appealed to God, saying, ‘‘ Even to-morrow Jehovah will shew who are his, and who is holy ; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him” (Numb. xvi. 5).
Hence a priest was one—1. Taken from among men to represent them: “Every high priest taken from
among men is ordained for men in things pertaining!
to God” (Heb. v. 1). Especially did the high priest, in whom the entire priestly character culminated, act in all respects as the literal representative of the whole con- gregation. (1.) He bore the names of each tribe graven on his shoulders and on his breast-plate over his heart.
CHAPTER TX.
The priest was or- dained to act for men in things pertain- ing to God.
The priest’s work pri- marily ermi- nated on God.
142 THLE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT.
cuarrer Vitringa,* quoted by Fairbairn, says, “This high priest Fe represented the whole people. All Israel were reckoned as being in him” (Ex. xxviii. 9-29). (2.) If he sinned, it was regarded as the sin of the whole people (Ley. iv. 3). (3.) He made atonement and offered intercession in behalf of the whole people. He placed his hands upon the scape-goat and confessed the sins of the whole people, and laid them upon the head of the goat (Ley.
xvi, 15-21).
2. He was chosen by God as his special election and property : “Jehovah will shew who are his, and him whom he hath chosen to come near unto him” (Num. xvi. 5). ‘No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” (Heb. v. 4).
3. He must be holy; that is, both morally pure and consecrated to the service of God. He wore, circling his head, a band of pure gold, on which was engraved “ HOLINESS TO THE Lorp” (Ex. xxxix. 30, 31): “They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name
. of their God: for the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy” (Lev. xxi. 6; Ps. evi. 16).
4. The priest’s grand distinction was, that he had a right to draw near to God. Hence the common desig- nation of priests was ‘Those who draw near to Jehovah ” GHianixix)' 22> Numivxvi. dey dizeke xlas 23: xliv, 1s) The distinctive priestly act which marked his great function was to bring near, 14pn—translated habitually to offer (Lev. xvi. 6, 9, 11,20, &c.). Every offering which it was the office of the priest to bring near to God is distinctively called jap, or that which is brought near to God, or offered—translated in our version obla- tion, offering, or sacrifice (Lev. ii. 1, 4, 5; xxvii. 11, &e.). The fat, as the most excellent part of every sacri-
* Obs.-Sac.(p. 292.
=e. heal
CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST. 143
fice, was always entirely burned by the priest on the altar, and so sent up to God as his portion. This is constantly called “ God’s food” or “ God’s bread,” which it was the priest’s grand prerogative to present to him Mev Wis tl xsi Oro gel re Th 2a ex 25:5 Hzek, ’ xliv. 7; Mal. i. 7, 12). The altar, upon which the priests presented their offerings to Jehovah, is called iGO smemoles mae Maliit ease bose De Cores: xe Ly, © 21. Heb. xiii. 10). The offerings which it was the dis- tinctive duty of the priest to bring near and to present to God, when properly presented, are habitually said to be “a sweet savour, an offering unto the LoRD” (Ex. xxix. Powe meoey. 1 G13. 7) Num xvi 7) 14-24 Gee &e.). The distinction of the priest was that he was the minister of the sanctuary or temple. Here he came and discharged all his priestly functions, as the representative of man and as the familiar of God. Only the priests could enter daily into the Holy Place; and only the high priest himself once a year into the Most Holy, in the presence of the Shekinah—and that in connection with the expiatory sacrifices—to sprinkle sacrificial blood on the altar of incense and on the Capporeth, and to pre- sent the incense symbolical of prayer. The constant Biblical designation of the temple, to which all the priest’s functions had reference, was the “ dwelling” or “house” of Jehovah (Ex. xxv. 8, xxix. 45, 46; Deut. xxii, 18 ; Josh. ix. 23), and “tabernacle of the meeting ;” that is, properly, the tent of meeting between God and man, where God, propitiated by blood, met the Church _ through their representatives, the priests, who brought the propitiating blood into his presence.
5. Hence the two grand functions of the priest were, (a) to propitiate with bleeding sacrifices (Heb. v. 1-3) ; and (6) to make intercession for the people. The nature of the former function I have sufficiently discussed in
10
CHAPTER Ix.
CHAPTER Ix.
The work of the priest secured the salva- tion of those only for whom he acted
44 THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT.