Ver. 7.-Lights in tM wor'ld. There are many difticulties and disagreements about the spiritual significance of the temple furniture; but there is a general agreement as to the meaning of the "candlestick," or of these "ten candlesticks of gold" to whioh the text refers. As in the "Divine compartment" of the "most holy place" the Shechinah was the symbol of the Divine presence, and spoke of the Lord God of Israel as the one true Light of the world, so in the human department of the "holy place" these lights were the symbol of the Hebrew Church, regarded as the centre and source of light in the midst of surrounding darkness. And such it was. We may well regard- I. ISRAEL AS THE SOURCE OF LIGHT. Perhaps rather as the possessor than the source, for communication between neighbouring countries was very much more limited then than it is now; and it was in its later days that the Jew was such a. traveller and such a propagandist. But from the time that God made himself and his will known to Moses, do\Til to the birth of Christ, Divine truth was known in Israel as it was not known elsewhere, and "salvation was of the Jews," a.sour Lord declared, Comparing the theological and ethical ideas of the people of God with those of contemporary peoples, we see how really enlightened they were. And some of the most essential doctrines, on which all Divine wisdom, and all moral excellency, and all national pros• perity, and all individual well-being must always rest, were carried by the worshippers of Jehovah to Egypt, to Persia., to Rome, to still more distant countries. The light that shone in the sanctuary went forth and illumined a large space. II. Tm: CHRISTIAN CHURCH AS A SOURCE OF LIGHT. Said the great Teacher to bis disciples, and through them to his Church for all time, "Ye are the light of the world." The Apostle Paul wrote to his converts at Ephesus, and through them to us, "Ye are light in the Lord." And it becomes us to do two thing8. 1. Manifest the great character-- isticof light-pu:rity. To" walk as children of light, ... in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Eph. v. 8, 9); as the servants of him who himself" is light, in whom is no darkness at all;" to be "holy a.s he is holy." 2. Discharge the great function of light- to reveal. To" make manifest" (Eph. v. 13) those great verities which renew and sustain and ennoble us in heart and life. We are so to let our light shine that men may see onr good works, and glorify our Divine Father. It does not take any prolonged study, or any range of experience, or any remarkable talent, to cause men to know the redeeming truths which restore them to God; which give them spiritual rest and abid• ing joy, and a hope that will not make ashamed; which build them up in manly virtues and in Christian graces ; which prepare for the heavenly kingdom. Even the humbler disciples, who claim no rank in the community, may render this valuable service. (1) By living a true, faithful, earnest life, day by day, in the love of Christ; (2) by speak• ing familiar Christian truth to those who are willing to hear it, this good work cau be wrought.-C. Ver. 8.-Goa's bwnty and our response. The significance of the table of shew• bread (of which Solomon, in his desire for fulness and richness of provision, now made ten) depends on its position and on the objects it was to sustain. 'l'he table stood in the "holy place," very near to the inner sanctuary, where the presence of God was symbolized; and it bore upon it the shewbread, or "bread of presence;" this was so called because it was "the shewbread before me always" (Exod. xxv. 30), continually in the presence of God. There were also some vessels (Exod. xxv. 29) which were probably intended to receive wine (" to pour out withal"), which was the ordinary accompaniment of bread, as the source of daily sustenance. The whole arrangement pointed to- I. A CONTINUAL BEOOGNITION OF DIVINE BOUNTY. The bread and wine which largely constituted and adequately represented the provision for the nation's need were placed in the near presence of God, as the One from whom they came. It was well that the Israelites i;bould be continually acknowled;;ing that the fruit of the field was of Divine origin. They were very mindful aud very proud of the great gift of the manna, which cm, 1v. 1-22.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES.
wns e. pn.lpable nncl very remnrkable provision from above-a clear produce of the power nnd goodness of God, They would be in danger of thinking that there was less of the Divine in the annual harvest; for this was, in part, the result of their own labour, and en.me gradually, by onlinary and gradual processes of natnre. But Divine goodness and power were as truly in the latter as in the former, From God himself came t.he soil, the seed, the sunshine, the rain, the airs and winds of heaven; from him came the power that made nil these work together for the germination, growth, and ripening of the grain; from him also came the knowledge and the skill which enabled the farmer to cultivate his ground and to secure his harvest; it was also of God's goodness that he required of his children the putting forth of these powers, both of body and mind, on the exercise of which so largely depended their health and character. The sbewbread and the wine, standing where they stood, were a perpetual acknowledgment that all things which sustained and strengthened the nation came from the Lord their God. II. A SOLEMN DEDICATION OF HUMAN STRENGTH TO THE SERVICE OF Goo. It was siguificant enough that "pure frankincense [ was to be placed] on each row" of the loaves or cakes (Lev. xxiv. 7). "The offering of incense was embodied prayer, and the placing of a vessel of incense upon this bread was like sending it up to God on the wings of devotion" (Fair bairn's 'Typology'). It was, therefore, "a kind of sacrifice," and is spoken of (L·ev. xxiv. 7) as "an offering unto the Lord." To present to God those things which are the recognized sources of sustenance and strength, is to acknowledge that our power and our resources belong to him and should be paid to him; it is, indeed, solemnly to dedicate them to his service in formal worship. We do the same thing now in our harvest thanksgiving services, and when we sing in the sanc- tuary hymns ascribing all our comforts and all our well-being to the good hand of our God. We only" perform our vows" when we dedicate to God, in daily life, the strength and the possessions with which he bas enriched us; when we live in grateful remembrance of his love, in cheerful obedience to his will, in active and earnest endeavour to serve his children and extend his kingdom.-C.