodus 30.8; 1 Samuel 3.3). It would seem to be intended to be seen as a reminder to Yahweh of His people as dependent on Him for light and life.

        Note that here the Dwellingplace is called the Tent of Meeting which was the name of the ancient tent that it had replaced. The meeting was at the tent rather than in it. The reference to Aaron and his sons presupposes what is to follow, and in its central position in the analysis prepares for the following two chapters.

        ‘It shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations from the children of Israel.’ This statement is used when great stress is laid on something. Clearly this act of providing the oil was seen as very important. It was a direct link between the people and Yahweh. It explains why this command was placed at the end of the instructions for the Dwellingplace in order to emphasise it. The whole description of the Tabernacle and its main contents closes with the order for all Israel to continually burn a light there before Yahweh, and this final solemn injunction.

        (Notes for Christians.

        In the brazen altar we have a type of Christ Who provided in Himself both altar and sacrifice for us (Hebrews 13.10). Always if we would approach God it must be through Christ, and while we come without fear we must come reverently. For He is of heaven and we are of the earth. Indeed the only reason that we can even dare approach Him is because Christ is our altar and our sacrifice. It is foursquare because He was perfect and full balanced. It is made of acacia wood, symbolic of His true and perfect manhood, and of brazen copper (which to them was a precious metal) symbolic of His heavenly nature which was yet hidden while He was among us (Mark 9.1-11), but will be revealed as pure gold. But we cannot experience the gold until we enter the Sanctuary, for it is through our knowledge of Him that the gold become apparent.

        The court is a reminder that we are welcome to approach Him and to fellowship with Him. It too contains the purple which reminds us that we are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2.9), the red which reminds us that we are constantly cleansed by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1.7), the pure linen cloth which is indicative of the righteousnesses of His people (Revelation 19.8). And the intricate details also are a reminder of God’s perfect work which indicate that all has been wrought that it might be for us a perfect place to meet with Him. The very detail of the description is a reminder of the care with which He has provided for us to come to Him. And while the screen may seem to prevent access to the Sanctuary it is only in order to remind us of the care with which we should approach. It is not now there in order to prevent access but in order to remind us that holy things must not be treated lightly.

        And finally we are reminded that it is our responsibility to feed the lampstand so that its light continues to shine out brightly. In our daily worship of Him and our praising of Him before the world the light burns more brightly, but never more so than when our lives reveal the fruit of he Spirit. This is an important part of the ministry of God’s people, for the shining of that light to the world is our privilege and responsibility and it is only as we feed on God and His word that we will be able to enable it to do so.

        End of note.)

        The New Priests And Their Garments (chapter 28.1-41).

        At this stage Aaron and his sons are to be instituted as priests for the service of the Dwellingplace. We are given no direct information as to how the priesthood previously operated. Perhaps Moses operated as ‘the Priest’ (high priest) (24.4), and perhaps the patriarchs of households, or the redeemed firstborn (13.2), acted as priests for their households, although the latter were more likely simply assistants as the Levites would be. The future ideal was that all might become a ‘kingdom of priests’ (19.6). We do know that in 24.5 some young men assisted Moses in the offering of burnt offerings and the sacrifice of peace offerings. But everyone then knew what their system was and no one needed to be told, and there may have been a number of variations. It was only because a major change was to take place that we have these detailed descriptions. They would incorporate something of the old and introduce other things that were new.

        For we must remember that the present ‘Israel’ was made up, not only of connections with the twelve tribes in Egypt, but also of a ‘mixed multitude’ (12.38), many of whom would have had their own gods and their own form of priesthood. Only a short while had passed since the deliverance, and it was now necessary to formalise the way of worship for all that they might be one people with one way of worship. Had just anyone been appointed ‘high priest’ (in those early days regularly called ‘the Priest’) there may have been dissension, but none could dissent at the appointment of one who with Moses had been a major player in the deliverance. All would recognise his worth and recognition by God.

        This chapter may be analysed as follows:

        • a Aaron and his sons to be set aside to minister in the priest’s office (28.1).
        • b Preparation for making the holy garments (28.2-5).
        • c The making of the Ephod, the priestly surcoat, with the Girdle, the Ephod containing the names of the tribes of Israel on its shoulders (28.6-14).
        • c The making of the Breastpouch which contains on its jewellery the names of the twelve tribes and within it the Urim and the Thummim (28.15-30).
        • c The making of the Robe of the ephod to be worn beneath the ephod hemmed with pomegranates and bells (28.31-35).
        • c The making of the Headplate to be on the mitre and declaring Holiness to Yahweh (28.36-38).
        • b The making of the garments for Aaron’s sons (28.40).
        • a The robing, anointing, consecrating and sanctifying of Aaron and his sons to the priest’s office (28.41).

        The Appointment of Five Priests Including Aaron the Leading Priest (28.1).

        28.1 “And bring near to yourself Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.”

        The choice was wise. Moses was unavailable, for he had a nation to lead through the wilderness and could not give his time to the office of ‘the Priest’. He would always be unique. He was Yahweh’s man. But Aaron was equally recognised by the people as having been an instrument of God, and his relationship to Moses, and his part in the deliverance, were equally recognised. Indeed in an age when the firstborn was often seen as pre-eminent it might have been seen as appropriate that the elder brother be appointed.

        That Aaron as ‘the Priest’ was seen as holding a priesthood superior to that of his sons comes out in the special garments which he was to wear. He was the leading priest, called ‘the Priest’, a position described as the ‘great priest’ when differentiation needed to be made and no name could be given because the reference was general (Leviticus 21.10; Numbers 35.25).

        His sons acted as his assistants. Nadab and Abihu had been with him when they had feasted before God in the Mount (24.1), but would die (possibly struck by lightning) because they offered ‘strange fire’ (with incense - compare Exodus 30.9) before Yahweh, in disobedience to His commands (Leviticus 10.1-2). We know little of the future of Ithamar (see 38.21; Numbers 4.28, 33), but Eleazar would later become ‘the Priest’ (Numbers 20.25-26; 26.3, 63; 34.17; Joshua 14.1), and from him would be descended Zadok (1 Chronicles 6.8).

        Much later the descendants of Ithamar would be ‘the Priest’ although we do not know how it came about. It was possibly because a vacancy was left when there was no adult son of the line of Eleazar. Eli, Ahimelech and Abiathar were all descended from Ithamar (compare 1 Chronicles 24.3; 1 Samuel 22.20; 1 Kings 2.27), but with Zadok the Priesthood returned to the house of Eleazar.

        Thus five were appointed, the covenant number, of whom three would die because of disobedience (Numbers 20.24; Leviticus 10.1-2), and one would simply fade from the scene (but see 38.21; Numbers 4.28, 33). When God chooses a man he must show himself worthy. Presumption may lead to his downfall.

        It is significant that the four sons are divided into two sets of ‘two’, that is, two sets of witnesses. The first two failed in their witness. The second two carried it on. None, except Eliezer, was ever titled ‘the Priest’, but he appears to have taken over the role before Aaron’s death, possibly because of Aaron’s great age (Numbers 16.39; 19.3-4), after which he only is called ‘the Priest’ (e.g. Numbers 26.1 and regularly), apart from a mention of Aaron in the designation of Eliezer as ‘son of Aaron the priest’. See also Leviticus 6.22; Deuteronomy 10.6 for the idea of a sole ‘Priest’. The plural ‘priests’ can be applied to Aaron’s sons but not even then as a specific title (Numbers 3.3; 10.8). All are called ‘son(s) of Aaron, the priest’.

        In Leviticus ‘the priest’ is spoken of generally, either as himself acting, or as possibly acting through his assistants (see Leviticus 6.22 which emphasises this position). Later descendants called ‘the Priest’ are Phinehas (Joshua 22.30 - when Eliezer has grown old), Eli (1 Samuel 1.9, 2.11), Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21,1, 2; 2.11), Abiathar (1 Samuel 23.9; 30.7 and often). Zadok is also called ‘the Priest’ (2 Samuel 15.27; 1 Kings 1 (eight times); 2.35; 4.2; 1 Chronicles 16.39 (in contrast with ‘his brethren the priests’) 1 Chronicles 24.6) even when Abiathar is still alive, and they are then coupled together as ‘the priests’ (2 Samuel 15.35; 17.15; 19.11). This may well be because when Abiathar deserted to David (1 Samuel 23.9; 30.7), Saul appointed Zadok in his place. The tension between them was resolved when Abiathar supported Adonijah and Zadok supported Solomon (1 Kings 1), resulting in Abiathar’s downfall.

        The responsibilities of the priests in general in Israel were fourfold.

        • 1). They had the responsibility of maintaining the service of the Holy Place. This included burning the incense each morning and evening, trimming and refilling the lamps each evening, and replacing the showbread each Sabbath day.
        • 2). They maintained the service of the courtyard of the Dwellingplace.. This included the offering of sacrifices each morning and evening, and as required, and blessing the congregation after the daily sacrifice. It also meant keeping the fire on the brazen altar burning always for when sacrifices were brought to be offered, and periodically removing its ashes.
        • 3). They were responsible to inspect and appraise people and their sacrifices. These included lepers coming for examination, wives accused of adultery, and things offered to God or dedicated to the sanctuary.
        • 4). Finally, they were to teach and counsel the people. It was their responsibility to communicate the Law of Moses to the congregation and to pronounce on difficult cases of law.

        ‘The Priest’ had the additional responsibility of overall supervision, responsibility to ensure that the ordinances were correctly carried out, responsibility for the use of the Urim and Thummim and especially responsibility for officiating solely in unique situations like the Day of Atonement when he, and he alone, entered the Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies.

        The word used for ‘priest’ is ‘cohen’, which more rarely signified a mediator, a chief representative when it was also used of chief representatives of a king (see 2 Samuel 8.18; 20.26; 1 Kings 4.5). But the ‘priest’ was mainly the representative of Yahweh and the mediator between man and his God.

        The Priestly Garments (28.2-4)

        28.2 “And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.”

        The garments made for Aaron are now to be described. They are to be ‘for glory and for beauty’. They are unique and are to separate him off as holding a splendid office, a thing of beauty, distinguished from all others in his being ‘sanctified’, set apart as holy, as belonging to God, as God’s supreme representative to His people, as God’s mediator between God and man. They were to reveal to the people a hint of Yahweh’s own glory and beauty, and that this one acted before God on their behalf, and came to them from God. He was a shadow of the Greater Who was yet to come.

        So God was concerned that men should honour ‘the priest’ as His representative and mediator, and through his clothing God revealed some small hint of His own glory and beauty. Aaron was called on to reveal ‘the beauty of holiness’ (Psalm 29.2; 96.9; 1 Chronicles 16.29), the beauty of total dedication and separation to God. His failure to fully do so led to his death (Numbers 20.24).

        But it should be noted that only one had such garments as are described in what follows, because of his unique position, because uniquely he represented God, and he represented Israel (28.38 see also Leviticus 16). On the other hand, his sons also wore special robes ‘for glory and for beauty’ (28.40). They too were mediators, for one man could not bear the responsibility alone. And they possibly even wore the full garments when acting as ‘the Priest’, if such occasion ever arose before the death of Aaron. Eleazar would do so, and would inherit them from Aaron (Leviticus 16.32).

        Today the One Who has a right to these garment ministers in Heaven. We have ‘the high priest’ eternal in the heavens (Hebrews 7.26; 9.11, 24-28; 10.12, 21). There is now only One Mediator between God and man. It is questionable therefore whether any should wear such garments on earth. To do so is to make a claim that is not justified. There is now only One Who represents God before His people. All others come as suppliants and humble servants to God, as the chief of sinners. There was never any suggestion that the Prophets or Apostles should have such clothing. Indeed they often wore camel’s hair or rags. And if not they who else is justified in doing so? For to wear such clothing is to turn men’s eyes from God and from the Saviour of the world, to exalt a man. Anything that thus exalts man is to be abhorred.

        Men love such clothing for it exalts them. The motive for them may initially be pure, but man’s heart is such that it soon turns what is good into what is supremely evil, and man becomes exalted, and enjoys his exaltation, rather than exalting God. They actually begin to mistakenly see themselves as especially holy.

        28.3 “And you shall speak to all who are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.”

        To Israel the ‘heart’ was seen as the seat of the intellect and of all wisdom. And those who made Aaron’s garments were to be those whose hearts had been filled with the Spirit of wisdom, revealed by the expertise of their work. There seems little doubt here that they were to be seen as not just talented but as inspired by God in a special way. His own Spirit would inspire their spirits. For these garments were special, and they set apart Aaron in holiness before God so that he could fulfil the priestly office. They were to be seen therefore as, in a real but secondary sense, made by the Spirit of God. And yet even these had to be ‘sanctified’ by the shedding of blood (29.21), as had Aaron.

        28.4 “And these are the garments that they shall make, a breastpouch, and an ephod, and a robe, and an under-robe of patterned work, a turban and a girdle. And they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, and his sons, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office.”

        The garments are summarised and will be dealt with in more detail. They number six, the intensification of three, expressing full completeness. They are ‘holy’ garments for they set apart firstly the leading priest (‘the priest’) and then these other priests for a unique task, men who are set apart for mediation between God and man.

        The Ephod (28.5-12).

        The ephod was made of costly material worked with gold, bluey-violet, purpley-red and scarlet. It consisted of front and back pieces which reached from below the shoulders to the hips and was held in place by two shoulder bands, and was tied round the waist. Attached to it by gold fittings was the breastpouch of judgment (see below). It was put on over the priestly robe to be described in verses 31-35.

        28.5-8 “And they shall take the gold, and the bluey-violet, and the purpley-red, and the scarlet, and the fine linen, and they shall make the ephod of gold, of bluey-violet, and purpley-red, scarlet and fine twined linen, the work of the skilled workman. It shall have two shoulder pieces joined to its two ends. And the skilfully patterned, cunningly woven band which is on it, to gird it on withal, shall be like its work, and of the same piece, of gold, of bluey-violet, and purpley-red, and scarlet and fine twined linen.”

        The ephod was to be made by a skilled workman of the multicoloured materials used for the curtains. The gold was probably gold thread interwoven after the remainder had been done. The colours might be woven in a variety of patterns. While the Egyptians preferred white with a little colour the Semites preferred brighter colours.

        The looms used would be Egyptian hand looms, which were not large and easily transportable. The weaving skills had been brought from Egypt.

        The two shoulder pieces joined the separate pieces of the ephod over the shoulder, (and possibly was interwoven with the ephod all the way down to the band - see verses 27-28 ) while the skilfully-patterned woven band around the waist seems to have been attached to, or even woven into, the ephod and of a similar nature to the cloth.

        28.9-12 “And you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel, six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engraving of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones. You shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold. And you shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial.”

        The actual type of stones has been much disputed with onyx, beryl, emerald and sardonyx all having been suggested. The onyx is black and white, the sardonyx black and white with a layer of red. A large sardonyx was very expensive. It was an excellent stone for engraving. Engraving was an art well known in Egypt. It is no argument against this to say that slaves would not have learned engraving and weaving. They were not always slaves in Egypt, and even when they were slaves those who were skilled in such things would have been treasured and encouraged in order to bring profit for their masters.

        The stones were to be engraved with the names of the twelve sons of Jacob and placed in gold settings on the shoulder of the ephod so as to bring the names of the twelve tribes before Yahweh. When Aaron entered the Sanctuary the whole of Israel in effect went with him and were brought to Yahweh’s attention.

        ‘According to their birth’ may indicate order of age, or it may refer to the six sons of Leah on one stone and the remainder on the other (compare Genesis 37.2).

        The Breastpouch of Judgment (28.13-30).

        This Breastpouch of Judgment was so-called (28.5, 29, 30) because it had within it the Urim and the Thummim by which decisions were reached before Yahweh. It was like a 23 centimetre (nine inch) bag, was foursquare, and also contained on it twelve semiprecious stones, in four rows of three, on which were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. It would be attached to the ephod when Aaron was preparing to go in to the Holy Place before Yahweh.

        This double emphasis on the names of the twelve tribes stresses how important this was seen to be. As we have already pointed out, when Aaron entered the Holy Place the whole of Israel was seen as entering with him. He was their representative in the fullest sense. Every Israelite (and the foreigners who had united with them and become members of different tribes) would see themselves as entering with Aaron.

        28.13-16 “And you shall make catches of gold, and two chains of pure gold. You shall make them like ropes, of intertwined work, and you will put the intertwined chains on the catches. And you shall make a breastpouch of judgment, the work of the skilful workman. You shall make it like the work of the ephod. You shall make it of gold, of bluey-violet, and purpley-red, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. It shall be foursquare and double. Its length shall be a span and its breadth shall be a span.”

        This breastpouch was to be made of the same materials as the ephod and the curtains. There was no idea of contrasting colours or artistic beauty, except for the skilful workmanship, possibly due to the limitations of their resources. It was to be doubled to form a pouch to contain the Urim and Thummim, and was to be foursquare, indicating its perfection, and about half a cubit (say, 23 centimetres or nine inches). It would be fastened to the shoulderstraps of the ephod by two golden chains which were intertwined like golden ropes, and connected to the pouch by the catches.

        The word for ‘breastspouch’ is ‘choshen’ and is etymologically obscure. There is little agreement about its meaning apart from the fact that the context makes it reasonably clear. It was hung on the breast and was in the form of a foursquare pouch.

        28.17-21 “And you shall set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones; a row of sardius, chrysolite and beryl shall be the first row; and the second row a garnet, a lapis lazuli, and an onyx; and the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; and the fourth row a turquoise, a sardonyx and a jasper. They shall be enclosed in gold in their settings. And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve according to their names. Like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name. They shall be for the twelve tribes.”

        We have named the stones in terms of those which it would be possible for ancient engravers to engrave. (Such stones as emerald, sapphire and diamond would have been impossible for them to even scratch with the tools they had). All are contained in gold settings, marking their great holiness, They are of great value because God’s people were of great value (Malachi 3.17), and each contains the name of one of the tribes of Israel, engraved on them like a signet ring is engraved.

        ‘Four rows.’ Therefore four rows of three, making twelve in all. Four regularly indicates ‘worldwideness’. Three represents completeness. Thus the priest was seen as representing the whole of his world, with the twelve indicating the twelve tribes, that is, all Israel.

        28.22-25 “And you shall make on the breastpouch chains, like ropes, of intertwined work of pure gold. And you shall make on the breastpouch two rings of gold and shall put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpouch, and you shall put the two intertwined chains of gold on the two rings at the edge of the breastpouch, and the other two ends of the two intertwined chains you shall put on the two catches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, on its front part.”

        This describes the way in which the pouch is attached by golden chains of interwoven gold cords to the shoulder straps of the ephod by means of catches. All are of pure gold.

        28.26-28 “And you shall make two rings of gold, and you shall put them on the two ends of the breastpouch, on the edge of it which is towards the inward side of the ephod (or ‘which is on the edge of it on the inside of the ephod’). And you shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulderpieces of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling above the skilfully woven band of the ephod. And they shall bind the breastpouch by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpouch be not loosed from the ephod.”

        This is describing the attaching of the lower section of the breastpouch to the ephod and to the band around the ephod. The attachment is by bluey-violet cord put through golden rings which are attached to the ephod in the one case and the shoulderpieces of the ephod in the other. This may suggest that the shoulderpieces come very low and that the ephod is worn low down, or that the shoulderpieces are not just attached to the top of the ephod but continue on down, attached to the ephod and interwoven with it, even as far as the lower band. (Just as the band itself is of one weaving with the ephod).

        One purpose behind all this is to ensure that the breastpouch does not hang loose. It is to be attached as part of the whole.

        28.29-30 “And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel on the breastpouch of judgment on his heart when he goes in to the Holy Place, for a memorial before Yahweh continually. And you shall put in the breastpouch of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart when he goes in before Yahweh, and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before Yahweh continually.”

        There is a twofold purpose for the breastpouch. One is that it enables Aaron to carry on his heart, that is on his whole intellectual and emotional being, the names of the twelve tribes before Yahweh for a continual memorial, concerned for them, feeling for them, praying for them. And secondly that it may contain the instruments by which judgment can be found on His people’s behalf through the Urim and Thummim. The Urim and Thummim were instruments of judgment on behalf of Yahweh, and their ever being in the pouch meant that concern for the true judgment of the people was ever before Yahweh and ever a concern of Aaron’s.

        There is no certainty about what the Urim and Thummim consisted of, but they were clearly some way by which the divine will could be found (see Deuteronomy 33.8, 10; Numbers 27.21). There is no certainty about the etymology of the words themselves. It would appear that they probably worked by a series of questions being put which required a particular simple response, and a positive or non-positive answer was received, leading up by further questions to a final answer. While positive answers are known there is no example of a negative answer being given, but there is one of a refusal to answer (1 Samuel 28.6). However, the paucity of information might mean that in fact a negative answer could be given.

        So it could be that one simply represented the positive and the other the negative or neutral; or that different answers were temporarily written on each of them in some way and they were then selected by some method; or that they were tossed down on a surface and the answer came from the way they turned up or down. Or the answer may have been found by drawing one ‘blind’ from the pouch, indicating ‘yes’ or ‘no answer’ or ‘no’, or by casting them on the surface as suggested above with the answer given by how they fell.

        See for an example 2 Samuel 2.1 where the first question received the answer ‘yes’ or ‘go up’ to the question whether David was to go up to a city of Judah, and the second said ‘to Hebron’ in some way (possibly by saying ‘shall I go to Hebron?’). Compare also 1 Samuel 23.9-12 where the ephod, presumably with the breastpouch containing the Urim and Thummim, was brought to David and questioned; and 1 Samuel 14.36-42 where they were probably used at Saul’s behest. See also Joshua 7.14-18 where Joshua may have used them.

        So the ephod with the breastpouch, both containing engraved jewels, and the pouch containing the Urim and Thummim, were worn by Aaron to bring the nation before Yahweh continually. By their jewels they depicted them as precious to God, by the engraved names as personally within God’s cognisance, and through the Urim and Thummim they were a constant ‘reminder’ of the need for justice for God’s people. Furthermore they were actually sometimes the means by which it was obtained. They were crucial to the nation and worn by Aaron as representing them all before Yahweh.

        The Priestly Robe (28.31-35).

        Under the ephod Aaron wore a priestly robe. From its skirts were to hang pomegranates of bluey-violet, purpley-red and scarlet all round, and in between there were to be golden bells. Their sound as he went in and out of the Holy Place in some way contributed to his survival.

        28.31-32 “And you shall make the robe of the ephod all of bluey-violet, and it shall have a hole for the head in its midst. It shall have a binding of woven work round about its hole, as it were the hole of a coat of mail, that it be not torn.”

        The priestly robe was to be of one colour, setting off the multicolours of the ephod. The place for the head to go through was to be round and not formed by a slit, and the hole was to be protected by a binding of woven work, carefully protected just like the hole in a coat of mail. This was to prevent any danger of it being torn. To wear a torn robe within the sanctuary would bring dishonour to it for it would depict that which was less than perfect.

        28.33-35 “And on the skirts of it you will make pomegranates of bluey-violet, and of purpley-red and of scarlet, round about its skirts, and bells of gold between them round about. A golden bell, and a pomegranate, a golden bell, and a pomegranate, on the skirts of the robe round about. And it shall be on Aaron to minister, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before Yahweh, and when he comes out, that he die not.”

        Hanging from the bottom of the skirt of the robe were to be, alternately, replica pomegranates and golden bells. The pomegranates were to be made of material of three colours matching the colours used elsewhere. Bells for religious purposes are known from Assyria, where bells were common, and Assyrian fashions would be known in Egypt, and no doubt copied by some. And bells were certainly known in Egypt by 800 BC, both as decoration and as often being attached to children to ensure knowledge of their whereabouts.

        The probable idea of the bells is that Aaron must not enter the Holy Place secretly and unawares. The bells would announce his presence as all high servants of a king must be announced. Thus his entry was always to be a public affair, on behalf of the people, and never to be seen as a private audience. This would stress that the Holy Place belonged to Yahweh, and Aaron did not have freedom of movement in it. He came as an underling. To give the impression of trying privately to sneak up on God or as a private person would be to be worthy of death. Thus the emphasis of the bells is on the necessity for his announcement each time he came, and resulted from the fact that there was no one else there to announce him.

        The bells could then further be seen as an indication of subservience. They declared that he was not free to move as he would. They indicated that he was always to be under some level of subservience and observation. Compare how horses and cattle would later wear bells as subservient to man because they too were under control and so that they could be found by means of the sound of the bells.

        The pomegranates, like the bread of the presence, probably spoke of the fruitfulness of the land that God intended to give them. Pomegranates are often mentioned with this in mind (Numbers 13.23; 20.5; Deuteronomy 8.8; see also Song of Solomon 4.13; 6.11; 7.12; Joel 1.12; Haggai 2.19) and may have been seen as especially suitable for depiction on the robe, possibly matching the shape of the bells (round metal ones with a piece of metal inside to make the noise). Thus they may have been intended in the eyes of the people to indicate their request for the fruitfulness of the land.

        Or the bells with their music and the pomegranates with their wholesomeness may have been intended to indicate happiness and fruitfulness. To enter into a king’s presence in a gloomy state was to be in danger of death. Thus the thought here may be that Aaron must remember that he must enter God’s presence with happiness, happiness at the God-given fruitfulness of the land and with the joyful sound of bells.

        Or the idea may be that the bells were important because by hearing the bells the people could participate in what Aaron was doing and could participate with him in thought as they heard him moving about, and that for Aaron to deliberately act in such a way as to prevent this was to be worthy of death. He must ever remember what his position was, and to go in without their being aware would make him as one who went in as an individual regardless of the fact that he was the people’s representative. Proper reverence always had to be observed.

        Ecclesiasticus 45.9 gives the interpretation held by some many centuries later and explained it as follows: “He compassed him with pomegranates and with many golden bells round about, that as he went there might be a sound, and a noise made, that might be heard in the temple, for a memorial to the children of his people.”

        Others have suggested that God may have intended the pomegranates and bells on the hem of the robe to remind the Israelites of the declaration of God's commandments, the pomegranate being possibly a symbol of the spiritually nourishing quality of God's Word and the bells a warning that they should be heeded (compare Proverbs 25.11; Psalm 19.8-11; Deuteronomy 8.3). Or there is the view that the bells were a symbol of the sounding or proclamation of God's Word through testimony, the priest being the teacher of God’s word par excellence. The problem with these latter is that while the principles are good, they are rather remote from what is being described, and are nowhere else directly so connected with such ideas. Nor do they explain why their lack in this particular place should be particularly worthy of death.

        The later tradition that the High Priest went into the Most Holy Place with a rope tied round his leg so that if he was struck down and the sound of the bells ceased he could be dragged out without anyone desecrating the Most Holy Place is interesting, but is hardly relevant. If true it would, however, bring out the recognition of the awesomeness of entering the Sanctuary at all, and bells (a different type) do later declare the holiness of Yahweh (Zechariah 14.20).

        The Turban And The Golden Plate of Holiness to Yahweh (28.36-38).

        It should be noted that the turban is secondary here, only worthy of mention because of the plate of gold which had on it HOLY TO YAHWEH which was to be on Aaron’s forehead. The turban is not itself described here in any way (but see for this verse 39). All eyes are to be on the golden plate with its powerful declaration.

        This plate is remarkable. It sums up why Aaron can come before Yahweh as the representative of the people. It is because he has in his official capacity as ‘the Priest’ been made ‘holy to Yahweh’, set apart as ‘holy’ through due process. It sums up the significance of his office. It is why he can make atonement for all the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel ‘set apart to God’, and can ‘bear the iniquity of sacred things’. He stands alone, a picture of a Greater yet to come, because of God’s appointment, the shedding of blood on his behalf, and his various preparations which we have yet to consider. He is God’s appointee. But as such he represents all Israel. Thus in him Israel too is holy to Yahweh. The whole of the sacrificial system and ordinances, and the covenant, are summed up on that plate.

        So having been anointed, and cleansed, and purified, and having clothed himself in his underrobe which covers him from neck to toe, including sleeves, so that no part of him might come naked before God, and having put on robe and then the ephod, together with the breastpouch of judgment, He now dons his turban and the golden plate on his forehead which declares that he and Israel are Holy to Yahweh. He is ready to function as Yahweh’s anointed.

        And yet we are aware that Aaron too is sinful. His holiness as ‘the Priest’ is God-provided and not his own. He too has had to come through the blood of bulls and of goats, and through various other ceremonies, and will again and again have to do so, and will in the end die because of his particular sinfulness. He is not the perfect representative. But he is pointing ahead, pointing to One Who would one day come, and would wear on His head the declaration that He was holy to Yahweh, and that His people were holy to Yahweh, and that not because of some sacrifice offered on His behalf, but because He truly was so, and had offered Himself for them. And He would then bear, not just the iniquity of sacred things, but the sins of the whole world. Aaron is a shadow of things that will be, of Jesus, the Great High Priest Who is yet to come.

        28.36-38 “And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet ring, HOLY TO YAHWEH. And you shall put on it a lace of bluey-violet, and it shall be on the turban. It shall be on the forefront of the turban. And it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron will bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel will sanctify in all their holy gifts, and it shall be always on his forehead that they may be accepted before Yahweh.”

        The plate of pure gold is to be engraved HOLY TO YAHWEH, in the same way as a man’s signet ring is engraved, and in the same way as the stones were engraved (for they were engraved in the same way as a signet ring - verse 21). Thus just as the signet ring represents a man, and the stones represented the children of Israel, it may be that we are to see this as representing Yahweh Himself. His stamp is on Aaron as the representative of Israel.

