A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Verſ. 5. ANd ſhittim wood.]
This was doubtleſſe ſome choice kind of wood, of great eſteem in thoſe times, as Box and Ebony, and ſuch ſorts of wood are now amongſt us; which either they procured from the places adjoyning in the wilderneſſe, where it grew (it ſeems) in great abundance (and thence happely that place in the plains of Moab, where the Iſraelites pitched their tents, was called Abel-ſhittim, Num. 33 49.) or elſe it was brought out of Egypt, at leaſt by the richer ſort of them, for their own private uſe in their tents or houſehold utenſils: which ſeems the more probable, becauſe of that paſſage, Exod. 35. 24. Every man with whom was found ſhittim-wood for …ny work of the ſervice, brought it: whereby it ſeems that ſome of them had it lying by them as a choice treaſure.
Verſ. 8. And let them make me a ſanctuary.]
That is, the tabernacle conſecrated to God for the duties of his publick ſervice, the viſible ſigne of Gods preſence with, and protection of his people, Levit. 26. 11, 12. And I will ſet my tabernacle among you: and my ſoul ſhall not abhorre you, and I will walk among you, &c. It was a type, 1. of Chriſts perſon, whence he is ſaid to be, Heb. 8. 2. A miniſter of the ſanctuary▪ and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man, by whom God doth manifeſt himſelf unto us, and in whom we have acceſſe unto God; and 2. of the Church, the habitation of God by the ſpirit, 2. Cor. 6. 16. Ye are the temple of the living God, &c. and every Chriſtian, in whoſe heart God dwelleth, Heb. 3. 6. Whoſe …ouſe, are we, if w… hold f…t the confidence, …nd the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end.
T… I may …w…l …ong… th….]
This i… add… … … …rong mo…i…e to make the… give … towards the …ing of the ….
Verſ. 9. Aft…r th… … of …e … and …h… … …f … the … th…f, &c.]
God did not on…ly in word… … to Mo… aft… wh…t manner he would h…ve every thing made in the …abernacle, but th…e was … in a viſion repreſented to his ſight the very form and propo…ion of th…, ver. 40. Look that thou …ake the… …fter their pat…ern whi…h was … th…e in the …o…nt: Ev…n as he did alſo aft…rwards to David, for th… m…king of the …ple, and all the f…rniture …eof 1. Chron. 28. 19. All this, ſ…id D…d, … Lord m…e me understand in writing, by his h…nd upon … ev…n …ll the works of this p…ttern. Now the reaſon why the Lord was ſo ex…ct herein, that …o…es might be ſure to make all things according to his appointment, was partly becauſe the tabernacle and all things apper…ining ther…unto were to be types and ſhadows of ſpirituall and heave…ly things, …ppertaining to Chriſt and his pri…hood; to which end the Lord alſo …he…ed him the p…ttern of thoſe things above in the mount. So that ind…d the pa…ern which was ſhowed to Moſes in the mount, was not onelyonly a p…ttern of the tabemacle and thoſe things app…rtaining thereunto, which Moſes was … ma…e; but withall likewiſe a pattern or ſigure of thoſe ſpirituall and h…avenly things which concern…d the …rnall prioſthood of Chriſt. And hence it is that the Apo…le …pplyeth this direction giv…n to Moſes, to make all things according to the pattern that was ſhewed him in the mount, to manifeſt that he did not unfitly call thoſe legall utenſils, which Moſes made, an example and ſhadow of heavenly things, Heb. 8. 5. Namely, becauſe if the pattern …he…d him in the mount was a ſhadow and type of heavenly things, then neceſſarili… thoſe things that Moſes made after this pattern were alſo ſuch too.
Verſ. 10. A…d they …hall make an ark of ſ…i…im-wood.]
The uſe of this was principally to keep the two tables of the Law in it, ver. 16. And thou ſhalt pat into the ark the testimony▪ &c. And ſo it was a ſigne of Gods pre…ence among…t them, as he was their Lord and Lawgiver, ordaining and requiring the covenant of works, This do and live; and threatning death to them that …anſgreſſed his commandments.
Two cubits and an half ſhall be the l…ngth thereof▪ &c.]
It is generally held …hat a cubit amongſt the Hebrews contained a foot and an half of our meaſures: the ark therefore was a yard …d nine inches long, and three quarters of a yard high and broad.
Verſ. 11. And thou ſhalt over-lay it with pure gold, &c.]
As the gold ſpent in the whole work of the tabernacle, and the holy things thereof, was to ſet forth the majeſti… of that great God who had choſen that for his dwelling place; ſo was this alſo wherewith the ark was overlaid; but beſides alſo, this of the ark was parti…ularly to teach them what pr…ious account they were to make of the Law of God, tha… was laid up there in ſo coſtly a cabinet.
