“AND THOU shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.” The only article of furniture in the Most Holy Place was the ark of the covenant with the mercy seat above it. In the Holy Place there were the table of shewbread, the candlestick, and the altar of incense (although this has not yet been mentioned). Now, since the veil has been rent in the death of Jesus, we as believers can enter into the divine presence and enjoy all that these holy things speak of, in perfect liberty as purged worshipers.
The innermost curtains of blue, purple, and scarlet, with figures of cherubim carefully woven on them, may suggest to our minds those “beauties of holiness” variously displayed by the Lord during His stay upon the earth, as also those heavenly excellencies which belong to Him now that He is in the glory. In them we see Jesus as a glorified and exalted Saviour.
The door of the tabernacle was an embroidered hanging or curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, like the veil, except that there were no cherubim wrought upon it. These cherubim set forth Christ as Son of man in judgment. But in the hangings of the door He is presented in grace to those that were without.
Christ is the door, and the absence of the cherubim seems to tell of grace to man. You remember the cherubim forbade the approach of man he is (a sinner) to the tree of life in the garden of Eden, Here they are absent, for the claims of God’s juice and holiness having been met and satisfied at the brazen altar, type of the cross, as we shall see, there is nothing to forbid, but everything to invite the believer to enter. Five speaks of human weakness, as also it speaks of responsibility towards man. But the whole scene was one of grace throughout, and thus brings with it the thought of responsibility towards man. The Lord Jesus fully discharged His responsibility towards man, going about doing good in His life; but then in a most wonderful way at the Cross He gave Himself to redeem fallen man. We who have tasted of His grace, and who are redeemed by His precious blood, are here reminded of our responsibility to the world, to sinners everywhere perishing in their sins. The five pillars stood in sockets of brass, instead of silver. Brass speaks of God’s righteousness in His judgment of sin, thus seen at the brazen altar, and also in the serpent of brass, which for us is the Cross of Christ. It was only as He who was able to endure the fire, judgment, that Jesus could give us access into the presence of God. Therefore the five pillars stood in sockets of brass.
ML-08/02/1970