Exodus 27:21

_IN THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION WITHOUT THE VAIL, WHICH IS BEFORE THE TESTIMONY, AARON AND HIS SONS SHALL ORDER IT FROM EVENING TO MORNING BEFORE THE LORD: IT SHALL BE A STATUTE FOR EVER UNTO THEIR GENERATIONS ON THE BEHALF OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL._ Aaron and his sons - were to take charge of lighting it in all time coming. 'It is clear that these regulations refer only to Aaron and his sons, who acted as priests in the time of Moses. As they stand here, they could not bear an immediate reference to the later temple service, but could be referred to it only by means of an accommodating interpretation, which would also require to define more exactly how much of this was applicable to the high priest, and how much to the other priests; for neither of these points is here distinctly defined' (Bleek, quoted by Havernick, 'Introduction to the Pentateuch,' p. 290). SHALL ORDER IT FR...

20,21 The pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which all believers receive from Christ, the good Olive, and without which our light cannot shine before men. The priests were to light the lamps, and tend them. It is the work of ministers, by preaching and expounding the Scriptures, which are as a lamp, to enlighten the church, God's tabernacle upon earth. Blessed be God, this light is not now confined to the Jewish tabernacle, but is a light to lighten the gentiles, and for salvation unto the ends of the earth....

Verse Exodus 27:21. _THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION_] The place where all the assembly of the people were to worship, where the God of that assembly was pleased to reside, and to which, as the habitation of their king and protector, they were ever to turn their faces in all their adorations. _BEFORE THE TESTIMONY_] That is, the ark where the tables of the covenant were deposited. See Exodus 25:16. _AARON AND HIS SONS_] These and their descendants being the only legitimate priests, God having established the priesthood in this family. _SHALL ORDER IT FROM EVENING TO MORNING_] Josephus says the whole of the seven lamps burned all the night; in the morning _four_ were extinguished, and _three_ kept burni

THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION - More literally, the tent of meeting. This is the first occurrence of this designation of the tabernacle, and the idea connected with it is that of Yahweh meeting with either Moses, or the priests, or (in a few cases) with the people gathered into a congregation at the entrance of the tent. WITHOUT THE RAIL, WHICH IS BEFORE THE TESTIMONY - i. e. the holy place (see Exodus 25:16)....

EXPOSITION THE OIL FOR THE LAMP. It has been observed that this paragraph is somewhat out of place. It would more appro priately, according to human ideas, have terminated Exodus 25:1. But "God's ways are not as man's ways, nor his thoughts as man's thoughts." It is frequently difficult—some-times impossible—for the keenest human intellect to trace the connecting links between one portion of God's word and the next. In such cases it is best not to speculate on the nature of the connection, but to content ourselves with laying to heart the lesson which each portion teaches separately. EXODUS 27:20 THOU SHALT COMMAND. Compare...

IN THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION,.... The reasons usually given for this name of the tabernacle are, either because the children of Israel gathered and met together here at certain times, or because here the Lord met with Moses, and his successors, as he had promised, Exodus 25:22, but neither of them will hold good; not the first, because the place where the candlestick was, and which Aaron and his sons are here said to order, was in the holy place, into which only the priests entered, and therefore could not be called the tabernacle of the congregation, from the people of Israel being gathered and assembling there; not the latter, because it was in the most holy place, where the Lord promised to meet with Moses, and commune with him, even from between the cherubim over the mercy seat there: indeed, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation the children of Israel assembled,...

CHAPTER 27 THE TABERNACLE CONCLUDED _ 1. The altar of brass (Exodus 27:1)_ 2. The court of the tabernacle (Exodus 27:9) 3. The oil for the lamp (Exodus 27:20) The brazen altar stood at the door of the tabernacle. Later we find in this book the golden altar of incense mentioned. It stood between the golden candlestick and the brazen altar. This altar was likewise of shittim wood. Instead of gold, here was brass, because the altar is the type of the cross where Christ met the burning heat of divine justice. Upon this altar the burnt offering was brought and wholly consumed, speaking of Him who knew no sin and was made sin for us. The altar was hollow, the sacrificial fires burned mostly within.

EXODUS 27. P. ALTAR AND OUTER COURT (_cf. Exodus 38:1_, Exodus 38:9). In strongest contrast to Exodus 20:24, with its sanction of many altars, rudely made of earth or rough stone blocks, we find instructions for the altar to be made of wood plated with bronze, 7½ feet square and 4½ feet high, with horn-like projections at the corners, according to a widespread custom of uncertain meaning (Exodus 27:1 f.). Its vessels were to be of bronze (Exodus 27:3); and the (usual) ledge for the priests to stand on, half way up the altar, was to be supported by a bronz

TABERNACLE. tent. Hebrew. _'ohel._ App-40. THE TESTIMONY. Compare Exodus 26:33. THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah_. App-4....

_the tent of meeting_ Heb. _"ôhel mô-çd_, i.e. _the tent of appointed meeting_(cf. Job 30:23 -the house of _appointed meeting_for all living," of Sheol), the tent appointed by Jehovah as the place where He will -meet" Moses (see in P Exodus 25:22; Exodus 30:6; Exodus 30:36) and Israel (Exodus 29:42-43; Numbers 17:4), and communicate His will to them, or (_OTJC._2 [205] 246) the -tent of tryst" (i.e. of appointment to meet). It is the oldest name of what we n