THE TYPE. THE TABERNACLE.

GOD's dealings with his chosen people, under the law, provided not only the human priesthood, but visible sacrifices and a visible tabernacle. All these were parts of his teaching, by which He conveyed Divine truths more forcibly to the mind and heart, and the last of the three, a material Temple or house is still needful for us, nor will it cease to be so till in heaven faith is lost in sight, Rev. xxi. 22. We need it lest our worship lose its reality in a kind of sentimentalism, for we are yet far below that state of heart in which every place alike is God's house. On the Jew, however, the tabernacle and temple not only bestowed this advantage, but were also directly typical. Priest, sacrifice, and temple, alike testified of Christ, our Priest, our sacrifice, and God with us, tabernacling (the marginal rendering of "dwelt" in John i. 14), amongst us.

Probably the different parts of the tabernacle had each their separate antitype (as we shall see afterwards in the case of the "Holy of Holies "), but our object now is rather to grasp the truth presented by the whole.

THE PLACE WHERE GOD

What then was the tabernacle to the pious Jew? WOULD MEET WITH HIM. Everything in it spoke of heavenly truths, and in it were gathered ALL the visible symbols of his worship. THERE ALONE could sacrifices be offered; there alone atonement made. There were the great feasts and fasts to be observed; there were kept the law written by the finger of God (Exodus xxxi. 18); the manna, a record of ancient Providence and itself a type; Aaron's rod, typical also of the true chosen priest; and the wondrous Ark and mercy-seat, radiant with the Shechinah or Divine glory, see Heb. ix. 1-5.

There especially were the Cherubim, between which that mercy-seat was extended. THERE THEN DWELT JEHOVAH, see 1 Sam. iv. 4; 2 Kings xix. 15.; Isaiah xxxvii. 10; Psalm lxxx. 1; cxix. 1.

God promised that He would dwell there, Exodus xxv. 22; xxix. 42—45; 1 Kings vi. 12, 13; and both in the Tabernacle and Temple there were the outward signs of the fulfilment of that promise, see Exodus xl. 34; 1 Kings viii. 11; Ezekiel ix. 3.

How SOLEMN, and yet how COMFORTING was this to the pious Jew! God was ever near to him, and ever ready to receive him, if only he came in God's appointed way. Compare 1 Kings viii. 29, 38, 39; ix. 3; 2 Chron vii. 12-16.

THE CONNECTION.

This, as already noticed, is warranted by Scripture. The Tabernacle was a type of one not made with hands, wherein dwelt (or tabernacled) God Himself, the Eternal Son, John i. 14; Heb. ix. 11, 12. Thus we are led to trace

THE ANTITYPE.-CHRIST'S HUMAN BODY.

It has pleased God to reveal Himself to us through Christ INCARNATE (“a BODY hast Thou prepared Me," Heb. x. 5), and we are taught that ONLY THROUGH HIM can we rightly know God, Matt. xi. 27; Luke x. 22; John xiv. 6; and note especially 2 Cor. iv. 6.

Through Christ God dwells with men, John i. 14; xiv. 8-10; Col. ii. 9; and his very name teaches the same truth, Isaiah vii. 14; Matt. i. 23.

And FOR WHAT PURPOSES? This too is equally clear in Scripture. In Christ God reconciles the world to Himself, 2 Cor. v. 19. In Christ He bestows redemption, Eph. i. 7. In Christ He bestows all the various gifts and graces that the Christian needs, Psalm lxviii. 18; 1 Cor. i. 30; in Christ He is open to our access, Eph. iii. 18.

It is true that now we see Him by faith alone; but yet again will THAT heavenly (not human) Tabernacle be seen amongst us, Rev. xxi. 3.

How then can we refuse so great salvation? Why then refuse such unspeakable comfort?

THE TYPE. THE BRAZEN ALTAR.

THE Jew, entering the Tabernacle from without, was arrested at once by the sight of the Brazen Altar, which stood between the first curtained entrance and that to the Holy Place, Ex. xl. 29. On it, day by day, and evening by evening, lay the sacrificed lamb (see next Lesson), and on it lay from time to time whatever other burnt sacrifices were brought to cleanse (typically) from guilt. Its size also (nearly nine feet square) made it more conspicuous, whilst its material ensured durability (a stone one, of course, could not have been carried about with the Host in its wanderings).

