The Fifth Edition of this work having been out of print for a considerable time, this New Edition is issued in the hope that the circulation may be still further increased. It has been carefully revised, and for the most part rewritten.

In order to adapt it better than the previous editions for general readers, critical, technical, and controversial matter have been left out of the book, and formed into an Appendix. Much fresh information is given, amounting to sixty pages, including a chapter on the much disputed subject of the length of the Hebrew Cubit, and another on the wonderful peregrinations of the golden candlestick. The new illustrations include one of a priest and one of a high priest attired in their robes of office, in conformity to the Hebrew text, taken from my life-size model of the high priest. A glance at the Table of Contents and the List of Illustrations will show the plan of the work. W.B. 1 - INTRODUCTORY "Let them make Me a Sanctuary." The tabernacle, made with hands, was devised by the Lord Himself, who showed the "fashion" of it to Moses on Mount Sinai, at the same time strictly enjoining him to see that all things were made according to this divine "pattern" (Exod. 25:9, 40; 26:30; 27:8, Heb. 8:5). The Lord also chose the chief artists under whose superintendence it was to be constructed (Exod. 31:1-6). Are not these circumstances alone sufficient to invest the sacred building with an abiding interest? As a work of art, it was far more beautiful and costly than many persons are apt to suppose.

Even Dean Stanley, in the second series of his "Lectures on the Jewish Church," at p. 227, says: "There is no inherent connection between 'ugliness' and 'holiness,' and there was a greater danger of superstition in the 'rough planks' and 'black haircloths' of the tabernacle than ever was in the gilded walls and marble towers of the temple."

No one unacquainted with the Bible description of the tabernacle, on reading these words of the late Dean, would ever imagine that the foundation of this sacred structure was formed of solid silver; that the "planks" composing its sides were all very smooth, and, moreover, gilded with gold; that its pillars were graceful and adorned with capitals; that even the capitals of the pillars of the surrounding court and their connecting rods were overlaid with silver; and that the goat-hair curtains, even granting they were black (though most writers are of opinion that they were manufactured of fine, white, soft, silky hair, similar to that of the Angora goat), were draped with the most brilliant and gorgeous tapestry, into which figures of cherubim were beautifully interwoven. There certainly was no roughness or coarseness or ugliness either within or without. The structure was worthy of its divine architect; honoring to the willing-hearted Israelites, who gave two hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling worth of gifts for its construction; and creditable to the many skilled artisans who vied with each other in carrying out the design of their God and King.

There are not a few, who, like the late Dean Stanley, have a very inadequate idea of the tabernacle, and who, without studying the subject, but trusting to what he and some others say, or to their own imagination, both in speech and writing belittle this portable temple. To him and them the splendors and glory of Solomon's and Herod's temples so loom in their view as to all but eclipse the poor tabernacle. Not so was it treated by the inspired author of the Hebrews; he passed by these two grand and worldwide celebrated temples as if of no consequence in comparison with their great antitype the tabernacle, on which he fixes his attention and regard. It is of it he speaks, of its holy places, of its golden vessels, of its veil, of its ark and overarching cherubim, of its ministering servants, of its priests, of its high priest, of its services and sacrifices--it is of these that he discourses and eloquently and effectively shows their typical and spiritual significance.

Though it is not right in every case to judge of the importance of a Bible subject by the space it occupies in Holy Writ, yet it may not be unworthy of remark that much more is said about the tabernacle than about Solomon's temple, both in the Old Testament and in the New. Nearly three hundred verses in Exodus are devoted to an account of the tabernacle and its furniture, while the corresponding account of the temple and its furniture, in First Kings and Second Chronicles, is comprised in half that number of verses.

The tabernacle, its priests, its rites, and its sacrifices have all passed away, but the description and history of them remain, and form part of those sacred writings which testify of Christ, who said of Moses, "He wrote of Me."

Many of the most important words and phrases employed in the New Testament have either arisen from, or are illustrated by, the tabernacle and its rites, of which the following are examples:--"Veil," "Mercy seat," "Propitiation," "Laver of Regeneration," "Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world," "Washed," "Cleansed, .... Purged," "Reconciled," "Sacrifice, .... Offering, .... Atonement, .... Without shedding of blood is no remission," "Gave Himself for us, .... Bore our sins in His own body on the tree."

The pages of Exodus, our text-book of the tabernacle, are all gilded with the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Exodus is the most picturesque book of the Bible. It contains more word-pictures than any other. And they can all be turned into real pictures, a task which in a rough way we have tried to perform with many of them in order to illustrate our book. Those connected with our subject portray features of Him who is altogether lovely. They all speak of Him, they all sing His praise, and they all unite in the one loud, grand, and ever resounding chorus, "Christ is all and in all."

An earnest and prayerful study of the tabernacle, and the purposes it served, cannot fail to increase our knowledge of the grand truths of redemption. That you may find the following chapters in some degree interesting, and derive some profit from their perusal, and may, while studying this earthly sanctuary, be growing in meekness for the heavenly and its unutterable joys, is the prayer of your friend the author. May David's choice be yours: "One thing I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple." 2 - THE SILVER FOUNDATION God promised to take up His abode in the midst of His people Israel, provided they gave Him a beautiful and costly palace-temple for a dwelling, made of gold, silver and other suitable material (Exod. 25:1-7), and constructed entirely according to His own design (Exod. 26:30; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:5)--"Let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them" (Exod. 25:8). They agreed, and built the sacred edifice (Exod. 36; 37; 38). The Foundation consisted of one hundred blocks of silver, called sockets (26:19-25; 38:27), arranged as follows:--forty along the south side (Exod. 26:18, 19); forty along the north side (vv. 20, 21); sixteen along the west side (v. 25), and four across the house (vv. 31, 32): in all one hundred. In the diagram on the next page the blocks of silver are all numbered and the place each occupied in the foundation indicated by dots. Sockets 41 and 42, and sockets 55 and 56 being for the corners are so shaped and placed as to suit the corner boards resting on them. See diagram, p. 7. Union of the sockets.--When placed in rows on the ground to form the foundation, the sockets required to be joined to each other in some way, and most likely this was done by the simple method of dovetailing, as shown in the illustration.

