The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 140

does not contain one act of drudgery; it is all upon the high level of holy, happy, elevating service. III. 'l'HAT THERE MUST BB OONBTANCY IN OUR CONSECRATION TO Goo. II The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall nevor go out" (ver. 13). As soon as the victim was slain and his shed blood was sprinkled on the altar, there was foraiveness 0 and accept.ance, and the burning of tho whole animal by the heaven-kindled fire in- dicated the accepted consecration of the offerer. When, therefore, the priest was instructed to keep the fire perpetually burning on the altar, it signified God's readiness to receive the perpetual devotion of the Israelites themselves to him and to his service. To us the most instructive lesson it conveys is that we must keep steadily and unfailingly burning the fire of consecration in our hearts ;-that must "never go out." 1. The ~ions of youth must not be permitted to extinguish it. 2. Nor the toils and anxieties of our prime. 3. Nor the mysterious and perplexing troubles that, like whelming billows (Ps. xiii. 7), go over us. 4. Nor the dis_tressing doubts which the enemies of the faith raise within us. 5. Nor the comforts and indulgences of prosperous periods in our life. It must be diligently and devoutly fed by (1) earnest thought- medita.tion ; (2) regular worship with the people of God; (3) steadfast Christian work; and (4) the private believing prayer which finds such utterance as this, 11 O thou who camest from above I " etc.-C. Vers. 14---18.-" Fellowship with the Father." In these renewed directions (see eh. ii.) concerning the meat offering, we have the striking expression, "I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings" (ver. 17). So that this sacrifice, beside furnishing an opportunity to the people of acknowledging their indebtedness to God a.s the generous Giver of all blessings, provided an opportunity to the priests of fellowship with God. He shared these "his offerings" with his ministers, and they ate with him "in the holy place" (ver. 16), within the precincts of his house. "And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 John i. 3). In Divine and human fellowship under the gospel, there is- I. FEASTING TOGETHER. The truest Christian counterpart of the sacred service described in the text is found in the Lord's Supper. There we, who are all "eriests unto God" (Rev. i. 6; 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9), meet at the table of the Lord, (1 Cor. x. 21), and eat and drink in his presence, rejoicing in his redeeming love, renewing before him our vows. II. SPEAKING ONE TO ANOTHER. 1. God to man in (1) the pages of revelation; (2) the words of those whom his Spirit prompts to remind us of his will or to explain it; (3) the direct communications of his Spirit. 2. Man to God in (1) the accents of praise; (2) the breath of supplication. III. REJOICING IN ONE ANOTHER. 1. God in man (Deut. xxxii. 9; Ps. xxxv. 27; cxl~L 11; ~a~...iii.1~; Eph. v. 27; Rev, xx.i. 2). 2. Man in God (Ps. xvi. 5; lxxxix. 16; cxhx. 2; Phil u1. 3; 1v. 4). IV. WoBKING TOGETHER. We are "workers together with him" (2 Cor. vi. 1); "labourers together with God" (1 Cor. iii. 9). While God is working in us and through us, he is also working with us; united with us in working out the reconciliation and regeneration of the world.-C. Vera. 27-29.-Communkated aanctity. When any victim had been presented in sacrifice to God, and had been slain, its blood (the "blood of atonement"), and also its flesh, became" most holy" (ver. 29). And whatsoever was touched by the one or the other received, in virtue of such contact, a communicated sanctity (vers. 2i, 28). The lesson here conveyed is that whatsoever comes into close association with a holy one or a holy thing does thereby acquire a measure of sacredness, and should be treated accord- ingly by us. This imparted sanctity gives back again to that which acts upon it eome a.dditional importance; it reflects that which it receives on the object from which it comes. We have abundant illustration of this truth; sanctity is communicated- !. FROM THE Goo-MAN TO HUMAN NATURE, Man is far more to God and to the spiritual uni verse now that the "Word was made flesh," that "himself" was "partaker of flesh and blood," In Jesus Christ the Divine touched the human, and henceforth the human is holy.  OH, VI. 8-30.] THE BOOK OF LEVl'l'ICUS. 99