DAVID provided "for the altar of incense refined gold by
weight." And with this the whole altar of cedar was overlaid (1 Kings vi.,
20, 22; 1 Chron. xxviii., 18). The altar stood before the vail. CEDAR ts the
type of the Lord Jesus Christ in resurrection, overlaid with GOLD, setting
forth the Divine glory of His person, the One in whose name we worship, who
said, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name; ask, and ye shall
receive, that your joy may be full" (John xvi., 24). Not only is He the
one Mediator between God and man in time, but He is the One through whom
throughout eternity all praise, honour, and glory, in the power of the Holy
Ghost, will be given to God the Father. "God also hath highly exalted Him,
and given Him a name which is above every name: that at [in] the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, ot things in heaven, and things in [on] earth, and
things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. ii., 9-11). Worship in the
ages past was paid direct to the Triune God, as in Isa. vi., where the thrice
holy, Three in One, Jehovah, is the object of adoration. But now there is One
to whom a Name has been given above every name, and IN that Name every knee
must bow. From that time a new order of worship has been established in the
universe; and throughout the countless ages of eternity the hosts of Heaven
will render all thanksgiving, glory, honour, and power to the Triune God in the
name of Jesus Christ. This is what the Golden Altar in the sanctuary of God
signifies.
All these varied types are shadows, the substance of which is to be found in
the Person, Work, and Offices of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was God who gave the
commandment, "Thou shalt make." They are the embodiment of Divine
thought concerning His beloved Son.
The Tables of Shewbread.
IN the Tabernacle in the wilderness there was one table of shittim wood
overlaid with gold, representing God’s prevision for His ransomed people
in this dispensation. The twelve loaves upon that table tell of full provision
for the whole family of God throughout all their wilderness days.
The table sets forth the Lord Jesus as the centre and ground of communion with
God, in the power of the Spirit, for the redeemed while here on earth.
In the Temple of Solomon there were TEN TABLES OF GOLD, five on the one side
and five on the other (1 Kings vii., 48 2 Chron. iv., 8). The TABLE is a type
of the Lord Jesus Christ as the centre and ground of COMMUNION in the power of
the Holy Ghost. The BREAD thereon is God’s provision in Christ for all His
ransomed ones when safely brought home to glory. He is the true bread which
endureth unto everlasting life (John vi., 32-58).
THE TABLES OF SILVER.
Silver for the tables of silver" (1 Chron. xxviii., 16). The silver tables
were probably in use in the side-chambers of the Temple and elsewhere. SILVER
is not only a type of REDEMPTION, but of COMMUNION on the ground of
redemption, for it was the chief
circulating medium.
The Interior of the temple - Artist's impression (John Ritchie)
The Golden Lampstands.
"AND the candlesticks [lampstands] of pure gold, five on the right side,
and five on the left, before the oracle [speaking-place] with the flowers, and
the lamps, and the tongs of gold, and the bowls, and the snuffers, and the
basons, and the spoons, and the censers [fire-pans or snuff-dishes] of pure
gold" (I Kings vii., 49, 50; 2 Chron. iv., 7, 20-22).
In the Temple there were TEN GOLDEN LAMP-STANDS, with their
SEVENTY LAMPS. The word is generally rendered "candlestick," but the
word "candle " never occurs in the sacred Scriptures, neither in the
Hebrew nor in the Greek; it is always "lamp" and
"larnpstand." The LAMPSTAND is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ as the
centre, source, and subject of testimony in the power of the Holy Ghost. The
CENTRE SHAFT is typical of His own personal ministry; the BRANCHES of ministry
in the Church by the evangelist, pastor, teacher. The candle is self-sufficient
and self-continuing; you have only to light it, and it burns from beginning to
end. Not so the lamp, which is dependent on the OIL, typical of the HOLY
SPIRIT. There lies the difference between that ministry which is in the words
which the Holy Ghost teacheth, and that ministry which is the result of
man’s wisdom and intellect. Real ministry is dependent on the presence and
power of the HOLY SPIRIT, who has come to testify of Jesus, to take of the
things of Christ in the glory of the Father, and reveal them to us, and to show
us things to come. In Rev. xxi., 23, we read, "And the city had no need of
the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten
it, and the Lamb is the light [lamp] thereof." Christ is not only the
centre and source and subject of trutn in the present time, but He will
continue to be so throughout eternity; light in the glory tenfold; in beauty,
splendour, and truth revealed, there we shall bask in His full light.
THE SILVER LAMPSTANDS.
