FIRST, of the MOST HOLY PLACE.—
"For the entering of the oracle [speaking-place] he made doors of olive
tree [oil trees] : the lintel and side-posts were a fifth part,"
That is, of the width of the house. The Most Holy Place, being twenty cubits
wide, a fifth part is four cubits. “The two doors also were of olive tree
[oil trees]; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and
open flowers [openings of flowers], and overlaid them with gold, and spread
gold upon the cherubim, and upon the palm trees" (1 Kings vi., 31, 32.;
Ezek. 41., 23-25).
Second, of the TEMPLE, or HOLY PLACE. - " So also made he for the
door of the Temple side-posts of oil trees, from the fourth part" (1 Kings
vi., 33 [Hebrew]). The fourth part of the width of the house is five cubits.
The posts of the door of oil tree two cubits, and the door six cubits (Ezek.
41., 3). “And the two doors were of fir [cypress] tree: the two leaves of
the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
And he carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers [openings of
flowers]: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work" (1 Kings
vi., 34, 35). The doors were divided in the centre into two folding leaves,
reminding us of the rent vail - Christ crucified. They appear to be typical of
Christ Jesus, by whom we draw near to God; and through Him, by faith in Him, we
have boldness of access, not only into the Holy Place but also into the Holiest
of all (Heb. x., 19-22) The one of OIL tree, type of Christ risen in His
Spiritual body; the other of fir or CYPRESS, in His resurrection STRENGTH;
while the carvings and the gold set forth the various perfections and Divine
glory.
THE VAIL.
There are significant variations in the colour and materials of the vails of
the Tabernacle and Temple. In the vail of the Tabernacle it is SCARLET, which
means "the splendour of a worm "), typical of the royal dignity of
the Son of Man, as born King of the Jews. In the Temple it is CRIMSON (Heb.
Carmel), the emblem of fruitfulness and excellency (see Isa. xxxvi., 2), and of
the glory of Christ in resurrection, In the vail of the Tabernacle FINE LINEN
is Sheesh, white, the emblem of pure human nature; in that of the Temple
it is another Hebrew word, But, white and glistening, as the raiment of Christ
was on the Transfiguration Mount.
It was the vail of Herod's Temple that was rent in twain at the death of
Christ. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus, by a new (newly-slain) and living way, which He hath
consecrated (or inaugurated) for us, through the vail, that is to say, his
flesh" (Heb. X:19)
In the Tabernacle there was only a vail between the Holy and Most Holy Place;
in Solomon’s Temple there was a two-leaved, olivewood, gold-covered door
as well as a vail. In the Temple of Ezekiel there is no vail, only a turning
door, divided in the centre, making manifest the way into the Holiest. The
Tabernacle vail is typical of the spotless humanity of the Lord Jesus -
"The Word made flesh, who tabernacled among us." The vail of the
Temple is the type of the same humanity in resurrection dignity, fruitfulness,
and glory. Not only was Jesus the Son of David, but also the Son of God: not
only the heir of David’s throne, but the One who
has sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high.
The Cherubim.
THE word "cherub" is of doubtful interpretation; it probably
signifies “like the majesty." The plural is “cherubim “ - I
believe emblematic of those whom God employs to communicate His mind or to
perform His will. We first read of the cherubim in Gen. 3., 24 - "He
placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim . . . to keep the way of the
tree of life “ - here evidently emblematic of ANGELIC ministry. Next they
are seen on the mercy-seat of the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 25., 20), of pure
GOLD, a continuation of the golden propitiatory, therefore Divine - an emblem
of the Eternal Spirit. The Mercy-seat, or Propitiatory, represents the mercy or
loving-kindness of God, which is from everlasting to everlasting. The cherubim
were beaten out of the two ends of the mercy-seat, and their wings, meeting
above, formed a complete circle. Their faces were towards the mercy-seat,
setting forth the fact that the atoning work of Christ was the centre purpose
of God, the Eternal Spirit foretelling and foreshadowing it before its
accomplishment, and keeping up the remembrance of it throughout eternity.
