THE TABERNACLE SYSTEM (7)
[p. 167] THE TABERNACLE SYSTEM (7)
Numbers 14: 10; Numbers 16: 16 - 19; Numbers 17: 6 - 13
JT From the last scripture we read, we see the effect of the dealings of God upon the children of Israel. They said, “Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die”. Of course this was not really so, for God had appointed a way to approach. We approach in “the new and living way”, hence we do not die although we approach. The effect of the presence of God among the children of Israel produced fear in them, as it is said in a certain place, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints”, Psalm 89: 7.
AFM The actions of the people caused God to come in in discipline. The effect of the discipline caused them to fear.
JT It is a right thing that they should fear God. Although it was not really the fact that every one who approached the tabernacle died, yet there was the sense that God was there.
AFM It is better than the spirit of rebellion.
JT Yes, the epistles to the Hebrews and Corinthians, and the first epistle of Peter agree with the teaching of these chapters in Numbers. Judgment begins at the house of God. The glory appears in chapter 14 when there is the spirit of rebellion “And the whole assembly said that they should be stoned with stones. And the glory of Jehovah appeared in the tent of meeting to all the children of Israel”.
Ques Why did you not read chapter 13?
JT I think chapter 14 continues the subject of chapter 13. It is a question of rebellion. The heavenly testimony was rejected. In chapter 14 the [p. 168] people wished to make a captain and return to Egypt. They were turning away from heavenly testimony to what was worldly. The rebellion of Miriam and Aaron was very bad, but the idea of choosing a captain and returning to Egypt was worse. It is a characteristic of christendom.
Rem Unbelief and rebellion generally go together.
JT Yes, that is true.
Rem The refusal of the heavenly testimony changes everything in relation to the people. “Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in”.
JT Yes, that alludes to the judgment in the wilderness.
Ques How do you apply this today?
JT It alludes to the rejection of the truth and the acceptance of false doctrine: “For indeed we have had glad tidings presented to us, even as they also; but the word of the report did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard”, Hebrews 4: 2. It is the glad tidings of the land which is emphasised more than the glad tidings of our deliverance from the world. The epistle to the Hebrews teaches the gospel of our salvation — the great salvation which is deliverance out of the world; but there is also”the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ”, Ephesians 3: 8. This is what Hebrews 4 alludes to, “For indeed we have had glad tidings presented to us, even as they also”. It was the glad tidings of the land, but they rejected it. In connection with the assembly, Paul said, “Thou knowest this, that all who are in Asia ... have turned away from me”, 2 Timothy 1: 15. Paul was identical with the ministry; in turning away from him, they turned away from the heavenly position.
[p. 169] Even Ephesus, where the heavenly position was presented in a peculiar way, was included in the retrogression.
WB All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron.
AFM It proves the incapability of the flesh to cherish heavenly things. But after the brazen serpent comes in, there is real progress.
JT Yes, these chapters present, typically, the course of things in the history of the church right down to the end. In chapter 18 there is a revival of the priests’ functions and the Levites’ place.
AFM The unity of the Levites with the priests.
JT Yes, the Levites were given to the priests, they were under the priests. In chapter 16 the Levites aspired to the priests’ position, because they were Levites, that is to say, because I am a minister of the gospel I may assume to be a priest; whereas the levitical position depends upon my being a priest. The priest should come first. The rebellion of Korah and his company would suggest what has taken place in the history of the church, there has been rebellion in connection with the position of Christ as Lord and Priest. But recovery has come in, so that there is a reassertion of the truth in relation to Christ as Priest. Numbers 18 presents this in figure. If we are Levites, we are subordinated to the saints. We are not to rule over them because ministry is given to us.
AFM At the end of chapter 18 we see how the priests and Levites are regarded by God: “Thus ye also shall offer Jehovah’s heave-offering of all your tithes, which ye take of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof Jehovah’s heave-offering to Aaron the priest ... . When ye heave the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites” (verses 28, 30).
JT Yes, the priests are maintained in order to keep the charge of the Lord. In recovery there is a [p. 170] reassertion of the priesthood and authority of Christ.
Ques Is gift connected with the priest?
JT Priesthood belongs to all the saints.
AFM I recently saw a remark that even a young brother, when he starts to pray, is a priest.
JT Yes, everyone who has the Spirit is a priest.
Ques Is a sister a priest?
JT If she has the Spirit of God she is a priest. That is an important matter. What a service sisters can render in prayer, for this is a great function of priests! If sisters prayed and read the word more in view of these meetings, we should have better meetings when we come together.
