The book of Leviticus will not require entering quite so much into detail as the first two of the Pentateuch; one of the most interesting parts having been examined in the tract entitled "Types of Leviticus." We shall, however, endeavor to look at this book as a whole. The subject of it is essentially the Priesthood, that is, the means established of God for drawing near unto Him, and the discernment of the defilements unbecoming those who were thus brought into relationship with God; the function of discerning these, being, in any case that rendered it necessary, part of the priesthood. There are also in Leviticus, the several convocations of the people in the feasts of the Lord, which presented the special circumstances under which they drew near unto Him, and lastly, the fatal consequences of infringing the principles established by God, as the condition of these relationships with Him.
Here the communications of God are consequent upon His presence in His tabernacle, which is the basis of all the relationship we are speaking of. It is no longer the law-giver giving regulations from above, to constitute a state of things, but one in the midst of the people, prescribing the conditions of their relationship with Him.
But whatever be the nearness and the privileges of the priestly position, the sacrifice of Christ is ever that which establishes the possibility and forms the basis of it.
We have then, Christ in His devotedness unto death. Christ in the perfection of His life of consecration to God. Christ, the basis of the communion of the people with God, who feeds, as it were, at the same table with them; and finally, Christ made sin for those who stood in need of it. For further details, I refer the reader to the tract, " Types of Leviticus." There is no subject more interesting or more important. This part closes at the 7th verse of chapter 6; at the 8th verse begin the regulations relative to these sacrifices. We shall find that the question is chiefly as to what was to be eaten in these sacrifices, and by whom and under what conditions. The burnt-offering, and the meat-offering for a priest, were to be entirely burnt. It is Christ Himself, offered wholly to God; who offers Himself. As to the burnt-offering, the fire burnt all night upon the altar and consumed the victim, the sweet-smelling savor of which ascended thus to God, even during the darkness, where man was far from Him, buried in sleep. This is true, I doubt not, as to Israel. God has the sweet savor of the sacrifice of Christ towards Him, while the nation forgets Him. However this may be, the only effect of the judgment of the holy majesty of God-the fire of the Lord, now that Christ has offered Himself of His own voluntary will-is to cause the sweet smell of this precious sacrifice to ascend towards God. Of the other sacrifices-the meat-offering and the sin-offering-the priest eat, the saint feeding on the perfectness of Christ, as man; in the other, Christ, and even those who are His, as priests, in communion of heart and in sympathy, identifying themselves with the sin of others, or rather with the work of Christ for that sin; they are connected in grace with that according to the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ; they enjoy the grace of Christ therein. Christ enters into it directly for us. This is, however, a solemn thing. It is only as priests that we can participate in it, and in the consciousness of what it means. The people eat of the peace-offerings, which, though they were holy, did not require that nearness to God. It was the joy of the communion of believers based on the redemption and the acceptance of Christ. Therefore the directions follow those given for the sacrifices, although the peace-offering comes before the sin-offering in the order of the sacrifices, because in the others, it required to be a priest to partake of them. There are things which we do as priests; there are others which we do as simple believers.
The sacrifices and the rules for partaking of them being thus appointed-priesthood is established according to the ordinance. Aaron and his sons are washed, Aaron clothed, and the tabernacle and all that was therein anointed, Aaron also;-the sons of Aaron clothed with their priestly garments, the sacrifices offered beginning with the sin-offering, and Aaron and his sons sprinkled with the blood and anointed with the oil and their garments with him.
On the eighth day, the Lord was to appear, and manifest the acceptance of the sacrifices offered on that day, and His presence in glory and in the midst of the people. This manifestation took place accordingly: first, Aaron, standing by the sacrifice, blesses the people; and then Moses and Aaron go into the tabernacle, and come out and bless the people. That is, there is first Christ, as priest, blessing them in virtue of the offered sacrifice; and then Christ, as King and Priest, going in and hiding Himself for a little in the tabernacle, and then coming out and blessing the people in this two-fold character. When this takes place, as it will at the corning of Jesus, the acceptance of the sacrifice will be publicly manifested, and the glory of the Lord will appear to the people-then become true worshippers through that means. This is a scene of the deepest interest; but there is a remark to be made here. The Church is not found in this place (though there are general principles which apply to any case of connection with God), unless it be in the persons of Moses and Aaron. The blessing comes, and is made manifest; that is, the acceptance of the victim is made manifest when Moses and Aaron appear at their coming out of the tabernacle. It will be thus with Israel. When the Lord Jesus appears, and they recognize Him whom they pierced, the efficacy of this sacrifice will be manifested in favor of that nation. Our knowledge of that efficacy is during the stay of Christ within the veil, or rather in heaven itself, for the veil is now rent. Here the manifestation takes place in the court where the sacrifice was offered, and where Moses and Aaron have come to the place where God talked with the people (not where He communed with the Mediator only, that is upon the ark of the testimony), where the veil was no longer on the face of Him who also communed with the Lord. There is a very peculiar circumstance connected with that. There had been no sacrifice whose blood was carried into the holy place, and the body burnt without the camp. A sin-offering was indeed offered, but it was such as ought to have been eaten by the priest. (See verses 17, 18, chap. 10.) The relationships which had been established, were comparatively external.
