Notes on the Book of Leviticus Part 3

II. The second point in our theme is the mode in which the meat-offering was prepared. This was, as we read, by the action of fire,--it was "baken in an oven"--"baken in a pan," or "baken in a frying-pan." The process of baking suggests the idea of suffering. But inasmuch as the meat-offering is called "a sweet savor" (a term which is never applied to the sin-offering or trespa.s.s-offering), it is evident that there is no thought of suffering for sin--no thought of suffering the wrath of G.o.d on account of sin--no thought of suffering at the hand of Infinite Justice, as the sinner's subst.i.tute. The two ideas of "sweet savor" and suffering for sin are wholly incompatible according to the Levitical economy. It would completely destroy the type of the meat-offering were we to introduce into it the idea of suffering for sin.

In contemplating the _life_ of the Lord Jesus, which, as we have already remarked, is the special subject foreshadowed in the meat-offering, we may notice three distinct kinds of suffering, namely, suffering for righteousness, suffering by the power of sympathy, and suffering in antic.i.p.ation.

As the righteous Servant of G.o.d, He suffered in the midst of a scene in which all was contrary to Him; but this was the very opposite of suffering for sin. It is of the utmost importance to distinguish between these two kinds of suffering. The confounding of them must lead to serious error. Suffering as a righteous One standing amongst men on G.o.d's behalf is one thing, and suffering instead of man under the hand of G.o.d is quite another. The Lord Jesus suffered for righteousness during His _life_: He suffered for sin in His _death_.

During His life, man and Satan did their utmost; and even at the cross they put forth all their powers; but when all that they could do was done--when they had traveled, in their deadly enmity, to the utmost limit of human and diabolical opposition, there lay, far beyond, a region of impenetrable gloom and horror into which the Sin-bearer had to travel, in the accomplishment of His work. During His life, He ever walked in the unclouded light of the divine countenance; but on the cursed tree, the dark shadow of sin intervened and shut out that light, and drew forth that mysterious cry, "My G.o.d, My G.o.d, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" This was a moment which stands absolutely alone in the annals of eternity. From time to time during the life of Christ down here, heaven had opened to give forth the expression of divine complacency in Him; but on the cross, G.o.d forsook Him, because He was making His soul an offering for sin. If Christ had been a sin-bearer all His life, then what was the difference between the cross and any other period? Why was He not forsaken of G.o.d during His entire course?

What was the difference between Christ on the cross, and Christ on the holy mount of transfiguration? Was He forsaken of G.o.d on the mount?

was He a sin-bearer there? These are very simple questions, which should be answered by those who maintain the idea of a life of sin-bearing.

The plain fact is this: there was nothing either in Christ's humanity or in the nature of His a.s.sociations which could possibly connect Him with sin, or wrath, or death. He was "made sin" on the cross; and there He endured the wrath of G.o.d, and there He gave up His life, as an all-sufficient atonement for sin; but nothing of this finds a place in the meat-offering. True, we have the process of baking--the action of fire; but this is not the wrath of G.o.d. The meat-offering was not a sin-offering, but a "sweet savor" offering. Thus, its import is definitely fixed; and, moreover, the intelligent interpretation of it must ever guard, with holy jealousy, the precious truth of Christ's spotless humanity, and the true nature of His a.s.sociations. To make Him, by the necessity of His birth, a sin-bearer, or to place Him thereby under the curse of the law and the wrath of G.o.d, is to contradict the entire truth of G.o.d as to incarnation--truth announced by the angel, and repeated again and again by the inspired apostle.

Moreover, it destroys the entire character and object of Christ's life, and robs the cross of its distinctive glory. It lowers the sense of what sin is, and of what atonement is. In one word, it removes the key-stone of the arch of revelation, and lays all in hopeless ruin and confusion around us.

