1 Verse 1. "And if his oblation [approach offering] be
a sacrifice of peace offering, if HE offer [bring] it of the herd; whether it
be a male or female, he shall offer [bring] it without blemish [perfect] before
Jehovah."
IT is still a question of APPROACH with confidence
before Jehovah, and the ground on which a sinful man can draw near with
boldness unto God. The name JEHOVAH is a title expressive of everlastingness,
and it always combines the three persons in the ever- blessed Trinity - the
everlasting Father, which implies the everlasting Son, and the eternal Spirit -
in one undivided Godhead.
In chapter i. it is a question of
ACCEPTANCE, here it is a question of PEACE; there can be no approach to God by
sinful man apart from sacrifice, hence it is the sacrifice of peace offering -
and "peace" is in the plural in the Hebrew - for in this near approach with
confidence before God the mind, heart, and conscience must be in perfect repose
: the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is ever speaking, ever
proclaiming, PEACE, PEACE, PEACE, and God will keep him in perfect peace whose
mind is stayed on Him.
The sacrifice of the HERD, or BULLOCK, is that
which represents Christ in His perfect SERVICE and obedience both in life and
death. In the consciousness of our own imperfectness and shortcoming in our
service to God, we need to realize in His presence the ground for confidence
and peace which this sacrifice affords. The offering might be male or female,
as typical of the active and passive obedience of Christ as meeting our need,
both in the path of practical obedience or in passive subjection to the divine
will.
The law of God concerning that which was offered - or,
literally, "brought near" - before Him was, "It shall be perfect to be
accepted" (Lev. xxii. 21); but as none of our services can be of this
character, it is well for us that we can plead before the throne of grace the
perfect service of Him who in obedience and suffering active and passive, was
without a blemish and without a spot.
Verse 2. "And he shall lay his
hand upon the head of his offering [approach offering], and kill it at the door
[entrance] of the tabernacle [tent] of the congregation."
Christ
is our peace. God proclaims peace through Jesus Christ. Christ has made peace
not only between Jew and Gentile, but between God and man. The believer, in
drawing nigh to God through faith, apprehends this, realizes it, and identifies
himself with Christ as our peace. This is signified by the laying on of the
hand of the offerer upon the head of the peace offering. But this peace with
God is not secured by the living obedience of Christ only, something more than
this was needed. He "made peace through the blood of His cross" (Col. i. 20);
hence the offerer kills the victim before the door of the tent of the
congregation, the appointed place of meeting and communion with God (Ex. xxix.
42, 43), thus confessing that it was his own sinfulness which caused the death
of the innocent sufferer, and it was only on the ground of the atoning
sacrifice of Christ that he could have peace with God, or draw near with
acceptance before Him.
"And Aaron’s sons the priests shall
sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about."
This is a priestly
act, and may be regarded as setting forth the action of the believer, in his
priestly character, pleading that blood before God; or as setting forth that
blood as the ground of approach to God, "preaching peace through Jesus Christ."
Verses 3, 4. "And he shall offer [bring] of the sacrifice of the
peace offering an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat that covereth the
inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys [reins],
and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the
liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away."
"We which have
believed do enter into rest" - God’s REST - and have fellowship with God
in that perfect repose wherein He is resting; even so it is with PEACE. Through
faith in Christ we enter into God’s peace; not only peace with God, but
the peace of God which passeth all understanding. The sacrifice of Christ in
its internal excellency, having been tested by the righteousness and holiness
of God, has given Him entire satisfaction. The words employed in Hebrew to
designate these inwards parts are beautifully significant. The word "fat"
expresses that which is most excellent, and is sometimes rendered BEST. The
Hebrew word f or "kidneys" signifies PERFECTION; and the word for "flanks"
expresses CONFIDENCES; while the words "the caul above the liver" may be
rendered THE SUPERABUNDANCE OF THE GLORY. These inwards of the victim, which
were taken away and burnt as incense upon the altar, represent the internal
thoughts, feelings, affections, purposes, and desires of Christ, whilst making
peace with God for us on Calvary’s cross. Every inward thought and
feeling, tested by the infinite purity of a holy God, was all found a sweet
savour, or savour of rest to God.
Verse 5. "And Aaron’s sons
shall burn [burn as incense] IT on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice
[ascending offering], which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour savour of rest] unto Jehovah."
