The Pillars and Sockets

Ver. 10. And the twenty pillars thereof, and their twenty sockets (shall be) of brass. Or, as expressed in chapter 38: 10, Their pillars were twenty, and their brazen sockets twenty. The pillars themselves’ were probably of shittim wood, fixed in sockets of brass, representing individual believers in their religious character, and their firm standing.
There were twenty pillars on the north and south, corresponding with the twenty boards of the tabernacle on those sides. The boards representing believers associated in Church fellowship, and the pillars of the court, believers in their wider and ordinary Christian walk.
Each pillar stood firmly fixed in a socket of brass, as expressing the firm and decided stand which is requisite in living out the Christian character.
As united in Church fellowship, in the sight of God, we stand in redemption, like the boards of the. tabernacle on the sockets of silver. But as walking before God, and living before men, in our daily course, we need a holy decision of character, standing, strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, as the pillars of the court in their sockets of brass. “Having done all, stand,” says the apostle. “Stand therefore.” (Ephesians 6),
If the Church of the living God is to be the pillar and ground of the truth, individual believers in their Christian character and ordinary conduct should seek to maintain the truth, by walking in it with firmness and decision, like James, Cephas, and John, who, seemed to be pillars in their day, and especially like the Apostle Paul.