The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 369

to the sanctity of family life, and our duty to guard it ; (2) the fact, on the other hand, that mere blood relationship does not suffice to secure tho favour of God; witness Nadab and .Abihu. The son of the holiest minister of Christ may be a servant of the evil one, and an enemy of God. But tM lesson of the text is- I. THAT GoD WOULD HAVE us SEPARATE BOJrlE THINGS FBOM OTHERS WHICH WE MUST TREAT AS BAOBED. "I the Lord do sanctify them" (ver. 16). That which is closely connected with himself is particularly" holy,"-his Name, his trutb, bis worship; also our own spiritual and immortal nature ; the world which is to come, etc. II. THAT WE ABE UNDER SOME TEMPTATION TO DISBEOABD HIS HOLY WILL. Forget- fulness, the spirit of levity and untimely humour, the contagiousness of human example, that tendency towards the formal and mechanical which belongs to our frail humanity,-these things will account for it. The forms which t.his irreverence or pro- fanation takes are manifold: (1) taking in vain the holy Name of God, our Father, Saviour, Sanctifier; (2) misuse of scriptural words-those especially which are of peculiar sacredness; (3) irreverence in prayer or praise; ( 4) the utterance of Divine truth by unhallowed, unappreciative lips; (5) the partaking of the sacramental elements by those who are unreconciled to God; (6) misappropriation of substance which has been dedicated to the service of Christ. ill THAT MINISTERS OF CHRIST SHOULD BE SPECIALLY ON THEIB OU.ARD AGAINST THIS COMMON AND OFFENSIVE BIN, There are two reasons why those who minister in holy things should "watch and pray" against the commission of this wrong-doing. 1. They are under special temptation to commit it. Their very professional familiarity with the truth and service of God is likely to beget irreverence, utterance without feeling, action without inspiration. 2. Their example is more influential. Irreverence on the part of the minister is certain, in time if not immediately, to tell on the people. It will be communicated to them; or, at the very least, it wi 11 seriously lessen and lower the impression which would otherwise be made on their hearts and lives.-C. Vers. 17-30.-0haracteristics of acceptablB service. The very fact that all the points here referred to have been fully brought out before lends strong emphasis to them as matters of vital importance in the estimation of God. If our worship and service are to be acceptable, there must be- I. SPONTANEITY OF SPIBIT, "Ye shall offer at your own will" (ver. 19); "when ye will offer ••. offer it at your own will" (ver. 29). There is a wilfulness in worship which is blamable (Col. ii. 23); but there 1s a willingness, a "cheerfulness in giving," which is peculiarly acceptable unto God. The service which is rendered of necessity, under strong constraint and against the inclination of tho spirit, has the least virtue, if, indeed, it have any at all. That which proceeds from a heart in fullest ,;ympathy with the act, delighting to do the will of God (Ps. xl. 8), is well pleasing unto him. II. Com.ABATIVE EXCELLENCY. "Ye shall offer . . . a male without blemish, . . . whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptahlo for you," etc. (vers. 19-22). If the Hebrew worshipper brought that creature from flock or herd which, as being blemished, was least valuable, he did that which was offensive rather than acceptable. He put his Oreator and Redeemer (ver. 33) in the second place, and his own material interests in the first place. He was to briug his best to the holiest. We, too, must avoid this fatal error-must rise to this spiritual height. We must not put off' our Redeemer with that which we shall miss the least- in kind, in substance, in time; we must bring to his altar the sweetness, the strength, and the beauty of all that we have to bring; we must reserve the choice treasures for his hand of love. So fo.r as may be in a world of imperfection, our offeriug to a Divine Saviour "shall be perfect to be accepted" (ver. 21). III. REGARD FOB A SOLEMN PLEDGE. .Absolute perfection, the positively whole and unblemished animal, might be difficult, or in some cases impossible, to secure. Hence some relaxation from the rule was allowed in the case of the free-will offering. But in the redemption of a vow no such departure was permitted (ver. 23). .Any vow which was made unto God was considered to be in the last degree obligatory (Deut. xxiii. 21, 22; Eccles. v. 4, 5; Ps. lxxvi. 11). When "God's vows are u~n us," when we stand pledged before him (1) to discharge certain functions, or (2) to abstain from  S34 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [ou, xxn. 1-33.