Notes on the book of Exodus Part 17

There is here a fine principle of truth, which the spiritual mind will readily apprehend. The place which Christ now occupies is "without the camp," and we are called upon to "go forth unto Him." It demands much subjection to the Word to be able, with accuracy, to know what "the camp" really is, and much spiritual power to be able to go forth from it: and still more to be able, while "far off from it," to act towards those in it in the combined power of holiness and grace;--holiness, which separates from the defilement of the camp; grace, which enables us to act toward those who are involved therein.

"And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp; but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle."

Moses exhibits a higher degree of spiritual energy than his servant Joshua. It is much easier to a.s.sume a position of separation from the camp than to act aright towards those within.

"And Moses said unto the Lord, 'See, Thou sayest unto me. Bring up this people; and Thou hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me; yet Thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in My sight.'" Moses entreats the accompanying presence of Jehovah, as a proof of their having found _grace_ in His sight. Were it a question of mere _justice_, He could only consume them by coming in their midst, because they were "a stiff-necked people;" but directly He speaks of grace, in connection with the mediator, the very stiff-neckedness of the people is made a plea for demanding His presence.--"If now I have found grace in Thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray Thee, go among us; _for it is a stiff-necked people_; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Thine inheritance."

This is touchingly beautiful. A "stiff-necked people" demanded the boundless grace and exhaustless patience of G.o.d. None but He could bear with them.

"And He said, 'My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.'" Precious portion! Precious hope! The presence of G.o.d with us, all the desert through, and everlasting rest at the end! Grace to meet our present need, and glory as our future portion! Well may our satisfied hearts exclaim, "It is enough, my precious Lord."

In chapter x.x.xiv. the second set of tables is given, not to be broken, like the first, but to be hidden in the ark, above which, as already noticed, Jehovah was to take His place, as Lord of all the earth, in moral government. "And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord pa.s.sed by before him, and proclaimed, 'The Lord, The Lord G.o.d, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.'" This, be it remembered, is G.o.d as seen in His moral government of the world, and not as He is seen in the cross--not as He shines in the face of Jesus Christ--not as He is proclaimed in the gospel of His grace. The following is an exhibition of G.o.d in the gospel: "And all things are of G.o.d, _who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ_, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that G.o.d was in Christ, _reconciling the world unto Himself_, NOT IMPUTING their trespa.s.ses unto them; and hath committed unto us _the word of reconciliation_." (2 Cor. v. 18, 19.) "Not clearing" and "not imputing" present two totally different ideas of G.o.d. "Visiting iniquities" and canceling them are not the same thing. The former is G.o.d in government, the latter is G.o.d in the gospel. In 2 Cor. iii. the apostle contrasts the "ministration"

recorded in Exodus x.x.xiv. with "the ministration" of the gospel. My reader would do well to study that chapter with care. From it he will learn that any one who regards the view of G.o.d's character given to Moses on Mount h.o.r.eb as unfolding the gospel, must have a very defective apprehension indeed of what the gospel is. Neither in creation nor yet in moral government do I or can I read the deep secrets of the Father's bosom. Could the prodigal have found his place in the arms of the One revealed on Mount Sinai? Could John have leaned his head on the bosom of that One? Surely not. But G.o.d has revealed Himself in the face of Jesus Christ. He has told out, in divine harmony, all His attributes in the work of the cross. There "Mercy and Truth have met together, Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other." Sin is perfectly put away, and the believing sinner perfectly justified, "BY THE BLOOD OF THE CROSS." When we get a view of G.o.d as thus unfolded, we have only, like Moses, to "bow our head toward the earth and worship;"--suited att.i.tude for a pardoned and accepted sinner in the presence of G.o.d!

CHAPTERS x.x.xV.-XL.

