JEWISH CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS.
By F. C. Gilbert
The Sanctuary and Its Services.—Continued.
The account of the erection of the court and the pillars which supported it is recorded in Ex. 27: 9–19 and 38: 9–20. The material used for the former was fine-twined linen, save the gate or entrance into the tabernacle, and it was made of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine-twined linen. The area of the court was about 150 feet long by 75 feet wide. We all know that fine linen represents the righteousness of the saints. Rev. 19:8. But the only way the saints can obtain righteousness is by having Christ; for he “is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” Cor. 1:30. And the prophet Jeremiah says that his name shall be called “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” What, therefore, can we learn from this part of the sanctuary of the righteousness of Christ? This place was where all the people could go, and thus it could be seen by everybody. The fine linen was so delicately wrought that any person could look through it. In relation to the other part of the tabernacle it was so prominent that it could not be hidden from view. True, some could turn their eyes in the opposite direction and not see it, but all who chose to could see it very plainly. And is it not true that in the righteous life of Jesus there was not one part of him through which the people could not look, and see him on every side the same true and lovely Saviour? Even his enemies had to admit that they could find no fault in him, and “never man spake like this man.” He never said anything that would have been better left unsaid, and never missed the opportunity of saying something that would do people good. Neither could any one convince him of sin. While the Jews, as a people, do not believe him to be the Messiah, and while, in many of the Talmudic writings, he is denounced, he is yet regarded by the multitude of the Jews as a good man, and they know not of one wrong thing he ever did. His life was not a shallow one; it was not one side different from the other; it was the same on every side,—the beautiful fine linen of righteousness. Some of them did not want him to rule over them, and they cast him aside; but all who chose to see him as he is, and look at him, the righteous One, had the privilege of doing so. When the people were bitten anciently by the serpents, Moses was told to make a brazen one, that all who would look might live. So it was said of Jesus that as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, even so would the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believed on him should not perish, but have eternal life. A look at the cross would give the life. A touch of the garment would make the person whole. What a truly righteous and glorious Saviour he is, and with the same power to give to his children to-day the fine linen which made him the righteous One! What a glorious example he is to have as an ideal! A Saviour who is altogether righteous, and in whom is no guile, and no fault whatever to be seen in him even by his bitterest enemies!7 And the apostle tells us that “as he is, so are we in this world.” Christians are here as a spectacle to the world, to demonstrate to all that Jesus Christ can make their lives so righteous by his own omnipotence that even the most bitter enemies of Christianity can look on any side of a Christian, or take a position from any point of view, and see the fine linen. Truly, our calling is a holy and exalted one. Yea, it is a heavenly, born from above, and begotten by the Word of truth, which liveth and abideth forever. The fine linen was supported by the sixty pillars, each proportionately distant from the other. The tops of them were covered with silver, and stood in sockets of brass. The hangings were supported by hooks from the pillars, and were just high enough not to touch the ground. What a beautiful lesson we here learn as to how the life of Christ was made righteous! As these hangings were supported by these pillars which stood erect, so the life of Christ was supported by upright and noble principles, which were always true, and never gave him occasion to lean one way or the other. He was true to his Father, and to the work he came here to do. No influence from the Pharisees could induce him to do otherwise; no curiosity of Herod was able to make him swerve; no pretended piety of the priests could make him leave the truth and follow the traditions of men. No, not even the kingdoms of all the world and the glory of them, all of which were presented to him by the devil, could make him swerve one bit from the allegiance he owed to his Father. It was these honest principles which he lived out in his entire life here that made him “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And as a result he was able to give man his salvation, which is beautifully represented by the silver hangings connecting the pillars with the fine linen. All through the Bible silver is spoken of as typical of redemption. Anciently each man was required to bring a half shekel, which was the price of his redemption. It was for thirty pieces of silver the Master was sold, which was said to be the price they valued him at. But how blessed is the truth that Christians are redeemed with something infinitely better than silver! While used to represent redemption, it was not in itself able to redeem. For we read: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19. Neither were the curtains of the court allowed to trail in the dust. No impurities whatever were allowed to contaminate his pure life; for he was the sinless One, “without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” And, Christian, should not you and I keep ourselves from the corruptions that are in this world, and not allow the blessed garment of his righteousness to be defiled by the sins and iniquities all around us? No defilement will affect it that can be thrown upon it; but when we of our own accord allow it to trail in the dirt of corruption, then it becomes soiled, and we are put to shame. So the Saviour exhorts us, just at the time he is to appear: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Rev. 16:15. On the east side of the court was a beautiful hanging called “the gate,” or as the Hebrew word has it, “the door.” But who is the Door through which all the children of God enter? It was through this door that the priests entered into the tabernacle, to minister unto the Lord. But, thank the Lord! we live in a day when every one is a priest. “For ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” Thus every one has the privilege of entering into the temple through the Door. The apostle John tells us that Jesus is the Door, and that by him any one who enters shall be saved, and shall find plenty to eat. And this is the new and living way that he has made for us, that is his flesh, through which we can enter into the holiest of all, whither our Forerunner has gone, even Jesus, set down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty on high. John 10:9; Heb. 10:19, 20; 6:20; 8:1. Let us ever keep our garments clean, that all who may see us can behold the righteousness of him in our lives; and this we shall do if we ever enter into the holy place by that new and living way. “O let me walk with Thee, my God,
As Enoch walked in days of old;
Take Thou my trembling hand in Thine,
And sweet communion with me hold.”