Verse 23
And one loaf of bread - The bread of different kinds, (see Clarke on [Exo 29:2] (note)), in this offering, seems to have been intended as a minchah, or offering of grateful acknowledgment for providential blessings. The essence of worship consisted in acknowledging God,
1. As the Creator, Governor, and Preserver of all things, and the Dispenser of every good and perfect gift.
2. As the Judge of men, the Punisher of sin, and he who alone could pardon it.
The minchahs, heave-offerings, wave-offerings, and thank-offerings, referred to the first point. The burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, and sacrifices in general, referred to the second.
Verse 24
For a wave-offering - See Clarke's note on [Lev 7:1] etc., where an ample account of all the offerings, sacrifices, etc., under the Mosaic dispensation, and the reference they bore to the great sacrifice offered by Christ, is given in detail.
Verse 25
Thou shalt receive them of their hands - Aaron and his sons are here considered merely as any common persons bringing an offering to God, and not having, as yet, any authority to present it themselves, but through the medium of a priest. Moses, therefore, was now to Aaron and his sons what they were afterwards to the children of Israel; and as the minister of God he now consecrates them to the sacred office, and presents their offerings to Jehovah.
Verse 27
The breast of the wave-offering, and the shoulder of the heave-offering - As the wave-offering was agitated to and fro, and the heave-offering up and down, some have conceived that this twofold action represented the figure of the cross, on which the great Peace-offering between God and man was offered in the personal sacrifice of our blessed Redeemer. Had we authority for this conjecture, it would certainly cast much light on the meaning and intention of these offerings; and when the intelligent reader is informed that one of the most judicious critics in the whole republic of letters is the author of this conjecture, viz., Houbigant, he will treat it with respect. I shall here produce his own words on this verse:
Hic distinguuntur, תנופה et תרומה, ut ejusdem oblationis caeremoniae duae. In תנופה significatur, moveri oblatam victimam huc et illuc, ad dextram et ad sinistram. In תרומה sursum tolli, et sublatam rursus deprimi; nam pluribus vicibus id fiebat. Rem sic interpretantur Judaei; et Christianos docent, quanquam id non agentes, sic adumbrari eam crucem, in quam generis humani victima illa pacifica sublata est, quam veteres victimae omnes praenunciabant. "The heave-offering and wave-offering, as two ceremonies in the same oblation, are here distinguished. The wave-offering implies that the victim was moved hither and thither, to the right hand and to the left; the heave-offering was lifted up and down, and this was done several times. In this way the Jews explain these things, and teach the Christians, that by these acts the cross was adumbrated, upon which that Peace-offering of the human race was lifted up which was prefigured by all the ancient victims."
The breast and the shoulder, thus waved and heaved, were by this consecration appointed to be the priests' portion for ever; and this, as Mr. Ainsworth piously remarks, "taught the priests how, with all their heart and all their strength, they should give themselves unto the service of the Lord in his Church." Moses, as priest, received on this occasion the breast and the shoulder, which became afterwards the portion of the priests; see [Exo 29:28], and [Lev 7:34]. It is worthy of remark, that although Moses himself had no consecration to the sacerdotal office, yet he acts here as high priest, consecrates a high priest, and receives the breast and the shoulder, which were the priests' portion! But Moses was an extraordinary messenger, and derived his authority, without the medium of rites or ceremonies, immediately from God himself. It does not appear that Christ either baptized the twelve apostles, or ordained them by imposition of hands; yet, from his own infinite sufficiency, he gave them authority both to baptize, and to lay on hands, in appointing others to the work of the sacred ministry. [Exo 29:29]
Verse 29
The holy garments - shall be his son's after him - These garments were to descend from father to son, and no new garments were to be made.
Verse 30
Seven days - The priest in his consecration was to abide seven days and nights at the door of the tabernacle, keeping the Lord's watch. See [Lev 8:33], etc. The number seven is what is called among the Hebrews a number of perfection; and it is often used to denote the completion, accomplishment, fullness, or perfection of a thing, as this period contained the whole course of that time in which God created the world, and appointed the day of rest. As this act of consecration lasted seven days, it signified a perfect consecration: and intimated to the priest that his whole body and soul, his time and talents, should be devoted to the service of God and his people.
