because the cloud abode to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode to enter into the tent of meeting, thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 And thereon, and the glory of Jehovah when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of filled the tabernacle. 36 And Is'ra-el went onward in all their journeys: 37 But if the cloud Israel was went onward, throughout all their journeys: 37 but if the cloud . were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was 38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by was upon the tabernacle by taken up. taken up. day, and 38 For the cloud of Jehovah fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of day, and there was fire therein Israel, throughout all their journeys. he met the chief representatives of the people to communicate his will; it thus impressed the important religious truth of the presence of God. And, further, the tabernacle was a sacred place; it was fenced off from common approach, screen after screen hindering free access; its utensils and furniture were holy; and only those who had been specially called and consecrated could attend on its service: all this impressed the idea of the holiness of God. In the New Testament, particularly in the Epistle to the Hebrews, we meet with a typical meaning ascribed to the tabernacle. We are told there that the Mosaic tabernacle was but "a copy and shadow of the heavenly things" (Heb. 8. 5); that it was but a figure" of "the greater and more perfect tabernacle," where Christ "entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9. 11, 12). 66 SEED THOUGHTS FOR THE TEACHER'S PLANTING 1. The setting up of the tabernacle marks a great reaction from the idolatry of the golden calf. In the revival of Jehovah-worship it is demonstrated that faith is as self-sacrificing as fanaticism. There is no compulsion in true religion. The people contribute freewill offerings of gold, silver, precious stones, and costly stuffs. All is purely voluntary. And so willing are the people that the order is issued that they stop their contributions. There is more than enough. What an example for God's people through all time! Would any community be without a house of God, or would any house of God be cumbered with debt, if the disciples of Jesus Christ were as willing to give as were the people of Israel? 2. God dwells among men. The tabernacle is a symbol of the divine presence. There heaven and earth meet; there man and God commune. In this religion of types, symbols, and rituals there is no intimation of idolatry. Had Israel worshiped the tabernacle, or the ark, or the golden candlestick, or the incense, or the showbread, that would have been idolatry. A proper use of these things as symbols enables the mind to comprehend spiritual truths. Is all idolatry but the misuse and abuse of symbolism? Have men tried to symbolize great ideas in forms, and at last stopped with these forms and worshiped them? Doubtless all image-worship is but a corruption of symbolical forms of religion; and idols are but sensualized ideals. The forms of religion are necessary, but religion is not formalism. 3. God's presence among men is the assurance of his forgiving grace. Of this the ark and the mercy seat are the symbol. Within that ark is the law which is the condemnation of sin. But that law is covered and hidden by the mercy seat, and with it the sins of the people are shut out from the pure sight of God. That mercy seat is sprinkled with the blood of atonement and justification. God's presence among men is the assurance of the efficacy of prayer. Of this the symbol is the altar of incense. In the sweet incense that floats heavenward there is given to us an emblem of the heart's sincere desire, the soul's pure aspirations, rising to the prayer-answering Cod of love and mercy. The presence of God among men is the inspiration of his church and the assurance of the union of believers. The symbol of this great truth and fact is the golden candlestick. The seven branches and seven lights are fed with oil from a common reservoir, as every individual branch of the church of God, every congregation of believers, draws its life and nourishment from the one Spirit of truth. The presence of God among men is the pledge of the guidance and protection of Providence. Of this the symbol is the cloud by day and the glory by night that rest upon the tabernacle. While the cloud or the glory remains upon the tabernacle Israel tarries; when the cloud or glory lifts Israel strikes tent and moves forward. It is always safe and best to watch for and obey the indications of Providence. Neither rush ahead of Providence nor lag behind. Stay or go with the symbol above the tabernacle. 4. The tabernacle is the type of Christ. It foreshadows the divine incarnation. God manifest in the flesh is the final evolution of the divine idea set forth figuratively in the tabernacle of which Moses was given the pattern on the mount. As the tabernacle symbolized the meeting of God and man, so it typified the union of God and humanity in Jesus Christ. