stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word."

An allusion having been made, (Ist Peter i. 19) to the precious blood of Christ, as the true redemptionprice, in contrast with silver and gold, as atonementmoney; the Spirit of God in the apostle seems to have contemplated Isaiah xxviii. in connection with the vain conversation, received by tradition from the fathersthe refuge of lies, and hiding-place of falsehood, of verse 15. Another allusion to the same chapter occurs also a little further on. "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word." (Ist Pet. ii. 2.) "Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” (Isa, xxviii. 9.) Again, it appears there is a reason for linking on Isaiah xxviii. with Isaiah viii. 14, besides the fact of the stone being spoken of in both places. In chap. xxviii. 13, the effect upon Israel generally, of the line upon line, and precept upon precept, concerning Christ, would be to cause them to go and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken as in chap. viii. 14, it had been declared, that Christ should be for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence, to both the houses of Israel; for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. "And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken."

It is deeply interesting thus to trace the wonderful connection of the Scriptures together, and the one pervading mind and spirit who indited the whole.

As in the case of the structure built upon sand, the same worthlessness and instability were stamped, as well on the building, as on the foundation: so the living stones, built upon the living Stone, partake of the value, preciousness, life, and durability of their foundation.

When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He was openly refused by the Jewish builders. ("His own received Him not." "We will not have this man to reign over us."

"Not this man, but Barabbas.") They esteemed Him not: but God raised up this disallowed Stone, and crowned Him with glory and honour, setting Him over the works of His hands; putting all in subjection under His feet; and giving Him to be the head over all things to the Church.

Moreover: Christ crucified was, and is the stumblingstone to the Jews. Rejected by them when on earth, and still more abhorred by them by reason of His death, He is at this day the rock of offence, the gin and snare, in which they have been snared and taken. They have fallen upon that stone, and been broken.

But not only is it so, as to that nation. Disobedience, or unbelief of the word, (which are synonymous terms,) characterises the masses of Gentiles around us. Christendom occupies much the same place as to the stone, as did the Jewish nation of old. Christ is still disallowed as the sole foundation laid by God. He is not "the preciousness," and the only preciousness, to many that call themselves by His name. His death, the shame and obloquy of His cross, the shedding of His blood as a ransom, are still causes of offence to very many nominal Christians. And in high places in the land, among those who are the builders of the day, the atonement is disallowed; the word of God is impugned; and refuges of lies, and coverts of falsehood, are erected on all sides. But the storm is not far distant. Soon will the stone fall, and grind to powder those who have thus disallowed Him, God's precious chosen One. Soon will the Gentile image be crushed to atoms under the foot of the King of Kings; and like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors, driven by the wind, not a vestige will remain of the proud scornful nations of Christendom. The day of visitation is coming, when God will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent: ("Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world?")—a day of such an overflowing scourge, that it shall be a vexation, only to understand the report.

One concluding remark, respecting the silver sockets. The goats' hair curtains would exactly reach the silver foundations, in which the boards were fixed. Thus the whole tent of the congregation would proclaim one blessed testimony; viz. that atonement had been made; that a full price had been paid and accepted by God; that a sufficient sin-offering had been slain; and therefore a place of reconciliation, a meeting-place between God and the people had been established; in which He could abide in the midst of them, notwithstanding their waywardness, murmurings, and shortcomings; and to which they might with confidence draw nigh at any

time.

The number 12 is remarkably connected with the boards and sockets. There were 48 boards, or four twelves; these stood in 96 sockets, or eight twelves: and each board rested on the atonement-money of 12,000 Israelites.

The four pillars of the vail stood on the remaining four silver sockets; which with the 96, made up the 100.

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THE SILVER TRUMPETS.

"The Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

"Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them; that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

"And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

"And if they blow with but one trumpet, then the princes, heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

"When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

"When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

"But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

"And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets: and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

"And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

"Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God."-Num. X. 1—10.

IT

may be well to consider this type in connection with what has been said respecting the silver sockets: as the appointment of these trumpets seems to owe its significance to the fact, that they must have been made of silver atonement-money.

It is true, that all the silver paid in half-shekels as ransom-money, was used in forming the hundred sockets, and hooks, and capitals of the court-pillars. But there was an additional numbering, recorded in Num. iii. 40-51, in which the first-born of males of Israel were numbered, amounting to 22,273. For these the Levites were substituted. But the number of the Levites was less by 273 than the first-born of the tribes. God accordingly directed that these 273 first-born Israelites,

should be redeemed at the price of five shekels a head, "after the shekel of the sanctuary:-the shekel is 20 gerahs." Here was another source from which silver was derived for the use of Aaron and his sons, in the service of God. How at every turn in the history of this people, the great subject of redemption is made prominent! Type is crowded upon type, expressive of the one great aspect of redemption, viz: Substitution.

The life of the Passover-lamb in Egypt was substituted for the life of each family of Israel, gathered in each house, under the shelter of the blood. Again: God claimed Israel's first-born as His, because He had substituted for them, in destruction, the first-born of Egypt.

:

Every sacrifice on which the hand was laid, betokened substitution. The atonement-money was another aspect of the same truth. The Levites were substituted for the first-born and lastly, five shekels a-head was a price substituted for the redemption of those, on behalf of whom there were no living Levites to minister before God. How blessedly all this crowd of types finds its substance in Christ, the Lamb of God, the all-sufficient substitute provided by God.

The two trumpets were to be made of silver, of one piece, that each might give the same sound; and though that sound was, by doubling it, to be increased in power; yet the note given forth from each trumpet was to be precisely the same, in perfect unison. One clear shrill blast was to rouse the camp, either to assemble themselves together before the tabernacle of the Lord, or to march on their journey. These are first specified (v. 2) as the two great objects for which the trumpets were made: and, as the chapter proceeds, they enlarge into four principal occasions on which these instruments of silver were to be employed.

First: "When they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And if they blow