In the preceding chapter we have glanced at the first great division of the five offerings, the burnt, the meal, and the peace offerings, which comprised those of the voluntary class. We shall now look at those of the second great division, the sin and the trespass offerings, which were the compulsory offerings. Broad principles govern each division. Those of the first division, in greater or less fullness, were typical of the truth contained in these words, “Christ... hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. 5:22And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor. (Ephesians 5:2)); those of the second were in like manner typical of the truth contained in these words, “He hath made Him sin for us Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)). The offerings of the first kind represent Christ’s perfect offering of Himself to God; those of the second represent the imposition of sin upon Him. The second division of offerings was instituted after the righteousness demanded by the holy law had been proclaimed, and by them the failure of man in obeying certain of the divine commands was provided for. Thus, by the accompaniment of a provision for man’s sin and transgression with the revelation given by God in Horeb of His righteousness, lies a moral witness to the period of their institution. But while these offerings are morally and historically linked with the statutes and commandments given in Horeb, they symbolize sin and transgression in various forms, and the divine provision for the sinner. Hence they are of eternal significance. The necessity of a specific offering for sin was written in the legends of the heathen before Jehovah instituted such offerings in Horeb, and where there is knowledge of God, or, it may be, but legends of Him in His holiness, the needs – be for a sin offering is felt.
There were two orders of sin offerings – that of sin, and that of trespass or guilt – and these, while a necessity on the offerer’s part, were on Jehovah’s part an expression of abhorrence of sin, but also of its forgiveness.
No option as to their nature or value was permitted, both were precisely regulated by divine law. The importance of this principle cannot be too earnestly observed. No offering was possible unless it was exactly that which Jehovah had commanded. But nevertheless provision was made for poverty; still the provision was of divine institution. The poor and the rich were equally called to obedience. A high position called for a costly offering; a lower one, an offering less valuable. The most important offering was that of the “anointed priest,” the high priest, since an error committed in his service might be “to the sinning of the nation”; for by his position of official nearness to God his sin would affect God’s relationship with the whole of the people. The next in importance was that of the whole assembly; lessening in value came the offering of a ruler; and in the offering of an ordinary person, and one who was poor, the scale descended to its lowest. All the sins provided for were such as had been committed in error; the law knowing no forgiveness for high-handed sin – “without mercy,” in such cases, the sinner was put to death (Heb. 10:2828He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: (Hebrews 10:28)).
The sin offering was presented to God in a similar way to the burnt offering. The offerer laid his hand upon it; he identified himself with it, or, as the sequel shows, he transferred his sill to it, and it was then killed before Jehovah. The disposal of the blood followed. For this disposal in the greater of the sin offerings three distinct acts took place. The anointed priest first took some of the blood within the Holy, and sprinkled it seven times before the vail that hung before Jehovah’s throne. Next, he placed some of the blood upon the horns of the golden altar. Lastly, he poured out the mass of the blood at the foot of the altar of burnt offering.
The first action indicated the necessity of satisfying the righteousness of Jehovah’s throne, and how that the uplifted hand of the high priest, sprinkling seven times before it the blood of the victim which had been made sin, perfectly met its claims. The second action indicated that the power of intercession the horns of the golden altar was established in righteousness. The fragrance of its incense followed the vindication of divine justice by the blood of the sin offering. The third action proclaimed for those whose sin had brought them to God, His forgiveness at the provided meeting-place – the altar. In the case of a private person, the blood of the sin offering was in certain cases placed upon the four horns of the altar of burnt offering. Anointed with the sacrificial blood they looked east and west, north and south, and declared the power of pardon to all who approached God by God’s way.
The adjoining diagram will assist the eye in following the three actions. Eternal principles are present in these object lessons. First of all, God in His divine majesty is to be considered. God proposes to man and accepts from man no other means, save the blood of the appointed sin offering, as satisfaction for sin, and this the pardoning power of the blood the four horns of the altar – proclaimed to all the earth. Man, on his part, identifies himself by faith with the offering, and thus, too, did the apostle when he said, He “gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)). And more, faith rests in the assurance that our sins were transferred to the Offering for our sins, when Jehovah “laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6); Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)); and thus through faith “we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
After the disposal of the blood, the fat of the offering was burned, and it arose, together with the burnt offering, in sweet savor on high. The victim offered for sin, was in itself acceptable to God, its inward excellence was holy before Him; the burning of the fat of the sin offering is expressly described as “a sweet savor” a smell of delight – “unto Jehovah” (Lev. 4:3131And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto the Lord; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. (Leviticus 4:31)). And nowhere else save as at the cross of Christ, where He endured the judgment and the wrath of God against sin, did such excellency, such honor and glory, arise from His obedience and suffering to death, to His God.
