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The Tabernacle mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6: 5). He acknowledges that all his own efforts and all his own "righteousnesses are as filthy rags" in the sight of the God of holiness and love. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washin; of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ยท which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Chris; our Saviour" (Titus 3: 5, 6) . Not even Satan himself can justly accuse God of un- righteousness, of injustice, in setting His standard of holi- ness, His requirements of sinners, on so high a plane; for God Himself is the sinner's righteousness. He Himself paid the penalty for sin; and by His holy life He vindicated His holy law. For verily He was without sin! He was born of the Holy Spirit, of the Virgin Mary. Because He was God, as well as Man, He could not sin. He let Satan tempt Him, not to see if He could withstand temptation, but to prove to angels, men, and demons that He could not sin. He went about doing good, teaching the profound Wor d of God, proving by His miracles that He was God. Even in His trial and death they found no fault in Him. His body "saw no corruption," but was raised in power and great glory. And He lives forevermore--Jesus Christ, our Righteousness! The Father looks upon all who have put their faith in His cleansing blood as justified f~om the penalty of a broken law. He imputes Christ's ~I~hteousne~s ~o the believer's account. That is grace; but It IS more; _it grace bestowed with justice. His holy law has been vmdicated and magnified, even while the sinner has been justified and pardoned. "For he hath made him to be_sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (II Cor. 5:21).
71 The Tabernacle The ":fine twined linen" that formed the court of the tabernacle spoke eloquently of all that God is in His sin- less, spotless Person; and of all that He requires of the sinner who would enter into His holy presence unafraid and unashamed. His love provided a gate. In front of that gate was the altar, where the sacrifice was slain. Be- yond that altar He stood in His glorious presence, ready to save, ready to hear! Christ is the Gate; Christ is the Altar; Christ is the Priest. And by the blood of His Cross He has opened up the "way into the holiest of all"- forever! The white linen hanging that surrounded the court of the tabernacle also served as a constant reminder to the sinning Israelite that God's dwelling place is holy. Sin separates the sinner from God. But Jehovah provided a gate and an altar; therefore, He was often reminding His people to live apart from the heathen, godless world. The key words of Leviticus are, "Ye shall be holy; for I am holy" (Lev. 11:44, 45; 19:2). The Jewish tabernacle is a type of the church, as well as a foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus "in the midst" of His redeemed. We, too, are exhorted by the Holy Spirit to a life of separation from the godless, Christ-rejecting world. Peter quotes the words of Leviticus, saying, "It is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (I Peter 1: 16). And Paul reminds us that our bodies are "the temple of the Holy Ghost" (I Cor. 6: 19). Let us keep God's temple clean, by His power and grace-clean from all that would defile it and bring dishonor to His name. 2. The Pillars and Sockets of Brass-A Figure of Christ, Our Sin-Bearer. The altar of burnt offering, where the blood was shed and the sacrifice was made unto God, was covered with brass. The laver, where the priests
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