By this means each socket was able to go into and take hold of its neighbor: number 2 going into and taking hold of number 1; number going into and taking hold of number 2; and number 4 into number 3, and so on all the way round. Each joining to each and all to each, they formed a basis sufficiently strong to bear up the three golden walls of the tabernacle.

LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE HOUSE DETERMINED BY THE LENGTH OF THE SOCKETS It is generally agreed that the tabernacle was 30 cubits long and 10 broad.

To form a continuous base of silver under the three walls of a building of the Face or upper side of two Sockets constructed so as to dovetail into each other. Scale--2 inches to a cubit.

FROM MODEL TABERNACLE. above dimension, it was necessary that each socket should be threequarters of a cubit long. The size of the sockets is not given in the Scriptures; but as the length of two sockets was equal to the breadth of the board (1 1/2 cubits) which rested on them (Exod. 26:16 with 19), it follows that a socket as required was three-quarters of a cubit long. Each socket weighted a talent (Exod. 38:27), equal to 1500 ounces or 93 3/4 lbs. This quantity of silver is sufficient to form a socket of the above length, and half a cubit broad and a quarter of a cubit deep (see illustration above). We submitted our calculation to a practical silversmith, who measured and then weighed our sockets in his fine scales, and they were not found wanting. The length of forty sockets (the number at each long side of the house), each three-quarters of a cubit long, is 30 cubits, being the length of the tabernacle. The length of twelve of the back or west side sockets (43 to inclusive), each three-quarters of a cubit long, is 9 cubits, one short of the breadth. The additional cubit is obtained as follows:--Half of socket 42, and half of socket 55, are included in the breadth of the interior of the house, as the back of diagram (p. 7) shows. Together, the two halves measure three-quarters of a cubit, which, added to the above nine cubits, make nine and three-quarter cubits. The breadth of the house extends from the south margin of the socket holes on the one side of the house to the north margin of the socket holes on the other side of the house. The space between said margin and the The above diagram is 108th of the size of the Tabernacle.

Thirty cubits is equal to one hundred and eight inches. edge of the sockets, one-eighth of a cubit (see diagram above) on each side of the house, together one-quarter of a cubit, falls to be added to the above nine and three-quarter cubits, and thus gives ten cubits (15 feet) as the internal breadth of the tabernacle as required.

DIAGRAM OF THE ONE HUNDRED SILVER SOCKETS, AND THE SIZE OF THE TABERNACLE The illustration of the hundred sockets on p. 7, on the scale of one-sixth of an inch to a cubit, or of 5 inches to 30 cubits, will be found very nearly correct--we say nearly, for the woodcut block has shrunk to the extent of about one-sixteenth of an inch in the process of electrotyping. For the internal breadth of the house and its apartments, measure from the inside margin of the socket holes on the south side to the inside margin of those on the north side; for its length, measure from the inside margin of the socket holes at the back end to the dotted lines at the entrance of the tabernacle. For the length of the holy of holies, measure from the inside margin of the socket holes at the back end to the dotted line, which indicates the threshold of this apartment; and for the length of the holy place, measure from the one dotted line to the other, and the woodcut measurement will be found to be:-- Tabernacle,30 sixths of an inch by 10 sixths.

Holy Place, 20 sixths of an inch by 10 sixths.

Holy of Holies, 10 sixths of an inch by 10 sixths.

As the tabernacle was 108 times the size of the woodcut, by multiplying each of the above measurements by 108, the product will be found to agree with the actual internal size of the tabernacle and its apartments:-- Tabernacle,30 cubits by 10 cubits, or 45 feet by 15 feet.

Holy Place, 20 cubits by 10 cubits, or 30 feet by 15 feet.

Holy of Holies 10 cubits by 10 cubits, or 15 feet by 15 feet.

The diagram of the hundred silver sockets (p. 7) shows the ground-plan of the building to consist, like that of the temple, of two apartments; the outer one, the holy place, a double square, 20 cubits by 10, and the inner one, the holy of holies, a perfect square, 10 cubits by 10. The temple was exactly double the size of the tabernacle. Value of the sockets.--Each socket weighed a talent (Exod. 38:27), equal to 1500 oz., worth, when the silver was raised for the foundation, at least £400, so that the value of the hundred was not less than £40,000. Raising of the silver.--Shortly before the time we are speaking of, God delivered His people out of the hands of their cruel enemies the Egyptians, whom He caused to be drowned in the Red Sea. In consequence, He claimed the Israelite men, whose lives He saved, as His, allowing them, however, with the exception of the Levites retained in His sacred service (Num. 1:47-50; 3:11-16, 40, 41), to redeem themselves by paying Him a price, so that they might be free to attend to their own and their family affairs. The price--a very small one, to enable every man to give it--was a silver coin, a little larger than our shilling, called a half-shekel (Exod. 30:13), and worth ls. 3d. in our money.

When all the pretty glittering coins were counted, it was found they numbered 603,350, being the same as the number of the men (Num. 1:46), showing that every man paid his ransom money. The 603,350 half shekels, divided by 6000, the number of half shekels in a talent, show that the total amount in talents was 100 talents, and 1775 shekels (or seven-twelfths of a talent). This summation exactly agrees with that of the sacred historian (Exod. 38:25).

Of the hundred talents of silver were cast the one hundred sockets, forming the foundation of the tabernacle (Exod. 27:27). The fraction of seventwelfths of a talent we wish you not to forget. As we shall see by-and-by, it was used for upholding the court wall, so that both sanctuary and court were upheld by the atonement money, a circumstance worthy of notice (see chapter 9, p. 41).

CHRIST AND REDEMPTION The redemption of sinners in some respects is like that of the Israelite men, and in some respects quite different. As God estimated every Israelite man at the same value, and on that account required every one to pay the like price for his ransom--"the rich were not to give more, and the poor were not to give less" (Exod. 30:15)--so He estimates every sinner at the same value, and consequently requires the same price to be paid for every one, for the beggar as well as for the king, for the least as well as for the greatest sinner. Such, however, is the nature of what sinners need to be redeemed from (Gal. 3:13), and such the nature of the soul, that no mere nominal price, as that in the case of the Israelite men, or any price, however great, a sinner might be capable of giving, can suffice to satisfy the law's demands or those of the holy and righteous lawgiver.

