E
X O D U S
CHAP. XXXV.
What
should have been said and done upon Moses' coming down the first time from the
mount, if the golden calf had not broken the measures and put all into
disorder, now at last, when with great difficulty reconciliation was made,
begins to be said and done; and that great affair of the setting up of God's
worship is put into its former channel again, and goes on now without
interruption. I. Moses gives
Israel
those instructions, received
from God, which required immediate observance. 1. Concerning the sabbath, ver.
1-3. 2. Concerning the contribution that was to be made for the erecting of
the tabernacle, ver. 4-9. 3. Concerning the framing of the tabernacle and the
utensils of it, ver. 10-19. II. The people bring in their contributions, ver.
20-29. III. The head-workmen are nominated, ver. 30, &c.
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Orders
Concerning the Tabernacle.
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B.
C. 1491.
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1 And Moses gathered all
the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These
are the words which the LORD
hath commanded, that ye should do them. 2 Six days shall
work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a
sabbath of rest to the LORD:
whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. 3 Ye shall
kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. 4
And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying,
This is the thing which the LORD
commanded, saying, 5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD:
whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD;
gold, and silver, and brass, 6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet,
and fine linen, and goats' hair, 7 And rams' skins dyed
red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, 8 And oil for the
light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, 9
And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the
breastplate. 10 And every wise hearted among you shall come, and
make all that the LORD
hath commanded; 11 The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his
taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets, 12
The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of
the covering, 13 The table, and his staves, and all his vessels,
and the showbread, 14 The candlestick also for the light, and his
furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light, 15 And the
incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense,
and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle,
16 The altar of burnt offering, with his brazen grate, his staves, and all his
vessels, the laver and his foot, 17 The hangings of the court, his
pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court,
18 The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their
cords, 19 The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place,
the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to
minister in the priest's office.
It was said in general (ch. xxxiv. 32), Moses gave them in
commandment all that the Lord has spoken with him. But, the erecting and
furnishing of the tabernacle being the work to which they were now immediately
to apply themselves, there is particular mention of the orders given
concerning it.
I. All the congregation is summoned to attend (v. 1); that is, the
heads and rulers of the congregation, the representatives of the several
tribes, who must receive instructions from Moses as he had received them from
the Lord, and must communicate them to the people. Thus John, being commanded
to write to the seven churches what had been revealed to him, writes it to the
angels, or ministers, of the churches.
II. Moses gave them in charge all that (and that only) which God had commanded
him; thus he approved himself faithful both to God and Israel, between whom he
was a messenger or mediator. If he had added, altered, or diminished, he would
have been false to both. But, both sides having reposed a trust in him, he was
true to the trust; yet he was faithful as a servant only, but Christ as a
Son, Heb. iii. 5, 6.
III. He begins with the law of the sabbath, because that was much insisted on
in the instructions he had received (v. 2, 3): Six days shall work
be done, work for the tabernacle, the work of the day that was now to be
done in its day; and they had little else to do here in the wilderness, where
they had neither husbandry nor merchandise, neither food to get nor clothes to
make: but on the seventh day you must not strike a stroke, no, not at
the tabernacle-work; the honour of the sabbath was above that of the
sanctuary, more ancient and more lasting; that must be to you a holy day,
devoted to God, and not be spent in common business. It is a sabbath of rest.
It is a sabbath of sabbaths (so some read it), more honourable and
excellent than any of the other feasts, and should survive them all. A sabbath
of sabbatism, so others read it, being typical of that sabbatism or rest,
both spiritual and eternal, which remains for the people of God, Heb.
iv. 9. It is a sabbath of rest, that is, in which a rest from all worldly
labour must be very carefully and strictly observed. It is a sabbath and a
little sabbath, so some of the Jews would have it read; not only observing the
whole day as a sabbath, but an hour before the beginning of it, and an hour
after the ending of it, which they throw in over and above out of their own
time, and call a little sabbath, to show how glad they are of the
approach of the sabbath and how loth to part with it. It is a sabbath of rest,
but it is rest to the Lord, to whose honour it must be devoted. A penalty is
here annexed to the breach of it: Whosoever doeth work therein shall be put
to death. Also a particular prohibition of kindling fires on the sabbath
day for any servile work, as smith's work, or plumbers, &c.