Last of all, the carcass of the sacrifice was burnt. But it was not burned upon the altar or with the fire of acceptance; on the contrary, it was burned outside the camp, for it was regarded as sin, and in no sense a sweet savor. Yet, when that which had been made sin was no more, its ashes were mingled with those of the burnt offering. The sacrifices were practically one.
We will now look for a few moments at the provision in the sin offering which was made for human poverty, and in so doing we shall find some important principles. In the laws of nature there are points where one order of life and form shades off by almost imperceptible degrees to another order. A similar principle occurs in divine truth. The dividing line between one truth and another in some cases is so delicate as to forbid attempts to define it. Broadly viewed, the division between sweet savor aid sin offerings is very marked, but within the order of sin offerings, there is a remarkable shading off into the character of sweet savor offerings. The case of a man, too poor to present an animal as the offering which his sin demanded, is provided for. His offering was taken from the kingdom of birds. One of these was dealt with in a way resembling a burnt offering – the other was a sin offering. Thus poverty deprived the sin offering of half its emphasis. Its firm, decided character was gone. Yet deeper poverty still was provided for. The vegetable kingdom was resorted to. Ten ephahs of flour – merely plain flour without even oil – were presented before the altar. In this sin offering most remarkable absences are noticeable. Life which had been in the blood was not there; the hand could not be laid upon the victim, and, therefore, no transference of sin was possible. The lofty character of the offering in its relation to God, as symbolized in the offerings of the high priest and the people collectively, could not, of course, enter into this offering: hence the threefold utterance of the blood was unheard; and the voice from the horns of the altar was silent. The figures of the offering being made sin and of its consumption with the fire outside the camp, were absent. In a word, the great characteristics of the sin offering were not to be found. It was an offering rather than a sacrifice.
All that was offered was flour; but God stooped down and received it. However, God did inflexibly require a sin offering. Now, into this sin offering which met the claim of God, the priest placed his hand, and took out his handful. This he burnt upon the burnt offering as it lay upon the blood-sprinkled altar, and the offering was accepted, and the man received forgiveness.
Perhaps there is no aspect of Christ’s offering up of Himself to God, regarding which the influence of this century’s thought has generated spiritually poorer views than that of His sacrifice for sin. The greatness of His sacrifice for sin in bringing glory to the throne and majesty of God is clouded, and the might of His work in putting away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and in His appearing for us in the presence of God as High Priest in heaven, is too frequently hardly traceable. And because the glory of Christ’s work, Godwards, is so poorly laid hold of, the effects of His work, manwards, are so little rejoiced in. As the sin offering, He “suffered without the gate,” and was “made sin for us.” The fullest measure that the types of sacrifice for sin portray, was all realized in Himself when He was forsaken of God. As the sin offering, He “bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)), so that they are gone, and we are “made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)).
Can we not see the answer in Christendom to the offering for sin of the plain flour by the poverty-stricken Jewish worshipper? And can we not see in the action of the Jewish priest in taking his handful of that flour, and in his placing it upon the altar of sweet savor offerings, a figure of our Great High Priest in heaven, rendering our poor and feeble faith in His sacrifice acceptable before God? The flour laid upon the altar obtained its fragrance from the sweet savor of the burnt offering which arose in its excellence to God; the priest’s hand transformed it into a wealth of fragrance.
Another significant act of the priest in relation to the sin offering may be noticed here. In instances where the offering was for an individual, the priest that offered it for sin, ate the offering. The priest thereby identified himself with the sill of the offerer. “The priest had not committed the sin; on the contrary, he had made atonement for it..... Thus Christ – giving us the most complete consolation – Himself spotless, and Who has made atonement, yet identified Himself with all our faults and sins..... He who drew near came with confession and humiliation, but as regards guilt and judgment, they.... were taken up by the priest, and reached not the judgment seat of God, so as to affect the relation between God and the offender.” (“Leviticus,” Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, p. 155.)