Lastly, we have what, alas! is always the case with man. Before the priesthood is fully established, it comes short of the glory of God. Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire, acting as men in their relationship with God, and they die. The priests must on no account whatever depart from their consecration (verses 6, 7); therefore they must be Nazarites apart from that which is only the excitement of the flesh, separated unto God from all that which would unsanctify them in His presence; from that which would prevent them from feeling its power-a state of abstraction in which the flesh has no place. The presence of God must have its full power, and the flesh must be silent before Him. It is only thus that they would be able to discern between that which is unclean and that which is pure-that which is profane and that which is holy. There are lawful things, real joys, which, however, do not belong to the priesthood-joys which flow from God's blessings, and which do not keep the flesh in check as does His presence; for there is always a certain restraint on the heart, on nature and its activity, produced by the presence of God. But priesthood is exercised before Him.
Priesthood being established, comes the discernment between holy things and profane, and the judgment of defilements (11, 15) and what was to be done for the purification of defiled persons. We see that it is this nearness of separation unto God which alone can discern thus. First, as to food, all that which is eaten. In general, the principle seems to be, that anything is allowed that is clean, in this sense, that it is thoroughly according to its element, as fishes having scales; that was allowed which united mature digestion to the absence of that energy which goes boldly through everything-these two things were necessary:-the grossness which swallows, and the lack of quiet firmness rendered unclean. It must be that which at the same time chews the cud, and divides the hoof. Of birds-the carnivorous, night-birds, and those which cannot be tamed, are forbidden. Creeping things also. In general, there was to be in their eating, the discerning of what was clean. Then we have the judgment of God fallen on that which would have been joy and blessing. The birth of a man, connected now with sin, renders unclean; that of a woman in whom was the transgression, being deceived, still more so. Leprosy requires a little more detail. It was found in persons, in garments, in houses. Leprosy was sin acting in the flesh. The spiritual man-the priest-discerns as to it: if the raw flesh appears, he is unclean-the strength of the flesh is at work. If the man was white all over, it was only the effect-as sin entirely confessed, but no longer active -he was clean. The thing spreads in man, if it be evil in the flesh. The first step is for him to confess, but to confess under the discernment of others, and under the judgment of God, who has brought to light what was acting in his nature. He makes up his mind as one judged and detected. He has no part in the assembly of God, though making part of it in one sense. He is put out-without the camp. Leprosy (sin) manifested itself in circumstances, in that which surrounds us as well as in personal conduct. If it was only a spot, the garment was washed and it was clean; if the plague-spot, on the contrary, spread, the whole was burned; if the plague, though it did not spread, remained after washing unchanged, the whole was burned. If changed and it spread no more, the spot was torn out. If we get thus defiled by our circumstances, we need only wash and remain where we are; if a part be essentially bad, so that it cannot be washed, that part of our outward life must be given up: if, in spite of that, sin be still found there, if we cannot walk therein with God, such a position must be given up at any cost. As to purification-the leper was first considered as being outside the camp, not belonging to it; but the activity of the disease was stopped in him: he was healed, but not yet purified. Thus this type supposes that the flesh, instead of being active and characteristic of the state of man, is judged and arrested in its activity. It is the enjoyment of a recognized relationship with God which is established.
The first part of his purification relates to this position. Christ being dead and risen, man sprinkled with his blood, is fit to enter the camp of the people, and there he could share in the efficacy of the means which they could use there, of that which is found within, in order to present himself as acceptable before the tabernacle of God. The two birds are identified, so that We hear no more of that which was killed-the second is dipped in the blood of the first. Thus Christ dead, is no more found; but being raised, He sprinkles His blood, as priest, on the unclean sinner. The earthen vessel full of running water presents to us the efficacy of the Holy Spirit, according to the all-powerful efficacy of which in the Christ-man, this work of the death of Jesus has been accomplished: through the eternal Spirit, He offered Himself without spot to God. -God having brought again from the dead, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. He who cleansed himself, washed himself -a purification of water as well as of blood, which is always found, and which is in virtue of the blood seen as the work of Christ for us, for the water comes out of His pierced side. The leper rids himself of anything to which impurity might have attached, or had had a share in it, and now he enters the camp, and the work of bringing him into communion with God in his conscience begins.
