the Uchrcws, it is inconccivabfo that religion eh. xxix. 46; Num. xxxv. St. There is o rould he,·c Dlllinteincd it6 ground for long , .. ith- Bense in which "God dwelleth not in temples out something of the kind. "It WM," es Ko- madewithhands"(Actsvii. t8; xvii. 24)--i.e., l isch Reys, " abo,•c ell things necessary to create he is not comprehended in them, or confined to them; but there is another sense in which a firm nnJ ,;sible r.ontre of monotheism, to keep he may be truly SBid to dwell in them, viz., prrpetue.Ily the idea of the one omnipotent God as manifesting him11elf in them either to the ttlh·c in the minds of the people, e.nd so t,o ex- senses, or to the spirit. In the tabernacle clude for ever a relap11e int,o the pagan and he me.nifested him11eU sensibly ( eh, xl. 114, idolatroll6 aberrations" (Oomfll6ftt on Ezodu, 35, 38). Ver. 9.-The patterna. Many of the old p. 365). A sanctuary was therefore to be con- Jewish commentators supposed, that Moses WM structed ; but, as the nation was in the pecnlillt shown by God a reel materiel structure, which position of being nomadic, without fixed abode, actue.Ilyeilited in theheavens,far grander th11n that is, e.nd constantly on the move, the osnaI its earthly copy, after which ho was to have form of a perme.nent building was unsuitable the tabernacle fashionod. Some recent Chris- tie.n writers, without going these lengths, sug- under the circumstances. To meet the diffi- gest that " an actual picture or model of the r-ult~·. e tent-temple was designed, which is earthly tabernacle and it.a furniture was shown culled muli.kan, " the dwelling," or '4'hel, "the to him" (Keil). Bot the words of the text, as tent," which was simply an Orientel tent on a well as th011e of Act.a vii. H, e.nd Heh. viii. 5, la rgc sea.le, made of the best obtainable mate- are sufficiently justified, if we t.ake a view less Dlll.teriel the.n either of these-i.e., if we Bllp- rials, and guarded by an enclosure. The pose Moses to have had impressed on his mind, ,ktails of the work are reserved for later men- in vision, the exact appearance of the taber- 1.ion. In the present passage two directions nacle and its adjunclli, in such sort that he ouly are given :-1. A sanctiwy is to be con- conld both fully understand, and also, when strueted ; and 2. Both it, and all it.s vessels, are necessary, Bllpplement, the verbal descriptions subsequently given to him, It is unnecess11.ry to be made after patt.erns which God was about to inquire how the impression was produced. to show to MOlleS. God who in vision communicated to Ezekiel Ver. 8.-A BaDOtuaey well expresses the the entire ple.n of that magnificent temple Hebrew micdtuh, which is derived from which he describes in eh. xl.-xlli., could rMa.ah-" to be holy." It is a mme never certainly have made known to Moses, in the given to the temples of the heathen deities. same way, the far simpler structure of the That I may dWllll among them. Compare primitive Tabernacle.
HOMILETICS. Ver. 8.-Earthl,y sanctuaries typical of tlie heavenly dwelling-place. Such habitations as God condescends to acknowledge for his in this earthly sphere, are, all of them, more or less types of the New Jerusalem, the eternal heavenly home. "The temple of God was opened in heaven," 89.YS St. John the Divine," and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament" (Rev. ri 19); and again, " After that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened" (eh. xv. 5). Note tho following common features:- L THE CENTRAL CARDINAL FA.en' IN EACH J..1-"D ALL IS, THE HJ..NIFEST PRESENCE OF Gon. Of the Tabernacle we are told-" 'l'iien a cloud covered the tent of the congre- gation, and the glory of the Lord filled rhe tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, becalllle the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Ex. tl 34, :i5). Christian churches have the promise, " Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world "-a.nd a.gain, "Where two or throe are gathered together in my IlJl,llle, there am I in the midst of you." In the New Jerusalem" the city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof" (Rev. xxL 23). And the saints "see his face" ( ib. xxii 4). ll. THE SECOND LE.ADil!ilG FA.en' IS TllE EXISTENCE IN EACH OF "MANY M'ANBIONB." Au outer c-0urt, a porch, a holy place, and a holy of holies, a.re features manifestly <>,mwon tu the Hebrew tabernacle and temple with Christian churches. These give different degree~ of access to God, and imply different degrees of fitness to contemplate lwu. li.1 1ea\'cu tLcre is a tluone-the throne of God a.nd of the Lamb-and round en. XXV. 8, !),] THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 247
about tho throne four and twenty soatA for four and twenty elder~ to sit ou (Hcv. iv. l). aml_ beyond those 11ngels ('ib. v. 11), anrl martyr~ (ib. vii. H); and, laAt or all, "th~ nat10ns of them that are saved" (ib. xxi. 2-1-). And e11.Ch individut\l or the "nations" linds his fitting placo. llJ. IN ALL, THI': OOOUPA TION OF THOSP: WHO HA VE FOUND ENTRANCE IS THE PRAISE AND WORSHIP OF Goo. "Enter into his courts with praise," says holy DavH, c,f thP tabernaole (Ps. o. 4)-" be thankful unto him, and bless his name." "When ye como together, every one of you has a psalm," says St. Paul of a Christian Church. In heaven there is "a great voice of much people, saying, Alleluia: Salvation and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgments .. and again they say, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; let us be glad anu rejoice, and givo honour to him" (Rev. xix. 1-7). IV. IN ALL, THE WORSHIPPERS ENJOY A SACRED FEAST. Of the worship or the taber- nacle sacrifice was an essential part; and a sacrificial feast, of which thu offerer partook_ always followed the sacrifice. In Christian worship upon earth, the crowning act is a heavenly banquet, to which the minister in Jesus' name invites all the faithful. " Hail sacred feut, which Jesus makes Rich banquet of his flesh and blood! Thrice happy he, who here partakes That sacred stream, that heavenly food."
In the New Jerusalem there is a" tree of life," which bears" twelve manner of fruits:" and they who enter in "have right to the tree of life" (Rev. xxii. 2, 14), and are "giveu to cat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God" ( ib. ii. 7). How far this is Ii teral, how far allegorical, we shall scarcely know till we are translated to that celestial sphere, and become dwellers in that glorious city.