The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 57

I. THE NATUIIE Oll' THE CHRISTIAN Oll'FERINO AS THUS SYMBOLIZED. 1. It is a wrre11d61' to God of sometl,ing tlvtt belongs to us. Property inherited and acquired is the material of the sacrifice. Not only what has come to us by natural endowment, but that which is the result of toil-the cattle that were given to us, and the produce we have reared. God demands our hearts, our minds, our talents; and he looks for the devotion to him of any increment that effort may secure. Just as Barnabas sold his land and laid the price at the apostles' feet, and the Apostle Pan! commanded that each Corinthian should "lay by him in store as God bath prospered him." 2. It is ~ wluntary surrender. The man "shall put his hand upon the head of the burn& offering," to evince his willingness to part with the animal. All "the cattle on, a thousand hi1ls" are renlly owned by Jehovah, yet does he treat man as proprietor, and does not take by violence the necessary sacrifices for his glory, but leaves it to man freely to recognize hie God, and to pay his just dues. "Voluntary" in no wise- excludes the force of motives, since every decision has motives, as an antecedent if not as an efficient cause. Freedom implies absence, not of inducements, but of constraint. :Man has the power to withhold from the service of God his faculties and possessions. He is ever appealed to in Scripture as a reasonable individual, capable of deciding to what purposes his abilities shall be devoted. "Yield yourselves unto God." 3. The surrender must be complete. It was not possible to offer part of a goat or lamb, the victim must be given in its entirety. The blood is sprinkled round about, and "all " the parts are burnt upon the altar. The disciple must follow the Lord fully. No putting of the hand to the plough and looking back. No keeping back part of the price. The- believer is bought by Christ, body and soul. The reason why many seem to have offered themselves to God in vain, is because they have done it in a half-hearted way• they have not" sought him with their whole desire." JI. TIIE llilA1''NER IN WHICH THE OFFERING IS DEVOTED TO GoD. 1. By the death cf the victim. Death is the total renunciation of present enjoyment-the extremest proof of nn intention to set one's self apart for a certain object. If it does not suffice to prove sincerity and entire consecration, then proof is impossible. "All that a man bath will he give for his lire." Like the apostle, it behoves Christians to "die daily.''" At baptism there was the emblem of death to the world. "Old things have passed away." Our death to sin, however, resembles the crucifixion of our Lord, a lingering painful death. \Ve mortify the deeds of the body, crucify the flesh, deny ourselves. "If any man will lose his life he shall save it." 2. By cleansing water and purifying fire. " Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth." "Having these- promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." "Every one shall be salted with fire." "The trial of your faith which is much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire." All that is earthly is consumed. The smoke, rising from the material sacrifice, reminds us of the pure metal that is fre& from dross, and remain& to" praise, honour, and glory." Learn to welcome the tribula- tions of your lot as being the discipline that makes the surrender of yourselves. complete. Martyrs have experienced actual flames, the fire may assume another shape to you. Perhaps temptations assail you, and difficulties wear away your strength. Gloriry God in the fires. Fire is an emblem of the Holy Spirit, and ns Christ offered himself through the Eternal Spirit, so docs his Spirit ahide with his people, to hallow them, to put away sin, to make them pleasing unto God. 3. By mean a of the ordained mediator. The priest must take the slain animal to perform the necessary rites. Otherwise, however free from fault, the offering will bring loss, not gain, to the offerer. If all believers are now "a holy priesthood, to oller up spiritual sacrifices," they are only "acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Our Saviour must be our "Daysman,~ to come between us and God, and present us to his Father. His life, death, and intercession must be the inspiration of our lives, the spring of our hopes, the constrain- hw influence that shall ruake us dedicate nil we have and are to God. "No man co;eth unto the Father but by me." We determine to know nothing save Christ and him crucified. "In Christ Jeeus" we "are made nigh." III. 'l'HB EFll'EOT OF THE OFFEBIN•l. 1. It pleases God. Anthropomorphic expres- 11ions are employed, not to degrade the Almighty, but to clariry our conceptions, and tcr make the truth plain to the dnllest eyed. "It is a sweet savour unto the Lord." The 11mell is repulsive, and cannot be supposed to be grateful iu itself to him who is a Spiri&.  12 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [CR. I, 1-17.