Thus it was fitted for its purpose, as one of the most important parts of that dispensation, in which God revealed truths with more or less clearness, by things that were "a shadow of good things to come," Heb. x. 1. And what may we

suppose to have been thus taught by the Brazen Altar and its sacrifices? The latter, of course, are the Type we now speak of, as the altar without them was of no avail, Matt. xxiii. 19.

I. ALL MEN HAVE SINNED.-This is stated most clearly in the Scripture, Eccles. vii. 20; Rom. iii. 23; 1 Cor. i. 29. And the Jew felt it thus daily testified to him, for none could enter into the tabernacle without seeing the altar with its victims.

II. "WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE IS NO REMISSION OF SINS," Heb. ix. 22.-There were many other sacrifices without blood,-peace-offerings and thank-offerings; but when the sinner sought atonement and pardon from his offended God, he must acknowledge that God's broken law demanded the ancient penalty of DEATH, as stated in Gen. i. 17; Ezek. xviii. 4. God chose, and chooses still, that this should be admitted, and his favour sought not by fancied self-righteousness, but with a broken, contrite spirit, in lowly self-abasement. Contrast the Pharisee with the Publican, Luke xviii. 9-14. Death is the EARNED WAGES of sin, Rom. vi. 23.

III. AN ATONEMENT IS PROVIDED, as even long before had been Job's comfort, Job. xxxiii. 24, and the hope of all that, like Abel, shed a victim's blood IN TOKEN of a future suffering Redeemer. How much light the patriarch or the Jew had it is not for us to determine, but we may be sure THEY HAD ENOUGH; and this doctrine of a vicarious (i.e., substituted) sacrifice was part of that enough. However guilty the Jew might feel as he came, the Sacrifice on that Altar spoke peace to him, if penitent and believing.

THE CONNECTION.

This, as we said before, is not with the altar, but with the victims; and of the latter there is Scripture proof, without measure; all the slain sacrifices are spoken. of as types of the suffering Redeemer, Rom. ix. 12.

THE ANTITYPE.-CHRIST, THE SLAIN SACRIFICE.

I. As we think on Calvary and that Divine Victim, we cannot deny that ALL MEN NEED SUCH AN ATONEMENT. Such a sacrifice must, indeed, have been needed for all, as He teaches us; and conscience aroused, startles the sinner by the fear of deserved condemnation.

II. SIN CANNOT BE PARDONED WITHOUT DEATH.-This we learn from the mournful scene in Gethsemane. The cup COULD NOT PASS AWAY UNTOUCHED. Had that been possible, we may be sure it had been done, Matt. xxvi. 39, 42. What a proof of the enormity of sin!

III. A FULL ATONEMENT IS PROVIDED, 1 John i. 7; Ephes. i. 7; Heb. ix, 13, 14. ALL need it—ALL may have it. Happy they who seek it for themselves!

THE TYPE.-THE DAILY SACRIFICE.

THE Sacrifices to be offered by the Jews were very numerous. They were, by God's directions continually reminded of their guilt, and of their need of an Atonement. There were Solemn Fast Days (see further on). And numberless causes were pointed out that would render a fresh Sacrifice needed. But, in addition to this, God ordained that DAILY Sacrifices should be offered: see Num. xxviii. 1-10.

Before passing to the typical character of this OFFERING as PERIODICAL, let us note one or two things in the offering itself. It was a lamb, without spot, offered by fire. Each point leads our thoughts to Christ, the Lamb of God, John i. 29, 36; without spot, 1 Pet. i. 19; and slain, Isa. liii. 7, 11; Rev. v. 6; vii. 14. And the offering was doubled in quantity on the Sabbath Day, a touching and striking testimony to the character and design of that blessed Day, when God would have men especially remember their own guilt and his exceeding grace. Our Church follows in this track, commencing her Services with full and deep Confession, followed by full and heartfelt Absolution.

The main Lessons, however, that we think were to be drawn were

I. That GUILT and infirmity wOULD BE CONSTANTLY RETURNING. The Jewish Law, burdensome in its ceremonies (Acts xv. 10), was especially so in the frequent causes of Ceremonial defilement (touching a dead body, for instance). The dailyslain lamb reminded the Jew of this, and of the penalty incurred by these daily transgressions. Other Sacrifices were repeated because of their imperfection, as St. Paul argues, Heb. x. 1—4, and that argument applies to the Daily Lamb; but it does not by any means exclude the Lesson we draw that the worshipper was as imperfect as the Sacrifice.

