Devotional Studies of Old Testament Types
By Fred H. Wight
Chapter 2
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TYPES IN EXODUS
The Passover, A Type of the Cross (Exodus 12-13) The Passover was to the Jews their day of independence, even as the cross of Christ means to the Christian his freedom from the bondage of sin. “And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you” (Exodus 12:1, 2). Passover was like New Year’s Day or like the American July Fourth or Independence Day. On this day they celebrated deliverance from Egyptian bondage. And because of the cross, the Christian has deliverance from bondage to sin. “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant [slave] of sin” (John 8:34). “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). Because Jesus died upon it, the cross has been transformed from a thing of shame to a thing of glory. The Passover provided salvation for the Jewish household, even as Christ provides salvation for the family of the believer. “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house” (Exodus 12:3). “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover” (Exodus 12:21). Killing the Passover lamb was a family matter, providing protection for the family against the loss of its firstborn. Even so, the salvation of Jesus makes salvation possible for all the household of the one who believes in Jesus. “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). Is your home covered by the blood of Jesus?
The Passover lamb was to be a male of the first year, without blemish, and was to be kept from the tenth to the fourteenth day before it was slain; and Jesus was the fulfillment of all this. “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: and ye shall keep it up to the fourteenth day of the same month” (Exodus 12:5, 6). As the Passover lamb was to be a male of the first year, so Jesus died at the age of thirty-three in the prime of His manhood. Like the lamb, Jesus was without blemish, morally. The lamb was kept until the fourteenth day under scrutiny looking for possible faults. Even so, Jesus was under scrutiny the last few days before His crucifixion, yet Pilate said of Him, “I find no fault in him” (Luke 23:4). The Passover lamb was killed the same time of day as Jesus was put to death by crucifixion. “And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening” (Exodus 12:6). “In the evening,” means literally in the Hebrew, “between the two evenings.” The first Jewish evening began at noon, and the second at sunset. The lamb was slain midway between noon and sunset or about three o’clock in the afternoon. Jesus hung on the cross from the third hour to the ninth hour, or six hours. He was in three hours of light from nine o’clock till noon, and in three hours of darkness from noon till three o’clock. He died at three o’clock. The sprinkling of the blood of the Passover lamb is a type of the application of the blood of Jesus to the heart of the believer. “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it” (Exodus 12:7). “And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning” (Exodus 12:22). The Israelites showed their faith in God’s provision for them by sprinkling the blood as instructed. This is a type of the Christian’s appropriation of Christ’s blood for his salvation. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience” (Hebrews 10:22). Let us see to it that our heart’s door is sprinkled with Christ’s blood. Only then will we be safe from judgment for sin in the day of reckoning. The eating of the Passover meal is a symbol of the Lord’s Supper. “And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it” (Exodus 12:8). “Eat the flesh” means appropriation and fellowship. “Roast with fire” means judgment. “Unleavened bread” means without sin. And when the “bitter herbs” were eaten, the Israelites were remembering their former bondage and thanking God for deliverance from it. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (I Corinthians 5:7, 8). And Paul also wrote in his instructions regarding the Lord’s Supper: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” The “passing over” of the judgment angel is a type of deliverance from judgment through Christ. “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12, 13). “For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you” (Exodus 12:23). Judgment fell upon the Passover lamb, and the firstborn escaped judgment. “Even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (I Thessalonians 1:10). Jesus on the cross received God’s wrath in our place. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). The believer in Jesus escapes the judgment of God for sin’s penalty. Jewish parents were to answer their children’s questions about the meaning of the Passover; and Christian parents should answer their children’s questions regarding the meaning of the Lord’s Supper. “And it shall come to pass, when ye come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he has promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses” (Exodus 12:25-27). The questions of the children gave opportunity to the parents to explain the reason for the Passover celebration. And when our children ask questions about the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, let us take time to explain the reason for it, because it gives us a glorious opportunity to teach an important truth. “And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
Crossing the Red Sea, A Type of Turning the Back on the World (Exodus 14-15) Egypt, a type of the world. “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:24, 25). Israel in Egypt is a type of the sinner living in the world before he is converted to God. The bondage of Egypt, a type of the bondage of sin. “And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor” (Exodus 1:14). One day the Jews said to Jesus: “We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man” (John 8:33). In verse 34 Jesus answered them: “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant [slave] of sin.” In other words, sin is a terrible taskmaster. Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, a type of the believer’s deliverance from the world of sin. Israel’s deliverance under God came through the instrumentality of a deliverer—Moses. “This Moses . . . the same did God send to be . . . a deliverer” (Acts 7:35). Moses is thus a type of Christ our Deliverer. The deliverance is wrought by God’s power. “And brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 4:37). Paul tells about our deliverance from the World: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). As Moses under God’s power delivered Israel from Egypt, so Christ is our Deliverer from the sins of the world. The Red Sea crossing, a type of Christian baptism. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (I Corinthians 10:1, 2). When Israel crossed through the Red Sea, they were saying goodbye to Egypt, they were dying to the bondage of Egypt. This is a symbol of baptism. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). The convert of Christ is saying when he is baptized, “Goodbye, old world, and your sinful pleasures.” He is dying to the old life of sin, and is rising to live a new life in Christ.