Rem Prayer is not confined to the prayer meeting.
Rem You can hardly find a believer who does not pray.
JT That may be so, but the question is how much do we pray. It was said of Paul, “behold, he prayeth”. That is what marks believers normally, the continuous attitude of prayer.
AFM I suppose that it does not simply mean that the believer who is praying is praying about himself, but about Christ’s interest on earth.
JT That is what comes out in chapter 18. The word is directly to Aaron; it is purely a priestly matter: “Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. And thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring near with thee, that they may unite with thee, and minister unto thee”. You see the Levites now with the priest, but they minister to the priest.
JS What is the meaning of the expressions “the iniquity of the sanctuary”, and “the iniquity of your priesthood”?
JT It means that the priest is responsible for whatever happens; when we say the priest, the [p. 171] expression takes in both brothers and sisters who have the Spirit.
Rem Does it mean that he carries it in his spirit?
JT He carries it before God. In Ezekiel it is said, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof”, Ezekiel 9: 4. Returning to chapters 13 and 14, we see the people in rebellion against Moses. They wish to choose a captain and return to Egypt. To meet this state of affairs it is said, “And the glory of Jehovah appeared in the tent of meeting to all the children of Israel”. It suggests that God will come in in some way, where His people are in the recognition of what the assembly represents, and make His glory felt in connection with any uprising which may be existing.
Rem The people were deliberate in their action of rebellion.
JT It was the state of the people’s heart. No doubt Miriam represented their state morally, a state of pride and rivalry against Christ.
Rem The report of the spies was the occasion for the action of the people in chapter 14.
JT Ten of the spies brought back an evil report, but Joshua and Caleb brought back a good report. They represent a remnant, a link between Israel in responsibility and Israel according to purpose.
Rem Joshua and Caleb were sympathetic with God.
JT Caleb represents the spiritual position as in Christ and how the saints enter into it. “But my servant Caleb, because he hath another spirit in him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he came; and his seed shall possess it”, Numbers 14: 24. What is said as to “another spirit” refers to another order of being. Joshua is spoken of in the same way in connection with leadership,
“[p. 172] a man in whom is the Spirit”, Numbers 27: 18.
Rem We see how Caleb takes heaven in type, in the book of Joshua.
JT Yes, and he gave his daughter to Othniel, who took the ‘city of the book’ (Joshua 15: 16 - 19); he overthrew the world of literature; it takes a man of spiritual power to do that.
AFM I suppose that we have to understand the truth which stands connected with the brazen serpent to appreciate the characteristics set out in Caleb.
JT I think Caleb is a link between responsible Israel and the Israel of purpose, “because he hath another spirit in him”.
Rem That spirit which would appreciate the land.
WB The whole assembly said that Joshua and Caleb should be stoned with stones.
JT It is the attitude of the flesh, not only opposition but also persecution. Hence the glory of Jehovah immediately appears in the tent of meeting.
JS Is the appearing of the glory of God seen today?
JT I think so, the recovery of the truth of the assembly has given God an opportunity to manifest His glory.
JS It shows how important the truth is.
JT We saw in the previous meeting that “Jehovah came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent”, Numbers 12: 5. But it is not said that He comes down in chapter 14; it says, “And the glory of Jehovah appeared in the tent of meeting to all the children of Israel”. Here it is the shining out of the glory of God.
Rem God’s glory shines out now in the assembly.
AFM I suppose you would say that the glory of God shines out in sanctified vessels.
JT Yes, but it is in relation to the whole assembly.
[p. 173] AFM In connection with recovery, the shining out of the glory of God becomes evident because evil has to be displaced.
JT Yes, we see that in chapter 14.
WB The glory is in sympathy with Joshua and Caleb.
JT Yes, and chapter 15 shows what Joshua and Caleb came into: “When ye come into the land of your dwellings, which I give unto you”. In the land everything was to be adjusted from the standpoint of God’s glory.
WB You emphasise the glory of God in connection with actions in the tent of meeting.
JT Yes, hence if we are in the light of the assembly, there should be great concern among us “set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry”.
BF If a company of saints are going on in the power of the Spirit, would you say that there is a manifestation of the glory of God there?
JT Yes, it is evident.
Rem Joshua and Caleb said, “If Jehovah delight in us, he will bring us into this land”, Numbers 14: 8. They had confidence in God’s power.
