Human thoughts concerning Christ and His sacrificial work are at the best poor. Man can think of the crucifixion as a historical fact, and write and speak of the nails that pierced His hands and feet, of the thorny crown, and other external circumstances connected with His death, and come to his own conclusion too as to the worth of that sacrifice. In fact, the gigantic Christendom round about us is built up mainly on man's miserable thoughts of Christ, and of things concerning Him. Like Nadab and Abihu, they have mingled strange fire with the incense, which God commanded them not; and, like them, judgment and death must be the result. We are told that "they died before the LORD"; and so must all those who are bringing the name of Christ and His work into use simply for present advantage and human exaltation, thus making ordinances and religious things their refuge, or relying upon the false foundation of associating man's opinions and his actions with the name of Christ, instead of relying only on Christ Himself and His infinitely efficacious work. Such is "strange fire"; it is not according to God's mind; it does not give Him the glory. It is man's religiousness, and the end of these things is death (Lev. 10:1-31And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. 3Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:1‑3)).
It was not so, however, in Solomon's day, when he dedicated the house of the Lord. (See 2 Chron. 7:1-101Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. 2And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house. 3And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. 5And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood. 7Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brazen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat. 8Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt. 9And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people. (2 Chronicles 7:1‑10).) We do not find "strange fire" offered, but "the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices." We see God here, and His actings in relation to the sacrifice. This is what the faith of a Spirit-taught, sin-convicted soul specially beholds in the cross of Christ. They are not ignorant of the external facts of the crucifixion; but until they see God acting in the scene, until they see God dealing with Christ as the sin bearer, they find no real ground of peace and rest. In the cross of Christ faith sees the invisible God searching the victim, trying and estimating its worth by the fire of His uncompromising holiness, and condemning sin in the flesh. The cross of Calvary tells us of an unblemished One, who was in Himself infinitely acceptable to God, who fully glorified God in regard to our sins, and put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. It is God's estimate of the death of Christ, and nothing short of it, that establishes our souls in peace before Him. The resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Christ shows us the infinite acceptability, the savor of rest, of that offering in the sight of God; and all combine to tell us that our security is built upon divine righteousness and truth.
If, then, we would have the joy of this immovable security before God, we must have God's thoughts of "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified"; for God has so estimated the priceless value of that finished work on the cross, as to raise Him up from the dead and give us life, righteousness, and completeness in Him. God, we know, has counted that blessed One, who humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, worthy of the highest possible exaltation. It is God who tells us that we are "now justified by His blood," and who gives us fullest liberty to come into the holiest of all.
Just, then, as we are seeing God's dealing with Jesus, His own Son upon the tree, and learning His mind from His Word and by His Spirit-His estimate of the infinite perfections of that one offering which was once offered—will our hearts be set at liberty and established in unquestionable security before God. God has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ.
Next, observe, that the sacrifices having been consumed with fire from heaven, glory followed. We are told that "the glory of the LORD filled the house." And does not this teach us what a sure title to glory the blood of the cross is? There is a most blessed connection between "the sacrifice" and "the glory." Let us well consider this. The death of Christ, like a mighty lever, gives the one who believes title to the very glory of God. Like the rent veil, it removes every obstacle to going at once into God's presence. Glory must follow. We are at this moment between the cross and the glory, with liberty to enter into the holiest by faith. On no other ground whatever could we enter into the cloudless, holy, presence of God, but that "Christ died for our sins" according to the Scriptures, and that "Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father." We are therefore told, that "the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house." v. 1. No wonder, then, that we so often sing-
"0 Lord, we adore Thee,
For Thou hast redeemed us;
Our title to glory
We read in Thy blood."
Is it not most blessed to see this connection between the sacrifice and the glory? How clearly it shows us that we owe all our blessings to the blood of Christ, and that in the glory itself we shall be so deeply conscious of it, as to be forever rejoicing in the infinite value of that blood, and giving unceasing glory to God and the Lamb.
Nothing so really humbles us as the sense of what God has wrought for us in Christ. It leaves no room for self-exaltation. It is a completed work. We are become "the righteousness of God in Him." This bows the heart before God to praise and give thanks. We are therefore told, that "when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their f aces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever." v. 3. It is, then, being in communion with God's mind as to the glories of Christ, and the unsearchable value of His work on the cross, that the heart is really emptied of self and earth, and filled with praise and gratitude to God. We are taken up with God, and delight to tell God what He is. This is worship.
Devotedness too will be connected with it; for the affections and desires of the heart are stirred by such wondrous mercy; and purposes of the soul are formed according to the will of God. Hence this inspired narrative next tells us, that "Then," yes, "then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD." v. 4. How is it that in the present day many Christians feel it so difficult to yield themselves and their substance to the Lord? The answer is plain. It is because Christ is so little understood—God's estimate of Him so feebly apprehended-His perfections not known. Our ignorance of Christ is great, and very culpable. When God's revelation of the glories of His beloved Son is really known, and the infinite acceptability of His work received, when the blessed reality of being in Christ is laid hold of, our nearness to God in Him apprehended, the all-satisfying portion He is, and His all-sufficiency for us under all circumstances known, then the affections of our hearts are aroused, and our energies drawn forth.
We are further told, that the people were "glad and merry in heart" (v. 10). And why? Because of "the goodness that the LORD had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel His people." I ask, then, in conclusion, Can we fail to learn from these lessons that our present happiness, devotedness, and worship, all owe their source to God, as He has revealed Himself in Christ? Learning God's estimate of Christ in His presence, and what He is to us and has done for us, we cannot but be moved to readiness of heart and purpose to associate ourselves with Him in a world that still rejects Him, and most truly feel that His interests are our interests, His joy our joy, and that what grieves and dishonors Him also grieves and dishonors us.