33
και-C ιστημι-VAI-AAI3S ο-
A--ASF αυλη-N1--ASF κυκλος-N2--DSM ο-
A--GSF σκηνη-N1--GSF και-C ο-
A--GSN θυσιαστηριον-N2N-GSN και-C συντελεω-VAI-AAI3S *μωυσης-N1M-NSM πας-A3--APN ο-
A--APN εργον-N2N-APN
Exodus 40:33
True Christian Religion # 283
283. The Ten Commandments were the height of holiness for the Israelite church.
The Ten Commandments, being the starting-point of the Word and so of the church which was to be established among the Israelite nation, and being in short compass a summary of the whole of religion, making a link between God and man and man and God, were so holy that nothing holier could exist. Their outstanding holiness is evident from the following points.
The Lord Jehovah Himself came down on Mount Sinai in fire and accompanied by angels, and from there proclaimed them out loud, and the mountain was hedged about to prevent anyone approaching and being killed. Neither the priests nor the elders came near, but only Moses. The Commandments were written on two stone tablets by the finger of God. When Moses brought the tablets down the second time, his face shone. The tablets were afterwards laid up in the Ark, and this was at the centre of the Tabernacle. It was surmounted by the mercy-seat, above which were placed cherubim made of gold. This central area of the Tabernacle, where the Ark was, was called the Holy of Holies. Outside the veil, inside which the Ark was, were placed many objects to represent the holy things of heaven and the church; these were a table overlaid with gold on which the bread of the Presence was put, a golden altar on which to put incense, and a golden lamp-stand with seven lamps; also curtains all round made of fine linen, purple and scarlet. The holiness of the whole of this Tabernacle was entirely due to the law contained in the Ark.
[2] It was on account of the holiness of the Tabernacle as containing the Ark, that the whole people of Israel were commanded to camp around it in the order of their tribes; and that they set out in order after it; and that there was a cloud over it by day and fire by night. It was because of the holiness of the law, and Jehovah's presence in it, that Jehovah spoke with Moses upon the mercy-seat between the cherubim; and that the Ark was called 'Jehovah-is-there'; and that Aaron was not allowed to go inside the veil except with sacrifices and incense, on pain of death. It was because of Jehovah's presence in and around the law, that miracles were done by means of the Ark containing the law. For instance, the waters of Jordan were parted, and the people crossed over on dry land so long as the Ark rested in its midst. Its being carried round the walls of Jericho caused them to fall down. Dagon, the god of the Philistines, first of all fell on his face in the presence of the Ark, and later was found lying with his head cut off together with the palms of his two hands upon the threshold of the shrine. On account of the Ark the men of Bethshemesh were smitten to the number of many thousands. Uzzah was killed by touching the Ark. The Ark was brought into Zion by David with sacrifice and jubilation. Later it was put by Solomon into the Temple at Jerusalem, and he made its inner shrine there. From these and many other details it is plain that the Ten Commandments were the height of holiness for the Israelite church.
1 Kings 9
1
And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,
2
That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3
And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4
And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5
Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6
But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7
Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
8
And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?
9
And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.
10
And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king's house,
11
(Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.
12
And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not.
13
And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.
14
And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.
15
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
16
For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.
17
And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon the nether,
18
and Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land,
19
And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
20
And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel,
21
Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
22
But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
23
These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work.
24
But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.
25
And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house.
26
And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
27
And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28
And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
