Emphatic truths orthings God lays stress upon.
The great particularity and the occasional repetition shown in these ordinances point to the truth that God desired his people to attach very great weight to them. His servants were to understand that he laid great stress upon—
I. THE WAY IN WHICH HE WAS APPROACHED IN WORSHIP. Distinctions were drawn between different offerings, the import of which we now find it hard to trace. Though, indeed, it is stated that "as the sin offering so the trespass offering; there is one law for them" (Leviticus 7:7), yet there were differences in the way in which the blood was disposed of by the priests, etc. (cf. Leviticus 7:2 and Le Leviticus 4:6, Leviticus 4:7). Minute details were entered into respecting the disposal of the various parts of the animal (Leviticus 7:3, Leviticus 7:4, Leviticus 7:8). Precise directions were given regarding the eating of the offerings by the priests (Leviticus 7:5, Leviticus 7:9, Leviticus 7:10). It appears to us that there must have been but very faint moral significance in these arrangements to the mind of the Hebrew worshipper. But if this were so, the very particularity of the precepts indicated God's determination that his people should show the utmost vigilance and attention in their approaches to himself. We may wisely learn therefrom that, though our Divine Master has left all details in worship to our spiritual discernment, he is far from indifferent to the way in which we approach him. We should show the utmost care:
1. To draw nigh to his throne of grace in a right spirit—a spirit of reverence, trust, expectation, holy joy.
2. To use those methods of approach which are most likely to foster the true spirit of worship—having enough of simplicity to favour spirituality of mind; having, at the same time, enough of art and effort to meet the cultivated tastes of all who take part in devotion.
II. THE FACT THAT SIN MEANS DEATH IN HIS SIGHT. The first "law of the trespass offering" (Leviticus 7:1) relates to the killing of the animal and the sprinkling of its blood "round about the altar" (Leviticus 7:2). The thing in these sacrifices is the application of the blood for atonement: no offering on the altar, no eating of the flesh, until life had been taken, until blood had been shed and sprinkled. The sinner must own his worthiness of death for his trespass, and, if he is to find acceptance, must bring a victim, whose life shall be forfeited instead of his own, whose atoning blood shall make peace with God. This is the foundation truth of Old Testament sacrifices; it is the ground truth of the sacrifice on Calvary.
III. THE TRUTH THAT OUR VERY BEST, OUR OWN SELF, IS TO BE CONSECRATED TO GOD. The best of the slain animals, the vital parts, had to be presented in holy sacrifice on the altar (Leviticus 7:3-5). When the atoning blood has brought reconciliation, we are to present our best, our very selves, in acceptable sacrifice to our Saviour.
IV. THE TRUTH THAT ALL WHICH IS PRESENTED TO GOD IS TO BE REGARDED AS HOLY IN HIS SIGHT. Only the priests might eat of the flesh of the offered animal, and they only "in the holy place," for "it is most holy" (Leviticus 7:6). Everything became holy when brought to "the door of the tabernacle" and presented to Jehovah. When we dedicate ourselves to his service in the act of self-surrender, we yield everything to him. And then:
1. Our bodies become a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:13, 1 Corinthians 6:20).
2. Our whole lives are to be lived and spent before him as holy (1 Corinthians 10:31).—C.
The kingdom of God: lessons from the heave offering.
The ceremony of the heave offering and wave offering was a striking incident in the rite of the peace offering. "According to Jewish tradition it was performed by laying the parts on the hands of the offerer, and the priest, putting his hands again underneath, then moving them in a horizontal direction for the waving and in a vertical one for the heaving … the waving was peculiarly connected with the breast, which is thence called the wave breast (Leviticus 7:34), and the heaving with the shoulder, for this reason called the heave shoulder" (Leviticus 7:34). The main truth to which this symbolic act pointed was probably—
I. GOD'S UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY. As these parts of the animal were solemnly directed upwards and downwards and laterally, in all directions, the offerer intimated his belief that the realm of Jehovah was a boundless kingdom, reaching to the heavens above, to the dark regions below, to every corner and quarter of the earth. We do well to meditate on the truth thus pictorially presented; bat in so doing we are necessarily reminded how much more we have learned both from revelation and human science of the wide reach of his reign. We may think of his Divine kingdom as including:
1. Heaven and all its worlds and inhabitants.
2. Hades—the grave and those who have "gone to the grave."
3. The earth and all that is thereon:
(1) all human Beings;
We are reminded of the propriety of—
II. OUR FORMAL RECOGNITION OF THIS FACT. The Hebrew worshipper was encouraged to bring his peace offering to the altar, and then to go through this simple but suggestive ceremony, thus formally acknowledging the truth. No similar provision is made for our utterance of it; but it is open to us to declare it in sacred words and in most solemn forms:
1. In adoration. "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power … for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine," etc. (` Chronicles 29:10, 11; 1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalms 24:1).
