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cense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before GOD out of the angel's hands;" "golden vials, full of incense, which are the prayers of saints; ""let my prayer be set before thee as incense." The incense, then, which covered the mercy-seat, was a figure, showing that our prayers will, through Christ our high priest, ascend" unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy." "The priests, the Levites,

arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven!."

"The golden pot that had manna"," was also kept in the most holy place, denoting that Christ the heavenly manna," the living bread"," was in heaven with the Father".

In the outer portion of the tabernacle were placed "the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-breadP."

...

This "candlestick" was of " pure gold;" it is called "a pure candlestick';” “it had seven lamps," in which " pure oil olivet" was put "to cause the lamp to burn always."

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A similar candlestick is described by Zechariah ". St. John speaks of "seven golden candlesticks"," which represented "the seven churches*; and of "seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of GODY." The golden candlestick which stood in the outer portion of the tabernacle, appears to have been a figure of that" true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world";" while the seven lamps supported by it may have represented those who constitute His church, and whom He styled "the light of the world ;" and who were directed by Him, to rest their light

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on a candlestick "," that it might "shine before men," and to keep their "lights burning." The children of Israel furnished the oil which supplied these lamps, and, by so doing, they all presented a figure of keeping their lights burning.

"Pure oil olived" was provided to cause the lamps to burn always. The seven lamps spoken of by Zechariah as belonging to the candlestick which he saw, were furnished with oil from two olive-trees which were "the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth e.'

u Zech. iv. 2.

w Rev. i. 12, 13; ii. 1.

* Rev. i. 20.

b Matt. v. 15, 16.

c Luke, xii. 35.

d Exod. xxvii. 20.

е

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Zech. iv. 3, 12, 14. Rev.

y Rev. iv. 5.

z John, i. 9.

xi. 4.

a Matt. v. 14.

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The foolish virgins in the parable" took their lamps, and took no oil in them." Christ, the Anointed of the Lord GOD, came to give " unto them that mourn in Zion, the oil of joy 8." He was "anointed with the oil of gladness"; "GOD anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost;" he that followeth Christ" shall have the light of life;" for "he that stablisheth us in Christ, and hath anointed us, is GOD1." "We have an unction from the Holy One, and the same anointing teacheth us of all things and is truth m." This unction and anointing, which cometh from the Holy One, is the communication of the Holy Spirit; this is the "holy ointment" which is poured out upon us by God, to make us shine as burning lights; for "our sufficiency is of GOD";" it is He "that worketh in us both to will and to dop." He maketh us perfect in every good work to do His will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ. Through Christ we obtain this gift of the Spirit', which enables us to "mortify the deeds of the bodys;" "for, as many as are

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2

n

n Ezek. xxxix. 29.

• 2 Cor. iii. 5.

P Philip. ii. 13.

Hebr. xiii. 21. r John, xvi. 7.

Rom. viii, 13, 9,

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led by the Spirit of GOD, they are the sons of GOD t." As the " pure oil olive" caused the lamps in the tabernacle to burn; so does the unction from the Holy One enable us to keep our lights burning in a spiritual sense. The pure oil, then, represented the gift of the Holy Spirit. The priests were sanctified by being anointed with holy oil," the anointing oil of the Lord "; so Christ, our High Priest, was sanctified by the Father, who giveth not the Spirit by measure*; Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost'; His names Christ and Messiah", each, signify the Anointed. The twelve whom Christ sent out, "anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed thema." "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." This unction with oil represented the unction of the Holy One: "our mortal bodies are quickened by the Spirit of GOD and of Christ ". All the contents of the tabernacle were hallowed by anointing them with the holy oil, showing, that without the

t Rom. viii. 14.

u

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Exod. xxx. 30, 31. Lev.

vii. 10, 12; viii. 12.

W John, x. 36.

* John, iii. 34.

y Acts, x. 38.

z Dan. ix. 25, 26. John,

i. 41; iv. 26.

a Mark, vi. 13.

b James, v. 14.

c Rom. viii. 11.

d Exod. xxx. 26-30; xl.

9-11. Lev. viii. 30.

sanctifying unction of the Holy One nothing is accounted holy: "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of Hise."

In the outer portion of the tabernacle was also placed the shew-bread, or "bread of the presence," of which " twelve cakes" were standing continually on "the pure table" as an offering unto the Lord. This bread may have represented "the bread of life," "which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die ;" and the number of the cakes, twelve (which corresponded with the number of the tribes), may have denoted, that all are partakers of this living bread.

The outer portion of the tabernacle presented a figure of the present world, separated from the holy of holies, or heaven, by a vail, through which no one but the representative of Christ could pass. In this outer portion were placed the candlestick and shew-bread, representing the light and the bread which are given to us in this state of existence to prepare us for admission into that holy of holies, into which

Christ our High Priest is before h, "to ap

gone

pear in the presence of God for us."

Thus we find, that "the holy places made

e Rom. viii. 9.

8 John, vi. 48, 50.

f Exod. xxv. 30.

Lev.

h Hebr. vi. 19, 20; ix. 24.

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