When it was a question of consecrating those who were recognized as to their persons, they were first washed, and the sacrifice of Christ under every respect was the measure of their relation with God, in every way, and the basis of their communion in its inward efficacy upon the soul. But here, the sinner viewed in his sin outside the camp, it was necessary to first lay the basis for the possibility of intercourse with God. This was done in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Then, being washed (the efficacious operation of the Spirit), he can be in relationship. After that, comes the realizing of all the efficacy of the work of Christ, with reference to conscience itself-not only as to the acceptance of the person, but as to the purification of the conscience, and as to a knowledge of God based on the moral appreciation of the work of Christ in every point of view, and the excellent work of the power of the Spirit of God. This is the second part of the Cleansing of the leper, that which took place after he had re-entered the camp. It is important to recognize the work of Christ under these two aspects. Its intrinsic efficacy for the acceptance of the person, and the purification of the conscience itself, in order that there may be communion with God, according to the price and the perfection of that work, known in the conscience as a means of drawing near to God, and as the moral condition of that nearness. Let us now examine what took place. The first thing was the trespass-offering. The conscience must be purified, by the blood of Christ, of all that with which, as a matter of fact, it is charged; and the man must be consecrated to God with an intelligence which applies the value of that blood to his whole walk, his whole conduct, his whole thoughts, and upon the principle of obedience. It is the moral purification of the whole man, upon the principle of intelligent obedience- a purification acting upon his conscience; not only an outward rule for a man freed from sin, but being felt in the knowledge of good and evil, of which the blood of Christ is the measure before God. If it were a mere rule, it would be easy; but man being a sinner, having failed, the work must take place in the conscience which takes a humbling knowledge of it, and in cleansing itself through the precious efficacy of the blood of Christ, does it through the sorrow of conscience for all that is contrary to the perfection of that blood, and which has required the shedding of it. Man is thus consecrated. The heart is first purified in the conscience; the things to which he had given way are, as it were brought to the conscience, which takes a painful knowledge of them according to the value of the blood of the precious Lamb of God, who, without spot, and perfect in obedience, had to suffer the agony caused by the sin of which we have to be cleansed-wretched creatures that we are.
Afterward, the heart makes progress through the knowledge of the most precious objects of its faith. However, the work goes on again from time to time in the conscience, whenever there is something in our nature which is not in subjection to Christ, which is n brought captive to the obedience of Christ. (-
The blood then was put upon the tip of 'his right ear, his right hand, his right foot-his thoughts, his conduct, and his walk purified on the principle of obedience. Over that, they sprinkled oil-the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit-not to wash, but to consecrate in power of purpose and affection to God; the whole being thus consecrated, according to the intelligence and the devotedness of the Holy Spirit, to God. After that, the oil was put upon his head, his whole person being thus consecrated to Him. The work was complete upon him who was to be cleansed; after that, the sin-offering was offered. Christ, not only for the purification of the conscience in a practical sense, but that sin might be judged in its full extent before God-for Christ was made sin for us, as well as our sin-bearer—thus acts on our consciences with regard to those sins; sin, such as it is in itself, seen in the sacrifice of Christ. Then the burnt-offering with the meat-offering was offered -the appreciation of the perfection of the death of Christ, seen as the devotion of Himself to God unto death, to vindicate all the rights of His Majesty: this death was of infinite perfection in itself as a work, for it can be said, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again." It was not as made sin, but it was devotedness in the circumstances that sin had brought us into, and thus Him also, if God was to be fully glorified in Him. In the meat-offering was found, besides, all the perfectness of the grace of Christ in His life-humanity, pure without a doubt, but humanity kneaded with oil, having in it all the strength, the taste, and savor of the Holy Spirit in its nature; for it is in that aspect that it is presented here, not as anointed with oil-as power -but kneaded with oil in its substance. Now the man is clean. And how great is the importance and the reality of the reconciliation of a soul to God, if it values all that is thus unfolded of the work of Christ and of its application to the soul; and certainly its reconciliation does not take place without! Alas! our trifling hearts pass, perhaps, lightly over this, and the hand of God, which does marvelous things with the quiet ease which perfect grace and power give. However, we do see, sometimes, in some souls (according to the wisdom of God), the anguish and the suffering which accompany this work when the conscience, in view of the reality of things before God and through Christ, takes knowledge of the state of the heart, sinful and distant from God in its nature.
This is the restoration of the soul. On the part of God it is all power, even as to the soul; for the case here under supposition is that of a man vitally cleansed; the priest judged him already clean, but the leper was not himself restored to God; and the Spirit of God, for this purpose, goes over the work of Christ, and its application to the soul itself and its relations with the Holy Spirit, either in its work in purifying the sinner, or in consecrating the man. May our gracious God render us attentive to this! happy that the work should be His, though it takes place in us as well as for us.
