By comparing the terms of the new covenant with those of the old covenant, it will be seen that the end contemplated by each is the same. The old said, “If ye will obey my voice;” the new says, “I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” Each has reference to the law of God. Both have holiness, and all the rewards of holiness, as the object. In the covenant at Sinai it was said to Israel, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:4–6).

That is just what God’s own people really are—“a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9).

God had said, “If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then . . . ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests.” But they never became a kingdom of priests. Only one tribe, the tribe of Levi, could have anything whatsoever to do with the sanctuary and, of that tribe, only one family, that of Aaron, could be priests. It was certain death for anyone not of the family of Aaron to presume to serve as priest in any way.

Yet all who are really the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus are “a royal priesthood,” even “to whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (verses 4, 5).

This was what God promised to the nation of the Jews at Sinai, but they never attained to it because they did not keep His covenant of faith—they chose to trust instead in their own strength.

It was to this end that God called His people out of Egypt. They were “called out,” and so they constituted the church of the living God, for the Greek word that is normally rendered as “church” literally means “called out.”

God calls people out from the world, that they may be a “spiritual house, an holy priesthood,” and His presence in them makes them “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,” (verse 9) and they “shew forth the praises of him who hath called [them] out of darkness into his marvellous light,” because He who dwells in them shines forth.

The apostle Paul gives the challenge, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses” (2 Corinthians 6:4).

That this was the object of God’s calling Israel out of Egypt is seen from His identification of them as “a peculiar treasure unto me above all people” (Exodus 19:5).

While the children of Israel were still encamped before Sinai, the Lord told Moses to direct them to bring an offering of gold, silver, brass, acacia wood, various kinds of skins, fine linen, and other materials, and said: “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8).

What a strange thing that the Most High God, who “dwelleth not in temples made with hands” (Acts 7:48; 17:24) should ask weak mortals to build Him a house, that He might dwell among them! Why was it? The answer is plain; they were too high-minded.

The Lord declared, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked” (Deuteronomy 10:16).

The people were evidently too self-sufficient to give place to God, that He might dwell in their bodies, controlling every thought and act—for God dwells with the humble. Since God would not cast them off, He instead manifested His presence among them in a marked manner, hoping at length to draw them wholly to Himself. If they had believed, they would not have needed this sanctuary any more than Abraham did. The principal thing in it—and to contain that item for which it was specially built—was the moral law, the tables of testimony. But this law the children of Israel ought to have had within them:

“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:3).

In that case they would have had the witness in themselves; their own bodies would have been the tabernacles of witness, and they would have been witnesses for God.

Therefore, “our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen” (Acts 7:44) was that built by Moses. The fact that this testimony which was in that building, instead of in the hearts of the people, made it a constant witness against them, a testimony to their unfaithfulness. What a pitiful thing it is when God can dwell among a people only by their building a house for Him!

“For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood” (Hebrews 7:14).

Yet as already noted, “when Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion” (Psalm 114:1, 2).

The primary design was that all Israel should be the Lord’s sanctuary, even as now. The confining of the sanctuary service to the tribe of Levi was a standing reminder of the unfaithfulness of the people, which hindered them from receiving the fullness of God—and the raising up of Christ out of the tribe of Judah was no new thing, but a manifestation of that which had been from the beginning.

From the tabernacle built by hands some valuable lessons are to be learned, for God never directs anything to be done in vain. The jealous care that God has for His dwelling place was one of the chief lessons, but there were many things which could not be taught by that building for the simple reason that a dead thing can never show the activity of a living being.

God’s real dwelling place moves of itself and impels by His thought, while this house had to be carried by men. A stream of living water comes from God’s throne (Revelation 22:1) as it was shown at Sinai; but nothing of the kind was seen in the tabernacle of Moses. The rightful place of God’s law, as the foundation of His throne, was indicated—and this is a thing that should not be overlooked, for it must be in every heart where God dwells.

Jesus said, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).

Very emphatic testimony as to our duty to the world is borne by the apostle Peter. Read 1 Peter 2:9–12: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises [or excellencies] of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation [that is, you course of life] honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

A broken and a contrite heart is one that is broken in pieces and ground up. Not of much worth, is it? What is it good for? Nothing. And that is why it appropriates Christ, who is of infinite worth, a sacrifice that is always acceptable to God. Having nothing in itself, it trusts wholly in Christ. He is the surety of the new covenant, and so when He comes He will say, “Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice” (Psalm 50:5).

It is as necessary for God’s royal priesthood to be clean when they engage in the Lord’s service—which is a continual service—as it was for the priests of old. We read,

“Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:16–18).

