We have in this section supplemental regulations chiefly for the priests, but of great value for all because of much added truth. Communion with the offering where enjoyable is prominent, and the limitations laid down distinctly.
First comes the law of the burnt offering (vi. 9-13). That which went up wholly as a savor of rest to God has here as before the foremost place. The fire was to be ever burning, “all night unto the morning.” If divine judgment knows in itself no mitigation, nor cessation, the accepted offering is there to be altogether consumed. God thus established both the witness of unslumbering judgment according to His holy nature, and the offering that glorified Him even when sin made it imperative for fallen man. There was no offering or sacrifice to God in Eden. Some moderns understand place or fuel of burning, instead of burning — “upon the place, or fuel, of burning on the altar all night until the morning.” But the substantial sense abides the same. When men sleep, far away from God, He has ever His savor of rest. How true this is now of Israel during their long night, not yet alas! of penitent weeping. Yet the morning will come assuredly for them in the mercy that endures forever, the morning without clouds. God is faithful to them, if they have been faithless to Him. “The fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out.” “The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.”
Next is the law of the meal offering (vers. 14-18), with a special ordinance appended when it was an offering of Aaron and his sons on the day of his anointing (vers. 19-23), in which last case it was wholly burnt like the burnt offering, though in the more general form the priests had their portion of the flour or meal. In every case the frankincense was for God exclusively; but the saint who has accepted Christ is free to enjoy the perfection of Him as man. Our communion is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ, though there be that which we own God only can appreciate, which is therefore for Him alone.
Then follows a new ordinance from chap. 5:24-30, the law of the sin offering; as also that of the trespass offering in chap. 7:1-10. Then following this we have the law of peace offerings (vers. 11-24). Nor is this all. A related ordinance is appended in vers. 22-27, denouncing the eating of fat or of blood; and then comes another and final one which begins with the sacrifice of peace offerings, and ends with a summary of all these laws (vers. 28-38). It will be noticed that the peace (or communion) offering here stands last, though preceding those for sin and trespass in the previous order of the offerings. There are privileges we enjoy simply as belonging to God; there are others into which we can only enter as in His presence, drawing in conscious nearness to Him (i.e., as priests, and not Israelites only). “All things are ours “; but we do not all or always enjoy equally. Hence we see that only the priests partook, as of the meal offering, so of the sin and trespass offerings. All the males among the priests eat it in the holy place, though here it would seem that the court of the tabernacle is so designated. The incarnation of Christ, and His propitiation are “most holy.” Man as such cannot meddle with either. They can be enjoyed only in God's presence. There they are food, but holy food. So it is the spiritual that the apostle exhorts to restore a man overtaken in any fault or trespass. It supposes holy activity of grace, identifying themselves with Christ and His work in the sin before them, He of course alone efficaciously, they in divine love as one with Him, and near Him practically.
There is solemn instruction in the law of the sacrifices of peace offerings. Thanksgiving has not the same force as a vow or a voluntary offering. In the former case the peace offering must be eaten on the same day; in the latter it might be on the next after as well. Worship cannot be severed from the sacrifice of Christ with impunity; and purity is obligatory on the worshipper. How terrible is the failure of Christendom in both respects! It is in both forms the figure of communion which should be expressed in worship, though all that are of God may not enjoy it. All the life that is given up, all the energy of Christ, is for God; but Christ and the saints (Aaron and his sons) have special fellowship.