GOD, who knows our frame and remembers that we are
dust, has, in His fatherly condescension, from the earliest times, instructed
the children of faith by means of pictures, or object lessons. It is so
difficult for man, who is a complex being, composed of body, soul, and spirit,
to form purely abstract or spiritual ideas; they need, more or less, to be
clothed in a material form.
Beginning with the first victim offered in
Paradise, in the skin of which our first parents were clothed by the hand of
God, onward by Abel’s offering, and the long succession of sacrifices
through the following ages, the Father was making known by type and symbol the
deep things of God, and the precious things of Christ, which could only be
spiritually apprehended by the teaching of the Holy Ghost. Sight is threefold -
physical, mental, and spiritual.
The eye gazes on the type, reason may
form its conclusions, but the Holy Ghost alone can communicate the mind of God
concerning the truths contained in it. In these types we have the embodiment of
the thoughts of God concerning the person, work, and offices of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
But as the spirit of man alone knows the inward thoughts of
man, so these deep and wondrous thoughts of God can only be communicated to us
by the Spirit of God Himself (1 Cor. ii. 11).
Moreover, as the Word of
God endureth for ever, and the heavens and earth may pass sooner than one jot
or tittle of the law may fail, we have in these types, in all their minuteness
of detail, a record for eternity, imprinted by the Spirit of God on the pages
of the eternal Word, for the instruction of the inhabitants of heaven and the
universe, throughout the countless ages of eternity, concerning the
incarnation, sufferings, atoning death, and priestly office of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
The Offerings
(Leviticus
i.).
Verses 1, 2. "And Jehovah called unto Moses, and spake unto
him out of the tent of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto Jehovah, ye
shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the
flock."
THE law was given from Mount Sinai. The patterns of things
in the heavens having a shadow of good things to come were shown to Moses on
the mount, when he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. When the
tabernacle was pitched, and everything arranged according to the commandment of
God, "then the cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of
Jehovah filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of
the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of Jehovah
filled the tabernacle" (Ex. xl. 34, 35).
Leviticus i. is a
continuation of Exodus xl. 35, informing us that Jehovah called to Moses out of
the tent of the congregation. In Numbers vii. 89 we read, "And when Moses was
gone into the tabernacle [tent] of the congregation to speak with Him, then he
heard the voice of One speaking unto him from off the mercy-seat [propitiatory]
that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and He
spake unto him."
From this we learn that whether Moses was standing
without, or, as subsequently, entered within the tent, the voice which spake
with him was the voice of sovereign grace speaking from off the mercy-seat -
that is, speaking in grace - founded on redemption, showing on what terms the
unworthy sinner might draw nigh to a righteous and holy God, and find
acceptance with Him.
1. Man is a guilty transgressor, and needs
forgiveness. Leviticus, chap. v. THE TRESPASS OFFERING.
2. He is a
sinner, and needs an atoning sacrifice. Leviticus, chap. iv. THE SIN OFFERING.
3. He is in heart alienated from God, and needs reconciliation.
Leviticus, chap. iii. THE PEACE OFFERING.
4. He is fallen and depraved
in nature, and needs as a substitute One who is holy, harmless, undefiled, and
separate from sinners. Leviticus, chap. ii. THE MEAT, or The OFFERING.
5. He is utterly unworthy in himself, without anything of his own to recommend
him to God; he needs, therefore, to be identified with One who is altogether
worthy, and an object of Divine favour, that he might be accepted in God’s
Beloved. Leviticus, chap. i. TEa BURNT or ASCENDING OFFERING.
I N the
earlier chapters of Leviticus the provisions of Divine grace, meeting the
requirements of man in these five particulars, are stated in their inverse
order. In chapter i. it is the voice of love and mercy speaking from off the
propitiatory. The ground of acceptance is stated, as shown in the BURNT or
ASCENDING OFFERING.
COMMUNION WITH GOD.
Father, we come
into Thy presence now,
And in the Saviour’s name before Thee bow;
We gather round the person of Thy Son !
And His supremacy would gladly
own.
We meet dependent on Thy Spirit’s power,
To lift our souls
above in this blest hour;
To bring us into fellowship with Thee,
To feel
Thy presence, and Thy glory see.
