Talbot - Christ in the Tabernacle

THE CAMP OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

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CHRIST IN THE TABERNACLE

A Series of Radio Messages

Louis T. Talbot Pastor, Church of the Open Door Los Angeles, California

FOREWORD It is the purpose of this volume to send out in printed form the heart of the message concerning "The Glories of Christ As Foreshadowed in the Jewish Tabernacle," as we sought to present them in our radio Bible class. In the God-given instructions concerning the priesthood and the earthly sanctuary, which was God's dwelling place among His people, Israel, during their wilderness wanderings, we saw many significant "shadows of good things to come" in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is with gratitude to the friends and members of the radio Bible class for their gifts and prayers, which have made possible the publication of this series of studies, that we send forth these printed pages. And it is with gratitude to God, not only for these Christian friends, but above all for the glories of our crucified and risen Lord, as foreshadowed in the many beautiful lessons handed down to us through Moses, that we commit this book to His service. We trust Him to use it, by His grace, to magnify His name; and to lead never-dying souls to know Him as the only Saviour of sinners, the only Mediator between sinful man and a holy God. Acknowledgement is made for help received from the fol- lowing sources: "The Tabernacle in the Wilderness," by John Ritchie; "The Tabernacle and Its Services," by George Rodgers; "The Tabernacle, Priesthood, and Offerings," by I. M. Haldeman; "Handfuls on Purpose," by James Smith; and the "Christian Workers' Commentary," by James M. Gray. -L. T. T.

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGB I.-"An Earthly Sanctuary'' with a Heavenly Meaning--~9 11.-The High Priest and His Sons__________26 Christ-Our Great High Priest and His Believer-Priests IIT.-The Court and the Gate,_____________66 Christ-The Way to a Holy God IV.-"The Tent of the Congregation"________ g4 God's Dwelling Place "in the Midst" of His People V.-The Brazen Altar______________l19 A Shadow of the Cross VI.-The Offerings upon the Brazen Altar______13 3 Christ-Our Offering on Calvary's Cross VII.-The Laver of Brass____________l62 Christ-Our Cleanser VIII.-The Golden Candlestick__________ 1s 1 Christ, "The True Light," and His "Children of Light" IX.-The Table of Shewbrea...______________201 Christ-"The Bread of Life'' X.-The Golden Altar of Incens__________219 Christ-Our "Advocate with the Father" XI.-The Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Sea.._____233 Christ-01ir God at "The Throne of Grace'' XII.-The Day of Atonement___________271 Another Shadow of the Cross and of Christ's Return in Glory XIII.-The Shekinah Glory upon the Fmished Tabernacle___292 [ 71

To my faithful friend and beloved brother in the Lord, Mr. Daniel Rose, Director of the Jewish De- partment of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, I dedicate this book as an expression of high esteem and Christian love.

Chapter I "AN EARTHLY SANCTUARY" WITH A HEAVENLY MEANING When God told Moses to build the tabernacle in the wilderness, according to the pattern which He showed him in the mount, He said: "Speak unto the children of Israel. . . . And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwdl among them" (Exod. 25:2, 8). When the inspired apostle explained the spiritual signif- icance of this, God's dwelling place among His people, Isra- el, He said to the Hebrew Christians: "We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Heb. 8: 1, 2) . These words from the New 'Testament not only give us the Holy Spirit's commentary on the meaning of the taber- nacle in the wilderness; but they are the key that unlocks a vast treasure of spiritual truth regarding the "earthly sanc- tuary" which Moses built, in order that God might dwell among His people. If we would understand the New Testa- ment teaching concerning this Jewish tabernacle, which was "a shadow of good things to come" (Heb. 10: 1), we should compare the Exodus record with the Epistle to the Hebrews, especially chapters eight and nine, which deal with the tabernacle in particular, though primarily with the ministry of Christ, our Great High Priest, in "the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." This comparison of the Old Testament with the New will un- fold to us "The Glories of Christ As Foreshadowed in the Jewish Tabernacle." Yea, it will reveal to us the wonders of [9]

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The Tabernacle the prophetic Scriptures, wherein the Holy Spirit "testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow" (I Peter 1: 11). In connection with the typical significance of the Jew- ish tabernacle, we have one of the many clear proofs that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; whereas the New Testament is the Old Testament re- vealed. Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus of the New. And the Triune God gave to Israel the tabernacle, the priesthood, and the offerings, in order that sinful man might recognize the promised Saviour, and understand the significance of His mission and death. When our Lord was among men, He was repeatedly bidding those who heard His teaching to study the Old Testament Scriptures. To the unbelieving Jews He said, "Yc search the scriptures (R. V.); for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which tes- tify of me.... Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" (John 5:39, 46). By "the scriptures" Christ meant the Old Testament; for the New Testament was not written until after He died, arose from the dead, and went back to heaven. And when He said, "Moses wrote of me," He included Exodus; for Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible as he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus the risen Lord also said that the prophets had foretold "the suffer- ings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27; cf. 24:26). Again, to the ten disciples, still later in the same eve- ning, He said,

