God's way in the sanctuary.
This verse is capable of different renderings. We take the one here given, as in the main true, and rich in sacred suggestion. God's way is in the sanctuary because—
I. IT IS SEES THERE. The character, mind, and heart of God are revealed there. His holiness, that nothing unclean may approach him; yet also his mercy and compassion, as seen in the forgiveness through sacrifice proclaimed there; the worship he delights in and demands; the surrender of the self to him, symbolized by the shedding of the blood of the sacrifices, for "the blood is the life." So must the heart, the will, the real self, of the worshipper be presented to God; the transforming power of the Holy Spirit which he will give to us who thus come in full sin render to him, for the fire which consumed the sacrifice was no man-enkindled flame, but came down from heaven, and set forth how the blessed Holy Spirit of God would take hold of our poor dead fleshly nature, and transform it and uplift it heavenward, Godward, as did the fire the sacrifice. Thus was God's way of saving sinful men set forth and shown.
II. LEADS THERE. All his dealings with us are to lead us to his own presence, to bring us back to himself. We have got away into the far country, poor sinful ones that we are, and God's way with us is all to lead us to turn and say, "I will arise and go to my Father, and will say," etc.
III. IS LIKE WHAT IS THERE—holy, just, and good. God can ask, "Are not my ways holy?" They are in harmony with the spirit of the sanctuary. He is holy in all his ways. One rendering of the text is, "O God, thy way is holy." The records of history, of experience, of conscience, all assert the righteousness and holiness of God.
IV. IS UNDERSTOOD THERE. (Cf. Psalms 73:17.) There we get light sufficient, and, better still, the acquiescent, submissive mind, that learns to rest in the Lord and wait patiently lee him (cf. Hannah, 1 Samuel 1:13; Luke 18:10). Ah! how often has the wearied, much tried child of God found in the holy sanctuary that there have come such messages from God to his soul, through prayer, or psalm, or hymn, or God-inspired word, that he has gone down to his home comforted!
V. IS TRANSFIGURED THERE. It may have been a terribly hard, difficult, rough way; the man's lot in life may be heavily burdened with care, but "in the sanctuary," as he waits upon God and pours out his soul before the Lord, lo, these very trials and cares become transfigured and changed in fashion, so that they become as wings on which his soul mounts up nearer to God than ever he had attained to before, and he comes to confess, "It was good for me that I was afflicted."
CONCLUSION. Then do we know the way of the sanctuary? Would we enter there? The path leads by the altar. The soul that would enter in and know the blessedness of the sanctuary of God, must come along that path; the path of lowly penitence and trust and heart surrender, so that on him may come the blessed fire of the Holy Spirit, bringing him into the presence of God.—S.C.