THE PRESENTATION OF THE OFFERING
WHEN the Israelite of old approached Jehovah, either voluntarily with the burnt offering, or, of necessity, with the sin offering, his first consideration was the presentation of his offering. This act was of prime importance, for, unless the offering itself were accepted, the offerer's approach to God was in vain. We will suppose the offerer coming to Jehovah of necessity, drawn to Him by His Word, which commanded the transgressor to bring to Him an offering for his transgression. As every detail of the manner of approach was regulated by divine law—no license or liberty of any sort being permitted—and as obedience to the holy will of God was stamped upon each and every action, the position taken up by the Israelite in relation to Jehovah was all-important. This position the diagram herewith makes plain. The offerer stood facing the throne of Jehovah, which, though hidden from view, regulated his position. The offerer could not appear before Jehovah without an offering for his transgression; such a course would be absolutely impossible. Therefore, as he faced Jehovah's presence, he had with him the appointed sacrifice for his sin.
He stood with his back to the east and his face to the west—for westward, in the symbols of the sanctuary, the throne was located. Between him and the throne was the altar. Let the reader examine the diagram carefully, and note the words, "the transgressor"—"the altar"—"the throne." The transgressor must needs face the throne of God as the arrow indicates. Now the Scriptures declare—"I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it.... And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God." And again: "We must all appear before the judgment-seat."
Let us apply the diagram to our own position before God.
In this lifetime the transgressor finds between him and the throne—the altar. The throne is hidden from view now, but every sinner who comes to God about his sins recognizes it by faith, as the Israelite of old, who appeared before Jehovah with his offering for his transgression, recognized it in Israel. The altar, the cross of Christ, is within the spiritual view of all who read and hear the Holy Scriptures, as the altar was open to the sight of all in Israel.
As convicted of our sin, and feeling the guilt of our ways, we take our stand in obedience to God, as we have indicated on the diagram. The Word of God sets forth to us the sacrifice of Christ for sin, and thus, as it was with the transgressor in Israel, so our sins demand that we should appear before God. We place our finger over the words "the transgressor," and, with the publican in the temple, we cry, "God be merciful to me the sinner."
The altar stands between the transgressor and Jehovah's throne! Upon that altar the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled, and by it forgiveness was obtained. To us there is one question of overwhelming importance—will the offering by which we approach God be accepted? In order that this may be the case, the offering must of necessity be well-pleasing to God.
Certain qualities respecting the offering were requisite to its acceptance. It had to be without spot-it had to shadow forth absolute holiness. If we would stand before the throne of God in peace it can only be by virtue of an accepted offering. We cannot offer ourselves to God as sinners, for in so doing we should present to Him sin. We require an offering outside ourselves, and one that is holy—"without blemish and without spot.”
How completely the offering of our tears, our repentance, our good works, or that of the good works, and, again, the offering of the prayers of saints and of angels, is dispersed by this shadow of the law! The offering had to be without blemish, and neither saint nor angel is without blemish.
Our only hope is in Christ, the spotless offering.
“Could my tears forever flow,
Could my zeal no respite know,
Naught for sin could e'er atone,
But Thy blood, and Thine alone.”
One further suggestion arises with the diagram before us. The day is at hand when we individually must appear before God. Let us place a piece of paper over "the altar" and continue the dotted line from "the throne" to "the transgressor." And as we meditate upon the diagram let us face the day when we must perforce present ourselves before the throne of God. Alas! how many even in Christian lands live and die without "the altar!" And, alas! how very much religion in Christendom now proceeds without "the altar," without the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many live and die under the vain effort to transform "the transgressor" into a being fit to stand in his own right and title before the throne of infinite majesty! May none of our readers be guilty of this presumption, for if "he that despised Moses's law died without mercy under two or three witnesses, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God?"