There remains to be considered, leprosy in a house. In the case of the leprous person, the whole referred to the tabernacle. They were still in the wilderness. The walk in the world was concerned; but here it is a question of being in the land of promise. It does not refer to the cleansing of the person; it is more typical of an assembly. When defilement appears there, they take out the stones and the plaster; the external walk is quite changed, and the individuals which have corrupted this walk are taken out and thrown amongst the unclean. If the whole be thereupon healed, the house remains; if not, it is wholly destroyed; the evil is in the assembly itself, and it was manifest, as in the case of the leper: if its source was indeed in the stones taken away; if it were only there, the end was accomplished by taking out the stones and reforming the whole external walk. Purification consisted in taking away the wicked who corrupted the public testimony-that which was manifested outside; it was not a question of restoring the conscience-the whole rests anew on the primitive efficacy of the work of Christ, which renders the assembly acceptable with God. We shall find that the Apostle Paul in his epistles addressed to assemblies, says, "grace and peace;" and, when writing to individuals, adds "mercy." Philemon seems an exception; but the Church is addressed) with him. In the case of garments, it is no question about cleansing one's person, but of getting rid of defiled circumstances. We see that the case of the house is presented separate, being in the land of promise, and not in the walk of the wilderness. The same truth is found in the application, I doubt not. The assembly is in the land of promise-the individual walks in the wilderness. However, stones which corrupt the house may be found there.
Other cases connected with the weakness of nature are mentioned, but which point out that sin having come in, all that is of nature, of the flesh, defiles-whatever may be the excuse as to the weakness and the unavoidable character of the thing. If it cannot be avoided, it is the manifestation, or at least the inevitable existence, of that which is shameful, because it is a nature fallen and sinful. We shall find, however, that though being shameful, the case is supposed less morally serious than leprosy: in leprosy, there was the manifestation of positive corruption existing beforehand in the nature, which was admitted in the heart, so that a long process was necessary to purify the conscience. Here they only washed once, and they offered merely a sin-offering, and they were thereby able, in offering their burnt-offering, to enter into communion through the sweet savor of Christ.
Having made provision for such defilements of the people as allowed of it, we have the revelation of the general provision for the purification of the sanctuary which was in the midst of a people who defiled it, and for the atonement of the sins of the people themselves. In general, there are two great ideas; first, that the atonement was made, so that the relationship of the people with God was maintained notwithstanding their sins; and then, in the second place, by the difficulties which surrounded the entrance of Aaron into the holy place, the testimony (according to the Epistle to the Hebrews itself) that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest during that dispensation. It is important to examine this chapter under these two points of view. It stands alone. No mention is made anywhere else of what took place on that solemn day. The sacrifice of Christ as redemption, was typified by the passover. It was here a question of drawing near unto God, who revealed Himself on His throne-of cleansing defilements-of taking away the sins of those who would draw near, and of purifying their conscience. Now, while presenting to us the means of doing this, it signified indeed that the thing was not done. As to the general idea of its efficacy, the High Priest drew near personally, and filled the most holy place with incense; then he took some blood which he put on the mercy-seat and before the mercy-seat. Sins were taken away according to the requirement of the majesty of the throne of God Himself, so that the full satisfaction made to His Majesty rendered the throne of justice favorable, and the worshipper found the blood there before him when he drew near, and even as a testimony before the throne. Then the High Priest cleansed the tabernacle, the altar, and all that was found there. Thus, in virtue of the sprinkling of His blood, Christ will reconcile all things, having made peace through the blood of His cross. There could be no guiltiness, but God would cleanse away the defilements, that they might not appear before Him. In the third place, the High Priest confessed the sins of the people over the scape-goat which, sent away unto a land not inhabited, bore all the sins away from God, never to be found again. It is here that the idea of substitution is presented most clearly. There are three things, the blood on the mercy-seat, the reconciliation of all things, and the sins confessed and borne by another. This order is found in Col. 1-peace made, the reconciliation of all things by Christ, and in speaking of believers -" you hath He now reconciled in the body of His flesh, through death." It is evident, that though the scape-goat was sent away alive, he was identified as to the efficacy of the work with the death of the other. The idea of the eternal sending away of sins out of remembrance is only added to the thought of death. The glory of God was established, and His rights vindicated on one side, and on the other there was the substitution of the scape-goat, of the Lord Jesus, in His precious grace, for the guilty persons whose cause He had undertaken; and the sins of these having be borne, their deliverance was full, entire, and final. The first goat was the Lord's lot-it was a question of His character and His Majesty. The other was the lot of the people, which definitely represented the people in their sins. These two aspects of the death of Jesus must be carefully distinguished in the atoning sacrifice He has accomplished. He has glorified God, and God acts according to the value of that blood towards all. He has borne the sins of His people; and the salvation of His people is complete. And, in a certain sense, the first part is the most important. Sin having come in, the justice of God might, it is true, have got rid of the sinner; but where would then have been His love and His counsels of grace—pardon and the very maintenance of His glory? I am not speaking here of the persons who were to be saved, but of the glory of God Himself. But the perfect death of Jesus-His blood put on the throne of God-has established and brought into evidence all that God is-all His glory, as no creation could have done it. His truth, His Majesty, His justice against sin, His infinite love; God found means therein to accomplish His counsels of grace, in maintaining all the majesty of His justice and of His divine dignity; for what, like the death of Jesus, could have glorified them? Therefore this devotedness of Jesus, God's Son, to His glory,-His submission, even unto death, that God might be maintained in the full glory of His rights, has given its object to the love of God-some rights upon that love -a position we are brought into through grace, and which has none like it. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again." We speak with reverence of such things, but it is good to speak of them; for the glory of our God and of Him whom He hath sent is found therein established and manifested. There is not one attribute or one trait of character which has not been fully manifested in all its perfection, and fully glorified in that which took place between God and Jesus Himself. That we have been saved and redeemed, and that our sins have been atoned for in that same sacrifice, according to the counsels of the grace of God, is, I presume to say it, precious and important as it is for us, the inferior part of that work, if anything whatever may be called inferior where everything is perfect: its object at least-we sinners-is inferior, if the work is equally perfect in every point of view.
