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Exodus Chapter
Thirty-nine
Exodus 39
Chapter Contents
The priests' garments. (1-31) The tabernacle completed.
(32-43)
Commentary on Exodus 39:1-31
(Read Exodus 39:1-31)
The priests' garments were rich and splendid. The church
in its infancy was thus taught by shadows of good things to come; but the
substance is Christ, and the grace of the gospel. Christ is our great High
Priest. When he undertook the work of our redemption, he put on the clothes of
service, he arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, girded
himself with resolution to go through the undertaking, took charge of all God's
spiritual Israel, laid them near his heart, engraved them on the palms of his
hands, and presented them to his Father. And he crowned himself with holiness
to the Lord, consecrating his whole undertaking to the honour of his Father's
holiness. True believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all
their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints, Revelation 19:8.
Commentary on Exodus 39:32-43
(Read Exodus 39:32-43)
The tabernacle was a type or emblem of Jesus Christ. As
the Most High dwelt visibly within the sanctuary, even on the ark, so did he
reside in the human nature and tabernacle of his dear Son; in Christ dwelt all
the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9. The tabernacle was a symbol of
every real Christian. In the soul of every true follower of the Saviour the
Father dwells, the object of his worship, and the author of his blessings. The
tabernacle also typified the church of the Redeemer. The meanest and the
mightiest are alike dear to the Father's love, freely exercised through faith
in Christ. The tabernacle was a type and emblem of the heavenly temple, Revelation 21:3. What, then, will be the
splendour of His appearance, when the cloud shall be withdrawn, and his
faithful worshippers shall see him as he is!
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Exodus》
Exodus 39
Verse 1
[1] And
of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do
service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD
commanded Moses.
The priests garments are called here clothes
of service - Those that wear robes of honour must look upon them as clothes of
service; for those upon whom honour is put, from them service is expected. Holy
garments were not made for men to sleep in, but to do service in, and then they
are indeed for glory and beauty. These also were shadows of good things to
come, but the substance is Christ. He is our great high priest; he put upon him
the clothes of service when he undertook the work of our redemption; arrayed
himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which he received not by
measure; charged himself with all God's spiritual Israel, bare them on his
shoulder, carried them in his bosom, and presented them in the breast-plate of
judgment unto his Father. And, lastly, he crowned himself with holiness to the
Lord, consecrated his whole undertaking to the honour of his Fathers holiness.
And all true believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all
their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints: and
holiness to the Lord must be so written upon their foreheads, that all who
converse with them may see they bear the image of God's holiness.
Verse 32
[32] Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation
finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD
commanded Moses, so did they.
Thus was all the work finished — In not much more than five months. Though there was a great deal of fine
work, such as used to be the work of time, embroidering, and engraving, not
only in gold, but in precious stones, yet they went through with it in a little
time, and with the greatest exactness imaginable. The workmen were taught of
God, and so were kept from making blunders, which would have retarded them. And
the people were hearty and zealous in the work, and impatient till it was
finished. God had prepared their hearts, and then the thing was done suddenly, 2 Chronicles 29:36.
Verse 43
[43] And
Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had
commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
And Moses did look upon all the work — Piece by Piece, and behold they had done it according to the pattern
shewed him - For the same that shewed him the pattern, guided their hand in the
work.
And Moses blessed them — He not only praised them, but prayed for them: he blessed them as one
having authority. We read not of any wages Moses paid them for their work, but
his blessing he gave them. For though ordinarily the labourer be worthy of his
hire, yet in this case, they wrought for themselves. The honour and comfort of
God's tabernacle among them would be recompence enough. And they had their meat
from heaven on free-cost, for themselves and their families, and their raiment
waxed not old upon them; so that they neither needed wages, nor had reason to
expect any. But indeed this blessing in the name of the Lord was wages enough
for all their work. Those whom God employs he will bless, and those whom he
blesseth, they are blessed indeed. The blessing he commands is life for
evermore.
──
John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Exodus》
39 Chapter 39
Verses 32-43
They brought the Tabernacle unto Moses.
The delivery of the work to Moses
I. The
presentation of the work: “They brought the Tabernacle unto Moses.” So,
whatever work or service is done in connection with the Christian Church should
be solemnly presented to Christ, who is the Chief Builder of the Christian
Temple.
II. The inspection
of the work; “Moses did look upon all the work“; and so does Christ inspect
every offering that is brought to Him. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:13, that a day is
coming in which every man’s work will be tried of what sort it is--tried by
fire--tried with the most terrible exactness.
