(Leviticus v.).
"TRESPASS" is the transgression of law. There may be sin, but "where no law is,
there is no transgression" (Rom. iv. 15). The transgression of known law is
wilful or presumptuous sin, and this would require for its remission a male
offering. But law may be transgressed inconsiderately or inadvertently, and it
is for such that provision is made according to this chapter; hence the female
sacrifice (verse 6).
Concealment of evil is sin, if a person sees or
knows of evil, and is called upon to bear witness, if he does not declare it
"he shall bear his iniquity." If one were called upon in a court of justice to
give evidence on oath, so far from its being wrong for him. to do so, it
appears from this scripture it would be sinful for him to refuse. When Christ
was adjured by the high priest, He at once responded (Matt. xxvi. 63, 64).
Verses 2, 3."If a soul touch any unclean thing, . he also shall be
unclean, and guilty."
Association with evil is defiling. It is not
enough for a person to say,"I did not know evil was there" he ought to have
inquired. Contact with spiritual death is deadening and defiling to the
soul.
Verse 4. Inconsiderate speech may involve the soul in sin,
especially when we speak to God (Eccies. v. 1-9; James iii. 2-6).
Verse 5. When sin is known in any particular case, the confession of it is not
sufficient; the offence might be against man, but the sin is against God; and
nothing but the blood of atonement can put away its defilement.
Verse
6. The atoning sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God, pleaded by faith before
God, avails to put away the defilement of transgression, as well as the sense
of sin from the conscience.
Verses 7-10. There may be instances, as from
infancy, feebleness of mind or faith, or want of instruction, when faith may
fail in its full apprehension of the person of Christ. In such cases divine
grace condescends to human infirmity. Jesus may be simply known in the kindness
and tenderness of His feelings, as represented by the two turtle doves, or two
young pigeons - the "gentle Jesus, meek and mild." He requires to he recognized
not only as the perfect Example in life, but also in His sin-atoning sacrifice
and death. The birds were not only to be brought, but killed, and the blood
sprinkled and poured out - the one for a sin offering, and the other for an
ascending offering. For Christ was not only delivered for our offences, but
raised again for our justification - the One who in life and death was in
thought, purpose, affection, and desire undivided towards God.
Verses
11-13. The apprehension of some as to the person, character, and work of Christ
may be exceedingly limited and imperfect; yet, if the faith of such be real,
divine grace condescends to their infirmity. The tenth deal of fine flour
without oil or frankincense represents the Son of Man in His sinless humanity,
but made sin, and through His atoning death putting sin away. The omer of
manna, the daily portion of Israel in the wilderness, was of the same
quantity."The omer is the tenth part of the ephah" (Ex. xvi. 36); and it was an
omer full of manna that was laid up in the golden pot (verses 32-34), typical
of Christ in His humiliation and in His glory. Faith applies to Christ the
officiating priest, and Christ presents before God the memorial of His sinless
life and atoning death; and on this ground the sin confessed, being atoned for,
is forgiven.
Verses 14-16. If a trespass against a neighbour requires
confession, atonement, and forgiveness, much more does transgression in things
pertaining to the worship, service, or testimony for God. The RAM is the type
which represents Christ in His public, living TESTIMONY, and also in His
atoning death.
The TRANSGRESSOR brings the offering.
The PRIEST
makes atonement.
And GOD assures the forgiveness.
"If any man
sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is
the propitiation for our sins" (1 John ii. 1, 2). Spiritual offences need
to be estimated and weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and it must be a
priestly estimate - that is, the estimate of one who has an unction from the
Holy One - not simply according to human valuation. The discovery of error,
failure, or shortcoming in service or testimony should lead to increasing
diligence and more devoted service, so that not only amends may be made, but
that the cause of God may be even furthered therby.
But the amendment
made with the fifth part added does not make the atonement; the ram for the
trespass offering was requisite.
Verses 17-19. Ignorance regarding any
of those things which God has forbidden or required in His service does not
leave a person guiltless; and when the sin is known God requires amendment
should be made, and the blood of atonement pleaded for forgiveness and
acceptance.
The Consecration of the Priests
(Leviticus
viii.).
Verses 1, 2."And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take
Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a
bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread."
