2 Chronicles 3:15-4:215Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was five cubits. 16And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 17And 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. 1Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof. 2Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. (2 Chronicles 3:15‑4:2).
AFTER the hanging of the veil, we read that Solomon made two great pillars which he placed at the door of the temple. One was called Jachin, meaning He will establish; the other Boaz, which means, in Him is strength. It is the Lord who will establish the kingdom in that day, and its strength will be in Himself, when He comes in power to reign on the earth as the true Son of David, in glory far greater than Solomon's. He will not come then in the likeness of sinful flesh, as He came before to be crucified in weakness, when He "was once offered to bear the sins of many"; but "unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Heb. 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28). What a privilege for Israel, His chosen people on earth, to be associated with Him as their Messiah in the glory of His reign.
Israel's race shall now behold Him Full of grace and majesty;
Though they set at naught and sold Him,
Pierced and nailed Him to the tree, Now in glory
Shall their great Messiah see.
Yet how much richer is the heavenly blessing of those whom the Lord addresses in Philadelphia. "Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name . . . Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out." Rev. 3:8-128I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:8‑12). What an encouragement to go on for Him in a day of weakness and discouragement; to know the value He sets on those who by His grace seek strength to stand in the evil day! (Eph. 6:1313Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13).)
The next thing Solomon made was an altar of brass, afterward called the brazen altar. Its dimensions were twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high. The length and breadth were the same as that of the porch before the house, and also of that which is called here the "most holy house," in which were the ark and the cherubim. The brazen altar here represents the cross of Christ, for the cross is equal to all the claims of God in holiness and righteousness.
But the porch comes in between the altar and the holiest, and we read that "the length of it was according to the breadth of the house." From this we learn that as the holy house symbolized the presence of God, so the way into it (the porch) is according to the divine presence itself. A priest coming from the altar and stopping at the laver or brazen sea, must cross the porch, which would remind him that there was no change in all that was suited to God.
Next we have the brazen sea or that which answered to the laver of the tabernacle.
The brazen altar would speak of the worshipers having once been made perfect forever by the cross of Christ. But what provision is there for failure? Does failure in a believer interrupt his communion with God? Indeed it does. Then how is it met?
We were saying that the brazen altar spoke of the cross of Christ. There it was that the soldier's spear thrust into His side brought forth blood and water. The water signifies cleansing, the washing of water by the Word, as administered by our great High Priest, who ever liveth to make intercession for us. Blessed be His name forever!
Messages of the Love of God 5/4/1958