Acts 7 verse 44
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. (KJV)
The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, as He who spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.
(IB)
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Retranslation: Our fathers had the Tent of Meeting, symbolizing the seeker’s lonely experience in the wilderness of errors regarding the nature of God and doubts about the existence of God. God commanded Moses that he should make this symbolic structure according to the model which he had experienced in seeking and finding communion.
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GOD “FURNISHES” EVIDENCE OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD!
NOTE: I was immediately attracted to the word furniture (root meaning of the word tabernacle, see below) because of my previous study of the Tabernacle in the book of Revelation. The Tabernacle, also known as the “Tent of Meeting,” contains objects called "furniture" which are really symbols of the steps to spiritual communion. Here they are, in the order they are experienced: (the following is taken from Studies in the Apocalypse of John of Patmos by Edith Armstrong Hoyt, pp.11-13)
Door = the desire to enter into communion with God, into the Presence.
Brazen alter = willingness to give up (sacrifice) the most valuable material possessions, to go forward into communion. Jesus was associated with this step and called “The Lamb of God” because he was willing to give up his most valuable human possession, human life, to go forward into his communion, his proof by resurrection and ascension, of eternal life itself.
Laver = purification of thought after the sacrifice.
Step four requires entrance into the “inner Tabernacle” which has two rooms, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. The Holy Place has three pieces of furniture:
Seven-branched golden lampstand (candlestick) = ever-presence of spiritual illumination.
Twelve tablets of unleavened bread (shew bread) = ever-presence of spiritual sustainment in the recognition of God’s allness. Jesus called himself the “light of the world” and the “bread of life,” using symbols of the fourth and fifth steps.
Altar of incense = continuing to stand in the sustaining presence of spiritual light, the seeker experiences gratitude and appreciation for God’s allness.
Beyond the curtains or veil, in back of the altar of incense, is the Holy of Holies, with one piece of furniture:
Ark of the Covenant = Communion! It contains the Decalogue, Aaron’s rod and manna. The cherubim and seraphim = wisdom and understanding.
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tabernacle 4633 skene, apparently akin to 4632 and 4639; a tent or cloth hut (lit. of fig.):------habitation, tabernacle.
4632 skeuos, of uncertain affinity; a vessel, implement, equipment or apparatus (lit. or fig.) [specifically a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband]):-----goods, vessel, sail, stuff.
4639 skia, apparently a primary word; “shade” or shadow (lit. or fig. [darkness of error or an adumbration]):----shadow.
vessel (Origins Dict. p. ): (See Vase, para. 3) L. vas, a recipient, more tall than wide, for liquids. L. vas has a diminutive vascellum, with plural vascella, yielding Old-French vessele, with variation vessel adopted by Middle-English; the sense ‘ship’ derives from the fact that an empty vase made of light material will float,----a sense that arose in French as early as the 12th century.
vessel (1828 Dict. def.):
- A cask or utensil proper for holding liquors and other things, as a tun, a pipe, a puncheon, a hogshead, a barrel, a firkin, a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a dish, etc.
- Something containing.
Vessels of wrath, in Scripture, are such persons as are to receive the full effects of God’s wrath and indignation, as a punishment for their sins.
Vessels of mercy, are person who are to receive the effects of God’s mercy, or future happiness and glory.
Chosen vessels, ministers of the gospel, as appointed to bear the glad news of salvation to others; called also earthen vessels, on account of their weakness and frailty.
implement (Origins Dict. p. ): (See Plenary, para. 14) The L. root is ple-, as in the simple plere, to fill; Gr. pletho, I am full. L. implere, to fill up (im- vaguely intensive), to fulfil, has derivative implementum, a filling up, whence E. implement.
implement (1828 Dict. def.): Whatever may supply wants; particularly, as now used, tools, utensils, vessels, instruments; the tools or instruments of labor; the vessels used in a kitchen, etc.; as the implements of trade or husbandry. [It is a word of very extensive signification.]
equipment (Origins Dict. p. ): (See Ship, para. 4) From the Late German form of Old High German scif, a ship, comes Old French-Middle French esquiper (English-French equiper), to fit out, originally a ship, later a body of men, finally an individual: when E. ‘to equip.’ Derivative late Middle-French equipage and E-F equipement becomes E. equipage, equipment.
equipment (1828 Dict. def.):
- The act of equipping, or fitting for a voyage or expedition.