THE priesthood of believers with the Risen Christ, and the
qualifications for their office are typified in this chapter.
From
Hebrews iii. 1, we learn that Moses was a type of Christ as the APOSTLE,
communicating the mind and will of God, and Aaron a type of Christ as the HIGH
PRIEST of our profession; while the sons of Aaron represent the priestly
family, the children of God, as a royal priesthood (1 Peter ii.), the words
"with him" expressing close association."And the garments, and the anointing
oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of
unleavened bread" - a provision for the consecration.
Verse 3. God
would have all His ransomed people to know that which, according to His mind,
is essential to true priestly service and worship. The door, or open space in
front of the TENT of the congregation, was the appointed place of communion
between God and His people (see Ex. xxix. 42-44).
The expression
"tabernacle of the congregation," never occurs in the original Scriptures; it
conveys a different thought.
Verses 4, 5. All were thus present before
God, to hear all things commanded of God (Acts x. 33).
Verse 6. The
signification of this washing or BATHING is, I believe, taught us in Romans vi.
- the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and of His people in
association with Him, through the Pentecostal Spirit; for it is only in
resurrection that the Lord Jesus truly entered on His High-priestly office, and
it is only as dead and risen with Him that we can enter the holiest as a
spiritual priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.
All descended from Aaron were priests by BIRTH, but it was only after
their CONSECRATION, as here set forth, that they could enter on the performance
of their priestly office. So all the children of God by faith in Jesus are
priests by birth; but do all, as a royal priesthood, recognize and enjoy the
privilege? Are we all a consecrated priesthood?
There are two Hebrew
words rendered"consecrated" in the Authorized Version which are never to be
confounded. The one word signifies "set apart," or "SEPARATED AS HOLY T0 GOD."
The other word signifies "having the HAND FILLED," and it is this latter word
which is employed in this chapter. All believers are saints, but all have not
their hands filled for priestly service.
Verses 7-9. These garments,
which are described at large in Exodus xxviii., set forth the various
particulars in which the Lord Jesus is fully qualified for the High Priesthood,
with which He is invested."Coat," typifying the pure, sinless humanity of
Christ. "Girdle," of righteousness and faithfulness. The "Robe" of the ephod
was blue, the emblem of heavenly perfection - heavenly from its colour, and
perfection from the Hebrew word."Breastplate" of judgment (Ex. xxviii. 29), the
Lord’s estimate of His people."Urim and Thummin," the LIGHTS and
PERFECTIONS of the Divine mind. "Mitre": this was a token of subjection;"The
head of Christ is God." The priests wore"Bonnets" in token of subjection to
Aaron."Golden plate," - ."Holiness to Jehovah"; Christ in His Divine separation
from evil, is our righteousness to God.
Verses 10, 11. The anointing
oil is the type of the Pentecostal Spirit, and everything connected with the
service and worship of God should be in the unction and power of the Spirit of
the ascended Christ.
Verse 12. Typical of the Lord Jesus receiving the
fulness of the Spirit in resurrection as the head of the priestly family, and
also as the head of His body, the Church (see Psalm cxxxiii. 2). Aaron’s
sons were virtually anointed in the anointing of Aaron, and each member of the
mystic body of Christ receives from the fulness of the Head, as one Spirit with
the Lord in glory.
Verse 13. The priestly family also invested with their
priestly office.
Verse 14. Priesthood is founded on atonement, and for
acceptable priestly service there must be the putting away of sin.
Verse
15. Aaron slays the victim, so Christ laid down His life, and no man took it
from Him.
Without shedding of blood is no remission of sin; the blood of
atonement lies at the very foundation of all acceptable worship or priestly
service to God.
Verse 16. Even when made sin and suffering for sinners,
there was that in the internal experience of Christ which went up as a
sweet-smelling savour to God.
Verse 17."Burnt with fire without the
camp."
"Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own
blood, suffered without the gate" (Heb. xiii. 12).
Verses 18-21. The burnt
or ascending offering. Christ was not only delivered for our offences, but was
raised again for our justification. And as a royal and holy priesthood, we are
not only pardoned through the blood of Christ, but stand accepted and complete
in Him who was raised from the dead.
Verse 22."Aaron and his sons laid
their hands upon the head of the ram."
