The divine services of the first covenant: the rites and bloody sacrifices, 1–10; are far inferior to the dignity and perfection of the blood and sacrifice of Christ, 11–28. (85)
“And Aaron’s rod that budded.” The reference is to what is recorded in Num. 17:5, 8, 10, Ps. 110:2, 3. The revolt of Korah and his company was visited by summary judgment from on high and was followed by a manifest vindication of Aaron. The Lord bade Moses take the twelve tribal rods, laying them up before the ark, and affirming that the one which should be made to blossom would indicate which had been chosen of God to the priestly tribe. Next morning it was found that Aaron’s rod had “brought forth buds, and blossomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.” Afterwards God ordered Moses to place Aaron’s rod before the ark “to be kept for a token against the rebels.” The lifeless rod being made to blossom was a figure of God’s vindication of His rejected Son by raising Him from the dead. Thus, it speaks of the resurrection-power of our great High Priest. “And the tables of the covenant.” The reference is to Deut. 10:2–5, 1Kg. 8:9, 21, 2Chr. 5:10. The preservation of the two tables of stone (on which were inscribed the ten commandments) in the ark, foreshadowed Christ magnifying the law and making it honorable Isa. 42:21. The fulfillment of this type is stated in Ps. 40:7, 8, where we hear the Mediator saying, “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me: I delight to do Thy will, O My God; Yea, Thy law is within My heart.” The Representative of God’s people was “made under the law” Gal. 4:4, and perfectly did He “fulfill” it Matt. 5:17. Therefore is it written, “by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous” Rom. 5:19. Thus may each believer exclaim, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength” Isa. 45:24.” Pink Arthur W. “And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat: of which we cannot now speak particularly” (v. 5). Ex. 25:17–22, Lev. 16:2, 1Kg. 8:6, 7. At either end of the mercy-seat was the form of a cherub with outstretched wings, meeting in the center, thus overshadowing and as it were protecting God’s throne. That there is some profound significance connected with their figures is clear from the prominent place which they occupy in connection with the description of the mercy-seat given in Exd. 25:17–22: ch. 4:16, Lev. 16:2, 13, 1Chr. 28:11. mention is there made of the cherubim, in either the singular or plural number, no less than seven times. The mention of them in Genesis 3:24 suggests that they are associated with the administration of God’s judicial authority. In Revelation 4:6–8 (cf. Ezek. 1:5–10) they are related to God’s throne. “Representing the holy angels of God, who take pleasure in looking into the great work of our redemption by Christ, and are ready to perform every good office, under the Redeemer.” M. Henry. Here in Heb. 9, they are called the “cherubim of glory” because the Skekinah abode between them. The mercy-seat, or better, “propitiatory,” was the throne upon which the high priest placed the expiatory blood. It was not the place where propitiation was made—that was at the brazen altar—but where its abiding value was borne witness to before God. Rom. 3:25 gives us the antitype: by the Gospel God now “sets forth” Gal. 3:1 Christ as the One by whom He has been placated, as the One by whom His holy wrath against the sins of His people has been pacified, as the One by whom the righteous demands of His law were satisfied, as the One by whom every attribute of Deity was glorified. Christ Himself is God’s resting-place in whom He now meets poor sinners in all the fullness of His grace because of the propitiation made by Him on the cross. The last clause of the verse is translated more literally in Bagster’s Interlinear thus: “concerning which it is not now (the time) to speak in detail”— It would have led the apostle too far away from his subject of the high priest’s service, to give an interpretation of the spiritual meaning of the tabernacle and everything in it. Nevertheless, he plainly intimates that every part of it had a specific significance as typical of the Lord Jesus and His ministry.