"And for the candlesticks [lampstands] of silver by weight" (1 Chron.
xxviii., 15). The SILVER lampstands were probably for the use of the priests in
me side-chambers of the sanctuary, and express spiritual truth held in the
COMMUNION of saints, by the teaching of the Spirit of
God.
The Golden and Silver Vessels.
"ALSO pure gold for the flesh-hooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for
the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; likewise silver by
weight for every bason of silver" (1 Chron. xxviii., 17; 1 Kings vii., 48,
50; 2 Chron. iv., 8, 11, 19). In the flesh-hooks, bowls, and covered bowls,
some precious thoughts are suggested by the roots of the Hebrew words. These
vessels of gold and silver were probably among the treasures of the House of
God, laid up in the lower side-chambers of the Temple. Even so, God’s holy
priesthood are stewards of sacred mysteries, the antitypes of these, to be the
themes of adoring wonder and grateful praise to countless myriads throughout
all eternity above. What more precious to the saints on earth or to the
redeemed in glory than thoughts of the sufferings of Christ, His precious
blood, His complete atonement! These are some of the things set forth by these
instruments and vessels.
The root of the Hebrew word for FLESH-HOOK is "to draw out " -
suggestive of the thought of the blood-shedding of Immanuel.
"The very spear that pierced His side, Drew forth the blood to
save."
The root of the word for BOWL is "to sprinkle." These bowls or basons
were probably employed in carrying the blood into the Holiest when the blood of
atonement was SPRINKLED there. . It is the blood of Jesus which gives boldness
of access within the vail.
That rich atoning blood
Which, sprinkled round, we see
Provides for all who come to God
An all-prevailing plea."
The root of the word Cup - or, more properly, "cover " - is "to
be hard," and, when repeated, is employed to express the scales of a fish
and scale armour, giving the thought of security and defence. What a shelter
for the soul is the precious blood of Jesus! Over the blood-sprinkled
habitations in Egypt the destroying angel passed. What an impenetrable scale
armour it affords, combining freedom of action with perfect security.
The word rendered BASONS here properly signfies "covered bowls." The
root of the word is "to cover, to expiate, to make atonement." This
suggests ATONEMENT fully made. What treasures for the treasuries of God! What
memorials for eternity! What things for angels to look into! to be explained
and unfolded by those who have been the subjects of redeeming grace in the ages of eternity to come.
The Two Pillars: Jachin and Boaz.
T HE pillars of brass which stood by the porch of the Temple, one on either
side, are mentioned in seven places in the Scriptures - i Kings vii., 13-2!,
41-46; 2 Kings xxv., 16, 17; 2 Chron. iii., 15-17; 2 Chron. iv., 12, 13; Jer.
lii., 20-23; Ezekiel xl., 49. On the surface these accounts appear to vary; it
requires prayerful waiting upon God, and pondering His Holy Word, to harmonise
the whole. It has been found with this as with other apparent discrepancies of
Scripture, that they are, in fact, Divine perfections. and the seeming
diversities tend to the elucidation of the truth.
"Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain."
THE HEIGHT.
In two or three places the height is given as EIGHTEEN cubits apiece, the
chapiter on the top ef each pillar was FIVE cubits, making the entire height
twenty-three cuhits. In 2 Chron. iii., 15, we read,
"He made before the house two pillars of THIRTY and FIVE cubits
high." In the margin you will find the Hebrew word rendered
"high" should be "long"; the Hebrew word used for
"pillar" signifies "round pillar"; the length of the round
shaft was seventeen and a half cubits each pillar, the two together making
THIRTY-FIVE cubits long; if we add half a cubit for the pedestal we have
eighteen as the height of each.
With regard to the POSITION of the pillars, the word which in 1 Kings is
rendered "in " signifies "by " - " He set up the
pillars by the porch of the Temple"; and this corresponds with 2 Chron.
iL, 17, "He reared up the pillars before the Temple. They were cast
"in the clay ground between Succoth; and Zarthan (1 Kings vii., 46); they
were hollow, and the thickness of the brass was four fingers" (Jer. Iii.,
21). BRASS is the emblem of strength; HOLLOW expresses emptiness. Those skilled
in these questions say that the proportions of thickness and sze here given are
those whereby the greatest amount of strength is secured with the smallest
quantity of metal. That is just like God in His perfect wisdom.
THE CHAPITERS, OR CROWNS.
