The mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms were all called into use by Jehovah in His sanctuary, in order to afford symbolic teaching of things spiritual. The Egyptians also had a kindred symbolism. When the world was comparatively young a symbolic language, now almost dead, was in use; but as time proceeded this “language” was devoted to error.
We may compare the corruption of the meaning of symbolic teaching to that of the corruption of the meaning of plain words. In the earliest days the human race was of one language, and the symbolism then employed was generally recognized; for example, none could at the first misunderstand what the flaming sword which turned every way, guarding the tree of life, signified. But, after man had gone out “from the presence of the Lord” (Gen. 4:1616And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. (Genesis 4:16)) – by which we may understand not only his forsaking God in spirit, but also his leaving the visible appearance of glory in the sword and the cherubim – and after man had established his own glory in the world (see Gen 4:1717And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. (Genesis 4:17)), legends of the tree of life, the sword, and the cherubim came to be very different from the reality that was before the eyes of the faithful who called “upon the name of the Lord” (Gen. 4:2626And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. (Genesis 4:26)). This the legends of Babylonia respecting the beginnings of the human race indicate. The early stories of Genesis are to be found in the ancient libraries of Babylonia, but distorted from their original relation to God, and handed over to demons.
In the dark ages of Christendom the masses had no just conception of Christian truth. They possessed legends in which the truth was so corrupted that it is no exaggeration to say that the idea of Christianity was as faulty in those times as was the conception of man’s beginning in the minds of the people of Babylonia and of Egypt in their dark ages. In each era, the truth of God was lost to men, and merely atoms of it sparkled in the fables which had taken its place.
The cherubim is a symbol in the religions of the ancients, which cannot be accounted for by their system of advancing to sacredness, the particular creatures accepted as the living emblem of their deity. In Babylonia the idea of the cherubim is frequently found both in form and language. The sphinxes in their varied forms, and other winged figures of Egypt, all seem to relate in some way to the cherubim. Now this symbol holds a most important place in the sanctuary of Jehovah, and was represented in the holy of holies, and upon the inner veils and the inner curtains of the sanctuary, yet it is a remarkable fact that where they were represented the eye of Israel at large never gazed. The cherubim were secluded in that part of the sacred building which was especially designed as the dwelling-place of Jehovah, the two golden representations of them arising out of the ends of the mercy-seat forming, as it were, the sides of the divine throne. In the sanctuary, therefore, they present symbolically, in the divine relationship between God and man, that which is primarily Godward. It is noticeable that the form of the cherubim is not mentioned in the instructions given to Israel; but from the manner in which the people were bidden to work it into the curtains, it would seem that the form, generally speaking, was one of common acceptance (Ex. 36:88And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them. (Exodus 36:8)).
Whence was it that the ancient people of Babylonia and the ancient Egyptians, as well as Israel, obtained their notions of winged and composite creatures? Neither flying lions nor winged bulls exist in the natural world of human knowledge. That composite creature, the sphinx, represented upon page 6, is a grand conception of wisdom combined with strength: but it is not merely a typical Egyptian idea, for it will figure in the temple of Jehovah, which is yet to be built in Jerusalem (See Ezek. 41:18-1918And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces; 19So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about. (Ezekiel 41:18‑19)). Also the Assyrian idea of combined wisdom, swiftness, and strength, given in its human-headed winged lion, is majestic.
The cherubim which are mentioned from time to time in the Scriptures of God, are first spoken of in connection with man in his earliest age. They were messengers from heaven. They were placed by the Almighty in Eden, as guardians of the paradise which man by his sin had forfeited. God “placed at the east of the garden of Eden, cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Gen. 3:2424So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24)). We are not told when the cherubim were removed from Eden; hence we may assume that they remained before the entrance to the lost paradise up to the time of the flood, as a solemn witness to man of his departure from God, and of the favor he had forfeited. Certainly the cherubim were on the earth long before the existence of the symbolism of either Babylonian or Egyptian mythology, and before the legends of Babylonia had connected them with the tree of life.
The Scriptures have their own story to tell, from the earliest ages of man’s history on earth down to the end, respecting these beings. They are heavenly ministers of the divine will connected with the human race. They are often represented in close attendance on the display of divine majesty, and they not unfrequently dispense divine judgment.
