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Exodus Chapter
Thirty-six
Exodus 36
Chapter Contents
The making of the tabernacle The liberality of the people
restrained.
The readiness and zeal with which these builders set
about their work
the exactness with which they performed it
and the
faithfulness with which they objected to receive more contributions
are worthy
of our imitation. Thus should we serve God
and our superiors also
in all things
lawful. Thus should all who are in public trusts abhor filthy lucre
and avoid
all occasions and temptations to covetousness. Where have we the representation
of God's love towards us
that we by love dwell in him and he in us
save in
Emmanuel? Matthew 1:23. This is the sum of the ministry of
reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:18
19. This was the design of the
"tabernacle of witness
" a visible testimony of the love of God to
the race of men
however they were fallen from their first state. And this love
was shown by Christ's taking up his abode on earth; by the Word being made
flesh
John 1:14
wherein
as the original expresses
it
he did tabernacle among us.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Exodus》
Exodus 36
Verse 2
[2] And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab
and every wise
hearted man
in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom
even every one whose heart
stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
And Moses called Bezaleel — "Even those whom
God has qualified for
and inclined to the service of the tabernacle
yet must
wait for a call to it
either extraordinary
as that of preachers and apostles
or ordinary
as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they were that
Moses called; those in whose heart God had put wisdom for this purpose
beyond
their natural capacity
and whose heart stirred him up to come to the work in
good earnest." Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle
whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work
and free to
it: ability and willingness
with resolution
are the two things to be regarded
in the call of ministers.
Verse 35
[35] And he made a vail of blue
and purple
and scarlet
and
fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.
The veil made for a partition between the holy place and
the most holy
signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation
compared with the New Testament
which shews us the glory of God more clearly
and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and distance of our present
state in comparison with heaven
where we shall be ever with the Lord
and see
him as he is|.
Verse 37
[37] And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue
and purple
and scarlet
and fine twined linen
of needlework;
An hanging — Which divided the holy place from
the court.
──
John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Exodus》
36 Chapter 36
Verses 1-38
Every wise-hearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding
to know how to work.
Consecrated art
Dannecker
the German sculptor
occupied eight years upon a marble
statue of Christ. He believed then
and ever afterward
that he had been
inspired of God to do that thing. He thought that he had seen a vision of
Christ in his solitary vigils. He had but transferred to the marble the image
that the Lord had shown to him. His rising fame attracted the attention of
Napoleon
and he was requested to make a statue of Venus similar to Ariadne
for the gallery of the Louvre. He refused
saying
“A man who has seen Christ
would commit sacrilege if he should employ his art in the carving of a pagan
goddess. My art is therefore a consecrated thing.” Is there not an experience
of communion with God in Christ
not uncommon with mature believers
which is
equivalent to a vision of the Lord
and which renders life and life work
even
its humblest occupations
sacred? The lowliest not less than the loftiest life
may have this element of an infinite dignity.
Indolence in the Church
A North American Indian convert
being catechised upon
“original sin
” stated that he rather thought that in his case it was
laziness. Original sin certainly seems to take this form in the case of many
members of our Churches. What is the proportion of Christian workers in any
Church? Are they not invariably a small minority? Why so? What exemption can
the majority plead? It is said the working bees cast out the drones from the
hive. Were we to proceed upon this principle
what terrible depletion would our
Churches suffer! (J. Halsey.)
False estimates of Church-workers
We sometimes form a too favourable estimate of the number
of workers in our Churches
erroneously judging from the number of departments
of service
and imagining that each department has its own distinct staff;
whereas
as a rule
it is the individuals who are active in one sphere who
display the same activity in another. I believe that in dramatic exhibitions
the impression of a large army is sometimes produced upon the spectators by the
device of marching the same band of persons over and over again across the
stage. We get our impressions of the noble army of Christian workers very much
in the same way. (J. Halsey.)
.
See Exodus 25:10-40; Exodus 30:1-6; Exodus 30:23-38.
──《The Biblical Illustrator》