The Manna, A Type of God’s Provision Through Christ and the Word (Exodus 16) The children of Israel needed the manna in the wilderness as Gods children need the Bible every day. “I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day” (Exodus 16:4). In the wilderness this great people needed a supply of bread from Heaven, and they needed it every single day. “And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them” (Exodus 16:19, 20). We need a fresh study of God Word every day. Yesterday’s experience becomes stale today The prophet learned to feast on the Word: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). Israel gathered manna in the early morning; and the best time for Bible reading is early in the day. “And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted” (Exodus 16:21). If Israel did not gather the manna early in the morning, by the time the sun became hot, it melted. Similarly, if the Word is not read early in the morning, other things crowding in will be apt to melt away the opportunity. “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned [taught ones] that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned [taught ones]” (Isaiah 50:4). We are taught from the Word in order that we may help others who are in need of help. Israel used the manna during their entire wilderness experience; and we must depend upon the Word during all of life’s pilgrimage. “And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan” (Exodus 16:35). Even so Christians need the Bible through all of the experiences of life up to Heaven’s portals. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end” (Psalm 119:33). The Lord Jesus Christ is the antitype of the manna that came down from Heaven. “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you” (Exodus 16:4). Jesus Christ Himself claimed to be the fulfillment of the manna which came down from Heaven. “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” (John 6:32, 33). The manna satisfied the hunger of the Israelites; and Christ satisfies the hungry hearts of men who trust Him. Exodus 16:3 tells of Israel’s hunger: “For ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Verse 4 tells how the hunger was satisfied: “I will rain bread from heaven for you.” And Jesus claimed to do the same thing for the hearts of men, “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). The manna was mysterious in character; and so is the salvation of Jesus in some respects. “And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [i.e., “What is it?”], for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat” (Exodus 16:15). And even as the manna was mysterious in its character and origin, so the Lord Jesus indicated that His salvation was likewise mysterious. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). In some respects the wind is mysterious, and so the work of the Spirit of God in the New Birth is unseen and mysterious, but nonetheless real. The manna came down to where the people were; and the salvation of Jesus is available to all who will take it. “And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground” (Exodus 16:14). The manna lay where it was easy to reach and gather. And so the Gospel of our salvation is easy of access. “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach” (Romans 10:6-8). The manna had to be gathered by individuals, and so salvation today must be appropriated by each individual person for himself. “This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man” (Exodus 16:16). Individual faith in Christ is required: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life” (John 3:36). The manna was despised by some of the Israelites, as the salvation of Jesus is despised by some men today. “And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes” (Numbers 11:4-6). They were making light of that upon which their sustenance depended. How like many in modern times who are doing nothing about the salvation of their immortal souls! “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3)
Water from the Rock, A Type of Christ’s Gift of the Holy Spirit (Exodus 17) Even as Israel was in desperate need of water to quench thirst; so do men need the water of life to satisfy their thirsty souls. “And there was no water for the people to drink” (Exodus 17:1). And water was a necessity. And thirsty souls can go to God and receive satisfaction through faith in Christ resulting in the New Birth. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters” (Isaiah 55:1). Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is the only work that can satisfy men’s hearts. Instead of blaming God for their predicament, the Israelites should have looked to God for water, as men should today. “Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3). Theirs would indeed have been a terrible situation if Moses had not gone to God on their behalf and secured water for them. Many times these days we find men putting the blame for their troubles upon their Creator, instead of going to Him for the solution to their problems. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). With such a gracious invitation as this, there is no need for men to die of thirst. Water was supplied from the smitten rock. The death of Christ makes possible a living well of water through the indwelling Spirit. “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel” (Exodus 17:6). The smitten rock brought forth water for the people. Thus the smitten Christ on the cross opened up a well of water through the presence of the Holy Spirit in the regenerated heart of man. “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). The rock from which their water came followed the Israelites in the wilderness; and so Christ goes with believers to satisfy their needs. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (I Corinthians 10:4). Even so, Christ goes with those who trust Him as Saviour. He never forsakes them but is with them to help them. “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper” (Hebrews 13:5, 6). Water from the rock was more than a well, it was a river; and the believer who is filled with the Spirit becomes a river of water. “He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers” (Psalm 78:15, 16). A river of water came forth from that rock in the wilderness to supply the needs of everyone. And Jesus gave us a promise that abundantly matches that in the spiritual realm. “Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive” (John 7:3739). More than a well, the Spirit-filled Christian becomes an overflowing fountain, which becomes a river of living water. Some Christians do not have enough of the water of life to supply their own need, while others have enough for their own need, but not enough for others. The Spirit-filled Christian has enough for himself and for others.
The Pillar of Cloud and of Fire, Type of the Protection and Guidance of the Holy Spirit (Exodus 13:20-22; 14:19, 20) The pillar of cloud and of fire was an indication of God’s presence with Israel in the wilderness; even as the Holy Spirit’s activity in believers is proof of God’s presence with them. “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire” (Exodus 13:21). By day everyone could know that God was present with His people because of the pillar of cloud, and by night this became the pillar of fire. And it is the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer that lets the world around know that God is with him. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9). The pillar of cloud and of fire was given Israel after redemption from Egypt by blood; as the Holy Spirit is given to those who have been saved by Christ’s blood. Redemption by the blood of the Passover lamb is found in Exodus 12. The pillar of cloud and fire is described in Exodus 13:21f. The order here is important. The order is similar in the first chapter of Ephesians: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins . . . In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:7, 13). We are first redeemed by Christ’s blood, and then sealed by His Spirit. The pillar of cloud and of fire served Israel as a protection from her enemies; like the Holy Spirit gives believers victory over their foes. “And the angel of God which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of die cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night” (Exodus 14:19, 20). The pillar of cloud and fire stood between the Israelites and the pursuing army of the Egyptians as a wonderful protection. And the Holy Spirit does just that for the believer who trusts in His keeping power from the enemy. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:16-18). In our warfare against the world, the flesh, and the Devil, the blessed Holy Spirit will, if we trust Him to do so, protect us from these enemies, and give us victory over them. The pillar of cloud and of fire was given Israel for the purpose of guidance; as the Holy Spirit is given the Christian to guide him. “And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents” (Numbers 9:17). Israel journeyed or camped according to the movement or abiding of the pillar of cloud and of fire. Today the Holy Spirit guides the believer. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). The Spirit guides through inward impressions, through Scripture passages, and through providential circumstances. In various ways He makes it clear to the child of God the way he should travel, the decision he should render, the choice he should make. The pillar of cloud was given Israel to serve as a covering from the heat by day; even as the Holy Spirit is the believers covering in the stress and strain of excessive trials. “He spread a cloud for a covering” (Psalm 105:39). This is no doubt a reference to the pillar of cloud which protected the Israelites from the hot burning sun of the desert. It was a canopy from the desert heat. And when the early church had excessive persecution, the Spirit served them as a covering. “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied” (Acts 9:31). The Holy Spirit became a comfort to them following a time of great persecution. The pillar of fire served Israel as a light by night; and so the Spirit illuminates the Christian’s way. “Thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go” (Nehemiah 9:12). It was like a great searchlight, making the way that lay ahead clear to see. And concerning the work of the Holy Spirit Jesus said: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit illuminates the Word as we study its teachings, and He also illuminates our pathway. He makes everything clear.
