I. With respect to the several parts of it
I. With respect to the several parts of it
It consisted particularly of these three: them was,
1. The great court in which stood the altar of burnt-offerings, and the laver, and where the people of Israel in common assembled to worship God.
2. There was the holy place, where stood the golden candlestick, the golden altar of incense, and the table of shew-bread; and into which Done but the priests might enter and officiate. And,
3. There was the holy of holies, in which was the ark of the mercy-seat, and the cherubim; into which none but the high priest might enter, and that only once a year.
Now the first of these, the great court, was a figure and emblem of the outward and visible church of God, in which are both good and bad. To this the Holy Ghost refers, Revelation 11:2; where mention is made of the outward court, which was left out in the measuring of the temple; having respect unto such who were only outward court worshippers, who were not to be taken into the measure to which that prophecy has a reference. Thus in all ages, more or less, it has been the case of the outward visible church of Christ upon the earth; that there have been some good, and some bad among them. This was represented by our Lord in that parable of the field, in which good seed was sown; which good, seed was emblematical of true believers in Christ, gracious souls, partakers of the grace of God in truth. Among these, tares were sown by the enemy, which grew up with the wheat; and both. were suffered to continue until the harvest, the time of death, the end of the world, and universal judgment. Song of Solomon in the parable of the virgins, the kingdom of God, or a church state, is represented by ten virgins; five of whom were wise, and five were foolish. In Sion, in the outward visible church of God, there always were, and always will be more or fewer hypocrites; called hypocrites in Zion, (Isaiah 33:14) as well as there are the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold.
The holy place was an emblem and figure of the invisible church of God; or such persons as are truly spiritual, believers in Christ, partakers of the grace of God in truth, who are a royal priesthood, and built up a spiritual house to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto God. Inward court worshippers, who are made light in the Lord signified by the golden candlesticks in that place, and whose light so shines before men, that those who behold their good works, may glorify their Father who is in heaven. The prayers of these are set before the Lord, as incense; and the lifting up of their hands as the evening sacrifice. These sit down at the table with their Lord, and sup with him, and he with them: or, in other words, they have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. These are they that worship God in the Spirit rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
There was also the holy of holies; which was a figure and emblem of heaven itself, into which our great High Priest hath entered with his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us; where he appears in the presence of God for his people, and ever lives to make intercession for them. Where stands the mercy-seat, the throne of grace; and to which there is a way open, even a new and living way through the veil, that is to say, Christ’s flesh. In virtue of his blood, true believers have boldness to enter even into the holiest of all. That is, into heaven, and the church triumphant there, where none shall enter that defiles, or maketh an abomination, or a lie.