The fire was ever burning on God’s altar. The wood was ever
consuming upon it, but the sweet savour of the daily burnt offering was ever
ascending up, and it was upon this burnt, or ascending offering, that the fat
of the peace offering was laid; for Christ not only presented Himself as the
ground of our acceptance, but as the foundation of our perfect peace with God.
Verses 6, 7. "And if his offering [approach offering] for a
sacrifice of peace offering unto Jehovah be of the flock; male or female, he
shall offer [bring] it without blemish [perfect]. If HE offer [bring] a lamb
for his offering [approach offering], then shall he offer [bring] IT before
Jehovah."
In the sacrifice of peace offering before Jehovah of the
flock, male or female, provision is made for perfect peace in drawing nigh to
God, not only with regard to SERVICE, as represented by the BULLOCK, but also
as to CHARACTER, as by the LAMB.
Conscious as we must be of our
imperfections in character, active and passive, in our spirit, temper, and
disposition, it is well for us that we can present and plead for our acceptance
the name of Him who was altogether perfect - the Lamb of God without a blemish
and without a spot; seeking meanwhile increasing conformity to Him, in
obedience to His gracious invitation, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls"
(Matt. xi, 29).
Verses 8-Il. "And he shall lay his hand upon the
head of his offering [approach offering], and kill IT before the tabernacle
[tent] of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle the blood
thereof round about upon the altar. And he shall offer [bring] of the sacrifice
of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat thereof,
and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the back bone; and the fat
that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and the
two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the
caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. And the priest
shall burn [burn as incense] it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering
made by fire unto Jehovah."
The blood of atonement was not only
required to meet man’s necessity as to outward transgression, it was
equally needful to meet his inward condition as to feeling and disposition, for
in heart he is alienated from God: the carnal mind is enmity against God; it is
not subject to His law, neither indeed can be. But the sacrifice of the Lamb
which God has provided for a peace offering furnishes the basis for perfect,
lasting, and eternal peace. For it was when we were ENEMIES that we were
reconciled to God by the death of His Son (Rom. v. 10).
When we
contemplate the scenes of the judgment hall and of Calvary we gaze on the
exterior, but the eye of God penetrated beneath the surface. The inward
thoughts, feelings, experiences, of Him who was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
and who on Calvary prayed for the forgiveness of His murderers - all this, and
infinitely more, far beyond what the intelligence of men or angels will ever
know, in all its human preciousness, spiritual perfection, and divine
excellence, furnished "the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah."
In Numbers xviii. 29-32 "the fat that covereth the inwards" is three
times •rendered "the best," and this is God’s estimate of the
internal preciousness of Him who hath reconciled us to God by the blood of His
cross, and who is Himself in the presence of God our peace.
The fat
tail of the eastern sheep has ever been regarded as a peculiar delicacy, and it
was this which was taken off entirely and burnt as incense upon the altar, as a
portion for God.
Verses 12-16. As the LAMB represents the Lord Jesus
in His personal character as the meek, lowly, and gentle One; so the GOAT sets
Him forth, according to Rom. viii. 3, as made "in the likeness of sinful
flesh," although Himself sinless. And in His atoning sacrifice on
Calvary’s cross, He not only bore and put away the guilt of our actual and
outward transgressions as the spotless LAMB, but also as the GOAT; our sin in
the flesh in its internal springs, was judged and condemned by God, and full
atonement made by the sinner’s Substitute and full and perfect Saviour.
Whilst as to Himself, His inward thoughts and feelings were divinely pure and
perfect, and infinitely acceptable to God. Thus, in drawing nigh to God in the
full consciousness of what we are in character and conduct, outward and inward,
through Him we have boldness and confidence, for HE IS OUR PEACE.
Verse 17. "It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout
all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood." As the prohibition of
BLOOD (Gen. ix. 4) teaches man that as a sinner he has forfeited his claim to
life, so the prohibition of "the fat of the beast, of which men offer an
offering made by fire unto Jehovah" (Lev. vii. 25), teaches him that he
cannot present his internal thoughts and feelings apart from atonement, as
being acceptable to God, for in the estimate of God every thought and
imagination of man’s heart is only evil, and that continually (Gen. vi.
5).
THE SIN OFFERING for Sins of Ignorance
(Leviticus iv.).
Verses 1, 2. "And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the
children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any
of the commandments of Jehovah concerning things which ought not to be done,
and shall do against any of them."