God spoke to Israel from the cloud, as the Spirit speaks to the churches today. “He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar” (Psalm 99:7). The divine messages came to Israel direct from this overhead cloud. And if we have ears to hear, the Spirit of God will often speak to our hearts in these modern days of crisis. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 2:29). May God give to us listening ears to hear what He has to say to us! The pillar of cloud and of fire was not taken away from Israel during her wilderness days; and the Holy Spirit will abide with believers forever. “Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go” (Nehemiah 9:19). All through the forty years of wilderness experiences God took not away from Israel the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Concerning the Holy Spirit, Jesus said: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). As our Comforter or Helper, the Holy Spirit abides with us to protect us and to guide us in the way.
The Tabernacle In the Wilderness, A Manifold
Type of Christ and His Church
(Exodus 25-40) God had a detailed plan for making the Tabernacle; and He has a plan for the
life of every member of His
Church. “And look that thou
make them after their pattern,
which was showed thee in the
mount” (Exodus 25:40). The plans
for the construction of the
Tabernacle were given to Moses
on Mount Sinai, and Moses saw to
it that they were carried out in
the building and making of it.
Concerning God’s plan for our
lives, Paul has this to say:
“For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath
before ordained [or planned]
that we should walk in them”
(Ephesians 2:10). Since God has
a plan for our lives, how
important that we find out what
His plan is, and then proceed to
carry it out! The Tabernacle was a type of God’s presence with His people of Israel and
with Christians today. “And
let them make me a sanctuary;
that I may dwell among them”
(Exodus 25:8). The Tabernacle
was always placed in the center
of Israel’s camp, and there in
the heart of His people’s
dwelling-place, God was present,
in His sanctuary. The Church is
God’s sanctuary now. “In whom ye
also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the
Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). God
dwells in the heart of His
Church through His Spirit. The tabernacle was a picture of Jesus Christ and His salvation. “And the
Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us” (John 1:14). The word
dwelt is rendered “tabernacled”
in the margin. When He was here
on earth, Jesus was tabernacling
among us. He was fulfilling many
of the types which we find so
interesting in the Tabernacle in
the wilderness. Thus we see Him
and His salvation pictured
plainly in many of the details
of that Tabernacle. The Israelites gave material for the Tabernacle in the spirit Christians
should give to God’s work in
these modern times. “And
they came, every one whose heart
stirred him up, and everyone
whom his spirit made willing,
and they brought the Lord’s
offering to the work of the
tabernacle of the congregation,
and for all his service, and for
the holy garments” (Exodus
35:21). “The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and
woman, whose heart made them
willing to bring for all manner
of work, which the Lord had
commanded to be made by the hand
of Moses” (Exodus 35:29). “And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for
the service of the work, which
the Lord commanded to make”
(Exodus 36:5). There was no compulsion from without to get the Israelites to give. Their own
hearts stirred them up to give.
Their own spirits made them
willing to give. They brought
much more than was needed for
the task. It is this kind of
giving that is very much needed
in all phases of the work of the
Lord in these days. Spirit-filled workmen built the Tabernacle; and Spirit-filled Christians
should carry on every phase of
activity in the church. “And
Moses said unto the children of
Israel, See, the Lord hath
called by name Bezaleel the son
of Uri, the son of Hur, of the
tribe of Judah; and he hath
filled him with the Spirit of
God, in wisdom, in
understanding, and in knowledge,
and in all manner of
workmanship; and to devise
curious works, to work in gold,
and in silver, and in brass, and
in the cutting of stones, to set
them, and in carving of wood, to
make any manner of cunning work.
And he hath put in his heart
that he may teach, both he, and
Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach,
of the tribe of Dan. Them hath
he filled with wisdom of heart,
to work all manner of work, of
the engraver, and of the cunning
workman, and of the embroiderer,
in blue, and in purple, in
scarlet, and in fine linen, and
of the weaver, even of them that
do any work, and of those that
devise cunning work” (Exodus
35:30-35). God gave to these men who made the Tabernacle and its furnishings wisdom and
skill by His Holy Spirit. And in
the early church Spirit-filled
men were sought out to perform
all the tasks of the Lord. “Then
the twelve called the multitude
of the disciples unto them, and
said, It is not reason that we
should leave the word of God,
and serve tables. Wherefore
brethren, look ye out among you
seven men of honest report, full
of the Holy Spirit and wisdom,
whom we may appoint over this
business” (Acts 6:2, 3). The height of the fence that enclosed the Tabernacle courtyard was five
cubits (seven and one-half
feet); and was thus like that of
a sheepfold where only a robber
would attempt to climb over.
“And the height in the breadth
was five cubits, answerable to
the hangings of the court”
(Exodus 38:18). This fence was seven and a half feet high, and sufficient to keep out
intruders. It reminds us of the
sheepfold Christ spoke about: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the
sheepfold, but climbeth up some
other way, the same is a thief
and a robber. But he that
entereth in by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep” (John
10:1, 2). Only by the
God-appointed way through the
courtyard gate, bringing an
offering, could anyone enter
into where God’s presence was,
in the days of the Tabernacle. The white linen hangings of the courtyard fence pictured the holiness of
God, which bars the sinner
except he come in through Christ
the door. “There shall be
hangings for the court of fine
twined linen” (Exodus 27:9). God
is a holy God and cannot
countenance sin in His presence.