III. The approbation
of the work: “Behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded.” So in
Christian service nothing can be accepted that is not minutely in accordance
with the Divine specification.
IV. The
remuneration of the work: “And Moses blessed them.” So is all faithful service
done to Christ rewarded even here with spiritual blessing. So will it be in the
end (1 Corinthians 3:14). Lessons:
1. The dignity of Christian work as presented to Christ.
2. The duty of fidelity in Christian work, considering it must be
inspected by Christ.
3. The grand aim in Christian work, to be accepted by Christ. Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:9.
4. The high stimulus in Christian work, the certainty of being
rewarded by Christ. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)
The Tabernacle itself
The Tabernacle held an important position in the
divinely-appointed worship of the Jewish Church. No less than thirteen chapters
in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 25-31; Exodus 35-40) are devoted to the account
of it; an account twice repeated, extending to the minutest details of shape,
size, material, colour, and workmanship. Special stress is laid upon the fact
that it was made after a heavenly design exhibited to Moses during the forty
days of his mysterious communing with Jehovah on Mount Sinai (Exodus 29:9; Exodus 29:40; Exodus 26:30). The smallest details are
included in this heavenly pattern (Exodus 27:8; Numbers 8:4). This heavenly pattern of
the Tabernacle is twice referred to in the New Testament (Acts 7:44; Hebrews 8:5). Not only was the Tabernacle
made after a heavenly pattern, but divinely-inspired artificers carried the
design into execution (Exodus 31:1-6; Exodus 35:30-35; Exodus 36:1). We see from these passages
that, in matters which concern the worship of God, the minutest details as to
the colour, shape, material, and make of the ornaments of Divine service, and
of the ministers of it, are not thought unworthy of a special Divine revelation
as to their design, and of a special Divine inspiration for the carrying of
that design into effect. At the close of the work we are told, in words that
carry our thoughts back to the blessing bestowed upon the first creation (Genesis 1:30), that Moses recognized its
exact accordance with the heavenly pattern which he had seen (Exodus 39:43). (E. F. Willis, M. A.)
Names of the Tabernacle
It is called the House of Jehovah (Exodus 23:19; Joshua 6:24; 1 Samuel 3:15); The Temple of
Jehovah (1 Samuel 3:3), the Sanctuary (Exodus 25:8; Leviticus 12:4; Leviticus 16:33; Leviticus 19:30; Leviticus 20:3; Leviticus 21:12; Numbers 3:38, etc.); or simply, the
Tabernacle (Exodus 25:9; Exodus 26:16; Exodus 27:9; Exodus 27:19, etc.); or Dwelling, i.e.,
of God. The two most characteristic names, however, are, the Tent or
Tabernacle of the Testimony (Numbers 9:15; Numbers 17:7-8, etc.), and the Tent or
Tabernacle of Meeting (Exodus 27:21; Exodus 39:32; Exodus 39:40; Exodus 40:7; Exodus 40:34-35, etc.). The name Tent or
Tabernacle of the Testimony had reference to that which was one of the two
chief objects of the Tabernacle, viz., to serve as a shrine for “the
Testimony”--the two tables of stone on which were engraved the ten words of the
Divine Law. The other characteristic name, that of Tabernacle or Tent of
Meeting, speaks of the other chief end for which the Tabernacle existed, viz.,
to be a place of meeting between God and His people (Exodus 25:8; Exodus 25:22; Exodus 29:42-45; Exodus 30:6; Exodus 30:36). (E. F. Willis, M. A.)
Completed labour
I. The work was
completed according to plan.
II. It was
completed in a short time.
III. It was
completed with great joy. The joy of--
1. Knowing that each had done something, and that something his best.
2. Anticipation.
IV. The completed
work may remind us of the words of Him who said, “I have finished the work Thou
gavest Me to do.”
V. As the house in
the wilderness was finished down to the last pin, so the Church in the world,
of which it was a type, shall be perfected down to the last and meanest member.
The Jewish Tabernacle:--
1. It was a school of object-lessons, designed to teach the ignorant
and sensual Israelites the truths of the invisible and eternal kingdom of God.
It was a small model of heavenly realities--a pattern of sight in the heavens (Hebrews 9:23). It was, in the realm of
religious truth, something like the planetarium used in a recitation room in
teaching astronomy.
2. The principal lessons it taught were--
──《The Biblical Illustrator》