03.02.08. The doors and vail

The Doors and Vail.

FIRST, of the MOST HOLY PLACE.—

"For the entering of the oracle [speaking-place] he made doors of olive tree [oil trees] : the lintel and side-posts were a fifth part," That is, of the width of the house. The Most Holy Place, being twenty cubits wide, a fifth part is four cubits. “The two doors also were of olive tree [oil trees]; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers [openings of flowers], and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim, and upon the palm trees" (1 Kings 6:31-32.; Ezekiel 41:23-25).

Second, of the TEMPLE, or HOLY PLACE. - " So also made he for the door of the Temple side-posts of oil trees, from the fourth part" (1 Kings 6:33 [Hebrew]). The fourth part of the width of the house is five cubits. The posts of the door of oil tree two cubits, and the door six cubits (Ezekiel 41:3). “And the two doors were of fir [cypress] tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. And he carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers [openings of flowers]: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work" (1 Kings 6:34-35). The doors were divided in the centre into two folding leaves, reminding us of the rent vail - Christ crucified. They appear to be typical of Christ Jesus, by whom we draw near to God; and through Him, by faith in Him, we have boldness of access, not only into the Holy Place but also into the Holiest of all (Hebrews 10:19-22 The one of OIL tree, type of Christ risen in His Spiritual body; the other of fir or CYPRESS, in His resurrection STRENGTH; while the carvings and the gold set forth the various perfections and Divine glory. THE VAIL.

There are significant variations in the colour and materials of the vails of the Tabernacle and Temple. In the vail of the Tabernacle it is SCARLET, which means "the splendour of a worm "), typical of the royal dignity of the Son of Man, as born King of the Jews. In the Temple it is CRIMSON (Heb. Carmel), the emblem of fruitfulness and excellency (see Isaiah 36:2), and of the glory of Christ in resurrection, In the vail of the Tabernacle FINE LINEN is Sheesh, white, the emblem of pure human nature; in that of the Temple it is another Hebrew word, But, white and glistening, as the raiment of Christ was on the Transfiguration Mount.

It was the vail of Herod’s Temple that was rent in twain at the death of Christ. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new (newly-slain) and living way, which He hath consecrated (or inaugurated) for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh" (Hebrews 10:19) In the Tabernacle there was only a vail between the Holy and Most Holy Place; in Solomon’s Temple there was a two-leaved, olivewood, gold-covered door as well as a vail. In the Temple of Ezekiel there is no vail, only a turning door, divided in the centre, making manifest the way into the Holiest. The Tabernacle vail is typical of the spotless humanity of the Lord Jesus - "The Word made flesh, who tabernacled among us." The vail of the Temple is the type of the same humanity in resurrection dignity, fruitfulness, and glory. Not only was Jesus the Son of David, but also the Son of God: not only the heir of David’s throne, but the One who has sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high. The Cherubim. THE word "cherub" is of doubtful interpretation; it probably signifies “like the majesty." The plural is “cherubim “ - I believe emblematic of those whom God employs to communicate His mind or to perform His will. We first read of the cherubim in Genesis 3:24 - "He placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim . . . to keep the way of the tree of life “ - here evidently emblematic of ANGELIC ministry. Next they are seen on the mercy-seat of the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:20), of pure GOLD, a continuation of the golden propitiatory, therefore Divine - an emblem of the Eternal Spirit. The Mercy-seat, or Propitiatory, represents the mercy or loving-kindness of God, which is from everlasting to everlasting. The cherubim were beaten out of the two ends of the mercy-seat, and their wings, meeting above, formed a complete circle. Their faces were towards the mercy-seat, setting forth the fact that the atoning work of Christ was the centre purpose of God, the Eternal Spirit foretelling and foreshadowing it before its accomplishment, and keeping up the remembrance of it throughout eternity. In Incarnation the Spirit of Jehovah rested on the Man Christ Jesus, fitting Him for His earthly service; and “through the Eternal Spirit He offered Himself without spot to God" (Hebrews 9:14). Then, as the Priest in resurrection, He received the anointing of the Holy Spirit for His priestly and eternal service in Heaven. The various emblems used in Scripture to describe the operations of the Spirit of God are exceedingly beautiful and significant.

First, there is the overshadowing or fluttering wing - " The Spirit of God moved (or fluttered) upon the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings" (Deuteronomy 32:11). When the Spirit descended on Christ at His baptism, it was in the form of a dove (Luke 3:22). Christ risen and exalted has received the gifts of the Spirit, which He has distributed for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of His body (Ephesians 4:11-12).

DIVINE AND SPIRITUAL AGENCY. The Cherubim again figure largely, and are minutely described, in the prophecy of Ezekiel, as the LIVING CREATURES of the vision. Here they appear to symbolise the various characteristics of PROPHETIC ministry - the face of a MAN, showing sympathy and intelligence; the ox, patient perseverance; the keen eye, lofty flight, strong wing of the EAGLE; the LION emblem of boldness and courage. The four beasts, or LIVING ONES, in Revelation 4:6-8, represent the CHURCH in resurrection glory, as God’s agency for earth and Heaven, for time and for Eternity. When John was caught up into Heaven, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord in John 21:22, he saw a throne and One seated on it. Four-and-twenty elders were seated round about the throne, representing those of a former dispensation, who, having died in Christ, rise first when Jesus comes: all who have departed in the faith of Christ from Abel downwards, previous to the Pentecostal dispensation.

