"BEFORE THE LORD": "UNTO THE LORD.”
WE have already considered the words “before the Lord," and have seen that they define the position of the man who approached Jehovah, and also of the offering which he brought to Jehovah. Every detail in the position of both offerer and offering was so carefully defined that no manner of looseness, nor of will worship in reference to sacrifice, was possible in Israel. In the words "unto the Lord," a very different teaching from that which has been already under consideration is presented—it is not man's position before Jehovah that we are here led to consider, but Jehovah's attitude towards the sacrifice. The words "unto the Lord" occur far more frequently than the words "before the Lord," as may be observed by a cursory glance down the early chapters of Leviticus; and we may say that the principles which are associated with "unto Jehovah," are even more important than those associated with "before Jehovah," since the former relate to God's estimate of the sacrifice, while the latter relate to man's attitude in approach to God.
The whole question respecting the efficacy of the sacrifice, depended upon God's reception of it. If He did not accept it, the sacrifice was worthless. All the worship of all the world, centered around a non-accepted sacrifice, was invalid. This principle is of the utmost importance, yet it is one which the trend of present-day thought utterly ignores, for it is said, "It is of no moment what a man's religion may be, so long as he is earnest." But if God's requirements be left out of our religion, our religion is vain, even if ours be the religion of all the world. In the affairs of everyday life, a man's earnestness will not bring him to the place upon which his back is turned, and from which his eager footsteps are hurrying. In spiritual things our zeal, if not according to knowledge, is only to our detriment.
The completion of the sacrifice of the burnt offering resulted in "a sweet savor unto the Lord"; and in like manner the memorial of the meal offering was "a sweet savor unto the Lord"; while the crowning glory of the peace offering was a "sweet savor unto the Lord." The sweet savor of the sacrifice unto the Lord was a familiar figure in Israel. The savor of the sacrifice, as pleasing to the gods, was well understood by the heathen before the time of Moses. And it is well to remember the fact, since "higher criticism" conveniently ignores it.
The way in which Jehovah received the sacrifices of sweet savor was upon His altar, and by fire, and as they were consumed upon the altar, He, in figure, partook of them. In the burnt offering, man partook of none of the sacrifice. It was one, wholly ascending to Jehovah, who, by His reception of it in its entirety, showed His good pleasure in it, and His jealousy of its glory, in not allowing man to receive a particle of it. And thus a very excellent figure is presented of God's absolute delight in the willing offering up of Christ, His Son, as a sacrifice upon the cross, in which sacrifice there were depths and heights of love and goodness that none but God could comprehend, and which none but God could receive. The exaltation and the glory of the cross of Christ are infinite, and as such are forever above all human thoughts; they rise up to heaven, "unto the Lord," in a sweet savor which God alone is capable of accepting.
This first principle in sacrifice—the value to God of the offering up of Christ—is usually left outside religion. If it were allowed, the whole business of all the priests of Christendom—Greek, Roman, Anglican—would perish in an hour. For God being absolutely and eternally glorified and exalted in His Holy Being, in His love, His light, His grace, His righteousness, by the death of His Son on the cross, all sacrificing priests re-offering a sacrifice to win God's pleasure are an impossibility. And, as if to witness to the world how impossible their position is before God, none of them in their sacrifices ever allows to God the consumption of the sacrifice, for their altars have no fire upon them, and thus God is outside their "sacrifice.”
But let not the Evangelical professor of The Faith be satisfied as to himself, unless he really rejoice in Christ Jesus; unless Christ, who once for all offered up Himself to God, be his whole and entire trust. And let such as do thus honor the Lord Jesus Christ gratefully acknowledge the fullness of the favor in which they stand, for that which is so pleasing "unto the. Lord" is also "accepted for him, to make atonement for him." The fullness of divine delight in the perfectness of Christ's work on the cross, and the fullness of the acceptance of him who trusts in Christ, go together, and thus "unto the Lord" and "before the Lord" are morally and graciously connected.