of the baste with which they departed from Egypt, this was to express the.nkfulness to God for the blessings of ordinary food, together with their rest in Cane.e.n. (3) One loaf was to be eaten by the worshipper, while the other was God's. That more com- pletely given to God was divided. One portion was burnt on the altar, while the priests took the remainder (Numb. xviii. 9-11). This explains the injunction that they should be waved along with the peace offerings. We learn here that our ordinary bread should be religiously eaten (see 1 Cor. x. 31). (4) These wave loaves constituted one of three meat offerings of the whole congregation. The first was the sheaf, or omer, of the firstfruits of the barley harvest (vers. 9-14). This was the second. And the third was the twelve loaves of the shewbree.d (Exod. xxv. 30; eh. xxiv. 6-9). Could there be here a prophetic anticipation of the order of the resurrection, viz. "Christ the Firstfruits; afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming;" and, finally, the "rest of the dead," destined to live again at the end of the millennial reign, when death shall be abolished? ( comp. 1 Cor. xv. 23-26; Rev. xx.). (5) Beaide the firstfruits, which were strictly national, each person had to bring his own firstfruits to the temple (see Deut. xxvi. 1-10). God would have us ever to remember that religion is personal as well as public. 3. They were to offer sacrifices. (1) The burnt offerings appointed were seven lambs of the first year without blemish, one young bullock, and two rams, or, as elsewhere expressed, two young bullocks and one ram (comp. ver. 18; Numb. xxviii. 27). .As burnt offerings were intended to expiate sins against affirmative precepts, the godly worshipper would pray during the burning, as David prayed (Ps. xix. 13). The meat and drink offerings proper to burnt offerings accompanied (ver. 18). These were distinct from the two tenth-deals waved to sanctify the harvest. (2) .A kid of the goats was appointed for a sin offering (ver. 19). .As sin offerings were to expiate sins committed in ignorance, the thoughts of the worshipper were carried forward to the Great Sin Sacrifice of Calvary. (3) Two lambs of the first year were appointed for the peace offering. 'l'hese were distinguished from those usually offered as "holy to the Lord for the priest." They were to be eaten by him before the Lord. For the meat offering which ordinarily accompanied the peace offerings, in this case the two loaves of the firstfruits were substituted (vers. 19, 20). II. THE NOTES OF TIME, WITH THEm REASONS. 1. They counted from the putting in of the sickle. (1) This, however, was not left to private option. That would have worked endless confusion; for it was a public, national, act. The Lord is a God of order (1 Cor. xiv. 40). It would have tended to will-worship. 'l'he evils of this are seen in the Romish Church. We cannot too literally abide by the letter of Divine precept. (2) It was limited to the second day of the Passover week (vers. 15, 16). From this reckoning the Jews call this Feast of Harvest (c•l!lcn 01•) the fiftieth day. For the same reason, it is in the New Testament called the Pentecost (Acts ii. 1; xx. 1G; 1 Cor. xvi. 8). 2. They commemorated the giving of the Law. (1) The observance of the Passover was on the fourteenth of the first month (Exod. xii. 18), leaving seventeen days of that month to run. To these add thirty days of the second month, and we bave forty-seven days. But the Law was given on the third day after Moses came into the wilderness of Sinai, which was in the beginning of the third month (Exod. xix. 1, 10, 11). These three days added bring the number up to fifty. (2) Well might the Israelites have a festival of thanksgiving for the giving of the Law; for thereby they were honoured and blessed as no other nation had ever been (Deut. iv. 8). 3. They rnticipated the publication of the gospel. (1) The gospel is the Law of God, published [rom Zion, in contradistinction to that published from Sinai (see Isa. ii. 3). That pub- lication took place "when the day of Pentecost was fully come." (2) The fifty days 1vere counted from the second day of the Passover week, on which the firstfruits of the barley harvest were presented (vers. 15, 16). That "firstfruits" were a type of Christ in bis resurrection. After that event he was seen of his disciples during forty days. The Pentecost followed exactly ten days after the .Ascension (see Luke xxiv. 49; .Acts li. l). (3) Note, further, that the Holy Ghost was given on the first day of the week. The Paschal lamb was eaten on Thursday. 'l'he Friday on which our Lord was crucified was the first day of the Passover week. On the Saturday the firstfruits were offered up. Consequently, the Pentecost, which was the fiftieth day after, would fall upon t_he Sunday. Thenceforth this became "the Lord's day," or the Christian sabbo.th ( see L1gh tfoot on .Acts il.J. OH, llIII, 6-44.] 'fHE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 359
Where gratitude is there will be goodness. Hence the injunction to care for the -poor and the stranger (ver. 22). This spirit of the Law is also the geniUB of the gospel.-J. A. M.