We want to hear Thee speaking in Thy
Word,
O let Thy voice therein be clearly heard;
That it may not in
letter only come,
But to each heart in living power speak home.
Grant us
to realize our Saviour’s grace,
To gaze upon our heavenly
Father’s face;
Communion with the Comforter to know,
Imparting
heavenly joys to hearts below.
T. NEWBERRY.
Provision is here made
for the individual’s approach with acceptance before God: whether that
individual be the sinner on his first approach, or the believer in his constant
intercourse with God.
The word here rendered "offering" is Korban, from
Kahrab, to draw nigh, hence styled the approach offering. In coming to the
Cross as sinners for pardon and salvation, it is quite right to say,
"Nothing in my hand I bring";
But in drawing nigh to God, the Object
of worship, the Divine statute is, "None shall appear before Me empty" (Ex.
xxiii. 15).
In ourselves we are utterly unworthy; it is through Christ we
have boldness and access with confidence before God by the faith of Him (Eph.
iii. 12).
"For through Him we both [Jew and Gentile] have access by
one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph. ii. 18).
The threefold division of this
chapter is - from the HERD, from the FLOCK, and from the FOWLS.
The
first is of the herd, and for a burnt or an ascending offering, so called
because the victim, entirely consumed by fire, ascended as incense or perfume,
a sweet savour, or savour of rest, unto God. The Hebrew word rendered "burnt
offering" is Holah, from the root Hahlah, to ascend. The word rendered "offer"
does not mean burn on the altar, but let him bring, or BRING NEAR; this is the
offerer’s part, the priest laid it on the altar. The male offering from
the herd represents Christ in His life of active and personal service, and
obedience altogether perfect, even unto death itself - the death of the
cross.
The context shows that instead of "He shall offer it of his own
voluntary will," it is better to render it, "He shall bring it for his
acceptance," for the word here employed is the same as in verse 4, and there
rendered, "It shall be accepted for him."
The expression, which is
correct, "The entrance of the tent of the congregation," refers to the space in
front of the tabernacle where stood the brazen altar, and the layer, the
appointed place of communion between God and His people (see Ex. xxix. 42, 43).
It is here the question of drawing nigh to God, hence he brings his offering
"before Jehovah."
The laying of the hand on the head of the victim is
not so much expressive of the transfer of guilt as in the case of the sin
offering (Lev. iv. 29), though that may be included; it is rather the
identification of the offerer with the victim presented, whether accepted or
refused. So Jacob sent his offering to Esau, whom he had offended.
This principle is well understood in other countries in the present day. If a
gift sent to a chief is accepted, the offerer may reckon on a favourable
teception; if it be rejected, it is his policy to retire as quickly as
possible. Cain and Abel both presented their offerings to God. Abel’s was
accepted, but Cain’s was refused. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more
excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was
righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh"
(Heb. xi. 4).
Notice, the promise is not he - the offerer - shall be
accepted because of the offering, though that is true; it is even stronger -
IT, THE OFFERING, shall be accepted for him. The offering being presented
according to the appointment of God, and perfectly meeting all His
requirements, could not be otherwise than accepted; and God has shown His
acceptance of the offering of Christ by raising Him from the dead; and the
believer in Christ who draws nigh through Him is accepted in God’s beloved
(Eph. i. 6).
Sooner or later the question of sin must be settled, and
provision is made for this here; the victim was not only to be without blemish,
but its blood was to be shed, and "without shedding of blood is no remission"
of sin. So God has not only made the believer "accepted in the Beloved," that
is, in Christ, but in Him "we have redemption through His blood, even the
forgiveness of sins" (Eph. i. 6, 7); that is, we are accepted, not only on the
ground of His perfect obedience, but in the value of His atoning blood.
Verses 3, 4. "If his offering [approach offering] be a BURNT
SACRIFICE [or ascending offering] of the herd, let him offer [or bring near] a
male without blemish: he shall offer [bring it near] IT of his own voluntary
will [or for his acceptance] at the door [or entrance] of the tent of the
congregation before Jehovah. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the
burnt offering [ascending offering]; and it SHALL be accepted for him to make
atonement for him."