II. But there was DAILY ATONEMENT. The heart-stricken penitent need not despair, though he felt himself sinning again and again. In God's House the Lamb was daily slain, a substituted victim, and his wounded Conscience might daily be by Faith made whole.

THE CONNECTION.

The verses already quoted show how truly and how closely these Lambs daily slain typified Christ-his spotless life (John xviii. 38; Matt. xxvii. 4), his cruel sufferings-his patient endurance, Matt. xxvi. 53. Let us see also how truly the Christian's need and the Christian's privileges were shadowed forth by the great Lessons of this Sacrifice.

THE ANTITYPE.-CHRIST A DAILY SAVIOUR FOR DAILY NEED. We must carefully distinguish between a daily death of Christ (which is justly shown by St. Paul to be unnecessary, his one offering having sufficed for all believers to all time Heb. x. 12; ix. 26), and ▲ DAILY APPLICATION of his Atoning death, which we all need.

I. We do need it, for SIN DAILY HARASSES US. The longer we live the more shall we feel this. St. Paul was no babe in Christ when he used the language of Rom. vii. 15-23. Sin struggles on, even when it no longer has dominion; as witness the painful experience of David, Hezekiah, Peter.

II. But THERE IS DAILY HEALING AND STRENGTH to be had. Blessed be God, we need not despair. God knows what we are, all our secret sins (Ps. xc. 8), and struggles, but He does not abhor or forsake his people. He lets them learn humility and watchfulness, but He daily renews their soul, Ps. ciii. 2-4, and their strength, Isa. xl. 31—and he will at length give them the victory, 1 Cor. xv. 57; Rom. viii. 37.

THE TYPE. THE LAVER.

ATONEMENT was not the only lesson needed or taught in the Jewish dispensation. The Jew learnt to see sin pardoned, through the substituted sacrifice; and its POLLUTION washed away. The ideas, though connected, are distinct. One affects our relation to God, the other our internal condition. Each by NATURE, is equally wrong and fatally so,-each by grace is cured.

The Jew was not left in ignorance of the existence, or work, of the SPIRIT of God. He read of Him as sharing in creation, Gen. i. 2; Job. xxxiii. 4; as bestowing gifts and graces, Exodus xxxi. 3; Num. xi. 17, 26, 29; xxvii. 18; as pleading with men, Neh. ix. 30; striving in their hearts, Psalm li. 10, 12; and renewing them, Isaiah xliv. 3; xlviii. 16; Zech. xii. 10; Joel ii. 28; Zech. iv. 6. We might expect that such a Divine Agent in man's redemption would be typified in the LAVER, the Tabernacle fulfils the expectation. This was a large brazen vessel (a kind of tank), on a foot or low pedestal; standing between the great altar and inner court, Exodus xxx. 17-21. In it the priests were to wash their hands and feet (the latter not protected as our's are from dust and dirt), when about to perform any part of the Divine Service.

Thus God made them feel,—

1.—That defILEMENT WAS CONTINUAL. Physically we know it to be so; and the sullying of fresh raiment or of cleansed hands by the constantly recurring toil of life is but a feeble type of that defilement which sin produces. Note too how fearful a penalty was attached to that defilement,—death!

II. BUT THE CLEANSING GRACE WAS ALWAYS OPEN TO ACCESS. There stood the laver, on PURPOSE; and the constant need could be as constantly supplied; see David's words, Psalm xxvi. 6. How easy, how simple the cure then for what was otherwise a fatal fault!

THE CONNECTION.

The water, of course, not the mere vessel, is the typical thing: there are numerous Scripture proofs of the correctness of applying it as a Type of the Spirit: see 1 Cor. vi. 11; x. 22; Ephes. v. 26; Titus iii. 5. It may be used thus in regard to its REFRESHING qualities, Isa. xliv. 3, but here the point is its power to cleanse.

THE ANTITYPE. THE SPIRIT.

The work of the Spirit is varied—He first new creates the soul, John iii. 5, and He is the great Teacher of the Church, John xvi. 13. But here we are to look at Him in the work of cleansing the heart.

