THE COURT OF GOD’S HOUSE

THE COURT OF GOD’S HOUSE

Having reared the beautiful tabernacle, we now go on to erect its surrounding lovely court, a double square, one hundred cubits long and fifty broad. The boundary wall consisted of fine twined linen hangings, suspended from sixty pillars, spaced at the distance of five cubits from each other, twenty standing on the south, twenty on the north, ten on the west, and ten on the east, from whose four central pillars hung the bright attractive gate hanging, variegated with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the embroidery work probably consisting of trees, flowers, and other lovely devices (Exodus 27:9-19). THE MATERIALS OF THE PILLARS

We are not told of what material the pillars were. Although Exodus 27:10 seems to say the pillars were of brass, the original and the Revised Version do not indicate that they were, and the corresponding passage (Exodus 38:10) is silent on the subject, while in the account of the disposal of the brass offering (Exodus 38:29-31) the pillars are not mentioned as sharing in it. From very careful calculations, we find that if the pillars had been of solid brass, they would have swallowed up the entire brass offering of 70 talents and 2400 shekels (Exodus 38:29), leaving none for the other uses to which it was to be put; while, on the other hand, if none of it had been used for the pillars, the quantity would have been much greater than was required. Hence, since there could have been neither too much nor too little, it is evident that the pillars were constructed of wood and overlaid with brass; and this is in keeping with everything else, pertaining to the tabernacle and its court, made of wood, which without any exception was overlaid with metal, even with gold, silver, or brass. The sockets, the basis of the pillars, were of brass. Their capitals were overlaid with silver, and also their fillets or rods extending from pillar to pillar all the way round. It is said in the text that the fillets were of silver, meaning in the sense of overlaying, as there was not enough of the solid metal to make them of. We read of the brazen altar, although it was only overlaid with brass. There were probably small apertures near the top of the pillars or through the capitals for the rods passing. Near the top of every pillar were two silver hooks, one on each side, to which the ends of two cords were attached, their other ends being attached to pegs which were fixed in the ground, and by this means the pillars were steadied and made to stand erect (Exodus 27:17-19). The beauty of the wall.—The graceful pillars, like so many sentinels, encompassed and seemed to guard the sacred enclosure. Their silvery heads contrasted to advantage with their brazen feet and burnished bodies, and these, with the snowy whiteness of the hangings and the variegated gate, the tabernacle glittering with gold, and with its lovely sky-blue skin roof, tended still further to enhance the beauty of this superb wall of columns and fine twined linen. The silver railing.—The silver capitals of the pillars, the silver connecting rods, and the silver hooks, formed one whole, a beautiful silver railing, from which was suspended the wall of white linen hangings, not unlikely, as some suppose, to have been on the reserved space outside of the sacred enclosure, beholding the services proceeding within. THE ORIGIN OF THE SILVER Where did the silver laid out on this shining railing come from? The one hundred talents of ransom silver were entirely used up in forming the foundation of the tabernacle; but there was a fraction of 7/12 ths of a talent (p. 9), equal to 1775 shekels more than the hundred talents (Exodus 38:28). There is never too much nor too little in the calculations of the Divine Architect, as there is sometimes in those of other architects, but always the exact quantity, neither less nor more. This fraction of silver was contemplated in the divine plan. As directed (Exodus 38:28), it was used up in the construction of the silver railing, on the top of the pillars. The hundred talents formed a beautiful silver lining below the sacred house, and upheld the cherubim curtain tabernacle, with its goat-hair tent, two-fold skin roof, and golden framework of boards; and the one thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five shekels were entirely used up on the railing which upheld the court wall of linen hangings. The entire silver was thus devoted to the purpose of upholding, and not a single grain of it was otherwise used. tabernacle and court alike were founded on the price the Israelite men paid for their ransom. Can anyone then reasonably doubt that the divine architect was thereby foreshadowing the grand doctrines of redemption? If anyone doubt this let him try to answer two questions—First, Why was no one allowed to give silver save those who paid their ransom with it? And, Second, Why was every grain of silver thus paid devoted exclusively to the upholding of the tabernacle and its court?

It is a most significant and suggestive fact that Solomon’s temple was founded on a rock. It is no less a significant and suggestive fact that its great prototype, the tabernacle, was founded on atonement money. The ransom silver lining shining below the sacred dwelling was the beginning of the tabernacle, and the ransom shining silver lining on the top of the court pillars was the ending of the tabernacle—redemption first and redemption last. And so of the church. Christ our Redeemer is its beginning and its ending, its first and its last, its alpha and omega, its all in all. When the pious Israelite looked down on the silver lining below the golden boards, and then up to the shining silver on the top of the court wall, he saw with a glad heart that tabernacle and court were borne up by the silver which he and the other Israelite men had given for their ransom. And when we who believe look down on what the church, of which we are members, is resting on, we see with a glad heart that it is the price of redemption, even of Him who gave Himself a ransom for sinners. “All other ground is sinking sand.” And when we look up, as the Israelite did, to the atonement money shining of the top of the court pillars, our eyes are again fixed on our blessed Redeemer, and nothing in heaven and nothing in earth must come between us and Him to obscure our view. The brightest angel and the greatest saint must alike stand aside, that our eyes may see Jesus and Jesus only. My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior Divine.

