Wisdom and Her Children
Solomon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, makes it clear that Wisdom is a Divine Person. "Jehovah possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was anointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth while as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens I was there. When He ordained the circle on the face of the deep when He established the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong when He imposed on the sea His decree that the waters should not pass His commandment. When He appointed the foundations of the earth then I was by Him, His nursling and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, and My delights were with the sons of men" Prov. 8:22-3122The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. (Proverbs 8:22‑31).
Majestic as the language is, Solomon still has not told us who Wisdom is. It is not until the second last chapter of Proverbs that a man called Agur really raises the question of who Wisdom is. He starts by saying "I have neither learned Wisdom nor have I the knowledge of the Holy" —30:2. Agur did not know, like Solomon, that "the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is intelligence" 9:10. Armed with this knowledge and intelligence we can answer the questions Agur posed but could not answer "Who has ascended up into the heavens and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a mantle? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His Name, and what is His Son's Name if you know?" Prov. 30:44Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? (Proverbs 30:4). Jesus Himself answered the question "who has ascended up into the heavens and descended?" when He told Nicodemus "no man has ascended up to heaven but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven" John 3:1313And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13). Agur's next question "Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a mantle?" was answered when Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea "Peace be still" Mark 4:3939And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39). Agur also wanted to know who had established the ends of the earth. We know today it was Jesus, for by Him God made the worlds Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3). He established the ends of the earth and knows their distance apart. This Savior God has removed our transgressions from us "as far as the East is from the West" Psa. 103:1212As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) because this distance cannot be measured on the globe but the Northern and Southern ends of the earth can be. Agur has covered all creation now the heavens and the earth the wind, the waters the earth. So his last question really asks us who created all this "what is His Name and what is His eon's Name if you know?" Well, we do know. We know that His Son's Name is Jesus. We have proved it by answering all Agur's questions. "We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding that we should know Him that is True and we are in Him that is True, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the True God and eternal life" 1 John 5:2020And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20). So Jesus is Wisdom personified. Before the creation in Prov. 8 "I was there.. I was by Him, His nursling, and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." Here is the Son of God eternally in His Father's bosom before creation and during creation and in the world He created loved and cherished by His Father. The Son of the Father's love is Wisdom. Riches and fragrance are treasured up in Christ the True Wisdom. The enjoyment of the preciousness of Christ who is the Wisdom of God is the heritage of Wisdom's children.
In this brief introduction to the study of Wisdom we have seen that God in His wisdom has been pleased to use many figures to convey divine truth to us. But the underlying thought is simple. Wisdom loved man and came from heaven to earth to dwell with man and died on the cross to put away our sins. Now Wisdom would have us dwell with Him not in the houses of men but in His Father's House with its many dwelling places. How encouraging in these dark days this bright future is. Wisdom wants our company. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us. May we be filled with the knowledge of that will "in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" see Col. 1:99For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (Colossians 1:9).
Having established who Wisdom is, the next question is who are her children? The Lord Jesus anticipated and answered this question in Luke 7:3535But wisdom is justified of all her children. (Luke 7:35) "Wisdom is justified by all her children." Wisdom's children bow to Wisdom's Word the effect of which is that they love her. Those who are not Wisdom's children scorn her Word, and are governed by the principles which control the world, such as power and wealth.
To bring the subject of Wisdom and her children into focus, we have begun with Solomon, the wisest of men. Then out of many incidents in the precious life of Jesus we have selected a few which tell us who are Wisdom's children and who are not.
A Wise King Who Failed Privately
In 2 Chron. 1:1 12 and 1 Kings 3:5 28 we are given an insight into the source of Solomon's wisdom the philosopher king whose wisdom has become a proverb. The account in 2 Chronicles tells us that God appeared to Solomon at night after he had offered one thousand burnt offerings and said to him "ask what I shall give you." His reply was "give me now wisdom and knowledge." This pleased God, who added unprecedented riches, wealth and honor. Both in this account and in the one in 1 Kings it is clear that Solomon did not ask wisdom and knowledge for himself. Rather it was to help him judge the people. This can be seen from the story in 1 Kings 3. In this passage two women appealed to him for judgment. Both had borne a son but one of them had accidentally lain on her child and killed it. She arose at midnight, discovered what she had done, and exchanged children, claiming the other woman's living child as hers. The rightful mother demanded her child back, but how could she prove her case to the king? Solomon commanded that the living child be cut in two, and a half be given to each mother. They reacted as he had anticipated the false mother consenting to this because it was not her child the true mother pleading for her son's life. Then the king commanded that the child be delivered unharmed to the woman who was unquestionably revealed as the real mother. This wise judgment was proof of God's answer to Solomon's request for "an understanding heart to judge the people that I may discern between good and bad.”
The result was that "all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the King, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.”
Solomon must have learned from his father that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" Psa. 111:1010The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalm 111:10). He began right by offering one thousand burnt offerings. This pleased God. Solomon also pleased God when he asked Him for wisdom and knowledge to judge the people. Evidently it did not occur to him to ask for wisdom and knowledge to judge himself, although later on he commented that the man who rules his spirit is better than one who takes a city see Prov. 16:3232He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. (Proverbs 16:32). Solomon's public life displayed the wisdom God granted him, but his private life was marked by indiscretion. "King Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh...he had 700 wives, princesses and 300 concubines....it came to pass when Solomon was old that his wives turned away his heart after other gods and Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord." 1 Kings 11:1-61But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 2Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 4For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. (1 Kings 11:1‑6). Thus the man whose beginning was good he offered up 1000 burnt offerings ended badly with 1000 women who turned him away from God to idols. In all this there is a lesson for us, for we too can ask God for wisdom "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God... and it shall be given him" James 1:55If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5). Let us ask for wisdom to go through this life as God would have us, denying the inclinations of our foolish hearts. "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine" 1 Tim. 4:1616Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Timothy 4:16). We must start with ourselves. Paul remarked "but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection -" 1 Cor. 9:2727But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:27). Our personal walk with God comes first the doctrine follows. Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him Gen. 5:2424And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. (Genesis 5:24). "Before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" Heb. 11:55By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5).