        The golden plate is to be fastened to the turban over Aaron’s forehead by a bluey-violet lace (see 39.31), the same colour as his robe. (The turban is in fact white - verse 39). Perhaps the bluey-violet represents what is heavenly. But the placing of the golden plate certainly emphasises its pre-eminence. And it is because this one is made holy to Yahweh that he can in effect bring all the gifts and offerings of the children of Israel and present them to Yahweh even though there is that in them which is lacking, either because of what the children of Israel are, and because of the nature of the gifts, or because of anything lacking in their presentation. Aaron, through the whole sacrificial system carried through in accordance with God’s commands, as it were perfects them. It is the wearing of the golden plate, and its significance, that finally makes this possible. Through him Yahweh presents them to Himself, Aaron, of course, having previously made atonement for himself and the people as he does daily.

        But this all points forward to the One Who will perfect for ever those who are sanctified by the offering of Himself as the perfect One (Hebrews 10.14). Thus are they made holy in Him.

        ‘And it shall be always on his forehead that they may be accepted before Yahweh.’ Always, that is, when he is officially ministering and especially when he enters the Holy Place. The sign on his forehead is the symbol that all Yahweh’s requirements in the sacrificial system have been fulfilled. Full atonement has been made.

        The assumption behind all this is, of course, that the people are living in accordance with the covenant. That is why later Isaiah will point out that their sacrifices were in vain (Isaiah 1.10-20), because they were not living in accordance with the covenant. Israel were no longer ‘holy to Yahweh’.

        The Coat, the Turban and the Girdle.

        38.39 “And you shall weave the under-robe in patterned work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a girdle, the work of the embroiderer.”

        The under-robe is pure white, delicately woven and patterned. The turban too is white. Both are of fine linen. The under-girdle is to be embroidered, and is to be of fine linen, blue-violet, red-purple and scarlet (39.29). The white is a picture of purity and righteousness covering the whole person, a righteousness possible because the appropriate sacrifices have been made from an honest heart. But the weaving and the patterning and the embroidery suggest an added something to the white indicating that God has added to them something of His own purity and holiness. But these clothes are on the whole hidden, so why the delicate work? The answer is that in all things to do with God man must take the greatest care and trouble. All must be done to the glory of God, even that which is not seen.

        Summary. So prior to coming forward to fulfil his priestly duties Aaron must robe himself in a pure white under-robe which covers his person, with its multicoloured girdle patterned on the curtains of the Sanctuary, and put on his pure white turban. Then he puts on his robe or tunic of blue-purple, over which he dons the multicoloured ephod together with the attached breastpouch, and finally he dons the golden plate which declares Him and Israel as ‘holy to Yahweh’.

        He is thus a picture of Christ Who will come pure in righteousness, girdled by God in His strength and holiness, bearing in Himself His people whose representative He will be, bearing also all that is necessary for judgment and marked off uniquely as ‘holy to Yahweh’.

        The Clothing of Aaron’s Sons (28.40).

        The other priests, the sons of Aaron, wore simpler clothing. They were seemingly all in white apart from their girdle which connected them with the colours of the Sanctuary. (The latter is assumed from 39.29, not stated). But these too were ‘holy’ (verse 4).

        28.40 “And for Aaron’s sons you shall make robes, and you shall make for them girdles, and you shall make caps for them, for glory and for beauty.”

        The robes of Aaron’s sons were probably like Aaron’s under-robe (kethoneth), from neck to toe and with sleeves. They were probably also of fine linen. The verb used may indicate that they were not patterned like Aaron’s, but it may be that the patterning was assumed. They were fastened with a girdle, or belt, and they were to wear caps, probably close-fitting. Such caps were often worn in Egypt, but not by priests. The caps were to retain the hair. Man must be totally covered in the presence of God to cover his unworthiness. The letting down of the hair was also a symbol of sadness and distress (Leviticus 10.6), and this must not occur in the Sanctuary where all was joy.

        The same word for robe is used of the provision of robes for Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3.21). Man in his puniness and his sinfulness must be totally covered before God. He is no longer fit to come before God as he is in himself.

        We are given no information about the girdle, except that it was embroidered (verse 39), but 39.29 shows it to be of fine linen, and bluey-violet, and purpley-red, and scarlet, unless that is just describing Aaron’s. The remainder of their clothes were probably white. They too were to be clothed in purity from head to foot.

        Their clothes too were ‘for glory and for beauty’. As priestly garments they covered their wearers, as it were, in the glory and beauty of God, depicting their status. Indeed white robes are regularly elsewhere depicted as the mark of the heavenly and the garb of angels and of the redeemed who have died (Mark 9.3; Matthew 28.3; Mark 16.5; John 20.12; Acts 1.10; Revelation 4.4; 6.11; 7.9, 14; 19.14).

        The Donning of the Priestly Garments (28.41).

        This donning is deliberately described before the description of the linen breeches. The latter were not to be seen as priestly garments, but as a necessity by what they achieved.

        28.41 “And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and you shall anoint them, and consecrate them (literally ‘fill their hand’), and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office.”

        The uniqueness of Moses is again here brought out. He is the one who under God is to establish the priesthood. They receive their commission from him. He is to clothe Aaron and his sons in the apparel that has been described, and is then to set them apart for the priesthood by anointing, consecrating and sanctifying them. This will be described in more detail in chapter 29. But before then a small, but important, detail must be dealt with.

        The Linen Breeches To Cover Their Nakedness (28.42-43).

        These are very pointedly not put on them by Moses. They are not a part of the official garb as such, although a requirement of the office. For these act to cover the private parts (like underpants). To ‘reveal a person’s nakedness’ was usually to expose their private parts in sexual relations (Leviticus 18.6-19; 20.11-21).

        28.42-43 “And you shall make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness. They shall reach from the loins even to the thighs. And they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the Holy Place, that they bear not iniquity and die. It shall be a statute for ever to him and to his seed after him.”

        Aaron and his sons must at all time within the Dwellingplace and while on duty in its courts wear linen breeches which covered from loins to thigh. Nothing of what they were must be exposed to God (compare 20.26). These private parts had once been man’s glory. Then man was naked and was not ashamed (Genesis 2.25). Indeed his purpose was stated as, to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ (Genesis 1.28). But now what he produced was sinful and needed to be redeemed. Thus the linen breeches emphasised the fallenness of man. They did not declare the priest’s status, but rather were a reminder of his sinfulness, of the great lack that there was within him. Neither Temple of Meeting nor altar were to be approached unless they be worn. They may also have been intended to ensure that the holy garments were not soiled.

        To fail to cover their nakedness on official duties before Yahweh was to be under sentence of death. And this was considered to be so important that it was declared to be a permanent statute while the priesthood continued (compare 27.21).

        We must remember that sex played a major part in many religions, and especially among the Canaanites, something which would have been known from the regular practise of Canaanite religion in Egypt. The act of sex with sacred prostitutes and in wild orgies in the sacred groves and high places was seen as helping to persuade the gods to ensure the fertility of the land. Here it is made quite clear that Yahwism is the very opposite of that. Apart from between man and wife for the purpose of procreation and for making the man and woman one it was abhorred.

        ‘The Tent of Meeting.’ In this case the Dwellingplace. The name was taken over from the old Tent of Meeting which will be described in 33.7-11. It referred to the place where God could be met with.

        ‘When they come near to the altar to minister in the Holy Place.’ That is when they officially approach the altar preparatory to entering to minister in the Holy Place.

        • Breeches were to be made for the priests reaching from the loins to the thighs to cover their ‘nakedness’ (42).
        • They were to be worn when going into the Tent of Meeting (43a).
        • They were to be worn when coming near the altar to minister in the Holy Place (43b).
        • This was so that they do not bear iniquity and die. This was to be a statute for ever to Aaron and his seed after him (43c).

        Linen breeches of a similar kind, from waist to above the knees, were certainly worn in Egypt later and were no doubt so worn at this time, but here they have been given special significance.

        It will be noted that no prescription has been made for footwear. The priests were to walk barefoot (compare 3.5), and must wash their feet (in the laver) prior to entering the Holy Place or approaching the altar to officiate at it (30.18-21). Like the wearing of breeches this was a permanent statute.

        (Notes for Christians.

        In the priestly garments are symbols of God’s provision for His people. The ephod symbolised God’s people being brought by the High Priest into His presence constantly, for he wore their names on his shoulders. Thus does our great High Priest ever bear our names before Him. While the clothing of us by God in His heavenly nature (2 Peter 1.4), the appointing of us as His royal priests (1 Peter 2.5, 9) and His provision for us of the blood of Christ which cleanses from all sin (1 John 1.7) provides for all that we need in order to serve Him, and through this provision it is our responsibility to ‘wear the ephod’ and bring to God His people in our prayers and worship. The breastpouch too is the symbol that our High Priest bears our names upon His heart, and that from it by His Spirit He guides His church and brings to us all truth (John 14.26; 16.13), we must therefore be ready to bring God’s guidance and truth to the world, by studying to show ourselves workmen approved to God, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2.15). The clothing stresses again that we must wear the righteousnesses of the saints, and be constantly heavenly, royal and cleansed. The breeches remind us that the people of God must not treat lightly the sacredness of sex properly utilised, but must beware of flaunting it before God who know our hearts. The golden plate declaring ‘holiness to the Lord’ must be worn by His people constantly that the world might know of what true holiness consists.

        End of note).

        The Sanctifying Of the Priests and The Anointing of Aaron (29.1-37).

        In 28.41 Moses was to anoint the priests, and consecrate and sanctify them for their ministry in the priest’s office. How this was to be done is now described. The procedures were complicated, for they had to deal with all aspects of their purification and dedication.

        In the beginning the priesthood was intended to be limited to the family of Aaron. But as with many institutions its perameters would be expanded by misuse, which is evidence of the failure of Israel to be faithful to the covenant. Slackness in observing an ordinance is not necessarily evidence that it does not exist. See Judges 17.5, where it is specifically stated that Micah is doing what is right in his own eyes; 1 Samuel 7.1, although Abinadab may have been of the priestly line, which may be why his house was selected for the safe keeping of the Ark, and the purpose there was that the Ark would be protected, not used; 2 Samuel 8.18, but as these were David’s sons they may in fact have been priests of the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110.4), the ancient Jerusalem priesthood, now non-sacrificing; 1 Kings 4.5, but Zabud was a ‘priest’ as ‘ the king’s friend’, an official title, and he too may have been a priest after the order of Melchizedek, or the title may have here another meaning as king’s representative, for Zadok and Abiathar have already been declared to be the official priests of the line of Aaron.

        The first part of the chapter may be analysed as follows:

        • a The preparation of all the offerings to make the priests holy (29.1-3).
        • b The preparation of Aaron and his sons by washing with water (29.4).
        • c The robing of Aaron followed by his anointing with oil (29.5-7).
        • d The robing of Aaron’s sons (29.8-9).
        • e The offering of an ox bull for a purification for sin offering (29.10-14).
        • e The offering of the first ram as a whole burnt offering (29.15-18).
        • e The offering of the second ram, the ram of consecration, with its grain offerings (29.19-25).
        • d The provision of wave offerings and contribution offerings for Aaron and his sons (29.26-28).
        • c Provision for the passing on of Aaron’s holy garments (29.29-30).
        • b Aaron and his sons to partake of the ram of consecration (29.31-34).
        • a The seven day ceremony of consecration (29.35-37).

        This is then followed by provision for Israel’s future blessing.

        • Provisions concerning the daily whole burnt offerings offered at the door of the Tabernacle of Meeting where Yahweh will meet with Moses and speak with him (29.38-42).
        • Yahweh will meet with the children of Israel and sanctify the door of the Tabernacle of Meeting by His glory, the Sanctuary itself and the altar, and Aaron and his sons as priests (29.43-44).
        • Yahweh will dwell among His people and they will know that He is their deliverer from Egypt and is Yahweh their God (29.45-46).

        The Consecration of the Priests (29.1-37).

        Preparations For The Making Holy of the Priests (29.1-3).

        29.1a “And this is the thing that you shall do to them to sanctify them to minister to me in the priest’s office.”

        The process of ‘sanctification’, that is, their cleansing and purifying and their setting apart to Yahweh as ‘holy’ will now be described.

        29.1b-3 “Take one young bullock and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread, and unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. And you shall put them in one basket, and bring them in the basket with the bullock and the two rams.”

        The procedures that follow are to include a bullock, two unblemished rams, and unleavened bread, cakes and wafers made of wheat flour which have been mingled or anointed with oil. All but the bullock and the two rams are to be put in a basket. Then he is to bring them to the Tent of Meeting for the sanctification ceremony.

        We note that the rams have to be unblemished (see Malachi 1.6-14). Nothing that is less than perfect can be offered to Yahweh. The bread, cakes and wafers have to be unleavened, that is, no corrupting influence must have been involved in their making. The oil is probably an indication of their being ‘anointed’, that is, wholly set apart for the service of Yahweh. Bread and cakes could be mingled with the oil, but the wafers had to be made without oil and it was therefore poured on them.

        The word for ‘bring’ includes the idea of offering. This is probably to be seen as an initial ‘offering’ of them to Yahweh prior to their use.

        The young bullock is for a purification for sin offering, one ram for a whole burnt offering, and the other is a ‘ram of consecration’. The bread and cakes are for meal offerings.

        The Washing With Water (29.4).

        29.4 “And you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting,, and you shall wash them with water.”

        The washing with water is always preparatory. Water alone is never said to ‘cleanse’. Its purpose is the removal of ‘earthiness’ preparatory to what follows. In days when washing was not a favoured occupation it was seen as very necessary before approaching God. The taint of earthiness that clung to men must be removed (as in the case of their having to wash their feet - 30.19). They could not wear the holy garments until all trace of earthiness was removed.

        It is noteworthy that none can enter the Tent of Meeting until the whole process is completed. It was no light thing to enter the Sanctuary. Assuming that the new Tent of Meeting, the Dwellingplace, is indicated this must occur after the Tabernacle has been made and erected.

        This is a reminder that when we enter into prayer our first act should be to ensure cleansing from current sins. We must not enter God’s presence ‘unwashed’, for He is holy. But washing with water did not indicate cleansing from sin to Israel, it indicated the removal of earthiness prior to cleansing.

        Washing with water was a practise common to many religions. The Egyptian priests engaged in constant washing with cold water from head to foot, twice a day and twice every night. It was the significance that often differed. To Israel it signified the removal of earthiness, often preparatory to cleansing. It is never said to cleanse in itself. David in Psalm 51.2, 7 probably has in mind the Water for Purifying (Numbers 8.7; 19.9-20) which was water treated with the ashes of a heifer and applied with hyssop (Numbers 19.18). David felt like a leper. Although it may be that as a king used to bathing (not something common to all) he also saw verse 2 in terms of being washed clean by repentance (Isaiah 1.16).