The Tabernacle "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fu~filled, which were written in the law of Moses, and m the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Luke 24:44). That the tabernacle was typical of Christ and His re- demptive work on the cross, is clear from many statem:nts in the New Testament, some of which we shall cons1d~r in these studies. All the ministry of the priests in this "earthly sanctuary," yea, even the sai:ctuary it~elf, s~rved as a series of object lessons concermng salvation, smful man's access to a holy God, and his worship of the Re- deemer of sinners. It is as though God had painted a portrait of Christ some fifteen hundred. years befor~ He was to be born into the world as the Child of Bethlenem, in order that when He did "tabernacle among men" as the only begotten Son of God, all the world might recog- nize Him as the promised Saviour. Years ago, when I first left Australia to come to Amer- ica, my mother gave me photographs of my aunts and uncles in England, whom I was to visit en route. I h~d never seen them; for I was born in Australia, and had never been to England to visit them. On board the boat I studied these photographs very carefully; I wanted to be sure to recognize my relatives at the pier. And sure enough, I did know them, because their likenesses were stamped upon my mind. . . Had the Jews of our Lord's day confined their studies to the Old Testament, free from the traditions of men, they would have recognized their Messiah in a moment. If all men of this Christian era would only study the New Testament·in the light of the Old, they would look with wonder and awe upon the portrait of Christ in the Old Testament; for it is a true likeness of the suffering, risen,

The Tabernacle nacle, the story of redemption is written in language that can not be mistaken. Joseph had died; the good Pharaoh had died; and Is- rael was in bitter bondage. The opening chapter of this wonderful book tells the story of the slavery into which the «Pharaoh which knew not Joseph" had bound God's people. Israel's bondage to Egypt's wicked king is a pic- ture of the sinner's bondage to Satan and sin. Israel had no tabernacle, in which to worship God, no deliverer to lead her out from under the taskmaster's cruel lash, no Shekinah Glory to assure her that God was her Leader and Guide. Before the sinner can know anything of God's gracious guidance, he must know Him as a Deliv:rer, a Redeemer, a Saviour. The children of Israel were given a deliverer from the bondage of Egypt in the person of Moses; sinners are offered the only Saviour from bondage to Satan in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The story of the birth of Moses, his training for serv- ice, and his call from God to deliver Israel from Egyp- tian bondage is told in the early chapters of Exodus. Then follows the record of God's righteous judgment upon those who turned an unheeding ear and a rebellious heart toward God, the only Deliverer and Redeemer. The te~ plagues upon the Egyptians, only the first three of wh~ch came upon Israel, were judgments meted out to a _st_1ffnecked king, who, together with his people, defied the livmg Lord. Likewise, all who refuse to accept God's salvation in Christ Jesus must go into judgment, into everlasting torment, and eternal separation from God. Only by faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can the sinner be saved, redeemed from bondage to Satan and sin. The last of the ten plagues upon Egypt was associated with the first passover in Israel. And the paschal lamb was

12 The Tabernacle interceding, and reigning Lord Jesus. And such a pic- ture we are to behold in the study of the Jewish tabernacle, which we begin today. There is no portion of the Scrip- tures that will better establish a young believer in the faith and show him his position in Christ than that of the Jewish tabernacle. Every part of this "sanctuary" has a finger pointing to Christ and a tongue to tell forth His glory. Exodus-The Book of Redemption Exodus, the book in which the description of the tab- ernacle is found, logically follows Genesis, and precedes the three remaining books of Moses which come after- wards. Genesis tells the story of man's failure. Opening with the sublime expression, "In the beginning God ..." it closes with the symbolic words, " ... in a coffin in Egypt." From a perfect creation to sin and death, yet with hope through the promised Saviour-this is the story of Genesis. Then follows Exodus, the book of Redemp- tion. Leviticus tells how sinful man may worship a holy God. Numbers is the record of God's gracious guidance, in spite of human failure and murmuring. And Deuteron- omy is a rehearsal of God's ways with His redeemed, yet stumbling people. This, in brief, is the setting of the book which gives us the description, not only of the pattern of the taber- nacle that God gave to Moses on the mount, but also of the building of that sanctuary, in which He dwelt among His people. The entire book of Exodus covers forty chap- ters, thirteen of which have to do entirely with the taber- nacle and the priests who were to minister therein. Almost all of the latter half of the book is given over to a descrip- tion of this «tent of meeting" between God and His re- deemed children. But before mention is made of the taber-

The Tabernacle H redemption for all who will put their trust in His beloved Son. From the Red Sea on, the story is one of wilderness wandering for forty years; and in Exodus we read of how God fed His people with the manna and gave them drink from the smitten rock. Christ said that the bread from heaven was but a type of Him who came down from the Father, the Bread of Life for a heart-hungry world. (See John 6:27-63.) And Paul wrote to the Cor- inthian Christians, saying that the smitten rock was a type of Christ-"That Rock was Christ" (I Cor. 10:4). He was "smitten of God, and afflicted" (Isaiah 53 :4), that the thirsty soul might drink the Living Water that gives everlasting life. In order to show His redeemed people how helpless they were in their own strength, how necessary it was for the sinless Son of God to keep His holy law, God gave to Israel the ten commandments and the detailed explana- tion of their meaning-in the book of Exodus. Israel pre- sumptuously said that she would obey God's law; but how little did she know her own frailty; for not long after- wards she had broken that holy law and was dancing, naked, around a golden calf! Idolatry, linked with heathen evils! "By the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). And a people, redeemed by faith in the shed blood of Calvary's Lamb who was to come, learned that they could never, never measure up to God's perfect standard of holiness; that they needed a Saviour who could and would keep that law for them as none other could ever do. That is the story of Exodus up to the part which tells of the tabernacle, in which God was to dwell among His redeemed people. Beginning with chapter twenty-five, we have the description of the pattern of this sanctuary,

