Col. 2:16, 1716Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Colossians 2:16‑17): "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.”
It is in view of these statements by the Spirit of God, that the following examination of the tabernacle, its sacrifices, its vessels, and its priesthood, is undertaken; an examination, whose endeavor is to make clear and bright the full witness of Exodus and Leviticus to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the grace of God towards those to-day who believe on Him.
Other lines of illustration may also be found in these appointments, but Christ must be seen in His preeminence first. His person and His work are the great theme of the whole picture. It is sketched by Divine wisdom to give us the assistance of material symbols towards grasping, so clearly as we may, the beauty and richness of the many treasures which that Infinite One includes within Himself, "in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily," Col. 2:99For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9). What treasures, then, must be there! What a privilege, if God Himself reveal them, and then unfold the revelation to us.
To-day it is part of the work of the Holy Spirit, now given upon the earth, to guide us into all truth, John 16:1313Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. (John 16:13); and also our Lord says, "He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you," verse 14.
Not, therefore, may this be written, nor may it be read, as a critical research into curious and wonderful parts and counterparts, but only as a vivid ministry of the bread which came down from heaven, whereof, if a man eat, he shall live forever, John 6:50, 5150This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:50‑51).
“Eat, O, friends; drink, yea drink abundantly, O, beloved," Song of Sol. 5:11I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. (Song of Solomon 5:1). Himself, His flesh, His blood, the true food which came down from heaven; "he that eateth of this bread shall live forever," John 6:5858This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. (John 6:58).
In no way will such an use of the tabernacle set aside, or underrate, its ancient value in the midst of Israel. Indeed it will be needful for us to look closely at the whole material arrangement there, and analyze the details given to us, or we shall fail to reap the intended lessons correctly; and as every detail is not separately expounded in the New Testament, it will be our profit to stand in the light of the truth that came by Jesus Christ, and discern analogies which are fitly framed, as they exalt Him the one antitype, and make Him increasingly precious to our hearts. Thus there are many sacrificial particulars in Leviticus, which are full of power and blessing when brought into the light of the cross, though they are not quoted in terms by any writer of gospel or epistle.
At the same time it will behoove us to be careful neither to prove, nor try to prove, anything by a type; nor to control any New Testament teaching by the form of a type, however clear the type in itself may be.
There is a remarkable passage in 1 Cor. 9:9, 109For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:9‑10), which opens up to us a special view of the use and intent of the law. We are there told that it was written for our sakes: "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?" Accordingly they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel, as also did the ministers at the altar partake with the altar.
No rules of interpretation can be formulated; but with Christ, the Eternal Word, for our object, the written word will declare Him and all His fullness, as we lowly wait before it; specially will the great types and shadows portray to us the main features of His blessed person and of His infinite work.
But it is not Christ only that these parts of the Old Testament are meant to illustrate. We are told, "Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." Heb. 9:2424For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24). What the true holy places of the heavens really are, we are not further told, but these hand-made holies are figures of them; "patterns of things in the heavens," and further we find Christ "is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the holies, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man," Heb. 8:1212For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 8:12), so that there is a tabernacle in the heavens, that which Christ has now entered, ("He entered in once into the holies," Heb. 9:1212Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)), and He is a minister there; while the heavens also appear to be represented in a triple way by the threefold division of the spaces of the tabernacle.
In the book of Numbers there is a fourfold presentation of the 12 leaders of the 12 tribes which bears an analogy to the 48 boards of the tabernacle building.
In this material house also, there is a vivid picture of God's spiritual house, "builded together for God's habitation through the Spirit" to-day.
May the Spirit of truth guide us to just that which He intended us to learn from this portion of His Scriptures of truth.