| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, |
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| 2 'On the first day of the month, in the first month, thou dost raise up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, |
The tabernacle – Was not a church edifice or a place of worship for Israel. R3053:3
Only the tribe of Levi were permitted in the Court. R3053:6
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| 3 and hast set there the ark of the testimony, and hast covered over the ark with the vail, |
Put therein the ark – It represented the eternal purpose of God for mankind in The Christ, Head and Body. T121
With the vail – The passing of the second veil represented the death of the human body. T21
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| 4 and hast brought in the table, and set its arrangement in order, and hast brought in the candlestick, and caused its lamps to go up. |
Bring in the table – Representing the Church as a whole, holding forth the word of life. T115
The candlestick – Representing the entire Church, the true light-bearers. T116
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| 5 'And thou hast put the golden altar for perfume before the ark of the testimony, and hast put the covering of the opening to the tabernacle, |
The altar of gold – The Golden altar in the Holy represents the Church in the sacrificing condition. T120
The spiritual privileges, praises, prayers and communion which we have with the Lord R3054:2
Hanging of the door – Symbol of the death of the human will. T21
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| 6 and hast put the altar of the burnt-offering before the opening of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, |
Set the altar – Representing Christ's ransom sacrifice. T22
Representing primarily the perfection of the man Christ Jesus. R3053:6
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| 7 and hast put the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and hast put water there. |
Set the laver – Aaron had to be washed in order fitly to represent the purity of Jesus. T29
Symbolizing the putting away of filthy practices --lying, stealing, slander, envy, back-biting, etc. R1543:6, R3054:2
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| 8 'And thou hast set the court round about, and hast placed the covering of the gate of the court, |
Set up the court – Representing the condition of justification. T19; R3053:6
Representing the justified condition. In proportion as those in the Court advance toward the Holy, in that proportion they draw nigh to God and experience a measure of justification or harmony with God, leading to complete justification. R4745:3
In the present time the Court represents the condition of divine favor of all who, exercising faith in God, are approaching nearer and nearer to him. R4922:5, R5418:3
We might also understand that the Levites in the Court very fittingly represent all those who desire to turn from sin and approach God, making progress toward complete justification. R4878:1
While the Court condition seems to represent at the present time all those who are approaching God, it appears as though with the close of this age the Great Company is represented by the Court condition thereafter. R4878:4
Only the Levites will be in the Court. In its last analysis, the Court represents the spirit-begotten ones separated from the world. R4745:6
The Israelites in general were not permitted within even the outermost of the Tabernacle enclosures, the Court. R3053:6
Hanging at the court gate – "I am the way," "I am the door." There is only one way of access to God. T18
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| 9 and hast taken the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle, and all that [is] in it, and hallowed it, and all its vessels, and it hath been holy; |
The anointing oil – Typifying the holy Spirit. T29, T37, T116; D650; R5654:5
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| 10 and thou hast anointed the altar of the burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and sanctified the altar, and the altar hath been most holy; |
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| 11 and thou hast anointed the laver and its base, and sanctified it. |
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| 12 'And thou hast brought near Aaron and his sons unto the opening of the tent of meeting, and hast bathed them with water; |
And his sons – As the priests must be Levites, so those who would be of the Royal Priesthood must have been justified believers. R3054:1
Door of the tabernacle – Consecration, full and complete. R3054:2
And wash them – Aaron had to be washed in order fitly to represent the purity of Jesus. T29
Symbolizing the putting away of filthy practices --lying, stealing, slander, envy, back-biting, etc. R1543:6, R3054:2
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| 13 and thou hast clothed Aaron with the holy garments, and anointed him, and sanctified him, and he hath acted as priest to Me. |
The holy garments – Symbolizing the heavenly grandeur, honors and glories of Messiah during his reign. OV127:5
Clad in his robes of glory, the High Priest represented Messiah blessing mankind. PD36/47
And anoint him – The anointing came upon Aaron only at first; but upon each of his sons as they succeeded him to the office of chief priest. F131; Q689:3
The High Priest was anointed with oil, which constituted the divine evidence of his call to the priestly office. SM598:2
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| 14 'And his sons thou dost bring near, and hast clothed them with coats, |
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| 15 and anointed them as thou hast anointed their father, and they have acted as priests to Me, and their anointing hath been to be to them for a priesthood age-during, to their generations.' |
