The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 136

Christ, having dedicated himself to the Father, could declare "I sanctify myself." It is no light matter for a man to take upon himself allegiance to a holy God to "vow to be his, yea, his alone." God himself must sanctify us wholly, that body' soul and Rpirit may be preser_ve~ blameles~. ~ome article of furniture that is oV:ned by a celebrated monarch 1s rnvested with importance by that fact, and numbers view it with eager interest. 'rhe servant wearing his famous master's livery is regarded with attention. Surely, then, those are worth our notice who are consecrated to the service of the King of kings, vessels meet for his use. JI. HOLI1''ESS TE1''DS TO COMMUNICATE ITSELF TO ALL TH.AT 18 DROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH IT. Whoever touches the sin offering shall be holy. Like leaven, the sacredness ~pread~. . The pro~pect of the wo!ld's impro:vement li~s in the hope of its permeation by Christian pnnc1ple. By touchmg the Saviour, the sick ,vere healed, and by placing tho hand of faith no~v upon Christ'~ bleeding_ bod,:ir, the sinner is sanctified in the sight of God. That holmess extends 1s recogmzed m the apostle's declaration that " the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife." Continual contact with' sacred rites and offerings renewed the holiness of the priests. So let us seek to draw near unto our God by the Living Way, having our hearts sprinkled and bodies washed. III. In spite of this consecrating power, WHAT IS HOLY MUST NOT DE THOUGHTLESSLY PLACED IN PROPINQUITY WITII WHAT IS DEFILING. Let blood from the offering stain the garment, and it must be cleansed "in the holy place," not carried without into the region of things common and unclean. If the flesh was boiled in an earthen vessel, the fat might penetrate through the porous surface, so that no after rinsing or scouring would remove it, as in the case of copper(" brazen") vessels. The earthen pot must con- sequently be broken, to prevent all risk of any portion of a sin offering being contami- uated by touching subsequent food. Learn from this not to profane what is dedicated to God. Our Lord's words to Mary after his resurrection are significant: "Touch me not." The precept of Paul was, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?" We must not cast pearls before swine. Let us not commingle sordid motives and methods with the worship of the sanctuary. Jests founded upon the Word of God are to be shunned. Previous prayer will not sanction worldly entertainments and amusements. In many directions the regulations of Leviticus may be remembered with advantage to-day.-S. R. A. Vers. 8-13.-The law of the burnt offering. With this paragraph the Jews begin the twenty-fifth section of the Law; and, as a new subject is here introduced, this ought to have been the commencement of the chapter. In some of the best editions of the Hebrew Bible, the paragraph preceding this is properly made the sequel of the fifth chapter, and the sixth commences with this. The burnt offering was treated of before, viz. in the first chapter, with more particular reference to ceremonies relating to those who brought it; here it is considered in relation to the priests who offered it. We have now to consider- L THE LAW OF THE BURNT OFFERING AB TO THE SACRIFICE. .And we observe: 1. That the offering was ever upon the altar, (1) The evening sacrifice was "burning upon the altar all night unto the morning." For the particular reference here is to the daily sacrifice of a lamb for the whole congregation. (2) This was then followed by the corresponding morning sacrifice. This, together with the occasional sacrifices which were offered throughout the day, would keep the altar fully occupied until the evening. (3) Thus there was kept up a constant "remembrance of sins" day by day, the year round, and "year by year continually." For the repetition of the sacrifices showed that "they could never take away sins." These could only be removed "through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ 011ce" (see Heb. x. 1-10). 2. That the fire was kept ever burni11g. (1) 'l'his was not common fire, but came forth from God (see eh. ix. 23, 24). It was an emblem of the Holy Spirit; and sometimes represented his wrath, sometimes his love (Isa. iv. 4; Mai. iii. 2, 3; Matt. iii. 11; Acts ii. 3, 4 ; Heb. x. 26, 27; xii. 29). (2) God commanded that it should "not be put out." He ~ill con- sume with the fire of hie wrath those who quench the fire of his love. Even 1f we be not always offering sacrifices, love must be kept always burning in the heart (1 Thess, v. 19 ; 2 Tim. i. 6). (3) The priests were instructed how they should keep it alive. They were to put on wood. On this to lay the burnt offering. So the Great Sacrifice  OR, VI, P-30,] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 9b