A different branch of symbolic ideas, and one that opens up a most interesting inquiry, is found in the surroundings of priesthood. There is a remarkable resemblance in the garments and instruments of the priests of both Egypt and Israel. Very much of that which existed in Egypt was ordained for Israel. Who first wore the ephod and the white linen robe, who first handled the censer, who first wore the crown of the high priest, it is impossible to say. The Creation tablets, already referred to, prove that the high priest was an accepted dignitary from the earliest times. And in Egypt, ephod, linen robes, censers, and crown were in priestly use in remote antiquity; while the fact of the existence of a priestly class and service, antedates the present knowledge of the Egyptian religion.
The antiquity of priesthood on this earth is evident, and in it an important Bible truth is bound up. As has been already pointed out, the presence of broad principles in God’s ways of dealing with man are to be seen running through the centuries like golden threads. Amongst these is priesthood. The relation of man to God lies incontestably within its meaning. True, there is a broad resemblance between the ephod, and breastplate, the garments, and the censer of Egypt and of Israel, and it is also true that there are contrasts in the priesthoods of both peoples; but the fact of the idea of priesthood being common to the heathen and to the worshippers of the living God is full of suggestion as to its origin. Who first suggested to the human mind the conception of priesthood, with its varied offices of sacrifice, mediation, intercession, and praise? The origin is unquestionably divine, though in paganism the office became devoted to demon worship.
One striking contrast between the Egyptian and the Babylonian priesthood with the Israelitish may be noticed. The king of Egypt was great high priest, such was no king of Israel. The king-priest of Egypt was the supreme head of the nation, and in his person were united spiritual and temporal dominion. The king ministering with the censer is shown in the picture below. It is part of a familiar representation at Abydos of Seti I., together with his son, in the performance of worship to their deified predecessors. The king wears his royal crown and royal apron – he wears also priestly garments. The inevitable serpent garnishes his crown, and the same symbol of majesty adorns his apron. The censer in his hand has the emblem of Ra upon it, in the figure of a hawk.
The Bible teaching as to the office of priest and king is definite. From the time of the giving of the law up to the time of the ascension of Christ to heaven, no worshipper of the living God is mentioned in the Scriptures as being both priest and king. Kings of Israel were prophets, but by no possibility priests. Indeed, the purpose of God in this matter is unmistakable, for the priest was of one tribe, the king of another. Once a king attempted to usurp the priests’ place, “and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense”; the priests rebuked him, and while they were chiding him for his daring, “the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.... And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death” (2 Chron. 26:16-2116But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men: 18And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God. 19Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar. 20And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him. 21And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. (2 Chronicles 26:16‑21)). Of Christ Himself it is written, “If He were on earth He should not be a priest “; and further, “Our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood” (Heb. 8:4; 7:144For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: (Hebrews 8:4)
14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. (Hebrews 7:14)). Hence, from Sinai up to the ascension of Christ to heaven, no man, faithful to God, bore the double honor of priest and king.
But while this fact is clear, it is equally clear that before Israel were assembled at Sinai, there were recognized priests amongst them, for “the priests” are mentioned from time to time (Ex. 19:22,2422And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them. (Exodus 19:22)
24And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them. (Exodus 19:24)). Also, just prior to the giving of the law, Jehovah said to the whole of Israel, “If ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine. And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Ex. 19:5-75Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. (Exodus 19:5‑7)). This Israel clever was, but instead, a family out of one of its tribes was specially selected for the priests’ office to the exclusion of all the rest of the nation. And so marked was the position of Levi as that of an inner circle within the greater circle of Israel, that Levi was not numbered among the twelve tribes (Deut. 10:8-98At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. 9Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him. (Deuteronomy 10:8‑9); Num. 1:47-5347But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. 48For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, 49Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 50But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 52And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. 53But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. (Numbers 1:47‑53)).
Israel’s idolatry, even while Moses was on Sinai, was the cause of their not becoming a “kingdom of priests”; and the faithfulness of the tribe of Levi on the occasion of Israel’s sin was rewarded by that tribe, to the exclusion of all others, being selected to the service.
