The main artifact of the sanctuary located in the Tabernacle is the so-called ark of the Covenant. The ark is only a chest or small box, made in this case from light wood and gilded inside and out...
The main artifact of the sanctuary located in the Tabernacle is the so-called ark of the Covenant. The ark is only a chest or small box, made in this case from light wood and gilded inside and out. In it, in the ark, the tablets were to be kept: small limestone slabs with the text of the Ten Commandments carved into them. This was the chief holy object of the Tabernacle. It was not at all like the sacred objects kept in pagan sanctuaries. Those sacred objects were thought to possess a special power, or rather, to be its conductor, the power of the deity or spirit to whom they belonged. To touch them meant to come into contact with power, for good fortune or for harm. Here, in the Tabernacle, everything was different.
For God reveals Himself to a person not as an impersonal force, though to those who do not know Him He can appear that way as well. To those who know Him, however, He usually appears not as force but as will, and moreover as good will, a will that brings love. Here artifacts are not needed, nor are sanctuaries in the pagan sense. They would not have been needed at all, and neither the Tabernacle nor the Temple would have been needed, if everyone among God's people had known how and dared to commune with God face to face, as Moses did, as Aaron did, as Abraham or Jacob did before them, or as the great prophets of Israel did after them.
In reality, however, everything turned out differently. The people needed a sanctuary in order not to meet God simply, as He would have wanted, and then God showed Moses how to arrange something like the pagan sanctuaries to which the people were accustomed. Only the chief holy thing of this sanctuary was not objects as sources of power, but the Decalogue. The matter, of course, is not the supernatural power of the slabs on which the letters were carved, or of the letters themselves.
The matter is that it is precisely the Decalogue that describes the spiritual path of a believing Yahwist, the path to God and the path after God. The tablets with the text of the Ten Commandments were only a reminder of the main thing, and this main thing itself had to take place between a person and God, in the space of relationship where alone spiritual life worthy of the name can unfold. Not everyone, of course, understood all that had been said, but the path was open. And after that each person decided for himself whether to follow this path or not.
37 Bezaleel and his workmen are still busy, making,
37:1 These several ornaments where with the tabernacle was furnished, the people were not admitted to see, but the priests only; and therefore it was requisite they should be thus largely described, particularly to them.And Moses would thus shew the great care which he and his workmen took to make every thing exactly according to the pattern shewed him in the mount. Thus he appeals to every reader concerning his fidelity to him that appointed him, in all his house. And thus he teacheth us to have respect to all God's commandments, even to every jot and tittle of them. In these verses we have an account of the making of the ark with its glorious and significant appurtenances, the mercy - seat and the cherubim. Consider these three together, and they represent the glory of a holy God, the sincerity of a holy heart, and the communion that is between them by a Mediator. It is the glory of a holy God that he dwelleth between the cherubim, that is, is continually attended by the blessed angels, whose swiftness was signified by the wings of the cherubim, and their unanimity in their services, by their faces being one towards another. It is the character of an upright heart, that, like the ark of the testimony, it hath the law of God hid and kept in it. By Jesus Christ the great propitiation there is reconciliation made, and a communion settled, between us and God: he interposeth between us and God's displeasure; and through him we become entitled to God's favour. See note Exo 37:1
37:10 Observe how much the dispensation of the gospel exceeds that of the law. Tho' here was a table furnished, it was only with shew - bread, bread to be looked upon, not to be fed upon, while it was on the table, and afterwards only by the priests: but to the table Christ has spread in the new covenant all good Christians are invited guests, and to them it is said, Eat, O friends, come eat of my bread. What the law gave but a sight of at a distance, the gospel gives the enjoyment of.
37:17 This candlestick, which was not of wood overlaid with gold, but all beaten - work of pure gold only, signified that light of divine revelation with which God's church upon earth (which is his tabernacle among men) hath always been enlightened, being always supplied with fresh oil from Christ the good olive, Zec 4:2-3. The bible is a golden candlestick, it is of pure gold; from it light is diffused to every part of God's tabernacle, that by it the spiritual priests may see to do the service of his sanctuary. The candlestick has not only its bowls for necessary use, but its knops and flowers for ornament; many things which God saw fit to beautify his word with, which we can no more give a reason for than for these knops and flowers, and yet must be sure they wert added for good purpose. Let us bless God for this candlestick, have an eye to it continually, and dread the removal of it out of its place!
37:25 The incense burnt on this altar daily, signified both the prayers of saints, and the intercession of Christ, to which is owing the acceptableness of them.