The order of trespass, or guilt offerings, was similar in certain respects to that of the sin offerings. Specific acts of sin are contemplated by it, as to which, spearing generally, some measure of restitution on man’s part was possible. And when the possibility occurred the restitution was inflexibly required. Christ is without doubt the great Restorer for us before God. He has restored “that which” He “took not away” (Psa. 69:44They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. (Psalm 69:4)). He has reestablished all the trespass man has committed before God, and has added His part thereto; He has magnified the law (Isa. 42:2121The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. (Isaiah 42:21)) which man had broken. Nevertheless there are sins both towards God and man which cannot be regarded as truly repented of by the transgressor unless restitution be made; for example, if a man rob God, or rob his neighbor, and there be genuine faith in the value of Christ’s sacrifice respecting the forgiveness of that sin, there will be, as man’s accompaniment to God’s forgiveness, restitution. `` Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:1717Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:17)). The forgiveness of God produces practical fruits in our everyday life. Our first duty to our fellowmen as forgiven of God is to make them honorable restitution for any specific wrong we may have caused them. “There can be no doubt, that as the idea of the expiation of sin, which was embodied in the sprinkling of the blood, “,as most prominent in the sin offering; so the idea of satisfaction for the restoration of rights that had been violated or disturbed came into the foreground in the trespass-offering.” The practical bearing of the trespass offering on everyday life in Israel was all-important, and a similar quality is demanded by Christianity, in view of which the exhortation of St. James may be well laid earnestly to heart, “Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:2222But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22)).
While the offerings for sin gradated downwards to meet. man in his lowest extremity of poverty – symbolically in his feeblest apprehension of Christ’s sacrifice – the order rose up to the highest spiritual elevation, in its symbolizing the satisfaction of God, in His own holiness, in reference to sin. This all-embracing order, therefore, reached down to the depths of man’s need, and ascended to the heights of God’s requirements.
One special service of atonement – the annual expiation – must be referred to. It was specifically the sin offering of the year, by the services of that day Israel was brought into a state which enabled the nation, its priests and people, to approach God and to render to Him all the other offerings of His institution. On the Great Day of Atonement the sin offering stood apart from all others in the year of Israel. Its peculiar services owed their origin to the sin of the priests in their holy service, on account of which the meeting-place between God and Israel was turned into the place of His judgment and man’s death, and it was in response to this evil that God instituted an offering for sin which should establish the glory of His throne in judgment, and yet at the same time effect the pardon of sin. (See Lev. 16:11,1411And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: (Leviticus 16:11)
14And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. (Leviticus 16:14).)
The Great Day of Atonement was the only divinely-commanded fast of Israel’s religious year; and it was the dayof all others that most acutely concerned the whole nation as a sinning people. Yet the high priest alone conducted its services. He alone made the atonement; no co-priest assisted him; Israel could but look on, with hope centered in him, who was the type of the great Worker on man’s account. And as no one was allowed to be within the Holy until the high priest came out, so the idea of co-mediators and co-redeemers with Christ in heaven is a transgression of the divine reality.
The high priest entered that day into the Holiest of All three times, attired in his plain white linen robes, and when the service of the atonement was completed he put on his garments of glory and beauty. His first entry was in order to carry in the incense, which action occupied both his hands (Lev. 16:1212And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: (Leviticus 16:12)). His second entry was with the blood of the sin offering for himself and his house. His third entry was with the blood of the sin offering on behalf of the people. In these two last actions both his hands were again called into service. Indeed, the use of both hands on this day, as in the pressing them upon the head of the sacrifice, is remarkable (Lev. 16:2121And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: (Leviticus 16:21)). The action lends intensity to the work.
(* The censer was said to be golden.)