Having considered a little the grand principles, we may now examine the particular circumstances.
It will have been observed that there were two sacrifices-one for Aaron and his family, the other for the people. Aaron and his sons always represent the Church, not in the sense of one body, but as a company of priests. Thus we have, even in the day of atonement, the distinction between those who form the Church, and the earthly people who form the camp of God on the earth. Believers have their place outside the camp, where their Head has gone, as sacrifice for sin; but in consequence, they have their place in the presence of God in the heavens, where their Head has entered. Outside the camp, here below, answers to a heavenly portion above-they are the two positions of the ever-blessed Christ. If the professing Church takes the position of the camp here below, the place of the believer is always outside. It is indeed what she has done? she boasts of it-but it is Jewish. Israel must indeed recognize themselves outside at last, in order to be saved and to be brought in again, through grace; because the Savior whom they despised in a day of blindness, has in grace borne all their sins. We anticipate that position whilst Christ is in heaven. The heart of the remnant of Israel will indeed be brought back, in its desires, to the Lord before that time; they will only enter into the power of the sacrifice when they shall look upon Him whom they pierced, and mourn for Him. Therefore was it prescribed that it should be a day to afflict their souls, and that they should be cut off if they did not.
The day of atonement supposes moreover, according to the state of things found in the wilderness, that the people were in a state of incapacity for the enjoyment of the relations with God fully manifested. God had redeemed them, had spoken to them; but the heart of Israel, of man however favored, was incapable of it in its natural state. Israel had made the golden calf, and Moses put a veil over his face; Nadab and Abihu had offered strange fire upon the altar of God-fire whit had not been taken from the altar of burnt-offering. The Way into the holiest is closed; Aaron is forbidden to enter there at all times. When he went in, it was not for communion, but for the cleansing of the defilements of a people among whom God dwelt; and the day of atonement is only introduced with a prohibition of entering at all times into the holy place, and is conspicuous as taking place after the death of the sons of Aaron. It was truly a gracious provision, in order that the people should not perish on account of their defilements; but the Holy Ghost was signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest. In what then is our position changed? The veil is rent, and we enter, as priests, with boldness into the holiest, by a new and living way through the veil-that is to say, the flesh of Christ. We enter in without conscience of sin, because the blow which rent the veil, to show all the glory and the majesty of the throne, and the holiness of Him who sits thereon has taken away the sins which would have incapacitated us from entering in, or from looking within. We are even seated there in Christ our Head-the Head of His body the Church. In the meantime, Israel is outside:-the Church is seen in the person of Christ, the High Priest, and the whole of this dispensation is the day of atonement, during which their High Priest is hid within the veil; for the veil is upon their hearts. He maintains there, it is true, their cause through the blood which He presents; but the testimony of it is not yet presented to them outside, nor their consciences freed by the knowledge that their sins are lost forever in a land not inhabited, where they will never be found again. Now our position is, properly speaking, inside, in the person of Aaron; the blood being on the mercy-seat. We are not only justified by the scapegoat, as being without; that is done, it is clear, and once for all, for the veil is only on the heart of Israel-it is no longer between us and God. We have gone in with the High Priest, as united to Him: we are not waiting for that till He comes out. Israel, though the forgiveness be the same, will receive these things, when the true Aaron comes out of the tabernacle. That is why that which characterized the sacrifice of Aaron and his sons, was the blood put inside on the mercy-seat, and the going in of Aaron in person. But the Church is corn-posed of persons who are here below, having committed sins: thus seen in the world, they enter, as to their conscience, into the rank of the outside people, as well as Aaron himself, seen not as a typical individual; and this conscience is purified by the certainty that Christ has borne all our sins in His body on the tree. Our position is within, according to the value of the blood of Christ, and the perfect acceptance of His person. It is the same with regard to the expectation of Christ: if I consider myself as a man responsible upon earth, I expect Him for the deliverance of all things, and to put an end to all suffering, and to all the power of evil, and so individually myself, as a servant, I look to receive at His appearing here, the testimony of His approval, as a Master, before the whole world. But if I think of my privileges, as a member of His body, I think of my re-union with Him above, and that I shall come back with Him when He shall come to appear in His glory. It is well we should know how to make this distinction; without that, there will be confusion in our thoughts, and in our use of many passages. The same thing is true in the personal religion of every day. I can consider myself as united to Christ, and seated in Him in heavenly places, enjoying all the privileges which He enjoys, as