These chapters contain a recapitulation of the various parts of the tabernacle and its furniture; and inasmuch as I have already given what I believe to be the import of the more prominent parts, I will not add more. There are, however, two things in this section from which we may deduce most profitable instruction, and these are, (first) _the voluntary devotedness_ and (secondly) _the implicit obedience_ of the people with respect to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And first, as to their voluntary devotedness, we read, "And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, every one _whose heart stirred him up_, and every one whom _his spirit made willing_, and they brought _the Lord's offering_ to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all His service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, _as many as were willing-hearted_, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord. And every man with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them. Every one that did offer an offering of silver and bra.s.s, brought the Lord's offering: and every man with whom was found s.h.i.ttim wood, for any work of the service, brought it. And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women _whose heart stirred them up_ in wisdom spun goats' hair. And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; and spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. The children of Israel brought _a willing offering_ unto _the Lord_, every man and woman, _whose heart made them willing_ to bring, for all manner of work which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses." (Chap. x.x.xv. 20-29.) And, again, we read, "And all the wise men that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; and they spake unto Moses, saying, 'The people bring _much more than enough_ for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make.'... For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much." (Ver. 4-7.)

A lovely picture this of devotedness to the work of the sanctuary! It needed no effort to move the hearts of the people to give, no earnest appeals, no impressive arguments. Oh, no! their "_hearts_ stirred them up." This was the true way. The streams of voluntary devotedness flowed from within. "Rulers," "men," "women,"--all felt it to be their sweet privilege to give to the Lord, not with a narrow heart or n.i.g.g.ard hand, but after such a princely fashion that they had "_enough, and too much_."

Then, as to _their implicit obedience_, we read, "_According to all that the Lord commanded Moses_, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, _they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it_: and Moses blessed them." (Chap. x.x.xix. 42, 43.) The Lord had given the most minute instructions concerning the entire work of the tabernacle.

Every pin, every socket, every loop, every tach, was accurately set forth. There was no room left for man's expediency, his reason, or his common sense. Jehovah did not give a great outline and leave man to fill it up. He left no margin whatever in which man might enter his regulations. By no means. "'See,' saith He, 'that thou make _all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount_.'" (Exod.

xxv. 40; xxvi. 30; Heb. viii. 5.) This left no room for human device.

If man had been allowed to make a single pin, that pin would most a.s.suredly have been out of place in the judgment of G.o.d. We can see what man's "graving tool" produces in chapter x.x.xii. Thank G.o.d, it had no place in the tabernacle. They did, in this matter, just what they were told--nothing more, nothing less. Salutary lesson this for the professing church! There are many things in the history of Israel which we should earnestly seek to avoid,--their impatient murmurings, their legal vows, and their idolatry; but in those two things may we imitate them. May our devotedness be more whole-hearted, and our obedience more implicit! We may safely a.s.sert that if all had not been done "according to the pattern showed in the mount," we should not have to read, "then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." (Chap. xl.

34, 35.) The tabernacle was in all respects according to _the divine pattern_, and therefore it could be filled with _the divine glory_.

There is a volume of instruction in this. We are too p.r.o.ne to regard the Word of G.o.d as insufficient for the most minute details connected with His worship and service. This is a great mistake--a mistake which has proved the fruitful source of evils and errors in the professing church. The Word of G.o.d is amply sufficient for every thing, whether as regards personal salvation and walk, or the order and rule of the a.s.sembly. "All scripture is given by inspiration of G.o.d, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of G.o.d may be _perfect, thoroughly furnished_ unto _all good works_." (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.) This settles the question. If the Word of G.o.d furnishes a man _thoroughly_ unto "_all_ good works," it follows, as a necessary consequence, that whatever I find not in its pages cannot possibly be a good work. And, further, be it remembered, that the divine glory cannot connect itself with aught that is not according to the divine pattern.

Beloved reader, we have now traveled together through this most precious book. We have, I fondly hope, reaped some profit from our study. I trust we have gathered up some refreshing thoughts of Jesus and His sacrifice as we pa.s.sed along. Feeble, indeed, must be our most vigorous thoughts, and shallow our deepest apprehensions, as to the mind of G.o.d in all that this book contains. It is happy to remember that, through grace, we are on our way to that glory where we shall know even as we are known, and where we shall bask in the sunshine of His countenance who is the beginning and ending of the ways of G.o.d, whether in creation, in providence, or redemption. To Him I do most affectionately commend you, in body, soul, and spirit. May you know the deep blessedness of having your portion in Christ, and be kept in patient waiting for His glorious advent. Amen.

_C. H. M._