Behind the multitude of faces we meet in our crowded streets and elsewhere, there glitters, though defaced by sin, a priceless gem, an immortal soul which nothing earthly, not even the great globe we inhabit and all that it contains, can redeem--nothing can, save the price paid by Him who loved us and gave Himself for us: "Ye are redeemed not with corruptible things, as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ ( 1 Peter 1:18).

When the Israelite man paid his ransom, he became, as we have seen, in a sense his own property; but those who by faith have become sharers in the blessings of redemption, have ceased to be their own property and become that of their Redeemer; "ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:19, 20).

CHRIST THE CHURCH'S SURE FOUNDATION The beautiful shining foundation made of the ransom silver, worth forty thousand pounds sterling, constituted a very costly basis, from which our thoughts not unnaturally rise to an infinitely more valuable one, even to Him "who gave Himself a ransom for all." Prophets and apostles alike testify that He is the sure foundation on which the spiritual edifice rests.

Had the sockets not been made of the atonement money as commanded (Exod. 30:16; 38:27), but of some other material, God certainly would not have acknowledged the tabernacle as His palace-temple. He never would have enthroned Himself in visible symbol on the mercy seat. In like manner, those who substitute their own good works, or anything else, in the room of the Redeemer, on which to build their hope of salvation, are building on the sand, and cannot form a part of that building which is an "habitation of God through the Spirit," for "other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Christ Jesus." Rest, then, on Him, and on Him alone, and your hope will be founded on Rock that will never fail you, and you will be one of the living stones of the great spiritual temple, and He who dwelt between the cherubim will dwell in you, and be your God. I stand upon His merit, I know no other stand; Not e'en where glory dwelleth In Immanuel's land. 3 THE GOLDEN WALLS We now go on to build the gold house, and, as divinely directed on the silver foundation we have been laying.

THE FORTY-EIGHT GOLD COVERED BOARDS Of these, twenty stood on the south side (Exod. 26:18), twenty on the north (v. 20); six with two corner ones on the west (vv. 22-25). In all forty-eight. Each measured 10 cubits high, and 11/2 cubits broad (v. 16).

LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE HOUSE, DETERMINED BY THE BREADTH OF THE BOARDS By multiplying 20, the number of the boards at each long side, by 11/2 cubits, the breadth of a board, we get the exact length of the house, cubits; but by multiplying the six west end boards by 11/2 cubits, we get only 9 cubits, one too few for the breadth of the house, and if we include the two corner boards, we get 12 cubits, two too many. By making the two corner boards angular in shape as their name suggests, each consisting of two equal halves of an ordinary board, dovetailed or otherwise united, yet so that when united they constitute but one board; one half of each of these corner boards facing the back end, and the other half of each facing respectively the south and north sides, we get the required breadth of the house,10 cubits (diagram, p. 13). See further with respect to corner boards and breadth of the house, appendix, chapter 26.

The length of the socket, 3/4 of a cubit (p. 6), and the breadth of the board, 1¥2 cubits (p. 12), both combine to show that the internal length of the house was 30 cubits (45 feet), and the breadth 10 cubits (15 feet). The size of the curtains also shows that the house was of these dimensions. See chapter 4, "On the Cherubim Curtains."

THE BARS Five gold covered bars went along the sides of the tabernacle (Exod. 26:26-29). Four of the bars, as shown in our specimen board (p. 14), passed through gold rings fixed to each board. The third, or middle bar, however, did not pass through rings (v. 28), but through the boards themselves, a hole being bored through them for the purpose as indicated in the illustration (p. 14). "He made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other" (Exod. 36:33).

The general opinion is that there were five bars to each of three sides arranged in so many rows--the middle one reaching the whole length, while the other four ran along only part of the wall. See woodcut No. 1, p. 15.

Some are of opinion that the five bars formed three rows, the four shorter ones running half the distance--two at or near the foot, and starting from each end, and meeting at the middle of the boards; and two near the top, similarly arranged--the middle bar running the whole distance (see No. 2, p. 15). The objection to this conjecture is, that no sufficient reason can be shown why, if the middle row should consist of but one bar, the other two rows should consist of two bars each.

No. 3 (p. 15) shows the four short bars trans-versing the sides, as some think they should, and meeting in the center of the wall, and the middle one reaching from end to end. This may seem to agree with the text, but it removes the bars from the foot and the top of the boards while the top especially may be supposed to require a bar.

No. 4 (p. 15) is intended to represent the middle bar as passing through the heart of the boards, which have been mortised for this purpose to admit of its passing through them. The other four bars run along the outside. We do not think the text implies that the four bars ran along only part of the wall, but that the middle bar entered in at the one end of the wall, and, passing through the heart or inside of the boards, reached to the other end, and that the other four bars extended along the walls on the outside. This view appears to be in harmony with the text, "And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other" (Exod. 36:33).

The woodcut on p. 14 will fully illustrate a tabernacle board in connection with its tenons, sockets, bars, rings, cord, and pin.

THE TENONS At the foot of every board, as shown in the illustration at p. 14, were two tenons (Heb. "hands"), by means of' these each board went into and took hold of its two ransom silver sockets, and as the boards thus by their hands went into their respective sockets, the sockets in their turn took hold of the boards by a firm grip and upheld them. The cord and pin shown in our specimen board will be noticed afterward.

PILLARS Four pillars overlaid with gold and resting on silver sockets, stood at the distance of 20 cubits from the entrance to the sacred dwelling, and cubits from the back wall (see woodcut, p. 17). Five similar pillars stood at the entrance of the tabernacle (p. 17). It may appear singular to some that their sockets were not made of ransom silver, like those of the four pillars and those of the golden boards. The reason is that they (the sockets for the five pillars) were situated immediately on the outside of the threshold of the house, and on that account, being considered as pertaining to the court and not to the sanctuary, were, like the rest of the court sockets, made of brass. (See threshold indicated in diagram, p. 7.)