But, again, the Lord Jesus suffered by the power of sympathy; and this character of suffering unfolds to us the deep secrets of His tender heart. Human sorrow and human misery ever touched a chord in that bosom of love. It was impossible that a perfect human heart could avoid feeling, according to its own divine sensibilities, the miseries which sin had entailed upon the human family. Though personally free both from the cause and the effect--though belonging to heaven, and living a perfect heavenly life on the earth, yet did He descend, by the power of an intense sympathy, into the deepest depths of human sorrow; yea, He felt the sorrow more keenly, by far, than those who were the direct subjects thereof, inasmuch as His humanity was perfect. And, further, He was able to contemplate both the sorrow and its cause according to their just measure and character in the presence of G.o.d. He felt as none else could feel. His feelings, His affections, His sensibilities, His whole moral and mental const.i.tution, were perfect; and hence none can tell what such an One must have suffered in pa.s.sing through such a world as this. He beheld the human family struggling beneath the ponderous weight of guilt and wretchedness; He beheld the whole creation groaning under the yoke; the cry of the prisoner fell upon His ear; the tear of the widow met His view; bereavement and poverty touched His sensitive heart; sickness and death made Him "groan in the spirit;" His sympathetic sufferings were beyond all human conception.

I shall quote a pa.s.sage for my reader, ill.u.s.trative of that character of suffering to which we are now referring.--"When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils; and He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, '_Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses_.'"

(Matt. viii. 16, 17.) This was entirely sympathetic--the power of fellow-feeling, which in Him was perfect. He had no sicknesses or infirmities of His own. Those things which are sometimes spoken of as "sinless infirmities," were, in His case, but the evidences of a veritable, a real, a perfect manhood. But by sympathy--by perfect fellow-feeling, "He _took_ our infirmities, and _bare_ our sicknesses." None but a perfect man could have done this. We may feel for and with each other, but only Jesus could make human infirmity and sickness His own.

Now, had He been bearing all these things by the necessity of His birth, or of His relations with Israel and the human family, we should have lost all the beauty and preciousness of His voluntary sympathy.

There could be no room for voluntary action when absolute necessity was laid upon Him. But, on the other hand, when we see His entire freedom, both personally and relatively, from human misery and that which produced it, we can enter into that perfect grace and compa.s.sion which led Him to "take our infirmities, and bear our sicknesses," in the power of true sympathy. There is, therefore, a very manifest difference between Christ's suffering as a voluntary sympathizer with human misery, and His sufferings as the sinner's subst.i.tute. The former are apparent throughout His entire _life_; the latter are confined to His _death_.

Finally, we have to consider Christ's sufferings by antic.i.p.ation. We find the dark shadow of the cross casting itself athwart His path, and producing a very keen order of suffering, which, however, must be as clearly distinguished from His atoning suffering as either His suffering for righteousness or His suffering by sympathy. Let us take a pa.s.sage in proof--"And He came out, and went, as He was wont, to the mount of Olives; and His disciples also followed Him. And when He was at the place, He said unto them, 'Pray that ye enter not into temptation.' And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, 'Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.' And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke xxii.

39-44.) Again, we read, "And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith He unto them, 'My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me.'... He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if this cup may not pa.s.s from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done.'" (Matt. xxvi. 37-42.)

From these verses, it is evident there was a something in prospect which the blessed Lord had never encountered before,--there was a "cup" being filled out for Him of which He had not yet drunk. If He had been a sin-bearer all His life, then why this intense "agony" at the thought of coming in contact with sin and enduring the wrath of G.o.d on account of sin? What was the difference between Christ in Gethsemane and Christ at Calvary if He were a sin-bearer all His life?

There was a material difference; but it is because He was not a sin-bearer all His life. What is the difference? In Gethsemane, He was _antic.i.p.ating_ the cross; at Calvary, He was actually _enduring_ it.