Shalt anoint them – The anointing came upon Aaron only at first; but upon each of his sons as they succeeded him to the office of chief priest. F131; Q689:3
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| 16 And Moses doth according to all that Jehovah hath commanded him; so he hath done. |
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| 17 And it cometh to pass, in the first month, in the second year, in the first of the month, the tabernacle hath been raised up; |
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| 18 and Moses raiseth up the tabernacle, and setteth its sockets, and placeth its boards, and placeth its bars, and raiseth its pillars, |
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| 19 and spreadeth the tent over the tabernacle, and putteth the covering of the tent upon it above, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. |
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| 20 And he taketh and putteth the testimony unto the ark, and setteth the staves on the ark, and putteth the mercy-seat on the ark above; |
The mercy seat – The mercy seat, glory-light and cherubim together represented Jehovah God. T123
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| 21 and bringeth in the ark unto the tabernacle, and placeth the vail of the covering, and covereth over the ark of the testimony, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. |
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| 22 And he putteth the table in the tent of meeting, on the side of the tabernacle northward, at the outside of the vail, |
He put the table – Representing the Church as a whole, holding forth the word of life. T115
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| 23 and setteth in order upon it the arrangement of bread, before Jehovah, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. |
The bread in order – Representing the truth, the word of life. T22, T115
Spiritual food. R5418:5, R5621:6
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| 24 And he putteth the candlestick in the tent of meeting, over-against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward, |
Put the candlestick – Representing the entire Church, the true light-bearers. T116
Representing the light of God's truth. R5621:6, R5418:5
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| 25 and causeth the lamps to go up before Jehovah, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. |
Lighted the lamps – Symbolizing the enlightenment of the holy Spirit. R3054:4
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| 26 And he setteth the golden altar in the tent of meeting, before the vail, |
Before the vail – And not in the Most Holy, as Heb. 9:4, where there is either a slis. Q702:3
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| 27 and maketh perfume on it spice-perfume as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. |
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| 28 And he setteth the covering of the opening to the tabernacle, |
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| 29 and the altar of the burnt-offering he hath set at the opening of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and causeth the burnt-offering to go up upon it, and the present, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. |
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| 30 And he putteth the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and putteth water there for washing, |
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| 31 and Moses and Aaron and his sons have washed their hands and their feet at the same; |
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| 32 in their going in unto the tent of meeting, and in their drawing near unto the altar, they wash, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. |
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| 33 And he raiseth up the court round about the tabernacle, and about the altar, and placeth the covering of the gate of the court; and Moses completeth the work. |
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| 34 And the cloud covereth the tent of meeting, and the honour of Jehovah hath filled the tabernacle; |
Then a cloud – A manifestation of God's protecting care over them as his people. R4028:3, R4029:5
Covered the tent – Teaching that God should be the center of all ambition and activity, spirituality and veneration first, in the center of our affections. R4028:3, R4029:6
Glory of the LORD – The enlightenment of the holy Spirit has been with us, an ever present help and guide. R4029:6
Filled the tabernacle – Showing God's approval of the Tabernacle. R1237:4
When we were begotten of the holy Spirit and God took up his abode with us, the glory of the Lord filled us. R4029:6
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| 35 and Moses hath not been able to go in unto the tent of meeting, for the cloud hath tabernacled on it, and the honour of Jehovah hath filled the tabernacle. |
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| 36 And in the going up of the cloud from off the tabernacle the sons of Israel journey in all their journeys;
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When the cloud – If all brethren look to the Lord for guidance, then all are ready for his leading, whether to move or to stay. R4098:6
Whoever comes into harmony with the divine arrangement will be brought into touch with all others who are in fellowship with the Father and his glorious plan. R4028:5
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| 37 and if the cloud go not up then they journey not, until the day of its going up: |
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| 38 for the cloud of Jehovah [is] on the tabernacle by day, and fire is in it by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel in all their journeys. |
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