These observations, however, do not detract from the undoubted wisdom Solomon received from God. Rather they amplify it, proving that all true wisdom can be traced to God, and not to man. And so God has graciously recorded Solomon's wisdom in the Holy Scriptures. Proverbs gives us practical wisdom for passing through an evil world and traps to avoid. Ecclesiastes is the viewpoint of a wise man on the things he sees "under the sun" an expression which is the key to understanding that book. With the transcendent light of Christianity our vision is no longer restricted to the things "under the sun" and to the gloomy conclusions of "the preacher" in that book. Solomon rises to his sweetest in "the Song of Songs" which is Solomon's. Written as a love song, the Holy Spirit indicted it to bring into flowering and fruiting the relationship of abiding love between the Lord and His people.
Solomon wrote about both wisdom and folly. Indeed he wrote more about the fool, the foolish and foolishness than any other writer in the Bible. He teaches wisdom by his observations of folly. In Prov. 7 for example, he outlines the way of foolishness followed by the way of Wisdom in Prov. 8. Wisdom shines all the brighter for the contrast. She competes openly for men's favor against the foolish woman of Prov. 7. The first thing we learn in our studies of wisdom, then, is that we must make a choice Wisdom or folly. Wisdom has much to offer. She is accompanied by "intelligence" 7:4 "understanding" 8:1 "instruction" and "knowledge" 8:10 "prudence" 8:12 "counsel" and "strength" 8:14 "riches and honor" 8:18. Wisdom wants to impart these desirable things to those who will listen to her voice. "I will fill their treasuries" 8:21.
A Foolish King and Wise Men
When Jesus was a child of two years or less "wise men" came from the East seeking Him. When they arrived at Jerusalem they asked this question "where is the King of the Jews who has been born? For we have seen His star in the East and we come to bow to Him." The source of their wisdom was heavenly then they looked up and saw His star in the East. This was what led them to Christ. Can we not learn from this that Christ the second Man is out of heaven see 1 Cor. 15:4747The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47). He came from heaven and has returned to heaven. Heaven becomes the home of the heart because Christ is there, and He is our object and the source of our joy.
The wise men were not content simply to find Christ. They said "we come to bow to Him" as Young translates it. They came to do homage to Christ as the King of the Jews like foreign ambassadors coming to pay respects to a great sovereign. The essence of their wisdom was acknowledging that Christ was the rightful King of the Jews. But this implied that Herod was not. That is why not only Herod the King was troubled but "all Jerusalem with him." Herod saw in Jesus a future rival to his throne whom he must eliminate. He determined to find both the birthplace and time of birth of the new King so that if one plan failed he would have another plan ready to kill Jesus. To execute his first plan he sends the wise men on their way. Find the young child, was his message, then tell me where He is, so I too may come and bow before Him. What deceit and treachery! Troubled because Christ was born, afraid that He might claim his throne, he plots to kill Him, not bow before Him. But God warns the wise men in a dream, after they had found Christ, and they return to their own country by a different route. Joseph too is warned in a dream and takes Jesus to Egypt. So Herod puts his second plan into effect. He knows Jesus must be about two years old. It would not be too difficult to calculate this, once he knew when the star first appeared. So he orders that all infant boys aged two and under in Bethlehem and its suburbs should be killed. Now at last he thinks his throne is secure.
But for Herod personally there is no security, for he has not been able to answer the wise men's question "where is He?" He lost his opportunity to bow before Jesus in time he will be forced to do it later, for "at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" see Phil. 2:10, 1110That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10‑11). Herod has many followers. But hanging over all the Christ rejecting governments of this world is a great sword which the True King will one day wield Rev. 19:1515And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15) to establish His one world government over the nations, after which He will rule them with a rod of iron Rev. 2:2727And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:27). Wise are the men who bow to Christ now, and not later.
The wise men longed to see Christ. Their question "where is He" makes that clear. They rejoiced exceedingly, with great joy, when they saw the star which led them to Him. When they entered the house where Christ was, they first bowed down before Him. Then they opened their treasures and offered to Him—not to His parents—gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
And God, as He had promised, had filled their treasures. All we have comes from God, so we can only give back to Him what He has given us "of Thine own have we given Thee" 1 Chron. 29:1414But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. (1 Chronicles 29:14). Then too it was at the end of their travels that the wise men opened their treasures. The end of a pathway which seeks Christ is surrendering all to Him. They left behind the reputation they had in the East gave their treasures to Christ, and turned away from the false king. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" Luke 12:3434For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12:34). Though Jesus was a child with His parents at the time, He was old enough to receive the gifts of the wise men from the East. Ten years were to pass before Jesus was separated from His parents. Then it was their turn to seek Him. They found Him in the Temple "sitting in the midst of the teachers and hearing them and asking them questions" Luke 2:4646And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46). There is a link between these events. The wise men sought wisdom the doctors of the law heard Wisdom. Wisdom's delights were with the sons of men.
Wise Women and Foolish Men
In Matt. 2 we had wise men who came from distant lands to present Jesus with gifts which foretold what His life should be riches and fragrance. They also came to bow before Jesus "all the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee" Psa. 22:2727All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. (Psalm 22:27). The essence of their wisdom was recognizing Christ as the King of the Jews. Now we are going to consider two wise women. They are spiritually linked to the wise men for they saw in the lowly Jesus of Nazareth Israel's True King. Both are the children of Wisdom. The wise men came to Christ early in His life the wise women in one case during His Galilean ministry and in the other case at the close of His life. Thus the wise men and wise women span the entire life of Christ. The gifts of the wise men expressed what the life of Christ should be the perfume poured out by the wise women expressed what it was fragrance.
