Exodus 40:1-38
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.
4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
5 And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.
6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.
9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.
10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.a
11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.
12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats:
15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.
17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.
19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:
21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.
22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.
23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.
24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:
27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.
28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.
29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.
30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.
31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat:
32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.
33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onwardb in all their journeys:
37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
REFLECTIONS. On the first day of the first month of Abib, the tabernacle was reared. How time steals away! One year is gone; and what an eventful year to Israel, but now crowned with glory and with joy. Fifty days had elapsed before the promulgation of the law. Forty days expired while Moses was on the mount. Thirty four were spent in chastising and reforming Israel concerning the revolt of the golden calf. Forty days more were spent in receiving the second tables of the law, for the time of our backsliding is worse than lost in the sight of God. And perhaps a third forty were spent on the same mount. Be that as it may, with the intervening space of time, they had arrived at the seventh day of the tenth month. Now on the first day of the new year of Israel's emancipation, when the spring displayed the beauties of nature, they erected the tabernacle to display the glory of religion.
With what reverence and joy would Israel survey the majestic, beautiful, and mysterious pavilion of the Lord. Here was the mercy-seat, or throne of the Shechinah, surrounded with cherubims: and the ark of his strength before him, to show that he is ever mindful of his promises. Here was the veil of blue, separating the holy of holies, from the holy place in the sanctuary, adumbrating that a future state, and the invisible glory are veiled from the eyes of men. Here was the table with twelve loaves, importing that Israel might every morning find food in the house of God. Near it stood the golden altar of incense, to show how the devotion of the good ever ascends as a cloud before God, and grateful in his sight. The candlestick, with its seven lamps, was always burning, to signify that the light and glory of God are ever shining by his word and Spirit upon his worshippers. In the approach to this most sacred mansion stood the great brazen altar of burnt-offering. Here the offender might leave his victim, confess his sin, and be sprinkled with the atoning blood: then purged in his conscience, he might wash in the laver, and enter the courts of the Lord. And oh, is this the road, the awful road to God. Is there no way of approaching the Just and Holy One but by death, and by blood. How awful then is the nature, and how dreadful are the consequences of sin. But how insufficient must the death of a sheep be for the atonement of my great and manifold sins. Surely all this grandeur is but a shadow of the real atonement, and of the great Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Oh it is on Calvary, and only on Calvary, that the true atonement is made. It is the second Adam, the spotless Lamb dying in union with the Godhead, so close as to constitute the divine and human nature of Christ but one person, which makes atonement for the sin of the soul. It is from the cross, as from the high altar, the blood flows which washes away the guilt of the nations. There, oh God, let me purge my conscience: there let me wash my hands, my heart in innocency, and so compass thine altar. There let me commence my death unto sin, till iniquity all expire; there let me begin to live unto righteousness, and henceforth serve thee in newness of life.
No sooner had Israel, with this great labour and freewill-offering prepared the sanctuary of the Lord, and invited his descent with the fervent devotion of their hearts, than the Lord filled the tabernacle with glory and a cloud, and made it the place of his rest and joy. And delighting to dwell among them, he became their guide and defence in the desert land. So if the temple of my soul be prepared by repentance, and by the expectation of his presence, he will delight to dwell in my heart for ever.
This sacred book began with the affliction of Israel, and with the birth of Moses, and now it closes with a full view of their emancipation, with the glory of their sanctuary, with a sight of the God of Abraham dwelling with his people for ever. May all the wonders of providence and grace, exhibited for our redemption, come in like manner to this happy close.