The psalmist was well acquainted with the priests’ custom of washing at the laver before they went to the altar, and so he said, “I will wash my hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord: that I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works” (Psalm 26:6, 7).

Here is a washing that is effective. Washing in innocency—how may it be done? There is but one fountain of innocency, and that is “the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).

We may know that we wash in this fountain and find cleansing by believing the Word of the Lord. Christ gave Himself for the church, “that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26, RV). The margin has, “laver,” for washing. The King James Version has it as “baptism,” showing what was symbolized by the laver in the earthly sanctuary. Some versions have it as “cleansed by a water bath in the Word.” If we believe the Word, we have the witness of the Spirit.

May we understand our calling and rise to the full service of God!

The inspired appeal echoes down to each one of us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17).

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).

“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:1–5).

“Only by constant watchfulness and earnest prayer, mingled with faith, can we preserve our peculiar, holy character as sons and daughters of God.

“It is far more easy to profess and resolve than to perform. Like ancient Israel, many covenant to cleave unto the Lord and serve Him, and then soon forget their vows and join with the ungodly in the pursuits of worldly gain or pleasure. We should be jealous of ourselves, lest we depart from God. ‘For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven’ (Hebrews 12:25). The blessings and privileges which we enjoy place us under the most solemn obligation to improve these gifts to the glory of our Creator. They should inspire in our hearts love to God and an earnest determination to obey His requirements. Let us not become self-confident or presumptuous, but rather fear lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of us should seem to come short of it.

“The cause of Israel’s weakness lay in their departure from God by disobedience to His commandments. The reason of the weakness and backsliding of modern Israel is their neglect to obey the divine law. God requires from all mankind obedience to His commandments. The whole world will be judged by the moral law according to their opportunity of becoming acquainted with it, whether by reason, or tradition, or the written word.

“God’s law is spiritual. It takes cognizance of our most secret thoughts, purposes, and motives. The judgment, the will, and the affections must be controlled by its precepts. Its principles require love to God and to man; without this love, external compliance will not be accepted. This law is the standard of Christian character. Like a faithful mirror, it reveals to the children of men the defects in their moral character. It makes them watchful against temptation. It teaches them to be exact in judgment and correct in spiritual discernment. The law of God is holy, just, and good. When our lives conform to this standard we are happy.

“The Lord was constantly seeking to impress upon ancient Israel their duty to obey His law; and those words of warning and reproof apply with as much greater force to this generation as our light and privileges are greater than were those of Israel. We have seen how the disregard of God’s requirements brought trouble upon His ancient people and finally resulted in their entire separation from Him. Their sad history should be a lesson to us that nothing should be permitted to rival God in our affections. He alone can give rest, and peace, and happiness to the soul. God alone is entitled to our supreme love, to our entire confidence. He should be the object of our gratitude and adoration, our reverence and unquestioning submission. If we fail to love Him with all the heart, we rob Him of the service which is His due.”1

“The believer in Christ is consecrated to high and holy purpose. Before the service of the royal priesthood the glory of the Aaronic priesthood is eclipsed. Called according to God’s purpose, set apart by grace divine, invested with Christ’s righteousness, imbued with the Holy Spirit, offering up the sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart, the true believer is indeed a representative of the Redeemer. Upon such a worshiper, God looks with delight. He will let His light shine into the chambers of the mind and into the soul temple if men, when they lack wisdom, will go to their closets in prayer and ask wisdom from Him who gives to all men liberally and upbraids not. The promise is, ‘It shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed’ (James 1:5, 6). Christ has pledged Himself to be our substitute and surety, and He neglects no one. There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from His obedience. In heaven His merits, His self-denial and self-sacrifice, are treasured up as incense to be offered up with the prayers of His people. As the sinner’s sincere, humble prayers ascend to the throne of God, Christ mingles with them the merits of His life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense. Christ has pledged Himself to intercede in our behalf, and the Father always hears His Son. Pray then; pray without ceasing; an answer is sure to come.

“But let me speak in warning: ‘[If any man] regard iniquity in [his] heart, the Lord will not hear [him]’ (Psalm 66:18).

“Show a firm, undeviating trust in God. Be ever true to principle. Waver not; speak decidedly that which you know to be truth, and leave the consequences with God. Bear in mind that God tests the genuineness of your desire. Believe the word of God, and never cease to press your petitions to His throne with sanctified, holy boldness. ‘Men ought always to pray, and not to faint’ (Luke 18:1). By precept and example keep the standard uplifted. Your testimony, in its genuineness and reality, God will make powerful in the power of the life to come. The word of the Lord will be in your mouth as truth and righteousness.”2

May this be our experience! Amen.