“Thou art of purer eyes than to
behold evil, and canst not look
on iniquity” (Habakkuk 1:13).
The sinner must be barred from
God’s presence except he come in
through Christ the Door of his
salvation. “I am the door: by me
if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out,
and find pasture” (John 10:9). The brass sockets that held the pillars of the courtyard fence were a symbol
of judgment on sin, and the
silver chapiters, fillets, and
hooks, were a type of redemption.
“And the sockets for the pillars
were of brass; and the hooks of
the pillars and their fillets of
silver; and the overlaying of
their chapiters of silver; and
all the pillars of the court
were filleted with silver”
(Exodus 38:17). The pillars were
the posts, the chapiter was the
top of the post. The fillet was
the rod upon which the curtain
was hung, and the hooks were
used to hang the curtains. The
sockets were the foundation of
the posts and were of brass. Brass was a symbol of judgment: “And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they
burned in a furnace; and his
voice as the sound of many
waters” (Revelation 1:15). This pictures Christ coming in judgment at His return to earth. Silver is a
type of redemption: “If there be
yet many years behind, according
unto them he shall give again
the price of his redemption out
of the money that he was bought
for” (Leviticus 25:51). This
speaks of the silver redemption
money. In I Peter 1:18, 19 we
are told that we are “not
redeemed with . . . silver and
gold . . . but with the precious
blood of Christ.” An Israelite, after looking at the brass sockets (type of judgment upon sin),
could follow the silver fillets
(type of redemption) around the
corner of the courtyard and thus
be led to the gateway where an
entrance could be made if an
offering for sin was brought. The gateway into the courtyard was wide and beautiful, and those entering
had to bring a sacrifice; and
all this is typical of Christ as
our Door. “And for the
gate of the court shall be an
hanging of twenty cubits”
(Exodus 27:16). The gate was
twenty cubits, or thirty feet,
wide by seven and one-half feet
high. It was wide enough to
accommodate all who wished to
enter. Today salvation is for “whosoever believeth” (John 3:16). The beautiful
hangings of the gate way are
described in verse 16: “And for
the gate of the court shall be
an hanging of twenty cubits, of
blue, and purple, and scarlet,
and fine twined linen, wrought
with needle work.” The blue
pictures the deity of Christ;
the purple, His royalty; the
scarlet, His humanity and His
sacrifice; and the white linen,
His holiness. Those entering this door must bring a sacrifice. “If his offering be a burnt
sacrifice of the herd, let him
offer a male without blemish: he
shall offer it of his own
voluntary will at the door of
the tabernacle of the
congregation before the Lord”
(Leviticus 1:3). Let us look at
the New Testament application of
this, “But now in Christ Jesus
ye who sometimes were far off
are made nigh by the blood of
Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). “For
by one offering he hath
perfected forever them that are
sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Our
access to the presence of God is
through Christ as our Door, and
through the offering He made on
our behalf, whose blood gives us
nearness to God. The gateway was the only entrance into the courtyard of the tabernacle; even as
Christ is the only way of
salvation. “I am the door: by me
if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out
and find pasture” (John 10:9).
“Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be
saved” (Acts 4:12). There was
only one way to gain the
presence of the holy God of
Israel in Old Testament times,
and there is only one way to
God’s presence today, and that
way is through Christ and His
sacrifice for us. The brazen altar was a type of Calvary’s cross. This altar was the first
article to be seen after
entering the courtyard. “And
thou shalt make an altar of
shittim [acacia] wood, five
cubits long, and five cubits
broad; the altar shall be
foursquare: and the height
thereof shall be three cubits.
And thou shalt make the horns of
it upon the four corners
thereof: his horns shall be of
the same: and thou shalt overlay
it with brass . . . And thou
shalt make for it a grate of
network of brass” (Exodus 27:1,
2, 4). Brass overlaid the wood,
and the grate network was also
of brass. Brass is a type of
judgment upon sin, as we have
already seen. In the offering
for sin, God’s judgment falls
upon the one sacrificed. “For he
hath made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God
in him” (II Corinthians 5:21). The shape of the altar was foursquare. The four sides, pointing north, east,
south, and west, and thus
symbolizing a perfect sacrifice
for all people, most certainly
point to Christ’s sacrifice. The
horns of the altar were used to
bind the sacrifices (see Psalm
118:27), to sprinkle blood upon
them (see Exodus 29:12), and to
provide a place of refuge (see I
Kings 1:50). In Old Testament
times if a man was really
guilty, then taking hold of the
horns of the altar did not spare
him. But in Christ sinners have
a real place of refuge if they
come in faith and penitence.
“That by two immutable things,
in which it was impossible for
God to lie, we might have a
strong consolation, who have
fled for refuge to lay hold upon
the hope set before us” (Hebrews
6:18). The offerings made at the brazen altar are a type of the offering of Christ
on Calvary’s cross. There
were five different offerings
(see Leviticus 1-7; also Chapter
III “Types in Leviticus”).
The principle of identification
was important in connection with
these offerings. “And he shall
lay his hand upon the head of
the goat, and kill it in the
place where they kill the burnt
offering before the Lord: it is
a sin offering” (Leviticus
4:24). The one who has sinned
thus accepts the animal as his
substitute by laying his hands
upon its head. Here is what was done with the offerings, with some variation in connection
with certain offerings. “But 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” (I John 1:7). The laver used by the priests for washing is a type of cleansing for the
Christian worker. The laver
was located midway between the
brazen altar and the main part
of the Tabernacle itself. “Thou
shalt also make a laver of
brass, and his foot also of
brass, to wash withal: and thou
shalt put it between the
tabernacle of the congregation
and the altar, and thou shalt
put water therein. For Aaron and
his sons shall wash their hands
and their feet thereat: when
they go into the tabernacle of
the congregation, they shall
wash with water, that they die
not; or when they come near to
the altar to minister, to burn
offering made by fire unto the
Lord” (Exodus 30:18-20). The
priests were required to wash
themselves before going into the
Tabernacle, or before
ministering at the altar. The material the laver was made from was the brass looking glasses which had
been offered by the women. “And
he made the laver of brass, and
the foot of it of brass, of the
looking glasses of the women
assembling, which assembled at
the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation” (Exodus 38:8).
