Priesthood was established in the family of Aaron, Levitical service in the tribe of Levi. Israel worshipped Jehovah through the intermediary service of the priest, and served Jehovah in the person and work of the Levite. In Leviticus the Tabernacle and the priest are prominent; whereas in Numbers the journeyings of the people and service of the Levites are the distinguishing truths. In both books, however, the Tabernacle is the center of interest, whether for worship or service. Now, however, each Christian is both a priest and a Levite. He worships in the sanctuary and serves in the harvest-field. All believers are equally privileged to serve as priests and to serve as Levites. The two were separately regarded of old, in Christianity they are combined in each redeemed person.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel” (Num. 3:5-9).
God has a just, a righteous claim upon His creatures on the double ground that He is the Creator and Preserver of all. He claimed all the first born of man and beast, both of Egypt and of Israel. The pride, the strength, the excellency of these nations, as expressed in the first born, were rightfully claimed by God; for judgment in the case of Egypt (Exod. 12:29), for service in that of Israel (Num. 3:12, 13). Jehovah took the Levites instead of the first born of redeemed Israel. This tribe was to be wholly devoted to the service of Jehovah. Israel were redeemed for worship and service. This they did representatively through the priest and by the Levite. Has this not a voice to us? Are we not redeemed for a distinct and definite purpose? We have been saved at an infinite cost―saved to worship in the sanctuary above, and to serve in the harvest-field below.
Levitical service was exercised within an exceedingly narrow sphere. In chapter 4. of the book of Numbers we learn that the service was confined to the Tabernacle. Judaism was essentially a conservative system. It was so even in the time of our Lord (Matt. 10:5, 6). Christianity on the contrary knows no limitations. The whole world is its sphere of operation, and every creature the subject of its glorious ministry.
In the passage which we have transcribed from the third chapter of Numbers, we have unfolded a deeply interesting feature of Levitical service. “Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.”
The Levites were given to Aaron and his sons (verse 9), thus maintaining an inseparable connection between worship and service. Our work on earth should correspond to our place on high. But besides this general truth, the Levites were to “minister unto him.” Aaron represents our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. We serve Him. He represents us in heaven. We serve Him on earth. Our place in heaven must not be divorced from our walk on earth. All we do here should have a heavenly character stamped upon it. Just as the Levites served Aaron so we serve Christ. We as associated with Him in heaven in worship, serve Him down here. We morally connect heaven and earth. We bring the savor and communion of heaven to our walk and service on earth. We in our service down here minister to Him up there. The High Priest ministers for us in the presence of God, and we here minister to Him. This consideration gives an elevated character to our service.
Our conflict is in heavenly places (Eph. 6:12), our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Levitical service was connected with the Tabernacle, yet outside the sanctuary but in moral connection with it. So in like manner our service while performed down here, has or should have a heavenly character imprinted upon it. We serve Him Who is in the heavenly sanctuary and do it with the savor of the place where He is, impressed upon all we do — may God grant it!
The Court.
In the detailed description of the Tabernacle and its vessels and services, the sacred historian commences from within, describing separately the Ark and the Mercy-seat (Exod. 25:10-22) in the holiest or innermost part of the sacred building. Then the vessels in the holy place are detailed, with the exception of the Golden or Incense Altar (verses 23-40); next, the Tabernacle itself, with its curtains, coverings and boards; the dividing veil and door being minutely described (chap. 26.). Then the Court with its pillars, sockets, hangings, and gate are delineated with an exactness equal to any part of the holy edifice. But, again, we have an omission of an important vessel which stood in the Court; we refer to the Brazen Laver. Now the two omitted vessels, namely the Golden Altar and the Brazen Laver, were pre-eminently priestly vessels―none but priests could use them―hence the description of them (30.) comes after the institution of the priesthood (28., 29.), and rightly so. In this connection we may remark that the two-vessels which stood in the Court were both of brass: the Brazen Altar and the inn teen Laver. Only in the former the brass covered the shittim wood; whereas the latter was wholly of brass. There is too a very intimate connection between the two vessels. Both were for the judgment of sin. At the Altar the sinner had his sins judged according to his responsibility as such. At the Laver the worshipper had his uncleanness judged according to his responsibility as such. In fact, the Court with all in it, had as its distinguishing feature, Righteousness. The hangings, vessels, sockets, all told the same tale and proclaimed the same truth, that righteousness must be maintained and upheld whether for saint or sinner. The vessels then in the Court would express the ground, place, and means by which God could righteously meet any sinner coming out of the world and meet him too in grace. As to the general construction of the Tabernacle we shall begin from the outside, first looking at the Court (27:9-18). The Court was not covered. The heavens formed its covering. Angels from above were no doubt interested spectators of what took place― “which things the angels desire to look into.” The Court with its flooring of sand or dust was 100 cubits, or 150 feet in length; and 50 cubits, or 75 feet in breadth, that is 18 inches to the sacred cubit. There is considerable diversity of opinion as to the English measurement of the cubit, but it is not a matter of importance. There is no moral teaching involved whether you make 18 or 22 inches to the cubit. The civil cubit was about 22 inches.