Wisdom always involves a choice. Just as the wise men and the wise women chose Christ, foolish men decided against Christ. Herod wanted to prevent Christ from taking over his throne when He grew up. He is a figure of those who rule by manipulating the political system of the world. Then there is Simon and Judas Iscariot. Simon denied that Jesus was even a prophet Judas grudged Jesus the perfume for His anointing. They tried to deny Christ as the Savior of man and the object of our heart's worship. Since Simon was a Pharisee and Judas an Apostle they represent religious man. Thus the Scriptures expose the two ways Satan controls the world and opposes Christ power politics and human religion. The man of the world denies that Christ must inevitably head up the government of this world in a kingdom that shall have no end. Religious man denies the fall, the need of a Savior, and that man's true purpose is to serve and worship God.
a. The necessity of the cross the sinful woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee: When the Lord Jesus accepted the dinner invitation of Simon the Pharisee and sat down at table Luke 7:3636And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. (Luke 7:36) Simon had no idea of the glory of His Person. He did not understand that by gracing Simon's house with His presence Simon's table became the King's table, just as the Lord had the colt taken away from its owners because He needed it. As the Creator, Christ owns all things as the King, the table of His host becomes the King's table. But of this Simon knew nothing. We see him first of all denying Christ the common courtesy of a hot Eastern country washing the feet of a guest which would be dusty from walking over dry roads. Worse still, Simon does not kiss Him or anoint His head with oil. What an opportunity Simon missed to show kindness to the Christ of God. And what a lesson there is in this for all of us. If we fail to serve Christ God will raise somebody else up to do so and the loss will be ours. Sometimes God chooses the most unusual people to do this. So it is here. A woman known throughout the whole city as a sinner, hears that Jesus has gone to dinner at Simon's house. Although unidentified she may have been Mary Magdalene out of whom Christ cast seven demons. Following this incident she is the first woman mentioned as serving Christ Luke 8:22And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, (Luke 8:2). Unlike Jesus who had been invited to Simon's house, she seems to go there uninvited. Simon knows her evil reputation but does not tell her to go away when she enters with her alabaster jar of myrrh. He thinks she will serve a useful purpose in exposing Jesus "this Man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is who touches Him, for she is a sinner.”
True she was a sinner, but she stood in the presence of the Savior of sinners. Like everyone who sins and is convicted by the Holy Spirit she breaks down in God's holy presence. Her tears flow like water as she weeps before the Savior. So copious are her tears that she washes Jesus' feet with them. Then she dries them with woman's crowning glory the hairs of her head. Finally she takes the myrrh from her alabaster jar and anoints Jesus' feet. Her act of love never takes her out of her true place a suppliant sinner at Jesus' feet. So Jesus says to her "your sins are forgiven." These words are resented by the dinner guests “who is this who forgives sins also" is their unspoken question. The question of the wise men was not "who is this?" but "where is He?" Their question indicated that Christ was known, but not where He was. "Who is this?" indicates that Christ is unknown though He is personally present. Simon thought that "this" was not even a prophet the woman knew Him as a Savior. "And He said to the woman, your faith has saved you go in peace." She had come in her sins, she went away without them. She was saved and justified on the principle of faith. She trusted in Christ not knowing how He could save her but believing He could. She had obtained peace the peace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Only God can forgive sins, and she stood in the presence of God revealed in flesh. But even God can only forgive sins righteously. And it is only as we realize this stark fact that the meaning of the woman's alabaster jar of myrrh is understood. The myrrh in it spoke of the suffering grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which led Him to the cross to die for her sins. The myrrh was sealed in the alabaster jar until the realization of her sins brought the woman to tears. Then she anointed Jesus' feet with the myrrh. Little did she think, in performing this act, that it spoke of Christ going to the cross to die for those sins which He had forgiven her. Myrrh is the common denominator in the gifts of the wise men and wise women, for all need a Savior.
b. The shadow of the cross the godly woman in the house of Simon the leper: Now we come to a scene in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany. Jesus is there. It is supper time, and Lazarus, whom Jesus had recently raised from the dead, sits at table with Him. The two sisters of Lazarus are also present Martha and Mary.(1) Supper is prepared and served by Martha. Mary's part is to bring out a costly treasure she has saved for this occasion spikenard perfume. Matthew tells us it was stored in an alabaster jar and was very precious John and Mark give us its great price in the money of the day. Mary anoints Jesus with the spikenard, fulfilling what remained of the prophecy of Cant 1:12, 13. The myrrh had been poured out in the house of Simon the Pharisee the spikenard here in the house of Simon the Leper now both perfumes are poured out while the King is at His table. In the first house it was a question of a woman in her sins in this house of a godly woman with deep spiritual affection for Christ. The woman in Luke 7 is a figure of man coming to Christ for forgiveness of sins the godly Mary of Bethany is a figure of redeemed man worshipping Christ from the heart with the burden of sins gone "the worshippers once purged have no more conscience of sins" Heb. 10:22For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. (Hebrews 10:2). Every time we pour out the preciousness of Christ in our hearts to our Father, the House of God is filled once more with the fragrance of the perfume.
“Thou gav'st us, in eternal love
To Him to bring us home to Thee
Suited to Thine own thought above
As sons like Him, with Him to be
In Thine own house. There love divine
Fills the bright courts with cloudless joy
But 'tis the love that made us Thine
Fills all that house without alloy.”
Mary spared nothing. Matthew and Mark tell us that she poured the precious perfume on the Lord's head. John tells us that she anointed the Lord's feet. But in Matthew and Mark the Lord speaks of His whole body being anointed. Clearly then, Mary began at His head and did not stop until the contents of her jar were all poured out at the Lord's feet. Mary's final act was to wipe His feet with her hair, like the woman in Simon the Pharisee's house. But in this house we may be sure that the Lord was kissed and His feet washed when He entered, so this is not mentioned. What is mentioned is the anointing. Now we ask, what value shall we put on Mary's act? In Israel a king was anointed. The Lord said about David "arise anoint him for this is he" 1 Sam. 16:1212And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. (1 Samuel 16:12). Unquestionably both women recognized Christ to be the True King of Israel before Pilate forced the guilty nation to recognize it by the sign above His cross. But as we have already seen the spiritual value of the act goes well beyond that.