VIEW OF ALL THE PARTS OF THE GOLDEN FRAME-WORK The silver sockets, comprising the foundation of the tabernacle, and the various parts comprising the golden frame-work, having been illustrated in detail, a kind of bird's eye view of the whole is given on p. 17 by means of diagrams. The three walls are supposed to be raised from their foundations and laid flat on their sides, enabling you to see all the boards, bars, tenons, rings, and staples. The sockets, represented by dots, describe the groundplan.

In imagination raise the three walls, bring them to the ground-plan, place the tenons in their respective sockets, and rear up the pillars, and the eye of your mind will have presented to it a model of the gold and silver edifice. The illustration on p. 18 is a perspective view taken from our model of the sacred structure.

In this view all the sockets, boards, rings, bars, and pillars are represented.

Twenty boards at the south side are shown standing in and on their forty sockets; twenty at the north side, standing in and on their forty sockets; six with two corner boards at the back end, standing in and on their sixteen sockets; and four pillars within the house, standing in and on their four sockets--in all, forty-eight gold-covered boards and four gold-covered pillars, standing in and on the one hundred atonement silver money sockets (Exod. 38:27). Four rows of bars passing through gold rings extend along the three sides of the house, clasping firmly board to board; the boards being still more closely knit together by means of the middle bar, an unseen yet strong uniting and supporting band acting like a backbone to the structure, while the outside bars act like ribs. The building is still further compacted by means of the corner boards and From Model. Framework of Tabernacle. corner sockets, uniting the three walls into one whole. The five goldcovered pillars resting on their five brazen sockets stand like guardian angels before the entrance to the sanctuary.

Thus at the foot of Mount Sinai the many and divers parts of the sacred building were made, and without a single nail or noise of hammer fitly framed into one beautiful compact gold and silver tabernacle, and so constructed as to be easily taken to pieces and easily rebuilt again, this being necessary, as frequently it had to be removed from one place to another in the wilderness. When finished with its cherubim and other curtains, hangings and coverings, and surrounded by its lovely court, it was the most costly and magnificent portable temple ever made with hands. As a work of art it was complete, lacking in nothing. All this need not greatly surprise you, for its Architect was He of whom it is said in the Bible, "His work is perfect," and who inspired the master builders, Bezaleel and Aholiab, and other craftsmen, with wisdom (Exod. 36:1) for their great undertaking, strictly charging Moses to see that all things were made according to the pattern which, while enshrined with Him in the cloud of glory on Mount Sinai, He caused to pass before His servant's wondering and admiring eyes. £3000 worth of gold was used in covering one board, and in covering them all £144,000. The entire gold offering weighed 29 talents and 730 shekels (Exod. 38:24), equal to 43,865 ounces. Approximate value of gifts for the tabernacle:-- THE GOLD OFFERING Gold 43,865 oz. At £4, 4s. Per oz., £184,233 0 Silver 150,8871/2 oz., at 2s. 4d. Per oz., 17, 603 10 Brass (or Copper) 106,200 oz., at U4d.

Per oz., 33/ 17 Say for probable higher price of the precious metals at the time of the Exodus, 50,000 0 £252,168 8 And if you add to this the value of the voluntary offerings of other needful materials used in the construction of the building, and the value of the workmanship freely executed by the Israelites, who lent their hands as well as gave their gifts, £300,000 may not be too high a sum at which to value the tabernacle. Even this large sum, however, does not fully indicate the liberality of the Hebrew pilgrims, for we do not know how much more they might have brought, had they not "been restrained from bringing, for the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much" (Exod. 36:6, 7).

Only men were allowed to bring silver, and neither less nor more than half a shekel each; but all, men and women alike, were invited to bring other material, and as much as they were able or inclined to fetch. Gold was brought in the form of bracelets, ear-rings, seal-rings, and tablets (or necklaces). Those not able to bring gold, brought brass, wood, flax, linen, goat-hair, skins, and other needful materials.

Every jewel brought, as well as every other gift, great or small, bore a beautiful stamp, heaven's hall mark, a willing heart. It was this willingheartedness that spiritualized and transfigured the free-will offerings, and which causes them to shine with imperishable luster on the beautiful pages of Exodus for our edification and imitation.

New Testament Israelites are invited to bring gifts for the building of a greater temple than the tabernacle, and that all may enjoy the privilege of giving, the very smallest offerings are acceptable. As the hair and the skins brought by some who may not have had jewels to bestow were as necessary for the construction of the sacred structure as the more costly offerings of their richer brethren, so the coppers of the poor, or of little children, are as needful to assist in building the spiritual edifice as the sovereigns of the wealthy. The immense service rendered by pence in spreading the Redeemer's kingdom is beyond all human calculation. Pence only, however, will not be an acceptable offering from those who have the more precious metals at their disposal. Gold and silver, as well as brass or copper, were among the materials with which the tabernacle was constructed, and they are also required for building up the church of God.

If you have these, and would follow the example of the Hebrew givers, you will not keep them back. If the poor bring pence, see that you forget not to lay silver and gold on the altar. One thing in particular the Lord asks you to give. Refuse it, and your offerings, however costly, will be discarded by Him as nought; but give Him this one thing, and then, as in the case of the Hebrew givers, all else He would like you to bring will crowd after it, and be heaped along with it on the gospel altar. "Son, daughter, give me thine heart." God had recently done great things for Israel, and no doubt a sense of gratitude prompted their liberality; but He has done greater things for both Jews and gentiles: "He so loved the world that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life;" and Jesus "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people." I gave my life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might'st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead.

I gave my life for thee; What hast thou given for Me?

Be not content with mere giving, be girt for service. There is work enough in the Christian church not only for Bezaleels and Aholiabs--for ministers, elders, and missionaries--but for all Christ's disciples. None are so unifluential but they may do something for the Master's cause. If not in teaching little children the sweet name of Jesus, or in visiting the abodes of the godless, or in handing tracts to this and that person as opportunity offers, yet in one or other of the endless ways in which they may engage in works of faith and labors of love. How many alas! who bear Christ's name stand listlessly by, and refuse to give heed to the Master's voice, "Why stand ye here all the day idle?"