        The Dressing and Anointing of Aaron as The Priest (29.5-7).

        29.5-6 “And you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the under-robe, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpouch, and gird him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod. And you shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy crown on the turban.”

        Having been washed, and having had all earthiness removed (he has yet to be cleansed), Aaron is now arrayed in the priestly garments, those described in chapter 28. (Note the lack of mention of the breeches, either here or in Leviticus 8.7-9, even though he would have them on, confirming our suggestion in 28.42-43). The holy crown must represent the golden plate which has on it ‘Holy to Yahweh’. A fuller description of all this is given in Leviticus 8.7-9. Here there is no mention of the under-girdle or the Urim and Thummim.

        By this he is depicted as covered by and before God as to purity, as representing the whole people, and as totally Yahweh’s, as ‘holy to Yahweh’.

        The fact that the golden plate can be described as a ‘holy crown’ (compare Leviticus 8.9) may be seen as indicating Yahweh’s Overlordship with the Priest being seen as His representative. He is a royal priest, announcing judgments on His behalf. He did not, however, have supreme rulership. While Moses and Joshua were alive they, rather than ‘the Priest’, had overall control, and they seem to have been followed by a council of elders (Joshua 24.31). These could call the tribes together and pass major judgments (Judges 20.2), while the Priest came into prominence when Yahweh had to be consulted through the Urim and Thummim (Judges 20.27-28). During this period prominent ‘Judges’ would often take the lead in various parts of the country, but it is doubtful if their authority was seen as applying to the whole of Israel. And not all tribes would respond to the call to arms (Judges 5.12-18). However, by the time of Eli, ‘the Priest’ seems to have gained a position of overall authority as Judge (1 Samuel 4.18), and although Samuel the Judge was never called ‘the Priest’ he may well have been so unofficially, with His authority coming from the One Who was King over Israel (1 Samuel 8.7). This, however, was the last time when ‘the Priest’ would have such a prominent role, with Saul being anointed ‘Prince’ (nagid - war-leader, and prince under Yahweh) over all Israel (1 Samuel 10.1, 20, 24) followed by David, who would actually again rule over all Israel. Even later, however, some time after the Exile, the priesthood would come into its own when the High Priests again virtually ruled Israel. Jesus came as both king and priest taking over both roles.

        29.7 “Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.”

        While his sons will also be anointed (28.41; 30.30; 40.15) all concentration here is on Aaron. He is to be ‘the Priest’, the foundation priest of a permanent priesthood. They derive their position through him, and their anointing is secondary. Nothing is to come in the way of this great fact that Aaron is to be ‘the Priest’, the anointed of Yahweh, and that once he is anointed his family are set aside as the priests of Yahweh ‘for everlasting’ (40.15). All other anointing follows from this. That is why here only his anointing is described. It is all embracing.

        Anointing does not indicate the reception of power. It represents the specific setting aside of someone or something for a divine purpose (although with men chosen by God the reception of power often accompanies it). Nor does oil necessarily signify the Holy Spirit (the priests are never described as ‘filled with the Spirit of God’ or as having the Spirit of God coming on them). It indicates dedication to a holy purpose, ad a setting apart as Yahweh’s. So here Aaron is set aside as the one who will act on behalf of Israel between man and God. But it is always as the suppliant. He comes to God on behalf of Israel and himself and offers their worship and receives God’s favours. And all his family for future generations are anointed in him. Thus they too will be anointed as a sign of this fact. But that is not mentioned here because the concentration is in the official anointing of the whole Aaronide priesthood.

        The composition of the oil is given in 30.30.23-25 (compare 25.6). It was very costly. And it is poured on his head to anoint him, to set him apart for a sacred task through the centuries, to dedicate him totally to Yahweh. Not now was it realised that it would be his failure in that dedication as the representative of the people before God that would bring about his death (Numbers 20.22-29).

        The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons (29.8-9).

        29.8 “And you shall bring his sons, and put robes on them, and you shall gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and bind caps on them, and they will have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. And you shall fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of his sons.”

        His sons are now included with Aaron in the ceremony. They are to be robed along with Aaron, and girdled with the robes and girdles previously described (28.40), and they are to be encapped with their tight fitting caps. And from this day the priesthood will be in their family perpetually by a perpetual statute.

        ‘And you shall fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of his sons.’ To fill the hand meant to consecrate someone to a responsibility. Thus a king may have his hand filled with a sceptre. Here the filling of the hand is more abstract. It has in mind the whole of the forthcoming activities (but see 29.23-25). They are to be completely consecrated to God. How solemn a moment was this. How tragic its consequences for at least two of them because of their arrogance or carelessness (Numbers 3.4).

        The Purification for Sin Offering (29.10-13).

        29.10-13 “And you shall bring the ox bull before the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ox bull, and you shall kill the ox bull before Yahweh at the door of the Tent of Meeting. And you shall take of the blood of the ox bull, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and you shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar. And you shall take all the fat that covers the inwards, and the caul on the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. But the flesh of the ox bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.”

        Because it is a sin offering offered for the priest it must all be consumed in one way or another. No part of it may be eaten. It is to be brought to the altar before the Tent of Meeting and Aaron and his sons will then identify themselves with the ox bull by laying their hands on it. And then the ox bull is killed as representing them. It dies that they may live. Whether they see it as signifying their sins passing from them to the ox bull, or whether they see the laying on of hands as a sign of identification, would probably depend on the offerer. The latter is certainly what the laying on of hands would signify in the future. But whatever the detailed significance the ox bull was dying for their sins. And they knew it.

        And now due process must follow. The blood is first put on the horns of the altar which point heavenward. The horns were clearly seen as the most sacred part of the altar, possibly because they were nearest to heaven, or possibly because they pointed upwards, or possibly because they indicated the strong point of the altar. So the fact of the shedding of the blood is to be drawn to His attention or to be carried up to God. Then the remainder of the blood is poured out at the base of the altar. The life given in death belongs to God. All life is His, especially life given in death. So all must be His.

        Then the fat and the delicate parts are burned on the altar as an offering to God. These were seen as the best parts of the sacrifice and therefore a due gift for God. They represented the thankfulness of the sinner as he was relieved of his sins. The reference to liver and kidneys is because in other nations they would often be kept aside for divination. It was not to be so with Israel. They were to be given to God.

        And finally the remaining carcass, with its dung/offal (which was not seen as fit for God), is burnt outside the camp. Because the sole purpose of the ox bull is to bear their sin, its flesh, that part which is man’s, is not fit for an offering, and it cannot be eaten. It must be destroyed utterly, for that is the wages of sin. And it must be burned outside the camp lest it defile the camp. Had it been seen as ‘holy’ it could have been burned on the altar. No greater sense of the horror of sin and the destruction it brings is possible. But the offerer rejoices in that by the good favour of God his sin is now dealt with. He is forgiven. But in order for the whole to be effective the heart must be in it. It is only effective when the worshipper is sincere (Isaiah 1.10-17; 1 Samuel 15.22; Micah 6.7-8).

        The Whole Burnt Offering (29.14-18).

        Now that sin has been dealt with they can offer their true, wholehearted worship to God in a whole burnt offering (‘that which goes up’).

        29.14-18 “You shall also take the one ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, and you shall slay the ram, and you shall take its blood and cast it round about the altar, and you shall cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its inwards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces and with its head, and you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. It is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.”

        The purification for sin offering was an ox bull that the cost of sin might be revealed. God wanted it recognised that sin was costly, and thus the purification for sin offering was deliberately and specifically shown to be the most costly of sacrifices.

        The downgrading to a ram was necessary to bring this lesson out. It was not that the whole burnt offering was less worthy. The ram was still a costly offering. But its use stressed the extra costliness of sin. This ram was an offering of dedication, of self-giving, of wholehearted gratitude and love. The whole of it was offered on the altar. But the shedding of blood was still necessary, for the ones who brought it were sinners. Atonement is still included.

        Again the identification procedure. Each laid his hand on to identify himself with the offering. Then the ram was slain, and the blood cast round the altar. This stresses that while the offering is a whole burnt offering offered to God it still contained an atoning aspect. The blood is not offered up but is cast before God, indicating that the life has been given and the blood has been shed on behalf of the offerers.

        Then the remainder is offered to God. There are parts that have to be washed, the legs because they have been in contact with the earth, the inwards possibly because it is seen as having been in contact with the dung, and then all the pieces are gathered up in total and offered to God by being burnt up, fat, flesh, bones and skin. All is dedicated to God. While containing sacrificial aspects it is an offering and not a sacrifice. (Usually in Scripture an offering is ‘offered’ and a sacrifice is ‘sacrificed’, although there are instances when the description is reverted. Ideas change or relax over time. It is also lest we grow too dogmatic. It will be noted here that the laver is assumed in order to provide water for the washing, even though it has not yet been mentioned).

        ‘It is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.’ That is, it is satisfying to God because of the intent of the heart, the loving self-giving and dedication of the offerer.

        The Ram of Consecration and The Cereal Offerings (29.19-26).

        Sin having been dealt with and self-dedication and worship having been offered the consecration now continues.

        29.19-21 “And you shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, then you shall kill the ram, and take of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot, and cast the blood on the altar round about. And you shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and on his clothing, and on his sons, and on the clothing of his sons with him, and he shall be sanctified, and his clothing, and his sons, and his sons’ clothing with him.”

        This offering bears the signs of being a Peace Offering (verse 28 compare Leviticus 3.1-17 with its similarities), although certainly an unusual one. Again identification is made with the beast by the laying on of hands, and the blood is shed, but this time the blood is applied differently. Instead of being applied to the horns, the upper extremity of the altar, it is applied to the extremities of the offerer, the ear (the highest bare extremity, the head is covered), the thumb (the outer extremity) and the big toe (the lowest extremity). The idea is to stress that the whole of the man is involved. It may also well be that the idea is that the ear, which is to hear the voice of God, the hand which is to do His will, and the foot that is to walk in His ways, are also in mind, and to be seen as dedicated to Yahweh.

        The applying of the shed blood stresses that they are now cleansed and consecrated to Yahweh. The same blood is then offered to Yahweh by being cast at the foot of the altar, emphasising that the life has been given and the blood has been shed.

        But then the blood is taken and mingled with the anointing oil and these are sprinkled on Aaron and his sons, and all their clothing. The purpose is both to cleanse them and to sanctify them and their clothing, to set them apart to Yahweh as holy and for His use. Thus are they made at peace with God. The oil demonstrates that they are fully dedicated to Yahweh for His will, and the blood that they are fully cleansed for this purpose. Sprinkling always indicates complete and total application. The stress on their clothing is because these are the holy garments of the priests which will enter the Sanctuary. They too must therefore be cleansed and dedicated to Yahweh. And because the clothes will, as it were, last through the generations in that form, it is a dedication and cleansing of all who are to come who will one day wear the ‘same’ clothing (29.29).

        It is probable that this is the anointing of the sons of Aaron mentioned in 28.28.41; 30.30. No other anointing is necessary for them, and by it they partake in the previous anointing of Aaron (29.7).

        29.22 “And you shall take of the ram the fat, and the fat tail, and the fat that covers the inwards, and the caul of the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, and the right thigh. For it is a ram of consecration.”

        As always these are to be burned up and offered to Yahweh (verse 25). They are seen as ‘the fat of the land’, the very best. All parts that might be used wrongly for divination are also offered. And the offering of them all is an act of consecration.

        29.23-25 “And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before Yahweh, and you shall put the whole on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons, and shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh, and you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on the whole burnt offering for a sweet savour before Yahweh. It is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.”

        Along with the fat and its accompaniments a loaf of the unleavened bread, a cake of the bread mingled with oil, and a wafer (see 29.2) are to be taken, and the whole are to be put into the hands of Aaron and his sons and are to be waved before Yahweh. This stresses that they are an offering to Him, a wave offering. We are probably to see that Moses causes their hands to wave the offerings before God for he is performing all the sacrificial activities and thereby he is enabling them to perform their first act as priests. (This may the ‘filling of the hand’ of verse 8, their symbol of office). Then the meal offerings are to be taken by Moses and burned on the altar on top of the whole burnt offering previously offered. This too is pleasing to Yahweh and delightful to Him. It is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

        29.26 “And you shall take the breast of Aaron’s ram of consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh, and it will be your portion.”

        We note the constant way in which Aaron is emphasised even over against his sons (verses 9, 10, 15, 19, 20, 21, 24). Here it is ‘Aaron’s ram of consecration’. The consecration of Aaron is the prime element, his sons are simply being consecrated along with him. The essential priesthood is being established.

        We also note Moses’ part in all this. He is performing all the priestly functions, and this is emphasised in that he is to here receive the priest’s portion. The prime breast of the ram is to be taken, waved before Yahweh to demonstrate that it is His, and then accepted by Moses as a gift from Yahweh (as regularly happens with the peace offering).

        Two Permanent Institutions (29.27-30).

        A brief break in the narrative is now taken to emphasise the future effect of all this before we go into the personal part Aaron and his sons now take in the ceremony. Two permanent things that will affect the future for the priesthood have been instituted. The wave/heave offering has been sanctified, and the garments of ‘The Priest’ have been sanctified. The effect on future generations is now described. The explanation of the sanctifying of the wave offering is clearly intended to follow immediately on its institution (verse 26), and it was important to deal with the future of the priestly garments here to save confusing it with what is said in verses 35-37.

        29.27-28 “And you shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the thigh (or ‘shoulder’) of the heave offering, which is waved and which is heaved up, of the ram of consecration, even of that which is for Aaron and of that which is for his sons, and it shall be for Aaron and his sons as a due for ever from the children of Israel. For it is a heave offering. And it shall be a heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their heave offering to Yahweh.”

        The act of Moses in taking the breast as a wave offering is an act that ‘sanctifies’ (makes holy) all future breasts and thighs/shoulders of peace offerings for consecration. In future from such peace offerings the breast will be waved before Yahweh (a few movements to and fro) and the shoulder will be ‘heaved’, (that is, waved once, or possibly simply ‘contributed’), and then both will be for the priests to eat. This will be their due from the children of Israel.

        ‘For it is a heave offering.’ This is the technical name for such offerings. It may rather mean ‘a contribution offering’. And in future the breast and thigh/shoulder will always be seen as for a heave/contribution offering from the children of Israel from all their sacrifices of peace offerings. They will by this be their heave/contribution offering to Yahweh.

        The idea behind the wave offering and the heave/contribution offering is that what is waved/heaved/contributed is being offered to Yahweh but then retained for the use of His priests. It was a practical means by which priests could be provisioned, while there was at the same time no limitation on the offering of the total sacrifice to Yahweh, for it was offered by waving/heaving.