When Mary anointed Christ with extremely expensive perfume she made all the disciples indignant especially Judas. He insisted that it could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. This was only a pretext. If the perfume had been sold the money would have been turned over to him, for he was the treasurer. He was also a thief, and would have stolen it. Because he could not get the 300 denarii at which the perfume was valued, he sold Christ instead for 30 pieces of silver. Apart from his perfidy notice the contrast between Judas and the wise men. They gave Christ gold but wisely did not weigh the amount, for they knew that Christ was priceless, and their greatest gifts only tokens. Judas sold Christ for silver. He thought he knew what Christ was worth in that too just 30 pieces. Judas is the heart of man at its worst. For Simon there was hope for Judas none.
The children of wisdom shine in high relief against the depravity of man. They are like Job's three daughters, whose names mean "beauty" "purity" and "fragrance" Job 42:1414And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch. (Job 42:14). "Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us" Psa. 90:1717And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. (Psalm 90:17) is as true now as when it was written. Mary is an outstanding example of this. How greatly the Lord valued the wisdom and understanding of her heart. Her act was unique. Though other women later prepared spices and perfumes for Jesus' body after the crucifixion, they were not needed. The Living One had arisen. Mary's perfume alone went with the Lord's body to the tomb as He Himself said it would "she has prepared My body for burial with perfume" Mark 14:88She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. (Mark 14:8). This explains the Lord's commendation "verily I say to you, wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her" Mark 14:99Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. (Mark 14:9). So the author composed a hymn entitled Mary's Memorial as a tribute to what she did.
The Treasures of Wisdom's Children
The Lord Jesus said, in Luke 12:3434For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12:34) "for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." The great treasure of Wisdom's children is Christ who is ever precious to those who believe in Him. God has stored up, in the Holy Scriptures, priceless treasures of His Son in Manhood, so we may share His thoughts about Him. Clearly Wisdom's children of the past have already shown their devotion to Him. It is their appreciation of Christ, recorded in the Scriptures, which gives us a forward look at the life and death of Jesus, a glance at His life as it draws to a close, and a backward look at that life.
a. The forward view of what the life and death of Christ would be: A prophetic forecast of what the life and death of Christ would be is given us in the gifts of the wise men. There were three gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Gold is mentioned first, for in Scripture it is a symbol of God and divine righteousness. Psa. 18:3131For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? (Psalm 18:31) states "who is a rock save our God." So gold is found in the tabernacle at the beginning of God's ways, and in the Holy City Jerusalem at the end. There are perhaps two reasons for this. First it is a lustrous metal which does not tarnish, and so is a store of real wealth, and secondly it must be mined from rock with much labor. Christ then is God manifest in the flesh, glorious forevermore. When He said "I am" in the garden His enemies had to fall to the ground John 18:66As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. (John 18:6) when the Father declared Him His Son, His disciples had to fall on their faces Matt. 17:66And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. (Matthew 17:6). This is the meaning of the gift of gold.
The gifts of frankincense and myrrh however, speak of Christ's Manhood. They are extracted from resinous trees. Fragrant incense rises from frankincense when fire touches it. Thus it is a picture of the Lord's life. He glorified God in spite of the opposition of sinners. This was fragrant incense to His Father, who smelled a smell of delight in Him. The last gift was myrrh. It is extracted from the myrrh tree a tree with cruel thorns. Myrrh can be used both as a perfume and as a narcotic to alleviate pain. At the cross the Lord refused to drink the wine medicated with myrrh which was offered to Him to relieve His sufferings. Myrrh speaks of the perfect grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in the sufferings of the cross.
b. God's estimate of the life of Christ as it drew toward its close: We do not know what the wise men used to store their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But we are told that the perfume of the women was stored in each case in a container of alabaster.
(2)This omission of a container in one case and emphasis in the two others is deliberate. It is done to draw our attention not only to the contents of the alabaster jars, but to the alabaster jars themselves.
Howard Carter, the British archaeologist, illustrated his book The tomb of Tutankhamen with photographs of the most important artifacts he discovered in that tomb. A number of these are in color, greatly enhancing our appreciation of the workmanship. He included three photographs of artifacts in pure white alabaster an alabaster canopic chest, an ornamental alabaster boat, and an alabaster vase. The ancient alabaster was resistant to scratching, so that its beauty was not easily marred. It was obtained from caves through which flowed underground springs saturated with lime. Over long periods of time the lime in the waters formed stalagmitic deposits, layer on layer, sometimes imparting a banded appearance to the alabaster.
These introductory remarks help us to understand better why the two wise women stored their perfumes in alabaster jars. The alabaster jar speaks of beauty and purity formed in seclusion their contents of fragrance. God directed their choice both of the alabaster jars and the kinds of perfume inside them. His purpose was to constitute an imperishable record in Holy Scripture of what Christ was to Him both inside and outside. Outside was the visible display of His pure and spotless Manhood inside moral perfection and devotion to the will of God a perfume poured out from His lips whenever He spoke to man or prayed to His Father. Let us test this interpretation by reference to the Scriptures.
Just as alabaster is formed in secret, so the beauty and purity of the early life of Christ was observed by God alone. He grew up before Him like a tender plant, but man saw no beauty in Him to desire Him see Isa. 53:22For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:2). They thought of Him only as the carpenter's son. In rebuttal God the Father says "Thou art My beloved Son" as His ministry began at the Jordan. Clearly then what was alabaster in God's eyes was not beauty in man's eyes. So much then for the beauty of His Person in figure the alabaster jars. What about His words the perfume stored inside would man find fragrance there as God did?
