EXPOSITION. Ver.,. 34-38.-TBEDEBOENTOF THE GLOBY off it and moved in front, the tabema.cle had .WO Gon ON THE COKPLETED WOii&. The work to follow (ver. 36)-if it settled down on the was finished-the first incense burnt (ver. 27)- roof, the people stopped and remained until it tJie first sacrifice offered (ver. 29). Those who moved again (ver. 37). The appearance was had watched the proceedings, and those who as of a. cloud by day, and as of fire by night, had been engaged in them, were probably so that all could always see where the taber- &boat t.o retire to rest. Even Moses had with- D&cle was, antl whether it was stationary or in drawn, and left the tabernacle to itself-when motion (ver. 38). After the first descent, it sudd.ellly, there was a manifestation of Divine would seem that "the glory " withdrew into Power. The cloud, which had gone before the Holy of Holies, so that both Moses and the the Jaraelites from Si=oth onward (eh. xiii. priests could enter the holy pla.ce, and minister 20-22), and which had recently settled upon there (Lev. viii. 10 ; L 13, etc.). the extemporised " Tent of Meeting " ( eh. Ver. 34.-Then a olond. In the original xxxiii. 9), left iu; place, and "covered" the " the cloud," i.e. the cloud so often spoken of lle"a'ly-a-ected strncture ext.ern&ll.y (ver. 34), (eh. xiii. 21, 22; xiv. 19, 20, 24; xix. 9; while an intensely brilliant light-here called xxiv. 15-18; xxxiii. 9, 10). Covered the • the glory of God "-filled the whole interior tent. Descended on the outer covering and of the tabernacle (ib.). Moses, it appears, rested there. lPilled the tabernacle. Entered woold fain h&ve re-euured the tabarnacle- inside, and filled both ho!y place and Ho!y of Holies. to see the great sight " ( eh. iii. 3) ; but he Ver. 35.-lloaea was not able to enter. It eould not-the " glory" was too da.zzling (ver. is implied that he wished-nay, tried-t.o enter 3.5 ). Thus a distinct approval 1Vas given to -but the " glory " prevented him. (Compare ell that had been done. God accepted his l Kings viii. 11; 2 Chr. v. 14; vii. 2.) Be- house, and entered it. The people saw that oanae the cloud abode thereon. It was not he had foregone his wrath, and would be con- the extemal "cloud" which prevent.ed Moses fro.ill enterillg, but the internal "glory." But tent henceforth to dwell among them and the two are regarded as inseparable. journey with them. Henceforth, throughout Vers. 36-38.-And when--i.e. " whenso- the wanderings, the cloud and tabernacle were ever." The last three verses describe the inseparable. If the cloud Wll.6 lifted a little mannrr in ·11·hich the cloud henceforth served en. x,, 34-38.] 'l'ITF, nOOK OF EXOOU:'l.
the Israelites n.s guide-not only directing naole by day and flre w11.a on it by night their conrse, but determining when they were Complll'e eh. xiii. 21, 22; anrl r,h. xiv. 20, U; to move, ancl how long they were to reet at Num. ix. 15, 16. The cloud hnd two llSpects raeh encampment. For a further account of -one obscure, the other radiant,. It was o tho same, see Num. ix. 15-23 dlll'k column by day-a pillar of fire by night. Ver. 38.-The oloud ... waa upon the taber- Thus it was always visible.
HOMILETICS. Vere. 34--38.-The symbols of Goa's presence. I. Goo IS BEEN BY THOSE wno UNFEIONEDLY LOVE HIM AB PURE LIGHT. "I am the light of the world" (John viii. 12; ix. 5). "In him was life, and the life was the light of men" (ib. i. 4). "In him is no darkness at all" (1 John ii. 6). With clear unclouded radiance he shines on those who tread his heavenly courts, which need no other light besides him. "The city hath 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. xxi. 23), With a radiance not much less bright, he looks upon his saints on earth, cheering them, illumining their paths, making them glad with the light of his countenance. He may veil himself in condescension to their infirmity; but the veil is translucent; it covers without con- cealing; it tempers the brightness, but only as a thin haze tempers the splendours of the lord of day. II. Goo BBOWB HIMSELF TO THE GENERALITY OF MEN AB lllINGLED LIGHT AND CLOUD. 'l'o .Abraham he appeared as "a smoking furnace and a burning lamp" (Gen. xv. 17); to the Israelites at Sinai as combined smoke and fire (Ex. xix. 18); to Solomon, dazzled by his glory, he was still one who "dwelt in the thick darkness" (1 Kings viii. 12). When Isaiah beheld him sitting in his temple "the house was filled with smoke" (Is. vi. 1-4); when Ezekiel "saw visions of God," he "looked and behold, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself." Wherever the glory of the Lord is seen, wherever he looks upon men with mercy and compassion, there his proper symbolism is light, though it may be a light partially obscured and mingled with darkness. For darkness symbolises his anger; and in the case of his wayward children, he cannot but be at once compas- sionate and angry ; displeased, yet anxious to forgive. Or the darkness may be the dense cloud of human ignorance which the Divine light can only partially pierce through. .Any way, the bulk of men see God as a light amid smoke. "Clouds and darkness are round about him" (Ps. xcvii. 2)-" he makes darkness his secret place, his pavilion round about him with dark waters, and thick clouds to cover him" (ib. xviii. 11). Fire flashes out of the clouds occasionally; gleams of light stream forth; "at the brightness of his presence, his clouds remove" (ib. 12), and he is seen to be man's "true light." III. Goo IB TO SOME MERE DARKNESS, A DENSE OPAQUE CLOUD. This he is :-1. To agnostics-to them who know him not, and refuse to believe that he can be known; 2. To them who have never heard of him, but have a dim unconscious feeling that some infinite unknown being exists ; 3. To them that have been taught to view him as a remorseless, revengeful being, without pity or mercy; 4. To them that, having known him aright, have cast his words behind their back, thrown off his authority, and placed themselves in determined antagonism to his will and co=andments. .All is dark in the future to such persons ; and in the thought of God is "the blackness of darkness for ever." Because they have not chosen to retain God in their knowledge, God has given them over to a reprobate mind (Rom. i. 28). They "put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." He, in whom is no darkness at all, is to them mere darkness. The God of this world has "blinded their eyes" that they cannot see ; and, like a blind man, looking at the sun, the darkness which is in their ~wn vision they ascribe to the object which their dim sight fails to distinguish. God is " the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (John i. 9). But "if the light that is within thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt. vi. 23.) THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [en. XL. 34-38.