In Incarnation the Spirit of Jehovah rested on the Man Christ Jesus, fitting
Him for His earthly service; and “through the Eternal Spirit He offered
Himself without spot to God" (Heb. 9., 14). Then, as the Priest in
resurrection, He received the anointing of the Holy Spirit for His priestly and
eternal service in Heaven.
The various emblems used in Scripture to describe the operations of the Spirit
of God are exceedingly beautiful and significant.
First, there is the overshadowing or fluttering wing - " The Spirit of God
moved (or fluttered) upon the face of the waters" (Gen. 1., 2). "As
an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her
wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings" (Deut. 32., 11). When the
Spirit descended on Christ at His baptism, it was in the form of a dove (Luke
3., 22). Christ risen and exalted has received the gifts of the Spirit, which
He has distributed for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of His
body (Eph. 4, 11, 12).
DIVINE AND SPIRITUAL AGENCY.
The Cherubim again figure largely, and are minutely described, in the prophecy
of Ezekiel, as the LIVING CREATURES of the vision. Here they appear to
symbolise the various characteristics of PROPHETIC ministry - the face of a
MAN, showing sympathy and intelligence; the ox, patient perseverance; the keen
eye, lofty flight, strong wing of the EAGLE; the LION emblem of boldness and
courage.
The four beasts, or LIVING ONES, in Rev. iv., 6-8, represent the CHURCH in
resurrection glory, as God’s agency for earth and Heaven, for time and for
Eternity.
When John was caught up into Heaven, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord in
John xxi., 22, he saw a throne and One seated on it. Four-and-twenty elders
were seated round about the throne, representing those of a former
dispensation, who, having died in Christ, rise first when Jesus comes: all who
have departed in the faith of Christ from Abel downwards, previous to the
Pentecostal dispensation.
Then we read - " In the midst of the throne and round about the throne
were four living ones." In chapter five, the Lamb as it had been slain is
seen standing in the midst of the throne, and these four living ones are
connected with Him. They are symbolic of the Church of the Firstborn, written
in Heaven - those who by the Pentecostal Spirit are baptised into one body, one
spirit with the Lord. When to these we add the multitude that no man can
number, we see the whole of those who share the first resurrection.
The TWO LARGE cherubim in the Holiest of the Temple of Solomon (1 Kings vi.,
23-28; 2 Chron. iii., 10-13) represent, I believe, the ministry of ALL THE
REDEEMED in its heavenly exercise. They were of olive tree or OILY wood, type
of the spiritual body, serving in the power of the SPIRIT of God; of image
work, as conformed to the image of the risen CHRIST. Overlaid with GOLD, as
partakers of a glory which is Divine; their height, ten cubits; the WINGS reach
from wall to wall, meeting in the centre, over the mercy-seat of the Lord. The
ministry of the redeemed in glory will be extensive, having the mystery of
redeeming love in Christ Jesus for its centre, filling all Heaven, and
continuing through all eternity.
THE CHARIOT OF THE CHERUBIM.
David gave to Solomon "gold for the pattern of the chariot of the
cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the Ark of the Covenant of
Jehovah" (1 Chron. xxviii., 18). Psalm lxviii., 17, appears to throw light
on this subject - "The chariot (singular) of God is twenty thousand [two
myriads], even thousands of angels [or changed ones]: the Lord [Adonahy] is
among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place." We may compare with this
Deut. xxxiii., 2 - " Jehovah came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto
them; He shined forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of
saints" [holy myriads]. Also in Jude 14, the prophecy of Enoch - "
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands [myriads] of His saints" [holy
ones].
The CHARIOT OF THE CHERUBIM and the two cherubim in the Most Holy Place appear
to be the same, and to represent those holy ones whom God employs as the
vehicle of His visitation to His creatures, the ministers of His will, and the
manifesters of His glory. The whole illimitable universe of God will be filled
with the manifestation of Divine grace and glory, and God will make His
redeemed ones the especial ministers of this manifestation. For God will
"head up together all things in Christ, both which are in the heavens and
which are on the earth"; and the Church is the fulness of Him that filleth
all in all (Eph. i., 9, 10, 21, 22).
