Vers. 22-21.-Instruction, for the p«1ple on tluJ fat and on the blood. The pro- hibition of fat was to secure the rights of Jehovah from invMion. The fat was a gift sanctified to God. The prohibition of the blood was to keep up the idea of atonement, the blood being regarded as the soul of the animal which God had appointed as the medium of atonement for the soul of man. Here is- I. THE SUPREMACY OF THE DIVINE CL.A.UIS. 1. The recognition by the conscience in doctri11e, in the place religion holds in the life. 2. The social state should be regulated on this principle. Man must not invade God's rights if he would retain God's blessing. Observance of the sabbath. The law of nations rests on the Law of God. 3. The in• dividual, believer will take care that he robs God of nothing. His service demands the fat, the choicest faculties, the deepest feelings, the largest gifts. II. TnE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF Gon JUl>E THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MAN. Life for life. The blood sanctified, the blood saved. On the foundation of a perfect reconciliation i.lone can a true humanity be preserved and developed. Mistake of the ancient Greeks in worshipping humanity unredeemed, leading to animalism, and eventually to the sub- stitution of mere art for morality, therefore the degradation of humanity. The elevation of the soul is the elevation of the whole man; "Im ganzen, guten, schoenen resolut zu leben," is a motto only to be adopted in the Christian sense. "He that saveth his life shall lose it; n he that offers it up to God shall redeem it.-R. Vers. 2&-38.-The ware breast and the heave s'hoolder given to the priests. God's share and his miDll>ters' share must be both fully given and carefully set aside and publicly offered up. Generow support of the sanctuary. L SERVICE OF Gon's HOOSE REQUIRES SPECIAL OFFERINGS; which should be: 1. Large and freely bestowed. Reciprocal blessings; those that give receive, and as they give, they receive. 2. The ministry should be so provided for that the service rendered be joyful and unrestrained. 3. 'l'he subordinate arrangements of the sanctuary should partake of the cheerfulness which flows from abundance. A festival of worship. IL S.&NCTIFICATION OF GIFTS. Both by personal preparation and by systematic beneficence. Lay a.side for God as we are prospered. God's claims should precede all others. The blessing of the sanctuary overflows into common life. III. PUBLICITY A POWERFUL STIJIIULUS ANl> A BINDING PLEDGE. Waving and 'heaving represented extent and elevation. Much in example. Our gifts should not be ostentatiously published, but ;yet, if h~ld up to G?d, and so pr~sen~d as to set for~h t_he universality of our consecration to him, they will both glorify his Name e.nd 1nc.1te others to his service.-& OB. VIII, 1-36.) THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 115
PART II. THE INSTITUTION OF AN HEREDITARY PRIESTHOOD. EXPOSITION. pended to the record of theu oon■ecration is CHAPTER VIII, an account of the first acts of the newly Tim OONSEOBATION 01!' .&.\BON AND HlS created priests (oh. iL ), and of the death SONS is the natural sequel of the fore- of two of them (oh. L). This is the only going division of the book, The sacrificial historical section in the book; and the death system. which had now been instituted in of the blasphemer (eh. x.xiv.) is the only its completeness, required a priesthood to other historical event recorded in it, if at administer it. Originally the head of eaoh least we except such passages as, " And he Hebrew family was priest to his own did as the Lord commanded Moses" (eh. household, to offer gifts betokening self- xvi. 34; ui. 24; xxiii. 44). surrender and communion with God-burnt Vera. 1-5.-These verses contain the sacrifices and sacrifices similar in character preliminaries of the ceremony of consecra- to the peace offerings. The first step from tion. Aaron and his sons are to be brought to the door of the to.bemacle, together with hence to the hereditary priesthood was the all that is necessary for the performance of hallowing the fustbom of the Israelites to the rite that is about to take place. The God's service, after the Turaelitish firstbom words in the second verse, a bullock for had been delivered from the destruction the sin offering, and two ram.a, and a buket which fell upon the firstbom ofEgypt(Nu.mb. of Ulllee.vened bread, should be translated, iii. 13). The second was the substitution of ramsthe bullock for the Bin offering and the two and the baaket. The garments, the the tribe of Levi for the fustbom (Numb. ill. anointing oil, the bu.ll~k, tlul two rama, 41-45), on account of the zeal wbioh the and the baaket of unleat1ened bread and Levites exhibited above the other tribes at cakes, ho.d all been previously enjoined, the timo of the idolatry of the golden co.If when Moses was on the monnt (Exod. xxviii., (Exod. xxxii. 26). Now, out of the tribe of nix., xxx.). These previous injunctiona Le,·i is ohoaen the one family of Aaron, to are referred to in the words, This is the thing whioh the Lord oommanded to be dona form an hereditary priesthood, consisting at (ver. 5). ftret of five persons, quickly reduoed to Ver. 6.-Wasbing, robing, anointing, three by the de11th of Nadab and Abihu. sncrificing, are the four means by the joint This small body would have been suffloient opero.tion of which the consecration ia for the needs of the people while they effected. The we.shing, or bathing, took place in the sight of the people. The whole were still in the wilderness, and leading of the person, exoept so muoh o.s was oovered the life of the camp. With the increase of by the linen drawers (Exod. xxviil. 42), the nation the family of Aaron and his was we.ahed. The symbolice.l significance sons increased likewise, until, in the time is clear. Cleansing from sin precedes of David, it was necesso.ry to subdivide olothing in righteousness and spiritual nnotion. it into twenty-four oourses for the orderly Vere. 7-9.-The robing. The various fulfilment of the functions of the priest- articles of the priestly dreBB had been hood. As the institution of tho priesthood appointed and described before (Exod. was necessary for carrying out the sacri.ftcial xxviii., xxix.). In these verses we see the systom, so the so.orifices were necessary for order in which they were put on. After the the consecration of the priests. By means pricHts had, no doubt, ohanged their linen drawers, there oame, firet, the ooe.t, that of the sacrifices the priests are conseorated, is, a close-fitting tunio of white linen Moses performing on the occo.sion, and for made with sleeves and oovering the whol~ the last time, the priestly functions. Ap- body; next the girdle of the tunic, the.* 116 THE BOOK OF LEVITIOUS. [oH. vm. 1-86.