Head of the body, before God-His Father. I may also look upon myself as a poor weak being, walking individually upon the earth, having wants, faults, and temptations to overcome; and I see Christ above, whilst I am here below-Christ appearing alone for me before the throne-for me, happy in having, in the presence of God, Him who is perfect, but who has gone through the experience of my sorrows; who is no longer in the circumstances in which I find myself, but with the Father for me who am in them. This is the doctrine of the Epistle to the Hebrews, whilst the union of the Church with Christ is more particularly taught in that to the Ephesians. After this quite special instruction of the day of atonement, come some directions not to purify from defilements, but to preserve from them either the people or the service of the priests (xvii.) It is to maintain thorn as a people holy to God, and keep them from all that would dishonor Him in their relations with Him. Life belongs to Him. It must be recognized before Him. Chapter 18 keeps them from dishonoring themselves in the things which belong to nature itself, to what man ought to be in his natural relations, that he might not dishonor himself. Man ought not to do it; but not having honored God, he has been left to dishonor himself. (Compare Rom. 1) The people of God being brought into nearness to Him, are taught on this subject. Chapter 19 they are taught as to what ought to be their conduct in various details in the relationship they sustain the one with the other, either with regard to various dangers, to which they were exposed in their walk, in their everyday circumstances, or in their joy as men even before God: for they had to do with God, and the Lord was their God. The people of God were, in all their ways, to walk in a manner worthy of this relationship, and even to understand what was suitable to man, to every relation in which they were found, according to God. Chapter 20 insists upon purity in every respect. Chapter 21 specially presents what becomes the priests as set apart for the Lord; this more intimate nearness supposed a conduct corresponding with it. So it is with us. Chapter 22-If there was, through weakness or neglect, anything unbecoming this nearness, they were to keep at a distance: consequently, there were things of which the priests, and those of their families in priestly separation, alone could eat. It is the same with us: there are things of the spiritual food of Christ, offered to God, upon which we can only feed inasmuch as the heart is really separated unto Him, by the power of the Spirit. The offerings themselves must be pure, and such as become the eyes of God to whom they are presented, and a right appreciation of His Majesty, and of our relationship with Him. All this is indeed found in Christ. In chap. 20, where they are forbidden to follow the brutish and superstitious customs of idolatry, and are warned against all impurity, which indeed was always inseparable from it, and for which the influence of the devil gave license, we have this simple and beautiful exposition of the principle which was to govern them. " Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you." They are bound to holiness and to sanctify themselves practically, because they are in the house, and the Master of it is holy. Sanctification supposed that they were in an acknowledged relationship with God, who will have the inmates of His house clean, according to His own cleanness. They were to obey Him in His directions, for it was He who was separating them to Himself. This is a very instructive word, as to the standard of all our thoughts with regard to that. If any are in my house, I will have them clean, because they are there; those outside are no concern of mine. Then it was the Lord, who was separating them for that. There are interesting instructions with regard to what the priests eat, which we shall find again in the following book, and consider when we come to it.
We have now come to the feasts. It is the full year of the counsels of God towards His people, and the rest which was the end of those counsels.
There were consequently seven-a number expressive of perfection well known in the word:-The Sabbath-the Passover, and the Feast of unleavened bread-the First-fruits of harvest-Pentecost-the Feast of trumpets in the seventh month-the Day of Atonement-and the Feast of Tabernacles.
If the Sabbath be separated and reckoned by itself, the Passover would be distinguished from the feast of unleavened bread, which would make the seventh. I do not say this, to preserve the number, but because the chapter itself speaks thus: having counted the Sabbath amongst the others, it resumes and calls the others (without the Sabbath) the solemn feasts. For, in one sense, it was indeed a feast; in another, it was the rest, when the whole was ended. In general, these feasts present us then with all the bases on which God has entered into relationship with His people; the principles on which He has gathered them around Him, in His ways with this people, upon the earth. Their bearing was wider than that, in other respects; but it is in this point of view that these circumstances, that is, these facts are here considered. They are seen in their accomplishment upon the earth.
There is another way of dividing them, by taking the words, "And the Lord spake unto Moses" as the title of each part: the Sabbath, the Passover and the unleavened bread, verses 1-8. The first-fruits and the Pentecost, verses 9-22. The feast of trumpets, verses 23-25. The day of atonement, verses 26-32. The feast of tabernacles, verse 33 to the end. This latter division gives us the moral distinction of the feasts-that is, the ways of God therein. Let us examine them a little more in detail.
