Chapter 23
Exodus 35-40
Another day had come and gone; and it was evening again. Sophy was helping Arthur finish a log cabin he was putting together on the floor. Presently Mother appeared from the kitchen, with her Bible in hand, and as she sat down on the comfortable old sofa the two children left their play and joined her.
“Tonight,” began Mother, “I think, will be our last story from the book of Exodus. And what a wonderful book it is — every page points us on to Jesus, yon lovely Man in the glory!
“Now Moses gathered together all the children of Israel and told them what the Lord had said that they were to do. They were to work six days but the seventh day was to be a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. This was to be a holy day and whoever worked on that day would be put to death.
“Then he told them all about the tabernacle that the Lord had shown him in the Mount, and about the holy garments for Aaron and his sons. He said that if there were any willing hearts they should bring offerings for the work of the tabernacle. When they had heard all these things they went out from the presence of Moses.
“They were so happy to be able to help that they brought their bracelets, their earrings, and rings, jewels of gold and other things, too. And the women who could spin made pieces of blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen. Some women spun goats’ hair for the covering of the tabernacle. The rulers brought precious stones, and oil and sweet spices. The men whom the Lord had given wisdom to do all kinds of work came, and when Moses gave them the offerings of the children of Israel, they began the work of the tabernacle.
“But what are you thinking about, Sophy?”
“Oh, I was just thinking, Mother,” replied Sophy thoughtfully, “how nice it must have been to see them working together and making all those beautiful things!”
“It surely must have been, Sophy. And, the children of Israel gave so heartily that the workmen had now too much for the work. They told Moses about it so he had to tell the people not to bring any more. When it was all finished Moses looked at it all and said they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. Moses blessed them for it. The Lord had given them the needed wisdom to perform everything and to make all the beautiful hangings.
“Then the Lord told Moses he should set up the tent of the tabernacle of the congregation on the first day of the first month. He set up all the beautiful boards of shittim wood, fastened them into their silver sockets, and spread curtains over them. Next he put the covering of goats’ hair, the rams’ skins dyed red, and the badgers’ skins over all.
“And then he put all the beautiful things inside the tabernacle. The very first thing was the ark with the mercy seat and the cherubim above it. Then Moses hung up the veil which was to hide the ark and the mercy seat and to divide the holy place from the most holy place. Outside the veil Moses put the golden altar, and burned some sweet-smelling incense upon it. Next came the table with the twelve loaves of bread upon it. He put the candlestick over against the table and lighted the seven lamps.”
“I think it must have been bright and pretty in there when he lit the lamps, Mother,” suggested Arthur.
“Indeed, it was, Arthur. Then Moses set up the curtain, which was to be the door into the tabernacle and outside he put the altar of brass for a burnt offering and offered upon it the offerings that the Lord had commanded. Moses put the laver near it and put some water in it for himself and Aaron and his sons to wash in. You see they washed their hands and their feet whenever they went into the tabernacle, or when they came near to sacrifice at the altar. Next Moses set up the pillars of the court; the sockets were made of brass, the hooks were of silver; he hung the curtains upon them. Then he hung up the curtain before the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
“When the work was finished a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to go into the tabernacle because of the glory of the Lord.
“This pillar of cloud was the same cloud that showed them the way; it was the same cloud that had stood between them and the Egyptians at the Red Sea. The cloud of the glory of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the children of Israel. While the cloud rested on the tabernacle, they rested in their tents. As soon as the cloud was taken up, they went on their journey.
“Moses did not go up to the mount anymore because now he could go to speak to God in the tabernacle. Everyone could not go into the tabernacle though. Aaron and his sons, because they were priests, were allowed to go in to the holy place every day to trim the lamps, and to burn incense on the golden altar.”
“Then, where did the people worship God?” asked Sophy.
“They worshipped God in the court of the tabernacle. Whoever wished to offer a sacrifice to God, brought it to the door of the tabernacle, and there upon the brazen altar, the priest burned it for an offering of a sweet savor to the Lord.
“Now, we have come to the end of the second book in the Bible. It is called Exodus which means ‘the way out.’
“God called His people out of Egypt, that He might show out all His power and goodness to them. What a wonderful sight it must have been to see all the twelve tribes passing through the wilderness! It was wonderful too to see them in their tents according to their families encamped around God’s dwelling place. They had been led out of Egypt and now in the wilderness they were given a way to enter God’s dwelling place through the lovely curtain which formed the door of the court.
“Now the door of the court was different from the rest of the court. The curtains of the court were made of white linen, but the one for the door was of blue, purple and scarlet, and fine needlework, the same as the door of the tabernacle. It was for this reason that the door was especially a figure of Christ. Jesus says in John’s Gospel, ‘I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,’ and also, ‘I am the way; the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.’
“I think we have seen in our talks about this beautiful book of Exodus that the Lord Jesus Christ is the way out of Egypt and the way in to God, and that His name is the only name given under heaven whereby we can be saved.
“That is the end,” said Mother at last; “and now may God bless these precious truths from His Word to your dear young hearts. If you seek to please Him in your young lives, He has promised that His Word will be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. One day soon the blessed Saviour is coming to take all those who love Him away from this earth to heaven, to be forever with Himself. And I do trust that my dear Sophy and Arthur will be with Him then.
“Let us sing that hymn you like to sing at Sunday School:
We know there’s a bright and glorious home,
Away in the heavens high,
Where all the redeemed shall with Jesus dwell:
But will you be there and I?
In robes of white o’er the street of gold,
Beneath a cloudless sky,
They’ll walk in the light of their Father’s smile:
But will you be there and I?
If you take the loving Saviour now,
Who for sinners once did die,
When He gathers His own in that bright home,
Then you’ll be there and I.”