This reminds us of James’
statement that the law or the
Word is like a mirror. “But
whoso looketh into the perfect
law of liberty, and continueth
therein, he being not a
forgetful hearer, but a doer of
the work, this man shall be
blessed in his deed” (James
1:25). The New Testament
constitutes all believers as
priests. “And hath made us kings
and priests” (Revelation 1:6).
But it is important that priests
be clean. The psalmist asked the question how to be cleansed. “Wherewithal shall a young
man cleanse his way? by taking
heed thereto according to thy
word” (Psalm 119:9). First John
1:9 promises cleansing after
confession: “If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” After he is
conscious of any sin, every
Christian worker should confess
his sin immediately and be
forgiven and cleansed. Only thus
is he prepared to serve the
Lord. The Tabernacle itself did not rest upon the sand, but rather upon a mass of
silver sockets, with each
upright board resting on two
sockets; so each one of us must
rest himself upon Christ for
salvation. “And forty
sockets of silver he made under
the twenty boards; two sockets
under one board for his two
tenons [pegs], and two sockets
under another board for his two
tenons” (Exodus 36:24). Each
board was fastened securely to
the sockets by means of pegs.
The foundation of the Tabernacle
was actually the combination of
all of these silver sockets,
picturing redemption through
Christ as our foundation. “For
other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which is
Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians
3:11). Every individual sinner
who hopes to be saved must rest
upon Christ for his salvation. The arrangement of the material in the walls of the Tabernacle symbolizes the
unity of believers. “And he made
boards for the tabernacle of
shittim [acacia wood, standing
up . . . And he made bars of
shittim wood . . . And he made
the middle bar to shoot through
the boards from the one end to
the other. And he overlaid the
boards with gold, and made their
rings of gold to be places for
the bars, and overlaid the bars
with gold” (Exodus 36:20, 31,
33, 34). The boards stood
upright. The bars were
horizontal placed in rings. The
middle bar went through from end
to end. The purpose was to hold
all together. This typifies the
unity of believers. “Endeavoring
to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace” (Ephesians
4:3). This unity is based on the
presence and work of the Holy
Spirit. The outside covering of the Tabernacle of badgers’ skins is a type of what
Christ is to the average unsaved
person. “And a covering
above of badgers’ skins
[sealskins, margin: porpoise
skins]” (Exodus 26:14). This
skin was no doubt a rough,
shaggy, and repulsive-looking
skin. This pictures Christ in
relation to most unsaved people,
to whom Christ is not at all
attractive. This reminds us of
the words of the prophet Isaiah
in predicting concerning the
Messiah: “For 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. He is
despised and rejected of men, a
man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief: and we hid as it
were our faces from him; he was
despised, and we esteemed him
not” (Isaiah 53:2, 3). The next to the outside covering of the Tabernacle of rams’ skins dyed red
is a type of what Christ is to
God. “A covering for the
tent of rams’ skins dyed red”
(Exodus 26:14). Rams were used
in the voluntary burnt offering.
Thus this covering represents
Christ’s voluntary consecration
to do God’s will. “I delight to
do thy will, O my God: yea, thy
law is within my heart” (Psalm
40:8). This consecration led to
the cross. It indicates Christ
was acceptable to God in His
life and ministry, and in His
sacrificial death for us. The next to the inside covering of the Tabernacle of goats’ hair is a type
of what Christ has done for us.
“Thou shalt make curtains of
goats’ hair to be a covering
upon the tabernacle” (Exodus
26:7). In Palestine during Bible times the average goat was black, not white. A goat
was sacrificed as a sin offering
on the great Day of Atonement.
Part of this curtain would hang
over in front of the Tabernacle
(v. 9). This would suggest to
the Israelite forgiveness
because of the death of a
substitute (a goat). Thus it is
a type of Christ’s death for us.
“Christ died for our sins” (I
Corinthians 15:3). The beautiful inside covering of the Tabernacle is a type of what Christ is
to believers. “Moreover thou
shalt make the tabernacle with
ten curtains of fine twined
linen, and blue, and purple, and
scarlet: with cherubim of
cunning work shalt thou make
them” (Exodus 26:1). There were
ten curtains fastened together
to make one covering. The white
linen suggests Christ’s
holiness; the blue, His deity;
the purple, His royalty; the
scarlet, His humanity and
sacrificial death; and the
cherubim (see Genesis 3:24) who
were guards or watchers, picture
the keeping power of Christ. All
this and more — Christ is to the
believer! We come now to the main part of the Tabernacle on the inside. Here are two
rooms, the first a larger room
into which only priests might
enter for their service, and the
second a smaller room where only
the high priest could enter. God
manifested His presence in this
latter room. The first room was
called the Holy Place, and the
second room was called the Holy
of Holies. The golden candlestick (lampstand) located on the left side of the Holy Place,
represents the union between
Christ and believers. “And thou
shalt make a candlestick of pure
gold: of beaten work shall the
candlestick be made: his shaft,
and his branches, his bowls, his
knops, and his flowers, shall be
of the same” (Exodus 25:31). The
central shaft or stem represents
Christ, and the branches
represent believers. The
branches were not stuck on, or
soldered on, or glued on. Rather
they were one and the same piece
with the central shaft or stem.