The very first thing presented is the Sabbath as being the end and the result of all the ways of God. The promise is left us of entering into God's rest. It is a feast to the Lord, but the feasts which present rather the ways of God to lead us there, begin again at the fourth verse, as we have already said. (Compare verses 37, 38.) This distinction being noticed, we can take the Sabbath; the Passover, and the feast of unleavened bread as making a whole. (verses 1-8.) Of the two latter, the unleavened bread was the feast, properly speaking; the Passover was the sacrifice on which the feast was grounded. As the Apostle says, " Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with leaven," etc. What was indeed necessary for the Sabbath, for the rest of God, was the sacrifice of Christ and purity-the perfect absence of leaven in Him, and accomplished in us, inasmuch as we possess Christ as our life. It is thus that we have seen the manna connected with the Sabbath in Ex. 16 Without leaven-was the perfection of the person of Christ living upon earth, and of the walk upon earth of him who is a partaker of His life. The sacrifice of Christ and purity of life render one capable of participating in God's rest. After that comes the power.
The first-fruits-that is, the resurrection of Christ on the morrow after the Sabbath-the first day of the week. It was the beginning of harvest gathered, by power, beyond the natural life of the world: nothing of the harvest could be touched before-it was the beginning, the first-born from the dead. With these first-fruits were offered sacrifices for a sweet savor, but not for sin. It is clear there was no need for it. It is Christ who is offered to God, quite pure and waved before God-placed fully before His eyes for us, as raised from the dead. Connected with that comes the meat-offering at the end of the seven weeks. It is no longer Christ here, but those who are His-the first-fruits of His creatures; they are considered as being upon earth, leaven is found therein; therefore, though offered to God, they were not burned as a sweet savor (Lev. 2:1212As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the Lord: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savor. (Leviticus 2:12)); but with the loaves was offered a sin-offering, which answered by its efficacy to the leaven found in them.
This feast was followed by a long space of time in which there was nothing new in the ways of God-only they were commanded, when they reaped the harvest, not to make clean riddance of the corners of the field; a part of the good grain was to be left in the field after the harvest was gathered into the garner, but not to be lost; it was for those who were not enjoying the riches of God's people, but who would participate exceptionally by grace in the provision which God had made for them-in the abundance which God had granted them. This will take place at the end of this age.
Pentecostal work being ended, another series of events begins. They blow up the trumpet. (Compare Psa. 81; Num. 10:3, 103And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 10:3)
10Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God. (Numbers 10:10).) It was the renewal of the blessing and the splendor of the people-Israel, gathered as an assembly before the Lord. It is not yet the restoration of joy, but at least this reflection of the heavenly glory of God appears in their eyes, and they gather the assembly to re-establish the glory.
But Israel must at least feel their sin; and in the solemn feast which follows, the affliction of the people is connected with the sacrifice of the day of atonement: Israel shall look on Him whom they have pierced, and mourn. The nation (at least the spared remnant who become the nation) will participate in the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ, and that in their state here below, repenting and recognized of God, so that the times of refreshing will be come. This is then the repentance of the people, but in connection with the atoning sacrifice. The efficacy is in the sacrifice-their participation in that is connected with the affliction of their souls. (Compare Zech. 12) But Israel did nothing-it was a Sabbath-they were assembled in humiliation in the presence of God. Then follows the feast of tabernacles: they offered during seven days, offerings made by fire unto the Lord, and on the eighth day there was again a holy convocation extraordinary day of a new week which went beyond the full time-including, I doubt not, the resurrection; that is, the participation of those who are raised, in that joy. It was a solemn assembly-that eighth day, the great day of the feast on which the Lord (having declared of the then time that His hour was not yet come to show Himself to the world-His brethren [the Jews] not believing in Him either) announced that for him who believed in Him there would be, in the meanwhile, rivers of living water which would flow from his belly-that is, the Holy Spirit, who would be a living power in the intimate affections of the heart. Israel had indeed drunk of the living water out of the rock in the wilderness, the sojourn in which, now past, was celebrated with joy in the memorial of that which was over, to enhance the joy of the rest into which they were ushered, But believers were not only to drink, the river itself would flow from their heart-that is, the Holy Spirit in power which they would have received through Christ. Thus, the feast of tabernacles is the joy of the millennium, when Israel have come out of the wilderness where their sins have placed them, but to which will be added this first day of another week-those who are raised With the Lord Jesus.
Consequently, we find that the feast of tabernacles took place after the increase of the earth had been gathered in-and as we learn elsewhere, not only after the harvest, but after the vintage also. Israel would rejoice seven days before the Lord. The Passover has had its antitype, Pentecost its also; but this day of joy is yet awaiting Him who is to be the center and the impulse of it, the Lord Jesus, who will rejoice in the great congregation, and whose praise will begin with Jehovah in the great assembly. (Psa. 22) He had already done it in the midst of the assembly of His brethren, but now the whole race of Jacob is called to glorify Him, and all the ends of the world shall remember themselves. The expression, solemn assembly, is not found applied to any of the feasts but this, except to the seventh day of the Passover (Deut. 16.), somewhat in the same sense, it seems to me. The feast of the tabernacles could not be kept in the wilderness. In order to observe it, the people were to be in possession of the land, as is plain: it is also to be observed, that it never was kept according to the prescriptions of the law, from Joshua till Nehemiah. (Neh. 8:1717And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. (Nehemiah 8:17).) Israel had forgotten that they had been strangers in the wilderness. Joy, without the remembrance of this, tends to ruin; the very enjoyment of the blessing leads to it.