In 1 Kings vii., 16, the chapiters - .or crowns, as the Hebrew word
Cotharoth signifies - are said to be five cubits high; in verse 19 the
lily work is said to be four cubits; and in 2 Kings xxv., 17, "the height
of the chapiter was three cubits." The truth is, I apprehend, that each of
these chapiters consisted of four parts - (l) a square ledge on the top, half a
cubit thick, on which were the pomegranates; (2) a similar ledge at the bottom;
(3) a bowl of pommel of one cubit deep (1 Kings vii., 41); and (4) a belly of
protuberance of three cubits (1 Kings vi, 20); the two last together, covered
with LILY WORK, would make the FOUR cubits, and two ledges would complete the
height of FIVE cubits. The chapiters also were covered with a NETWORK or
CHEQUER work, expressive of TEMPERANCE and SELF-CONTROL (1 Kings vii., 17, 18).
THE POMEGRANATES.
The number is variously given; the pomegranates were in two rows, TWELVE in a
row, TWENTY-FOUR on the upper ledge of each pillar, and TWENTY-FOUR on the
lower ledge, fronting the four winds (Jer. lii,, 23) - that is, fronting the
east, west, north, and south---- forty-eight on each pillar, ninety-six
together, one pomegranate at each corner of the ledges, makng ONE HUNDRED round
about on each ledge, two hundred on EACH pillar. The number on the two pillars
was four hundred. The pomegranates and lily work speak of the FRUITS and GRACES
of the SPIRIT.
THE CHAINS.
The SEVEN CHAINS of WREATHEN work on each pillar tell of entire subjection, and
that which it results in, fulness of honour. In the English translation there
is a constant confusion between the network or chequer work and the chain work
or wreaths - seven chains suspended on each pillar. The confusion is not in the
Hebrew Scriptures, which are perfectly clear and distinct - but in the
translation. It is only from the Hebrew originals it is possible to harmonise
these various discrepancies.
POSITION AND NAMES.
Solomon "reared up the pillars before the Temple, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hind Jachin
[‘He will establish’], and the name of that on the left Boaz
[‘In Him is strength’] (2 Chron. iii., 17). They are silent but
eloquent testimony-bearers of the great truths of ESTABLISHMENT BY GOD and
STRENGTH IN CHRIST. The truths thus declared are .expressed by the Holy Ghost
in 2 Cor. 1., 21 - " Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and
hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the
Spirit in our hearts."
We learn from the sacred Scriptures that God foresaw that the creature could
not stand in its own strength, could not sustain itself by its own strength,
and for this He made provision from all eternity. As He foresaw, so it came to
pass. Angels, and one evidently of the mightiest order, fell and kept not their
first estate. Man, placed at the head of the lower creation, made in the image
of God, tempted by Satan. likewise fell. Thus corruption and defilement entered
the creation of God, through angels into its height, and through man into its
depth. It is in this sense that, as we read in Job xv., 15, " The heavens
are not clean in His sight." The same infinite wisdom which foresaw all
this provided a remedy in the Son of God Incarnation, redemption, resurrection,
the gift of the Holy Spirit received by Christ in ascension, and bestowed on
men, are God’s means. This is a chain linking time with eternity and God
with man.
The first wondrous link we find in the INCARNATION, God manifest in flesh. On
that emptied and dependent One the Holy Ghost rested, the Spirit of Jehovah was
poured without measure.
In Heaven there is a throne set, and One sitteth on the throne. Man lost
Paradise by having a will ot his own. In Gethsemane we see the surrender of :he
will of the Perfect Man, who said, " Not My will, Lut Thine be done"
(Matt. xxvi., 36-44). So, as sin entered by man having a will of his own, God
counteracted it by a perfect and surrendered will. "It pleased the Father
that in Him should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood
of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; through Him, I say,
whether they be things in earth or things in heaven" (Col. i., 19, 20).
Thus a link has been formed, by the atoning work of Christ, between the
reconciled creature and the Creator. He "became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly exalted Hm, and given
Him a name above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee should
bow" (Phil. ii., 9-11). Henceforth every ascription of honour and glory
and power must be given to the Father through the Sun, IN (Greek) His name must
every knee bow. Since Jesus Christ has been constituted the Head of the
creation of God, and is the firstborn from among the dead, the security of the
universe is headed up in Christ, the second Man, the Lord from Heaven (see Eph.
i., 9, 10). Here is at once the foundation Cornerstone and the Head-stone of
universal security. It is laid deep, low in Bethlehem’s manger, deeper
still at Calvary’s cross and Joseph’s new tomb. In th, finished work
of Christ is laid the deep foundation of the security of the creation of God;
and in a risen and glorified Christ is seen the keystone of the arch - God the
Father establishing in Christ the Son, and crowning the whole with the graces,
gifts, and perfection of the Divine Eternal Spirit.