A square, because all four of its angles and four sides are equal, is the symbol for “perfection.” Jehovah, in giving instructions to Moses with regard to the Tabernacle, told him that the altars for burnt-offering and for incense were to be “foursquare.” (Exod 27:1; 30:2) So also was it to be with the “breastplate of judgment” which, when folded (doubled), was to be “foursquare.” (Exod 28:6) And, of course, the basic measurement of the “Most Holy” was also to be “foursquare”—ten by ten cubits, all of these—the altars, the breastplate of judgment, and the basic measurement of the Most Holy—represented “perfection.” The altar of burnt-offering represented the ransom sacrifice (T22); the altar of incense represented the consecrated church in the present sacrificing condition (T120); the breastplate of judgment represented the Divine Law in its two aspects, the “letter” and the “spirit” (T35); and of course, anything that had to do with the Most Holy of the Tabernacle represented “glory, honor and immortality.” (T22)

By the same token, a rectangle cannot represent “perfection” because although all its angles are equal, its sides are not. It must therefore represent an “imperfect” or “in part” condition, the “perfect” not yet having been attained (See 1 Cor 13:10). For example, the Court condition, which represents justification for the “saint” traveling east to west, is not the ultimate to be attained. The Courtyard itself is a rectangle, not a square. The “saint” next enters the “Holy” which, for him, is the spirit-begotten condition of sanctification. Nor is this yet the ultimate, for the “Holy” is not a square either, but like the Courtyard is also a rectangle. Both the Court and the Holy are “in part” conditions. It is only after the “saint” has passed the “second vail” and entered into the “Most Holy” that he really attains the ultimate condition of glory, honor and immortality—the divine nature. Then that which is “perfect” will have come and that which has been “in part” will be done away. The Most Holy rests upon a square!”

In order to properly understand the true significance of the layout and construction of the Tabernacle it is necessary first to determine just how exactly we enter the structure in the first place as much of what we wish to examine is contained within its interior. Thus, it is expedient that a few important questions be considered first, namely,

Where does actual justification take place?

Why does it matter?

Who and who is not permitted to enter the Tabernacle?

What are the requirements for becoming a priest?

How is all this accomplished?

When should this take place, when is the acceptable time?

In our next several post it is our hope to answer these questions satisfactory at the conclusion of which we will review them once again individually so that they are fully understood.

PROGRESSIVE AND COMPLETED JUSTIFICATION (Excerpts taken from R4656)

“The Court and the Tabernacle may properly be viewed from two different standpoints, the one representing the final accomplishment of those things typified and the other representing tentative accomplishment of those things and the progress toward their full attainment. For instance, not everyone who makes the consecration to death and passes beyond the first vail of consecration, into the holy or spirit-begotten condition will be a priest, and yet only the priests were allowed in the Tabernacle. Those who come into this Tabernacle now by consecration and fail to become priests will fail to keep their standing in this place. They purpose to live up to their consecration, but come short: hence they fail to maintain their standing as priests, but fall back and become *Levites.

“Likewise some come into the Court and assay to be antitypical Levites who do not attain to all the privileges of Levites because they do not conform their lives fully to do all that is required of Levites. Such are reckoned as coming into the Court condition for a time, but failing to go on and make a full consecration (the “Second Step”), lose their standing, the prospective standing of Levites. As it is only a tentative standing, originally, they must come up to certain requirements to make it sure, to make their selection as Levites firm, positive, lasting.”

“*What, then, is necessary to become a Levite?

We answer: The same consecration is necessary to a Levite that is necessary to a Priest, and those who will become Levites must make the same consecration even unto death, and, if they fail to become Priests, it is because they do not carry out that consecration. But though losing their position as Priests, if they still maintain their faith and a measure of obedience, they are counted as of the household of faith, typified by the Levites. In other words, the “Great Company“ class is the Levite class, and no one can be of the “Great Company” class unless he has made a consecration; and he is counted an antitypical Levite only because of his failure to be of the priestly class, the sacrificing class. Those who never go on so far as to make a consecration, never get justification in full in the present life. Their hope will be the same as that of the remainder of the world, viz., a hope of actual justification during the Millennial Age –Restitution.

In other words, this matter of faith-justification is merely an incidental feature connected with the consecration to death–for the selection of this special class which is now being called. To impute justification to any except these would be greatly to their disadvantage.” (R4656)

*Be it noted there is no calling to be a Levite, the calling is to be members of the body of Christ and of the Royal Priesthood and this alone, this secondary class of antitypical Levites is only made possible through the Lord’s mercy on behalf of those who have felled to make their calling and election sure, but who nonetheless refuse to deny their Lord.

CHRIST’S MERIT NOT IMPUTED BEFORE CONSECRATION

To use an illustration: Suppose that Brother A had full justification accounted to him and was introduced to the Father, and suppose that Brother A then failed to maintain his justified standing; the result would be that he would fall into the Second Death, because he had had, in this faith-justification, all that Christ could give him; there would be nothing more to give him by and by. He could not come in with the world and get a share in the world’s justification.

Therefore the Lord has arranged that none shall have this complete faith-justification now except those who first turn from sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and who, on the strength of that turning from sin and faith in Christ, present their bodies living sacrifices to God. God’s arrangement for such is that Christ shall then step in, and that which they had been enjoying in a measure, previously, as regards relationship to God, etc., is brought to its actual fullness when Christ imputes his merit to that which they have fully consecrated to death-their earthly life, their earthly nature. He imputes his merit to them at the moment of their having presented themselves; and at that moment the Father accepts the sacrifice and seals or shows his acceptance by the impartation of the Holy Spirit, begetting them to the new nature. So, then, none now get justification in this full sense except those who have made the consecration and been accepted, and they can never regain the earthly rights because these were given up.

To suppose that any during this age would be justified and maintain merely justification, while others would be sanctified, would be to suppose that God had called two classes, which he has not done–“Ye are all called in the one hope of your calling” and that one hope and that one calling of the Church is to membership in Christ, to be of the Royal Priesthood.

Those who merely believe and fail to (make a full consecration, fail to) lay down their earthly life, their earthly nature, will not get the new nature, and therefore will have all the rights of that earthly nature by and by, during the Millennial Age, under the terms and conditions that God has provided for all mankind. They still belong to the human family, for whom Christ died. When the time shall come for him to make application of his merit on behalf of Israel, and all the families of the earth who become Israelites, these will be included. The only ones not included in this will be those who during this Gospel Age have accepted Christ by faith and have made consecration of themselves and, having died to all earthly interests, are begotten of the Holy Spirit. Everyone else will have a share in the Restitution provisions of God’s great plan, which will go into effect as soon as the High Priest shall make the second sprinkling of blood antitypically on behalf of Israel and the world.

Is it not true, then, someone may ask, that no one passes from death unto life until he has made his consecration and has his justification vitalized?

Yes, we answer. No one passes “from death unto life” until he makes his consecration and until Christ imputes his merit to that consecration and the Father accepts it. Then he passes “from death unto life.” As the Apostle says, “Hereby we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” and he evidently is speaking of the Church class exclusively.” (R4657) We love them so much that we wish to be joined with them not only in the glory to come, but likewise in the sacrifices called for at the present.

We will continue with our next post.