        29.29-30 “And the holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and to be consecrated in them. Seven days shall the son who is priest in his stead put them on when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.”

        The second institution demonstrates what has been said earlier. The holy garments of Aaron differentiate the one known as ‘The Priest’ as against the many ‘priests’. Whoever is selected to replace ‘The Priest’ when he dies will have the holy garments of Aaron put on him, so as to be anointed in them and consecrated in them. And then for seven days will wear those garments in the Tent of Meeting without leaving it, as an act of dedication and consecration (see Leviticus 8.33). The consecration is to last for seven days. See for an application of this Numbers 20.28.

        The Active Part of Aaron and His Sons In The Ceremony (29.31-34).

        Meanwhile we move back to the consecration of Aaron and his sons in the present.

        29.31-34 “And you shall take the ram of consecration and boil its flesh in a holy place, and Aaron and his sons will eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and they will eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them. But a stranger shall not eat of them for they are holy. And if aught of the flesh of the consecration, or of the bread, remain until the morning, then you will burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten because it is holy.”

        Aaron and his sons were now to actively participate in the ceremony. The initial stage of their consecration is complete and they can now partake of the peace offering. Participation by the offerer in a peace offering would later be a regular event (and probably had been in the past. The laws of Leviticus were undoubtedly based on the past). It was a kind of one-sided fellowship meal, (God did not take part in the eating), an indication that the person was at peace with God through his offerings and sacrifices from a true heart, and an expression of worship and gratitude. Thus Aaron and his sons may eat what remains of the ram of consecration after Moses has arranged for it to be boiled in a holy place (at the door of the Tent of Meeting. In the event Moses requests Aaron and his sons to boil it - Leviticus 8.31), and may also eat the bread that Moses had brought in the basket to the Tent of Meeting (verse 2). But any that is not eaten by morning was to be burned. This latter was because of its especial holiness.

        ‘And they will eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them.’ We note firstly that the Peace Offering also ‘makes atonement’. The shedding of blood in whatever form ever has in mind the need for sin to be paid for, and emphasises the fact that everything man does, even his dedication and consecration of himself, is tainted with sin, so that every blood sacrifice contained within it an element of atonement. But the eating of this sacrifice before Yahweh is indicating an acceptance by Him of their consecration and their being separated to God and declared ‘holy’. They are now his representatives on behalf of the people, consecrated and sanctified to His service.

        ‘But a stranger shall not eat of them for they are holy.’ This is the use of the word ‘stranger’ (zor) to signify anyone not of Aaron’s family (compare Numbers 16.40; see also 30.33: Leviticus 22.12-13). Compare its use in the ‘strange’ fire. What was not in accordance with God’s ordinance was ‘strange’. It is emphasising their unique status as against the whole people. They are a family set apart from all others. When it comes to the priesthood all others are ‘strangers’. So this meat and bread is for the priests alone. Indeed later it is revealed that it must be eaten there in the presence of Yahweh after which they must remain there for the seven days of their consecration (Leviticus 8.31-33).

        The Seven Day Consecration (29.35-37).

        29.35-37 “And thus shall you do to Aaron and his sons, in accordance with all that I have commanded you. Seven days you shall consecrate them. And every day you shall offer the bullock of sin offering for atonement, and you shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to sanctify it. Seven days shall you make atonement for the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar will be holy.”

        This probably means that the same ritual as is described above is to be gone through for seven days, the number of divine perfection. Their consecration must be total and complete. This necessarily involves offering the ox bull of the purification for sin offering for atonement, and now we learn that it is not only to be efficacious for Aaron and his sons, but is also to be efficacious in cleansing and making atonement for the altar which they will use.

        Furthermore as well as the sacrificing of the sacrifice the altar is also to be anointed to sanctify it. So important is all this that the command is repeated. ‘Seven days shall you make atonement for the altar and sanctify it.’ In Leviticus 8.15 we learn that the altar is purified by putting the blood of the sin offering on the horns of the altar and sanctified by the blood being applied to the base of the altar, and that this also makes atonement for it.

        So all that is to be used in making atonement for the people must first, themselves and itself, be cleansed, sanctified and atoned for, for they are of the sinful and profane world. Thus are they made ‘holy’, set apart to God for a holy purpose. This is now especially stressed as far as the altar is concerned

        ‘And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches (or ‘would touch’) the altar will be holy.’ As a result of its consecration the altar becomes so holy that all that touches it becomes holy. This latter is not necessarily to be seen as a benefit for the person who touches it. Rather it is a warning. If a man touches the altar he becomes especially ‘set part to Yahweh’, and must either be slain or redeemed, for he has become Yahweh’s (in a similar way to the firstborn in 13.2). But this is to bring out that the altar is Yahweh’s. It is a holy thing.

        All this is a reminder to us that if we as ‘royal priests’ (1 Peter 2.9) would be consecrated and sanctified to God it can only be through the shed blood of Christ and through our being set apart wholly to Him. Then we may partake of His bread and act as ‘priests’ on behalf of others, bringing them to the foot of the cross. Indeed all these offerings point to Christ. He is our sacrifice for sin in order to make atonement for us, He is our whole burnt offering through Whom we offer ourselves to God, He is our peace offering through Whom we find peace with God and of Whom we can partake by coming to Him as the bread of life and to eat of His body by coming and believing (John 6.35, 53-56).

        What Is To Be Offered On The Altar: The Continual Burnt Offering (29.38-42).

        29.38-42 “Now this is what you will offer on the altar. Two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb you will offer in the morning, and the other lamb you will offer between the two evenings. And with the one lamb a tenth part of fine flour mingled with a fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering. And the other lamb you will offer between the two evenings, and you shall do to it in accordance with the meal offering of the morning, and according to its drink offering, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire to Yahweh. It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you to speak there to you.”

        The priest and the altar having been consecrated and sanctified their first important use is now described, the continual whole burnt offering to be offered day by day continually through the centuries, a reminder that sin continues and that daily atonement is therefore required, and that daily there should be a full dedication of each member of Israel to the covenant and to the service of Yahweh. In the words of Paul they were to, ‘present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is the reasonable service for you to perform’ (Romans 12.1), in that case in order to do the will of God.

        ‘Two lambs of the first year day by day continually.’ Compare 12.5. It will be a daily reminder of their deliverance from Egypt. But the prime objective is a continual making of atonement for the whole people and a rededicating of them to the covenant of Yahweh. Lambs and goats of the first year were regularly used as offerings. New life is being offered to God as it begins to mature, just as we should offer ourselves to God as we begin to mature, dying with Christ and rising with Him to newness of life. And that offering of a new life was a continual reminder that man’s need for atonement begins at an early age. Every day for over a thousand years this offering would be made, with a short break for the exile, and even then some faithful priests may have entered the ruins of Jerusalem to offer a lamb on a purpose built altar.

        They are to be offered one in the morning, and one ‘between the two evenings’ and thus at around dusk. In 2 Kings 16.15 we learn that this had become ever more complicated for we read ‘on the great altar burn the morning whole burnt offering, and the evening meal offering, and the king’s whole burnt offering, and his meal offering, with the whole burnt offering of the people of the land and their meal offerings and their drink offerings.’ Here there were three whole burnt offerings, the morning whole burnt offering, and in the evening the king’s whole burnt offering and the people’s whole burnt offering. Thus the evening offering had been expanded into two whole burnt offerings, one for the king and one for the people, while there was also a combined meal (cereal) offering on behalf of both, and further meal and drink offerings.

        ‘And with the one lamb a tenth part of fine flour mingled with a fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering. And the other lamb you will offer between the two evenings, and you shall do to it in accordance with the meal offering of the morning, and according to its drink offering, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.’ With each lamb were to be offered a meal offering of fine flour mingled with oil and a drink offering. The ‘tenth part’ was probably of an ephah and therefore about the quantity held by a 2.2 litre vessel (therefore about 1.3 kilograms or 3 pounds weight), and the fourth part of a hin would be about 0.9 litres (1.5 pints). Thus God was being offered meat, cereal and wine by means of them being burned up as a sign of gratitude for His full provision for man’s needs and as a sign of the dedication of all parts of their lives. It was a sweet savour to God, that is, it was well pleasing to Him. And it was an offering made by fire, and therefore wholly consumed and very holy. It was seen by God as of great worth.

        ‘It shall be a continual whole burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you to speak there to you.’ The offering was a continuous one day by day long into the future (‘throughout your generations’) or on behalf of their future generations (‘for your generations’). It was offered on the brazen altar which was before the door of the Tent of Meeting. And from there Yahweh would speak to them, through Moses (and later Joshua), and through ‘the Priest’ by Urim and Thummim. The people could not enter the sanctuary. They could at the most only enter the courtyard before the Sanctuary. And their representatives would speak to them from the door of the Tent of Meeting.

        The great importance of the daily offering is brought out in that it is that offering which is used here to illustrate the purpose of the anointing and consecrating of Aaron. It is the central offering which symbolises all other offerings, the basic evidence of the acceptability of His people to God on a continual basis.

        Yahweh’s Dwelling With His People (29.43-46)

        29.43-46 “And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar. I will also sanctify Aaron and his sons to minister to me in the priest’s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they will know that I am Yahweh their God who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am Yahweh their God.”

        The sanctifying of Aaron and his sons, and the offering of the continual daily offering enables Yahweh to meet with His people and dwell among them. Sufficient continual atonement is being made. Prior to this time the old Tent of Meeting was outside the camp, as were the cloud and the pillar of fire. The people were then watched over by Him but He did not dwell among them. But from now on the Tabernacle would be in the midst of the camp and He would be permanently among them because it was sanctified by Him for the purpose.

        ‘It shall be sanctified by my glory.’ That is, the door of the Tent of Meeting where He will speak with them will be so sanctified. For there He will meet with them. Indeed the whole Tent of Meeting and the altar will also be sanctified by Him. They are the places of His contact with His people, and they will be sanctified by His presence. And His glory will be made known there, and that above all will demonstrate that the Tent of Meeting is sanctified by Yahweh, set apart as His for its holy purpose. Compare 40.34-35; Numbers 9.15.

        ‘And I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar.’ In Leviticus 9.24 we learn that on the first occasion when the altar was used ‘the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the people and there came forth fire from before Yahweh and consumed on the altar the whole burnt offering and the fat’. So was the seal of God’s approval, and setting apart for His purpose, fulfilled on both Sanctuary and altar.

        ‘I will also sanctify Aaron and his sons.’ Commencing with their original consecration and sanctification, God will continue to sanctify them, keeping them set apart to His purposes and in a right state to serve Him. This, however, depended on their responsiveness. He could not set apart to His glorious purposes those who were disobedient. And the result was that through disobedience Nadab and Abihu would be slain by the same fire of God as sanctified the altar (Leviticus 10.1).

        Thus as a result of the fact that they have accepted His Overlordship treaty (20.1-23.33), have built His Dwellingplace as guided by Him (25.1-27.21), have obtained a priesthood sanctified to Yahweh as their representatives (28.1-29.37), and that as they continually offer the daily whole burnt offerings (29 38-42), they will enjoy His permanent presence. His glory will dwell among them, and He will be their God. They will know in full, and with deep gratitude, that He is Yahweh, the One Who delivered them from Egypt, the One Who is continually there (as He had promised to Moses in 6.3). And He concludes these passages by declaring, ‘I am Yahweh their God.’ They are accepted as His people.

        In this present time Christians are His dwellingplace, kept holy by Christ’s offering of Himself once and for all (Hebrews 10.10), and by His continual ministry on our behalf as our High Priest (Hebrews 7.25), anointed not with oil but with the Holy Spirit. And He is our altar (Hebrews 13.10) on which He has offered up Himself once for all, and through which we can now partake of Him.

        (Notes for Christians.

        In this chapter describing the anointing and sanctifying of the priest is a message for all believers, for all believers are His priests. We must ensure that we are continually robed in the priestly garments as we engage in worship and intercession for the world and for the work of God both at home and abroad (we must leave our daily needs to Him - Matthew 6.8-15). We must be anointed as those who are wholly set apart to his service and His will. And we must come to Him constantly through Jesus Christ Who was sacrificed for us, Who was our whole burnt offering, the declaration of our worship, dedication and sonship, and our purification for sin offering, putting us right with God and granting us daily forgiveness, and our consecration offering, for it is through the cross that we are wholly set apart as His. And we may partake of spiritual bread daily as we seek His face wherever we are, ‘praying without ceasing’. And the morning and evening offerings remind us of Christ’s continual intercession for us through His blood so that He is able to save us to the uttermost (Hebrews 7.25).

        End of note).

        Regulations Concerning Things Not Directly Concerned with the Godward Aspect of The Overlordship And Atonement But With The Expression of Responsive Concern For Yahweh and His Holiness (30.1-31.18).

        Up to this point all the emphasis has been on God’s provision for His people as Overlord and Atoner. And this has concluded with the teaching about the continuing daily sacrifices of 29.38-42, followed by a summary that makes 25.1-29.46 a clear unit. God has been revealing His sovereign power and His provision for atonement and finishes with the promise of His future dwelling with His people.

        But there are certain things that He has not dealt with which we might have expected. There has been no mention of the altar of incense or the laver. There is, however, good reason for this, for neither expressed what He was then trying to get over to His people, Yahweh’s reaching out to them. They spoke rather of the response of His people in dedication, loyalty and respect. So these are now dealt with along with other examples of the same. The people’s response of dedication, worship and loyalty will now be expanded on.

        The regulations in this chapter are about man’s response and are connected with the ideas of loyalty, and with responsibility towards and true respect for their Divine Overlord. They cover certain covenant responsibilities:

        • a Their responsibility to offer worship and loyalty as signified by the altar of incense (30.1-10).
        • b Their responsibility as servants of Yahweh to recognise that they are His and accordingly pay their dues (30.11-16).
        • c The necessity for their representatives to make themselves free from earthiness when entering His presence (30.17-21).
        • d The making of the anointing oil that sets the priests aside in loyal service (30.22-33).
        • c The making of the incense by which they express the people’s love and loyalty to Yahweh (30.34-38).
        • b The appointment of men set aside to loyally produce the Dwelling place and all its furniture (31.1-11).
        • a The need to keep the Sabbath continually which is the sign of their loyalty and devotion (31.12-17).

        It will be seen that there is a pattern in this. The first and the last (a) refer to continual acts which reveal their loyalty and dedication, the first by the priests, the last by the people, so expressing their continual loyalty to the covenant and to Yahweh. The second and the sixth (b) are connected with service to the Dwellingplace, in the first case as a service from which they are ransomed, in the second case as something that they freely offer when called on. The third and the fifth (c) refer to the use of differing God-provided avenues by which priests are able to approach God, on behalf of the people, although not connected with atonement, and the central one centres on the setting apart to God of the priests on behalf of the ransomed people. They head up the dedication and worship of Israel

        The Altar of Incense (30.1-10).