The number seven, which was a sacred number among the Hebrews, was conveyed from them down to the Greeks by means of the Egyptian philosophy, from which they borrowed most of their mysteries; and it is most likely that the opinion which the Greeks give is the same that the original framers of the idea had. That there was some mystical idea attached to it, is evident from its being made the number of perfection among the Hebrews. Philo and Josephus say that the Essenes, an ancient sect of the Jews, held it sacred "because it results from the side of a square added to those of a triangle." But what meaning does this convey? A triangle, or triad, according to the Pythagoreans, who borrowed their systems from the Egyptians, who borrowed from the Jews, was the emblem of wisdom, as consisting of beginning (Monad), middle (Duad), and end (Triad itself); so wisdom consists of three parts - experience of the past, attention to the present, and judgment of the future. It is also the most penetrating of all forms, as being the shape of the wedge; and indestructibility is essential to it, as a triangle can never be destroyed. From those three properties it was the emblem of spirit. The square, solid, and tetrad, by the same system were interchangeable signs. Now a square is the representation of a solid or matter, and thus the number seven contains within itself the properties of both the triangle or solid, and the square or tetrad, i.e., is all emblem of body and spirit; comprehends both the intellectual and natural world; embraces the idea of God, the chief of spirits or essences; and all nature, the result of his power; thus a very fit emblem of perfection. It is perhaps in this way that we must explain what Cicero, Tusc. Quest., lib. i., cap. 10, says of the number seven, where he calls it the knot and cement of all things; as being that by which the natural and spiritual world are comprehended in one idea. Thus the ancient philosophers spoke of numbers, themselves being the best judges of their own meaning.
Verse 33
But a stranger shall not eat thereof - That is, no person who was not of the family of Aaron - no Israelite, and not even a Levite.
Verse 34
Burn the remainder with fire - Common, voluntary, and peace-offerings, might be eaten even on the second day; see [Lev 7:16]; [Lev 19:5], [Lev 19:6]. But this being a peculiar consecration, in order to qualify a person to offer sacrifices for sin, like that great sacrifice, the paschal lamb, that typified the atonement made by Christ, none of it was to be left till the morning lest putrefaction should commence, which would be utterly improper in a sacrifice that was to make expiation for sin, and bring the soul into a state of holiness and perfection with God. See Clarke's note on [Exo 12:10].
Verse 36
Thou shalt cleanse the altar - The altar was to be sanctified for seven days; and it is likely that on each day, previously to the consecration service, the altar was wiped clean, and the former day's ashes, etc., removed.
Verse 37
Whatsoever touches the altar shall be holy - To this our Lord refers [Mat 23:19], where he says the altar sanctifies the gift; and this may be understood as implying that whatever was laid on the altar became the Lord's property, and must be wholly devoted to sacred uses, for in no other sense could such things be sanctified by touching the altar.
Verse 39
One lamb thou shalt offer in the morning - These two lambs, one in the morning, and the other in the evening, were generally termed the morning and evening daily sacrifices, and were offered from the time of their settlement in the promised land to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. The use of these sacrifices according to the Jews was this: "The morning sacrifice made atonement for the sins committed in the night, and the evening sacrifice expiated the sins committed during the day."
Verse 40
A tenth deal of flour - Deal signifies a part, from the Anglo-Saxon word, to divide; hence, a part, a portion taken from the whole. From [Num 28:5] we learn that this tenth deal was the tenth part of an ephah, which constituted what is called an omer. See [Exo 16:36]; and see Clarke's note on [Exo 16:16] of the same chapter, where an account is given of different measures of capacity among the Hebrews. The omer contained about three quarts English.
The fourth part of a hin - The hin contained one gallon and two pints. The fourth part of this was about one quart and a half of a pint.
Drink-offering - A libation poured out before the Lord. See its meaning, [Lev 7:1], etc.
Verse 43
There I will meet with the children of Israel - See Clarke's note on [Exo 25:22].