IV. He orders preparation to be made for the setting up of the tabernacle. Two
things were to be done:--
1. All that were able must contribute: Take you from among you an offering,
v. 5. The tabernacle was to be dedicated to the honour of God, and used
in his service; and therefore what was brought for the setting up and
furnishing of that was an offering to the Lord. Our goodness extends
not to God, but what is laid out for the support of his kingdom and interest
among men he is pleased to accept as an offering to himself; and he requires
such acknowledgements of our receiving our all from him and such instances of
our dedicating our all to him. The rule is, Whosoever is of a willing heart
let him bring. It was not to be a tax imposed upon them, but a benevolence
or voluntary contribution, to intimate to us, (1.) That God has not made our
yoke heavy. He is a prince that does not burden his subjects with taxes, nor make
them to serve with an offering, but draws with the cords of a man,
and leaves it to ourselves to judge what is right; his is a government
that there is no cause to complain of, for he does not rule with rigour. (2.)
That God loves a cheerful giver, and is best pleased with the free-will
offering. Those services are acceptable to him that come from the willing
heart of a willing people, Ps. cx. 3.
2. All that were skilful must work: Every wise-hearted among you shall
come, and make, v. 10. See how God dispenses his gifts variously;
and, as every man hath received the gift, so he must minister, 1 Pet.
iv. 10. Those that were rich must bring in materials to work on; those that
were ingenious must serve the tabernacle with their ingenuity; as they needed
one another, so the tabernacle needed them both, 1 Cor. xii. 7-21. The work
was likely to go on when some helped with their purses, others with their
hands, and both with a willing heart. Moses, as he had told them what must be
given (v. 5-9), so he gives them the general heads of what must be made
(v. 11-19), that, seeing how much work was before them, they might
apply themselves to it the more vigorously, and every hand might be busy; and
it gave them such an idea of the fabric designed that they could not but long
to see it finished.
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The
Contributions for the Tabernacle.
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B.
C. 1491.
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20 And all the
congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of
Moses. 21 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. 22 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.
23 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. 24 Every one that did offer an offering of
silver and brass brought the LORD's
offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the
service, brought it. 25 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.
26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.
27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod,
and for the breastplate; 28 And spice, and oil for the light, and
for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 29 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.
Moses having made known to them the will of God, they went home and
immediately put in practice what they had heard, v. 20. O that every
congregation would thus depart from the hearing of the word of God, with a
full resolution to be doers of the same! Observe here,
I. The offerings that were brought for the service of the tabernacle (v.
21, &c.), concerning which many things may be noted. 1. It is intimated
that they brought their offerings immediately; they departed to their tents
immediately to fetch their offering, and did not desire time to consider of
it, lest their zeal should be cooled by delays. What duty God convinces us of,
and calls us to, we should set about speedily. No season will be more
convenient than the present season. 2. It is said that their spirits made
them willing (v. 21), and their hearts, v. 29. What
they did they did cheerfully, and from a good principle. They were willing,
and it was not any external inducement that made them so, but their spirits.
It was from a principle of love to God and his service, a desire of his
presence with them in his ordinances, gratitude for the great things he had
done for them, faith in his promise of what he would further do (or, at least,
from the present consideration of these things), that they were willing to
offer. What we give and do for God is then acceptable when it comes from a
good principle in the heart and spirit. 3. When it is said that as many as
were willing-hearted brought their offerings (v. 22), it should seem as
if there were some who were not, who loved their gold better than their God,
and would not part with it, no, not for the service of the tabernacle. Such
there are, who will be called Israelites, and yet will not be moved by the
equity of the thing, God's expectations from them, and the good examples of
those about them, to part with any thing for the interests of God's kingdom:
they are for the true religion, provided it be cheap and will cost them
nothing. 4. The offerings were of divers kinds, according as they had; those
that had gold and precious stones brought them, not thinking any thing too
good and too rich to part with for the honour of God. Those that had not
precious stones to bring brought goats' hair, and rams' skins. If we cannot do
as much as others for God, we must not therefore sit still and do nothing: if
the meaner offerings which are according to our ability gain us not such a
reputation among men, yet they shall not fail of acceptance with God, who
requires according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath
not, 2 Cor. viii. 12; 2 Kings v. 23. Two mites from a pauper were more
pleasing than so many talents from a Dives. God has an eye to the heart of the
giver more than to the value of the gift. 5. Many of the things they offered
were their ornaments, bracelets and rings, and tablets or lockets (v.
22); and even the women parted with these. Can a maid forget her ornaments?