In Gethsemane, "there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him;" at Calvary, He was forsaken of all. There was no angelic ministry there. In Gethsemane, He addresses G.o.d as "_Father_,"

thus enjoying the full communion of that ineffable relations.h.i.+p; but at Calvary, He cries, "My _G.o.d_, My _G.o.d_, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

Here the Sin-bearer looks up and beholds the throne of Eternal Justice enveloped in dark clouds, and the countenance of Inflexible Holiness averted from Him, because He was being "made sin for us."

The reader will, I trust, find no difficulty in examining this subject for himself. He will be able to trace, in detail, the three characters of the _life_-sufferings of our blessed Lord, and to distinguish between them and His _death_-sufferings--His sufferings for sin. He will see how that when man and Satan had done their utmost, there yet remained a character of suffering which was perfectly unique, namely, suffering at the hand of G.o.d on account of sin--suffering as the sinner's subst.i.tute. Until He came to the cross, He could ever look up and bask in the clear light of His Father's countenance; in the darkest hour, He found a sure resource above. His path down here was a rough one. How could it be otherwise, in a world where all was directly contrary to His pure and holy nature? He had to "endure the contradiction of sinners against Himself;" He had to endure "the reproach of them that reproached G.o.d." What had He not to endure? He was misunderstood, misinterpreted, abused, maligned, accused of being mad, and of having a devil. He was betrayed, denied, deserted, mocked, buffeted, spit upon, crowned with thorns, cast out, condemned, and nailed between two malefactors. All these things He endured at the hand of man, together with all the unutterable terrors which Satan brought to bear upon His spirit; but, let it be once more emphatically repeated, when man and Satan had exhausted their power and enmity, our blessed Lord and Saviour had to endure a something compared with which all the rest was as nothing, and that was the hiding of G.o.d's countenance--the three hours of darkness and awful gloom, during which He suffered what none but G.o.d could know.

Now, when Scripture speaks of our having fellows.h.i.+p with Christ's sufferings, it refers simply to His sufferings for righteousness--His sufferings at the hand of man. Christ suffered for sin that we might not have to suffer for it.--He endured the wrath of G.o.d that we might not have to endure it (this is the ground of our peace); but as regards suffering from man, we shall always find that the more faithfully we follow in the footsteps of Christ, the more we shall suffer in this respect; but this is a matter of gift, a matter of privilege, a favor, a dignity. (See Phil. i. 29, 30.) To walk in the footsteps of Christ--to enjoy companions.h.i.+p with Him--to be thrown into a place of sympathy with Him, are privileges of the very highest order. Would that we all entered more fully into them! But, alas! we are too well content to do without them--too well satisfied, like Peter, to "follow afar off"--to keep aloof from a despised and suffering Christ. All this is, undoubtedly, our heavy loss. Had we only more fellows.h.i.+p with His sufferings, the crown would glisten far more brightly in our soul's vision. When we shrink from fellows.h.i.+p with Christ's sufferings, we rob ourselves of the deep joy of His present companions.h.i.+p, and also of the moral power of the hope of His future glory.

III. Having considered the ingredients which composed the meat-offering, and the various forms in which it was presented, it only remains for us to refer to the persons who partook of it. These were the head and members of the priestly house. "And that which is left of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire." (Ver. 10.) As in the burnt-offering we observed the sons of Aaron introduced as types of all true believers, not as convicted sinners, but as wors.h.i.+ping priests; so in the meat-offering we find them feeding upon the remnant of that which had been laid, as it were, on the table of the G.o.d of Israel. This was a high and holy privilege. None but priests could enjoy it. This is set forth with great distinctness in "the law of the meat-offering," which I shall here quote at length.--"And this is the law of the meat-offering: The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar. And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat-offering, and of the oil thereof, and _all the frankincense_ which is upon the meat-offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord. And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: _with unleavened bread_ shall it be eaten _in the holy place_; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of My offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin-offering, and as the trespa.s.s-offering. _All the males_ among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute forever in your generations concerning the offerings of the Lord made by fire: _every one that toucheth them shall be holy_." (Lev. vi. 14-18.)

