Education of Israel
25
So to Israel, whom He desired to make His dwelling place, He
revealed His glorious ideal of character. The pattern was shown them
in the mount when the law was given from Sinai and when God passed
by before Moses and proclaimed, “The Lord, The Lord God, merciful
and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.”
Exodus 34:6
.
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But this ideal they were, in themselves, powerless to attain. The
revelation at Sinai could only impress them with their need and help-
lessness. Another lesson the tabernacle, through its service of sacri-
fice, was to teach—the lesson of pardon of sin, and power through the
Saviour for obedience unto life.
Through Christ was to be fulfilled the purpose of which the taber-
nacle was a symbol—that glorious building, its walls of glistening
gold reflecting in rainbow hues the curtains inwrought with cherubim,
the fragrance of ever-burning incense pervading all, the priests robed
in spotless white, and in the deep mystery of the inner place, above
the mercy seat, between the figures of the bowed, worshiping angels,
the glory of the Holiest. In all, God desired His people to read His
purpose for the human soul. It was the same purpose long afterward
set forth by the apostle Paul, speaking by the Holy Spirit:
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall
God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
1
Corinthians 3:16, 17
.
Great was the privilege and honor granted Israel in the preparation
of the sanctuary; and great was also the responsibility. A structure of
surpassing splendor, demanding for its construction the most costly
material and the highest artistic skill, was to be erected in the wilder-
ness, by a people just escaped from slavery. It seemed a stupendous
task. But He who had given the plan of the building stood pledged to
co-operate with the builders.
“The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name
Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have
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filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding,
and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.... And I, behold,
I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of
Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom,
that they may make all that I have commanded thee.”
Exodus 31:1-6
.