IN is the transgression of the
law" (1 John iii. 4), or, more literally, "sin is lawlessness"; it is as the
original term implies, a missing of the mark, or a coming short of the divine
requirements, either as to the whole or in any one of its particulars, for he
that offendeth in one point is guilty of all (James ii. 10). According to this,
"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. 23).
The sentence of the law is, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel
xviii. 20); but God, in the riches of His grace, has provided a remedy. He has
given the blood of His own spotless Lamb upon the altar to make an atonement
for the soul, and that blood "cleanseth from all sin" (1 John 1. 7).
But it is for sins of ignorance that the provision here is made. So said the
Apostle Paul, "I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (1
Tim. i. 13); and it is for such that Jesus made intercession on the cross,
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke xxiii. 34). For
wilful continuance in sin after the truth is known there is no remedy, for
"there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin" (Heb. x. 26). It is the
sin-stricken, penitent soul that pleads the sacrifice and obtains a full
salvation.
Verse 3. "If the priest that is anointed do sin
according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he
hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto Jehovah for a sin
offering."
Here provision was made for the whole PRIESTLY FAMILY,
including the high priest, for Aaron and his house; for the law made men high
priests which had infirmity, who needed to offer sacrifice, first for their own
sin, and then for the people (Heb. vii. 27, 28). in contrast to the "High
Priest of our profession" (Heb. iii. 1), who was sinless, but who, when made
sin f or us, once for all, offered up Himself. And thus the high priest, on the
great day of Atonement, presented a young bullock for a sin offering, and
brought its blood within the veil to make an atonement for himself and for his
house (Lev. xvi.).
Verse 4. "And he shall bring the bullock unto the
door of the tabernacle [tent] of the congregation before Jehovah; and shall lay
his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock before
Jehovah."
The door of the tent of the congregation was the place
of communion with God (Ex. xxix. 42, 43). There stood the altar, and there
stood the layer; and the personal act of the priest in killing the victim was
typical of Christ when He offered up Himself; and the laying on of hands on the
head of the sacrifice was expressive of the identification of the offerer with
his offering.
Verses 5, 6, 7. "And the priest that is anointed
shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring IT to the tabernacle [tent]
of the congregation: and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and
sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah, before the veil of the
sanctuary. And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the
altar of sweet incense before Jehovah, which is in the tabernacle [tent] of the
congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom
[foundation] of the altar of the burnt offering [ascending offering], which is
at the door of the tabernacle [tent] of the congregation."
As it
was only on the great day of Atonement the blood could be carried within the
veil, and sprinked before and on the ark of the covenant, on other oc casions
that which came nearest to it was to be done: the blood was to be sprinkled
seven times before Jeho vah before the veil of the sanctuary. As it was against
Jehovah that the sin was committed, satisfaction was made first, and above all,
to Him. The blood was also to be put upon the horns of the altar of sweet
incense, as on the day of Atonement. The remainder of the blood was to be
poured out at the bottom [foundation] of the brazen altar, teaching us that
atonement by blood lies at the foundation of all our approach to God, our
worship of God, and our communion with Him.
Verses 8, 9, 10. "And
he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the
fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and
the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the
caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away, as it was taken
off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall
burn [burn as incense] them upon the altar of the burnt offering [ascending
offering] ."
Reminding us, as in the peace offering, that when
Jesus presented Himself on the cross "an offering and a sacrifice to God as a
sweet-smelling savour" (Eph. v. 2), the inward experiences of His soul were
infinitely precious in the sight of God, who alone could fully know and
adequately appreciate them.
Verses 11, 12. "And the skin of the
bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards,
and his dung, even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto
a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn HIM on the wood with
fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt."
With the
exception of the blood, which was sprinkled and poured out, and the fat of the
inwards, which was burnt as incense on the altar, the whole bullock was carried
forth without the camp, and there consumed or burnt up on the wood with fire;
so Jesus, who suffered for us without the gate, by that one offering has for
ever and entirely put away sin, and to them that look for Him shall He appear
the second time without sin unto salvation (Heb. xiii. 11-13; ix. 27, 28). The
ashes which were left after the consuming of the burnt offering were to be
taken and put beside the altar, and then carried forth to a clean place (Lev.
vi. 10, 11).
