which prefigured him, that they might, as far as possible, exemplify his spotless perfection.]
II. The manner in which it was presented —
Here also we notice very minute directions re- specting,
1. The offerer—
[He must bring his sacrifice " of his own voluntary will." He must feel his need of mercy, and be very desirous to obtain it. He must see that no mercy can be found, except by means of a sacrifice: and he must thankfully embrace the opportunity afforded him ; not accounting God his debtor for the sacrifice offered to him, but himself a debtor to God, for his permission to approach him in such a way.
He must bring his sacrifice to " the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the Lord." Whilst, in doing this, he acknowledged that the Lord dwelt there in a peculiar manner, he publicly, before all the people, acknowledged him- self a sinner like unto his brethren, and needing mercy no less than the vilest of the human race. Not the smallest degree of self-preference could be allowed ; but all must be made to see and feel that there was but one way of salvation for ruined man.
Further, he was to " put his hand upon the head of his offering." By this significant action, he still more plainly de- clared, that he must perish, if ever his sins should be visited upon him ; and that all his hope of acceptance wdth God was founded on the vicarious sufferings of this devoted victim.]
2. The offering itself —
[This must be "slain," (whether by the offerer or the priest, is uncertain*1,) and its "blood be sprinkled round about upon the altar." The slaughtered animal was then to be " flayed," and " cut into pieces," according to a prescribed rule : " the inwards and the legs," which might be supposed to need some- what of purification, were "washed," and, together with the whole body, " burnt upon the altar." The skin alone remained, as a perquisite of the priest e. Do we not see in these tilings a striking exhibition of the sufferings of the Son of God, who was in due time to become a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world? Death was the wages due to sin, and that too under the wrath of an offended God. True it is, that the consuming of an animal by fire was but a faint representation of that
d We apprehend it was by the priest, or some Levite assisting him. See ver. 15. The same ambiguity as to the meaning of the word, " they," may be seen in 2 Chron. xxix. 22 ; but it is plain, from ver. 34. of that chapter, that neither the priests nor the offerers killed the sacrifices ; but the Levites killed them, and the priests received the blood. e Lev. vii. 8.