K ING 'S BUSINESS PROPHECY SECTION Edited, by Dr. Charles L. Feinberg, Dean , Talbot Theological Seminary
TH E ..CH lTRC.H OF CHR IST
the KINGDOM o f CHR IST
As To Their Typical Distinction I t is a l m o s t t h e unfailing rule of Divine Revelation, when some great, doctrine is clearly set forth, that the said doctrine will have an Old Testament shadow or type which serves to break down into kindergarten figures the more or less abstract teaching. This is won derfully and graphically set before us in the picture of the Wilderness Tabernacle in comparison and contrast with Solomon’s Temple. The Wilderness Tabernacle is a type of the Church. This we see in Arts 7:38: “ This is he, that was in the church in the •wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who re ceived the lively oracles to give unto us:” The Temple, on the other hand, is a type and picture of the Kingdom. In the wilderness, you have a people “ called out” of Egypt a type of the world, found in a place of rejection, pilgrims and strangers with home ahead. The tabernacle which was the place of divine dwelling was in the midst of Israel, moved with the people, ever “ going,” a taber nacle, transferable, The furnishings were equipped with rings and staves, bespeaking its transitory nature. This tabernacle viewed from without, the point of view of the world, was just a tent, without ostentation or mani fest glory. One must needs be on the inside before such glory becomes evident. The government was theo cratic. The people were guided by two things: above them, the pillar of cloud and on earth the two trumpets made out of one piece of silver, a type of the Spirit and the Word. Their food was heavenly manna. Their sup port was by abundant free-will offerings. Exodus 36:1-7: “ Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise- hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and under standing to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded. And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: And they received of Moses all the offering, which the chil dren of Israel had brought for the work of the service
of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make. And Moses gave command ment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.” Solomon’s Temple, on the other hand, was in a place of acceptance, in the midst of a settled people, no longer strangers and pilgrims but as citizens of a Kingdom. There was great ostentation, a magnificent appearance, appealing to the eye, admired by the world. The Temple was stationary; the people came up and brought their tithes and offerings to support both the temporal and spiritual. The rule was also theocratic but with a visible ruler, upon a throne in Jerusalem. Their food was the old com (permanency) and new wine (joy;. The application is evident. In the tabernacle we see the nature of the Church, called out of the world, living as pilgrims and strangers, ever moving, taking the gospel out, without ostentation or show, feeding daily upon Christ. Observe what has happened and is happening to the Church today. She is trying to be a Temple, with glory in the world, settled down, waiting to be minis tered unto. She has lost her going proclivities, her mis sionary spirit and fervor. There she stands, the paramour of the world, feted and flattered and robbed of her virtue, the same world system that crucified her Lord and mar tyred His disciples. Oh, that God would bring us back to see our divinely-ordered place and manner of living and testimony. The church’s glory has become her same, her self-satisfaction, her ruin, her mighty cathedral her indictment, her program, her blind folly. Day by day Christendom is taking on the likeness of the Laodiceans, the last stage preceding the end of the age. Rev. 3:14-19: “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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