If professing Christians were to give as liberally as the Hebrews gave for the work of the tabernacle, the coffers of the church would soon so overflow as to necessitate a proclamation from every pulpit in Christendom commanding the people to bring no more gifts; and were all who are able for any work about Zion to come and do it, the laborers would no longer be few, but many, and sufficiently numerous as instruments for the conversion of the whole world. How speedily, then, would Zion's walls be built up, and the great temple of living stones completed! Do you long for this glorious consummation? If you do, see that you delay it not, either by not giving as the Lord hath prospered you, or by sitting with folded hands while you should be up and working. And, dear friend, if you have put your hand to this blessed employment, let your resolution be that of one of the noblest builders of old, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down" (Neh. 6:3).

ANALOGY BETWEEN PARTS OF THE TABERNACLE AND THE MEMBERS OF THE SPIRITUAL TEMPLE The gold gilded boards.--How lovely the boards must have shone as they stood on the ransom silver, but all who are resting on Jesus their Redeemer shine far more gloriously: they shine with the unfading beauty of holiness. Tenons and sockets.--At the foot of every board were two tenons or hands (p. 14), to enable it to go into and take hold of its two atonement money sockets, and as the boards by their hands took hold of the ransom silver, the sockets in their turn took hold of the boards with a firm grip and upheld them. Faith is like the board hands, for it is by faith we lay hold of Christ our ransom, and as we lay hold of Him, even though our faith may be feeble, He at the same time, ransom-socket like, lays hold of us with a firm, yea, with an almighty grasp, and will never suffer anyone to pluck us out of His hands. Stranger, pilgrim here below, Traveling to fair Canaan's Land, Lean on Jesus as you go, For by faith alone ye stand.

Golden bars encircled the boards, and helped, along with the silver foundation, to bear them up and keep them from falling, and so all who are resting on and cleaving to Jesus are surrounded by strong supporting bands, for, as the golden bars around the sacred tent, the everlasting arms are around all God's dear children, so that they can never fall. Pillars are elegant parts of a structure. They are graceful and yet strong supports. Those of the tabernacle helped to sustain the roof, and the veils were suspended from them. Eminent saints are said to be pillars in the house of God (Rev. 3:12), for they are her ornaments and chief props.

With few exceptions, those who enlist early in the Master's service become her brightest ornaments.

If you know that your hopes of heaven and everlasting blessedness rest on the one sure foundation; if you feel the loving arms of your Heavenly Father encircling you, and if, in some degree, you are shining with the beauty of holiness, forget not that you owe all to Him who loved you and gave Himself for you. May the love of Christ, therefore, constrain you to live not unto yourselves, but unto Him who died for you. May there be such evidence of your being united by faith to Christ, the sure foundation, that it may be said of you, "Now therefore are are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: in whom are also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:19- 22). 4 - THE CHERUBIM CURTAIN TABERNACLE The curtains, skins, and boards of the sacred edifice, considered as a whole, are called the tabernacle (Heb. "dwelling"), but regarded separately, the cherubim curtains are so named, and consequently in the text (Exod. 36:1-15) have the place of honor, being first mentioned in the order of relative importance thus: first, the cherubim curtains (v. 1); second, the goat-hair curtains (v. 7); third, the two sets of skin coverings (v. 14); and fourth and last, the boards, which are not called the tabernacle (or dwelling), but merely the boards for the tabernacle (v. 1 with vv. 6, 15).

The beautiful ornamental cherubim curtains were visible on the roof and walls of the interior, being with their goats' hair tent covering suspended within the house from the top of the boards. There is no other possible sense in which they could have been designated the tabernacle. Some writers throw them over the framework of golden boards, and then cover them entirely over with the goat-hair curtains and the two sets of skin coverings, but certainly two-thirds of the beautiful and highly decorated curtains were never thus intended to be covered and hid from view. Rich tapestry is not used on the outside of buildings, but displayed in the interior. According to the above writers, the cherubim curtains were only displayed to view on the ceiling, and the rest of them unseen. Made of undyed and dyed linen yarn.--The warp or foundation was of the very finest pure white linen yarn (Heb. "shesh"), and the weft of the same material dyed blue, purple, and scarlet (v. 1). Figures of cherubim were interwoven by skillful weavers (v. 1).

THE WISE-HEARTED WOMEN WERE THE SPINNERS (EXOD. 35:25; 35:35).

Some render "shesh" silk (Variorum Bible, mar., Exod. 25), but they are certainly mistaken, for in ancient times the Egyptians used only linen and cotton. It was not till a few centuries before our era that the use of wool and silk.., was introduced. Egyptian linen was exceedingly fine: Herodotus, describing the breastplate sent to the Lacedaemonians by King Amasis, tells us it was made of linen... Each slender thread was composed of three hundred and sixty distinct threads (See Eugene Muntz, Short History of Tapestry, pp. 5, 6). The number and size of the curtains.--There were ten of these very fine and rich curtains woven. Each measured 28 cubits long and 4 broad. The joining of the curtains.--Five of the curtains were "coupled one to another," and the other five in like manner (Exod. 26:3) probably by needlework, forming two great curtains joined together by means of loops of blue and taches of gold (vv. 4, 6); fifty loops extending along the outermost edge of one of the great curtains, and fifty along that of the other (vv. 4, 5). At the place where the junction was effected, loops took hold one of the other, and were kept locked together by means of the golden clasps (v. 6). (See diagram of the two great cherubim curtains, p. 26.) Disposition of the curtains.--The curtains were placed lengthways across the roof, and down the side walls; but as the wall on each side was 10 cubits high, and the roof cubits broad (in all 30 cubits), and as the curtains were only 28 cubits long, they did not quite reach to the ground, but to a cubit of it on both sides. (See diagram, p. 28.)

LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE HOUSE DETERMINED BY THE SIZE OF THE CURTAINS (SEE DIAGRAM, P. 27.)

The breadth of the first grand division of five curtains being twenty cubits extended along the roof of the holy place (See diagram), and ten cubits of the second grand division of twenty cubits, extended along the roof of the most holy place, showing that the combined length of the two apartments was thirty cubits, the remaining ten cubits of this grand division hung down the back wall. That the two great curtains As to surplusage, see appendix, chapter 27. of five each were thus used, one for the holy place and the other for the holy of holies, is proved by Exodus 26:33, where it is said, "Thou shalt hand up the veil under the taches," that is before the entrance into the most holy place, and where the two grand curtains were united by the taches.