        The purpose of the earlier descriptions of all that was connected with the Dwellingplace had been to concentrate on those aspects of it which referred to God’s approach to His people as He came to dwell among them, and the way back to Him that He had provided for them. But now, having established His earthly palace, and His kingship over His people, and having covered the aspects of the Dwellingplace (Tabernacle - mishkan) that dealt with God’s approach to man and the way of reconciliation He provided, He moves on to how man should respond in the offering continually through the priests of his worship and praise to God, and thus in declaring his loyalty. That is why the altar of incense is mentioned here and not along with the pieces of Sanctuary furniture described in chapters 25-27. There all the attention was on Yahweh and His gracious approach to His people. Here it is on man’s response to his Sovereign Lord. It is not to demean the altar of incense but to emphasise its purpose.

        The altar of incense was such a regular part of the worship of surrounding religions that the Dwellingplace would not have been seen as complete without it. In Egypt frankincense was certainly used in the worship of the god Amun and Egyptian records tell how a Pharaoh sent a naval expedition to Arabia for the express purpose of bringing frankincense, and the trees that produced it, back to Egypt in connection with the feasts of Amun. A number of hewn limestone altars with four horns at the upper corners dating around 13th century BC were also found at Megiddo, which from their small size were probably incense altars. But the use of incense in worship goes well back into 3rd millennium BC, and in an area where spices were deeply appreciated it was inevitable that they would be introduced into worship.

        The passage is divided into two. The first part deals with the making of it and how Moses will use it. The second part deals with Aaron’s ministry on it. Here we have a further indication that we are dealing directly with the words of Moses. No later writer would have seen any necessity to make the distinction.

        Moses and the Altar of Incense (30.1-6).

        • a An altar of incense to be made of acacia wood to burn incense on (1).
        • b It was to be foursquare with upward projections at the corners and 2 x 1 x 1 cubits, and overlaid with gold all over and provided with a rim of gold (2).
        • c Two golden rings were to be set under the rim on the ribs, for the purpose of taking the staves with which it will be borne (3).
        • c The staves are to be made of acacia wood overlaid with gold (4).
        • b It is to be put beside the veil by the Ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat which is before the Testimony (5).
        • a There Yahweh will meet with Moses (6).

        Note the parallels. In ‘a’ the altar of incense was to be made for the offering of sweet incense while in the parallel Yahweh was to meet with Moses there. In ‘b’ the altar was to be foursquare (an indication of total rightness), with horns reaching up to Yahweh, and covered in gold, as perfect as man can get (but not a cube, that represented God alone in the Holy of Holies) while in the parallel it was to be put in the prime position, before the veil which is in front of the mercy seat. Through that altar above all the mercy seat was to be ‘approached’ by Moses. In ‘c’ the rings are made for the staves, and in the parallel the staves are to be made for the rings.

        30.1-3 “And you shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood. Its length shall be a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. It shall be foursquare, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its top (literally ‘roof’) and its sides (literally ‘walls’) round about, and its horns. And you shall make for it a crown of gold round about.”

        This new altar was for burning incense on. Its covering with pure gold from top to bottom indicates its holiness and glory, and the holiness and glory of God. The acacia wood that it was made of came from God through His creation and indicated His strength and solidity. Its foursquareness would be seen as demonstrating its perfection. It was about half a metre (18 inches) across and a metre (3 foot) high, somewhat larger than the ones found at Megiddo, foursquare but not a perfect cube. Perfection was retained for the Holy of Holies. As with the brazen altar it had horns, which clearly demonstrates that they were seen as significant, probably as pointing up to the heavens. There were no animals to be tied on here. They were to be of one piece with the altar, and not attachments. This confirms the suggestion that they pointed the whole upwards towards heaven. Their description as ‘horns’ may also serve to indicate that they were symbols of Yahweh’s power. The whole was to be covered with gold, a sign of its great ‘value’.

        The burning of incense played a part in much religious worship in other countries and is witnessed in many parts in many centuries including Egypt, Babylonia, Greece and Rome, although not always necessarily with the same significance. The incense was noted for the sweet smell that it gave off while burning, and here would be burnt as an act of worship with the aim of pleasing God, and beautifying the air of the Sanctuary. It was a continual confirmation of the loyalty of His people. Certainly it is also later described as symbolising the prayers of God’s people (Psalm 141.2; Luke 1.10).

        ‘And you shall make for it a crown of gold round about.’ This was probably a ridge to prevent the incense falling off. The incense was holy to Yahweh and must not be allowed to fall on the ground, even holy ground.

        30.4-5 “And you shall make for it two golden rings under its crown. On its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them. And they will be for places for staves, to bear it with them. And you shall make the staves of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.”

        Provision is made for its carrying. No hands must touch it, it must be borne on staves. Only two rings are needed because they are placed near the top and the altar is small. And as always in the Sanctuary, that which came from God’s creation was overlaid with gold, setting it apart as glorious and as His.

        The holiness of the altar by which the people’s expression of dedication, worship and prayer was brought before God is only exceeded by the holiness of the One through Whom we may come to offer our worship and prayers before God, through the body of our Lord Jesus Christ offered once for all.

        30.6 “And you shall put it before the veil that is in front of the Ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat which is above the Testimony, where I will meet with you.”

        The altar is to be placed in front of the inner veil behind which is the throne of Yahweh and the place of propitiation, the mercy seat, which covers the Testimony of the covenant of the ten words. All offerings of incense are to be to Yahweh and Him alone. The staves of the Ark protruding through the curtain would be a constant reminder of the presence of the Ark (1 Kings 8.8), and the altar was probably placed between them, incorporating it into the Most Holy Place while still being available outside the veil to be used.

        Thus the writer to the Hebrews speaks as though it were in the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9.4). This suggests that its placement was intended to be seen as connecting it with the Most Holy Place and not with the ministry in the Holy Place, and this comes out in the description above. The Most Holy Place could only be entered once a year, thus this ministry on the altar of incense (probably placed between the protruding staves of the Ark) was the closest approach to entering the Most Holy Place that was permitted at all other times. It was seen as a direct, though veiled, approach to the mercy seat, and was thus the closest that man’s representative could get to God’s throne and place of propitiation except on that one unique day, the Day of Atonement. It was most holy (verse 10).

        Aaron and the Altar of Incense.

        • a Aaron will burn the sweet incense of spices there every morning when he dresses the lamps
        • b And when he lights the lamps in the evening he will burn it a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout their generations
        • c No strange incense, or whole burnt offering, or grain offering, or drink offering shall be offered on it
        • c Aaron will make atonement on its horns once a year
        • b With the blood of the purification for sin offering of atonement he will make atonement once a year throughout their generations.
        • a It is most holy to Yahweh.

        In ‘a’ Aaron as the people’s representative is to burn sweet incense on it when he dresses the lamps which in symbol reveal the presence of Yahweh, and in the parallel it is most holy to Yahweh for it is before His throne. In ‘b’ he must burn incense perpetually throughout the generations, while in the parallel yearly atonement is to be made for it throughout the generations. In ‘c’ there are to be no offerings made on it apart for the holy incense while in the parallel its reaching up to God must be atoned for once a year. Here we have vividly portrayed the best that man can offer and yet in spite of that the continual need for atonement.

        30.7-8 “And Aaron shall burn on it incense of sweet spices. He shall burn it every morning when he dresses the lamps. And in the evening, when Aaron lights the lamps, he will burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.”

        As with the continual whole burnt offerings the incense must be offered twice a day. It would be a perpetual reminder of the worship and prayers of His people, and of their love for Him (Deuteronomy 6.5). It was the purest form of their worship. The lamps which were lit every evening, and dressed in the morning represented the life and light that came from God, the incense is the people’s response in holy gratitude and worship and commitment. This too would be continual through the generations. Thus the actions were two way, light and life from God, worship towards God.

        Again, as with the daily offerings, this is a continual offering, of incense. Incense would also be offered by ‘the Priest’ in a censer within the Most Holy Place itself on the Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 16.12-13). Its importance comes out in 1 Samuel 2.28 where one of the duties of ‘the Priest’ was seen as being to burn incense before Yahweh, along with the wearing of the ephod. That its use was carefully controlled comes out in that later Nadab and Abihu were slain for their casual use of it (Leviticus 10.1). As with all that took place in the Sanctuary God’s instructions had to be followed to the letter. There must be no hint of the degrading of worship, which might become like the extravagant behaviour of those who worshipped Baal, known by Israel from what they had witnessed in the Baal worship common in Egypt (there were close ties between Egypt and Canaan). It was possibly because that had been in the minds of the sons of Aaron that they were so severely treated, although in Scripture the first example of an offence against a holy ordinance is always severely treated.

        It is probable that we are to see here the first introduction of incense into the regular worship of Israel, which would explain why its use has to be so carefully controlled. God’s punishments are always most severe at such crucial times.

        (There are no real grounds for denying the altar of incense to Tabernacle worship, although acute minds can always find anything. The fate of Nadab and Abihu was unlikely to be invented and the words in 1 Samuel 2.28 would not be likely from an inventor. Why put an emphasis on incense at that point if the reason was other than because all knew that it had a centrally important place in worship? Other ceremonial activity could equally well have been used. Nor would it have been introduced into the laws of purification for sin offerings in especially grave cases (Leviticus 4.7, 18). It is also listed in the final lists of what was in the Tent of Meeting (30.26-29; 31.7-9; 39.33-43). These mainly almost incidental references confirm its existence from the beginning. In 37.25-29 where the making of it is described, it is placed in what critics would see as the ‘correct’ place, along with the other furniture in the Holy Place. And Solomon’s Temple also contained an altar of incense.

        It is not surprising that Ezekiel does not mention it. He was speaking of a heavenly Temple not made by man. To him man’s only access was through the altar built on earth, the only thing that man was told to construct of all that he saw. And to suggest that because the brazen altar is sometimes described as ‘the altar’ (27-29; Leviticus 1-6) that signifies that there could be no other altar which was of an expressedly different kind and which specifically excludes the offering of sacrifices on it, would be going too far even if the article was so specific in Hebrew. But as it is not, it is even more farfetched. In Hebrew the article often simply signifies ‘the one I am speaking about’ and nothing more).

        30.9 “You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor whole burnt offering, nor meal offering. And you shall pour no drink offering on it.”

        The altar of incense was not to be used except for the morning and evening offering of the official incense. It was mainly reserved for that. ‘Strange incense’ probably means incense of a different kind than that prescribed (verses 34-38), but it may also simply mean incense not offered at the right time. And the altar was specifically not to be seen as a sacrificial altar, or an altar for offerings. Its purpose was to be wholly different.

        There is however one significant exception to this, and that is when ‘the Priest’ has sinned (this probably includes his deputies and may especially have in mind unwitting sin in respect of their service in the Dwellingplace) or when the whole people have unwittingly sinned. In these grave cases, which affect the whole people, and in these alone, the blood of the necessary sin offering must be applied to the horns of this altar (Leviticus 4.7, 18). This is probably because such sins are seen as having affected the worship and loyalty of the whole people, either in their representative or in themselves, and therefore as having defiled the altar and effectively cancelled their oath of loyalty. And the altar is therefore seen as in need of special atonement because of its defilement. It is a renewed oath of loyalty and expression of worship after the grave sin which affected their combined worship was now repented of and atoned for with a sin offering. It is, however, only for unwitting sin. There is no atonement for considered and deliberate sin. That would call for judgment.

        30.10 “And Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year. He shall make atonement with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”

        Being in the Holy Place, and only approached by priests who have been cleansed, it would not come in direct contact with the profane, but in spite of its holiness it still needs to be atoned for yearly, for the incense represents man’s worship, and it is offered by fallible man. Nothing that involves man is seen as free from being tainted. All that is on earth outside the veil requires regular atonement. So even this holy altar does so, once a year. Yet it is so holy that common sacrifices are not holy enough for it. (The above exception was probably to be seen as an emergency day of atonement for all the people). It is most holy. Only the once a year purification for sin offering on the Day of Atonement must be used to atone for it. It represents all the continual worship of the whole people as offered through their representative. And blood from the sin offering on the Day of Atonement must be applied to its horns, the horns which constitute its essence and its effectiveness. Some have suggested that it is not mentioned in the Day of Atonement regulations in Leviticus, and if so that is because it was to do with something other than the essential purpose of the Day of Atonement, but in our view ‘the altar before Yahweh’ mentioned there can only signify this altar (Leviticus 16.12, 18 compare 4.18). It refers to the altar in the Holy Place.

        Regulation In Respect of the Numbering of the Servants of Yahweh (30.11-16).

        It is probable from the inclusion of this regulation here that we are to see the expectancy of a regular numbering being taken of the children of Israel, a numbering of the servants of Yahweh. Note the mention of numbering three times in verse 12. It was clearly see as a serious business. The purpose of such ‘numbering’ at this stage would seem to be for the purpose of war.

        Taking a ‘numbering’ was probably seen as drawing God’s attention to those involved. It was a counting of His servants with a view to their use by the nation, and as such, if no ransom was paid, it could result in Yahweh taking them to Himself by plague lest they be lost to Him without recompense. It was an indication that they were His. And when their silver half shekel went into the service of the Sanctuary it meant that they knew that they were represented before Yahweh, and that Yahweh would take account of them. By counting them they came to God’s attention as His servants.

        Among other nations there were fears for a similar reason. In their case it was often that they were seen as servants of ‘the gods’, and a compensation for them was seen as necessary as a result of their being taken over from the gods by the king.

        But here it was seen as numbering those who had become partakers in the covenant. Thus they were God’s servants and it was necessary that a ransom be paid and an atonement made so that the numbering would have no evil consequences and so that they might be legitimately freed from the obligations of direct divine service in order to hazard their lives. But it went further than that, for the tribute was for use in the Sanctuary where each man was therefore represented before Yahweh even while he fought.

        The first counting seems to have been taken in order to obtain silver for the building of the dwellingplace (38.25-26).

        The time prior to moving on from Mount Sinai was seen as a suitable time for a further numbering, partly in order to enable Moses to plan the march, and partly as preparation and mustering for future warfare. There had not been time or opportunity to organise things since leaving Egypt as a fleeing host, but now they probably at last felt safe. The details are given in Numbers 1-2.

        • a When Israel are ‘numbered’ (being set apart for some task for Yahweh) each must give a ransom for himself so that there is no plague among them (11-12).
        • b Each one as he passes over to be numbered will give half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh (13).
        • c Every one who passes over who are those from twenty years old and upwards will give the offering to Yahweh (14).
        • c Each will give the same, the rich not more and the poor not less, when they give the offering of Yahweh to make atonement for their persons (15).
        • b The atonement money for the children of Israel will be appointed for the service of the Tent of Meeting (16a).
        • a It is to be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh to make atonement for their persons (16b).