To make sure that they would, God would have the perfume stored in Christ poured out before men. Alas man hated 'what He said as much as what He was. Wisdom's children were different. Peter was a representative child of Wisdom when he said "Lord, to whom can we go Thou hast the words of eternal life?" And long before Peter these prophetic words were written about Christ "my heart is indicting a good matter. I speak of the things which I have made touching the King. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men grace is poured into Thy lips therefore God has blessed Thee forever" Psa. 45:1, 21<<To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.>> My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 2Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. (Psalm 45:1‑2). Charles Wesley's hymn gives expression to the pouring out of this perfume from the gracious lips of Christ in these lines:
“Our hearts are full of Christ and long
Their glorious matter to declare
Of Him we make our loftier song
We cannot from His praise forbear
Our ready tongues make haste to sing
The glories of the heavenly King.”
“Fairer than all the earth born race
Perfect in comeliness Thou art
Replenished are Thy lips with grace
And full of love Thy tender heart
God ever blest! We bow the knee
And own all fullness dwells in Thee.”
But it remained for Solomon, David's son, to give us the prophecy which ties together all the themes of this chapter "while the King is at His table, my spikenard sends forth its fragrance a bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me" Cant 1:12, 13. Here we have Christ presented as King, just as the wise men acknowledged Him to be then the King at table as Christ was when the wise women anointed Him then the very perfumes they used to anoint Him spikenard and myrrh.
c. The backward view of the life and death of Christ: Long after Christ had ascended to glory, God had the Apostle Paul record His estimate of the life and death of Christ in Phil. 2. This is the well known backward look at Christ's pathway. What is remarkable about it is that it traces Christ's journey from the Father to the Father in the same order as the wise men's gifts are listed in Matt. 2 first gold, then frankincense, and lastly myrrh. It commences with the exhortation "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." The humility and obedience of Christ recorded in Phil. 2 is to be reproduced in us. It will be if we can say from the heart "thanks be unto God for His unspeakable free gift." Let us retrace the gifts in order to fix them in our minds.
.. The Gift of Gold: This is verse 6. Here we are told that Christ Jesus subsisted in the form of God. For this reason He thought it not robbery to be on an equality with God. This corresponds to the first gift of the wise men gold. It is God giving, really giving His only begotten Son as in John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). In sending the Son, man is given a gift without price the Son of God Himself. Until the wise men opened their treasures the glory of Christ was hidden in the types of the Old Testament. But now we understand God's gifts to us the first of which is the gold.
.. The Gift of Frankincense: To carry out the Father's commandment the Son must become a Man. And so "He emptied Himself, taking a bondman's form, taking His place in the likeness of men." Contrast Him with Adam who was made in the image and likeness of God Gen. 1:26,26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26) yet sinned. Christ was made in the likeness of men Phil. 2:77But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (Philippians 2:7) but He is the image of the invisible God Col. 1:1515Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15) and never sinned. By this distinction Scripture guards His sacred Person with a drawn sword.
.. The Gift of Myrrh: The myrrh is found in v 8 where we are told that He became obedient unto death and that the death of the cross. Contrast this again with Adam who was disobedient in a small matter under ideal conditions. Under the shameful and cruel death of crucifixion the Lord was completely obedient to His Father's will. The fragrance of myrrh can arise by crushing and truly it was at the cross that the heel of Christ, the woman's seed, was crushed as prophesied in Gen. 3:1515And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15). That is a figure meaning that the precious walk of Christ on this earth came to an end at the cross.
.. Internal evidence from Scripture linking the gifts of the wise men and wise women to the death of Christ: Remembering that nine is the number of judgment for Christ died at the ninth hour then (9 + 9²+ 9³ + 999 being 1818 He might be crucified Mark 15:1515And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. (Mark 15:15)) + (2536 gold and frankincense and myrrh Matt. 2:1111And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)) = (4354 a pound of ointment of nard pure of great price John 12:33Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. (John 12:3)). This unbelievable arrangement demonstrates that with God all things are possible.
Wisdom's House—What Is It?
Wisdom's children live in a house, but it isn't prominent in this world. Solomon writes about it in Prov. 9:11Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: (Proverbs 9:1) "Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars." Wisdom built that house to be a home for herself and her children. Discarding the figurative language, the house of Wisdom is where God dwells with His beloved "behold I and the children God has given Me." It is the house of God.
Although the visible form God's house takes in the world varies with the dispensation, in principle it is one and the same. Its first form was the tabernacle in the desert a tent, unattractive on the outside, but beautiful inside. To man this would seem an unlikely place for God to dwell. The tabernacle in the desert was followed by the splendidly ornate temple Solomon erected in the land. In Christianity the physical temple yields to the spiritual. In Eph. 2:21, 22,21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:21‑22) Paul writes about "an holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." When the Lord comes back for the Church, it will be the mind of God to erect the most splendid building the world has ever seen a building which will last for 1000 years. This will be the temple of Ezekiel's prophecy. From this brief sketch it will be seen that in the beginning the visible form of God's house was a tent hidden away from the world in a desert, but that in the end it will be a magnificent temple to which all the world must come to worship.
The Song of the People—the First Intimation of the Two Great Forms of God's House—the Tabernacle and the Temple
In Ex. 15, Moses and the children of Israel sang a song to the Lord. It was the Lord who had redeemed them in Egypt, and brought them through the Red Sea as on dry land. It was the Lord too who had destroyed their enemies their immediate preoccupation at the moment "Pharaoh's chariots and his army has He cast into the sea his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea." Then the song takes another theme that this delivering God is worthy of worship. The song is inspired, for they sing of two future houses where they will worship God. The first would be the tabernacle, the last the temple.
The tabernacle is anticipated in these words "Thou hast guided us in Thy strength to Thy holy habitation." God had indeed guided them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea and into the desert. It was there they were to build Him an holy habitation i.e. the tabernacle. The song continues, but this time the subject changes to the temple to be built in Mount Zion, when they enter the promised land "Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established.”
Then another verse "the Lord shall reign forever and ever" introduces a fresh thought that God is not only dwelling with His people, but that His throne is there too. That is the great thought which unites the seemingly diverse structures of the tabernacle and the temple. God's throne is in both of them.