Ten cubits of curtains spanning the roof (see diagram) show that the house was ten cubits broad. Thus the measurements of the curtains, like the length of the sockets (p. 6), and the breadth of the boards (p. 12), show that the tabernacle was thirty cubits (45 feet) long, and ten cubits (15 feet) broad. 5 THE GOAT-HAIR "TENT" The goat-hair "tent" was a covering not "upon" or over the framework of golden boards, but "upon" or over the tabernacle (cherubim curtains; Exod. 26:1, with v. 7). DIAGRAM OF ONE GOAT-HAIR CURTAIN, AND ONE CHERUB CURTAIN.

FROM MODEL TABERNACLE.

There were eleven curtains made of goat-hair (Exod. 26:7), the usual material for tents in the East. Many of the goats of the East have black hair, but there are some species having fine white silky hair, like that of the Angora goat, and not a few writers are of opinion that it was hair of this goat or of one resembling it that was woven for the goat-hair curtains. Our model curtains are made of hair of the Angora goat. Women were the spinners (Exod. 35:25), and men the weavers (Exod. 36:8). Size of the curtains.--Each curtain was 30 cubits long and 4 broad (see diagram above), that is two cubits longer than the finer curtains. Disposition of the curtains.--As they were placed lengthways across the roof and down the side walls, they reached to the ground on both sides, as it was meet they should do, since they constituted the tent. But for their being two cubits longer than the cherubim curtains they would have been entirely concealed within the house, but these two additional cubits in their length allow of a cubit of the tent or goat-hair curtains being left uncovered within the house, and consequently exposed to view at the foot of the cherubim curtains; and if the material was of the fine white, silky nature we have alluded to, it would appear as a beautiful white paneling on both sides of the sacred dwelling, and tend to set off to advantage the gorgeously adorned cherubim curtains, on roof and walls.

These two cubits are evidently the two cubits alluded to in Exodus 26:13: "A cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side, of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle (cherubim curtains, Exod. 26: 1, with v. 13), on this side and on that side to cover it," the space left uncovered by the cherubim curtains.

The eleventh curtain or the sixth of the grand curtain of six (diagram, p. 30), we are told, was doubled up in the forefront of the tabernacle, appearing as a beautiful triangular ornamental forefront. The five remaining ones of the grand curtain of six, spanned the roof and hung down the walls of the holy place, being the exact measure required. The half of the other grand curtain of five single curtains spanned the roof and hung down the south and north walls of the most holy place; and the remaining half of this great curtain 10 cubits long (the half curtain we suppose of Exodus 26:12), hung down the back wall 10 cubits deep, being the exact length required.

If the curtains being suspended within the house had a tendency to slightly incline the boards inward, this tendency could be counterbalanced by pins and cords on the outside of the edifice. Pins and cords are mentioned in connection with the tabernacle as well as with the court (Exod. 35:18). 6 - THE TWO-FOLD SKIN ROOF (EXOD. 26:14) There were two sets of curtains within the house. Without there were two sets of skin coverings, forming the roof only, and not hanging down the walls as well, as many suppose. Should it be objected to this view that the golden boards would be exposed to the weather, the same objection might be urged with respect to the silver rods, silver capitals, and silver hooks of the court pillars, and also with respect to the five gold-covered pillars at the entrance of the tabernacle, which were all equally exposed to the effects of the weather. Further, on this point, see appendix, chapter 28. The rams' skins, being tanned, were dyed red, and probably resembled the leather still sold in Syrian towns. The Israelites would find no difficulty in supplying them, since they were rich in flocks and herds. Badgers' skins (seal or porpoise skins, Rv).--It is generally agreed that "badger" is a wrong interpretation of the Hebrew word "tachash," but whatever animal is intended, whether it ranged the forest or swam the ocean, it must have had a tough hide, as leather made of it was used for the outermost covering of the tabernacle, being placed above that of the red rams' skins.

THE BADGER-SKIN COVERING Ugly or beautiful?--It was likely of a sky-blue or other lovely color. Some tell us it was very ugly. The spiritually minded Soltau, in his Tabernacle and the Priesthood, says (p. 67), "The tabernacle must have appeared to the eye of a stranger as a long, dark, coffin-like structure." Several writers, charmed with Soltau's description, have been at pains to improve upon it, and in case we might not be sufficiently impressed with the ugliness, one of these writers asks us in imagination to ascend some commanding height, and get a good view of it. The Rev. George Rodgers, in his Gospel according to Moses, says (p. 34): "In this covering there was nothing beautiful or attractive. I can suppose a man to have looked down on the long, dark, coffin-like structure." The passage usually quoted to confirm this opinion is, "I have shod thee with badgers' skins," and hence the writers alluded to above imagine that the covering was ugly and shoe-black like. Such writers, however, appear to quote the text without even once looking it up in the Bible, a dangerous practice, for had they looked it up they would have seen that it was a very grandly dressed woman who was so shod, and with the design of making her not ugly but beautiful. From the crown of her head to the soles of her feet she was dressed in the most costly and splendid attire, and decked with the most precious and lovely ornaments. When so arrayed and shod with the badgers' shoes, it is said of her, "Thou wast exceeding beautiful" (Ezek. 16:9-15), and we have no doubt that the tabernacle, even with its badger-skin covering, like her and like the temple of which it was the prototype, was "exceeding beautiful."

The reason why Soltau and those who are influenced by his views are so anxious to see the tabernacle appear ugly is that it may typify Christ's humility and illustrate such passages as, "I am a worm and no man" (Ps. 22:6) and "When we shall see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2). If such writers are correct, would analogy not lead us to expect that the high priest should have had sackcloth thrown over his golden garments, which we are told, were for glory and beauty? 7 THE BEAUTIFUL DOORS There were two doors; an outer and an inner (Exod. 26:31-37). The outer door (or first veil, Heb. 9:2) was made of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen yarn, and like the colored curtains, the work of the weaver, for although it is said in the A. V., that the ornamental work was of needlework (v. 36), this term does not appear in the original. In the Rv the Hebrew word is rendered "the work of the embroidered," and in the Variorum Bible, we have the work of the variegater; the original indicates work that might be executed either by needle or the loom.