EV 23-24The remaining chapters of this book appear to me to have a special bearing. The Spirit of God has presented, in chap. 23, the history of the ways of God towards His people upon earth, from beginning to end. Chapter 24 presents first the internal work, so to speak, which related to priesthood alone, and the public sin of an apostate-the fruit of the alliance with an Egyptian who blasphemed the Lord. Through the care of the priesthood (whatever might be God's public ways, and the state of Israel), the gracious light of the Spirit would be maintained, and that particularly from the evening until the morning-the time during which darkness brooded over Israel. Moreover, the incense which was on the memorial of the bread, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, was burned as a sweet smell to the Lord, and the priests identified themselves with the tribes-a continual signification of feeding thus employed. Thus priesthood maintained the light with respect to Israel, when all was darkness in the midst of them, and the memorial of Israel was in sweet savor before God, the priesthood identifying itself with them; although the people were in the eyes of man as lost, they existed through the priesthood of Jesus as a memorial before God. There is a certain sense in which the Church participates in this, as is explained doctrinally in Rom. 11. In Isa. 54, we see that believers are reckoned to Jerusalem, in grace, though she was a widow.
Externally the judgment of cutting off and death without mercy is executed against him that had cursed.
EV 25Chap. 25-The land itself is held for the Lord, as being his-it must enjoy God's rest, and moreover he who had lost his inheritance therein should find it again, according to the counsels of God, at the appointed time: the trumpet of the jubilee would sound and God would re-establish each one in his possession, according to His (God's) rights; for the land was His. Their persons also were to be free then; for the children of Israel were God's servants. It was not so with those not belonging to God's people. And although Israel have sold themselves to the stranger, He who made Himself nigh of kin has redeemed them from his hands. The day of jubilee will free the people, whatever may be the power of those who hold them captives.
Chap. 26.-We have a touching picture of the ways of God in patience and in chastisement, if Israel walked contrary to Him. When they acknowledged their fault, then He would remember the covenant made with their fathers, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with the land. Then He would remember the covenant made with their ancestors when they came out of Egypt under His name of Jehovah. God will take these two titles in their restoration:-Almighty, the name of His relationships with the fathers; and Jehovah, the name of His relationships with the people, as taken to Himself at their coming out of Egypt.
The last chapter treats of the rights and the appointments of God in all that relates to the things which are devoted to Him through the medium of priesthood. This necessarily finds its place in that which treats of priesthood; but it has a much wider meaning, I doubt not. It is a question of Him who devoted Himself to God and of the land which belongs to Him-of the rights of Israel, whose possession it was not, and of his selling it to others. As to Christ, He offered Himself without spot to God; He was valued at a low price. Israel by right belonged to the Lord. As Emmanuel's land, Israel only enjoyed the land without being proprietors; he could only pledge it till jubilee. It shall return to its possessor as Emmanuel's land.
Israel, looked at as the possessor of the gift of God, not having redeemed it, where sold to the stranger-when the jubilee comes, the land will be absolutely the Lord's; -the priest will possess it. In Zech. 11 Christ is thus valued, " whom they of the children of Israel did value."
I only point out the principle presented in the chapter, without pretending to enter into all the details of application which may suggest themselves. The principle is the important thing to enable one to understand the purpose of God, in the case of any vow, whether they redeem it or not, or of land, whether it shall return in the day of jubilee when God shall take possession again of His rights in the land of Israel, and cause to enter those whose right it is. It is to be observed also that the judgment is according to the judgment of the priest. But although this be attributed to the priest, it is to the King in Jeshurun (the upright) that the appreciation is entrusted. This shows plainly who is to do it and under what character, though being according to the discernment, the grace, and the rights of priesthood. It is Christ as priest, but Christ as King in Israel who will order all that.
LEVITICUS.-The name Leviticus seems to be derived from the Septuagint, or translation into Greek of the Old Testament. ΛΕΥΙΤΙΚΟΝ is, in that translation, given as the name of this book. Taking " Levitical," as it seems most naturally, to mean " that which pertains to the Levites "-the title would seem too loose as the name of this book, which is rather " the Priests' Law Book " than " the Book of the Law of the Levites." For as Moses gets a most peculiar place marked in Exodus as his; so have the high priest and priests for them in this; but the service of the Levites comes out in Numbers. The Hebrew name of the book ויקריא (vay-yik-rah, and he called) is the conventional adoption of the first word of the book as its name. In this case, perhaps, such an anomaly is rather happy than otherwise, because it stamps upon the exterior of the book, that it cannot be understood apart from the Sanctuary, etc. as written about in Exodus, the book which immediately precedes it.