Here, then, we are furnished with a beauteous figure of the Church feeding "in the holy place," in the power of practical holiness, upon the perfections of "the Man Christ Jesus." This is our portion, through the grace of G.o.d; but, we must remember, it is to be eaten "with unleavened bread." We cannot feed upon Christ if we are indulging in any thing evil. "Every one that toucheth them shall be holy." Moreover, it must be "in the holy place." Our position, our practice, our persons, our a.s.sociations, must be holy ere we can feed upon the meat-offering. Finally, it is "all the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it." That is to say, real priestly energy, according to the divine idea of it, is required in order to enjoy this holy portion. Aaron's "_sons_" set forth the idea of _energy_ in priestly action: his "_daughters_," _feebleness_ therein.

(Compare Numb. xviii. 8-13.) There were some things which the sons could eat which the daughters could not. Our hearts should earnestly desire the highest measure of priestly energy, so that we may discharge the highest priestly functions, and partake of the highest order of priestly food.

In conclusion, let me add, that inasmuch as we are made, through grace, "partakers of the divine nature," we can, if living in the energy of that nature, walk in the footsteps of Him who is foreshadowed in the meat-offering. If only we are self-emptied, our every act may emit a sweet odor to G.o.d. The smallest as well as the greatest services may, by the power of the Holy Ghost, present the fragrance of Christ. The paying of a visit, the writing of a letter, the public ministry of the Word, giving a cup of cold water to a disciple, giving a penny to a pauper, yea, the commonplace acts of eating and drinking--all may emit the sweet perfume of the name and grace of Jesus.

So, also, if only nature be kept in the place of death, there may be in us the exhibition of that which is not corruptible, even a conversation seasoned with the "salt" of abiding communion with G.o.d.

But in all these things we fail and come short; we grieve the Holy Spirit of G.o.d in our ways. We are p.r.o.ne to self-seeking or men-pleasing in our very best services, and we fail to "season" our conversation. Hence our constant deficiency in the "oil," the "frankincense," and the "salt;" while, at the same time, there is the tendency to suffer the "leaven" or the "honey" of nature to make its appearance. There has been but one perfect "meat-offering;" and, blessed be G.o.d, we are accepted in Him. We are the "sons" of the true Aaron; our place is in the sanctuary, where we can feed upon the holy portion. Happy place! Happy portion! May we enjoy them more than ever we have done! May our retirement of heart from all but Christ be more profound! May our gaze at Him be so intense that we shall have no heart for the attractions of the scene around us, nor yet for the ten thousand petty circ.u.mstances in our path which would fret the heart and perplex the mind! May we rejoice in Christ in the suns.h.i.+ne and in the darkness; when the gentle breezes of summer play around us, and when the storms of winter rage fiercely abroad; when pa.s.sing over the surface of a placid lake, or tossed on the bosom of a stormy ocean.

Thank G.o.d, "we have found Him" who is to be our satisfying portion forever! We shall spend eternity dwelling upon the divine perfections of the Lord Jesus. Our eyes shall never be averted from Him when once we have seen Him as He is.

May the Spirit of G.o.d work mightily in us, to strengthen us "in the inner man"! May He enable us to feed upon that perfect Meat-offering, the memorial of which has been fed upon by G.o.d Himself! This is our holy and happy privilege. May we realize it yet more fully!

CHAPTER III.

The more closely we contemplate the offerings, the more fully do we see how that no one offering furnishes a complete view of Christ. It is only by putting all together that any thing like a just idea can be formed. Each offering, as might be expected, has features peculiar to itself. The peace-offering differs from the burnt-offering in many points, and a clear understanding of the points in which any one type differs from the others will be found to help much in the apprehension of its special import.

