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THE PINS OF THE TABERNACLE
Andrew Bonar
Exo_27:19; Exo_38:31; Exo_39:40.
These verses teach us a great deal.
I. God's notice of little things.—He takes time to speak about them, and bids Moses write about them. He says as much about the 'pins' in these passages as He does about the work of creation.
II. God's notice of those who carried the pins (Num_3:36, Num_3:37).—The pins and the cords were under the charge of the sons of Merari, and God looked on those who carried the pins—the very smallest things connected with His work. They marched through the desert—they got the same gleams from the Pillar-Cloud as those who carried the Ark or the Candlestick. It is just like our God to attend to the small things very carefully: the wing of a fly, a blade of grass. It is characteristic of His greatness that He can attend to the small things as well as to the great—while He is listening to the praises of eternity He can be thinking on those who are carrying the pins of the tabernacle. Does not this appear in what Christ says, 'Not a sparrow falls to the ground without your Father'? 'The very hairs of your head are all numbered.' What comfort there is in this! Are you ever afraid to tell God your small things, as if they were not worth while His attending to? But your great things are not any more worth attending to. This should lead us to lay our care upon Him, to trust Him better.
III. This teaches us to be contented with out lot.—The sons of Merari might say, 'Why do our brethren the Kohathites carry the Ark?' Because God said it; that is all. He that serves most is the greatest in the kingdom. He who carries the pins may get the greatest reward. You may think you are in a very small sphere. God says, 'Here is your sphere, here stand.' The poorest Israelite, serving God in his dwelling, might get as much of the divine favour as did Daniel, who was governor over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces. Do not say, 'I want to get out of the rut into another place.' If you get out of the rut of carrying pins when God put you there, you will not be blessed. Are we in the camp with God? That is the great thing. Come to the altar and lay your hand on the sacrifice, and thus claim a sinner's access to a holy God. Then God will give you your place, and, whether it be large or small, He will shine on you with the brightness of His face for ever and ever!
Transcribed from Reminiscences of Andrew A.Bonar D.D. first published
LONDON, HODDER AND STOUGHTON,
27 Paternoster Row
1895
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