JT Yes, they knew that God could bring them in. It is further said of Caleb: “But my servant Caleb, because he hath another spirit in him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he came” (verse 24). He represents a new order and there is a world of glory opened up to him in chapter 15, so that he can be here in reproach. Caleb was not even feeble in his old age: “and now behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still this day strong, as in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out and to come in”, Joshua 14: [p. 174] 10, 11.
AFM Why do you speak of chapter 15 in that way?
JT It is written in another place that the earth shall be filled with the glory of God. In Numbers 15 we see that provisions are made in connection with the glory of God: “When ye come into the land of your dwellings, which I give unto you” speaks of the accomplishment of God’s purpose, and of there being a heavenly position. They were to wear fringes in the borders of their garments. Caleb would understand this.
AFM Is it not a fact that Caleb had gone in already and was now in the reality of what he had seen?
JT So that he is a man out of heaven, as it were.
BF Would you say that the lives of Paul and John would have the same effect with us as the lives of Caleb and Joshua should have had on the children of Israel?
JT Paul’s ministry was the ministry of a man out of heaven. He had been taken up into the third heaven.
Rem Hence he expressed a heavenly character among the saints.
Rem In Numbers 15 provision is made in connection with the burnt-offering. Does it refer to Christ in a particular way?
JT It speaks of the devotedness of the children of Israel to the will of God. This is effected by means of the burnt-offering; otherwise there would be the tendency to assume holiness in the flesh. In Numbers 13 and 14 we see that the whole assembly of Israel were willing to give up the heavenly position and return to the worldly. In chapter 16 we see certain prominent persons, men of renown, rising up against Moses. They said, “It is enough; for all the assembly, all of them are holy, and Jehovah is among them”. It is an assertion of holiness [p. 175] in the flesh; this is current among the various systems of today.
AFM They assume relationship which does not exist.
JT It was a serious matter for Israel. Their proposal to go back to Egypt was met by means of the tent of meeting (chapter 14). But in chapter 16, the rebellion is settled by means of a test. It is to be shown whom God will accept; hence they were to take censers. When Moses heard these leaders, men of renown, he fell upon his face; he could not meet the situation.
Rem You said that Moses could not meet the situation, but he seems to say very much here.
JT It is a question of God coming in in a new way. Old precedents were not taken, so that we have to be prepared for any new methods which God may bring in.
Rem Say a little more about the new way which God uses here in connection with the rebellion of Korah and his company.
JT What we notice in chapter 16 is that God Himself deals with the rebellion directly: “The earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up”. It was not Moses’ act but God’s. He made a new way in answer to Moses’ request.
Rem Moses was spoken of as the meekest man of all the earth; but we do not see much of that here.
JT When it is a question of meeting evil, the righteous is as bold as a lion. In connection with Moses being the meekest man, he was spoken of as the man Moses. That may suggest what he was in his house and among men in a certain character; but when there is need to contend for the truth, one has to be as bold as a lion. This is set forth in the Lord Himself. How meek he was! Yet when He had to do with the Pharisees. He did not hesitate to [p. 176] pronounce woe upon them. He did not mince matters.
R Moses addresses himself to Korah.
JT That shows that Korah was the responsible person.
Ques Was there an element of grace in the words “Even tomorrow will Jehovah make known who is his”, Numbers 16: 5?
JT Yes, they were given time to retract.
WB The question of approach to God was the point at issue here.
JT Korah and his company were claiming the priesthood. But Moses said, as it were, we will see whom God will choose. The thing is put to the test; and as a result, Korah and his company were consumed.
AFM Hence it is a question of God’s decision which we must look for.
JT Yes, God has His way to show approval or disapproval.
JS Is there anything today in connection with the earth opening her mouth in judgment on these men?
JT I think the judgment of the beast and false prophet in Revelation would answer to it: “Alive were both cast into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone”. Judgment is pronounced on them, at least one thousand years before others are judged; they are judged even before Satan himself.
WB In Numbers 16, the matter was brought to the tent of meeting.
JT Yes, it shows how important a place the tent of meeting has.
HSD It is the greatest court of appeal.
JT Hence it is said the Lord is greatly to be feared in the assembly of His saints. The judgment of Korah and his company and also of the beast and false prophet should show us what solemnity is connected with God’s presence among [p. 177] His people.
AFM There is really a comparison between the two instances. In Numbers Korah and his company gathered themselves against Moses and Aaron. Moses represented authority; and Aaron priesthood. In a similar manner, the beast and false prophet rise up against the authority and priestly position of Christ. But they are immediately punished when the Lord appears, as is seen in Revelation 19.