14 The Tabernacle one of the most perfect types of Jesus, "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). We can not go into this beautiful lesson just here; but the sprinkled blood on the lintel and door posts, suggestive of the cross of Jesus; the eating of the lamb roast with fire; the safety of those sheltered behind the sprinkled blood- these are but a few of the lessons given to us in this first passover kept in Egypt. Did not the Lord Himself say unto Moses "When I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exod. 12: 13)? And did not the inspired apostle say, many centuries later, "Even Christ our passover is sacri- ficed for us" (I Cor. 5:7)? It was not by accident or mere chance that the Lord Jesus was crucified on the feast of the passover, as all four of the evangelists plainly tell us. It was not by chance that He kept the last passover, the last supper, with His disciples just before He went to the cross. He came to die at His own appointed time-- the Passover Lamb! Redemption? What book in all the W otd of God tells a more heart-searching story of God's redemption in Christ Jesus than does this second book of Moses? Exodus is a continued story of God's redemption; for immediately after that first passover, Israel was delivered from the hosts of the Egyptians as she passed through the Red Sea on dry ground. The enemy pursued from behind; in front of her were the waters that spoke of death through drowning. On each side the mountains and the wilderness closed in around fleeing Israel. But God was the Guide. In the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night He led His people, standing between her and the enemy all night, causing the Red Sea to stand up like a wall on both sides, delivering His otherwise helpless, yet redeemed nation. It is another beautiful picture of God's

16 The Tabernacle which God gave to Moses upon Mount Sinai, together with His instructions concerning the priests who were to min- ister in the tabernacle, and how they were to be clothed and consecrated for their sacred office. Then we read the story of the broken law; Moses' confession of Israel's sin; his intercession for his people; and God's giving to him a second time the ten commandments written upon two tables of stone with "the finger of God." The last six chap- ters of the book tell of the building of the tabernacle "according to the pattern" given by the Lord to Moses. And Exodus closes with the tabernacle finished, the Sheki- nah Glory filling the tabernacle and overshadowing it in the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. God was dwelling in the midst of His redeemed people! It is the story of redemption, and a picture of salvation in Christ Jesus, who dwells "in the midst" of His blood-bought chil- dren. Christ Himself is the Passover Lamb. His cross is the altar. He is the Priest. The Tabernacle--A Shadow of the Cross Before we begin the detailed study of the tabernacle, let us take a bird's-eye-view of this sanctuary in the midst of encamped Israel. The very pieces of furniture were arranged in the form of a cross; and each article of furni- ture spoke of Christ, the Lord. The tents of three tribes of Israel were pitched on each side, the tabernacle literally "in the midst." The second chapter of the book of Numbers tells the location of each tribe. Judah was on the east, directly in front of the gate of the court; for Christ was to come from the tribe of Judah, and the gate speaks to us of Him who is "the way" to God. On the east also were the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun; on the south, Reuben, Simeon,

The Tabernacle and Gad; on the west, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benja- min; and on the north, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. Between the tents of the twelve tribes and the taber- nacle, there were the tents of Moses and Aaron and the priests on the east; those of the three families of the Levites on the other three sides. The third chapter of Numbers gives us the location of the Levites. We remember that Levi, one of the sons of Jacob, had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These three became the fathers of the three families of Levites, each of which had certain duties to perform in connection with the service. in the tabernacle. The Gershonites lived on the west of this sanc- tuary; the Kohathites, on the south; the Merarites, on t~e north. They were to minister before God on behalf of His people. Only the priests could go into the Hol~ Place; only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year. But the Levites helped in taking down the taber- nacle for the march, in erecting it again when God meant for His people to rest, and in carrying the parts that went toward making this beautiful and costly "tent of the con- gregation." The court of the tabernacle was made of fine, white linen fastened on pillars of brass, set up in the sand in sock:ts of brass. There was only one entrance to this court, only one way of access to God. As we said a mo- ment ago, the gate speaks to us of Christ, the only Way to God and heaven. Directly in front of the gate was the brazen altar of burnt offering, where the animal sacrifices were offered up to God. And directly west of that was the brazen laver, where the priests had to wash their hands and feet before they could enter into the Holy Place to minister before God. The altar of burnt offering is another picture of Christ, the Lamb of God; the laver,