Thus far they forgot them that they preferred the beautifying of the sanctuary
before their own adorning. Let this teach us, in general, to part with that
for God, when he calls for it, which is very dear to us, which we value, and
value ourselves by; and particularly to lay aside our ornaments, and deny
ourselves in them, when either they occasion offence to others or feed our own
pride. If we think those gospel rules concerning our clothing too strict (1
Tim. ii. 9, 10; 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4), I fear we should scarcely have done as
these Israelites did. If they thought their ornaments well bestowed upon the
tabernacle, shall not we think the want of ornaments well made up by the
graces of the Spirit? Prov. i. 9. 6. These rich things that they offered, we
may suppose, were mostly the spoils of the Egyptians; for the Israelites in
Egypt were kept poor, till they borrowed at parting. And we may suppose the
rulers had better things (v. 27), because, having more influence among
the Egyptians, they borrowed larger sums. Who would have thought that ever the
wealth of Egypt should have been so well employed? but thus God has often made
the earth to help the woman, Rev. xii. 16. It was by a special
providence and promise of God that the Israelites got all that spoil, and
therefore it was highly fit that they should devote a part of it to the
service of that God to whom they owed it all. Let every man give according
as God hath prospered him, 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Extraordinary successes should
be acknowledged by extraordinary offerings. Apply it to human learning, arts
and sciences, which are borrowed, as it were, from the Egyptians. Those that
are enriched with these must devote them to the service of God and his
tabernacle: they may be used as helps to understand the scriptures, as
ornaments or handmaids to divinity. But then great care must be taken that
Egypt's gods mingle not with Egypt's gold. Moses, though learned in all the
learning of the Egyptians, did not therefore pretend, in the least instance,
to correct the pattern shown him in the mount. The furnishing of the
tabernacle with the riches of Egypt was perhaps a good omen to the Gentiles,
who, in the fulness of time, should be brought into the gospel tabernacle, and
their silver and their gold with them (Isa. lx. 9), and it should be said, Blessed
be Egypt my people, Isa. xix. 25. 7. We may suppose that the remembrance
of the offerings made for the golden calf made them the more forward in these
offerings. Those that had then parted with their ear-rings would not testify
their repentance by giving the rest of their jewels to the service of God:
godly sorrow worketh such a revenge, 2 Cor. vii. 11. And those that had kept
themselves pure from that idolatry yet argued with themselves, "Were they
so forward in contributing to an idol, and shall we be backward or sneaking in
our offerings to the Lord?" Thus some good was brought even out of that
evil.
II. The work that was done for the service of the tabernacle (v. 25): The
women did spin with their hands. Some spun fine work, of blue and purple;
others coarse work, of goats' hair, and yet theirs also is said to be done in
wisdom, v. 26. As it is not only rich gifts, so it is not only fine
work that God accepts. Notice is here taken of the good women's work for God,
as well as of Bezaleel's and Aholiab's. The meanest hand for the honour of
God, shall have an honourable recompence. Mary's anointing of Christ's head
shall be told for a memorial (Matt. xxvi. 13); and a record is kept of the
women that laboured in the gospel tabernacle (Phil. iv. 3), and were helpers
to Paul in Christ Jesus, Rom. xvi. 3. It is part of the character of the
virtuous woman that she layeth her hands to the spindle, Prov. xxxi.
19. This employment was here turned to a pious use, as it may be still (though
we have no hangings to make for the tabernacle) by the imitation of the
charity of Dorcas, who made coats and garments for poor widows, Acts ix. 39.
Even those that are not in a capacity to give in charity may yet work in
charity; and thus the poor may relieve the poor, and those that have nothing
but their limbs and senses may be very charitable in the labour of love.
30 And Moses said unto
the children of Israel, See, the LORD
hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of
Judah; 31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in
wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of
workmanship; 32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and
in silver, and in brass, 33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them,
and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. 34 And
he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the
son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with
wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the
cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet,
and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work,
and of those that devise cunning work.
Here is the divine appointment of the master-workmen, that there might be no
strife for the office, and that all who were employed in the work might take
direction from, and give account to, these general inspectors; for God is the
God of order and not of confusion. Observe, 1. Those whom God called by name
to this service he filled with the Spirit of God, to qualify them for
it, v. 30, 31. Skill in secular employments is God's gift, and comes
from above, Jam. i. 17. From him the faculty is, and the improvement of it. To
his honour therefore all knowledge must be devoted, and we must study how to
serve him with it. The work was extraordinary which Bezaleel was designed for,
and therefore he was qualified in an extraordinary manner for it; thus when
the apostles were appointed to be master-builders in setting up the gospel
tabernacle they were filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and
understanding. 2. The were appointed, not only to devise, but to work (v.
32), to work all manner of work, v. 35. Those of eminent gifts,
that are capable of directing others, must not thing that these will excuse
them in idleness. Many are ingenious enough in cutting out work for other
people, and can tell what this man and that man should do, but the burdens
they bind on others they themselves will not touch with one of their
fingers. These will fall under the character of slothful servants. 3. They
were not only to devise and work themselves, but they were to teach others, v.
34. Not only had Bezaleel power to command, but he was to take pains to
instruct. Those that rule should teach; and those to whom God had given
knowledge should be willing to communicate it for the benefit of others, not
coveting to monopolize it.
Contents
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