Exod. xl. 1, 2. The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
THE beginning of a new year is, not without rea- son, considered by Christians in general as a fit occasion for more than ordinary attention to religious duties. I say not, indeed, that the generality of Christians actually so employ that hallowed time : for, in fact, the whole season wherein we commemo- rate the incarnation of our blessed Lord is by the generality made rather a time for carnal mirth. But still, this is acknowledged by all to be rather an abuse of our religious privileges than a suitable improve-
ment of them. There is in the minds of all a con- sciousness, that to review our past errors with peni- tence, and to prepare for a more diligent performance of our duty in future, is the proper employment of that period, when we are entering, as it were, upon a new scene of things. In my text, " the first day of the first month" was appointed by God himself as the time for commencing the services of the taber- nacle, after the Israelites had abode in the wilderness nearly a whole year. Doubtless, both Moses and the various artificers had used great diligence to get every vessel ready for the service which it was des- tined to perform : and great exertion must have been made on the day here spoken of, wherein the taber- nacle and all the vessels of it were not only got ready for their destined use, but were employed in the very service for which they had been formed. But the command of Jehovah animated the people on this occasion: and, I hope, their conduct will encourage us also to prosecute with becoming earnestness the labours which this season calls for at our hands.
For the advancement of this blessed object, I will set before you, I. The work here assigned to Moses —
He was ordered now to set up the tabernacle with every thing belonging to it, and to commence the service of it. A pattern of every part of it had been shewn to him on Mount Sinai, and according to that pattern had every thing been formed. No less than eight times in this one chapter is it said, that he did every thing " as the Lord had commanded him" For all this care, both in relation to the pattern given him, and to the execution of it by himself and all under his command, there was, no doubt, a very im- portant reason. The very injunction given him at the time of shewing to him the pattern, " See thou make all things according to the pattern shewn to thee in the mount a," strongly marked, that, in the divine mind, there was some very important end to
a Exod. xxv. 40.