Exodus 36

Exodus 36:8-39

Section 2. (Exodus 36:8-38.)The growth of the work. In the second section we find the growth of the tabernacle to completion; and here it is that we have the repetitions which have been already noticed. The difference between the detail of the patterns of heavenly things given before and the present is principally in the order in which they are presented; first, the tabernacle itself being given us; then the vessels of the tabernacle, what was in it or around it; and then the priestly garments, or what had to do with entrance and worship. These are the three subsections, the number 3 having naturally a large place in all this part.

1. The tabernacle comes first, evidently because it is the house of God itself which we are now seeing put together as a whole. Before it was rather one among many objects in connection with the wider plan of salvation. Now all other objects seen are seen in relation to it. Thus the incense-altar which before was detached from the tabernacle itself to find its place in connection with the sanctification of the priesthood, is now among the vessels of the sanctuary where it belongs. But what does its numerical place point out? In the earlier series of types it occupies the fourth place, and this evidently points out its character as belonging to the wilderness, -God come down in it to man. Here in the account given there is no change from the former one, except that what was before commanded is now accomplished. But the numerical place may point to what is there and here insisted on, that the tabernacle is one. There is internal unity; there is, beside, no other tabernacle of God but this. There is one Christ and no other; in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in whom we are filled up. He is not one of many incarnations of God, which has been or which will be, but one for eternity the same; and to Him, as in His temple, shall be “glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all the generations of the age of ages.” (Ephesians 3:21.) Blessed be God! there is not room even in eternity, for any future glory to surpass this! There is room only for its wondrous anthem to show its power to fill infinity with praise. If of Zion, its earthly shadow, God can say, “This is My rest forever: here will I dwell, for I have desired it,” how much more must it be said of this! Conditions may change: the wilderness give place to the land which is the “glory of all lands;” under the unchanging brightness of skies where storm is not, the “tent upon the tabernacle” be removed, so that its glory shall be fully exposed; the tabernacle form may pass into the temple: -with all this, the delight of God in His beloved changes not, -His “rest” is disturbed no more! Admire the beauty of these many-hued curtains, where the golden clasp of divine glory embraces the blue loop of heaven’s condescending love! Thus are they united into one, and droop their folds over the board-work overlaid with the gold again. This is the Church, as we have already seen in the beauty put upon her, -the glory of Christ her Lord.
2. And now we come to the vessels of the tabernacle, in which we find portrayed for us the salvation which the dwelling of God with man implies. That His name might be “Immanuel” (“God with us”), they called the Son of Mary “Jesus,” (“Jehovah the Saviour”), because He was to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:22-25.) I have not much to add to what has been already said with regard to these precious types, which, moreover, fall, in general, into the same numerical place as before. There are, however, now (in this and the following part) seven minor divisions instead of six, as there: a number which speaks for itself in connection with these closing portions of the book. As already noticed, the incense-altar fills its own place here among the vessels of the sanctuary: the fourth place, because, as we have seen, the practical life is brought into the sanctuary in this way, transformed by the knowledge of redemption into the priestly offering of thanksgiving and praise." The brazen altar fills the fifth place, as before; and connected with it, as it seems to me, is the note as to the laver, that it was made of the mirrors of the women attending the tabernacle. This does not, I think, as it might seem, claim for itself a sixth section, both because the court of the tabernacle which follows it, holds that in the prior account, and also that this is followed in its turn by what has evidently the character of a seventh -the tale of the complete amount of metal used. From another point of view there seems to me a most natural and beautiful thought suggested by this close association of the brazen altar with the laver. For if the former show us, as is evident, our responsibility measured and met in atonement, how simple is the connection of this with the self-judgment intimated in the brazen laver! Is it not so that the knowledge of sin put away for us is that which puts it away from us? that the realization of its judgment in Another is that which accomplishes its judgment in ourselves? The association of the brazen altar with the laver has thus its justification in experience. And the women’s sacrifice of their mirrors, where all is so plainly typical, may represent the willing giving up of our own self-estimates -in general, some form of self-flattery, -to find in the Word of God our true mirror, and fashion ourselves by it. How beautiful, again, that then, in the next place, we come to the court, where the fine linen of practical righteousness is held up before the world! Finally the seventh section here gives the estimates of the metals used, and we find whence the silver of the rods and sockets was derived. It has already been considered, however.
3. The priestly garments come in the third place, identified as they are with the means of drawing near to God. Here each minor section is closed with the words, “as Jehovah commanded Moses.” And here, again, there are just seven of them. The numerical place of each is as given before, with the exception of the last two items of the dress, which are reversed. The coats of fine linen are in the fifth place instead of the sixth, the diadem in the sixth instead of the fifth. It is not strange that in this enumeration we shall end with the latter, the final victory over sin being secured by the character of Him into whose hands all is put. Thus here for the first time the plate is called “the diadem.” As for the other change, the meaning of it is not so clear, although the number of responsibility is suitable enough where as here the ordinary priests come in, -our representatives; and well may we be reminded of it. For where do we more fail than in this character? and it is the root of all other failure.