IX. =The Holy of Holies= was the innermost and holiest room in the Tabernacle, into which the high priest alone entered on one day in each year (the Day of Atonement); in form a cube of 15 feet. It contained only the Ark of the Covenant (Heb. 9. 3).
X. =The Ark of the Covenant= was a chest containing the stone tablets of the Commandments; made of wood, covered on the outside and inside with gold; 3 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches wide and high. Through gold rings on the sides were thrust the staves by which it was borne on the march. Its lid, on which stood two figures of the cherubim, was called "the mercy seat." On this the high priest sprinkled the blood on the Day of Atonement (Exod. 25. 17, 18; Heb. 9. 7).
Blackboard Outline
THE TABERNACLE
I. =Cou.= sq. 150. 75. (Al. Lav. Tab.) II. =Alt.= woo. br. 7. 4.
III. =Lav.= do. ten.
IV. =Tab.= 45. 15. bds. cur. (H.P. H.H.) V. =Ho. Pl.= 30. 15. (Can. Tab. Alt. Inc.) VI. =Can.= go. 7 bran.
VII. =Tab.= 3. 1. 2. 12 loa.
VIII. =Alt. Inc.= woo. gol. 1. 3.
IX. =Ho. Hol.= 15. 15. 15. (Ar. Cov.) X. =Ar. Cov.= wo. go. 3,9. 2,3. "mer. se."
Review Questions
How was the unity of the Is"ra-el-ite people maintained? What was the conception or thought in the Tabernacle? Why was it constructed of such material?
What was the court of the Tabernacle? What were the dimensions of the court? What stood in the court? What were the materials of the Altar of Burnt Offerings?
What was the size of this altar? What was the laver, and where did it stand? What was the Tabernacle itself? Into what rooms was it divided? How was it covered? What were the dimensions of the Holy Place?
What did the Holy Place contain? What was the form of the candlestick? Where did the candlestick stand? Of what was the Altar of Incense made? What were its dimensions? For what was this altar used? What were the dimensions of the Holy of Holies? What did the Holy of Holies contain? Who alone entered this room, and how often? What was the Ark of the Covenant? What was the "mercy seat"?
PART THREE
The Sacred Year
I. Among the Is"ra-el-ites certain inst.i.tutions of worship were observed at regular intervals of time which have been called the =Periodical Inst.i.tutions=. These were:
1. =The Sabbath=, observed one day in seven; of which the root idea is the giving to G.o.d a portion of our time. (See references in the Old Testament: Gen. 2. 3; Exod. 20. 8-11; Isa. 56. 2; 58. 13.) In the New Testament we find the first day of the week gradually taking its place among the early Christians (Acts 20. 7; 1 Cor. 26. 2; Rev. 1. 10).
2. =The New Moon=, which was the opening day of each month; regarded as a sacred day, and celebrated with religious services (Num. 10. 10; 2 Kings 4. 23).
3. =The Seven Annual Solemnities=, the important occasions of the year, six feasts and one fast day.
4. =The Sabbatical Year.= One year in every seven was to be observed as a year of rest, and the ground was not to be tilled (Lev. 25. 2-7).
5. =The Year of Jubilee.= Once in fifty years the Is"ra-el-ites were commanded to give liberty to slaves, freedom to debtors, and general rest.i.tution of alienated inheritances (Lev. 25. 9, 10). How far the "Sabbatical Year" and "the Year of Jubilee" were actually kept among the Is"ra-el-ites we have no means of knowing; but the commands concerning them were given in the law.
II. We take for special notice among these periodical inst.i.tutions the =Seven Annual Solemnities= of the =Sacred Year=. Most of these were inst.i.tuted in the time of Mo"ses, but two of them arose later. We consider them all, however, in this place, rather than at the closing of the history, where two of the feasts properly belong. These may be cla.s.sified as:
1. =The Three Great Feasts=: Pa.s.sover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles; all observed at the capital, and requiring the people to make annual pilgrimages to Je-ru"sa-lem.
2. =The Annual Fast=: the Day of Atonement.
3. =The Three Lesser Feasts=: Trumpets, Dedication, Purim. These were observed throughout the land, as well as in Je-ru"sa-lem.
With regard to each of these we will note: 1.) Its time. 2.) The event which it commemorated. 3.) How it was observed.
1. =The Feast of Pa.s.sover= (Luke 22. 1).
1.) Was held in the spring, on the fourteenth of the month Abib, or Nisan, corresponding to parts of March and April (Exod. 12. 18).
2.) Commemorated the exodus from E"gypt (Exod. 12.
42).
3.) Observed with the eating of unleavened bread and the slain lamb (Exod. 12. 19-21).
2. =The Feast of Pentecost= (Acts 2. 1).
1.) Was held early in the summer, on the fiftieth day after Pa.s.sover, in the month Sivan, corresponding to May and June.
2.) Commemorated the giving of the law.[6] (See Exod.
19. 1, 11.)
3.) Observed by "first fruits" laid on the altar, with special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 15-21).
3. =The Feast of Tabernacles= (John 7. 2, 10).
1.) Held in the fall, after the ingathering of crops, from the 15th to the 21st of the seventh month, Ethanim, corresponding to September and October (Lev.
23. 34).
2.) Commemorated the outdoor life of the wilderness (Lev. 23. 43).
3.) Observed by living in huts or booths, and by special sacrifices (Lev. 23. 35-42).
4. =The Day of Atonement=, the only fast required by the Jew"ish law.
1.) Held in the fall, on the tenth day of the month Ethanim (Lev. 23. 27), five days before the Feast of Tabernacles.
2.) Showing the sinner"s reconciliation with G.o.d.
3.) On this day only in the year the high priest entered the Holy of Holies (Exod. 30. 10).
5. =The Feast of Trumpets.=
1.) Held on the first day of the seventh month, Ethanim, corresponding to September or October (Lev.
23. 24).
2.) This feast recognized the "New Year Day" of the civil year.[7]
3.) It was observed with the blowing of trumpets all through the land.
6. =The Feast of Dedication=, not named in the Old Testament. (See John 10. 22.)
1.) This was held in the winter, on the 25th of the month Chisleu (December), and for eight days thereafter.
2.) It commemorated the reconsecration of the Temple by Ju"das Mac"ca-be"us, B. C. 166, after its defilement by the Syr"i-ans.