HOMILETICS. Vers. 12-16.-77ie atonement~- Remark three things:- 1. THE ATONEMENT IIOKEY WAS RJDQUmED OF ALL. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. 23). "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our- selves, and the truth is not In us" (1 John i. 8). There was to be no exemption. Moses and Aaron were to bring their half-shekel no less than the others ; the priests had to make the offering, just the same as the laity ; the rulers, as much as the com- mon people. The lesson taught was, that every soul was guilty before God-all unclean in his sight, who "is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity '!-all in need of pardon and cleansing. So far there was oertainly "no difference" (Rom. iii. 22). " Every mouth was stopped" (ib. 19). Boasting was excluded-the right attitude of the soul towards God shown t.o be one of humility, deprecation, penitence. II. Tm: s.um ATONEMENT IIIONEY WAS REQUIRED OF EACH. It is true to say, that all men equally are guilty in God's sight; but it would not be true to say that all are equally guilty. Yet the same atonement was required of all. "The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less." This marks that one and the same atone- ment is required, whatever be the degree of a man's guilt, whefoer he be (so far as is possible) "a just man needing no repentance," or "the chief of sinners." On the man's pa.rt is required in every case "repentance and faith;" these, however, cannot atone. '!'he true "atonement money," the true "redemption," the real "ransom of souls," is the death of Chris~ne and the same for all-necessary for all-not too much for the least, not too little for the most guilty ; but " a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world." It saves all that trust in it-saves them from wrath and death-ves them from sin-atones for them-puts them "at one" with the Father. III. Tm: ATO!."'EllENT WAS TO BE KEPT IN IIIND, TO BE FOB A PERPETUAL MEMORIAL. There are those who are content to acknowledge that Christ has died for them, and has saved them, who yet object to giving the fa.et, what they call, undue prominency. They would acknowledge it once for all, and then have done with it. But this is not the general teaching of the Bible, nor is it that of the present passage. The "atone- ment money" was to be so employed as to be "a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord" perpetually. They were to have the shapes of silver, into which it ha£i i:Jeen cast, ever before their eyes. And assuredly there is nothing in the whole range of spiritual facts which deserves such continual remembrance, such constant d9relling upon in thought, as the atonement made for us by Christ. Herein alone have we hope, trust, confidence. Hereby alone are we saved. The cross of Chriss should be ever before the Christian's eye, mind, heart. He should not for a moment forget it, much less be ashamed of it. CH, XXX, li-21.) TUE BOOK OF EXODU~
HOMILIES BY VA RIO US A OTHORS. Vere. 11-16.-The numbering of Israel and their ranBom. I. Tm,; NUMBF-mw1 0 ,. TRE PEOPLE, AN EMBl,EM OF THE JUDGMENT, God's claims were brought home t0 Lhcm . their unworthiness was contrasted with the place assigned to thorn as the people whr,~ God had visited with his light and salvation, When we remember that we are the L0 rrl', and the light of that just claim is shed upon our life, it is to our shame and confusi,rn'. But life will be read at last in this very light I II. 'l'HE ATONEMENT WHICH SHIELDS us. I. It is a. ransom for the life: " that ther~ be no plague among them when thou numberest them." God's wrath will not smite ir thi~ be provided. 2. :::t mUBt be given from 01;1e's own in that judgment_da.y. Christ to avail us then mUBt have been ma.de ours by faith. It mUBt be Chnst 10 us. 3. It is required from all. None a.re guiltless. 4. The same is demanded from ea.eh. All a.like a.re in themselves lost and under God's wrath. 5. The atonement is for the service of the tabernacle. The changed life of God's people through the indwelling of Christ is for God's service now, and the manifestation of his glory hereafter.-U. Vers. ll-I7.-77ieatonement money. It pertained to the full a.d.mission of Israel to theocratic privilege, that, the nation as a whole having been a.d.mitted into covenant, a formal registration should be made of at least the grown pa.rt of the co=unity. Direc- tions were accordingly issued for the taking of a. census, which had also in view a more complete military organisation of the nation than a.s yet existed. The males of the tribes from twenty years old and upwards were to be made to pass before Jehovah, and were to be regula.rly counted and enrolled a.s members of the holy co=onwealtb. This a.et, how- ever, which involved a. near approach to Jehovah, and was on the part of the individual an entrance into the full rights of his citizenship, called for some new recognition of the principle of atonement on which the covenant was built. Hence the ordinance that each individual of those who were numbered should make an offering of half a shekel of silver, as a ransom or atonement for his soul (ver. 15). The silver thus obtained was to go for the service of the tabernacle (ver. 16). On which observ&-1. 77ie money was money of atonement. It was pa.id in ransom for life. If we seek the principle on which the ransoming proceeds, we must view the half shekel in the light of the practice of com- mutation. In strictness, atonement could be made only by blood.. Here, as in other cases, the animal sacrifice is co=uted for money, and the money, in virtue of that for which it is co=uted, is admitted as atonement. The purpose to which the silver was to be applied required that the ransom should take this form. 2. .L1ll were to be taxed alike. "The rich shall not give more, nor the poor less" (ver. 15). This intimates that, as respects his need of atonement, no man has any advantage over his neighbours. " There is no difference" (Rom. iii. 22). It intimates, too, the essential equality of men in the eyes of God. 3. The money was to be applied to the work of the tabernade. The greater part of it was used in making the silver sockets for the dwelling-place ( eh. xxxviii. 27). Thus (1) the tabernacle-symbol of God's kingdom in Israel-was founded on the silver of atonement. This, surely, was a profound testimony to the fa.et that only on the basis of atonement can co=union exist between heaven and earth. (2) Each Israelite was individually represented in Jehovah's sanctuary. His tribute money formed part of it. He had a stake and interesl; in it. The honour was great: not less so the responsibility.--J. 0.