18 The Tabernacle of Christ, our Cleanser from the daily defilement of sin. The tabernacle itself consisted of two rooms: the Holy Place, twice as long as it was wide; and the Holy of Holies, a perfect cube. The veil separated the two rooms. In the Holy Place there were three pieces of furniture: the golden altar of incense, just in front of the veil, and di- rectly in line with the altar of burnt offering and the laver in the outer court; the golden candlestick on the south; and the golden-covered table of shewbread on the north, just opposite the candlestick. Before the golden altar the priests stood, offering incense, even as they prayed for their people. The golden candlestick was kept burning with the only light the Holy Place had. And on the table of shewbread there were twelve loaves, one for each tribe. It seems hardly necessary to explain that these three beau- tiful pieces of furniture speak to us of Christ, our Inter- cessor and Priest; Christ, the Light of the World; and Christ, the Bread of Life. Within the Holy of Holies there was the golden-cov- ered ark of the covenant, over which was the mercy seat, and in which were the ten commandments-later the golden pot of manna and Aaron's rod that budded were placed in the ark. Above the mercy seat, between the golden cherubim, stood the Shekinah Glory, the Lord Him- self; and on and before the mercy seat was the sprinkled blood. This ark of the covenant was directly in line with the golden altar, only the veil separating them. And thus the shadow of the cross was made in the God-given ar- rangement of these six pieces of furniture, each of which spoke eloquently of the coming Redeemer. The veil, too, was a wonderful type of our Lord; for although it sep- arated the sinner from God's presence; yet when Christ died on the cross, the veil of the temple was rent in twain,

19 The Tabernacle from top to bottom, by the Lord Himself, even as «his flesh" was bruised and broken for sinful man, opening the "way into the holiest of all" by His own shed blood. (See Heb. 9:7, 8; 10:19-22.) We said a moment ago that we wanted to get a bird's- eye-view of the tabernacle, with God's people encamped around it. No one but God could actually do this; for over the tabernacle were four coverings, forming the only "roof" this "tent of meeting" had, hiding from the gaze of men the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. We shall not describe these coverings now; but they, too, fore- shadowed in a remarkable way the Person and work of our Lord. In our later studies we shall consider the boards and bars and sockets that formed the completed structure; the curtains and the coverings; the pieces of furniture--all a detailed and marvelous picture of Christ. Today we have attempted only to present in outline some idea of what the tabernacle was like. Before our next lesson it would be well if each member of the radio audience would read very carefully all of the book of Exodus, especially the portion beginning with chapter twenty-five, the first of the God-given description of the pattern which was shown to Moses in the mount. We can not hope to get the most from a later study of these details unless we first have clearly in mind the general plan. Hence this brief out- line view today. As we read these chapters, we shall note that God began with the beautiful ark of the covenant, and described the tabernacle from within toward the court without; whereas the sinner looked toward the tabernacle from the gate to the brazen altar. Of course, only his representative, the priest, could enter the Holy Place; and only the high

The Tabernacle priest could go on into the presence of God in the Most Holy Place once a year. In these studies we shall begin at the gate and the altar, leading on to the presence of Jeho- vah. The sinner must meet God first at the altar of sacri- fice before he may talk to Him in prayer and enter into His very throne-room, by faith in the shed blood of His well beloved Son! Our God came down from heaven to a manger and a cross; we may draw near to Him as we meet Him first at the foot of that cross; and only then may we go on with Him into heaven itself. The Free-Will Offerings for the Tabernacle It was a very costly tabernacle, yet a tent still. God's people lived in tents; and in a beautiful tent He dwelt among them. It was a very, very costly sacrifice the Lord Jesus made when He left heaven's glory to "tabernacle" among men (John 1: 14). It cost Him His own precious blood. But His people whom He came to redeem lived in "earthly tabernacles" of the flesh. Therefore, in order to save sinners, He did not become an angel; He became a Man, "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14; cf. Heb. 2:14-18). And where did Israel obtain the thousands of dollars for the erection of the tabernacle? From their well-earned wages when they left Egypt on that wonderful night. Exodus tells the story: Israel had worked long as slaves, in bitter bondage; therefore, God told His people to "ask" -not "borrow," as the King James Version renders the word-from the Egyptians jewels of silver and gold and all the precious things which He knew they would need, which He knew they had earned. God did not tell His people to "borrow" what He knew they could not pay

21 The Tabernacle back; He did tell them to "ask" for what they had earned. The Revised Version so translates the word wherever it occurs in the sacred record. (See Exod. 11:2; 12:35, 36. The word "lent" in verse 36 is literally "gave.") The people were told by the Lord, through Moses, to bring only such things as they wanted to present "will- ingly" unto Him, "an offering" from "the heart" (Exod. 2 5:2). And the wonderful result was that they brought so much that Moses had to tell them not to bring any more. "So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much" (Exod. 36:5-7). Need we comment upon this lesson in giving unto the Lord? If God's people today would bring "willingly" an offering from the heart, according to the way in which He has prospered them, then the pleas from the pagan world would not go unheeded; the cries of the missionary heart for more labourers in the harvest :field would be heard and answered. May God help us to give as Israel did of old! No stranger was to have a part in these gifts for the building of the tabernacle. Nor does God want the money of unsaved men to be used in winning "living stones" for "the temple of the Holy Ghost," which is His church. The Workmen God called two chosen men to oversee the building of the tabernacle. Every house has to have an architect, a contractor, someone to plan and to carry out that plan. God put in charge of the house that He Himself had planned Bezaleel, of the tribe of Judah; and Aholiab, of the tribe of Dan. Concerning Bezaleel He said, in Exod. 31:1-6:

22 The Tabernacle "I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship." The helpers of Bezaleel were Aho1iab and all the "wise hearted." God gave them wisdom for the work, even as in every age His work can be done only by those who are given "the wisdom that is from above" (James 1: 5; 3: 17). God in the Midst of His People In the beginning of this lesson we read from the in- spired record that God's purpose in asking Moses to build the tabernacle was that He might dwell among His people whom He had redeemed. It has always been God's desire to have fellowship with His creatures. In the Garden of Eden He talked with Adam, taking to our first parent the animals of His creation, to see what Adam would call them. "And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." Thus God set His seal of approval upon what man did, while man rejoiced in the works of God's hands. But sin entered to mar that beautiful fellow- ship! And ever since the fall of man, God has been seek- ing the sinner, desiring to restore that broken fellowship and communion. Man was put at a distance from God through sin; yet God's heart of love remained the same. He walked with Enoch for more than three hundred years. He bade Noah enter the ark, saying, "Come"-not "Go," but "Come." God was with Noah in that ark. During the patriarchal age God talked with His chosen ones; appeared unto them; held sweet communion with them; ever pointing ,them on to the Saviour who was to

The Tabernacle come. And now, in the wilderness, He wanted to dwell in a tent, in the fiery, cloudy pillar, holding communion with His people on the basis of the shed blood of the sacrifice which foreshadowed the blood of Christ. Still later, when Israel possessed the land of Canaan and lived in houses, God told Solomon to build Him an house, the beautiful temple in Jerusalem. Again, He filled it with His glory, departing from it only when the sins of His people sep- arated them from their God. The centuries passed. Then one day God came down to "tabernacle" among men, "Im- manuel, God with us," "God manifest in the flesh." He walked and talked with men. A few loved Him and re- ceived His love. Many more scorned Him, mocked Him, spat upon Him, crucified Him, thrust Him out of the world at the point of a spear. And then He sent His Holy Spirit into the hearts of those who would receive Him, even the Third Person of the Trinity, who abides with His church forever. And that brings us to this blessed trutl:.: not only does the tabernacle in the wilderness speak to us of the Lord Jesus; it does, first and primarily; but it also speaks to us of the living temple which is His church, "th'e habitation of God through the Spirit," the body and the bride of our Lord Jesus Christ. Each blood-bought child of God, from Pentecost to the Rapture, is a "living stone" in that build- ing for eternity. And "where two or three are gathered together" in His name, there He dwells with them "in the midst" (Matt. 18 :20). He seeks the fellowship of His redeemed. In the millennium He will dwell in the midst of His earthly people, Israel, with His heavenly bride reigning with Him in glory. Then in the eternal state His great desire for fellowship with His own will be fully realized.

The Tabernacle be saved, born again, by faith in His atoning blood. Then you, too, immediately become a member of that temple, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. You will not be interested in this series of studies unless you love our Lord Jesus. But once you love Him, you will let the Holy Spirit take the things of Christ, and show them unto you. May God add His blessing to our study of this portion of His wonderful Word!

24 The Tabernacle God will dwell in the midst of His people, indeed; and He will be "all and in all." His rest will then be ab olute, eternal, and glorious. There will be no more sin and sor- row. There will be no more curse. God Himself shall wipe away all tears. Of this future day of rejoicing the be- loved disciple wrote, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, :ind be their God" (Rev. 21:3). As we enter upon this wonderful study of the Jewish tabernacle, "a shadow of good things to come," this "earthly sanctuary" with a heavenly meaning, may the Holy Spirit prepare our hearts to receive the deeply spir- itual message of this portion of the sacred Scriptures. Then only shall we see "The Glories of Christ as Foreshadowed in the Jewish Tabernacle." And now, as we bring this first lesson to a close, may we let Him remind us from His in- fallible Word that in Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9); and that our bodies are "the temple of the Holy Ghost" (I Cor. 6:19). It is a solemn thought, a heart-searching thought-that we have been "bought with a price," even the precious blood of the Son of God! As we see, from our study of the Jewish tabernacle, how God was preparing His people for the manifestation of Him who was to "tabernacle" among men; then as we see how He was also picturing the union of Christ and His church, surely we shall praise Him with ever-increasing adoration for such grace! My unsaved friend, you can not see the beauties of Him, of whom the tabernacle speaks, unless you meet Him at His cross. Only the believer-priests may enter into His presence! But He invites you to meet Him at Calvary,

Chapter II

THE HIGH PRIEST AND HIS SONS

Christ-Oiir Grea.t High Priest and His Believer-Priests

Exodus 28:1-29:46; Lev. 8:1-9:24

Having seen, in our opening lesson, a bird's-eye-view of the Jewish tabernacle, let us take a glimpse at the high priest and his sons; for we can understand the significance of the sanctuary and its furnishings only as we know some- thing of the priesthood, chosen by Jehovah, to minister before Him on behalf of His redeemed people. And no- where do "The Glories of Christ As Seen in the Jewish Tabernacle" shine with more radiance than in His Great High Priestly work, foreshadowed in the high priest of Israel. Aaron, the first high priest, was a remarkable type of Christ, our Great High Priest. And Aaron's sons fore- shadowed the believer-priests who compose the church of the Lord Jesus. To show that this eternal truth is not mere fancy or speculation, but that it is plainly taught in the inspired Scriptures, is the purpose of our lesson to- day. Many clear teachings of the Word of God leave us in no doubt concerning these things; we shall have to do chiefly with two chapters in Exodus, two in Leviticus, and the heart of the Epistle to the Hebrews. (See Exod. 28:1- 29:46; Lev. 8:1-9:24; Heb. 5:1-10:22.) Perhaps some have wondered why the Holy Spirit in Exodus, interrupts the description of the God-given pat- tern of the tabernacle with chapters twenty-eight and twenty-nine, which tell of the priesthood. It has been suggested that it was as though God had come out from [26]

