(Concluded from page 63.)
The conclusion therefore from these scriptures is that there was a worldly sanctuary suited to a worshipping people in the flesh on the earth, and that there is yet to be a worldly sanctuary in connection with the New covenant, suitable for the true circumcision, the true spiritual seed, on the earth (Isa. 57). But there is no such sanctuary now. Now there is the heavenly sanctuary only. And this is the contrast so carefully drawn by the Holy Spirit in the ninth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
The first tabernacle in connection with the worldly sanctuary had its place for a while. During its continuance the way into the holiest of all was not yet laid open, nor could there be the purging of the conscience. Now, the contrast to this first tabernacle is not a second, set up like that on the earth, and in which the worshippers are to be kept at a distance from the holiest, but one set up by God Himself in heaven, into which those only can enter who are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and anointed with the Holy Spirit; but into which all such do now by faith enter as alike accepted and equally priests. The first tabernacle is therefore in this chapter looked at in contrast with “the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building,” within which the church now worships. Such a sanctuary as this heavenly sanctuary alone befits the “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling.” Man, as man, can recognize the propriety of splendid buildings for the worship of God, and he has ever acted accordingly.
But the spiritual house has nothing tangible in it. “Ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched.” It is not adapted to the world, nor does it present attractions to the flesh. To one who only judged by appearances there might be some ground for the slander that Christians were Atheists, for there was no visible or imposing attraction in their worship. Their worship was in the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. They did not attempt in their places of assembly to vie with the imposing architecture either of the temple at Jerusalem, or of the heathen temples around them. They had not heard then of “Christian ecclesiastical architecture;” nor was the church then the patron of the arts. Their temple was not of this creation.
And the ministry in the heavenly sanctuary corresponds with all this. It is complete and perfect, because performed by One Who is divine, One Who is beyond the range of this world's cognizance. Christ is entered once into the holiest, having obtained eternal redemption. The eye of man could scan the beautiful proportions of an earthly sanctuary, and mark the service of an earthly priesthood; but faith alone can enter into the heavenly sanctuary, or delight in its glories. No one of its beauties or glories is displayed to the senses; it is the soul alone which has learned the preciousness of Jesus which is now able to say, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts.” The Lamb is the light and glory of it. If He be not the object of faith, no wonder that men should again make the sanctuary worldly.
But even when God had His worldly sanctuary here, how little of its beauty was displayed to the ordinary worshipper! He saw not the golden sanctuary, nor the cherubim and vessels of gold—these things were most carefully hidden from his sight. The priests were charged to cover up the vessels of ministry, even from the sight of the Levites, who were to carry them (Num. 4:15, 2015And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 4:15)
20But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. (Numbers 4:20)). The eyes of the priests alone were to rest on these holy things. Now it is the anti-types of these veiled and precious types with which we have to do. All believers are now priests unto God, and hence all now is open to faith; but open to faith alone. What eye hath not seen, God hath revealed to us by His Spirit. The Holy Ghost is specially come down from heaven in testimony of what He knoweth to be there. He could not witness of a heavenly temple and a heavenly priesthood, until the Builder and Sustainer of the temple and the perpetual Priest was in heaven.
All attempts to establish a worldly sanctuary now are therefore in direct opposition to the present testimony of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost by His coming was the conviction of the world's sin in having rejected Jesus, because testifying that God had exalted Him; but that blessed Spirit is also, by His very presence in the church, the conviction of the sin of every attempt to set up a worldly sanctuary. He has to testify only of a High Priest now ministering in the heavens, “Jesus, the Son of God, who is passed through the heavens;” and consequently He can only lead the soul to Him He glorifies. All who worship “in Spirit” must therefore worship in the heavenly sanctuary; for there alone does the Spirit lead.
