IIOMILETICS. Vere. l-35.-7Vie sin offering signifies and ceremonially effects propitiation and expiation. Its characteristic feature, therefore, is the preseutation of the blood of the victim, which in this sacrifice alone (when it was offered for the high priest or the whole congregation) waa carried into the tabernacle and solemnly sprinkled before the vail which covered God's presence. I. WHEN IT WAS TO BE OFFERED. On certain solemn public occasions, and when- ever the conscience of an individual was awakened to being out of communion with God. The contraction of certain defilements and the commission of certain sins ex- cluded the delinquent from God's people, and when this had occurred, he might not be readmitted until he had brought a sin offering to be offered in his behalf. II. How IT WAS EFFECTIVE. 'l'he fact of God's appointing it for a certain end made it effective for that end; but we are allowed to see why God appointed it, and this was because it was a shadow of the Great Atonement to be wrought for all mankind by the Christian Sin Offering of the cross. For the result of original sin and the consequent growth and spread of wickedness upon the earth had separated between God and man. How were they to be reconciled? Christ became the representative of sinful man, e.nd the substitute for him, and in this capacity he bore the penalty of sins, (1) in the Garden of Gethsemane, (2) on the cross-thus restoring man to communion with God. Ill. THINGS TO BE NOTED- 1. The wrath of God against sin. 2. The love of God towards sinners. 3. The justice of God. 4. 'l'he love of Christ in his incarnation. 5. The obedience of Christ in his death. 6. The blessed result to man, namely, union and co=union with God, through Christ the Peace-maker. IV. THE OFFERING MADE ONCE FOR ALL. The Jewish offerings could be brought again and again; the Christian Sin Offering could be made but once. There can be no repetition of it, no continuation of it; but its effects are always continuing, and appli- cable to all Christ's 1-eople. Its benefits are to be grasped and appropriated, each time that they are needed, by faith. As the Israelite laid his hand on the sin offering, so we lean by faith on Christ, and may constantly plead the merits of the offering which cannot be renewed. In case we have fallen into sin, we may not, like the Israelite, bring our bullock for sacrifice; we cannot renew the Great Sacrifice typified by the bullock's Racrificc; but, by repentance and by faith in the atonement wrought by the sacrifice of Christ's death, we can be restored. V. FEELmGs AWAKENED- 'fha.nkfulness for God's mercy in finding a. way of esca.po; 'l'hankfulness for Christ's love in working out man's salvation; A blessed sense of peace resulting from the consciousness tba.t the Great Atoning Sacrifice has been offered,
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. .A.tonementfor the penitent, as illustrated in the sin offering. Oh. Iv._; v. 1-~3; cf. :i's. xix. 12 ; Gal. vi. 1 ; 1 Tim. i. 13, etc. The offerings already considered, viz. the burnt offering the meat offerin"', and the peace offering, have respccti vely emphasized the ideas of personal consecration, consecrated life-work, and fellowship. Moreover, they are to be regarded as voluntary offerings, depending upon t~e impulse of th~ heart for their celebration. Special experience might impel an Israelite to express his con- secration or his fellowship, and he would then bring the appointed sacrifice. But here we come a.cross an offering which is imperative. The moment a.n Israelite became convinced of sin, then he was bound to bring the offering prescribtd. Besides, the sin offering is Mosaic in its origin; it had no existence, a.s such, before the promul- 56 TUE BOOK OF LEVITJ:CUS. [cH, IV, 1-3.5.