        In ‘a’ when the male adults of Israel are numbered each is to give a ransom for himself, and in the parallel it is a memorial before Yahweh to make atonement for their persons. In ‘b’ each one gives his half shekel as he ‘passes over’ (possibly from one group to another) while in the parallel the money is appointed for the service of the Tent of Meeting. In ‘c’ everyone over twenty years old is to give the offering to Yahweh, while in the parallel they must all give the same as an offering of Yahweh to make atonement for their persons.

        30.11-12 ‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “When you take the sum of the children of Israel according to those who are numbered of them, then shall they give every man a ransom for his person to Yahweh when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.” ’

        So the census was to be a time when each member of the covenant paid his ransom so as to be relieved from the continual holy service of Yahweh (as with the firstborn in 13.13). It was necessary because they were all holy to Yahweh (19.5-6). Later we learn that the Levites would not be numbered in the ordinary census because they were not to be relieved from such service (Numbers 1.47; 2.33). However, numbering them as the servants of Yahweh was clearly allowed (Numbers 3.15).

        So had the ransom not been paid God would have claimed back His own through plague (compare 2 Samuel 24). It is a serious thing to be marked off as a servant of God. This brings out that all mature males were seen as direct servants of Yahweh. The firstborn had been redeemed because they belonged to Yahweh as the firstfruits (13.2). These have to be redeemed because they are His by covenant.

        30.13-15 “This shall they give, every one who passes over to those who are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the Sanctuary. (The shekel is twenty gerahs). Half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh. Every one who passes over to those who are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering of Yahweh. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for their persons.”

        The ransom to be paid was half a shekel. It was atonement money to cover the fact that they were relieved from Yahweh’s direct service. The Sanctuary received it instead of their service. It was a way by which the Sanctuary could be provided for. It appears that the census was taken by the people moving from one spot to another as they were numbered. Thus as they passed over they had to pay their ransom. All had to pay the same because the service of all was seen as of equal value. None was superior to anyone else in the eyes of God.

        This need for a ransom brings out how much God saw His people as His own. It was precisely because He loved them that a ransom had to be paid for His foregoing having their personal service, and in order that He might have in His Sanctuary a reminder of them.

        Payment was to be made for all males of twenty years old and upwards. At that age they became theoretically eligible for service in the Sanctuary (1 Chronicles 23.24, 27; 2 Chronicles 31.17: Ezra 3.8), and available for war service (2 Chronicles 25.5).

        The ‘half shekel’ (about 5 grams or just under a quarter of an ounce) was not a piece of money (money was unknown) but a weight of silver. It was not a heavy price to pay. The shekel of the Sanctuary was a standard weight. Quite possibly an example was kept in the Sanctuary so that it could be used as a measure where necessary to ensure fair measurement. A gerah was a smaller weight, one tenth of half a shekel, put in, possibly later, to define which shekel is being used.

        ‘To make atonement for their persons.’ That is to atone for their failure to provide service to Yahweh. Others see it as signifying their atoning for their unworthiness for the service of Yahweh. Possibly we may include both.

        30.16 “And you shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the Tent of Meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your persons.”

        The atonement money would make up for their lack of service in the Sanctuary, and would provide for the Sanctuary. Yahweh would, as it were, see it and accept it in place of their service. Thus there would be no failure in the fulfilling of their service. It was fulfilled by substitute silver which would itself become part of the Sanctuary (38.25-28).

        This reminds us that we too are committed to total service to God, and when we give we are substituting our money for that direct service for God that we have been unable to perform while earning that money. We are debtors to God for all the time when we are not performing direct service. That was what this ransom and the tithe expressed. But as Christians we are to give even more. We are to give ‘hilariously’ (2 Corinthians 9.7).

        The Bronze Laver (30.17-21).

        As with the golden Altar of Incense the bronze Laver had no place in God’s revelation of Himself to them or in the making of atonement. Rather it was a means for the priest to remove any earthiness when entering the Sanctuary. Thus it is mentioned here along with the golden altar and the census requirements.

        • a A laver and associated other receptacle were to be made of brazen copper. It was to be placed between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, with water put in it (17-18).
        • Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet in it (19).
        • c They were to wash their hands and feet in it when they went into the Tent of Meeting so that they did not die (20a).
        • c Or when they came near to the brazen altar to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh (20b).
        • b So were they to wash their hands and their feet that they die not (21a).
        • a It was to be a statute for ever to them, even to Aaron and his seed throughout their generations (21b)

        In ‘a’ we have a description of the making of the laver which was to placed in the Sanctuary court, and in its parallel its permanence is established through all generations. In ‘b Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet in it, and in the parallel it was so that they might not die. In’ c’ it was to be done both when they went into the Holy Place and when they approached the brazen altar in order to offer an offering made by fire.

        30.17-21a ‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “You shall also make a bronze laver, and its base (ken) of bronze, with which to wash, and you shall put it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet at it. When they go into the Tent of Meeting they shall wash with water that they die not. Or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh. So shall they wash their hands and their feet that they die not.”’

        Not only sin but earthiness had to be removed in approaching Yahweh. Man was not only sinful but creaturely and unworthy. The washing of water was a standard part of Israel’s religion, removing earthiness but not cleansing the soul. It was preparatory only. We should note that water, unless treated with the ashes of sacrifice, never ‘cleansed’. Note the constant refrain - ‘wash -- and shall be unclean until --’ in Leviticus 15). It was preparatory for whatever followed next which would result in the cleansing. Here it was required as priests moved from one holy thing to another. The contamination of earthiness had to be constantly removed. Thus the hands that touched holy things and the feet that touched holy ground had to be constantly washed prior to doing so lest they contaminate holy things with the taint of earth. Full bathing was only required at certain times (29.4; Leviticus 16.4). It also removed the blood that would get on their hands as they dealt with the sacrifices. To fail to wash was to incur the death penalty. It was to defile holy things and show contempt for Yahweh.

        It is possible that Jesus had these regulations in mind when He said, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet’ (John 13.10). But if so He had extended its significance to include cleansing from sin.

        ‘A bronze laver.’ Made of copper alloyed with tin it was a basin, or similar, set on a base. Such was their love for God at this time that it would be made from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting (38.8). The serving women gave their most prized possessions to God. No indication is given of size or shape but it must have been fair sized. It was to be kept constantly filled, presumably by those same women. The ‘base’ or ‘ken’ is regularly mentioned separately from the basin which may signify it was a separate item for removing the water from the laver for use. Compare 31.9;35.16;39.39;40.11; Leviticus 8.11.

        30.21b “And it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.”

        This confirms the importance of the requirement. It was a permanent one, a statute lasting for ever through generation after generation, for Aaron and his seed.

        The Anointing Of All That Has Been Provided For The Dwellingplace (30.22-33).

        The furnishing of the Dwellingplace now being complete it is to be anointed so as to set it apart wholly to Yahweh. We note here that the golden altar and the laver are now included, in a different order from that shown previously, as the order is now from the Most Holy Place, through the Holy Place, to the court. Previously the order had been in order to take into account purpose and function.

        • a The ingredients of the holy anointing oil as described must be taken (22-24).
        • b They were with them to make the holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer (25a).
        • c It shall be a holy anointing oil (25b).
        • d They will anoint with it the Tent of Meeting, and the Ark of the Testimony, and the Table and all its vessels, and the Lampstand and its vessels, and the Altar of Incense, and the Altar of Whole Burnt Offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its companion vessel (26-28).
        • e And they will sanctify them so that they be most holy (29a).
        • e Whatever touches them will be holy (29b).
        • d And they will anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them, so that they minister to Him in the priest’s office (30).
        • c And he must speak to the children of Israel and say, ‘This shall be the holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations (31).
        • b It must not be poured on any man, nor was any to be made like it in accordance with its special composition for it is holy and shall be holy to them (32)
        • a Whoever compounds any like it, or puts any on a stranger (a non-priest) shall be cut off from his people.

        Note the comparisons. In ‘a’ the ingredients of the holy anointing oil must be taken, and in the parallel they must not be compounded or put on any non-priest on pain of being cut off. In ‘b’ the holy anointing oil must be made, and in the parallel it must not be made unofficially, or poured on any man, because it was holy. In ‘c’ it was the holy anointing oil and in the parallel was declared to be the holy anointing oil. In ‘d’ they were to anoint the Tabernacle furniture and in the parallel the priests. In ‘e’ by this they would be set apart to Yahweh as most holy, and in the parallel whoever touched them will be holy (wholly set apart to Yahweh).

        The Making of the Holy Anointing Oil (30.22-25).

        30.22-25 ‘Moreover Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Take also to yourself the chief spices, of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty, and of cassia five hundred after the shekel of the Sanctuary, and of oil a hin. And you shall make it an anointing oil, a perfume compounded with the skilful methods of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil.” ’

        Moses was to take spices in the proportions declared by Yahweh and arrange for the oil to be made by experts. There were five ingredients, the number of covenant. The 500 also indicated the covenant number, five intensified. The further weight brought the total up to 3 times 500 shekels weight, signifying complete covenant response to the covenant. ‘Flowing’ myrrh was the myrrh that exuded naturally from the shrubby tree Commiphora myrrha, the best myrrh, not that obtained by cutting slits in the shrub. There may also be the aim of using myrrh extracted, as it were, by God and not by men. Myrrh was widely seen as desirable and came from Arabia and North Africa. It hardened to produce an oily, yellowy-brown resin. See also Psalm 45.8; Proverbs 7.17; Song of Solomon 3.6; 4.14; 5.5, 13; Esther 2.12. It was associated with Jesus in His birth and death (Matthew 2.11; John 19.39).

        ‘Sweet cinnamon.’ The best of the cinnamon. Probably obtained from an as yet unidentified plant in the area. It was highly prized (see Proverbs 7.17; Song of Solomon 4.14; Revelation 18.13). Herodotus said that in his day Greeks obtained it from Arabia.

        ‘Calamus -- Cassia.’ Calamus was an aromatic reed and, along with Cassia, probably of a local variety, the latter’s name later being applied to an improved variety which could be imported. All these would have been available in Egypt. The oil would enable all these varieties of spice to be mingled together. All this was to be blended together by the skilful art of the perfumer, with only the best being extracted, into a holy anointing oil which was only to be used for holy things. For Calamus see Isaiah 43.24; Jeremiah 6.20; Ezekiel 27.17; Song of Solomon 4.14. The Dwellingplace and its contents, and Aaron and his sons, were to be anointed with refined beauty.

        30.26-29 “And you shall anoint with it the Tent of Meeting, and the Ark of the Testimony, and the table and all its vessels, and the lampstand and its vessels, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base. And you shall sanctify them that they may be most holy. Whoever touches them shall be holy.”

        The Tent of Meeting and all its furniture is to be anointed with the holy anointing oil. By it they will be separated by Yahweh to their holy purpose. They will be ‘most holy’. And anyone who touches them will become holy, that is totally separated to Yahweh (compare on 29.37). For the non-priest that would mean death in an extreme case, or ransom. It should be noted that anointing with oil in the Old Testament did not symbolise the Spirit, but dedication to Yahweh.

        We note that the altar of incense and the laver are placed last in their particular grouping, not because they are inferior but because of their purpose. Their function is to enable man to honour God rather than representing God’s activity towards man. They represented response to God’s sovereign activity.

        30.30 “And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them , that they may minister to me in the priest’s office.”

        Having anointed the holy things, those who minister in the holy things, Aaron and his sons, are anointed. Again the point is that they are set apart for God and for a holy purpose. While Aaron alone was sanctified as ‘the Priest’ in 29.7; he and his sons were all anointed in 29.21. The first anointing was as ‘The Priest’, the second as priests.

        30.31-33 “And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, “This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations. It shall not be poured on the flesh of man, neither shall you make any like it, in accordance with its composition. It is holy, it shall be holy to you. Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.”

        The holy anointing oil must be reserved only for its purpose, the anointing of that which is holy to Yahweh and set apart for a sacred purpose. Even the recipe is holy. To make it unlawfully, or to use it unlawfully will signify expulsion from the covenant, or even death (31.14). Rather than being sanctified by it they will be cut off as a result of it. The ‘stranger’ in mind is anyone other than the priests for whom it was intended (compare on 29.33). The main thought behind this is the forbidding of any as priests except those whom God has appointed.

        The Incense (30.34-38).

        • The constituents of the incense to be taken (34).
        • They are to be made into incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer.
        • Seasoned with salt, pure and holy (35).
        • It is to be beaten very small and put before the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting (36a).
        • There Yahweh will meet with Moses (36b)
        • It shall be to them most holy (36c).
        • They shall not make the same composition of incense for themselves , it is to be holy to them from Yahweh (37).
        • Whoever makes its like in order to smell it will be cut off from his people (38).

        Note the parallels. In ‘a’ the constituents of the incense are described and in the parallel the warning not to make its like in order to smell it. In ‘b’ they are to make the incense through an expert, and in the parallel it is to be holy to them from Yahweh so that they must not make any for themselves of the same composition. In ‘c’ it is to be seasoned with salt, pure and holy, and in the parallel it is to be to them most holy. In ‘d’ it is to be put before the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, and in the parallel Yahweh will meet there with Moses.

        30.34 ‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Take to yourself sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense. There shall be a like weight of each (or ‘every part shall be for itself’).”

        Stacte (‘dropping’) is a fragrant resin obtained from droppings of resin from a plant, either the ‘balm of Gilead’ (from southern Arabia) or storax from the Palestinian hills. Onycha may be from shellfish in the Red Sea or from the horny plate that covers a species of mussel now found in the lakes of India which, when burned, emits a musky odour. Galbanum is a pleasantly aromatic gum resin derived from certain umbelliferous plants. Frankincense, (named so from the Old French for 'pure incense'), as used by the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, was a gum resin now called olibanum which was derived from certain trees of the genus boswellia found growing on the limestone of South Arabia and Somaliland. Thus, three of the four ingredients in the incense burned on the golden altar were gum resins. Gum resins are mixtures of gum and resin obtained from plants or trees by incision. Resins burn readily because they contain volatile oils. If it means the ‘like weight of each’ it confirms its perfect balance. But it may mean that each was prepared separately before being combined. We note that, along with the salt which seasoned the mixture (verse 35), there were five ingredients, the number of covenant.

        30.35-36 “And you shall make incense of it, a perfume resulting from the skilful art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. And you shall beat some of it very small, and put it before the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you.”

        Once again the skilled work of the perfumer must be utilised to produce the very best refined incense. And all was to be seasoned with salt. When required the resultant incense was to be ground small and probably placed in a hollow on the altar of incense which was set before the veil behind which was the Testimony (the covenant of the ten words and other records) within the Ark of the Covenant of Yahweh. There Yahweh would meet with him. Whether the ‘you’ (singular) is Moses or Aaron or the people as represented by Aaron we are not told. Probably all were included. The great holiness of the incense is then stressed.