This was typical of the taking down from the cross the
sacred remains of the Lord Jesus, and the burial of the body in Joseph’s
tomb, where never man before had laid, and hence undefiled by death. The
connection between the place of Sacrifice and of burial is beautifully
expressed in the words of John xix. 41, 42: "Now in the place where He was
crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was
never man yet lain. There laid they Jesus there fore because of the Jews’
preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand."
Thus we see the
wonderful coincidence between the type and the antitype.
FOR THE
WHOLE CONGREGATION, OR FOR THE ASSEMBLY.
Verses 13, 14. "And if
the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid
from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the
commandments of Jehovah concerning things which should not be done, and are
guilty; when the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the
congregation [assembly] shall offer [bring near] a young bullock for the sin
[sin offering], and bring him before the tabernacle [tent] of the
congregation."
"The WHOLE CONGREGATION of Israel" is typical of the
entire Church of God, composed of all God’s people, everywhere on earth.
"THE ASSEMBLY" is typical of a portion of the Church in any locality.
In verse 13 both terms, CONGREGATION and ASSEMBLY, are correctly employed as in
the Hebrew, though in the Authorized Version they are often misplaced. "Sin
through ignorance." Something in Church order or practice which may be contrary
to the Word of God and the commandments of the Lord Jesus. The universality of
a practice is no excuse if it be contrary to the Word of God; it "should not be
done." When the sin is known, then the local assembly have to deal with it as
the sin of the whole, yet recognizing their own part in it. For the putting
away of the sin, the obedience of Christ the perfect Servant, who never
transgressed God’s Word, and His atoning sacrifice, must be realized by
faith, and pleaded in prayer, in the presence of God, and where He meets with
His people.
"THE ELDERS" (verse 15) confess the sin and plead the
sacrifice; the HIGH PRIEST of our profession (verse 16) presents before God His
own blood, which makes perfect reconciliation and full atonement. As the BLOOD
was to be pouarn OUT at the bottom, or FOUNDATION, of the altar (verse 18), so
the blood of atonement lies at the very foundation of all our worship and
communion with God, whether individual or collective.
Verses 19-21.
The internal preciousness of Christ gives its value to His atoning sacrifice,
and the offering of Him who suffered without the camp has entirely and for ever
put away the sin He bore.
THE SIN OFFERING FOR THE
RULER.
Verses 22-26. There are those whom the Lord has made RULERS
over His household, to give them their portion of meat in due season; for such
to do anything contrary to the commandments of the Lord and Saviour, even
though done through ignorance, it is sin which can only be forgiven on the
ground of atonement. But for this sin provision is made through faith in Him
who, though made in the likeness of sinful flesh, was Himself sinless, and
offered Himself a sacrifice for sin, combining in Himself that which was
typified by the sin offering (verse 24), the burnt or ascending offering (verse
25), and the peace offering (verse 26).
As the communion of the
assembly in this case was not affected as in the two former instances, the
blood of the sin offering is not brought into the sanctuary, nor put on the
altar of incense, nor sprinkled before the veil; but upon the HORNS of the
BRAZEN altar and poured out at the FOUNDATION (verse 25), the place of
INDIVIDUAL communion with God.
THE SIN OFFERING FOR ONE OF THE
COMMON PEOPLE,
OR ONE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND.
Verses 27-35.
This is similar to the sin offering for the ruler, with this exception - that
the GOAT was to be a FEMALE, whilst that for the RULER was to be a MALE. In the
case of the ruler, though his sin was in ignorance, he was culpable, for he
ought to have known the will of the Lord, arid what was commanded or prohibited
in His Word; but in regard to one of the people of the land he might have acted
more under the influence of others, or have been led astray by erroneous
teaching. The MALE offering contemplates the ACTIVE character, the FEMALE more
the PASSIVE aspect of the offence.
The OFFICIATING PRIEST is CHRIST,
who was in life the OFFERER, in death the SACRIFICE, in resurrection the
PRIEST, in ascension the HIGH PRIEST entered within the veil. When faith pleads
His person and work, and He Himself makes intercession for us, the assurance
comes concerning any sin confessed before God with the stamp of immutable truth
upon it "it shall be forgiven him."
The GOAT for a sin offering,
whether male or female, was typical of Christ, who was made in the likeness of
sinful flesh, and who made atonement for sin in the flesh, whether active or
passive, Himself sinless.
The LAMB (verse 32) represents Christ in the
meekness and lowliness of His character, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and
separate from sinners, the Lamb of God, without a blemish and without a spot.