Then the LORD said to Moses, Sermons
I. THE TIME. 1. It reminded them of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage; "this month shall be unto you the beginning of months" (Exodus 12:2). God's dwelling-place is ever erected amid the adoring remembrance of his redemption. "The love of Christ constraineth us." 2. It was a consecration of the year upon which they were entering. It struck the key-note of the after time. The joy of the new year was to rise into the greater joy of the new life. The joy which hallows all time is that of reconciliation to, and union with, God. II. THE ORDER OF CONSTRUCTION. 1. The tabernacle was first erected in which God was to be served. The duty to serve God is confessed before the power is attained or the way understood. (1) The emblem of the law in its strength and weakness. (2) The story of all the saved. 2. The tabernacle is next furnished, and the altar and laver and outer court set up. The means are given of reconciliation and service. It is not enough to be convinced of duty. God must be waited upon for power. His way must be taken. "No other foundation can any man lay." 3. All things are anointed with the holy oil. The spirit hallows and energizes all the means of grace which God has given. 4. The priests also are anointed; we, too, must be so in order to serve, and we shall be if we come, as they did, into the midst of what God has provided and sanctified for man's redemption. III. THE ERECTION OF THE TABERNACLE WAS FOLLOWED BY ITS IMMEDIATE USE. So soon as the shew-bread table was placed, the bread was set in order upon it. The lamps were immediately lighted. He burnt sweet incense upon the altar before the veil. On the altar of sacrifice he offered burnt offering and meat offering. At the laver "Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their feet." Belief should follow fast upon the heels of knowledge. God has sent forth his salvation, not to be the subject of intellectual interest and theological speculation, but to touch and change the heart. The bread of life has been given to feed the perishing, not merely to be examined, weighed, analysed. - U.
They will believe the voice of the latter sign. A man needs not to be a thorough unbeliever, overtly renouncing all allegiance to revealed truth, in order to become useless in the pulpit and religiously powerless in society. He needs only to put a note of interrogation after some of the articles of his creed. That is enough, without absolutely erasing them. The hesitant is as impotent for spiritual good as the heretic. The man who is shooting for the Queen's cup may as well attempt to hold his rifle with a paralysed arm as take aim with a trembling hand. That tremor will be fatal to success in hitting the mark. Truth uttered questioningly and apologetically will prove an arrow of conviction to no man's soul. This, it seems to me, rather than absolute and pronounced infidelity, is the bane and weakness of the age. It pervades the pulpit and the pew. From the former, doctrines may be still propounded with logical accuracy, with great precision of definition, with much beauty and felicity of illustration, but with not enough of conviction to drive them forcibly home. The rifle is a beautiful piece of mechanism, but there is something amiss with the powder.(J. Halsey.) 1. Adapted to their condition Announcing freedom. The tendency of all unbelief is to intensify slavery of moral nature. 2. Wonderfully simple. 3. Divinely authenticated. Miracles will not convince a sceptic. II. THE DIVINE BEING MERCIFULLY MAKES PROVISION FOR THE CONVICTION AND PERSUASION OF MEN in reference to the reality of the truth proclaimed, notwithstanding their confirmed unbelief. This method of treatment is — 1. Considerate. Every facility given for complete investigation. 2. Merciful. Sign after sign. 3. Condescending. III. THE PERSISTENT UNBELIEF OF MEN IS LIKELY TO AWAKEN EVIDENCES OF TRUTH INDICATIVE OF THE DIVINE DISPLEASURE (ver. 9). 1. Evidences that recall past sorrows. Reminding of murder of children in river. 2. Evidences prophetic of future woe. Indicating a strange and unhappy change in their condition, if they embraced not the message of Moses. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) 2. It speaks of the inability of man to liberate himself therefrom. 3. It speaks of the agency that God has provided for the freedom of man. 4. It speaks of the strange unwillingness of man to credit the tidings of freedom. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) 1. Miracles at first may miss their end, and not persuade men to faith.2. Second miracles may do that which the first failed to effect. 3. God's word and promise alone can make miracles themselves effectual means of faith. 4. Miracles have voices which should command faith and obedience. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) — That a true minister, notwithstanding —1. His call. 2. His spiritual preparation. 3. His knowledge of the Divine name. 4. His supreme moral power, and — 5. Intimate communion with God — is exposed to the unbelief of those whom he seeks to benefit. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) It will reject the truth.1. In opposition to the word of him by whom it is brought. 2. In opposition to the Divine power by which it is accompanied. 3. In opposition to the benevolent design it contemplates. 4. In opposition to accumulative demonstration. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) One can hardly conceive a poor wayworn wretch, as he lies on the arid waste, punting with blackened lips and swollen tongue, striking the kind traveller's flask from his hand, and spilling the precious water among the blistering sands. The slave boy — now an African bishop — exulted gleefully when a British cruiser snapped the fetters from his youthful limbs and bore him to free Liberia. Can folly surpass that insensate madness which makes the sinner spurn the clear, cool, crystal drops of life, and perversely traverse the wilds of sin? Can madness outrival that supreme folly which leads the hapless bondsman of sin to hug the chains of condemnation, and obstinately kiss the fetters of wrath?People Aaron, Israelites, MosesPlaces SinaiTopics Saying, Spake, Speaketh, SpokeOutline 1. The tabernacle is commanded to be reared, anointed, and consecrated13. Aaron and his sons to be sanctified 16. Moses performs all things accordingly 34. A cloud covers the tabernacle Dictionary of Bible Themes Exodus 40:1-2 6606 access to God Library July 7. "And the Glory of the Lord Filled the Tabernacle" (Ex. Xl. 35). "And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Ex. xl. 35). In the last chapter of Exodus we read all the Lord commanded Moses to do, and that as he fulfilled these commands the glory of the Lord descended and filled the tabernacle till there was no room for Moses, and from that time the pillar of cloud overshadowed them, their guide, their protection. And so we have been building as the Lord Himself commanded, and now the temple is to be handed over to Him to be possessed and filled. He will … Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth The Copies of Things in the Heavens Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of the Messiah Exodus Links Exodus 40:1 NIVExodus 40:1 NLT Exodus 40:1 ESV Exodus 40:1 NASB Exodus 40:1 KJV Exodus 40:1 Bible Apps Exodus 40:1 Parallel Exodus 40:1 Biblia Paralela Exodus 40:1 Chinese Bible Exodus 40:1 French Bible Exodus 40:1 German Bible Exodus 40:1 Commentaries Bible Hub |
    |