The high priest on that day was, personally, a representation of Christ in the majesty of His person and in the power of His work, effecting atonement before God in glory solely His own. Of that day, Jehovah said, “I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat” (Lev. 16:22And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:2)). He revealed Himself in His majesty in the symbol. The cloud above the earth is a symbol of heavenly glory, and is so used frequently in the Scriptures, and it was thus employed in the sanctuary. The high priest entered into Jehovah’s presence in the cloud of incense, which arose to the cloud in which Jehovah appeared. The “cloud of incense” of the personal glory of Christ arises to the “cloud” of the infinite heights of the absolute glory of God. And we may well say, “Such a High Priest became us” (Heb. 7:2626For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)), and none other than He could make atonement, and His own personal glories fit Him to make it.
The Holiest of All being filled with the incense, the high priest went out again into the court of the sanctuary. Having placed some of the blood of the bullock of his sin offering and that of his house within a bowl, he for the second time entered in the dwelling of Jehovah, and passed within the vail of separation. He entered officially as high priest and sprinkled the blood once upon the mercy seat and seven times upon the ground before it. Having thus made atonement, he left the habitation and went again into the court.
By the services he had performed the high priest was fitted to make atonement for the people, and he prepared their sin offering. This was composed of two goats – the two forming in combination one sin offering. Lots were cast for these; and one became Jehovah’s – the other, the people’s. Care was taken to have each goat as much like the other as possible; nevertheless, the disposition of them was entirely different. Jehovah’s was slain – the people’s was “let go.” The blood of the goat slain for sin was taken within the sanctuary; the live goat was sent away with sins confessed upon it. Jehovah’s accomplished atonement and reconciliation; the people’s, effected the oblivion pf the sins that had been transferred to it. The effects produced by the second were caused by the atonement accomplished by the first.
The high priest himself, on the Great Day of Atonement, killed the sin offering, and with its blood he in his own person effected the atonement and reconciliation. The cloud of the incense was still lingering within the Holiest of All, when, for the third time, the high priest entered it, with the blood of the sin offering which had been Jehovah’s. He was about to perform three great acts in reference to the blood: the first, in the Holiest of All; the second, in the Holy; the third, in the court of the tabernacle, and thereby to reconcile “the Holy, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar.” (See Lev. 16:2020And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: (Leviticus 16:20).)
First, then, he entered into the immediate presence of Jehovah, where He dwelt alone, and sprinkled some of the blood upon the throne or mercy seat. This was done “once,”** the blood being placed “upon the mercy seat eastward,” therefore on that part of it which faced the entrance gate into the sanctuary, through which Israel approached Jehovah. This was the foundation for all the purifications which followed. By virtue of the atoning blood the outlook of the throne of divine holiness towards the people could be one of mercy.
Next the high priest sprinkled the ground before the mercy seat. Once “upon” the throne, for “once for all,” is the highest tribute to absolute perfection; seven times “before” the throne, for the way of God on earth is governed by perfection in relation to earth. Thus was made “atonement for the Holy place” (Lev. 16:1616And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (Leviticus 16:16)) where God dwelt, and a pavement of righteousness was established for His footsteps towards man. He could come forth. in holiness, and yet act in mercy. We have in the epistle to the Romans “that He might be just and the justifier,” words which expressly describe the symbol. A moral ability is stated; by virtue of the atonement God can pardon the sinner; “Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness... that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:24-2624Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:24‑26)).
The second great act of the high priest was performed in the Holy, where the feet of the priests so constantly trod. The priests attended to the lighting of the lamps and the supplying the holy table; and priestly work in its highest form was expressed at the golden altar of incense. But even the priests’ feet, cleansed by the water of the laver, and busy in hallowed service, left defilement in the Holy chamber, and consequently purification and reconciliation were needed there. The high priest put the blood upon the horns of the golden altar (See Ex. 30:1010And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the Lord. (Exodus 30:10)) and sprinkled it upon the ground seven times, and thus the Holy was cleansed.
The third great act took place in the court, where Israel could enter and approach God at the altar. Here had stood the worshipper with his offering of sweet savor, and here, too, had sin impelled the transgressor to bring his sin offering. The court and its altar needed cleansing. The high priest first put the blood of the sacrifices upon the horns of the altar, and then lie “sprinkled of the blood upon it with his finger seven times” (Lev. 16:1919And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. (Leviticus 16:19)). The horns of the altar were touched with blood in the case of sin offerings, while in the case of the sweet savor offerings the blood was cast upon the altar walls; thus this double action of placing the blood upon the horns of the altar, and sprinkling it upon the altar, betokened all the offerings where life was surrendered to Jehovah in sacrifice.