- Any thing that is used in equipping; furniture; habiliments; warlike apparatus; necessaries for an expedition, or for a voyage; as the equipments of a ship or an army.
apparatus (Origins Dict. p. ): Adopted from L. past participle of apparare (apparatus), to prepare: as- for ad, to + parare, to make ready, stem par-, apparently akin to parere (stem par-), to bring forth (a child): the semantic link is clear and strong. Compare “apparel”.
apparatus (1828 Dict. def.):
1. Things provided as means to some end; as the tools of an artisan; the furniture of a house; instruments of war. In more technical language, a complete of instruments or utensils, for performing any operations.
witness 3142 martyrion, neuter of a presumed derivative of 3144; something evidential, i.e. (generally) evidence given or (specifically) the Decalogue (in the sacred Tabernacle):----to be testified, testimony, witness.
evidential (ibid.): affording evidence; clearly proving.
evidence (ibid.): That which elucidates and enables the mind to see truth; proof arising from our own perceptions by the senses, or from the testimony of others, or from inductions of reason. Our senses furnish evidence of the existence of matter, of solidity, of color, of heat and cold, of a difference in the qualities of bodies, of figure, etc. The declarations of a witness furnish evidence of facts to a court and jury; and reasoning, or the deductions of the mind from facts or arguments, furnish evidence of truth or falsehood.
3144 martys, of uncertain affinity; a witness (literal [judicial] or figurative [generally]); by analogy a “martyr”:-----martyr, record, witness.
was 2258
fathers 3962
in 1722 en, a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); “in,” at, on, upon, by, etc. Often used in compounds with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (ellipitically) by a separate (and different) preposition:-----about, after, against, almost, altogether, among, as, at, before, between, by here by (+ all means), for (. . .sake of), give self wholly to, in, herein, into, inwardly, mightily, (because) of, on, upon, -ly (e.g. openly, speedily), outwardly, one, quickly, shortly, that, there, therein, thereon, through, throughout, to, unto, toward, under, when where, wherewith, while, with, within.
desert 2048 eremos, of uncertain affinity; lonesome, i.e. (by implication) waste (usually as a noun, 5561 being implied):---desert, desolate, solitary, wilderness.
5561 chora, feminine of a derivative of the base of 5490 through the idea of empty expanse; room, i.e. a space of territory (more of less extensive; often including its inhabitants):----coast, county, fields, ground, land, region. Compare 5117.
5490 chasma, from a form of an obsolete primary cheao (to “gape” or “yawn”); a “chasm” or vacancy (impassable interval):----gulf.
5117 topos, apparently a primary word; a spot (generally in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas 5561 is a larger but particular locality), i.e. location (as a position, home, tract, etc.); figuratively condition, opportunity; specifically a scabbard:-----coast, license, place, plain, quarter, rock, room, where.
commanded 1299
speaking 2980
Moses 3475
make 4160 poieo, apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):-----abide, agree, appoint, avenge, band together, be bear, bewray, bring (forth), ast out, cause, commit, content, continue, deal, without any delay, (would) do, doing, execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, journeying, keep, lay, wait, lighten the ship, make, mean, none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, have purged, purpose, put, raising up, secure, shew, shoot out, spend, take, tarry, transgress the law, work, yield. Compare 4238.
it 846
according to 2596 kata, a primary particle; (preposition) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case [genitive, dative or accusative] with which it is joined). In compounds it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution or intensity:----about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) alone, among, and, apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to, touching), aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, [charita-]bly, concerning, covered, [dai-]ly, down, every, ( + far more) exceeding, more excellent, for, from . . . to, godly, in (divers, every, respect of), inasmuch, into, . . . by, after the manner of, by any means, beyond (out of) measure, mightily, more, natural, of, on (part), upon, out (of every), over against, (+ your) own, particularly, so through, throughout (every), thus, to, unto, together, toward, uttermost, where, whereby, with.
pattern 5179 typos, from 5180; a die (as struck), i.e. (by implication) a stamp or scar; by analogy a shape, i.e. a statue, (figuratively) style or resemblance; specifically a sampler (“type”), i.e. a model (for imitation) or instance (for warning):-----example, fashion, figure, form, manner, pattern, print.
which 3739
seen 3708 horao; properly to stare at [compare 3700], i.e. (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); by extension to attend to; by Hebrew to experience; passive to appear:----behold, perceive, see, take heed.