        30.37 “And the incense which you shall make, you shall not make for yourselves of the same composition. It shall be holy for Yahweh to you. Whoever will make the same as that, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”

        Like the anointing oil the incense is to be sacred to its purpose and used for no other. It was to be seen by the people as ‘holy for Yahweh’. Anyone seeking to reproduce it in order to smell it was to be ‘cut off from his people’. This may have meant permanent expulsion into the desert, or being put to death (31.14). The significance of this is that the incense smell was reserved for Yahweh and was most holy, signifying the praise and worship and declaration of loyalty of His people and that alone.

        (Notes for Christians.

        The incense altar represents Christ through Whom we must come if our worship is to be acceptable to God. Having been cleansed with blood at Christ the brazen altar we come through Christ the golden altar to offer up the incense of our worship, praise and prayers (Revelation 5.8). For it is only through Him that we can be acceptable at all. But through Him we are presented, now potentially and by imputation and one day fully, holy, unblameable and unreproveable in His sight (Colossians 1.22), as holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5.27), accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1.6).

        The summing of the people of God is a reminder that we are all individually known to Him as one of His whole complete people (Revelation 7.1-8), and that even the hairs of our head are numbered (Matthew 10.30; Luke 12.7 - something Moses was never told to attempt). And the payment of the ransom money an indication that our service for Him is never as full as it ought to be so that we must always admit that we have not totally dome what it was out duty to do.

        The laver reminds us that hourly and daily we must wash ourselves as we enter His presence because we are constantly tainted by contact with the world and with sin. We must walk in His light and let the blood of Christ continually cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1.7; compare John 13.10). We must allow Christ to wash us constantly through the water of His word (Ephesians 5.26). We must constantly wash ourselves and make ourselves clean by doing what is right and turning from all that is wrong (Isaiah 1.16-18).

        The holy anointing oil is a reminder that we can only be His by the means that He has provided as revealed in His word. God’s way must alone be our way. There is no other name but one, given under heaven, by which we must be saved, and that the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4.12). It is through the anointing that comes from Him that we can know God and be sure of His truth (1 John 2.20, 27), and it is made complete through our dedication to Him.

        And the holy incense is a reminder that our untainted worship can only be offered through Him (Hebrews 13.15), for he alone can make us acceptable in His sight, but that when it is so offered through Him it is a sweet odour to God (Revelation 8.3-4; Psalm 141.2).

        End of note).

        The Appointment of the Men for The Task Of Producing All That Has Been Described (31.1-11).

        The list of what demonstrates men’s responsive loyalty and concern is now added to in terms of those who are chosen for the supremely important work of producing the Tent of Meeting and the sacred furniture.

        The Appointment of Bezalel (31.1-5).

        • Yahweh has called Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah, and has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, and knowledge and all manner of workmanship (1-4).
        • To devise cunning works, to work in gold and silver and brazen copper, and in cutting stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship (5).

        31.1-5 ‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship, to devise intricate (cunning) workmanship, to work in gold, and in silver and in bronze, and in cutting of stones for setting, and in cutting of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship.”

        It is easy to misrepresent what is said here. This does not say that all artistic gifts are the result of the work of the Spirit in men, for they patently are not. What it does say is that God can take those with artistic gifts and by His Spirit enable them to produce even greater works for His name.

        Bezalel (meaning ‘in the shadow of God’) was to be put in charge of the construction of the Dwellingplace and its furniture. He was from the tribe of Judah and his ancestor Hur may well have been the one who was a prime assistant of Moses (17.10, 12; 24.14). Only his father and his prominent ancestors are mentioned. He was a man whose artistic ability was well known.

        But Yahweh has ‘called him by name’. This is said of few (e.g. Moses (3.4; 33.12, 17); Cyrus (Isaiah 45.3, 4); the Servant (Isaiah 49.1)) He is personally called to a vital ministry. And he has been carefully prepared for this special task and has now been endued by God’s Spirit in order to carry it through. Just as God created the world through His Spirit (Genesis 1.2), so He establishes His Dwellingplace by His Spirit.

        ‘In wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge.’ He has been given all the attributes of wisdom, understanding and knowledge. We may see this as signifying, by wisdom the power to invent and originate and work wisely, by understanding the ability to receive and take in all guidance from God and all His directions, and by knowledge the expertise necessary for the task. This is then expanded to include all manner of workmanship, including intricate work, metal work, jewellery work, and woodwork. As usual when the need arises God has His man especially prepared.

        The Appointment of Bezalel’s Assistants (31.6-11).

        • Yahweh has appointed with Bezalel, Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, and has put wisdom within the hearts in the hearts of all who are wise-hearted so that they might make all that Yahweh has commanded (6).
        • Namely, the Tent of Meeting and the Ark of the Testimony, and the Mercy-seat which is on it, and all the furniture of the tent, and the Table and its vessels, and the pure lampstand with all its vessels, and the altar of incense, and the altar of whole burnt offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its accompaniment (7-9)
        • And the finely wrought garments, and the holy garments for Aaron the Priest, and the garments of his sons to minister in the priests’ office, and the anointing oil and the incense of sweet spices for the Holy Place (10-11a).
        • They must do according to all that Yahweh has commanded them (11b).

        31.6a “And I, behold I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.”

        Chief assistant to Bezalel was to be Oholiab, a Danite. See 38.23. He was a skilled engraver and embroiderer. His name is foreign and probably means ‘a father is my tent’. It probably signifies a ruler whose tent is a father to his clan. It was a very apt name in view of the task that lay ahead. But note that he is not strictly ‘called by name’. He is appointed.

        31.6b-11 “And in the hearts of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you, the Tent of Meeting, and the Ark of the Testimony, and the Mercy-seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the Tent, and the table and its vessels, and the pure lampstand with all its vessels, and the altar of incense, and the altar of whole burnt offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base, and the finely wrought garments, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office, and the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the Holy Place. They shall do in accordance with all that I have commanded you.”

        Under Bezalel and Oholiab are a body of skilled and highly trained men. It should be noted that had these men not done their apprenticeships and qualified in their particular careers they would not have been chosen for this sacred task. They are ‘wise-hearted’, that is, skilled and trained. It behoves all God’s people to seek to fit themselves for His service by proper training, and become wise hearted. But in this time of special need Yahweh will give them more wisdom, enablement for the supreme task that they have been given.

        These chosen men will therefore produce all that has been described from 25.1 onwards. Note that the altar of incense and the laver are included in the list. Their placing as described earlier (coming later than the other furniture in the Dwellingplace) was to distinguish the furniture which indicated God’s activity towards His people from that which indicated the response of the people towards God, but they are of ‘equal’ importance in overall worship, and are here given their functional place. The order given here is in general followed in 36.1-38.23.

        The Sign of the Sabbath (31.12-17).

        The final response and mark of loyalty and worship is found in the newly established Sabbath (16.232, 25-26, 29; 20.8-11; 23.10-13).

        • a Moses is to speak to the children of Israel saying that they must keep His Sabbaths
        • b For this is a sign between Him and Israel throughout their generations, that they may know that He is Yahweh Who sanctifies them
        • c They shall keep the Sabbath for it is holy to them. Whoever does any work in it will be cut off from among his people
        • d Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh is a day of solemn rest
        • d It is holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day will surely be put to death
        • c For this reason the children of Israel will keep the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant
        • b It is a sign between Him and the children of Israel for ever
        • a For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased work and was refreshed.

        Note that in ‘a’ the children of Israel are to keep Yahweh’s Sabbaths, and in the parallel it is because in six days He made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and was refreshed. In ‘b’ it is a sign between Him and the children of Israel throughout their generations, while in the parallel it is a sign between them for ever. In ‘c’ they are to keep the Sabbath because it is holy to them, and in the parallel they are to keep it throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant. In ‘d’ the stress is on ceasing work on the seventh day, while in the parallel it is holy so that whoever works on it will be put to death.

        31.12-13 ‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, Truly you shall keep my sabbaths. For it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.”

        The offering of incense on the incense altar was evidence of the people’s loyalty and devotion, the payment of the ransom on the numbering of Israel was a further mark of loyalty and we now come to the third mark of loyalty, the Sabbath. This has been recently established to act as a sign whereby all men may know that Israel are His people and loyally serve Him, and as a sign whereby they may themselves recognise that they are His and come to know Him more fully. Every time the Sabbath came round they would recognise that they had been set apart by God as His people and would by God’s grace come to know it fully in their hearts. And like the offering of the incense this was to be so through many generations.

        The mention of the Sabbath here was especially apposite as the temptation might have been for the work to continue on the Sabbath because it was ‘God’s work’. But the warning is clear. Nothing justifies the ignoring of the Sabbath because of its deep significance.

        31.14-15 “You shall therefore keep the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it will surely be put to death. For whoever does any work in it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.”

        The importance and solemnity of the sabbath is stressed. No work at all must be done on it (other than the minimum necessary to ensure the wellbeing of their flocks and herds). It is a holy day, and to work on it would profane it. For it is a reminder of God’s rest in creation (verse 17). Thus it applied to all who lived among His people. The complete ban was a boon for all hired workers and bondmen. Even they could not work on the sabbath, and no ingenuity of man could get around it. It was a total ban. And it was a sign that Israel were Yahweh’s people. It was a sign of the covenant, of which it was a part, and of their observance of it. And all who were within that covenant were promised that they would find rest.

        ‘A sabbath of solemn rest.’ It was a reminder of the rest He was going to give them in Canaan (Deuteronomy 12.9-10; 25.19), and of the eternal rest that He will give to His own (Hebrews 4.1, 3, 9-10).

        The warning of death for breaching the Sabbath was an indication that it was a new ordinance, which was why it had to be so solemnly enforced (compare Genesis 17.14). And the reason for the severe penalty was that a deliberate breaching of the Sabbath would be a deliberate rejection of the covenant, and thus if Israel did not act to punish it they would be seen as participating in the rejection of the covenant.

        31.16-17 “For this reason the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever. For in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and took breath.”

        So this was the reason why His people should keep the Sabbath into the distant future. Because it was the sign of God’s perpetual covenant with them as declared at Sinai. As the rainbow was a reminder of God’s covenant with the world through Noah (Genesis 9.12-17), and as circumcision was the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and his wider family (Genesis 17.11), so the Sabbath was a sign of God’s covenant recently made with Israel. And by observing the Sabbath they were giving the continual sign that they had accepted that covenant and were maintaining their special relationship with God for ever. And it was a mutual sign, for as they were to rest on the Sabbath day, so He also had rested on the Sabbath day. Thus their resting on it demonstrated their new special relationship with their Creator. They were following in His footsteps.

        ‘For in six yom Yahweh made heaven and earth.’ The revealed pattern of creation (Genesis 1) has been over six God-periods, followed by rest. This was to be the pattern of Israel’s way of living, continual periods of divine fulfilment.

        ‘He rested and took breath.’ This anthropomorphism is rather expressing what benefit they will receive from the Sabbath day. All knew that when someone ceased work and rested, they were refreshed (compare 23.12). They were able to take breath on the Sabbath, just as Yahweh had done after creation.

        This idiom has passed over into English. If we want to stop someone from some hectic activity we ask, ‘when are you going to take a breather?’ What we simply mean is ‘when are you going to stop?’.

        The Final Act On The Mount; The Giving of the Covenant Written by God (31.18).

        31.18 ‘And he gave to Moses, when he had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone written with the finger of God.’

        God’s period of fellowship and discussion with Moses (begun in 25.1) was now over and He gave to Moses two tablets which were the confirmation of the covenant and contained the covenant of the ten words which had been written by His finger, His personal written covenant with His people (see 32.15-16). These were the sign that the interview was over, and that matters were finalised.

        The ten words would be in groups of five, so that there would be five on each, the covenant number twice repeated in witness. That is why they were called the Testimony. ‘The finger of God’ need not be taken literally. God used His own method of inscribing the tablets. The point was that it was not Moses who had engraved the words on the tablets, but God. ‘The finger of God’ was a favourite way in Egypt of speaking of any wonder that was truly of God (Exodus 8.19). (Some see two duplicate tablets with ten on each, providing copies for both parties in the covenant).

        (Notes to Christians.

        In this chapter it is made clear that in the service of God we must receive our Spirit and wisdom from Him. Without that it will not be satisfactory (compare 1 Corinthians 2.11-16). And we learn that where God has a work that He wants done He appoints the men to do it. They are individually chosen, but along with them work a whole team of skilful craftsmen, anonymous to us but known to Him, without whom, humanly speaking, the work of God in completing the living, believing church, His temple, will not be completed.

        And it is made clear that we must set apart a time for God which is wholly for Him, a time when nothing intrudes to prevent our whole attention being on Him. (And we must not only do so for ourselves, we must ensure that it is possible for others). Some may select one particular day, others may select every day, but we must be satisfied in our own minds about what we do (Romans 14.4-6), and that we do it honestly as those who must give account (Romans 14.10-12). And the keeping of such a time to God is to be a sign to Him and to the world that we belong to Him. End of note).

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        THE PENTATEUCH

        GENESIS ---EXODUS--- LEVITICUS 1.1-7.38 --- 8.1-11.47 --- 12.1-16.34--- 17.1-27.34--- NUMBERS 1-10--- 11-19--- 20-36--- DEUTERONOMY 1.1-4.44 --- 4.45-11.32 --- 12.1-29.1--- 29.2-34.12 --- THE BOOK OF JOSHUA --- THE BOOK OF JUDGES --- PSALMS 1-36--- ECCLESIASTES--- SONG OF SOLOMON --- ISAIAH --- EZEKIEL --- DANIEL 1-7 ---DANIEL 8-12 --- MICAH ---

        NAHUM--- HABAKKUK---ZEPHANIAH --- HAGGAI ---ZECHARIAH --- MALACHI --- THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW ---THE GOSPEL OF MARK--- THE GOSPEL OF LUKE --- THE GOSPEL OF JOHN --- THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES --- READINGS IN ROMANS --- 1 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-16 --- 2 CORINTHIANS 1-7 --- 8-13 -- -GALATIANS --- EPHESIANS --- COLOSSIANS --- 1 THESSALONIANS --- 2 THESSALONIANS --- 1 TIMOTHY --- 2 TIMOTHY --- TITUS --- HEBREWS 1-6 --- 7-10 --- 11-13 --- JAMES --- 1 & 2 PETER --- JOHN'S LETTERS --- JUDE --- REVELATION

        --- THE GOSPELS & ACTS

        REVELATION

        Tent,Meeting,Ark,Covenant,showbread,shewbread,lampstand,candlestick,ephod,
        Urim,Thummim,Ephod,Brazen,altar,anointing,anointed,Passover,
        unleavened,bread,Israel,Genesis,Aaron,Yahweh,God,Sinai,wilderness,
        tent,meeting,cloud,pillar,Mount,fire,Moses,Joshua,book,covenant,ten,commandments 1