SOME points as to the offerings in Leviticus having been lately cleared up to me, and brought home to my 'heart, I trust I may say, in a way I had not known them before, I would simply name them, with references to the passages by which they are illustrated or proved. To many readers these remarks may suggest nothing that is new; but to some they may not have occurred; and even where they have, the mention of them may stir up to renewed consideration of the subject, and thus promote growth in the truth. How happy to be fellow-learners in the school of our Divine instructor!
First.—The Lord's part in the peace (or prosperity)) offerings being the fat of the inwards, and this being consumed on the burnt-offering (see Lev. 3:55And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. (Leviticus 3:5)), and with the meat-offering (see chap. 7:12), the participation in the other parts of the peace-offering of the priest that offered, the priests at large, and the worshipper, really brought them, into communion with God's own joy and delight, not only in the peace-offering, but also in the burnt and meat offerings, of which the fat of the peace-offering was " the food."
Secondly.—The fat of all the sin-offerings (except the red heifer in Num. 19) was consumed on the altar of burnt-offerings (see Lev. 4:10, 19, 26, 31, 35; 7:5; 16:2510As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering. (Leviticus 4:10)
19And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar. (Leviticus 4:19)
26And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him. (Leviticus 4:26)
31And 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)
35And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him. (Leviticus 4:35)
5And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a trespass offering. (Leviticus 7:5)
25And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. (Leviticus 16:25), &c., &c.) Thus we see, that even in that view of Christ's work, in which he was most actually and absolutely made sin for us, His own inward devotion to God, in which He was willing to be thus made sin, was infinitely pleasant and acceptable to God, forming thus a link between the sin-offering and all the rest.
How precious, that at the very time when Jesus was really bearing the judgment of God for our sins; when it was impossible that God could manifest His favor to Him; when, in consequence, He had to cry, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? At this very time the link with God on 'His (Christ's) part was still, as always, unbroken! Indeed, in what one scene do we so see His complete devotion to the Father's glory, as that in which He bows to His Father's will that He should be made sin and suffer without the gate? And even when forsaken, and asking " why," He calls Him " My God! "
Thirdly.—The case of the priest (see chap. iv.) whose sin interrupted the communion of the whole congregation, or the similar case of the sin of the whole congregation, is what cannot now occur. The instruction, therefore, as often in Hebrews, is by contrast not comparison. Our Priest cannot fail; and all the sins, yea, the sin of the whole congregation has once for all, and forever, been so expiated, that nothing now can disqualify the whole Church as such for communion and worship.
Fourthly.—As to the diverse force and meaning of the laying on of hands on the victim. In the one case, that of the sin and trespass offerings, a person came as a sinner, and placing his hands on the victim's head, confessed his sins, and transferred, as it were, the load of sin to the victim that suffered in his stead., In the other case, a person came as a worshipper, and placed his hands on the head of the animal, in token of being himself identified with the acceptableness of the offering.
How gracious of our God to condescend to teach us thus! May our poor hearts profit by these typical instructions, knowing, as we surely do, something of their import from the full revelation in the New Testament of the great and blessed Anti-type!