Even so there is vital union
between Christ and true
believers. This suggests the
reference of Christ to the Vine
and the branches in John 15. The first result of the union with Christ thus typified is shining. “Ye are the
light of the world. A city that
is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle
[lamp], and put it under a
bushel, but on a candlestick
[lampstand]; and it giveth light
unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven” (Matthew
5:1416). His lamp am I, to shine where He shall say, And
lamps are not for sunny
rooms,
Nor for the light of day;
But for dark places of the
earth, Where shame and
crime and wrong have birth;
Or for the murky twilight
gray Where wandering sheep
have gone astray;
Or where the light of faith
grows dim,
And souls are groping
after Him.
— Annie Johnson Flint
The second result of union with Christ as pictured by the lampstand is
fruit-bearing. The bowls, knops,
and flowers suggest different
stages in the process of growing
fruit, i.e., almonds. And the
Lord expects fruit from us as
His followers who are united to
Him. “Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bear much
fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples” (John 15:8). The
fruits of the Spirit as listed
in Galatians 5:22, 23 should all
be present in our lives, and if
they are, then there will be
converts to Christ. Such
fruitfulness glorifies Christ. The fuel used by the candlestick (lampstand) is a type of the Holy Spirit as
the source of the believers
power for living and serving.
“And thou shalt command the
children of Israel, that they
bring thee pure oil olive beaten
for the light, to cause the lamp
to burn always” (Exodus 27:20).
Absolutely pure olive oil was
used in this lamp. And in the
Bible oil is a type of the Holy
Spirit. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who
went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed
of the devil; for God was with
him” (Acts 10:38). If Jesus was
anointed with the Holy Spirit,
how much more do we need to be
anointed with Him for effective
service. The table of shewbread, located on the right side of the Holy Place, is a
type of the Lord’s Supper, or
feeding on Christ. “Thou
shalt also make a table of
shittim [acacia] wood: two
cubits shall be the length
thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof, and a cubit and a half
the height thereof . . . And
thou shalt set upon the table
shewbread before me alway”
(Exodus 25:23, 30). “Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being
taken from the children of
Israel by an everlasting
covenant. And it shall be
Aaron’s and his sons’; and they
shall eat it in the holy place:
for it is most holy unto him of
the offerings of the Lord made
by fire by a perpetual statute”
(Leviticus 24:8, 9). The word shewbread means “presence-bread.” It was kept in God’s
presence. For wheat to become
fine flour it must go through
the process of sifting, rubbing,
pounding, grinding, crushing,
bruising. All this is
descriptive of what Christ
suffered on our behalf. “But 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). Unleavened bread was used for the table of shewbread, suggesting that Christ
was without sin. The bread was
baked with fire, symbolizing the
sufferings of Christ for us. The
bread was changed every sabbath
day, and thus no stale bread was
allowed. So there is need for
fresh, up-to-date Christian
experience. The priests ate the
bread that was removed, thus
picturing fellowship with God
because of sins forgiven. The
Lord’s Supper means feeding on
Christ. “Except ye eat the flesh
of the Son of man, and drink his
blood, ye have no life in you”
(John 6:53). This means to
appropriate the result of His
death in our daily experience. The golden altar of incense, located directly in front of them veil, is a
type of Christian prayer to God.
“And thou shalt make an altar to
burn incense upon: of shittim
wood shalt thou make it . . .
And Aaron shall burn thereon
sweet incense every morning:
when he dresseth the lamps, he
shall burn incense upon it. And
when Aaron lighteth the lamps at
even, he shall burn incense upon
it, a perpetual incense, before
the Lord throughout your
generations” (Exodus 30:1, 7,
8). The high priest was to burn
incense on this altar morning
and evening. Incense in the Bible represents the prayers of God’s people. “Let my prayer be
set forth before thee as
incense; and the lifting up of
my hands as the evening
sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2) “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders
fell down before the Lamb,
having every one of them harps,
and golden vials full of odours,
which are the prayers of saints”
(Revelation 5:8). “And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints,
ascended up before God out of
the angel’s hand” (Revelation
8:4). The altar of incense was situated just in front of the veil separating the Holy
Place from the Holy of Holies.
The Ark and God’s presence were
on the other side of the veil. The veil of the Tabernacle is a type of Christ’s humanity. “And thou
shalt make a veil of blue, and
purple, and scarlet,; and fine
twined linen of cunning work:
with cherubim shall it be made”
(Exodus 26:31). The blue is a
symbol of Christ’s deity, the
purple, His royalty; the
scarlet, His death; the white
linen, His sinlessness; and the
cherubim suggest His heavenly
origin. The purpose of the veil
was to separate the Holy of
Holies from the Holy Place. The
approach into God’s presence was
limited in those days. Christ by
His incarnation and death has
made a way for us into the
presence of God. “By a new and
living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh”
(Hebrews 10:20). Here we are
told the veil is a symbol of
Christ’s flesh, i.e., His
humanity. But His humanity
without His death could not have
opened the way into God’s
presence. The rending of the veil in the Temple when Christ died symbolizes the
opening of the way into the Holy
of Holies for us. “Jesus,
when he had cried again with a
loud voice, yielded up the
ghost. And, behold, the veil of
the temple was rent in twain
from the top to the bottom; and
the earth did quake, and the
rocks rent” (Matthew 27:50, 51).
The veil in Herod’s Temple was a
strong fabric four inches thick
and sixty feet high. Hebrews
10:19 gives the spiritual
significance of this great
event: “Having therefore,
brethren, boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of
Jesus.” Thus the death of Christ
has opened the way into God’s
very presence for every believer
in Jesus. The Holy of Holies is a type of Heaven. Hebrews 9:24 teaches us this:
“For 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.” The Holy of Holies
was a perfect cube, and
therefore a type of the New
Jerusalem. This room was ten
cubits or fifteen feet each way.
The Temple of Solomon was twice
these dimensions. And John sees
the New Jerusalem as a cube. And
the city lieth foursquare, and
the length is as large as the
breadth: and he measured the
city with the reed, twelve
thousand furlongs [1500 miles].