THE HIGH PRIEST

The Tabernacle His throne-room to meet sinful man at the brazen altar, and to lead His redeemed back with Him into His very throne-room. He could do this only by the Person and work of His beloved Son and our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, foreshadowed in the Levitical priest- hood that was established with Aaron and his sons. Only because of the ministry of Christ, our Mediator, our Ad- vocate with the Father, can we hold communion with our holy God. That would seem to be the reason why the Holy Spirit pauses just at Exod. 28, 29 to set forth in shadow and in type the glories of Him who was to come to minister in the heavenly sanctuary, "which the Lord built, and not man." And that is why we pause just at this point in our study to let the Holy Spirit teach us something of the priestly work of Christ, that we may better understand the fulness of His love and grace, pre- figured in the earthly sanctuary which God told Moses to build for His dwelling place among His chosen people, Israel. In these two chapters before us, and in Lev. 8, 9, we see minute details concerning the dress of the priests, their consecration to the sacred office, their food, and their ministry. To assist them in the service of the tabernacle, God gave to Aaron the Levites, whom he, in turn, gave back to God as an offering unto the Lord. We shall have more to say about these later in this lesson; but first let us compare the person and work of Aaron with that of Christ, as presented to us by the Spirit of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Without this New Testament com- mentary on the Law of Moses, we should be in the dark about many rich and precious lessons concerning the Per- son and ministry of Jesus, our Great High Priest, before the "throne of grace."

The Tabernacle Christ Fulfilled the Qualifications and Duties of a Priest in Israel Heb. 5: 1-4 gives us both the qualifications and the functions of a Levitical priest: ( 1) he had to be a man, "taken from among men"-not an angel, for example, but a man; and (2) he had to be "called of God, as was Aaron." These, in brief were his qualifications. His duties were three-fold: ( 1) he had to "offer both gifts and sac- rifices for sins"; (2) he had to "have compassion on the ignorant" and the erring, remembering that he himself was "compassed with infirmity"; and ( 3) as we read throughout the Jewish Law, he had to pray for the people before the golden altar of incense. Heb. 5: 5-10 explains in no uncertain terms that the Lord Jesus fulfilled the qualifications of the high priest; for He was a Man, "taken from among men"; and He "glorified not himself to be made an high priest," but was "called of God an high priest after the order of Melchi- sedec." His humanity is graphically portrayed in verses 7 and 8, where we read of His agony in Gethsemane's Garden, when, "in the days of his flesh," He "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears"; when as the Son, "obedient unto death," He "learned obe- dience by the things which he suffered." What a picture of the suffering Saviour! It brings before our mind's eye the "cup of suffering" which caused Him to "sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." So intense was His agony at the thought of becoming the Sin-Bearer for a guilty world that "there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him." (See Luke 22:43, 44.) His sinless soul shrank from becoming a curse for us! Yes, our Lord Jesus was a Man, "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4: 15).

29 The Tabernacle God can not die; and in order to die for our sins, He had to become a Man-He did not become an angel (Heb. 2: 16) ; He was "taken from among men." As the Man, Christ Jesus, He was "called of God ... a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." We shall come back to this wonderful truth a bit later; but just here let us note in passing that in these words the Holy Spirit was quoting a prophecy written by David a thou- sand years before Christ was born in Bethlehem, and re- corded in Psalm 110:4. "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world!" (Acts 15:18). That our Lord Jesus fulfilled the duties of the high priest in Israel-and is yet fulfilling them-is the message of the very heart of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Over and over again we read that He offered Himself "once for all," as the perfect Sacrifice for sin; that He "ever liveth to make intercession for them" who "come unto God by him"; and that He is seated "on the right hand of the Majesty on high" to deal gently, patiently with His blood- bought children. What a picture! What a Priest! And the whole body of New Testament teaching supports and verifies these eternal truths! Not only so, but New Testament teaching bears out the truth that Aaron's sons were typical of Christians, in this church age, believer-priests in the household of faith. Of this, too, we shall have more to say later in this lesson. Before we return to the Exodus description of the high priest and his sons, their dress, consecration, and ministry, let us pause longer just here to consider two fundamental and often neglected truths concerning the High Priestly Person and work of Christ. In His Person, or Being, He was "called of God," "a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." In His ministry in "the true tabernacle,

