THE TABERNACLE OF ISRAEL: ITS HOLY FURNITURE AND VESSELS.
Drawn on a uniform scale: with Colored Metallic Illuminations of Gold, Silver, Brass, &c., to represent as nearly as possible the costly materials of the original.
London Samuel Bagster & Sons.
THIS beautiful series of plates will consist, we are told, of twelve engravings of the holy vessels and their coverings. The drawings of the tabernacle itself, with its coverings, it is proposed to make a second series of seven or eight illuminated plates, drawn on a uniform scale, with full explanations. A third series, exhibiting the garments of the priesthood, is in preparation.
Four parts of the first series lie before us, containing each two admirably executed engravings. They are " the ark, with its coverings; " " the brazen altar; " " the altar partly covered; " " the laver; " " the table of show bread, with its coverings; " " the altar of incense; " " the coverings of the incense altar; " and " the candlestick."
The author begins with the ark and mercy-seat. "The first holy vessel described, and commanded by the Lord to be made, was the ark, with its cover—the mercy-seat. It ranked the highest of all the vessels of the tabernacle, was alone placed in the holy of holies, and was the one vessel in reference to which all the ministrations and ritual of the tabernacle service were conducted. Before this vessel the holy perfume yielded its perpetual fragrance; the incense altar was placed also with direct reference to it; the blood of the sin-offering of atonements was annually sprinkled on it and before it; and the costly veil was its covering. Indeed, without it, all the other vessels of the sanctuary, and all the service of the priests, would have been comparatively useless and powerless; because it was over the mercy-seat that Jehovah dwelt, and manifested his glory; and all worship, and every act of devotion, must be conducted alone with reference to Rim, and derives its blessing alone from the sanction and power of his presence.
"It might have been expected that the ark, being the most holy and important vessel of the sanctuary, would have been described last in order, and would have been deposited last in the tabernacle itself, after the court around had been reared up, and the other vessels had been arranged in their places. Such, however, is not the order of God. His way is to lead first and at once, direct to the highest and holiest thing, and into the highest and holiest place. To make Himself known, and to bring into His own presence and glory, has ever been his purpose; and faith has over had no lower object, has expected no lower end." (Page 1.)
The unchanging holiness of God, and His essential hatred against sin, ever was and ever will be true. And the ark was His throne, whereon He sat in relationship with His people, the mercy-seat being its basis and the cherubim its supporters. Within that ark was laid the law, or testimony of His requirements, and over this was the mercy-seat covering it in, the blood being sprinkled upon it and before it. (i.e. the double aspect of that which was needed by the Sovereign, and done for His people.) This was within the veil, where God communed with Moses of all the things which He gave him in commandment unto the children of Israel.
The following is the view here taken of the cherubim. "Some have thought these figures betokened angels, and that their bending posture towards the mercy-seat is explained by that text, ' which things the angels desire to look into.' (1 Peter 1:1212Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:12).) And in many pictorial representations of the mercy-seat, we see them represented in a kneeling posture, as if in adoration. Others have thought that the cherubim here symbolize the Church. But the construction itself, as well as uses, of the mercy-seat, seem to preclude either of these interpretations of the type. The cherubim are distinctly stated to be OF the mercy-seat' and OUT on the mercy-seat.' (Exod. 25:19; 37:819And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. (Exodus 25:19)
8One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof. (Exodus 37:8).) And this is still more apparent in the Hebrew, where the preposition used in the eighteenth and nineteenth verses of chapter 25, and the seventh and eighth verses of chapter 37., and translated 'on the mercy-seat' and on the two ends,' &c., should properly be translated ' from.' Also, as to the word translated in Exod. 25:1010And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. (Exodus 25:10), 'beaten work,' and Exod. 37:77And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; (Exodus 37:7), ' beaten out of one piece,' the meaning seems to be, that the cherubim were not cast or molded separately from the mercy-seat, and then attached to it, but were beaten out of the solid mass of gold which formed the mercy-seat, the one being beaten from out of the one end, and the other from the other. Angels cannot, then, be typified here by the cherubim; for, if they were, it would imply that they form part of the seat of God's mercy, and would thus stand very much in the place in which popery has set them, as the agents for procuring or exhibiting the mercy of God, derogating thereby from the person and work of the Lord Jesus Himself, who is the only way of approach to God, and the one through whom alone God can show his grace and mercy to us; for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.' (Acts 4:1212Neither 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).) The same argument would equally apply, if the Church were symbolized by the cherubim on the mercy-seat. The Church would thus become what, indeed, false systems have made it,-the platform from whence God dispenses his grace,—instead of the body which has received his grace. The mercy-seat and cherubim, being all of one piece, represents, it is believed, Christ as the one who holds all the glorious power of God, associated with mercy, and in and through whom God is able to display his power and righteousness, ever inseparably linked on with mercy and grace." (Pages 5, 6.).
Other opportunities may be afforded, if the Lord will, for stating what we believe to be the true bearing of these types, when allusion may perhaps be made more particularly to the details of this work.