| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| |
|
| 1 And Bezaleel made the ark of acacia-wood; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. |
Made the ark – It represented the eternal purpose of God for mankind in The Christ, Head and Body. T121
|
| 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a border of gold upon it round about. |
With pure gold – Representing the divine nature. T18, T20
|
| 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, for its four corners: two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. |
|
| 4 And he made staves of acacia-wood and overlaid them with gold. |
|
| 5 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark. |
|
| 6 --And he made a mercy-seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. |
The mercy seat – Representing the underlying principle of Jehovah's character-justice. T124
|
| 7 And he made two cherubim of gold; of beaten work did he make them, at the two ends of the mercy-seat; |
He made two cherubims – Representing divine love and power. T125
Out of one piece – All the divine attributes are in perfect harmony. T125
|
| 8 one cherub at the end of one side, and one cherub at the end of the other side; out of the mercy-seat he made the two cherubim at the two ends thereof. |
|
| 9 And the cherubim spread out their wings over it, covering over with their wings the mercy-seat; and their faces were opposite to one another: the faces of the cherubim were turned toward the mercy-seat. |
Mercy seatward – Neither love nor power can be exercised until justice is fully satisfied; hence they look inward towards justice to know when to move. T125
|
| |
|
| 10 And he made the table of acacia-wood; two cubits the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. |
Made the table – Representing the Church as a whole, holding forth the word of life. T115; R5418:5
|
| 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made upon it a border of gold round about. |
|
| 12 And he made for it a margin of a hand-breadth round about; and made a border of gold for the margin thereof round about. |
|
| 13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four corners that were on the four feet thereof. |
|
| 14 Close to the margin were the rings, as receptacles of the staves to carry the table. |
|
| 15 And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. |
|
| 16 And he made the utensils that were on the table, the dishes thereof, and the cups thereof, and the bowls thereof, and the goblets with which to pour out, of pure gold. |
|
| |
|
| 17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold; of beaten work he made the candlestick: its base, and its shaft, its cups, its knobs, and its flowers were of itself. |
Made the candlestick – Representing the entire Church, the true light-bearers. T116
Representing the light of God's truth. R5621:6, R5418:5
Of beaten work – We feel almost discouraged sometimes at the knocks and blows we receive, forgetting that the branches must be like the shaft -- all of beaten work. R243:5*
|
| 18 And six branches went out of the sides thereof--three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof; |
|
| 19 there were three cups shaped like almonds in the one branch, a knob and a flower; and three cups shaped like almonds in the other branch, a knob and a flower: so in the six branches which went out of the candlestick. |
The fashion of almonds – In the almond tree fruit buds appear before leaves. So with the Royal Priesthood: they begin to sacrifice, or bring forth fruit, before the leaves of profession are seen. T122
A knop and a flower – Representing the true Church as both beautiful and fruitful from first to last. T116
|
| 20 And in the candlestick were four cups, shaped like almonds, its knobs, and its flowers; |
|
| 21 and a knob under two branches thereof, and again a knob under two branches thereof, and again a knob under two branches thereof, for the six branches which went out of it. |
|
| 22 Their knobs and their branches were of itself--all of one beaten work of pure gold. |
|
| 23 And he made the seven lamps thereof, and the snuffers thereof, and the snuff-trays thereof, of pure gold. |
|
| 24 Of a talent of pure gold he made it, and all its utensils. |
|
| |
|
| 25 And he made the altar of incense of acacia-wood; a cubit the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, square, and two cubits the height thereof: its horns were of itself. |
The incense altar – The Golden altar in the Holy represents the Church in the sacrificing condition. T120
Representing the privileges of worship and prayer. R5418:5
The horns thereof – Symbols of power. T42
|
| 26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and made upon it a border of gold round about. |
|
| 27 And he made two rings of gold for it under its border, by its two corners, on the two sides thereof, as receptacles for the staves with which to carry it. |
|
| 28 And he made the staves of acacia-wood, and overlaid them with gold. |
|
| 29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of fragrant drugs, according to the work of the perfumer. |
Holy anointing oil – Typifying the holy Spirit. T29, T37, T116; D650; R5654:5
The pure incense – The sweet incense beaten small represented the perfection of the man Jesus. When he came in contact with the trials of life (fire), he yielded perfect obedience to the divine will-a sweet perfume. T56, T120
The prayers of God's people rise up before him as a sweet perfume. R5692:5
|