The Tabernacle 30 which the Lord pitched, and not man," He is a Priest after the pattern of Aaron. Melchisedec foreshadowed the eter- nal deity and glory of Jesus, our King-Priest; Aaron's service in the earthly sanctuary foreshadowed His minis- try for His redeemed children. Christ Is ttBetter Than" Aaron in His Person «A Priest for Ever after the Order of Melchisedec" This two-fold truth concerning the Person and work of Christ, our Great High Priest, is set forth in the pro- found, majestic Epistle to the Hebrews. The Christian Jews, to whom this letter was addressed, were being cruelly persecuted for their testimony, and were, therefore, in danger of returning to Judaism. The temple was still standing (Heb. 10: 11) ; unbelieving Jews were still ob- serving the ritual of the Mosaic Law. The Hebrew Chris- tians, who had separated themselves from the Christ-reject- ing nation, needed instruction, warning, and encourage- ment. Therefore, the Holy Spirit wrote this epistle to prove to them that Christianity is far "better than" Judaism, as seen in its Founder, Christ. Having shown conclusively that Christ is «better than" the prophets, angels, Moses, and Joshua, then He went on to prove, in the heart of the epistle, that Christ is "better than" Aaron, Israel's first high priest-the best that Judaism had to offer. And in all this profound treatise the Holy Spirit set forth, in words that glow and burn their way into our hearts, the beautiful message that Jesus, the Son of God, of whom the prophets wrote, whom the angels worship, in whom Moses and Joshua trusted for their salvation, of whom Aaron was but a type--that this eternal One is our ever-living, ever-loving Great High Priest and coming

The Tabernacle King. As a Prophet, He had given to a sinning world His Father's message of divine and eternal and vicarious love. As a Priest He had died for His creatures' sins, and had entered into the Holiest of All, even heaven itself, there to minister on behalf of His blood-bought, redeemed children. Now Aaron was Israel's first high priest, and he was rightly held in honor and esteem by his people, Israel. But long before Aaron was born, another king-priest had met Aaron's ancestor, Abraham; for Levi was the great- grandfather of Aaron; Abraham was the great-grandfather of Levi. This king-priest who met Abraham, and who was greater than this father of the Hebrew nation, was none other than Melchisedec. Only three portions of the Word of God tell us of Melchisedec: Gen. 14:17-20; Psalm 110:4; and the Epistle to the Hebrews (5:5-7:28). (Note the difference in the Hebrew and the Greek spelling of the name.) Melchisedec was "king of Salem" and "priest of the most high God." "Salem" was the ancient name for "Jeru- salem," and means «peace"-"Jerusalem" means «City of peace." By interpretation, therefore, Melchisedec's name means "King of righteousness" and "King of peace." And in these beautiful and significant names he becomes a type of the Lord Jesus, "King of righteousness," indeed; and "Prince of Peace." Moreover, the Scriptures tell us nothing about the gen- ealogy of Melchisedec, who "met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him" after the patriarch had delivered his nephew, Lot, from captivity. Some Bible teachers hold that he was, indeed, a manifes- tation of God Himself to Abraham; but after careful

The Tabernacle just here for the Holy Spirit's own words about this truth: "And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an un- changeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Aaron, because he was a sinner, had to offer daily sac- rifices, "first for his own sins, and then for the people's" (Heb. 7:27); but Christ, who was without sin, suffered for a sin-cursed world. He Himself was ever "holy, harm- less, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Heb. 7:26). Having compared the Aaronic priesthood with the eternal, unchangeable priesthood of the Lord Jesus, in Hebrews 5:1-7:28; that is, having shown that Christ, in His divine Being, is far "better than" the very best that Judaism had to offer; the Holy Spirit concludes this part of the Epistle to the Hebrews by saying, in 8 :1: "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum (or 'chief point,' R. V.) : We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." Then He continues the comparison between the Levitical priesthood and that of Christ by showing the difference in the ministry of the two. Not only is our Great High Priest, in Himself, in His righteous and matchless Per- son, far greater than any earthly priest could ever be; but in His service He is the only perfect Priest. The com- parison that follows, in Heb. 8:2-10:22 fairly glows with the radiance that beams from the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ and from His risen majesty and glory! A few

32 The Tabernacle study, we believe that he was a man, a king-priest, whose family descent was deliberately withheld by the Holy Spirit, in order that he might become a type of our King- Priest, even the Son of God, who is, in very truth, "with- out ... beginning of days, nor end of life." (See Heb. 7:3.) And the Epistle to the Hebrews reiterates the heart of the matter, that thus he becomes a type of the eternity of Christ's priesthood; for He is "a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." Aaron died; his sons died; their ministry lasted for only a brief time; then others succeeded them in the priestly office. But because there is no record of Melchiscdec's parentage or birth or death, he is typical of Jesus, our Great High Priest, "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5: 2), who has neither beginning nor ending. That Christ, our Great High Priest, is greater than Aaron, Israel's first high priest, is the central theme of the Epistle to the Hebrews; and the argument is very plain: Melchisedec was greater than Aaron, not only for the rea- sons already named; but also because he was greater than Aaron's forefather, Abraham. He was greater than Abra- ham because he blessed Abraham, and received tithes from the patriarch. "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better" (Heb. 7:7); and one who receives tithes is greater than the one who gives them. Again, Aaron came through the tribe of Levi, and was only a priest; Christ, from the kingly tribe of Judah, is both Priest and King. (See Heb. 7:14.) Aaron and his sons were made priests without an oath. But to the Son of God the Father "sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Heb. 7:21). We have already observed that Aaron and his sons died, whereas Christ ever liveth. We quote Heb. 7:23-25