Thus, in comparing the peace-offering with the burnt-offering, we find that the threefold action of "flaying," "cutting it into its pieces,"

and "was.h.i.+ng the inwards and legs" is entirely omitted: and this is quite in character. In the burnt-offering, as we have seen, we find Christ offering Himself to and accepted by G.o.d; and hence the completeness of His self-surrender, and also the searching process to which He submitted Himself, had to be typified. In the peace-offering, the leading thought is the communion of the wors.h.i.+per. It is not Christ as enjoyed exclusively by G.o.d, but as enjoyed by the wors.h.i.+per in communion with G.o.d; therefore it is that the whole line of action is less intense. No heart, be its love ever so elevated, could possibly rise to the height of Christ's devotedness to G.o.d, or of G.o.d's acceptance of Christ. None but G.o.d Himself could duly note the pulsations of that heart which throbbed in the bosom of Jesus; and therefore a type was needed to set forth that one feature of Christ's death, namely, His perfect devotedness therein to G.o.d. This type we have in the burnt-offering, in which alone we observe the threefold action above referred to.

So also in reference to the character of the sacrifice. In the burnt-offering, it should be "a male without blemish;" whereas in the peace-offering, it might be "a male or female," though equally "without blemish." The nature of Christ, whether we view Him as enjoyed exclusively by G.o.d, or by the wors.h.i.+per in fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d, must ever be one and the same; there can be no alteration in that. The only reason why "a female" was permitted in the peace-offering, was because it was a question of the wors.h.i.+per's capacity to enjoy that blessed One, who, in Himself, is "the same yesterday, to-day, and forever." (Heb. xiii.)

Again, in the burnt-offering, we read, "The priest shall burn _all_;"

whereas in the peace-offering, _a part_ only was burnt, that is, "the fat, the kidneys, and the caul." This makes it exceedingly simple. The most excellent portion of the sacrifice was laid on G.o.d's altar. The inward parts--the hidden energies--the tender sensibilities of the blessed Jesus, were devoted to G.o.d, as the only One who could perfectly enjoy them. Aaron and his sons fed upon "the wave breast"

and "the heave shoulder."[6] (See, carefully, Lev. vii. 28-36.) All the members of the priestly family, in communion with their head, had their proper portion of the peace-offering; and now, all true believers const.i.tuted, by grace, priests unto G.o.d, can feed upon the _affections_ and the _strength_ of the true Peace-offering,--can enjoy the happy a.s.surance of having His loving heart and powerful shoulder to comfort and sustain them continually.[7] "This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord in the priest's office; which the Lord commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that He anointed them by a statute forever throughout their generations."

(Chap. vii. 35, 36.)

[6] The "breast" and the "shoulder" are emblematical of love and power--strength and affection.

[7] There is much force and beauty in verse 31--"The breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'." It is the privilege of all true believers to feed upon the affections of Christ--the changeless love of that heart which beats with a deathless and changeless love for them.

All these are important points of difference between the burnt-offering and the peace-offering, and when taken together, they set the two offerings with great clearness before the mind. There is something more in the peace-offering than the abstract devotedness of Christ to the will of G.o.d. The wors.h.i.+per is introduced; and that not merely as a spectator, but as a partic.i.p.ator--not merely to gaze, but to feed. This gives very marked character to this offering. When I look at the Lord Jesus in the burnt-offering, I see Him as One whose heart was devoted to the one object of glorifying G.o.d and accomplis.h.i.+ng His will; but when I see Him in the peace-offering, I find One who has a place in His loving heart and on His powerful shoulder for a worthless, helpless sinner. In the burnt-offering, the breast and shoulder, legs and inwards, head and fat, were all burnt on the altar--all went up as a sweet savor to G.o.d; but in the peace-offering, the very portion that suits me is left for me. Nor am I left to feed in solitude on that which meets my individual need. By no means. I feed in communion--in communion with G.o.d, and in communion with my fellow-priests. I feed in the full and happy intelligence that the self-same sacrifice which feeds my soul has already refreshed the heart of G.o.d; and, moreover, that the same portion which feeds me feeds all my fellow-wors.h.i.+pers. Communion is the order here,--communion with G.o.d--the communion of saints. There was no such thing as isolation in the peace-offering. G.o.d had His portion, and so had the priestly family.

