18. Nor was any gold here.
25. There was silver offered, see chapter 35: 24; but here only the redemption-money is noticed.
I think the position of the brazen altar and the laver, show the order of presentation to men of sacrifice and sanctification, of which repentance is the first form; the coming by sacrifice is another thing, yet that shows the adequate sense of sin. But then the character of sacrifice attached to it gives that of the repentance. It is not Christ's Person which characterizes repentance (though that be necessary if in His name), but the sacrifice—if Gospel repentance—that is, the judgment of sin according to the responsibility of man, but of man having to say to God, for it is not the gold on the mercy-seat; only Christ, being presented in grace, His rejection becomes the measure of sin. But this is, I think, more the judgment of sin, not sins, not failure as man, and I doubt it is so properly called repentance.
The altar referred to the responsibility of man—to putting away guilt according to that measure; the laver, consecration in the way of regeneration, and sanctifying to God.
Then the ark, the coming to God, in the holiest.
In Ephesians, we have only the latter, the portion of a new creature.