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daily Provider, as our resurrection Life, and as our Repre sentative in keeping the law intact. Concerning these types and figures, we must use the words of verse 5, “We cannot now speak particularly,” that is, in detail. Those who would become familiar with the tabernacle and its services should read Exodus 25 to 31 and 35 to 40. The typical lessons are simple and significant. They are also saving in their effect. One or two difficulties are met with in verse 4, but they are of minor importance. It was the writer’s purpose, not to give an accurate description of the tabernacle furniture, but rather to make allusion to it in order to bring out the symbolic character of the holy of holies and the work of the High Priest on the day of atonement. The first o f these minor difficulties lies in the word “ censer” which, in the Revised Version is translated “ altar,” referring to the altar of incense. Inasmuch as Jewish writers sometimes use the same term translated “ censer” to designate the altar, we may well accept the word “ altar” as correct. But was the altar in the holy of holies as indicated in verse 4? It is not so placed, according to the Book o f Exodus. In 1 Kings 6 :22, however, we find the altar of incense men tioned as belonging to the oracle, or holy o f holies. More over, the altar was sprinkled on the day of atonement with the same blood with which the high priest made atonement in the holy of holies, and it is spoken o f as “ most holy unto the Lord” (c f. Ex. 30:10). Concerning the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and their place in the holiest of all, we cannot speak dogmatically. From Exodus 16:34, and Numbers 17:10, we learn that the manna and the rod were placed “ before the testimony,” or the tables of the law. It does not read “ before the ark o f the testimony” but “ before the testimony” itself. This looks as though the manna and the rod were placed within the ark where the tables of testimony were always kept. T h e O f f ic e o f t h e H ig h P r ie s t Into the first apartment o f the tabernacle, the priests went continually in the performance of their official duties, but into the second apartment, the holy of holies, the high priest alone might enter, and he could enter only once a year, on the great day of atonement. On this occasion, he represented the people and made propitiation for their sins. He entered “ not without blood,” which he offered for himself and for the errors o f the people. The late Dr. Moorehead calls attention in his writings to a series of comparisons and contrasts found in Hebrews 9. Israel’s high priest must first offer a sacrifice for himself; our High Priest was without sin, therefore He offered not for Himself, but for others. The one sacrifice was valid for only one year; the other for eternity. J'he high priest en tered into the earthly sanctuary; Christ entered into the heavenly sanctuary. Israel’s high priest presented the blood of others. Christ presented His own blood. The offering o f the high priest could not take away sin; Christ’s offering of Himself puts sin away for ever. All these com parisons and contrasts can be traced by a careful reading o f this chapter.
HEBREWS 9 h e d if f e r e n c e between the old and the new covenant is the difference between shadow and substance. The shadow is real, but temporary in its nature and purpose. It is of value for the purpose of instruction. The sub stance is abiding and eternal. Shadows, or figures, were “ imposed . . . until a time o f reformation” ( 9 :10 ). M i x i n g t h e O ld a n d t h e N e w C o v e n a n t s In the first ten verses of this chapter, the shadows and figures of the old covenant are recorded. The first cov enant had ordinances o f divine worship, and its sanctu ary was in this world (v. 1). The new covenant has no or dinances of divine service, nor a sanctuary in this world. Its sanctuary is in heaven where our great High Priest ministers. Over the door of a certain cathedral building belonging to the church of Rome, the words are engraved, “ The Temple o f God is Holy.” This is an example of what the Apostle Peter refers to as “ private interpretation,” the wresting of Scripture from its proper place and meaning and then using it to bolster up an unscriptural theory. The words were used to convey the impression that that cathe dral building was holy; but in Scripture, the words are ap plied not to buildings but to believers, in whom dwells the Holy Spirit of God. The complete sentence reads in this way: “ The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” The effort to mix the old covenant and the new has brought confusion and disaster into church life and truth. Priestly vestments, swinging censors, elaborate ritual, and religious processions around church buildings all belong to the old order and not to the new. Christian believers have their sanctuary in heaven, where the great High Priest now is. They have meeting houses on earth, but the wor ship is in spirit and in truth, not with formal display. It centers in a Saviour, not in a system. Ecclesiasticism, with its elaborate and complicated ritual, has been and is the greatest opposing force of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. It represents a religious philosophy of men, and it must be viewed in the light of Colossians 2 :8, where the apostle tells us to “ beware lest any man spoil you through philoso phy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” T h e F u r n it u r e o f t h e T a b e r n a c l e The furniture of the ancient tabernacle and the service of the priests and the high priest connected with the taber nacle occupy the first part of our chapter. The tabernacle was divided into two apartments, the holy place, and the most holy place. Mention is made of the candlestick, or lamp stand, and the table and shewbread. These were kept in the sanctuary, or the holy place. They typified Him who is the light of the world and the bread of life. Behind the second veil, there was the golden censer (golden altar, R. V .) and the ark of the covenant. Bending over the ark as guardians were the cherubims, and within the ark there was the golden pot of manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant. These all pointed to Christ as the One through whom our prayers ascend to God, as our
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