34 The Taber114cle selected passages from these chapters, as we scan the pages, will show us something of the wonder and beauty of our Heavenly Priest, and thus prepare our hearts for a fuller appreciation of His ministry for us even now before "the throne of grace," in "the true tabernacle" on high. Christ Is "Better Than" Aaron in His Ministry Without any attempt to outline this portion of the Epistle to the Hebrews, let us glance down the pages to note some of the striking points of contrast between the ministry of Aaron and that of Christ. Aaron served the Lord in an earthly sanctuary, made of perishable materials; whereas our Great High Priest ministers in "the true taber- nacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man," eternal in the heavens. The Levitical priests served "unto the ex- ample and shadow of heavenly things." "But now hath he (Christ) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises" (Heb. 8: 6). The first covenant; that is, the Law of Moses, was not faultless; and it was written on tables of stone. But the new covenant in Christ Jesus, is faultless; and it is written in the hearts of men who love Him. Under the old cov- enant of the Law there was a continual remembrance of sins, kept constantly before God's people by the centuries- old sacrifices which pointed on to Jesus, "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). But under the new covenant, ushered in by Christ's death on the cross, God promised to remember our sins and iniquities no more forever. And now that the new cov- enant has been made, the old has fulfilled its purpose, and

The Tabernacle H has vanished away. (See Heb. 8:7-13.) The new covenant is eternal! In Heb. 9: 1-1O the Holy Spirit describes the "earthly sanctuary," of which we tried to get a bird's-eye-view in our last lesson, and which we hope to study more fully in the lessons before us. With all the many details of Exodus, the Hebrew Christians were very familiar. They needed only to be reminded here in this epistle of the two rooms of that sanctuary, with their furniture; even the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies; with the veil that separated the two, and closed "the way into the holiest of all' ( verse 8). These things, God tells us plainly, were only "a figure for the time then present" (verse 9). In other words, they were figures, or shadows, or types of "good things to come" in our Lord Jesus. In His death on Calvary He opened the way into the Holy of Holies, even heaven itself -forever opened the only way to heaven and eternal life and His glorious Presence! Heb. 9: 11 continues the contrast further, showing that Christ ministers in a more per£ect tabernacle, not made with hands; that He offered, not the blood of goats and calves, but His own precious blood; that His sacrifice was far more efficacious than even the sacrifice of the Day of Atonement, the best that Judaism could offer; His sacri- fice obtained eternal redemption for us. The animal sacri- fices sanctified "to the purifying of the flesh"; His blood cleanses the guilty conscience. "And without shedding of blood is no remission" of sin. (See Heb. 9:11-22.) As a Priest, Christ "hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." As a Priest, He has entered into the Holy Place not made with hands, "now to appear in the presence of God for us." And as our coming King, He "shall appear the second time" not to die, but to usher in

The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle Calvary was but a hollow mockery, an empty ritual, which Christ-rejecting Jews continued but for a tune. . . The Levitical priests were never through with their ministry; there was no chair in the tabernacle; they could never sit down, and rest in a finished work. "But this man (Jesus), after he had offered one sacri- fice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Heb. 10: 12). When He cried on Calvary, saying, "It is finished," He triumphantly proclaimed a finished rede°:p- tion. We can add nothing to the finished work of Chnst. Our poor, paltry works can not save us; they can not. help save us. Only the finished work of Christ, our Substitute, can avail to wash away our sins. Only once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, did the high pr iest dare enter into the Holy of Holies, wh_ere God dwelt in the pillar of cloud and fire. No other pnest dared enter there, lest he die. And Aaron dared not enter without blood, which he sprinkled on and before the mercy seat. In all this "the Holy Ghost" signified .that "the way into the holiest of all was not yet made mamfest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing" (Heb. 9: 8) . But when Christ died, "the veil of the temple was rent in twain." "The way into the holiest" was forever opened! We go directly into God's presence now through prayer; one day faith shall become sight! "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith ..." (Heb. 10:19- 22). Do you see, my Christian friend, why we must let the Holy Spirit teach us the deep and wonderful message of

everlasting righteousness! (See Heh. 9:24-28.) My friend, do you "love his appearing"? Do you know Hirn as your Saviour? Accept Hirn as your Great High Priest ; or you will meet Him as your Judge and righteous King, who must judge sin because H e is holy. The Day of Atonement was in the mind of the writer to the Hebrews when he spoke of " a remembrance again made of sins every year" ( 10: 3) . That was the greatest day in the year to a godly H ebrew. The very best that man could do to show his faith in the promised Redeemer, was done on that day. It was a time of mourning for sin, a day of putting away sin for the whole nation. But God did not want the sacrifices and offerings of a people whose hearts were far from Hirn. They had sinned, "and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3 :23). A spotless Lamb was required; therefore, the Son said to the Father: "A body hast thou prepared for me"-a human body that might be offered as the sinless Substitute for sinning man. "Lo, I come . . . to do thy will, 0 God" (Heb. 10:5-7) . The unbelieving priests of the family of Aaron still continued to stand, " daily ministering and offering often- times the same sacrifices," which could never take away sins--even after Christ, the Passover Lamb, had offered Himself "once for all"! At the brazen altar in the temple court the godless Jews of apostolic days still shed the blood of goats and calves and lambs and turtle doves and young pigeons. This they did, in their blindness and sin, until the Roman Caesar, T itus, in 70 A. D., destroyed their tem- ple and scattered their nation. But not one drop of blood should have been shed for sin after the Lamb of God had offered H imself without spot to God! All that followed

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