In the expression "It SHALL be accepted" the
word "SHALL" in the original is not in the future tense, but it is in the short
or aorist tense, expressive of decision and certainty; for "all the promises of
God in Christ are yea and amen, to the glory of God by us." We have God’s
answer in the resurrection of Christ.
The assurance of acceptance
comes from the throne of God, on which the Risen One is seated. In that
acceptance the believer is included. "For He made Him to be sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. v.
21).
Verse 5. "And he shall kill the bullock [son of the herd]
before Jehovah: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and
sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tent
of the congregation."
The BULLOCK, as we have seen, is typical of the
Lord Jesus Christ in His life of perfect SERVICE, as well as in His atoning
death.
The bullock ploughed the land, brought home the sheaves from
the harvest field, trod out the corn for the household - type of Him who was
the pattern Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. "Son of the herd." One in outward
appearance made like unto His brethren, yet without sin, and set apart both for
service and sacrifice to Jehovah.
It is the offerer who slays the
victim; it is an act done by him, not for him, and this teaches an important
truth. In drawing nigh to God, on the ground of the atoning sacrifice of
Christ, it is well to realize, not only that He died for our sins, but that it
was our sins and our transgressions that were the guilty causes of His death:
for had we not sinned, He had not died. This is beautifully expressed in the
well-known hymn by John Newton, beginning -
"In evil long I took delight."
And the victim was to be slain before Jehovah: faith not only
apprehending that the eye of God rested on our sins, but that the same eye
rests on the sacrifice for sin. So that the enormity of the transgression was
met by the value of the sacrifice; thus -
"The very spear that pierced His
side Drew forth the blood to save."
The sprinkling of the blood was a
priestly act; the place was the entrance of the tent of the congregation, where
stood the brazen altar, and the layer filled with water from the smitten rock.
Here God promised to meet with the children of Israel, and to sanctify the
meeting-place with His glory.
The blood was to be sprinkled round about
upon the altar: on every side - east, west, north, and south.
It pleads to
God on every account, and has a voice of invitation to sinners of every clime.
But it not only speaks to earth, but also to heaven - "Jesu’s blood
through earth and skies, Mercy, free boundless mercy, cries."
God, through
the blood of Christ’s cross, has reconciled all things unto Himself, not
only things on earth, but things in heaven (Col. 1. 20).
Defilement had
entered into the heavens above, through the fall of angels, before it had
entered into the earth through the fall of man.
The work of atonement is not
only the ground on which God can forgive sinners, but it lies at the foundation
of universal security.
The question of sin and creature responsibility has
been settled for ever at the cross. He who descended first into the lower parts
of the earth has also ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all
things.
His atoning work is not only the basis of stability below, but
the keystone of universal security above, throughout all ages. God "having made
known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He
hath purposed in Himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He
might gather together in one [head up] all things in Christ, both which are in
the heavens, and which are on earth; even in Him (Eph. 1. 9, 10).
Verse 6. "And he shall flay the burnt offering [ascending offering], and cut
IT into his pieces."
The offerer was to do this. He first removed the
outward skin, and thus showed that there was no defect nor blemish beneath the
surface; and he then cut the victim into its various parts, laying open its
internal perfectness. First, he satisfied himself that the offering he brought
was faultless and perfect, and then laying all naked and opened before the eye
of God with whom he had to do (Heb. iv. 13).
Thus it is that our
confidence in the sacrifice of Christ depends on the depth of our acquaintance
with His perfections made known to us by the Word of God, which is as the
dissecting knife.
Verse 7. "And the sons of Aaron the priest shall
put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire."
Observe the action of the offerer and of the priest alternates. The priest is
priest by virtue of the anointing. It is as haying "an unction from the Holy
One" that we act as priests and apprehend the spiritual truths here set forth.
The fire is emblematic of the righteousness and holiness of God. "For
our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. xii. 29). The fire of the altar came
originally from God, and was ever to be kept burning on it; it was never to go
out (Lev. vi. 13). By the priest putting fire on the altar, therefore, we may
understand his spreading the burning embers over that portion of the altar on
which the victim was to be laid.