We have, then, here a divine purpose revealed, but not fulfilled for the time. This is not at all uncommon in the Scriptures. Not unfrequently we read of a divine purpose as made known to man, and then of man’s sin in connection with the purpose, hindering its realization for the time. This purpose respecting a royal priesthood was older than the nation of Israel. But though its fulfillment was for a time held in abeyance, and though it was never realized in Israel, still it was prophesied of in Israel! The prophets of God, speaking of “the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow them” (1 Peter 1:1111Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (1 Peter 1:11) RV) – foretold the coming of the true Priest-King. He was to be different in order from the Levitical priesthood. His was to be “the order of Melchizedek” (Psa. 110:44The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4)), an order more noble than that of Levi, being that of a royal kind: “He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne” (Zech. 6:1313Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. (Zechariah 6:13)). There is a royal Priest in heaven now seated upon the throne of God, waiting for the day of His glory on earth, according to the divine word to Him, “Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool,” and by Him all the people of God on earth are now “a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,” (1 Peter 2:99But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)) – a description remarkably like that given by God when Israel was at the foot of Sinai. This royal priesthood is also made “an holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:55Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)). In the praise song (Rev. 1:5-65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6)) to “the Prince of the kings of the earth” the words occur, He “hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father,” and thus in part the purpose of God as to His having a royal priesthood on earth is fulfilled. In the days to come the whole will be realized.
Melchizedek lived in Abraham’s day, and Abraham, in common with the patriarchs, ministered as a priest; and this holds good also of Abel, who ranks amongst the earliest of the true worshippers of God. Abraham was not, however, a king – far from it; he possessed no earthly territory save a burying-place. But Abraham acknowledged the dignity of the royal priest, Melchizedek, by rendering him tithes (See Heb. 7:44Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. (Hebrews 7:4)). Thus, in the early days after the flood, God had upon this earth to the glory of His Name, in the midst of idolatry, the royal priest to Himself, the Most High. The designation – The Most High God (Gen. 14:2020And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (Genesis 14:20)) – indicates the glory of God in the presence of false gods. The Scriptures say very little respecting man after the flood up to the call of Abraham, but the fact of a royal priest to the Most High being mentioned, the seat of whose kingdom was Salem (Jerusalem), is sufficient to show the divine purpose in the double crown which the pagan kings of Egypt joined in one upon their own heads. The high priest of Israel wore a diadem – a crown; it was an indication that in due season the ruler of men should be a High Priest.
Nor does the ancient world stand alone in its desires respecting this headship of temporal and spiritual power; the desire to unite the priestly and the royal crown in one person is still vigorous on the earth. Pagans wore the double crown and united majesty and priesthood in their king. In Christian lands the, Pope formerly combined both temporal and spiritual power in his person; he was practically king of kings as well as chief priest. At the present time he is most anxious to regain it. According to Rome’s theory, all kingdoms of the earth and all souls of men are his, to be dealt with as he may please. The Emperor of Russia, on different lines, is head and ruler of Church and world-kingdom also in his vast dominions, and, so far as his claims to spiritual power are concerned, the persecutions of Jews and Christians, who are not of the King’s faith, are a terrible witness in our own days to what this rule signifies. The grasping after the double crown is pagan and anti-Christian in principle.
This craving for the double crown, almost as world-wide as world-aged, this desire to rule both earth’s kingdoms and men’s souls, is no accident. Neither is it the result of a condition of society that has evolved itself into shape without a guiding hand. It is the result of a darker influence, even of that of the master mind of the enemy, who would give to another the double crown of the spiritual and temporal kingdom which belongs by right to Christ alone.
As it is evident that in the early days after the flood great meaning was attached to the royal and the priestly crown, to the office of high priest, and indeed to priesthood generally, it is no matter of surprise to find priestly garments and utensils in use. There is a befitting symbolism in such garments and instruments. As to when God first gave to man an understanding of these things Scripture is silent, but as the worship of the living God was rendered first by the faithful, it may certainly be that that part of the human race which became pagan, borrowed its ideas of worship from the faithful. As time went on, the worship of false gods was made a religious system, and the holy things which had come down to man’s knowledge from a pure source were transferred to demon worship.
There were other figurative representations used among the Egyptians, corresponding to those which Jehovah appointed to teach of heavenly things in the sanctuary, and perhaps the most remarkable is the coffer within which lay the emblem “concealed under a veil” that none might see.
The symbolism of the tabernacle set up in the midst of Israel was not a puzzle or an enigma to the people. God spoke to them in a manner to be comprehended, and though, no doubt, as now in the written word, there were “some things hard to be understood” (2 Pet. 3:1616As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16)), the symbols conveyed to the mind the things symbolized, so far as the “shadow of good things to come” (Heb. 10:11For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Hebrews 10:1)) was intended to be read; for we are never to forget that God gave to Israel “not the very image of the things,” but a “shadow” only. None the less was the symbolism of the sanctuary and its furniture divinely ordered in every detail, and in our day, with the New Testament expounding the Old, we may by looking into this marvelous picture-book learn very much concerning the “good things” shadowed forth in Israel which have already “come,” as well as those which are “to come.”