And ſhalt mak… upon it a crown of gold round about.]
Or a border which w…s for the cloſing of the cover of the ar…, and withall for ornament.
Verſ. 14. And th… ſhalt put tho ſtav…s into th… rings by the …ides of the ark, &c.]
And ſo not being ſuffered to touch the … they were taught thereby the more reverently to esteem of it.
Verſ. 16. And thou ſhalt put into th… ark the teſtimony, &c.]
That is, the two tables whereon the Decalogue was written, which were a teſtimony of the covenant betwixt God and the people, and teſtified what it was that God required of them. See Exod. 31. 18. alſo ver. 22. of this chapter, and Exod. 38. 21. Therefore alſo were they called the tables of the covenant, Deut. 9. 9. and the ark wherein they were was called the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Numb. 10. 33. as upon the ſame reaſon the book of the Law is alſo called the teſtimony, 2. King▪ 11. 12. and the Goſpel, 1. Cor. 2. 1. the teſtimony of God.
Verſ. 17. And thou ſhalt make a mercy-ſeat, &c.]
Or, a propitiatory covering, a type of Chriſt, whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation, Rom. 3. 25. by whom we are covered from the wrath of God, and curſe of the Law, ſo that the hand-writing that was againſt us, which was contrary to us, is taken out of the way, Col. 2. 14. and have Gods will revealed unto us.
Verſ. 18. And thou ſhalt make two Cherubims, &c.]
Theſe Cherubs were to repreſent the holy Angels, who continually attend God in heaven to do him ſervice, and were therefore ſignes in that place of Gods preſence.
Verſ. 20. And the Cherebims ſhall ſtretch out their wings, &c.]
The wings of theſe Cherubims being thus ſtretched forth did cover the top of the mercy-ſeat, and compaſſe in that place (their wings meeting together on each ſide of the mercy-ſeat) from whence the Lord intended to ſpeak unto Moſes; by an audible voice▪ of all things which he would give him in charge for the children of Iſrael, ver. 22. And I will commune with thee from above the mercy-ſeat, &c. But withall by ſtretching forth of their wings was ſignified the readineſſe of the Angels to do all willing ſervice to God▪ to Chriſt, and to his Church and people: And by their hiding of that place from whence the voice of the Lord came to Moſes, the Iſraelites were taught to content themſelves with that which God was pleaſed by his word to reveal unto them, and not to ſearch further.
And their faces ſhall look one to another, toward the mercy-ſeat, &c.]
Hereby was ſgnified that the Angels with one joynt conſent are alwayes attentive to execute Gods command, to wait upon Chriſt▪ his Church and people, into whoſe myſteries now revealed in the Goſpel they deſire to look, 1. Pet. 1. 12.
Verſ. 22. And there I will meet with thee, &c.]
And indeed there ſpecially did God ſpeak to them, though not there onelyonly. See chap. 29. 42. and Numb. 12. 5.
Verſ. 23. Thou ſhalt alſo make a table of ſhittim-wood▪ &c.]
Hitherto God had given Moſes direction for the making of theſe things that were to be in the moſt holy place: here he proceeds to give direction for thoſe things that were to be done in the Sanctuary or holy place within the vail, and ſo in the firſt place for making of the table of ſhew-bread. Now this table was 1. to be a memoriall of Gods miraculous feeding the twelve tribes in the wilderneſſe with bread from heaven▪ 2▪ to teach them when they came into the land of Canaan, that all their proviſion there was from God▪ and that they were continually fed at Gods table (for ſo much was implyed, in that part of their food was ſtill ſet before God, as by way of acknowledgement that all was … that ſo they might be thankfull to him and uſe his gifts ſoberly and moderately, as if they were at Gods table; …ly, to be a type of Gods feeding his people and family with the true bread of life, Chriſt, and that both in the word and in the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper (for indeed therein we may truly ſay with Solomon, Prov. 9. 2. The Wiſdome hath mingled her wine, and hath furniſhed her table; and as, Pſal. 36. 8. That we are abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſſe of Gods houſe) and likewiſe of that fulneſſe of joy which God hath prepared for the faithfull in heaven, of which Chriſt ſpeaking ſaith, Luke 22. 29. 30. I appoint unto you a kingdome▪ as my father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdome.
Two cubits ſhall be the length thereof, &c.]
According therefore to our meaſures it was a yard long, half a yard broad, and three quarters of a yard high.
Verſ. 24. And make thereto a crown of gold round about.]
This crown was upon the table by the very edge of it, to keep from falling ſuch things as were ſet thereon, and withall for ornament.
Verſ. 25. And thou ſhalt make unto it a border of an hand-breadth round about.]
This border was ſurely either the very frame wherewith the feet▪ of the table, above cloſe under the board, were joyned together, and whereon the board of the table was by ſome means faſtened; or elſe rather, it was a border for ornament round about the frame, as is uſuall, to hide the joynts where the frame and feet were joynted together.