Thus it is in connection with the Ant.i.type of the peace-offering. The very same Jesus who is the object of Heaven's delight, is the spring of joy, of strength, and of comfort to every believing heart; and not only to every heart in particular, but also to the whole church of G.o.d in fellows.h.i.+p. G.o.d, in His exceeding grace, has given His people the very same object that He has Himself. "Truly our fellows.h.i.+p is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John i.) True, our thoughts of Jesus can never rise to the height of G.o.d's thoughts. Our estimation of such an object must ever fall far short of His; and hence, in the type, the house of Aaron could not partake of the fat.

But though we can never rise to the standard of the divine estimation of Christ's Person and sacrifice, it is nevertheless the same object we are occupied with, and therefore the house of Aaron had "the wave breast and the heave shoulder." All this is replete with comfort and joy to the heart. The Lord Jesus Christ, the One "who was dead, but is alive for evermore," is now the exclusive object before the eye and thoughts of G.o.d; and, in perfect grace, He has given unto us a portion in the same blessed and all-glorious Person. Christ is our object too--the object of our hearts and the theme of our song. "Having made peace by the blood of His cross," He ascended into heaven, and sent down the Holy Ghost, that "other Comforter," by whose powerful ministrations we feed upon "the breast and shoulder" of our divine "Peace-offering." He is indeed our peace; and it is our exceeding joy to know that such is G.o.d's delight in the establishment of our peace, that the sweet odor of our Peace-offering has refreshed His heart.

This imparts a peculiar charm to this type. Christ as the Burnt-offering commands the admiration of the heart; Christ as the Peace-offering establishes the peace of the conscience, and meets the deep and manifold necessities of the soul. The sons of Aaron might stand around the altar of burnt-offering; they might behold the flame of that offering ascending to the G.o.d of Israel; they might see the sacrifice reduced to ashes; they might, in view of all this, bow their heads and wors.h.i.+p; but they carried naught away for themselves. Not so in the peace-offering. In it, they not only beheld that which was capable of emitting a sweet odor to G.o.d, but also of yielding a most substantial portion for themselves, on which they could feed in happy and holy fellows.h.i.+p.

And, a.s.suredly, it heightens the enjoyment of every true priest to know that G.o.d (to use the language of our type) has had His portion ere he gets the breast and the shoulder. The thought of this gives tone and energy, unction and elevation, to the wors.h.i.+p and communion; it unfolds the amazing grace of Him who has given us the same object, the same theme, the same joy with Himself. Nothing lower--nothing less than this could satisfy Him. The Father will have the prodigal feeding upon the fatted calf, in fellows.h.i.+p with Himself. He will not a.s.sign him a lower place than at His own table, nor any other portion than that on which He feeds Himself. The language of the peace-offering is, "It is meet that _we_ should make merry and be glad,"--"Let _us_ eat and be merry." Such is the precious grace of G.o.d! No doubt we have reason to be glad, as being the partakers of such grace; but when we can hear the blessed G.o.d saying, "Let _us_ eat and be merry," it should call forth from our hearts a continual stream of praise and thanksgiving. G.o.d's joy in the salvation of sinners, and His joy in the communion of saints, may well elicit the admiration of men and angels throughout eternity.

Having thus compared the peace-offering with the burnt-offering, we may now briefly glance at it in connection with the meat-offering. The leading point of difference here is, that in the peace-offering there was blood-shedding, and in the meat-offering there was not. They were both "sweet savor" offerings; and, as we learn from chap. vii. 12, the two offerings were very intimately a.s.sociated. Now, both the connection and the contrast are full of meaning and instruction.