Verse 44
I will sanctify - both Aaron and his sons - So we find the sanctification by Moses according to the Divine institution was only symbolical; and that Aaron and his sons must be sanctified, i.e., made holy, by God himself before they could officiate in holy things. From this, as well as from many other things mentioned in the sacred writings, we may safely infer that no designation by man only is sufficient to qualify any person to fill the office of a minister of the sanctuary. The approbation and consecration of man have both their propriety and use, but must never be made substitutes for the unction and inspiration of the Almighty. Let holy men ordain, but let God sanctify; then we may expect that his Church shall be built up on its most holy faith.
Verse 45
I will dwell among the children of Israel - This is the great charter of the people of God, both under the Old and New Testaments; see [Exo 25:8]; [Lev 26:11], [Lev 26:12]; [2Cor 6:16]; [Rev 21:3]. God dwells Among them: he is ever to be found in his Church to enlighten, quicken, comfort, and support it; to dispense the light of life by the preaching of his word, and the influences of his Spirit for the conviction and conversion of sinners. And he dwells In those who believe; and this is the very tenor of the New Covenant which God promised to make with the house of Israel; see [Jer 31:31-34]; [Eze 37:24-28]; [Heb 8:7-12]; and [2Cor 6:16]. And because God had promised to dwell in all his genuine followers, hence the frequent reference to this covenant and its privileges in the New Testament. And hence it is so frequently and strongly asserted that every believer is a habitation of God through the Spirit, [Eph 2:22]. That the Spirit of God witnesses with their spirits that they are the children of God, [Rom 8:16]. That the Spirit of Christ in their hearts enables them to call God their Father, [Gal 4:6]. And that if any man have not this Spirit, he is none of his, [Rom 8:9], etc. And hence St. Paul states this to be the sum and substance of apostolical preaching, and the riches of the glory of the mystery of the Gospel among the Gentiles, viz., Christ In you the hope of glory; whom, says he, we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect In Christ Jesus; [Col 1:27], [Col 1:28].
Verse 46
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God - That is, They shall acknowledge God, and their infinite obligations to him. In a multitude of places in Scripture the word know should be thus understood.
That I may dwell among them - For without this acknowledgment and consequent dependence on and gratitude and obedience to God, they could not expect him to dwell among them.
By dwelling among the people God shows that he would be a continual resident in their houses and in their hearts; that he would be their God - the sole object of their religious worship, to whom they should turn and on whom they should trust in all difficulties and distresses; and that he would be to them all that the Creator could be to his creatures. That in consequence they should have a full conviction of his presence and blessing, and a consciousness that He was their God, and that they were his people. Thus then God dwells among men that they may know him; and they must know him that he may continue to dwell among them. He who does not experimentally know God, cannot have him as an indwelling Savior; and he who does not continue to know - to acknowledge, love, and obey him, cannot retain him as his Preserver and Sanctifier. From the beginning of the world, the salvation of the souls of men necessarily implied the indwelling influences of God. Reader, hast thou this salvation? This alone will support thee in all thy travels in this wilderness, comfort thee in death, and give thee boldness in the day of judgment. "He," says an old writer, "who has pardon may look his judge in the face."
Introduction
The altar of burnt incense, [Exo 30:1]. Dimensions, [Exo 30:2]. Golden crown, [Exo 30:3]. Rings and staves, [Exo 30:4], [Exo 30:5]. Where placed, [Exo 30:6], [Exo 30:7]. Use, [Exo 30:8-10]. The ransom price of half a shekel, [Exo 30:11-13]. Who were to pay it, [Exo 30:14]. The rich and the poor to pay alike, [Exo 30:15]. The use to which it was applied, [Exo 30:16]. The brazen laver, and its uses, [Exo 30:17-21]. The holy anointing oil, and its component parts, [Exo 30:22-25]. To be applied to the tabernacle, ark, golden table, candlestick, altar of burnt-offerings, and the laver, [Exo 30:26-29]. And to Aaron and his sons, [Exo 30:30]. Never to be applied to any other uses, and none like it ever to be made, [Exo 30:31-33]. The perfume, and how made, [Exo 30:34], [Exo 30:35]. Its use, [Exo 30:36]. Nothing similar to it ever to be made, [Exo 30:37], [Exo 30:38].