The Throne of God in the Tabernacle and the Temple
The Lord will establish His throne on the ashes of Satan's throne. That principle was established when He destroyed the glory of the world by drowning Pharaoh's armies at the Red Sea. Only then did He erect His throne in the desert. At Armageddon He will destroy the power of the world when He overthrows the Beast's armies on land. Then He will establish His throne in the last temple the temple of Ezekiel's prophecy. In summary, God destroys Satan's throne on sea and land, in so doing sweeping away the power and glory of the world. These things tell us of a God of judgment, for righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne. But what form does God's throne take in His visible house?
God answers this question in an unexpected way. He begins with the figurative representation of the Man who will sit on His throne, rather than the figurative representation of the throne itself. The figurative representation of Jesus is the Ark of the Covenant.(3) Ex. 25:10-1610And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 11And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. 12And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. 13And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. 14And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. 15The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. 16And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. (Exodus 25:10‑16) tells us that the Ark was built before everything else because Christ must have the pre eminence. The Man who will sit on God's throne the Man in the glory is greater than the throne. Then only are we told about the throne, called in Ex. 25:17-22 The Mercy Seat. The Ark rested on the ground, and supported the Mercy Seat above just as Christ on earth was to be the upholder of God's throne in glory. Two Cherubims of gold one piece with the slab of gold which constituted the Mercy Seat looked inward and downward at the tables of the law. They were a reminder that Cherubim with a flaming sword drove our first parents away from God. Man could now only come before the Mercy Seat with blood, speaking of the coming sacrifice of Christ.
The Ark was the unifying link between the seemingly diverse forms God's house was to take the tabernacle and the temple. Just as it was the first thing built, so it was the first thing to go over the Jordan to its final resting place in the temple. The Ark began in the desert, for it was in the desert that Satan tempted Christ. It ended in the temple the figure of the settled rest of God's throne.
The Ark and the Mercy Seat, when fitted together, as they were designed to be, demonstrated that the throne of God belongs to Christ alone. So the pillar of cloud rose from the Holy of holies where the Ark and Mercy Seat rested. The cloud in Scripture speaks of God's presence and the unsullied glory of His throne. A good example from the New Testament would be the Mount of Transfiguration, which anticipated the coming kingdom.
“To Him Thy voice from out the cloud
Once spake Thy deep, Thy full delight
And now without a veil to shroud
In Him shines forth Thy glory bright.”
The Contrasting Forms of the Tabernacle and the Temple
We have seen how the Ark and Mercy Seat provide the unifying element in the tabernacle and the temple, making God's house one in principle. Still, it is undeniable that the forms of the buildings differ. What can we learn from this planned diversity in God's house?
a. The tabernacle the rule of God over His people while the world rejects His Christ: The tabernacle had to be built strictly according to God's plans, for it was His house. Moses had no voice in anything not even the furniture in the house. Moses received the plans from God on a mountain indicating the exalted and heavenly character of God's house. This also gives us instruction about God working in Trinity. God may be compared to the architect of the house Moses the contractor figure of Christ by whom God made the worlds Bezaleel and his assistants the workmen figure of the energy of the Holy Spirit in performing God's work. It is significant that the first mention of wisdom in Scripture is in connection with Bezaleel, the wise hearted man who built the tabernacle. Interesting as this is it must not divert us from examining why the tabernacle differs from the temple, the key to understanding why God insisted on no deviation from His plans.
In the tabernacle God's throne is in a desert, so the rule of the world is not the thought here. It is more moral rule over God's people. Consequently the tabernacle is a figure of present conditions, when Wisdom is hidden in the House of God, and the darkened world outside engages in folly. God's throne in the tabernacle was continuously moving, because He accompanied His homeless people in their desert wanderings. Like Israel we are journeying on to our rest. Unlike Israel where all was material, with us all is heavenly. We follow the Ark of the Covenant across the Jordan. But with us the end of the journey is Christ in glory. I have tried to capture that theme in a poem I composed entitled Home of the heart.
Home of the Heart(4)
Receive us, Lord Thy promise this on earth
Unto Thyself, in that bright place above
Where glory dwells, and where there is no dearth
Of joy the home of life and love.
The Father's house the fatted calf now killed
Is ours through grace God's righteousness fulfilled.
O come then Jesus Savior, Lord and Friend
Enfold us with that love which knows no end.
On Thee we'd gaze and seeing Thee the Father
Made known in Thy blest life and death
No hindrance then nor flesh, nor world, but rather
Enjoyment full of God made known— and rest.
Lord Jesus come Spirit and bride now say—
The Holy City home of endless day—
Is ours by right of blood redemption
For Thou, blest Lord, hast answered every question.
b. The temple the rule of Christ over the entire world for 1000 years: David and Solomon are types of Christ in two contrasting ways. David the warrior king is a type of Christ subduing all His enemies, as He will in the end time. David was succeeded by Solomon, the king who reigned in peace as Christ will, and displayed wisdom in his reign. 1 Kings 4:3030And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. (1 Kings 4:30) tells us that Solomon's wisdom exceeded the wisdom of all the sons of the East and it was from the East that wise men came to do homage to Christ. Solomon's reign is a faint picture of the time Psa. 72:88He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (Psalm 72:8) predicts, when Christ "shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth." His wisdom will transcend Solomon's wisdom. His rule will meet God's requirements in 2 Sam. 23:3,43The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. (2 Samuel 23:3‑4) "He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, even a morning without clouds.”
Solomon also built a temple. Solomon's temple looks forward to the last of all temples the temple of Ezekiel's prophecy. God's throne will be in it. It will be the seat of glory and government on the earth for the last thousand years of its history.
Beholding the Beauty of the Lord in the Tabernacle
That is because the Jews have clung to the law of Moses and rejected Christ for almost two thousand years. During this time a largely Gentile Church has accepted Him. These two facts explain why Moses had to place the golden lampstand so that its light fell on the table of showbread with its twelve loaves speaking of the twelve tribes of Israel. All night the night of Israel's rejection of Christ until the morning, when Israel repents and accepts Christ, God remembers His ancient people who have forgotten Him. In the light of the golden lampstand, so to speak, He sees His people in those twelve loaves. "I say then, has God cast away His people?" is the question Paul raises and answers in Rom. 11:11I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. (Romans 11:1).2 "God forbid...God has not cast away His people.”