And thou ſhalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round ab…ut.]
This was not the ſame crown mentioned verſ. 24. but another, which went round about the frame of the table, upon or over the border, and that onelyonly for ornament.
Verſ. 27. Over against the border ſhall the rings be, &c.]
That is, cloſe under the border in the upper part of the frame, that it might be carried the more conveniently.
Verſ. 29. And thou ſhalt make the diſh… ther…of, &c.]
Foure kinds of veſſels are here named belonging to the table: hard it is to ſay for what purpoſe they were ſeverally uſed; yet according to our tranſlation the moſt probable opinion is, that firſt the diſhes were to hold the loaves of ſhew-bread, and ſome of them happely to hold franckincenſe which was put upon …ach row of the ſhew-bread, Levit. 24. 7. ſecondly, that the ſpoons were to put in the franckince…e into the diſhes, and to take it out again when it was to be burned upon the altar of incenſe, Levit. 24. 7. and thirdly, that the two laſt kind of veſſels were two ſeverall ſorts of covers (as is evident in the text, where they are called covers and bowls to cover withall) the one happely being plates for the covering of the loaves, the other bowls▪ for the cov…ing of the diſhes of franckincenſe, and which might alſo ſerve for the burning of t…e franckincenſe.
Verſ. 30. And thou ſhal… ſet upon the table ſhew-bread before me alwayes, &c.]
To wit, twelve loaves or cakes, each containing two homers or tenth deals of fine flower which were ſet in …wo rowes upon the table, and changed every Sabbath day, Levit▪ 24. 5. &c. And were therefore called ſh…w-bread, becauſe they were alw…y…s ſet forth and ſhewed as inthe preſence of God.
Verſ. 31. Thou ſhalt make a candlestick of pure gold.]
This candleſti…k was a type of Chriſt, and that as he is and alwayes hath been both by his word and ſpirit the light of the Church, John 12. 46. I am come a light into the world, that whoſoever believeth in me ſhould not abide in darkneſſe.
Verſ. 32. And ſix branches ſhall come out of the ſides of it, &c.]
The ſhaft went upright in the middeſt, and then from this ſhaft went out ſix branches, three on a ſide, one above another, and they went out by couples▪ one on the one ſide, and righ… over againſt that another on the other ſide; …ither were they all of one length, for the nethermoſt branches were the longer, and the uppe…moſt the ſhorter▪ ſo that they were all of one height above. Now theſe did denote the Prophets and Prieſts before, and the Apoſtles, Evangeliſts and Paſtours ſince the dayes of Chriſt; who did all in their ſeverall times, places and degrees, receive their gifts and authority from Chriſt, and were as ſo many burning and ſhining lamps, as it is ſaid of the B…ptiſt▪ John 5. 35.
Verſ. 33. Three bowls made like unto almonds with a knop, &c.]
Theſe bowls, knops, and flowers, ſuch as are uſually in candleſticks, were onelyonly for o…nament, y…t might alſo ſignifie the ſeverall gifts and ornaments wherewith Chriſt dot… endue his miniſters; and there was three of each in every branch.
Verſ. 34. And in the candlestick ſhall be foure bowls, &c.]
That is, in the ſhaft of the candleſtick: as in the branches there were bowls, and knops, and flowers for ornament, ſo alſo in the ſhaft or body of the candleſtick which went up right in the midſt of the branches; yet in this there were foure of each, whereas there wer… but three in the branches.
Verſ. 35. And there ſhall be a knop under two branches of the ſame, &c.]
That▪ i…, juſt ove… the fi…ſt and loweſt knop in the ſhaft came out two branches, one on each ſide, and ſo over the ſecond, and third; and then in the upper part of th… ſhaft, above the place where the branches went forth, was there a bowl, a knop, and a …lower.
Verſ. 37. And thou ſhal… make the ſeve… lamps thereof.]
That is, the ſockets where the oyl was put to feed the light, which may well ſignifie the many…old gifts of th… ſpirit, as Rev. 4. 5. And there were …even lamps of fire burning before the throne, which …r… the ſeven ſpirits of God. Now theſe ſeven lamps …ere on the top of the ſhaft and the …ix branches thereof.
That they may giv… light over against i….]
That is, round about it. See Numb. 8▪ ….
Verſ. 38. And the to…gs thereof and the ſn…ffdiſ…es thereof ſhalt be of p…re gold.]
The tongs or ſ…uffers were appointed to raiſe up the wick of the lamps, or to cleanſe the droppi…gs of it, and the… the … ſo tak…n away was put into the ſn…ffdiſhes.
Verſ. 39. Of a t…lent of pure g…ld ſhall …e make it.]
That is, of a… hundred an… twenty pound weig….