The remarkable connection between the brazen altar and the mercy seat is made apparent by this illustration. The height of the mercy seat was half that of the brazen altar; half way up the brazen altar was the grate or grating which marked the place for casting the blood of the sacrifice, and this was exactly the level of the top of the mercy seat. The blood of Christ shed upon His cross is the precise measure of the claims of the throne of God against sin. “The throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev. 22:33And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (Revelation 22:3)) is one throne, one standard of absolute holiness and righteousness, and God has no other way of satisfying the demands of His own throne against sin save the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, which “cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
Upon page 239 a diagram showing The Way of men to God is given. The diagram upon the opposite shows The Way of God to men. God begins with His throne in the great work of atonement and reconciliation. His way is from Himself in His holiness to man in his sinfulness. Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life (Rom. 5.21). God, having made peace through the blood of the cross of Christ, reconciles all things in heaven and in earth to Himself (Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20)); but first, the peace upon the basis of which He reconciles had to be made. That part of the sin offering which was Jehovah’s lot teaches the way of God to men. And this was assured and established on the Great Day of Atonement before that part of the sin offering which was the people’s lot was disposed of, for only `when the high priest had made an end of reconciling the Holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar,” was he to “bring the live goat” (Lev. 16:2020And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: (Leviticus 16:20)) for disposal.
In the summing up of the results of the great atonement, a threefold removal of sill is presented: first from the Holiest of All, where Jehovah dwelt alone; next, from the Holy places, used by priests and people; and, thirdly, from the priests and people themselves. After the three parts of the sanctuary had been purified so that Jehovah could dwell in the midst of Israel, the hearts of priests and people were set at rest in His presence in the consciousness that their sins were removed. This was effected by the disposal of the goat of the sin offering which had fallen to their lot. – It was for them, not for a haunting spirit of darkness as some would have it; it was for them, to secure to their consciences the realization of the value of the atonement which had been effected in the presence of God for them. We have to remember that it had been presented to Jehovah, in company with the goat which had been slain (Lev. 16:9-109And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:9‑10)). In temple times, the manner in which this was done was most suggestive; the one offering the two goats was presented to Jehovah at the beginning of the service; and the goats were so placed as to face westwards – i.e., towards His throne – and after their acceptance the goat selected for Jehovah’s part in the sacrifice was slain.
When Jehovah’s had accomplished that which He required, Israel’s was brought forward to accomplish that which they required. The goat was so placed as to face the people, that is, eastwards, and the high priest laid both his hands upon its head and confessed over it “all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins.” After this it was sent away into the wilderness, never to return; it was absolutely separated from the people. Their sins, which had been the occasion of the blood being carried into the Holiest of All, were atoned for before Jehovah, and were removed from their consciences. The atoning blood remained upon the throne, and God said, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)).
The Christian is privileged to rejoice in the substance of which these striking figures were a shadow. Christ, our High Priest, has entered into the Holy place on high in the power of His own blood, and has glorified forever the throne of divine majesty. “Once,” and forever, His blood has vindicated and established divine holiness. That selfsame blood now purges the conscience (Heb. 2:1414Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)) of the worshipper of God. Our knowledge of sin is due to our knowledge of God’s holiness; our knowledge of God’s holiness is obtained by God’s revelation respecting the cross of His Son; and that revelation teaches us that our sins are purged.
The reader of Leviticus commits an injustice to himself unless he reads also those parts of the New Testament which refer to the orders of offerings communicated to Israel by Moses. God, in His laws respecting sacrifice, teaches what He is, and what He requires from sinful man. There is absolute unity of thought and mind in both Old and New Testaments upon these all-important revelations. Of all things which the theology of religious evolution of this nineteenth century dislikes, is the truth about sin, and therefore about sacrifice, unless it may be said that its supreme dislike is the truth about God. It is obvious that the truth about God can be obtained only from God’s revelation of Himself; but we have shown in the foot-notes to this and the previous chapter that the ancient pagans had in their legends and practice remnants of the ancient revelation, which was enforced and more fully made known through Moses, and which is completely made manifest in the New Testament – and this revelation it is, which modern religious thought hopes to evolve out of its science.