In the description of the cherubim curtains finest white linen yarn is first mentioned, and then the bright colors follow (Exod. 26:1) leading us to suppose that the ground-work or warp was of fine white linen. With respect, however, to the hangings for the doors, blue is first named (vv. 31- 37), leading us to be of opinion that in their case the ground-work or warp was of blue yarn. And if blue, as likely, was the prominent color of the hangings, then this was significant, as these hangings were the doors of the dwelling, and more especially, as we shall see, with respect to the door of the holy of holies. With the purple, scarlet, and undyed white linen threads, beautiful devices were interwoven into the warp or ground work, probably consisting of palm trees and flowers such as adorned the corresponding door hanging of the temple, of which that of the tabernacle was the prototype (1 Kings 6:35).

The beautiful door hanging was suspended from the five golden pillars standing before the entrance of the tabernacle (v. 37). The inner door (or second veil, Heb. 9:3), called the veil, was not only resplendent like the outer door hanging with blue, purple and scarlet and fine white linen, but besides was adorned all over with lovely cherubim figures, its chief characteristic. "With cherubim the work of the cunning workman shall it be made" (Exod. 26:31, Rv).

This gorgeous curtain was suspended from the four golden pillars standing before the entrance into the holy of holies. It was called the veil (v. 31) whose chief prevailing color, most likely, as we have already remarked, was blue, and this is very significant, as it (the veil) was the type of the blue skies through which our Great High Priest passed into heaven, the true holy of holies (Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:9-11). 8 WITHIN THE CHERUBIM CURTAIN TABERNACLE We have already tried to show the superiority of the splendid cherubim curtains, and would now still further try to emphasize their pre-eminence.

They constituted the tabernacle (Heb. "dwelling"), and all the other parts of the sacred edifice are not mentioned till it has been described. They were made for it; and not it for them (Exod. 26:1-15). The golden boards, as already noticed, are not called the tabernacle but only the boards for the tabernacle (v. 1, with 15).

In imagination visit the sacred dwelling. Standing in the holy place and looking eastward, you observe that the door you entered by forms the east wall, whose loveliness at once attracts your attention. On a groundwork of blue, beautiful palm trees and flowers are interwoven with purple, scarlet and fine twined linen. As you turn round, the veil, forming the west wall of the apartment, now claims your notice. It is even more beautiful than the east wall, for it is not only radiant with the bright hues that adorned it, but in addition, shines all over with lovely cherubim figures. And now, as you turn your wondering and admiring eyes to the roof above you and then to the south and north walls, you see that like the veil they are all glittering with the shining cherubim, who seem to be regarding you with affection.

On your right hand stands the golden table, on your left, the golden candlestick, and right before you at the far end of the chamber, the golden altar.

When now you enter the holy of holies your admiration increases. One wall, the east one of the holy place, is not enriched with cherubim, but all the walls, north, south, east and west, as well as the roof of this inner sanctuary in which you are now standing, are resplendent with the beautiful colors and with the bright shining cherubim. And besides these symbolic figures looking at you from roof and walls, there are two of solid gold on the mercy seat, on which by a visible symbol God was seated, and shone forth from between the cherubim. These beautiful and symbolic figures so crowd the holy of holies, that it may well be called the cherubim chamber.

Strange as it may seem, some writers confidently tell us that only one-third of these superb tapestry curtains, the part that formed the ceiling, was visible in the interior, and that the remaining two-thirds hung over the outside of the boards, and hid from view, being covered by the goat-hair tent. They are greatly mistaken, for curtains so rich and so beautifully adorned were certainly never intended otherwise than to be seen and to be wholly displayed in the interior, as we have shown they were. Those writers are not less in error who tell us that the greater part of the curtains covered the two internal sides of a sloping roof, and no part of the walls, and that the remainder extended outward from the sloping roof and formed dormitories for the priests (appendix, chapter 28). The entire curtains formed as was meet, and as their name indicates (Exod. 26:1), the dwelling of Israel's God and King. No part of them formed dwellings for the priests who had their tents with the rest of the Levites close to and around the tabernacle (Num. 1:53), and on what was considered holy ground.

TYPICAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHERUBIM CURTAIN TABERNACLE It bears some analogy to the believer, to the church, to Christ, and to heaven. First, To the believer. God who dwelt within the curtains, condescends to dwell graciously in the heart of every true Israelite; "Saints are an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:22). As the tabernacle was more beautiful within than without, so are God's children. They are clothed with the spotless robe of Immanuel's righteousness, and adorned with the graces of humility, love, holiness, and heavenly-mindedness. Arrayed in these, the King's daughter is all glorious within, and will shine forth with undiminished luster for ever and ever. These are the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, that will never lose their bright and lively hues. Have you this spiritual embroidery, and is it shining out in your daily life? If so, happy are you. Strive by the aid of the Holy Spirit to shine more and more. No fast colors save these--all else will fade and die. Is it, however, otherwise with you? If so, come to Jesus. By faith ask Him to throw around you His own beautiful robe of righteousness, and He will do it. Ask Him to send the Holy Spirit, the Spiritual Embroiderer, to imprint on your souls His own lovely image, and to inwork in you the graces of faith, hope, love, and every other feature of His likeness, and He will send Him. And it will then be true of you, "Ye are a temple of God, and.., the Spirit of God dwelleth in you (1 Cor. 3:16, RV). Second, To the church. Believers, of whom the church is composed, although scattered among many sects of professing Christians, are yet all one in Christ Jesus. As the curtains, though woven separately, were afterward sewed together and formed two great curtains united into one tabernacle by loops of blue and clasps of gold, so God's children are knit together by the silver ties of affection, and bound together by the golden clasps of love. The union of saints on earth, though real and close, is not so apparent as it really is, in consequence of the imperfections of even the best of Christ's disciples, and of differences of opinion dividing them into various denominations, but even here they shall yet, "see eye to eye," and be seen to be one as they really are. For this the great Intercessor prayed while on earth, and for this He still prays, as He now stands in the true holy of holies:--"I pray that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me and I in Thee." God delights to dwell in the midst of the united company of believers, who are His household "and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:20-22). Third, To Christ. God dwells or tabernacles in the individual believer, and in the church composed of saints, but in Christ He dwells more gloriously than elsewhere. "In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."