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. In spiritual reality, in blessed, conscious experience, we come to God and God comes to us in his Son our Saviour. This is no symbolical meeting and union; it is real, actual, conscious, experimental. Religion is no longer a mere symbol, a type, a formality. It is life, experience, union with God, the conscious presence of the Holy Ghost in the heart. In Jesus Christ is prayer efficacious, as was typified by the incense in the tabernacle. "If ye ask anything in my name, I will do it." In Jesus Christ are believers in one holy catholic church of many branches, all drawing the light and life from the one Holy Spirit whom the Father hath sent in his name. In Jesus Christ are sins forgiven, and by his blood is atonement made. He is our real High Priest, of whom Aaron was but the type. And with his own precious blood does he enter into the Most Holy of the heavens to make atonement for the sins of the whole world. In Jesus Christ have we the promise, the assurance, and the experience of the indwelling presence of the Father in the providential care of our lives and the spiritual care of our souls. "He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." 5. Religion is the central institution of nationalism, the nucleus of society. There, at the very center of the camp, was erected the tabernacle. There hovered the cloud by day and the glory by night. There the people beheld the symbol of the divine presence. While the tabernacle was not a type of the church, but of the Lord Jesus Christ, nevertheless the church is the congregation of believers in whom Christ dwells, as the tabernacle or incarnation of God. The tabernacle illustrates, at least, the great truth that the church is the central institution of Christian society. About the church has developed Christian civilization; and, while free from and independent of all political union with the state, it is the center and source of the spiritual life and moral character of the nation. The church, the embodiment of the truth, power, and life of the religion of Jesus Christ, manifests the presence of God in the midst of his people. LESSON VI.—AUGUST 11 THE SIN OF NADAB AND ABIHU.-LEV. 10. 1–11. [Read Lev. 8-10] HOME READINGS (selected by the International Bible Reading Association).-Monday (August 5), The Sin of Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 10. 1-11. Tuesday, Strange incense forbidden, Exod. 30. 1-10. Wednesday, Disobedience punished, 2 Chron. 26. 14-21. Thursday, Rules for priests, Ezek. 44. 15-21. Friday, Take heed! Luke 21. 29-36. Saturday, True worship, John 4. 5-24. Sunday, Children of light, 1 Thes. 5. 5-23. THE GOLDEN TEXT "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging ["a brawler"]; and whosoever is deceived ["erreth"] thereby is not wise."—Prov. 20. 1. The changes made in this verse by the Revision are worthy of thoughtful attention, especially the additional change in the margin which substitutes "reeleth" for both "erreth" and "is deceived." Here are three stages in that baneful process which has come to be known popularly, as well as scientifically, by the term "intoxication"- -a process that begins by indulgence in beers, wines, and liquors not only, but to a menacing degree by a large and constantly increasing assortment of insinuating drugs. Much of wrongdoing and sorrow originates in the hearts of the evildoers, and damage far and wide is spread because certain human hearts were bad; another class of sins and miseries originates in errors of judgment-often men ignorantly or carelessly work widespread evil; still other moral evils (and modern science is revealing more of these than formerly were suspected) originate in congenital weakness, "they were not born right." But our Golden Text points neither to original sin, nor to mere error of judgment, nor (in most cases) to inherited depravity. Millions of men habitually "put an enemy in their mouth to steal away their brains," and to steal away at the same time physical and moral strength. That intoxicants damage body, mind, and soul is recognized by the restrictive laws which all civilized communities pass upon the sale of liquors. The process of intoxication is mournfully but accurately presented in this Golden Text where the first symptom mentioned is mockery, the second is pugnacity, and the third is the loss of strength, reeling, "O thou invisible spirit of wine, If thou hast no other name to be called by THE MEANING MADE PLAIN The atmosphere into which our present lesson brings us is that of ritualistic regulations affecting the conduct of the priesthood. The first transgression of an important ritual requirement leads to a sad divine visitation and becomes the occasion of a series of warnings regarding the priests' duties in the observation of mourning customs (verses 6, 7), the use of wine and strong drink (verses 8-11), the use of the flesh in the peace offering and wave offering (verses 12-15), and a rebuke of a ritual laxity of which Aaron and his sons had become guilty (verses 16-20). But it must be remembered that behind these ritual requirements lie high moral and religious motives that make them still valuable vehicles of enforcing truth. 1 And Nadab and Abihu 1 And Na'dab and A-bi'hu, the sons of Aar'on, took either of them the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD which he commanded them not. strange fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded them. 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and 2 And there came forth fire they died before the LORD. they died before Jehovah. from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and 3 Then Mo'ses said unto Aar'on, This is 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is The text in this edition printed in small type in the lower line is taken from the American Standard Edition of the Revised Bible, copyrighted 1901 by Thomas Nelson & Sons, New York. All marginal notes and references are taken from the same version. I. OFFERING STRANGE FIRE BEFORE JEHOVAH. Verses 1-5 1. Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron-They were the oldest sons of Aaron, Nadab being the firstborn, and both of them are repeatedly mentioned as in privileged positions in connection with the giving of the law (Exod. 6. 23; 24. 1, 9; Num. 3. 2). Took each of them his censer-The Hebrew word is translated in Exod. 25. 38 "snuffdishes," and it seems to have been some sort of pan, in Exod. 27. 3, "firepan"; and neither the proper censer nor the altar of incense. On the details of the offering of incense, see Exod. 30. 7-10, 34-38; Lev. 16. 12. And offered strange fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded— That is, strange according to the requirements of the law on the subject. But the particular point of the offense is not stated. Some have supposed that it was "strange" because it might have been taken from a common source rather than from the altar (Lev. 16. 12; Num. 16. 46); but this is not here so stated; others have thought that it contravened the requirements given in Exod. 30. 7, 34. That the "strange fire" was due to the intoxication of the sons of Aaron is an ancient Jewish idea inferred from the following prohibition against the use of wine and strong drink; but there is not sufficient warrant in the text for bringing the two things together-no more, at any rate, than that the offense charged against Aaron and his sons in verses 16-20 should be traced to the same cause. Interpretations of that kind are homiletic rather than exegetical. 2. And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah-For similar statements of descending fire, see Num. 11. 1; 16. 35; 2 Kings 1. 10, 12. It is evidently to be understood as a stroke of lightning that struck them down and yet did not burn up their clothing (verse 5). 3. This is it that Jehovah spake, saying, I will be sanctified in it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come spake, saying, I will be sanctified it that Jehovah in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aar'on held nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. his peace. And Aaron held 4 And Mo'ses called Mish'a-el and Elʼza-phan, the sons of 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of near, carry your his peace. Uz'zi-el the uncle of Aar'on, and said unto them, Come near, carry your Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Draw brethren from before the sanctuary of the camp. 5 So they went from before the sanctuary out of the camp. 5 So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Mo'ses had near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had brethren said. said. 6 And Moses and unto 6 And Mo'ses said unto Aar'on, and unto E-le-a'zar and unto said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar Ith'a-mar, his sons, Uncover not Ithamar, his sons, Let your heads, neither rend not the hair of your heads go loose, neither 1 Or, are nigh.-2 Or, uncover not your heads. rend them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorifiedThis contains the interpretation of the occurrence in words that are evidently a quotation and in poetic form. The death of Nadab and Abihu is accordingly a direct punishment by God for their failure to obey the prescriptions regulating the ritual, the particular point of which, it is to be observed, is left undefined; in this death, therefore, God vindicates his holiness and his honor. Obedience to ritual observances is regarded here as exalting God, just as obedience to the moral law is regarded by Isaiah when he says, "Jehovah of hosts is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness" (Isa. 5. 16). Of course, the ritual law has passed away, and we are no longer under its obligations; this violent and tragic lesson has now only an historic interest for us; but back of it all lies the eternal truth that God is holy, and that our worship of him must be in strict obedience to truth and love. And Aaron held his peace-In silent submission to the painful will of God he acknowledges that God's requirements are just. 4, 5. Mishael and Elzaphan-Cousins of Aaron, and therefore Levites. Draw near-Others were excluded from entrance into the sanctuary. Your brethren-That is, your relatives. Carried them in their coats out of the camp-The priestly garments also had been defiled by the act of disobedience; and the bodies and garments together are removed from the camp, so as to leave the Israelitish community in restored sanctity. This story as a whole comes immediately upon that of the dedication of the tabernacle and aims to intensify its sacredness. The 6. And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons-They are the nearest of kin to the dead, and upon them descends the responsibility of the priestly functions; the women are not mentioned. custom of mourning for the dead is a natural custom, and the Israelites shared it with other nations; but the priests here found themselves in a conflict of duties, a natural and an official duty, to refrain from mourning over their sons and brothers, or compromise their official position as representatives of God to man and of man to God. The course required here to be taken, as also in the general regulations of mourning customs among the priests, is that they are to abstain from imitating the common practices of the people. Compare Lev. 21. 10-12; 1-5. Let not the hair of your heads go loose-That is, wild, unkempt, and so neglected, which |