One hundred cubits (150 feet) of fine twined linen were suspended on 20 pillars for the north side of the Court, an the same for the south side. These pillars were of shittim-wood, although not expressly stated. The shittah tree is named 26 times in the Scriptures, and only in the book of Moses. This wood was an exceedingly durable one, and grew plentifully in the great Arabian desert. Whether these pillars were formed square or round we are not told. The only other materials of a hard nature were brass, gold and silver. The pillars were not of brass, as Exod. 38:29-31 show, nor were they of silver, for that metal was only used in the upper and ornamental parts, whilst gold was employed in covering the boards of the Tabernacle, and it the construction of certain vessels inside, but not in the Court. These pillars, therefore were of necessity shittim wood, resting on sockets of brass. The linen hangings were suspended by hooks of silver, while the fillets, or connecting rods, were also of silver. Between each of the pillars there were live cubits of linen hangings.
On the west side there were ten pillars, each supporting five cubits of hangings. On the east side, in the center stood the gate of the Court, termed a “door” in Num. 26, formed of 20 cubits of fine twined linen suspended on four shittim-wood pillars; while on either side of the gate were three pillars, supporting 15 cubits of linen-five for each pillar.
Thus on the north side (the right hand) were 20 pillars; on the south side (the left hand) 20 pillars; on the west side 10. pillars; and on the east 10 pillars in all 60 pillars of shittim wood.
The shittim-wood has been termed “the imperishable or incorruptible wood,” and sets forth the incorruptible human nature of our Lord (Luke 1:35). The pillars, His stability and firmness as man. The linen, His righteous character. The sockets of brass were unseen, signifying His ability to sustain Divine judgment. The silver, the grace of God in providing atonement by Christ’s most precious blood. The blue tells of His heavenly character, the purple reminds us of His sufferings and death, whilst the scarlet proclaims His coming glory in connection with the earth. Christ is both the gate and door of the Court. On the four sides of the Court the righteous character of Christ towards the world was expressed, and of this the four Gospels are the witness.
The height of the curtained enclosure, five cubits (7½ feet), effectually precluded an outsider from witnessing what went on in the court, which was a holy place (Lev. 6:16, 26, not “the holy place,” as in Authorized Version). Besides, the Levites — the jealous custodians of the sacred vessels and ministers of the sanctuary were set to keep, watch, and guard all round the Court. A man must be born again ere he can see “the kingdom of God” (John 3:3), and ere he can enter it (verse 5). So the inside of the Court and of the Tabernacle, could neither be seen nor entered from outside; all being effectually screened from the public gaze and protected from unhallowed approach. There was no entrance save by the door on the east. You might wander round about the building, but not too near, for all was holy, and the ever watchful and jealous guardians―the Levites― were ever on duty. Now, however, we enter the sacred enclosure. When outside, those white curtains telling of purity were our fear and dread. But now inside, those same curtains are our safeguard and security. It makes all the difference whether we are outside or inside. Outside, Divine righteousness is a terror to a guilty sinner. Inside, Divine righteousness is the sinner’s boast. Inside, you look around on those curtains which speak to you of Christ. The pillars which support them are firm and immoveable. Their-sockets were of brass; their fillets of silver. Christ bearing Divine judgment is the basis (brass). The Hood of atonement (Lev. 17:11; Exod. 30:11-16) secures all above (silver). The chapitcrs, or ornamental upper parts of the pillars, were overlaid with silver. There is beauty as well as security. The curtains were attached to the pillars by hooks of silver, showing that righteousness for us, or our behalf, is inseparable from the blood of atonement―the precious blood of Christ. The filleting of the pillars above with silver kept them firm and steady. Thus secured at the base by brazen sockets, and bound together above by silver fillets, the pillars in turn sustained the curtains, Storms might sweep through the desert, but the Court steal firm and steady as a rock. God established it. Are you in the Court as a true believer, or as a mere professor?