He is the "true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man,"--a shrine altogether lovely, and a pre-eminently meet habitation for the Deity. God dwelt within the curtains by a visible symbol, seen by no one, save the high priest, and by those who had spiritual discernment when Christ was sojourning in this world and saw God in Him: "He," said Christ, "that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father." Though He was in the form of man, His disciples beheld beams of the divine glory shining forth through His humanity (John 1:14). The saints in heaven also behold God in Him. There He is the "face of God," for as our faces are the medium of expression to our souls, so that of Jesus in heaven will be of God to us. When we look upon it with delight, we shall behold it radiant with the good pleasure of our heavenly Father. Christ in heaven is pre-eminently the tabernacle of God. Fourth, To heaven. Who can doubt that the beautiful cherubim curtain tabernacle was a type of heaven? Heaven is the place of the most glorious manifestation of God's presence. There angels and saints behold God shining, not by a mere symbol as He did within the curtains, but in the face of Jesus Christ. There too are those glorious beings who are mighty in strength (and whose perfections and graces were shadowed forth in the cherubim that stood upon the mercy seat, and of those that adorned the roof and walls of the dwelling), even thousands and tens of thousands of holy angels, guardians of the saints while on earth, and their companions and fellow-worshippers for ever in the heavenly temple. What a glorious temple! Christ, the Shekinah, the face From Model. Diagram of Court. of God in the midst. Above, before, behind, on every side, all around myriads and myriads of bright angels and glorified saints, raising their celestial and unwearied voices in one glorious chorus, causing its exalted arches to ring with the praises of that Great High Priest who died for us, and now pleads our cause before the heavenly throne. 9 THE COURT OF GOD'S HOUSE Having reared the beautiful tabernacle, we now go on to erect its surrounding lovely court, a double square, one hundred cubits long and fifty broad.

The boundary wall consisted of fine twined linen hangings, suspended from sixty pillars, spaced at the distance of five cubits from each other, twenty standing on the south, twenty on the north, ten on the west, and ten on the east, from whose four central pillars hung the bright attractive gate hanging, variegated with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the embroidery work probably consisting of trees, flowers, and other lovely devices (Exod. 27:9-19).

THE MATERIALS OF THE PILLARS We are not told of what material the pillars were. Although Exodus 27:10 seems to say the pillars were of brass, the original and the Revised Version do not indicate that they were, and the corresponding passage (Exod. 38:10) is silent on the subject, while in the account of the disposal of the brass offering (Exod. 38:29-31) the pillars are not mentioned as sharing in it.

From very careful calculations, we find that if the pillars had been of solid brass, they would have swallowed up the entire brass offering of 70 talents and 2400 shekels (Exod. 38:29), leaving none for the other uses to which it was to be put; while, on the other hand, if none of it had been used for the pillars, the quantity would have been much greater than was required.

Hence, since there could have been neither too much nor too little, it is evident that the pillars were constructed of wood and overlaid with brass; and this is in keeping with everything else, pertaining to the tabernacle and its court, made of wood, which without any exception was overlaid with metal, even with gold, silver, or brass.

The sockets, the basis of the pillars, were of brass. Their capitals were overlaid with silver, and also their fillets or rods extending from pillar to pillar all the way round. It is said in the text that the fillets were of silver, meaning in the sense of overlaying, as there was not enough of the solid metal to make them of. We read of the brazen altar, although it was only overlaid with brass. There were probably small apertures near the top of the pillars or through the capitals for the rods passing. Near the top of every pillar were two silver hooks, one on each side, to which the ends of two cords were attached, their other ends being attached to pegs which were fixed in the ground, and by this means the pillars were steadied and made to stand erect (Exod. 27:17-19). The beauty of the wall.--The graceful pillars, like so many sentinels, encompassed and seemed to guard the sacred enclosure. Their silvery heads contrasted to advantage with their brazen feet and burnished bodies, and these, with the snowy whiteness of the hangings and the variegated gate, the tabernacle glittering with gold, and with its lovely sky-blue skin roof, tended still further to enhance the beauty of this superb wall of columns and fine twined linen. The silver railing.--The silver capitals of the pillars, the silver connecting rods, and the silver hooks, formed one whole, a beautiful silver railing, from which was suspended the wall of white linen hangings, not unlikely, as some suppose, to have been on the reserved space outside of the sacred enclosure, beholding the services proceeding within.

THE ORIGIN OF THE SILVER Where did the silver laid out on this shining railing come from? The one hundred talents of ransom silver were entirely used up in forming the foundation of the tabernacle; but there was a fraction of 7/12 ths of a talent (p. 9), equal to 1775 shekels more than the hundred talents (Exod. 38:28).

There is never too much nor too little in the calculations of the Divine Architect, as there is sometimes in those of other architects, but always the exact quantity, neither less nor more.

This fraction of silver was contemplated in the divine plan. As directed (Exod. 38:28), it was used up in the construction of the silver railing, on the top of the pillars. The hundred talents formed a beautiful silver lining below the sacred house, and upheld the cherubim curtain tabernacle, with its goat-hair tent, two-fold skin roof, and golden framework of boards; and the one thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five shekels were entirely used up on the railing which upheld the court wall of linen hangings.

The entire silver was thus devoted to the purpose of upholding, and not a single grain of it was otherwise used. tabernacle and court alike were founded on the price the Israelite men paid for their ransom. Can anyone then reasonably doubt that the divine architect was thereby foreshadowing the grand doctrines of redemption? If anyone doubt this let him try to answer two questions--First, Why was no one allowed to give silver save those who paid their ransom with it? And, Second, Why was every grain of silver thus paid devoted exclusively to the upholding of the tabernacle and its court?

It is a most significant and suggestive fact that Solomon's temple was founded on a rock. It is no less a significant and suggestive fact that its great prototype, the tabernacle, was founded on atonement money.

The ransom silver lining shining below the sacred dwelling was the beginning of the tabernacle, and the ransom shining silver lining on the top of the court pillars was the ending of the tabernacle--redemption first and redemption last. And so of the church. Christ our