“The length and the breadth and
the height of it are equal”
(Revelation 21:16). The Holy of Holies was a room where the color gold predominated, and therefore,
is a type of the New Jerusalem.
Brass predominated in the
Tabernacle courtyard, but in the
Holy of Holies the side walls
were of gold, the Ark of the
Covenant was gold, the cherubim
gold. This is true of Heaven.
“And the building of the wall of
it was of jasper: and the city
was pure gold, like unto clear
glass” (Revelation 21:18). The Holy of Holies had as its only source of light the Shekinah glory of God’s
presence, and is therefore a
type of the New Jerusalem. “And
the city had no need of the sun,
neither of the moon, to shine in
it: for the glory of God did
lighten it, and the Lamb is the
light thereof” (Revelation
21:23). God’s presence and Christ’s presence do away with all need for any other system
of lighting. The Ark of the Covenant was the place in the Tabernacle where God’s presence
was manifested. “So the
people sent to Shiloh, that they
might bring from thence the ark
of the covenant of the Lord of
hosts, which dwelleth between
the cherubim” (I Sam. 4:4). “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou
that dwellest between the
cherubim, shine forth” (Psalm
80:1). It is clear from these
Scriptures that the presence of
the Lord shone forth from
between the two cherubim of the
Ark of the Covenant. Here was
the place where His presence was
manifested. The mercy seat, or the lid of the Ark, and the most sacred place in the
Tabernacle, was a type of God’s
throne. “The Lord reigneth;
let the people tremble: he
sitteth between the cherubim;
let the earth be moved” (Psalm
99:1) “And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be
the length thereof, and a cubit
and a half the breadth thereof”
(Exodus 25:17). The mercy seat
was not of wood covered over
with gold like much of the
Tabernacle furniture was, but
was rather a slab of pure gold
as long and as wide as the Ark.
Thus the mercy seat was
represented to be God’s throne,
and the rest of the Ark His
footstool. “And there I will
meet with thee, and I will
commune with thee from above the
mercy seat, from between the two
cherubim which are upon the ark”
(Exodus 25:22). The mercy seat is a type of Heavens “throne of grace” because blood was
sprinkled upon it as atonement
for sin. “Then shall he kill
the goat of the sin offering,
that is for the people, and
bring his blood within the veil,
and do with that blood as he did
with the blood of the bullock,
and sprinkle it upon the mercy
seat, and before the mercy seat”
(Leviticus 16:15). Once a year, on the Day of Atonement the high priest sprinkled blood on the
mercy seat. The cherubim were
heavenly beings with
outstretched wings, looking
toward the mercy seat where the
blood was sprinkled. As guardians of righteousness (cf. Genesis 3:24), they were satisfied since
judgment had fallen upon a
substitute, and thus the sinner
was forgiven. The meaning of the
term mercy seat is “propitiatory,”
or “a place of propitiation,”
or “a place of atonement”
or “covering over of sins.”
Thus it was a place where sin
was atoned for or covered over. In Old Testament times sin was covered over, but on the cross sin was done
away. “Being justified freely by
his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus: whom
God set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in
his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission
of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God” (Romans
3:24, 25). Atonement through Christ’s blood was made known by Christ in Heaven. “For
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). Thus
the mercy seat is a type of
God’s throne of grace. “Let us
therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need” (Hebrews
4:16). The tables of the law inside the Ark are a type of God’s law written on the
hearts of believers. “And
the ark of the covenant overlaid
round about with gold, wherein
was . . . the tables of the
covenant” (Hebrews 9:4). The
prophet Jeremiah foretold a day
when Israel would have these
tables of the law, not just kept
inside the Ark, but rather
written on the hearts of the
people. “But this shall be the
covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel; After those
days, saith the Lord, I will put
my law in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they
shall be my people” (Jeremiah
31:33). The New Testament
application of this truth is
given in Hebrews 10:16: “This is
the covenant that I will make
with them after those days,
saith the Lord, I will put my
laws into their hearts, and in
their minds will I write them.”
Actually, the law was kept
underneath the blood-sprinkled
mercy seat. When a person trusts
Christ and loves Him, he keeps
God’s laws out of sheer love for
him. The pot of manna inside the Ark is a type of God’s provision for the needs
of Christians. “Wherein was
the golden pot that had manna”
(Hebrews 9:4). This was a
reminder that God provided for
the Israelites all during their
wilderness journeys, and is a
type of God’s providing for us
today. “Give us this day our
daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).
“But my God shall supply all
your need according to his
riches glory by Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 4:19). A special promise of “hidden manna” was promised to overcomers in Revelation
2:17: “To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the hidden
manna.” Aaron’s rod that budded, laid up in the Ark, is a type fruitful service for
God’s servants. “And Aaron’s
rod the budded” (Hebrews 9:4).
This rod, which overnight
blossomed and bore almonds in
order to vindicate the
priesthood of Aaron, pictures
fruitful service for God among
Christian workers by the
supernatural power of the Holy
Spirit. (See section on “Aaron’s
Rod That Budded” in “Types in
Numbers.”) “Herein is my Father
glorified, that ye bear mud
fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples” (John 15:8). The High Priest and His Garments, A Type of
Christ as Our Priest (Exodus 28, 39) Christ is declared to be our High Priest by the New Testament.
