1hr hrn <'nrls ''-i.~.. "rising," or," standing of guardian angels, who watched over the up from tlll' two rnc!.,.'' precious depoeit below-to wit, the two Y rr. 19.--0II. the one end . on the other tables. end . . . on the two endB. The preposition Ver. 21.-Thon llhalt pnt the mero:, eeat IIS<'d is in CYCn- case the same R8 that ef the above the ark. Rather, "upon the ark"- lru;t clanse ofver.18-viz., min, "from." The " thou shalt cover the ark with it." This bnd idea is that the figures rose from the two not boon expressed previously, though the ends. dimensions (vcr. 17), compared with those of Ver. 20.-The oherubiml llhall ltr9toh forth the ark (ver. 10), would naturally have sug- theirwillponhigh. Comparceh.xxxvii,9. It gested the idea. In the ark thon llhalt put would seem that the two "ings of both ehernbs the testimony. This is a mere repetition of were advanced in front of them, and elevated, verse 16, marking the special importance so as to overshadow the mercy seat. This which attached to the provision. was a departure from the patterns furnished Ver. 22.-.6.nd there I will meet with thee, h)· the figures of Ma (sec the comment on ver. The whole of the foregoing description has 18), ~incc in them one wing only was elevated, been subordinate to this. In all the arrange- and the other depressed. It ie clear that in ments for the tabernacle God was, primarily no ea,re was any part of the Hebrew sacred and mainly, providing a fit place where he furniture a mere reproduction of Egyptian might manifest himself to Moses and his suc- models. Whatever w,u; made use of was so cessors. The theocracy was to be a govern- tra.nsformed or mod.i.fied as t.o acquire a new ment by God in reality, and not in nBme and independent character. Their f&oell, et.e. only. There was to be constant "commun- The words a.re not without difficulty ; but the ing " between God and the earthly ruler of the gencrall~· received meaning appears t.o be cor- nation, and therefore a place of communing. rect-that the faces were bent one t.owards the Co111pa.re eh. xxix. 42-45. The speeio.l seat other, but that both looked downwaros, t.o- of the Divine presence was to be the ompty ,..ards the mercy seat Thus the fignrcs, space above the mercy seat, between the two whether they were standing or kneeling, chernhim, and above the ark of the eove- which is uncertain, presented the appearance na.nt.
HOMILETICS. ,ers. 10-22.-T71e S'!f"U>Olism of the ark of the covenant. The symbolical meaning of the ark of the covenant may be considered, either (1) separately, as to its parts; or (2) collectively, as to the bearing of it.s several parts one upon the other. I. SEPARATELY, Ali TO ITS PARTS. These were (I) The ark itself, or chest; (2) The mercy scat; and (3) The cherubim. (I) The ark, or coffer of acacia. wood, coated within and without with pc.re gold, and intended as a receptacle for the law written by the finger of God, would seem to have represented Divine law as enshrined in the pure nature af God. Acacia. is said to be one of the most incorruptible of woods, and gold is undoubtedly the most incorruptible, as well 118 the most precious, of metals. The law of God-" holy, just, and good" (Rom. vii. 12)-needs such a. receptacle. It dwells fitly in God himself-in the incorruptible hearts of the sinless angels-and in the unde- fihld hearts of godly men. It is in itself pure and incorrupt, an emanation from him who is essential purity. It is a "golden" rule, perfect, lovely, beautiful. It is no cruel code of a tyrant, but the only rule of action by which the well-being of man can be secured. At the same time there is severity and sternness in it. It was written on stone, and shrined in gold. It was fixed, unbending, unchangeable. (2) The mercy sca.t represented God's attribute of mercy. It covered up the law, as he "covers up" the sins and offences of his people (Ps. mii. I; lxxxv. 2; Rom. iv. 7). It was pre- pared to receive the expiat.c,ry blood wherewith the high-priest was to sprinkle it, the blood that typified the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ (Lev. xvi. 14). It was of gold Lee.a.use mercy is the moat precioll8 of God's attributes. It was pla.ced OtJer the law, Lecau.sc mercy tra.nJJcends justice. (3) The cherubim represented at once guardianship and worship. Doubtless holy angels at all times guarded invisibly the ark, and espe- cially the "testimony" which it contained. The presence of the two golden figures ,iµ;uified this holy watchfulness to the Israelites, and spoke to them of the inten~e 1uliuess of the place. The shadowing wings represented protecting care ; and the cherubic fonn showed that the most exalted of creatures were fitly employed in watching "IJd p:wmliug the revelation of the will of the Almighty. Dy their attitude, standing or lw,clii,g witL Lent L.ca.dE IUl.d faces turned down toward the mercy ceat, they furth1Jr !'11, JIXV, 10-16.) THE noorc OF EXODUS. 2Gl
spoko of worship. On the Divine presenco, which wa11 mllnifeHtcd "rrorn J-,tw,,,, 11 them," thoy drLred not garn--their eyes were lowered, find fixe<l for ever on the IIH'r<·v scnt-tho cmlx,dimcnt of the Divine attribute of mercy. As under the new cove11a11t l\ngols desired to look into the mystery of redemption (1 Pet. i. 12), so, unrlcr the ol,I, nngels doubtless snw with admiring wonder God commencing the recovery or a !nst world; they looked on his attribute of mercy with rapture but with ama,-,; it ""'" a now thing to them; tho angels who lost their first estate had not elicited it; man alono had been thought worthy of the "mterthought," whereby sin was condoned, and the salvation of sinners made possible. II. COLLECTIVELY, AS TO THE BEARING OF THE SEVF,RAL PAR'l'S ONE UPON ANOTm;n. Tho teaching of the ark in this respect wae, primarily, that of David in the eighty-fifth psalm: " Mercy and truth are met together ; righteousness and peace have kisse<l each other." Mercy without justice is a weak sentimentality, subversive of moral ur<ler. Justice without mercy is a moral severity-theoretically without a flaw, but revoltin~ to man's instinctive feelings. 'l'he synthesis of the two is required. The law, enshrine<.1 in the holiest place of the sanctuary, vindicated the awful purity and perfection of God. 'l'he mercy seat, extended above the law, assigned to mercy its superior directive position. The cherubic figlll'es showed the gaze of angels riveted in astonishment and admiration on God's mode of uniting mercy with justice, by means of vicarious suffer- ing, which he can accept as atonement. Finally, the Divine presence, promised as a permanent thing, gave God's sanction to the expiatory scheme, whereby alone man can be reconciled to him, and the claims both of justice and of mercy satisfied.