It is only in communion with G.o.d that the soul can delight itself in contemplating the perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. G.o.d the Holy Ghost must _impart_, as He must also _direct_, by the Word, the vision by which we can gaze on "the Man Christ Jesus." He might have been revealed "in the likeness of sinful flesh,"--He might have lived and labored on this earth,--He might have shone amid the darkness of this world in all the heavenly l.u.s.tre and beauty which belonged to His Person,--He might have pa.s.sed rapidly, like a brilliant luminary, across this world's horizon,--and all the while have been beyond the range of the sinner's vision.

Man could not enter into the deep joy of communion with all this, simply because there would be no basis laid down on which this communion might rest. In the peace-offering, this necessary basis is fully and clearly established.--"He shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about." (Chap. iii. 2.) Here, we have that which the meat-offering does not supply, namely, a solid foundation for the wors.h.i.+per's communion with all the fullness, the preciousness, and the beauty of Christ, so far as he, by the gracious energy of the Holy Ghost, is enabled to enter thereinto. Standing on the platform which "the precious blood of Christ" provides, we can range, with tranquilized hearts and wors.h.i.+ping spirits, throughout all the wondrous scenes of the manhood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Had we naught save the meat-offering aspect of Christ, we should lack the t.i.tle by which, and the ground on which, we can contemplate and enjoy Him therein. If there were no blood-shedding, there could be no t.i.tle--no standing-place for the sinner. But Leviticus vii. 12 links the meat-offering with the peace-offering, and, by so doing, teaches us, that, when our souls have found peace, we can delight in the One who has "made peace," and who is "our peace."

But let it be distinctly understood that while in the peace-offering we have the shedding and sprinkling of blood, yet sin-bearing is not the thought. When we view Christ in the peace-offering, He does not stand before us as the bearer of our sins, as in the sin and trespa.s.s offerings, but (having borne them) as the ground of our peaceful and happy fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d. If sin-bearing were in question, it could not be said, "It is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord." (Chap. iii. 5, comp. with chap. iv. 10-12.) Still, though sin-bearing is not the thought, there is full provision for one who knows himself to be a sinner, else he could not have any portion therein. To have fellows.h.i.+p with G.o.d, we must be "in the light;" and how can we be there? Only on the ground of that precious statement--"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from _all_ sin." (1 John i.) The more we abide in the light, the deeper will be our sense of every thing which is contrary to that light; and the deeper, also, our sense of the value of that blood which ent.i.tles us to be there. The more closely we walk with G.o.d, the more we shall know of "the unsearchable riches of Christ."

It is most needful to be established in the truth that we are in the presence of G.o.d only as the partakers of divine life, and as standing in divine righteousness. The father could only have the prodigal at his table clothed in "the best robe," and in all the integrity of that relations.h.i.+p in which he viewed him. Had the prodigal been left in his rags, or placed "as a hired servant" in the house, we never should have heard those glorious words, "Let us eat and be merry: for this _my son_ was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."

Thus it is with all true believers. Their old nature is not recognized as existing before G.o.d. He counts it dead, and so should they. It is dead to G.o.d, dead to faith. It must be kept in the place of death. It is not by improving our old nature that we get into the divine presence, but as the possessors of a new nature. It was not by repairing the rags of his former condition that the prodigal got a place at the father's table, but by being clothed in a robe which he had never seen or thought of before. He did not bring this robe with him from the "far country," neither did he provide it as he came along; but the father had it for him in the house. The prodigal did not make it, or help to make it; but the father provided it for him, and rejoiced to see it on him. Thus it was they sat down together, to feed in happy fellows.h.i.+p upon "the fatted calf."

I shall now proceed to quote at length "the law of the sacrifice of peace-offering," in which we shall find some additional points of much interest--points which belong peculiarly to itself.--"And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord: If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace-offerings. And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for a heave-offering unto the Lord, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice; and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten; but the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity. And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people." (Lev. vii. 11-21.)