Then we read - " In the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four living ones." In chapter five, the Lamb as it had been slain is seen standing in the midst of the throne, and these four living ones are connected with Him. They are symbolic of the Church of the Firstborn, written in Heaven - those who by the Pentecostal Spirit are baptised into one body, one spirit with the Lord. When to these we add the multitude that no man can number, we see the whole of those who share the first resurrection. The TWO LARGE cherubim in the Holiest of the Temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:23-28; 2 Chronicles 3:10-13) represent, I believe, the ministry of ALL THE REDEEMED in its heavenly exercise. They were of olive tree or OILY wood, type of the spiritual body, serving in the power of the SPIRIT of God; of image work, as conformed to the image of the risen CHRIST. Overlaid with GOLD, as partakers of a glory which is Divine; their height, ten cubits; the WINGS reach from wall to wall, meeting in the centre, over the mercy-seat of the Lord. The ministry of the redeemed in glory will be extensive, having the mystery of redeeming love in Christ Jesus for its centre, filling all Heaven, and continuing through all eternity. THE CHARIOT OF THE CHERUBIM.

David gave to Solomon "gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah" (1 Chronicles 28:18). Psalms 68:17, appears to throw light on this subject - "The chariot (singular) of God is twenty thousand [two myriads], even thousands of angels [or changed ones]: the Lord [Adonahy] is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place." We may compare with this Deuteronomy 33:2 - " Jehovah came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints" [holy myriads]. Also in Jude 1:14, the prophecy of Enoch - " Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands [myriads] of His saints" [holy ones]. The CHARIOT OF THE CHERUBIM and the two cherubim in the Most Holy Place appear to be the same, and to represent those holy ones whom God employs as the vehicle of His visitation to His creatures, the ministers of His will, and the manifesters of His glory. The whole illimitable universe of God will be filled with the manifestation of Divine grace and glory, and God will make His redeemed ones the especial ministers of this manifestation. For God will "head up together all things in Christ, both which are in the heavens and which are on the earth"; and the Church is the fulness of Him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1:9-10, Ephesians 1:21-22). The Ark of the Covenant. AT the dedication of the Temple it was brought up out of the city of David, and carried into the oracle of the house, the Most Holy Place, even under the wings of the cherubim (2 Chronicles 5:7-10). This was the Ark which was in the Tent of the Congregation in the Wilderness (Exodus 25:10-17). It is a complete type of the Lord Jesus Christ - a full-length representation of Immanuel - of His INCARNATION, as typified by the shittim wood (John 1:14), of His DIVINE nature by the gold (1 Timothy 3:16), of His PERFECT OBEDIENCE by the unbroken tables of the law within (Psalms 40:8), His atoning DEATH, the foundation of God’s merciful actions, by the BL00D-Stained mercy-seat (Exodus 12:13), His RISEN glory by the crown of gold round about (Hebrews 2:9), and the FULNESS of the SPIRIT received in ascension by the cherubim on the mercy-seat (Acts 2:33). There were RINGS of GOLD and STAVES of SHITTIM WOOD overlaid with GOLD. These staves were put into the rings, never to be taken out so long as Israel continued a wandering people (Exodus 25:12-15), reminding us of the promise, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age," never leaving, never forsaking. "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). There He is, in the tenderness of His humanity and the glorious perfection of His Godhead - shittim wood overlaid with pure gold. When that Ark was brought to its resting-place under the shadow of the larger cherubim, these staves were drawn out of the rings and placed behind the Ark, so that the heads of the staves were seen from before the oracle; the staves were hidden behind the Ark; wilderness wanderings will soon be over, but God will have His abiding presence with His people to be kept in everlasting remembrance. We should look back with thanksgiving and praise to Him who was always with us here below. THE CROWN OF GOLD.

"And thou shalt make upon it a CROWN OF GOLD round about." Beautiful type of the exaltation of the Lord Jesus in resurrection and ascension; in the presence of God "crowned with glory and honour," the sufferings of death for ever past. THE TABLES OF THE LAW. In the Ark were placed the two unbroken tables of the law on which God wrote with His own finger when Moses went up to the mount a second time. The first tables were provided by God Himself, but broken by Moses owing to Israel’s transgression. These tables were typical of the covenant of works, by which no man can be justified before God. The second tables, having been prepared by Moses and written again by God, were deposited in the Ark, and are typical of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus. They also remind us of the words of Him who said, "In the volume of the Book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, 0 My God. Yea, Thy law is within My heart" (Psalms 40:8). The Lord Jesus, made of a woman, made under the law, in His life of perfect obedience, doing the will of God, magnified the law, and made it honourable. THE PROPITIATORY.

Above the two tables was the Propitiatory, upon which the blood of atonement was sprinkled by the high priest once a year, when he entered into the holiest. First, with incense beaten small, which he put on the censer, from which a cloud covered the Propitiatory, a type of Christ entering the Holiest in the memorial of His life and character and walk and work on earth.

Then the high priest dipped his finger in the blood of the bullock, which had been slain without, and sprinkled it on the mercy-seat eastward. Why eastward? Because that was the line in which the worshippers must draw nigh as they entered. When God sees that blood of atonement, the way is clear for the worshippers to draw near. It seems to say, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like Crimson, they - shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). Scarlet seen through crimson appears white to view; so God looks upon the approaching worshipper through the crimson light of Christ’s atoning blood. Having sprinkled the blood ONCE eastward beneath the eye of God, the priest sprinkles it SEVEN TIMES before the mercy-seat, for the eye of the worshipper drawing near. Thus we come right with God in full assurance of faith, knowing that we are welcome through the way of redemption there. The Propitiatory, therefore, sets forth Christ in His atoning death, as the tables in the Ark tell of His perfect life of obedience.