JT Yes, that is right.
AFM What do you think about the judgment of Babylon?
JT Babylon is a system which is dealt with on earth, “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire”, Revelation 18: 8. It is a system which is dealt with on earth, while the lake of fire is for individuals.
Ques What is the force of “Separate yourselves from the midst of this assembly, and I will consume them in a moment”?
JT It appears that the whole assembly would have been destroyed except for the intercession of Moses and Aaron: “And they fell on their faces and said. O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh! shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with the whole assembly?” God listened to them, and on account of that the guilty persons perished, but the assembly was saved.
Ques Would that passage show that “evil communications corrupt good manners”? The assembly was told to separate themselves from those guilty persons.
Ques Does verse 24, to which reference was just made, show that we are to deal with evil?
JT That verse shows us that we are to separate ourselves from evil. God Himself deals with it.
Ques Is this the attitude we should take in connection with [p. 178] christendom?
JT Yes, I think this chapter shows that separation is the proper course to follow in relation to evil in our day.
Rem It corresponds with the second epistle to Timothy.
JT We see breakdown in Numbers 16, in type. Hence there is a reassertion of the priesthood in connection with it. God shows what life is connected with in chapter 17, for where there is recovery everything depends upon the Spirit of God.
AFM I suppose Aaron’s rod would show that the priesthood is based on resurrection.
JT Yes, but in this aspect Christ is known in the assembly, for the lie went abroad that He was stolen from the tomb.
BF The Lord was seen only by His own after His resurrection.
JT The great point to be observed in the Lord’s resurrection is that there is the power of life. Aaron’s rod bloomed blossoms, showing an evidence of the power of life. Paul made a point of the fact that the Son of God was preached and that in Him there was no uncertainty: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you (by me and Silvanus and Timotheus), did not become yea and nay, but yea is in him. For whatever promises of God there are, in him is the yea, and in him the amen”, 2 Corinthians 1: 19, 20. This is seen in Christ risen, in the Son of God.
WB Say a little on the staying of the plague “And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed” (verse 48).
JT The staying of the plague suggests the mercy of God, expressed on account of the intercession of Aaron.
AFM We see what the priest represents in Aaron. God comes in in blessing where [p. 179] a priestly condition is maintained among the saints; is that not so?
JT Yes, and I think that Moses’ act would suggest love in some measure: “And Moses said to Aaron, Take the censer, and put fire thereon from off the altar, and lay on incense, and carry it quickly to the assembly, and make atonement for them”. We do not want judgment to come in.
Rem In that way you are in accord with the heart and mind of God.
JT Yes, hence you present that in which God can rest, that which is consistent with Himself revealed in righteousness.
Ques From what altar was the fire taken?
JT It was the brazen altar. All fire came from there; any other fire is strange fire.
Ques What is the difference between the tent of meeting and the tent of testimony?
JT The tent of meeting is where God meets with us, and the tent of testimony suggests that God sets out what is in His mind. This is seen in Numbers 17; and 2 Timothy is also on this line: “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus”.
AFM Aaron’s staff was put before the testimony: “And Jehovah said to Moses, Bring Aaron’s staff again before the testimony, to be kept as a token for the sons of rebellion”.
Rem There was the evidence of life in Aaron’s staff. It brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
JT Yes, and there is a normal development in connection with the rod. The bud comes first. It shows that God would have us to develop in a normal manner. We may gather up the truth from books, but in doing so we have taken a short cut. The idea is to begin with the bud. We see this order in Luke’s gospel. The Babe is first presented, then the Boy,
[p. 180] and then the full grown Man; and heaven opens upon Him at the age of thirty years.
Aaron’s rod was kept as a token: “that thou mayest put an end to their murmurings before me, that they may not die”. I suppose that there is nothing greater in the whole universe than a man alive spiritually, one who has grown up normally. Paul said that he took Titus to Jerusalem. Titus was a gentile convert, a product of Paul’s ministry; and, although there were those who were ready to spy out their liberty in Christ, what could they do about Titus? He was there in life, an evidence of Christ reproduced in the saints.
Rem Paul told the Corinthians that they were the product of his ministry.
JT A reproduction of the life of Christ in the saints is what withstands opposition and rebellion; as Paul said, “Now in the same manner in which Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, thus these also withstand the truth ... . But they shall not advance farther, for their folly shall be completely manifest to all”, 2 Timothy 3: 8, 9.
Ques Would you look for this state in all the saints?
JT Yes. John’s writings have this in view.