“Wherefore, holy brethren,
partakers of the heavenly
calling, consider the Apostle
and High Priest of our
profession, Christ Jesus”
(Hebrews 3:1). Here is New
Testament warrant for
considering Christ as the
antitype and the Jewish high
priest as the type. The ephod, or outer garment, of the high priest is a type of Christ’s
qualifications for being our
Priest. “And he made the
ephod of gold, blue, and purple,
and scarlet, and fine twined
linen. And they did beat the
gold into thin plates, and cut
it into wires, to work it in the
blue, and in the purple, and in
the scarlet, and in the fine
linen, with cunning work”
(Exodus 39:2, 3). The fine
twined linen, picturing Christ’s
holiness, was the first
essential of His Priesthood. The
gold pictures His divine glory;
the blue, His deity; the purple,
His royalty; and scarlet, His
humanity and death. The two shoulder pieces are described in Exodus 39:4, 6, 7: “They made shoulder
pieces for it, to couple it
together: by the two edges was
it coupled together . . . And
they wrought onyx stones
inclosed in ouches of gold,
graven, as signets are graven,
with the names of the children
of Israel. And he put them on
the shoulders of the ephod, that
they should be stones for a
memorial to the children of
Israel.” The ephod had two
shoulder pieces or straps, thus
coupling the front and back
parts together. There was an
onyx stone on each shoulder
piece, and on each stone was
engraved the names of six of the
tribes of Israel. The names of
the tribes were thus carried on
the shoulders of the high priest
when lie went into the presence
of God in the Holy of Holies.
This is a type of believers
today being carried on the
shoulders of Christ our
omnipotent Priest who is
responsible for our salvation.
Shoulders symbolize power and
responsibility. (Cf. Isaiah 9:6;
Deuteronomy 33:12; Luke 15:4,
5). The girdle of the high priest is a type of the readiness of Christ to be our
Priest. “And the curious
girdle of the ephod, which is
upon it, shall be of the same,
according to the work thereof;
even of gold, of blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and fine
twined linen” (Exodus 28:8).
This girdle was made of the same
material and of the same piece
as the ephod. To the Oriental,
the girdle symbolized readiness
for service. “He riseth from
supper, and laid aside his
garments; and took a towel and
girded himself. After that he
poureth water into a basin and
began to wash the disciples’
feet, and to wipe them with the
towel wherewith he was girded”
(John 13:4, 5). Thus when we see
Christ girded as our Priest, we
know He is ready to serve us. The breastplate of the high priest is a type of Christ representing us
before God. The description
of the breastplate is given in
Exodus 28:15f. It was made of
the same material. It was twice
as long as wide, and doubled to
form a bag that would be
foursquare. It contained twelve
precious stones, four rows of
three in a row. “And the stones
shall be with the names of the
children of Israel, twelve,
according to their names” (v.
21). Thus the high priest bore
the names of the tribes upon his
heart when he went into God’s
presence , to intercede for
them. This typifies Christ as
our High Priest bearing our
names before the Lord. “For
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). The Urim and Thummim of the high priest are a type of the guidance of Christ
through His Holy Spirit.
“And thou shalt put in the
breastplate of judgment the Urim
and them Thummim; and they shall
be upon Aaron’s heart when he
goeth in before the Lord: and
Aaron shall bear the judgment of
the children of Israel upon his
heart before the Lord
continually” (Exodus 28:30). The
word Urim means “light,”
and the word Thummim means “perfection.”
These were a part of the
breastplate by which means the
high priest obtained judgments
or decisions for the people
regarding God’s will. The Bible does not make clear the exact method that was used in securing
answers from the Lord. It has
been suggested by some Bible
students that the diamond was
used, and that it would flash a
light to indicate “Yes,” and
remain darkened to indicate
“No.” Joshua sought guidance
from the Lord in this way. (Cf.
Numbers 27:21.) Guidance by this means is a type of the guidance our great High Priest, the
Lord Jesus Christ, grants to His
followers. “I am the light of
the world, he that followeth me
shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life”
(John 8:12). This guidance comes
through the action of the Holy
Spirit: “When he, the Spirit of
truth is come, he will guide you
into all truth” (John 16:13). The robe of the ephod of the high priest is a type of Christ interceding for
us. “And thou shalt make the
robe of the ephod all of blue”
(Exodus 28:31). It was worn
between the coat and ephod. The
material was of blue, with a
hole at the top for the head,
like a jersey. Around the lower
hem were balls of blue, purple,
scarlet—shaped like pomegranates
—and also there were small
golden bells. They alternated, a
bell and a pomegranate, etc. The
pomegranates typified fruit, and
the bells typified testimony.
For every bell there was a
pomegranate. The purpose of the
bells was to let the people know
when the high priest entered the
Holy of Holies that he was still
alive and that his offering was
accepted. Though Christ our High
Priest once died for us, we know
that He rose again and now
represents us before the Father.
“He ever liveth to make
intercession for us” (Hebrews
7:25). The embroidered coat or inner garment of the high priest is a type of the
inner life of Christ which was
pleasing unto God. “And thou
shalt embroider the coat of fine
linen” (Exodus 28:39). This
garment was of fine linen woven
in checker work, or honeycomb
form. This was the first garment
to be put on and thus served as
a body coat or undershirt. The
fine linen is, of course, a type
of the righteousness of Christ.
The checker work, which was well
pleasing to the eye, indicated
that the inner as well as the
outer life of Christ was well
pleasing in God’s sight. Jesus
once said: “I do always those
things that please him” (John
8:29). The miter or turban of the high priest is a type of the holiness of Christ
as our Priest. “And thou
shalt make a plate of pure gold,
and grave upon it, like the
engravings of a signet, HOLINESS
TO THE LORD. And thou shalt put
it on a blue lace, that it may
be upon the miter; upon the
forefront of the miter it shall
be. And it shall be upon Aaron’s
forehead, that Aaron may bear
the iniquity of the holy things,
which the children of Israel
shall hallow in all their holy
gifts; and it shall be always
upon his forehead, that they may
be accepted before the Lord”
(Exodus 28:36-38). This was a headband wound around the head. Upon it was a plate of pure gold
upon which was engraved the
words: “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.”
This symbolized the holiness of
Jesus in representing believers.
His holiness becomes ours, “that
they may be accepted before the
Lord.” Without it we would not
have access to God’s presence.
“For such an high priest became
us, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than
the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26). |
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