SHEMOT 25

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

Freewill has been the basis of all God's requirements of the human race, from the interdict of the forbidden tree in Eden to the summons of the Gentiles by the hands of Paul to repent: not that man has ever been at liberty to disobey in the sense of being able to do so with impunity, but that the command has always been taken to presuppose the exercise of voluntary will, and the possibility of non-compliance as the result of that exercise.

Law of Moses Ch 11

7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

God's final encampment upon the earth is to be in a Tabernacle made of materials supplied by the human race--living materials answerable to the precious things offered by Israel, gold, silver, precious stones, representing the good and honest-hearted among enlightened men.

10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

The ark, mercy seat, and cherubim constituted the very core of the Mosaic economy. Conjointly, they were the apparatus through which the glory of God was visibly revealed, and the meeting point between God and the nation established. They were secreted in the innermost recess of the tabernacle, concealed behind the veil, and imparting to that recess its character as the Holy of Holies. Whatever, therefore, they may conjointly or separately represent, is of the very first essence of Divine truth---of which the tabernacle was the enigmatical form. What the significance was there can be no difficulty in identifying. But first let us have the literal objects distinctly before us.

The ark was a box of hard wood, about 3 ft. 9 ins. long; 2 ft. 3in. deep; and 2 ft. 3 in. wide. The thickness of the wood is not stated; it would probably be about an inch. The wood was overlaid both outside and inside with pure gold. The box was finished on the top with an ornamental band or crown of gold all round.

Law of Moses Ch 12 **

The material of which the ark was formed carries on the harmony in other directions: wood covered with gold; two substances differing much from one another; the wood of a valuable sort, but still wood, and very inferior to the imperishable and beautiful metal with which it was clothed... an inferior clothed with a higher nature--first morally, then physically....It was therefore a perfect symbol for the sons of God in both stages: the present, when the inferiority of the natural mind is covered over by the golden armour of a Spirit-provided faith, and the future, when the earthly house of this tabernacle is clothed upon with the golden house which is from heaven, in being changed by the Spirit from the mortal to the immortal.

Law of Moses Ch 13***

11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

The crown (or ornamental border) all round the top of the ark, is an intimation of the royal character of the whole organization. It is a kingly institution that is contemplated in the finished work of God on the earth. Christ and his brethren, manifesting the glory of God, will be a community of kings and priests, exercising power, receiving honour, and conferring blessedness--on the basis of God exalted in sacrificial vindication, and honoured by a tried faith (gold) in previous times of evil (wood). ***

15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

The rings on the four corners of the ark, to receive the gold-covered wood staves by which the ark might be carried, speak to us of the pilgrim stage of mortal life--during which the ark is carried from place to place as a matter of faith. The rings are gold, because they are part of the complete symbol of the perfect future carried by the poles. The poles are wood, covered with gold, because they represent mortal minds qualified by the knowledge and belief of the truth--a qualification that constitutes them priests, by whom only was the ark to be carried during its wanderings.

The staves were to be left in the rings and never withdrawn (Exod. 25:15), which was an intimation both that the hand of faith would never be taken by faithful men from the divine work as contained in the gospel (for the ark was the gospel in symbol), and that they were to be ready to follow that work in all its movements. The priests never knew where next the ark would have to be carried. The staves left in the rings were a hint to be ready at a moment's notice for the next movement, wherever it might be. The meaning of the parable in our own times can only be that faithful men are expected to follow the fortunes of the truth wherever they may lead.

Law of Moses Ch 13

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

It was intended to contain the stone slabs on which were written the ten commandments that formed the basis of the covenant between God and Israel--from which the ark was called the ark of the covenant.

These slabs were also called the testimony, because they testified or declared the will of God. From this the ark was also called the ark of the testimony. **

The Christ-body in the largest sense is a container and not a mere utensil of beauty. It is not a mere society of beautiful men and women ignorant of God and interested only in themselves. It is a society with internal contents to make it precious to God and advantageous to man.

First of all, the law of God, as represented by the tables of stone, is enshrined in every heart. It is this that distinguishes them from the ordinary run of human beings. The ordinary run of human beings is fitly described in the words of Paul: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness unto him" Also, "The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be"

What a dreadful picture. It is ugly and true. A man that is not subject to the law of God is an abortion even now: how much more if such a one were immortal. Such a one cannot become immortal. The ark with its tables of stone inside is a prophecy that excludes it. It is obedience to divine law that makes a man beautiful to man and well-pleasing to God, and fit for divine use in the age to come.

The purpose is to give the earth into the hands of an order of men who have learnt obedience as the first law. Paul testifies that even Christ "learnt obedience by the things which he suffered" (Heb. 5:8), and Peter describes the accepted members of his body as "obedient children, not fashioning themselves according to the former lusts in their ignorance"...

Christ affirmed of himself that it was his meat and his drink to do the will of Him that sent him.

How happy will the earth be when it is in the hands of men like Joseph who" fear God", and whose controlling feeling towards all forbidden things is, "How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" How different will such an order of men be from the arrogant and merciless possessors of power in the present evil world. When Joseph's brethren rule the world, God, in them, will be seated on the anti-typical throne of His holiness, resting on the anti-typical table-furnished ark, consisting of His manifested sons, on whose hearts the law is written.

This will be the blessedness promised from the beginning for "all families of the earth".

Law of Moses Ch 13

17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

The lid was a plate of pure gold, called the mercy seat, from the function associated with its use. 