The Ark of the Covenant.
AT the dedication of the Temple it was brought up out of the city of David, and
carried into the oracle of the house, the Most Holy Place, even under the wings
of the cherubim (2 Chron. v., 7-10). This was the Ark which was in the Tent of
the Congregation in the Wilderness (Ex. xxv., 10-17). It is a complete type of
the Lord Jesus Christ - a full-length representation of Immanuel - of His
INCARNATION, as typified by the shittim wood (John i., 14), of His DIVINE
nature by the gold (1 Tim. iii., 16), of His PERFECT OBEDIENCE by the unbroken
tables of the law within (Psalm xl., 8), His atoning DEATH, the foundation of
God’s merciful actions, by the BL00D-Stained mercy-seat (Ex. xii., 13),
His RISEN glory by the crown of gold round about (Heb. ii., 9), and the FULNESS
of the SPIRIT received in ascension by the cherubim on the mercy-seat (Acts
ii., 33). There were RINGS of GOLD and STAVES of SHITTIM WOOD overlaid with
GOLD. These staves were put into the rings, never to be taken out so long as
Israel continued a wandering people (Ex. xxv., 12-15), reminding us of the
promise, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age,"
never leaving, never forsaking. "Where two or three are gathered together
in My name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. xviii., 20). There He
is, in the tenderness of His humanity and the glorious perfection of His
Godhead - shittim wood overlaid with pure gold.
When that Ark was brought to its resting-place under the shadow of the larger
cherubim, these staves were drawn out of the rings and placed behind the Ark,
so that the heads of the staves were seen from before the oracle; the staves
were hidden behind the Ark; wilderness wanderings will soon be over, but God
will have His abiding presence with His people to be kept in everlasting
remembrance. We should look back with thanksgiving and praise to Him who was
always with us here below.
THE CROWN OF GOLD.
"And thou shalt make upon it a CROWN OF GOLD round about." Beautiful
type of the exaltation of the Lord Jesus in resurrection and ascension; in the
presence of God "crowned with glory and honour," the sufferings of
death for ever past.
THE TABLES OF THE LAW.
In the Ark were placed the two unbroken tables of the law on which God wrote
with His own finger when Moses went up to the mount a second time. The first
tables were provided by God Himself, but broken by Moses owing to Israel’s
transgression. These tables were typical of the covenant of works, by which no
man can be justified before God. The second tables, having been prepared by
Moses and written again by God, were deposited in the Ark, and are typical of
the New Covenant in Christ Jesus. They also remind us of the words of Him who
said, "In the volume of the Book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy
will, 0 My God. Yea, Thy law is within My heart" (Psalm xl., 8). The Lord
Jesus, made of a woman, made under the law, in His life of perfect obedience,
doing the will of God, magnified the law, and made it honourable.
THE PROPITIATORY.
Above the two tables was the Propitiatory, upon which the blood of atonement
was sprinkled by the high priest once a year, when he entered into the holiest.
First, with incense beaten small, which he put on the censer, from which a
cloud covered the Propitiatory, a type of Christ entering the Holiest in the
memorial of His life and character and walk and work on earth.
Then the high priest dipped his finger in the blood of the bullock, which had
been slain without, and sprinkled it on the mercy-seat eastward. Why eastward?
Because that was the line in which the worshippers must draw nigh as they
entered. When God sees that blood of atonement, the way is clear for the
worshippers to draw near. It seems to say, "Though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like Crimson, they -
shall be as wool" (Isa. i., 18). Scarlet seen through crimson appears
white to view; so God looks upon the approaching worshipper through the crimson
light of Christ’s atoning blood. Having sprinkled the blood ONCE eastward
beneath the eye of God, the priest sprinkles it SEVEN TIMES before the
mercy-seat, for the eye of the worshipper drawing near. Thus we come right with
God in full assurance of faith, knowing that we are welcome through the way of
redemption there. The Propitiatory, therefore, sets forth Christ in His atoning
death, as the tables in the Ark tell of His perfect life of obedience.