He asserts this publicly in Acts 26:77Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. (Acts 26:7) "our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night." The light of the golden lamp-stand shines on the twelve loaves. They are not forgotten.
Now let us go back to the ancient days when the golden lampstand was first made. As we have already observed nobody was consulted as to how it was to be made. This must have aroused Aaron's curiosity as to why it was designed the way it was. He must have inspected it close up and from a distance, as he went about his duties. We are now about to visualize what he saw. But before we do so, we should understand that these precious things are for our enjoyment too. When Wisdom's children enter her house, she wants them to behold the beautiful things in it. David captured the thought in Psa. 27:44One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4) "one thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”
a. Beholding the beauty of the Lord in the golden lampstand the close up view When Aaron first inspected the golden lamp-stand, he must have noticed the marks of the "hammered work" which the artificer made. When he refilled the lamps with clear olive oil it was oil taken from beaten olives. It is unlikely that he connected these two things as we can today who have the Holy Spirit as our Teacher John 14:2626But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26). (5) The hammered work of the golden lampstand speaks of the death of Christ, who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities see Isa. 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5). The olive tree as a source of light is a familiar figure of the Holy Spirit. The beaten olives for the light speaks of Christ offering Himself through the eternal Spirit without spot to God see Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14). These two things then testify to the death of Christ.
But Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. The truth of His resurrection is displayed in the "almond work" embellishing the golden lampstand the budding blossoming and fruiting of the almond tree new life after the winter season. Aaron's rod which budded (6) also speaks of the resurrection of Christ. It was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies see Heb. 9:44Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; (Hebrews 9:4) "and behold the rod of Aaron”—budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds” Num. 17:88And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. (Numbers 17:8). So the same figures of resurrection life budding, blossoming and fruiting are found both in Aaron's rod which budded and in the golden lampstand. In one case though, hidden from man's eye but seen by God's in the Holy of Holies for the resurrection of Christ is precious to the Father. In the other case displayed in workmanship of gold we see the value of the resurrection of Christ and share the Father's thoughts about Him. But perhaps the reader wonders why God chose the almond tree to display the resurrection of Christ both on Aaron's rod and the golden candlestick? It is because the almond tree is the first tree to break out in blossom in springtime in the Holy Land. It is a fitting choice since Christ is the firstfruits of resurrection 1 Cor. 15:2828And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:28). Finally, the decorative almond flowers in the golden lampstand are the first flowers mentioned in the Bible. This brings before us the origin of flowering and fruiting in Gen. 1:1111And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. (Genesis 1:11) "and God said let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind." The origin of flowers and fruits then is the land raised from the waters on the third day a figure of Christ rising from the dead on the third day. Paul, writing of this in 1 Cor. 15:23,23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23) says "Christ the firstfruits afterwards those who are Christ's at His coming.”
b. Beholding the beauty of the Lord in the golden lampstand its appearance a few steps away from it: When the evening drew on it was the duty of Aaron as High Priest to light the lamps of the golden lampstand. There was no other light in the Holy Place. Perhaps after lighting its lamps he might stand back from it and admire its beauty. Not only was its workmanship exquisite, but its pure gold made it very costly. Of the 29 talents of gold which the people offered for the tabernacle work, one whole talent of pure gold was needed for the golden lampstand and its utensils.
What Aaron would see from a distance would be the representation of an almond tree in springtime in pure gold. This impression would be strengthened in the eye of the beholder because the lamps were so located that the light they threw fell on the lampstand itself, displaying its beauty. Its base rested on the ground as a tree would(7) and out of it arose a central shaft like a tree trunk. Out of the top of the shaft arose a single branch. Commenting on this Saltau says— "if we accurately read the portion of Scripture descriptive of the candlestick we shall find that the central part of the vessel, consisting of a shaft and its branch is that which, apart from the rest, is eminently called the candlestick."(8) Then out of the sides of the shaft arose three branches on each side curving upward, making a total of seven branches. Each branch was embellished with the budding, flowering and fruiting habits of the almond tree Aaron's rod that budded captured in workmanship of pure gold. The single branch at the top had more almond work than the other six branches and towered above them as well.
Saltau sees in this arrangement the union of Christ and the Church which confirms our view that the golden lampstand represents the death and resurrection of Christ. This alone would make such a union possible.
c. The golden lampstand in history and prophecy: The lamps in the golden lampstand were designed to burn a measured amount of oil. Aaron filled them with oil every evening, but in the morning they burned out. The wisdom of God is revealed in this feature of the oil and light of the golden lampstand. As believers we are in the light as He is in the light 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7). Christ is our Great High Priest and we never lack a supply of the Holy Spirit or the light He sheds during the night of Christ's rejection the lamps burn continuously during the night. The night began when Judas betrayed Christ John 13:3030He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. (John 13:30) and will not end until Israel acknowledges Him as Messiah Zech. 12:10-1410And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; 14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. (Zechariah 12:10‑14). Then the light of the lampstand can go out. The end of Israel's night will be the world's morning. "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" Rom. 11:1515For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15). But perhaps the reader is inclined to say, like Nicodemus "how can these things be?" For the answer we must turn to the banqueting hall of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, for here we find God's thoughts about the golden lampstand and the world's thoughts opposed to one another.
In Dan. 5 we read that King Belshazzar, whose nation had once besieged Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple and taken away the holy vessels, held a feast for his nobles. Under the influence of wine he commanded that the holy vessels of the Lord be brought in for use as drinking cups. They drank wine out of them and praised their gods for granting them victory over Jehovah. It was a deep insult to the true God, who had only permitted their victory because His people had sinned against Him. In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand wrote the words "Mene mene tekel upharsin" on the plaster of the wall opposite the lampstand. When the king saw this he trembled with fear and demanded an interpretation of the words. Daniel told him briefly that God had assessed him personally, found him deficient, and would give his kingdom to others.