PURPOSES SERVED BY THE COURT The tabernacle court was the scene of worship, where the various offerings were received, and the sacrificial victims slain, and their blood poured out, and in which their carcasses, or parts of them, were consumed by fire. There is only one court spoken of in Exodus, though courts are frequently mentioned in the Psalms as pertaining to the tabernacle. The reference is sometimes to the temple, but not always. In Psalms written by David the tabernacle must be meant, as the temple was not erected till after his day. Some think that a line of demarcation divided the tabernacle court at the altar, and that none but priests and Levites were permitted to go beyond it, while Israelites bringing sacrifices and offerings might come thus far, but no farther. The court thus divided may have been regarded as two courts. May not the space between the Levitical tents and the tabernacle court have been regarded as a kind of outer court, where God’s people might on occasions assemble, and through the meshes of the hangings be spectators of the sacred rites? In the holy land the priests and Levites on duty at the tabernacle would still require to have their tents or houses around the outside of the court. The people, when bringing offerings, were allowed to enter the court, and approach at least as far as the altar; and doubtless, on other occasions as well, there was no bar to pious Israelites visiting the courts of the Lord’s house. It is true the space within the linen walls could not accommodate many worshippers at a time, so that some arrangement would be necessary to prevent overcrowding; but if the space alluded try—the holy ground on the outside—was regarded as an outer court, a very large assembly might meet there. The Psalms prove that many of God’s ancient people loved to visit the courts of the Lord’s house, and were encouraged to wait upon Him there. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise” (Psalms 100:4). David’s resolution was, “As for me, I will come into Thy house in the multitude of Thy mercy; and in Thy fear will I worship towards Thy holy temple” (tabernacle) (Psalms 5:7). Read also Psalms 27:4-6, where the reference is also the court or courts of the tabernacle, to worship in which David looked forward with holy resolution, ardent longings, and joyful anticipations. From experience he could predict of all who sincerely sought God in these courts: “They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house” (Psalms 36:8). The pious Israelite’s great desire to visit God’s house is very strikingly and beautifully described in the eighty-fourth Psalm: “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord’s house; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” Read also Psalms 116, 132.

LESSONS SUGGESTED BY THE COURT

We may learn from the preceding remarks—First, That there is an intimate connection between the improvement of the means of grace and eminent piety. David was pre-eminently holy. He was a man “after the Lord’s own heart.” He never, however, would have attained this nobel distinction, had he not ardently thirsted for the courts of the Lord’s house, and diligently improved the opportunities they afforded of worshipping God. Those who would advance in the divine life and like the psalmist, enjoy God’s favor, will not attain their object unless they greatly love and diligently improve the services of the sanctuary.

Learn, second, That our connection with the Christian church lays us under obligations to improve the privileges it confers. The dispensation of religion in connection with the tabernacle was one of shadows and types— the one we live under, of truth and fulfillment. The high priest who officiated in the court of God’s house was only the shadow of the great high priest who was to come, and all the bleeding victims slain at the altar, but the types of the one great sacrifice that was to be offered in the fullness of time. Yet pious Israelites so improved their religious privileges as thereby to become meet for the higher privileges of the upper sanctuary. The privileges we enjoy are much greater than those enjoyed by God’s ancient people, and consequently increase our responsibility: “Unto whom much is given, of them also much shall be required. It is our peculiar advantage to contemplate a Savior already come, One who has been crucified, buried, raised from the grave, and exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high”—One who stands before the throne of God, and as the great high priest of His people, for ever pleads the efficacy of His own blood shed for sinners on Calvary. May we have an ever deepening sense of the greatness of our privileges, and be enabled so to improve them as to grow in grace, in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and in meekness for the inheritance of the saints in light.

Learn, third, That those who delight in the services of the sanctuary will be admitted to heaven when they die.

Old Testament saints who loved to visit the courts of God’s house are now worshipping in the temple not made with hands, and if we through eternity would like to tread the blessed uppercourts, we must, while in this world, in faith, and with holy relish, and ardent love, tread those of God’s house on earth. If we are doing so, we have a bright prospect before us, for the same gates that opened to admit our great high priest into the new Jerusalem, will open for us too when the time of our departure comes, and we will go in, and from thenceforth serve God day and night in His holy temple for ever and ever.