The wood is emblematical of sin, which
provokes the righteous indignation of God. The priest laying the wood in order
upon the fire typifies the setting forth of sin in the presence of a holy and a
righteous God, as expressed in that word of the Psalmist: "Thou hast set our
iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance" (Ps.
xc. 8).
Verse 8. "And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the
parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which
is upon the altar."
Thus the sin of the offerer, in all its
variety and detail, is met also in detail by the value and excellency of the
offering; the parts, the head, and the fat, being symbolic of the perfectness
of Christ, both in His person, and in the internal purity and preciousness of
every thought and feeling, as He presented Himself without spot to God.
The fire was the lire of the altar, the wood was laid upon the fire,
and the sacrifice was laid upon the wood. This symbolized the holiness of God,
dealing with sin on the ground of redemption, and satisfied by the perfect
sacrifice of Christ.
Verse 9. "But his inwards and his legs shall
he wash in water."
The offerer was to do this. And by this washing
is set forth the internal purity of the thoughts, affections, and desires of
the Lord Jesus, and also the sinlessness of His ways and walk through a defiled
and defiling world, in His whole progress from the manger to the cross. Without
this twofold washing the victim would not have been a fit type of Him who was
in all points holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.
As a
ray of sunlight remains pure, whatever objects it might shine upon, so the
pathway of the Lord Jesus was unsullied by any of the scenes through which He
passed.
"And the priest shall burn [burn as incense] all on the
altar, to be a burnt sacrifice [ascending offering], an offering made by fire,
of a sweet savour [savour of rest] unto Jehovah."
It is important
to notice that in Hebrew there are three or four words which signify to BURN.
First, SAHRAPH, to "consume by burning" as in the sin offering, outside
the camp (Lev. iv. 12).
Second, MOKDAH, "to consume by slow process," as
the ascending offering was burning all night until the morning upon the altar
(Lev. vi. 9).
Third, HIRTEER, "to convert by fire into incense," from
Kahtar, to burn incense, which is the word here employed.
This, again, is a
priestly act, and by this is symbolized that Christ, in His entire service,
person, experience, and walk, tested by the infinite holiness and righteousness
of God, was found perfect and acceptable, a sweet savour unto God; and not only
so, but also a savour of rest, for so the Hebrew word implies, being that on
which God could rest with full satisfaction and delight, every attribute and
perfection having been manifested, harmonized, and glorified thereby. To all
this God has set His seal by raising Him from the dead, and setting Him on His
own right hand. Thus the so-called burnt sacrifice is, properly speaking, the
ascending offering, as it sets forth Christ, not only in life and death, but in
resurrection and ascension. And in Hebrews iii. and iv. the Spirit of God
invites the believer to have fellowship with God in His sabbatic rest.
Verse 10. "And if his offering [approach offering] be of the flocks, namely,
of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice [ascending offering]; he
shall bring [bring near] it a male without blemish [perfect]."
In
the offerings from the FLOCK, Christ as the Son of God is presented especially
in the excellency and perfection of His CHARACTER. First, as the LAMB of God
without blemish and without spot, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from
sinners, the meek and the lowly One; or, secondly, under the figure of a GOAT,
according to Romans viii. 3, in the likeness of sinful flesh, though Himself
sinless - that is, made in all points like unto His brethren, yet without sin.
The offerer or worshipper, in drawing nigh to God, conscious of his
own imperfection in character and conduct, approaches Him in the name of One in
whom every human virtue and excellence was seen in full perfection, the
chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely. To be accepted in the
sweet savour of what Christ was in the estimate of God His Father, in the
perfection of His life as well as in the value of His atoning death, this is
signified by the offering of SHEEP.
Under the figure of a GOAT
for a burnt offering Christ is presented in another aspect, and as meeting a
deeper need. The offerer in the apprehension of the sinfulness of his nature,
his innate depravity, and that in him - that is, in his flesh - dwells no good
thing, approaches God on the ground of the sacrifice of One in whom, though
Himself sinless, God "condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. viii. 3). For not only
was sin laid upon Him as the spotless Lamb, but, under the emblem of a goat,
sin was imputed to Him so that on the cross, whilst He bare and put away the
iniquity of our outward transgressions, He also met our deeper need in atoning,
not simply for what we have done, but for what we are; or, as Scripture
expresses it, "He made HIM sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. v. 21).