Of all the holy vessels why is the golden lampstand alone mentioned in this drunken feast? It had been removed from the House of the Lord where Aaron supplied it with oil for light to the house of the king where there was no oil and no light. Everlasting darkness was about to descend on the king's house. Just as Herod the king had mocked the birth of the King of the Jews so King Belshazzar mocked the God over whom he deemed himself triumphant. Are the rulers of the world today any different? Have they too not mocked the value of the death and resurrection of Christ the central idea of the golden lampstand? Then they too will be swept away in judgment, just like Belshazzar. Only then will the kingdoms of this world become the world kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. That will be the morning of this world. The light of the lampstand in the House of God will have burned out because the light of the morning outside will have replaced it. The knowledge of God will be universal when that morning dawns "the light of the morning when the sun rises, even a morning without clouds" 2 Sam. 23:44And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. (2 Samuel 23:4).
The coming of the Lord for the Church ushers in both the judgments on the world and its final blessing. Then we shall enter in to the joy of our Lord.
“Oh day of days for Him and me,
When I shall gain the heavenly goal
And He who died to save me, He
Shall see the travail of His soul;
And I shall praise Him as I would,
For all His mercies multitude.”
Beholding the Beauty of the Lord in the Lily Work Outside the Temple
The subjects we are considering are too vast their range too great to do more than touch their fringes. So in the tabernacle we selected the golden lampstand as a representative piece of furniture, and for the same reason we will restrict our consideration of the temple to the lily work outside it. The subjects chosen in each case are only examples of the wisdom to be found in God's house not the whole but part of the whole. The lily speaks of the life of Christ as Man in this world "and we beheld His glory" whereas the almond tree, depicted on the golden lampstand, speaks of His death and resurrection.
Jesus compared the lilies to Solomon, the great king who built the Temple. "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" ..Luke 12:2727Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Luke 12:27). He also urged us to consider the lilies. Why? Because beyond a doubt they speak of Him. The lily is a suited figure of Christ's moral beauty and dependence on God. How dependent on God the lilies are. They cannot move away from where they are planted. They depend on the earth where they grow for food, and the heavens for sunshine and rain. In Scripture Christ is looked at as the Lily of the valleys Ca 2:1. That is, God has only one Lily but there are many valleys. He grew up before God like a tender plant. The valleys are low places and speak of Christ's humiliation here. He made Himself of no reputation. He was God's Son the Creator of the universe but man called Him the carpenter's son. Man's treatment of Him made Him a Man of Sorrows. This gives us another view of Christ's life as the Lily among thorns Ca 2:2. Thorns came into this world because man sinned Gen. 3:1818Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; (Genesis 3:18). In a world of sinners a world filled with thorns Christ stood out alone among them spotless, perfect. But despised and left alone by men this Lily surely was see Isa. 53.
We find lily work in two places in Solomon's Temple both outside the Temple. The golden lampstand, in contrast, was inside the Tabernacle. One of the two locations of the lily work is on the brim of the huge molten sea a reservoir of water used for ablution purposes. The other is on the top of the two great pillars of the Temple.
The Lily work of the Temple on the Molten Sea: The universal character of Christ's reign His one world government is the lesson taught by the location of the lily work on the top of the molten sea. The molten sea was supported by twelve cast oxen which faced outward three oxen to each of the four cardinal points of the compass. Twelve is the number in Scripture standing for human administration- e.g. the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve apostles etc. Because the oxen are beasts of burden they symbolize the patient unceasing work of administration in the kingdom. Because they face each of the four cardinal points of the compass they teach us that, in the day of Christ's power, the saying of the Pharisees will be fulfilled "the world has gone after Him" John 12:1919The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. (John 12:19). He will no longer be typically hidden in the House of God like the golden lampstand. Rather His power will radiate out from the glorious future Temple at Jerusalem to all points of the compass.
The lily work on the two great pillars of the temple: Next we will consider the lily work on the top of the two pillars in front of the Temple. The lilies here are figurative of the exaltation of all that Christ was as Man His work and His teachings Acts 1:11The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (Acts 1:1) in the permanent one world government He will establish and maintain in power until the end of the world. Why so, you might ask? Well, the pillar on the right was named Jachin He will establish the pillar on the left Boaz in Him is strength see 2 Chron. 3:1717And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz. (2 Chronicles 3:17). The Man of God's right hand will establish His kingdom and uphold it in strength. He said He was meek and lowly in heart and taught that the meek should inherit the earth. So they cried "away with This Man we will not have This Man to rule over us." This will force Him to reply "but those Mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring here and slay them before Me" Luke 19:2727But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. (Luke 19:27). This agrees with the meaning of "Jachin" Christ establishes the Kingdom in power. The pillar Boaz "in Him is strength" also teaches us that no man can take the kingdom from Him once it is established. He is the Man of power "His kingdom shall never be destroyed...and the kingdom shall not be left to other people...it shall stand forever" Dan. 2:4444And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44). The beauty of all this is that at the top of the pillars the pinnacle of world power is the lily work. It is God's reversal of man's rejection of Christ.
When Christ takes His great power and rules the world, the principles of the Sermon on the Mount will prevail and the meek will inherit the earth.
The Knowledge of God's Will
In Eph. 1:9, 109Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:9‑10) Paul tells us that God has made known to us the mystery of his will. That part of the mystery which concerns us here is that Christ will rule this world for 1000 years. God has revealed His deepest secrets to us. The children of Wisdom alone know that the present world must pass away. Therefore they "have more understanding than all their teachers" Psa. 119:9999I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. (Psalm 119:99). As Wisdom's children we know that the clamor of the nations will one day cease, the groaning of creation be hushed but not until the Prince of Peace reigns. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Wisdom need cry no longer for durable riches, honor, righteousness. For Wisdom will flow from the One who leads in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment. We anticipate the day when the entire world will enjoy the Wisdom who is now our exclusive portion "for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" Hab. 2:1414For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14).