I. THE NEED IS CONSTANT. This Truth was the basis of the previous Lesson: here it meets us in a fresh shape, and we are made to feel how easily and constantly sin defiles us, even when we are the Lord's. Exposed as we are to dangers and temptations, even if sin has no DOMINION (Rom. vi. 14) yet it can and will daily harass us;—and who would venture to say that he lived a single day in the world and suffered no defilement ? The temper goes wrong,-or the heart is estranged, or the three sins of 1 John ii. 16, assail us: and even when the temptation is resisted, often the heart feels some barbed-arrow of evil,—some stain that daunts us from coming so freely to our Father (Isa. lix. 2). But,

II. RELIEF IS ALWAYS NEAR. What infinite Love and Patience in Him who makes it so, bearing with and removing our many infirmities!

This is THE SPIRIT's work: see John iii. Christ, our atonement, died and intercedes for us;-the Spirit helps us in our need, taking away the guilt that condemns us, and also pleading for and WITH US. At any hour and in any way, we may "wash and be clean." We shall cease to ask before God ceases to give. Only let us be watchful not to leave sin unacknowleged or unrepented.

THE TYPE. THE VEIL.

BETWEEN the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, as we learn from Ex. xxvi. 31-33 hung a Veil or Curtain, of Linen, embroidered with Cherubims. It was of very rich material. Without it was the Holy Place into which the Priests entered daily, in the discharge of their duties, Heb. ix. 6 (see also Luke i. 9, 10, 21); within was the wondrous scene witnessed only once a Year by the High Priest, the Glory of God resting on the Ark, Heb. ix. 3—5 (The first veil there implied, was doubtless the Curtain between the Court of the Congregation and the Holy Place). Thus the Veil was designed to conceal or hide from usual view that which yet was occasionally to be seen: A mingling of REVELATION WITH MYSTERY. I. It implied CONCEALMENT: not indeed ignorance, for every Jew might know what lay behind the Veil-every material object had been fashioned and placed there by mortal hands: but the inference was that human workmanship had become so hallowed by especial Divine Presence as to need the veiling-so that the pious Jewish Priest would gaze with a holy awe on the Curtain that concealed from his view well-known objects, because Now God's visible glory covered them all with radiance. For,

II The very concealment implied THE GLORY AND MAJESTY OF THE HOLY OF HOLIES. Every fresh division in the Tabernacle displayed fresh and higher objects of reverence, as the High Priest annually passed first into the outer Court, then the Court of the Congregation, then the Sanctuary, and then the Holy of Holies. And many (even minute) directions confirmed the claims of that spot to the lowliest reverence and awe: see Ex. xxviii. 35; Lev. xvi. 2. But,

III. It implied ACCESS. None might pass through but he whom God appointed to do so;—but it was GOD'S WILL that he (the High Priest) SHOULD ENTER. The Holy of Holies was an object of pious AWE but not a forbidden place.

THE CONNECTION.

This is taught us by Scripture itself, Heb. x. 20, and we have therefore only to try and gather the lessons God may design us to learn. The Jewish ceremonial law settled this question, besides others, "How shall man approach God;" and the veil was a highly important part of the answer.

THE ANTITYPE.-CHRIST INCARNATE.

The richness and fulness of the Gospel are gradually more and more unfolded as we look at the Lord Jesus in his various characters and offices. His incarnation, as "very (i.e., verum, or true and real) man" is the corner-stone of all,—the one which makes all the rest precious, because without it we have no access to God. We must turn our thoughts then to our Lord as dwelling in mortal flesh,— in the days of his humiliation (John i. 14; Phil. ii. 7; Heb. ii. 14). THEN his own glory, glory that none could look on and live, 1 Tim. vi. 16, was "veiled in flesh." That veil implied,—

L-CONCEALMENT. Unbelieving eyes saw nothing in Him, Isaiah liii. 2. Unbelieving lips said, " Is not this the Carpenter ?" But humble believers gazed on his "marred” features, and knew that Godhead was there.

II.-But there was evidence of THE GLORY WITHIN. What else made Him so far beyond all other men? If the human nature was only the assumed one, what must that be which lay concealed? His life and death gave but one answer,— GODHEAD.

III.-But, thanks be to God, the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus implied ACCESS, and that with boldness; and when his precious body yielded to death, the rent veil (Matt. xxvii. 15) typified both that death and that access. God in Christ, Col. ii. 9, veiled in his now glorified but still human body (Luke xxiv. 39), receives us, adopts us, glorifies us.

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