2. In praise. When we "sing unto the Lord," there should be full and frequent ascription of everything "in the heavens above and. the earth beneath" to him as the Author and Owner and Ruler of all. We also see—
III. OUR APPROPRIATE ACTION THEREUPON. The Jewish worshipper was directed to "wave" and "heave" the breast and shoulder; these joints in particular and in preference to any other, "probably from their being considered the more excellent parts." When the fat had been burned upon the altar (Leviticus 7:30, these joints were reserved "unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons for ever" (Leviticus 7:34). We gather therefrom that we are to make practical recognition of the truth that God's kingdom extends everywhere, and includes every one, by:
1. Dedicating our best to his service: our affections (suggested by the breast); our strength (suggested by the shoulder).
2. Bringing our offerings to his cause—for the support of those who minister in holy things, and for the maintenance of those various agencies which are working for the glory of his Name.—C.
Four thoughts on sacred service.
We gather from these words—
I. THAT THERE IS A JOYOUS AND SOCIAL ELEMENT IN SACRED SERVICE. There were not only sin and burnt offerings, but also meat and peace offerings, in the Hebrew ritual. Those who were reconciled unto God might rejoice, and might rejoice together, before him. They might hold festive gatherings as his servants and as his worshippers; they might eat flesh which had been dedicated, to him, and bread, even leavened bread (Leviticus 7:13), and they were to "rejoice in their feast" (Deuteronomy 16:14). The prevailing tone of the true Christian life is that of sacred joy. Even at the remembrance of the Saviour's death humility and faith are to rise into holy joy.
"Around a table, not a tomb,
He willed our gathering-place should be.
When going to prepare our home,
Our Saviour said, 'Remember me.'"
Whether in ordinary worship, or at "the table of the Lord," or in any other Christian festival, we are to "rejoice before the Lord." together.
II. THAT THERE IS A SPONTANEOUS AS WELL AS A STATUTORY element in sacred service. "If he offer it for a thanksgiving then he shall offer," etc. (Leviticus 7:12). "If the sacrifice … be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten," etc. (Leviticus 7:16). God's Law says, "thou shalt," but it finds room for "if thou shalt." There are many things compulsory, and we have nothing to do but cheerfully and unquestioningly obey. There are also many things optional, and we may allow ourselves to act as devotional and generous impulses may move us. The mind which is constitutionally legal should cultivate the spontaneous in worship and benefaction; the impulsive must remember that there are statutes as well as suggestions in the Word of God.
III. THAT THERE MAY BE NOT ONLY FUTILITY BUT EVEN GUILT in connection with sacred service. Disregard of the prohibition to eat on the third day entirely vitiated the worthiness of the offering: in such case it would "not be accepted," neither "imputed unto him that offered it;" it would be counted "an abomination," and the soul that so acted was to "bear his iniquity" (Leviticus 7:18). The service we seek to render God may be:
1. Wholly vitiated so as to be entirely unacceptable, and draw down no blessing from above; or may even be:
2. Positively offensive in the sight of God, and add to our guilt, if it be
IV. THAT PERSONAL SPIRITUAL PARTICIPATION IS NECESSARY in sacred service. "His own hands shall bring the offerings" (Leviticus 7:30). God would be approached by His people themselves, and though he had graciously granted human mediation in the form of a sacrificing priesthood, yet he desired that every Israelite who had an offering to present should bring it with his own hand to the door of the tabernacle. Religion is a personal thing. We may accept human ministry, but we must come ourselves to God in direct, immediate devotion and dedication. Every man here must bear his own burden (Galatians 6:5). There is a point beyond which the most ardent affection, the most earnest solicitude, the most burning zeal cannot go—for others. They must, themselves, approach in reverence, bow in penitence, look up in faith, yield in self-surrender, present daily sacrifices of gratitude, obedience, submission.—C.
Divine and human severity.
There is something almost startling in the closing words, "That soul shall be cut off from his people." It suggests thoughts of—
I. APPARENT DIVINE SEVERITY.
1. That God sometimes seems to be severe in his dealings with men. These particular injunctions must have had to the Jews an aspect of rigour. An Israelite excommunicated for one of these offenses probably felt that he had been hardly dealt with. God's dealings have an occasional aspect of severity (see Romans 11:22). So with us. In his providence comparatively slight faults, errors, transgressions, are sometimes followed by most serious evils—disgrace, sorrow, loss, death.
2. That the light of after-days often explains his dealing with us. We can see now that the paramount and supreme importance of maintaining the purity of Israel, its separateness from all the abominations of surrounding heathendom, made the most stringent regulations on that subject necessary and wise, and therefore kind. So with us. Looking back on the way by which we have been led, we frequently see that that very thing which at the time was not only distressing but perplexing, was the most signal act of the Divine wisdom and goodness, the providential ordering for which, above every other thing, we now give thanks.
3. That present faith should rise to the realization that, somewhere in the future, apparent severity will bear the aspect of wise and holy love. "What we know not now we shall know hereafter." "Then shall we know," etc. (1 Corinthians 13:12).
II. OCCASIONAL HUMAN SEVERITY.
1. That we are sometimes obliged to seem severe towards those for whom we are responsible.
2. That apparent severity is sometimes the only rightful course which wise and holy love can take. It is the action which is (l) due to itself (James 3:17);