Exodus 38-40
I HAVE now told you what kind of a place the tabernacle was I am now going to tell you of some things that were placed outside of it. You know that houses often have a garden round them. The tabernacle had no garden round it, but there was a large piece of ground near it, called the court; and there were posts round the court. These posts were placed at a little distance from each other, and curtains were hung between the posts; so there was a wall of curtains round the tabernacle.
In this court there were two things, of which I shall speak to you.
1. A brass altar.
This altar was very large. It was not like the little altar of gold inside the tabernacle. This altar was not for the burning of spices, but for the burning of beasts, such as sheep, goats, bulls, and calves. You know that 'God had desired people to offer beasts to Him as sacrifices. Do you remember the reason? What promise had Jesus made to His Father a long, long while before? He had promised to die for Adam and Eve and their children. God wished people always to remember this promise, so He told them to kill beasts, and to sprinkle their blood and to burn their bodies. Abel, Noah, and Abraham offered sacrifices.
This brass altar was for the sacrifices.
The lamb was to be killed, and its blood would flow all round the altar, and the smoke of the burning would go up to the sky.
2. A brass basin was placed in the court. It was very large, and it was filled with water for people to wash in. I will soon tell you who washed in this basin.
Who was to offer the sacrifices? Aaron. God said that Aaron should be the High Priest. Aaron was to offer the sacrifices, to burn the incense, and to light the lamps of the candlestick.
God said that Aaron might go into the little room, the Holy of Holies; God would not allow any person but Aaron to go in there, and He only allowed him to go in once every year. Aaron might lift up the veil, and see the cloud upon the mercy-seat. Moses might go in as well as Aaron; and God promised to speak to him in that little room.
I am glad, my dear children, that there is a brighter place where we may go one day, and hear God speak to us.
God desired Moses to have some beautiful clothes made for Aaron to wear. The two clever men, of whom I told you before, knew how to make them.
Let us see what were the clothes which Aaron was to wear.
1. He was to wear a white dress with long sleeves.
2. A robe of blue. He was to wear this over the white dress. Little golden bells were hung round the edge of it: and they would sound sweetly as Aaron moved along.
3.. An ephod made of white linen, worked all over with purple, scarlet, and gold. Aaron was to wear the ephod over the blue robe.
A band round his waist, called a girdle. It was made of white linen, and was worked with purple, scarlet thread, and with gold wire.
A breastplate. Aaron was to wear this in front. It was made of linen, covered with twelve shining stones. It was to be fastened to Aaron's shoulders by gold chains.
A miter. Aaron was to wear a high white cap upon his head, called a miter. A piece of gold was on the miter, and on the gold was written, "Holiness to the Lord." Aaron ought to be holy, because he was to offer sacrifices to God.
Aaron was to wear no shoes upon his feet; but he was often to wash his feet and his hands in the brass basin.
Aaron had four sons. God said that they should help him to offer sacrifices. Aaron's sons were to wear white clothes, but not the same beautiful clothes as Aaron. They were to be called Priests,, and Aaron was to be called the High Priest.
It was a long while before the tabernacle was made. Though all the people worked very hard, yet the things were not finished for almost a year.
At last God desired Moses to set up the tabernacle. Moses set up the boards for the walls of the tabernacle, and covered the top with curtains; and he placed the ark in the Holy of Holies; and he put the table, and the candlestick, and the golden altar, in the largest room; and he set up the posts, and the curtains, all round the court; and he put the brass altar and basin in it. Then Moses poured sweet oil upon all the things; this pouring oil was called "anointing.”
Then Moses put upon Aaron his beautiful clothes, and put the white clothes upon Aaron's sons; and he poured sweet oil upon their heads, and anointed them.
Then God came down in His cloud, and His brightness filled the whole place; and so God showed that He would have it for His house.
Was it not pleasant for the Israelites to think that God lived in a house in the midst of them? The cloud could be seen outside the tabernacle as well as inside; and in the night it shone like fire. How kind it was of God to let the people see some of His brightness! God wished them to be very good, and to obey all He said. God is very near us, too, though we cannot see Him; but we hope to see Him some day.
What place is much more beautiful than the tabernacle was? Heaven. If we go to heaven, we shall be much more glorious than Aaron was, and we shall see God's face forever and ever, and so we shall be quite happy.
THE HIGH PRIEST'S DRESS.
1. The white coat, with long sleeves.
2. The blue robe.
3. The ephod.
4. The girdle.
5. The breastplate.
6. The miter.
Hymn 27
How fair was Aaron to the view,
When, in his splendid garments dressed,
He wore his robe of heavenly blue
Above his long and snowy vest.
His ephod and his girdle white
Were wrought with purple, gold and red,
Upon his breast shone jewels bright,
A costly miter on his head.
No priest like him dwells now on earth,
But there is One beyond the sky:
Ah! who can set His glories forth,
Or who with Him in beauty vie?
O fairer than the sons of men,
O Fairest of the hosts above,
What tongue can tell, what eye has seen,
The glories of the God of love?
Oh, may I Thy sweet image wear,
When from the tomb my flesh shall rise,
And on the Fairest of the fair
Forever fix my loving eyes