The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 301

sacrifice" is a principle of vast range, and the atonement of JJsus is but a single appli- cation of it. Ill THE BECOGNITION OF Goo IN EVERY PLEABUBE WILL HAKE IT DOUBLY DELIGHTFUL. It is evident that God contemplated hunting as something which might be enjoyed religiously. The blood of the animal was to be carefully covered with dust in the hunting-field. Such a recognition of God may be carried into all legitimate enjoyment. As Charles Lamb suggest., saying grace before enterin~ upon new books, as something more fitting than a formal grace before gluttony, let us by all means carry the good custom into everything. We may develop our muscular powers in a religious spirit. Let us have religion in bodily exercise, religion in our social enjoyments, religion in business, religion in politics, relii,tion in all things. "Whether ye eat or drin!i:, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." We should recognize a" muscular Christianity," and a mercantile Christianity, and a Christianity "which doth not behave itself unseemly" in society; in a word, the adaptability of the religions spirit to all lawful relations. The sooner we recognize and realize this, the better.-R. M. E. Vers. 1-16.-Statules concerning blood. The sacredness of blood is everywhere marked in Scripture. The chapter before us contains some of the more important statutes concerning it. I. IN RESPECT TO TllE BLOOD OF SACRIFICE. 1. It must be brought to the door of the tabernacle. (1) This requisition does not apply to animals ordinarily killed for food (comp. Deut. xii. 15, 21). (2) It applies to the blood of sacrifices, (a) To the blood of those offered at the door of the tabernacle. As a matter of course, the blood of such sacrifices would be sprinkled and poured out at the altar. (b) 'l'o the blood of those also offered outside the camp (vers. 3, 5). Sacrifices were formerly offered wherever the providence of God might indicate (Gen. xii. 8; Job i. 5). God still reserved to himself the right to sanction the offering of sacrifices where he pleased (see Judg. vi. .26; xiii. 19; 1 Sam. vii. 9; 2 Sam. xxiv, 18; 1 Kings xviii. 23). Without such sanc- tion, the altar of the tabernacle is the one place appointed for the shedding of sacrifi- cial blood. (3) Public worshie is encouraged by this law (Heh. x. 25). 2. The penalty of disobedience is euision. (1) The statute was enacted to prevent idolatry. Sacrific- ing elsewhere, they might be tempted to sacrifice to devils (ver. 7). 'l'he heathen thought the spirit of their god resided in his idol; such spirits are here called II devils." All idolatry is from Satan, and is devilish (1 Cor. x. 20). The word (o•,-p::-',) here trans- lated "devils" is elsewhere rendered "goats." Perhaps the idols in which these spirits of devils were supposed to reside were of the goat-like form. Goats were worshipped in Egypt, and probably also in Canaan. (2) Dlood is imputed to him that sheds blood in sacrifice elsewhere than at the altar of the tabernacle (ver. 4). To bring the blood to the door of the tabernacle taught the worshipper to discern Christ, through whose blood we enter heaven. 'l'o miss this lesson was to degenerate into abominable and fatal idolatry (see Isa. lxvi. 3). This law applied to proselytes o.s well as to native Israelites (vers. 8, 9). There is but one wny to God for the Jew and Greek (Rom. iii. 30). "He that believeth not shall be damned" (see ver. 4). iL IN RESPECT TO FOOD. 1. Blood as food is absolutely forbidden. (1) The prohi- bition is among the Noachian precepts. He who reserved the tree of knowledge o! good and evil in his grant of vegetables to mo.n for food, reserved blood in his grant of animals (Gen. ix. 4, 6). Ileing a Noachio.n precept, this lo.w is obligatory upon the human family at large. (2) 'l'he prohibition of blood was formo.lly incorporated into tho Levitical code (see ver. 10; also chs. iii. 17 i vii. 26 ; Deut. xii. 25 ). The abro~ation of the Levitical Law, however, does not repeal the Noachian precept. Unless, tnerefore, it can be shown that the Noachian precept is abrogated, it is still unlawful both to Jew and Gentile to eat blood. (3) So far from being repealed, this precept is re-enforced under the gospel (Acts xv. 28, 29). This" burden" our Lord still lo.ys upon the Churches, even after the destruction of Jerusalem (see Rev. ii. 14-24). The significance of this term "burden" must not be overlooked (comp. Acts xv. 28 with Rev. ii. 24). 2. Tu:o reasons for the prohibition are aasigned. These are: (1) That II tho life of the flesh is in the blood." Thie is philosophically true. Cut a nerve, you paralyze a member, but it lives; cut off the blood, the member mortifies. Blood flows to a wound, becomes vai;cular there, knits the living parts, and it heals. The vitality of tho blood is seen 266 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [err. XVII. 1-16.