There is something very precious in the thought that believers are one with each other, because they are one in Christ. May all who read this know what it is to be drawn to Jesus by the power of the Holy Ghost, and what it is to feel that they are one with all His; and have grace to make it manifest by their daily walk, that they realize their oneness with the exalted Christ, and all who have been quickened and raised with Him into the heavenlies! This chapter must not be closed without a few remarks being added, on the importance of cultivating a spirit of holiness, and manifesting the same in our every-day life and conversation. There are those, it must be admitted, who do not keep the feast of unleavened bread. The blood may be on the door-posts and lintel, but leaven within their borders does, and will, prevent them enjoying the security which the blood provides. If evil is allowed, if the flesh is submitted to, fellowship with God must be interrupted, though it may not break the link which binds the soul eternally to God. Those who belong to the Holy One must be holy. They have not been delivered from the curse and guilt of sin merely, but also from the practice, power, and love of it. If saved by grace, we are saved to holiness. The soul that can take occasion from the freedom of Divine grace, and the completeness of the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, to "continue in sin," proves very distinctly that he understands neither the one nor the other. See further on this subject, "Notes on Exodus," by C. H. M. CHAPTER III. THE TABERNACLE. "For us the sanctuary is our dwelling-place; And oft as pressing need demands, or our cold hearts are stirred to praise, We've boldness, through the veil, e'en Jesu's blood, To go within the Holiest, and there present our suit." To give a definite external form to the covenant concluded with the Israelites in the desert of Sinai, shortly after their deliverance from Egypt, and for the purpose of constructing a visible bond of fellowship in which He might manifest Himself to the people, and they draw near to Him as their God, Jehovah commanded Moses to erect a sanctuary in which He might "dwell among them" (Exod. xxv. 8). The construction and arrangement of the entire building were determined by Jehovah, who showed to Moses when "in the mount" (Heb. viii. 5) a pattern of the dwelling and its furniture; and prescribed with great minuteness, both the form and material thereof. "When the sanctuary, that had been built for the Lord for a dwelling in Israel, had been set up with all its apparatus, the cloud covered the tabernacle, and the glory of Jehovah filled the dwelling,' so that Moses was unable to enter. The cloud, in which Jehovah had hitherto been present with His people, and guided and protected them upon their journeying (chap. xiii. 21, 22), now came down upon the Tabernacle and filled the dwelling with the gracious presence of the Lord. So long as this cloud rested upon the tabernacle the children of Israel remained encamped; but when it ascended, they broke up the encampment to proceed onwards. This sign was Jehovah's command for encamping or going forward throughout all their journeys' (ver. 36-38). This statement is repeated still more elaborately in Numbers ix. 15-23. The mode in which the glory of Jehovah filled the dwelling, or in which Jehovah manifested His presence within it, is not described; but the glory of Jehovah filling the dwelling is clearly distinguished from the cloud coming down upon the Tabernacle. It is obvious, however, from Leviticus xvi. 2, and 1 Kings viii. 10, 11, that in the dwelling the glory of God was also manifested in a cloud. At the dedication of the temple (1 Kings viii. 10, 11), the expression, the cloud filled the house of Jehovah,' is used interchangeably with 'the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah.' To consecrate the sanctuary, which had been finished and erected as His dwelling, and to give to the people a visible proof that He had chosen it for His dwelling, Jehovah filled the dwelling in both its parts with the cloud which shadowed forth His presence, so that Moses was unable to enter it. This cloud afterwards drew back into the most holy place, to dwell there, F above the outspread wings of the cherubim of the ark of the covenant; so that Moses and (at a later period) the priests were able to enter the holy place and perform the required service there, without seeing the sign of the gracious presence of God, which was hidden by the curtain of the most holy place."* The Tabernacle was erected by two specially gifted men, Bezaleel, the son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, after the pattern shown to Moses (Exod. xxv. 40). "And 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 filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I "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; and he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; and to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. And he hath * Keil and Delitzsch, vol. ii., pp. 258, 259. 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; the tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle, and the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furni put in his heart, that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 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" (Exod. xxxv. 30-35). ture,and the altar of incense, |