But man, as man, knows not the Spirit of God; the world cannot receive Him (John 14). It is no part to His ministry to guide the flesh into the presence of God, or to teach it to worship. His very presence here is God's most emphatic and solemn testimony of the entire ruin of man, and of his utter incompetency for any good thing. The new birth must therefore precede worship. The only true worshippers now are those who are separated unto God through “sanctification of the Spirit.” These are now “the holy priesthood,” “the royal nation.” And it is well for the saints themselves to bear constantly in mind this elementary truth. For it will enable them to test all that assumes to be worship. We may have the senses gratified, the imagination exercised, sentiment and feeling kindled; and we may mistake such things for worship; but they are fleshly things, and when found in saints they sadly grieve the Spirit of God. These are things against which the saints have to watch, and which they have to mortify; but these are the things which must be fostered and gratified by the willful introduction of a worldly sanctuary. What more fearful then than to confound such a work with the present work of the Spirit of God? Is not this to confound darkness with light—flesh with Spirit? The whole order of a worldly sanctuary must hinder the present testimony of the Spirit of God. Now to do despite to the Spirit of grace—to insult the Spirit of God—is indeed fearful sin. But what has the Spirit of grace to do in the worldly sanctuary? There the great points are the service of the ministering priest, and the duties of the suppliant, distant, people. Grace is excluded in the whole order. Grace establishes the heart; but the worldly sanctuary leads it back again to meats. Any return now, therefore, to a worldly sanctuary must be as insulting to the Holy Spirit as it is contradictory of the finished work of Jesus.
But consider a moment longer, how truly the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of grace. What is His blessed witness to us? Is it not to grace accomplished in glory in heaven? Jesus by His own blood has entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. This it is which the Holy Ghost has revealed to Christ is there—and there “having obtained eternal redemption;” and it is “now to appear in the presence of God for us.” What need we more than this? Can we not by faith see there the witness of our own present acceptance and the pledge of our own glory? There then is the scene of our worship—there is our sanctuary—our only sanctuary. And it is into this scene of accomplished and abundant blessedness that the Spirit of God has come to lead our souls. “Set your affection on things above” is His unceasing exhortation to us. May our hearts know more of the peace and glory of that heavenly sanctuary!
And what should be the characteristic of the worship of the heavenly sanctuary? Surely praise!—praise for accomplished redemption. And this will not be wanting, if our souls realize our heavenly portion. Who, indeed, can withhold their tribute of praise, if they really worship in that sanctuary? Fullness of joy, and pleasures forever, are at God's right hand; and every heart, led of the Spirit there, declares, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,” of eternal redemption, found in the perfect work of Jesus—that work which He Himself ever presents on our behalf in heaven. “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous, and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.”
The worldly sanctuary knew nothing properly of praise. There was no ministry of song prescribed by Moses. He could sing with the children of Israel the song of redemption after passing the Red Sea (Ex. 15); but it was grace which had brought them over. They sang the triumph of grace. The worldly sanctuary had not then been ordered. In it there was nothing ever accomplished, and therefore no ground-work of praise. There was the constant repetition of the same services; the worshipper's conscience was unpurged; and hence he could never raise the voice of praise and thanksgiving. We speak of the tabernacle in the wilderness. But few even of the strains of the sweet Psalmist of Israel were adapted to the service of the ancient temple. That temple was a worldly sanctuary, and its blessings earthly; but the ministry of song went beyond all that economy, anticipating the full and accomplished blessing. Faith could sing then, only because reaching beyond the then present sanctuary; but faith sings now, because in its present sanctuary it finds the themes of everlasting praises. Grace and glory, deliverance and victory, the wondrous salvation of God Himself, are there the subjects of unceasing praise; for their accomplishment is witnessed by the presence there in glory of our Forerunner Himself.
Can that heart be turned to praise—which is taught its need of a daily absolution from the lips of another? Can such a soul sing in the Spirit and with the understanding psalms and hymns and spiritual songs? Can an unpurged conscience praise? Such things are impossible. For is not the very act of worship regarded as a duty required by God, and so rendered under a sense of law, instead of a blessed privilege arising from the perception and enjoyment of mercy from everlasting to everlasting? The apostle teaches us to give “thanks to Him Who hath made us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1). This shows the true ground of thanksgiving and praise to be what grace has accomplished for us in Christ. But if this is not seen and remembered, worship must become a burden instead of our highest privilege. And do we not see that Christians regard the teaching and preaching, with which God blesses them, far more highly than worship? This is a sure consequence of not remembering the sanctuary in which we worship. Let the soul realize this, and it will instantly perceive what are its grounds of praise, and what the character of its worship. But if a worldly sanctuary is established, or the order of a worldly sanctuary is introduced, our worship must be degraded, and our souls become lean. Such results must ensue if we take for our pattern the worldly sanctuary, instead of by faith, and as led of the Spirit, entering into that which is heavenly. There all that concerns our redemption and our meetness for the light itself has been already accomplished, and there accordingly, amidst our everlasting blessings, we can join the company who “sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.”
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