Law of Moses Ch 12  

18 And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

From each end of the lid rose a winged cherubic figure, facing inwards, with wings extended, so as to meet the wings of the other in the middle over the mercy seat. The two figures were formed out of one piece. Four rings were fixed on the sides of the ark to receive two long poles or staves of shittim wood, covered with gold, by which the ark might be easily carried.

Such was the simple structure which formed the throne of God in the midst of Israel when the tabernacle was finished. The divine glory rested on the mercy seat between the cherubim, and communicated with Moses on due occasion.

When Moses, having any matter to submit for the Lord's decision, entered the tabernacle, "then he heard the voice of one speaking to him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim" (Num. 7:8,9).

This was the literal operation of these ordinances for the time then present. Paul declares them to have been "the example and shadow of heavenly things" (Heb. 8:5). It is their significance in this character that is important for us to know: for their literal use has long since passed away. **

The cover-lid or mercy seat was all of gold. This is an intimation that the Mediator (who is the anti-typical propitiatory or mercy-seat) should be without fault, and would exercise his function as intercessor in the immortal state.

The over-arching cherubic glory-bearers were also all of gold and of one piece with the mercy-seat. This takes us forward to the kingdom when the perfect mediator will also be the perfect ruler of all the earth; for the cherubic figures relate to the day of power. Yet since the glory to be revealed springs out of the sufferings of Christ, therefore the cherubic figures stand upon and form part of the blood-sprinkled cover-lid or mercy-seat.

Law of Moses Ch 13

22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

I will commune with thee

The words, then, that came out of the mouth of Jesus, are to be received as the direct teaching of the Eternal Spirit, and to be interpreted of him. When, therefore, the utterance saluted the ears of the disciples, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father," the Eternal Spirit was communing with them from upon the Mercy-Seat, from between two of the Cherubim upon the Ark of Testimony.

He was speaking of himself, and not of the flesh which he had anointed. That flesh was the caphporeth, coverlid, or propitiatory, to be sprinkled with blood, as the result of the condemnation of sin unto death in the flesh (Rom. 8:3). It was the Veil, which, in regard to the Elohim, Jesus and his Brethren, divides their present and future states. It was the veil rent in twain by the stroke of death, in which the ETERNAL ELOAH "forsook" the Eloah Jesus; and they continued "twain" until his post-resurrectional ascent to the Father (John 20:17).

Eureka 1.2.2.

'... the position occupied by the glory is eloquent in another way. It sat enthroned in the very heart of the tabernacle, which stood in the very middle of the holy court which was reared in the very midst of the chosen families of Levi, whose tents were pitched in the very centre of the whole congregation--an immense encampment of over two millions of people.

God, the centre of Israel's national life--the pivot upon which all their operations, public and private, turned.

What does this tell us but that God should be the centre and root of our lives? Without God, life is barbarous and ephemeral. We see it in nations and individuals around us. They are moved and controlled by their wants, their fancies, their desires--"God is not in all their thoughts", They live without nobleness, and they die without hope. God proclaims to us by the Mosaic parable that He should be first in our knowledge, in our love, in our service, in prayer and hope and continual confidence.

Law of Moses Ch 12 

23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

On the right-hand side of the holy place, against the inner side of the south wall of the chamber, stood a table about 3 ft. long, 18 in. broad, and 2 ft. 3 in. high, made of hard wood covered with gold (Exod. 25:23). On it were placed two piles of cakes, of fine flour, six in a pile, twelve in all. On each pile (or row) was placed a vessel containing a quantity of frankincense in process of burning. The cakes were to be renewed every sabbath, and the old ones eaten by the priests in the holy place.

They were called the shewbread (Exod. 25:30), because always on show, "before the Lord". But what were they there to show? First, the national constitution in twelve tribe subjection to the law of Moses. We learn this from their number, which connects them with the "twelve tribes of Israel", and from the statement that the cakes were to be considered as taken from them as an offering for a memorial (Lev. 24:7-8). This clue unites with certain apostolic expressions in attaching an Israelitish character to the whole economy of true religion and hope and holiness, as existing in this imperfect state.

Law of Moses Ch 14

31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Let a man study the appointments of the Israelitish worship, and the ordinances thereof, and the provision of suitable structures in connection with that worship; first, in the construction of the tent used during the sojourn in the wilderness, and secondly, in the erection of a more permanent building when the tribes were at rest in " the land of promise."

Let him see how God concerned himself about minute details, and gave instruction concerning matters which were to all appearance of trivial nature. Let him note how the size,

weight, and disposition of all the materials which composed the tabernacle were carefully specified, how a " pattern " was given for its construction, and how the workmen were specially endowed with skill to form the materials in exact counterpart of the design given (Exod. xxv. 9—40; xxxi. 3—6).

Let him note how the same thing was repeated when the Temple (called the Temple of Solomon) was constructed. This also was built after a Divine pattern. David received the design from God (1st Chron. xxviii. 11, 12), and David's son Solomon put up the building

according to this pattern; and, as in the case of the tabernacle, the materials for its construction had been provided by the " spoiling" of the Egyptians in judgment, so in the case of the Temple, the gold and silver and other requisite materials were provided by the Divine

subjugation of the surrounding nations (1st Chron. xviii.7—11; xxix. 10—16).

Neither was Solomon left to his own unaided skill, but he was fortified by God-given

wisdom for the work of construction. Let him, then, study the prophecies which proclaim

the future of the Israelitish race, and he will discover a complete analogy to these two cases. That future will surpass their past in every point. Their national and political ascendancy in the earth will revolutionize the world.

Temple of Ezekiel's prophecy - Bro Sulley.