It is of the utmost importance that we accurately distinguish between sin _in the flesh_ and sin _on the conscience_. If we confound these two, our souls must necessarily be unhinged, and our wors.h.i.+p marred.

An attentive consideration of 1 John i. 8-10 will throw much light upon this subject, the understanding of which is so essential to a due appreciation of the entire doctrine of the peace-offering, and more especially of that point therein at which we have now arrived. There is no one who will be so conscious of indwelling sin as the man who walks in the light. "If we say that we have _no sin_, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." In the verse immediately preceding, we read, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from _all sin_." Here, the distinction between sin _in_ us and sin _on_ us is fully brought out and established. To say that there is sin on the believer, in the presence of G.o.d, is to call in question the purging efficacy of the blood of Jesus, and to deny the truth of the divine record. If the blood of Jesus can perfectly purge, then the believer's conscience is perfectly purged. The Word of G.o.d thus puts the matter; and we must ever remember that it is from G.o.d Himself we are to learn what the true condition of the believer is in His sight.

We are more disposed to be occupied in telling G.o.d what we are in ourselves, than to allow Him to tell us what we are in Christ. In other words, we are more taken up with our own self-consciousness than with G.o.d's revelation of Himself. G.o.d speaks to us on the ground of what He is in Himself, and of what He has accomplished in Christ. Such is the nature and character of His revelation, of which faith takes hold, and thus fills the soul with perfect peace. G.o.d's revelation is one thing; my consciousness is quite another.

But the same Word which tells us we have no sin _on_ us, tells us, with equal force and clearness, that we have sin _in_ us. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Every one who has "truth" in him, will know that he has "_sin_"

in him likewise; for truth reveals every thing as it is. What, then, are we to do? It is our privilege so to walk in the power of the new nature, that the "_sin_" which dwells in us may not manifest itself in the form of "_sins_." The Christian's position is one of victory and liberty. He is not only delivered from the guilt of sin, but also from sin as a ruling principle in his life. "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.... Let not sin therefore _reign_ in your mortal body, that ye should _obey_ it in the l.u.s.ts thereof.... For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace."

(Rom. vi. 6-14.) Sin is there in all its native vileness; but the believer is "dead to it." How? He died in Christ. By nature, he was dead _in_ sin: by grace, he is dead _to_ it. What claim can any thing or any one have upon a dead man? None whatever. Christ "died unto sin once," and the believer died in Him. "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, He liveth unto G.o.d." What is the result of this in reference to believers? "_Likewise_ reckon ye also yourselves to be _dead indeed unto sin_, but alive unto G.o.d through Jesus Christ our Lord." Such is the believer's unalterable position before G.o.d! so that it is his holy privilege to enjoy freedom from sin as a _ruler_ over him, though it be a _dweller_ in him.

But then, "if any man sin," what is to be done? The inspired apostle furnishes a full and most blessed answer,--"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John i. 9.) Confession is the mode in which the conscience is to be kept free. The apostle does not say, If we pray for pardon, He is gracious and merciful to forgive us. No doubt it is ever happy for a child to breathe the sense of need into his father's ear--to tell him of feebleness, to confess folly, infirmity, and failure. All this is most true; and, moreover, it is equally true that our Father is most gracious and merciful to meet His children in all their weakness and ignorance; but, while all this is true, the Holy Ghost declares, by the apostle, that "if we _confess_," G.o.d is "_faithful_ and _just_ to forgive." Confession, therefore, is the divine mode. A Christian, having erred, in thought, word, or deed, might pray for pardon for days and months together, and not have any a.s.surance, from 1 John i. 9, that he was forgiven; whereas the moment he truly confesses his sin before G.o.d, it is a simple matter of faith to know that he is perfectly forgiven and perfectly cleansed.