Verse 11. "And he
shall kill IT on the side of the altar northward before Jehovah: and the
priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the
altar."
The offerer slays the victim on the NORTH side of the
altar, the side of judgment, as meeting the requirements of Divine
justice.
And in the presence of Jehovah, for the question is not so
much am I satisfied, but is God? Angels gazed on Christ at Calvary, but the
most interested spectator was the Father when Christ through the eternal Spirit
offered Himself without spot to God. The sprinkling of the blood is a priestly
act, as setting forth the ground on which alone we can draw near to a righteous
and holy God.
Verse 12. "And he shall cut IT into his pieces, with
his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay THEM in order on the wood that
is on the fire which is upon the altar."
The internal perfectness
and excellency of the victim are thus by the offerer laid open before the eye
of God. The fire on the altar was to be for ever burning. Fresh wood was added
from time to time. The pieces were laid upon the wood by the officiating
priest, beautifully setting forth how the righteousness of God in redemption,
dealing with man’s sin, is met and satisfied by the perfect and precious
sacrifice of Christ. God’s holy priesthood, by virtue of the anointing -
that is, by the teaching of the Spirit of God - are enabled to apprehend and
set forth this.
Verse 13. "But he shall wash the inwards and the
legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn [burn with
incense] it upon the altar: IT is a burnt sacrifice [an ascending offering], an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour [savour of rest] unto Jehovah."
The washing of the INWARDS and the LEGS by the offerer Sets forth
the INTERNAL purity of the THOUGHTS, and the EXTERNAL purity of the WALK, of
the Lord Jesus whilst He was here on earth.
The whole victim was burnt as
incense by the priest upon the altar.
Verse 14. "And if the burnt
sacrifice [ascending offering] for his offering [approach offering] to Jehovah
be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering [approach offering] of
turtledoves, or of young pigeons."
In the turtledove or young pigeon
Christ is foreshadowed in His internal thoughts, affections, and desires. When
at His baptism the Holy Ghost descended on Him, it was in a bodily shape like a
dove (Luke iii. 22), and this dove-like spirit pervaded every thought, feeling,
and desire. In our approaches to God, when conscious of our own imperfections
in thought, purpose, and desire Godward, it is blessed to realize our
acceptance in One who was divinely perfect in every internal feeling.
Verse 15. "And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his
head, and burn [burn as incense] it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall
be wrung out at the side of the altar."
The priest brought it to
the altar; so Christ, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot
to God, and we, through Christ by the Spirit, draw nigh to God. The wringing
off the head, and the wringing out of the blood, foreshadow the death and
blood-shedding of Jesus on the cross.
Verse 16. "And he shall pluck
away his crop with his feathers, and cast IT beside the altar on the east part,
by the place of the ashes."
This was the action of the offerer,
and corresponds with the washing of the inwards and legs of the other
offerings, thus constituting the victim a fit emblem of Christ in His external
and internal purity.
Verse 17. "And he shall cleave IT with the
wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder."
The thoughts,
purposes, and desires of Christ, both in their substance and outgoing, though
surrendered, were undivided. He served His Father with unswerving fidelity; it
was His meat and drink to do His will and finish His work. His love to His
Father was pure and undivided, and admitted no rival. In thought, purpose, and
desire He was single and undistracted, there was nothing of a double mind in
Him.
"And the priest shall burn [burn as incense] IT upon the altar,
upon the wood that is upon the fire: IT is a burnt sacrifice [an ascending
offering], an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour [savour of rest] unto
Jehovah."
When our secret thoughts, purposes, and desires are seen
in the light of God’s countenance, and tested by His searching holiness,
we may well say, "Woe is me! for I am undone"; but we draw nigh to God through
One whose offering was found in every respect an offering and a sacrifice to
God of a sweet-smelling savour, on which God could rest with perfect
satisfaction and delight.
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