The ram of CONSECRATION or
FILLINGS. Not only is priesthood founded upon sacrifice, but with the
preciousness of that sacrifice the hands of the priests are filled. This is
true not only of the High Priest, but of the priests. The Lord Jesus within the
veil presents before God the remembrance of the same precious offering which
His people plead on earth.
SANCTIFIED BY BLOOD.
Verse
23."He slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it on the tip of
Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the
great toe of his right foot."
Thus Aaron was set apart, or
sanctified by blood. So Christ through His atoning death sanctified Himself, or
set Himself apart, becoming a Nazarite; as He said to His disciples,"I will not
drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new
with you in My Father’s kingdom." So also in His prayer to the Father, He
said,"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified
through the truth," linking them in association with Himself.
Verse
24. So also the blood was put upon Aaron’s Sons; it is the blood of
atonement which separates the believer in his priestly character from sin; for
Christ died to redeem him from all iniquity, setting apart the entire man for
God, from head to foot.
Well for us if the blood of atonement stands
sentinel at the ear, challenging every word that would pervert the truth, or
defile the mind.
Well if a sense of redeeming love keeps us from
engaging in any evil work, or walking in any evil way; as well as being that
blood which we plead in our approaches to a throne of grace.
Verses
25-27. Moses took the fat, the kidneys, the right shoulder, one unleavened
cake, a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer,"and he put all upon Aaron’s
hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before
Jehovah" - thus causing, as it were, all that Jesus was on earth, in the
internal preciousness of His atoning sacrifice, His devoted ser vice, His.
spure, undefiled, and excellent humanity, with which the hands of Christ and
His people are filled, to pass and repass before the eyes of God.
Verse 28."Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them [as incense]
on the altar, upon the burnt offering [ascending offering]: they were
consecrations [fillings] for a sweet savour [savour of rest]: it is an offering
made by fire unto Jehovah."
Those spiritual sacrifices which the
believer in his priestly character presents, whose hands are filled with the
preciousness of Christ, being tested by the searching holiness of God, are
found to be a savour of rest unto Jehovah. In the altar of burnt offering the
fire was ever burning, and from that altar the sweet savour of the morning or
evening lamb was ever ascending. Upon that altar all the sacrifices of the day
were burnt.
Verse 29."Moses took the breast, and waved it for a
wave offering before Jehovah; for of the ram of consecrations [fillings] it was
Moses’ part."
In Hebrews iii. 1 we are exhorted to consider
the APOSTLE as well as the High Priest of our profession, Christ Jes_i. Of
Christ as the APOSTLE, or communicator to us of the mind and will of God, Moses
was a striking foreshadowing type. And the AFFECTIONS of Christ’s heart,
as typified by the BREAST, while engaged in this work were ever before the eye
of God.
Verse 30. BLOOD SEPARATES; OIL UNITES. The oil here used was
not simple olive oil, as in the cleansing of the leper, but the ANOINTING oil,
in which the sweet spices were incorporated. "Olive oil" is the emblem of the
Spirit of God, but the anointing oil shows not only the Holy Spirit’s
testimony to Christ, but Christ anointed at the right hand of God in
resurrection, as the risen Son of Man. It is the Spirit of the ascended Christ,
and the blood of His atoning sacrifice, which have sanctified, or set apart,
the Lord Jesus in His priestly office - and the believer as associated with him
alike in their persons and in their offices - as a holy priesthood unto God.
Verse 31. Those portions of the sacrifice and of the gift-offering
with which the hands of the priestly family were filled, were burnt as incense
upon the altar, as "the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah." The
rest was for food for the priestly family, to be partaken of in the place of
communion with God (Ex. xxix. 42-44). God’s holy priesthood are not only
provided with that on the ground of which they could draw nigh to God, but also
on which their souls may feed in unbroken communion with Him.
Verse
32. Whatever remained was to be consumed with fire, lest it should be put to
any profane use.
Verse 33. These seven days, the complete or perfect
number, stand for the whole period of the present dispensation, during which
time God’s royal and holy priesthood, fully furnished, are to abide in
fellowship with God.
Verses 34-36."That ye die not."
Spiritual life in its vigour can only be maintained by unbroken communion with
God (See Rom. viii. 6-13).