The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 396

III. HEBDO!>'.ADS ARE NOT WITHOUT FOUNDATION IN NATORl!I. 1. They are not very obviously 'fTUl,rked in the lteavll'IIS. (1) The day is measured by the revolution of the earth upon its axis. The month is measured by the revolution of the moon in her orbit. The year is determined by the revolution of the earth about the sun. (2) But where are we to find the measure of the week? The quarters of the moon do not measure it for the month is more than four times seven days. 2. Yet they have a foundatio~ in nature. (1) It is now well known that changes in animals are regulated by weeks. Dr. Laycock, summing up what he had advanced on this subject in a series of remark- able papers, says, " The facts I have briefly glanced at are general facts, and cannot happen day after day in so many millions of animals of every kind from larva or ovum of a minute insect up to man at definite periods, from a mere cha.nee or coincidence; and although temperature, food, domestication, and other modifying circumstances may and do interrupt the regularity with which the various processes I have alluded to are conducted, yet upon the whole it is, I think, impossible to come to any less general conclusion than this. That in animals changes occur every three and a half, seven, fourteen, twenty-one, or twenty-eight days, or at some de.finite number of weeks" (see Lan~t, 1842-43). (2) The words recorded by Moses (Gen. i. 14) guide us to the con- sideration of the revolution of the epacts, or differences in solar and lunar measures of time. A.nd it is most admirable that the epa.cts of the times of prophetic chronology as measured by trne solar and lunar years come out in weelcs (see Guinness's • Approach- ing End of the A.ge '). From this interesting subject we learn: 1. That prophecy is from God. 2. That the God of nature is the God of providence. 3. That religion should be interwoven with secular concems.--J. A.. M. Vers. 23-25.-The Feast of Trumpets. "The Old Testament," says Augustine, "when rightly understood, is one grand prophecy of the New." The New Testament is the key to the Old. I. THE MOON WAS A snrnoL OF THE CHURCH. 1. Its lustre sets forth lter beauty. (1) Even in our Northern climate the moon is a beautiful object; but in Oriental skies she is remarkably so. Solomon compares the beauty of the bride to that of the moon (Song vi. 10). (2) She shines in a light borrowed from the sun. So is the lustre of Jesus the loveliness of his Church (see Isa. xxx. 26; comp. Matt. v. 14 with John viii. 12; Rev. xii. 1; xxi. 23). (3) As the moon enlightens the darkness in the absence of the sun, so is the Church the light of the world in the absence of her Lord (see Matt. v. 14; John i. 4; ix. 5; Phil. ii. 15). All men should be attracted to the communion of the Church by the charms of her beauty. Professors should beware how thlly may hinder this issue by their inconsistencies. 2. Its changes set forth her vicissitudes, (1) 'l'he renewals of the moon will represent the dispensations through which she passes. Thus the patriarchal, which is divided into two ages, viz. that before the Flood, and that which followed. 'l'he Mosaic, which also is divided into two ages, viz. that of the tabernacle and that of the temple, the latter being more eminently the age of prophecy, The Christian dispensation likewise is distributed into two ages, viz. the present mili- tant and suffering age, and the triumphant age of the millennium to come. Perhaps the seventh moon may then anticipate the celestial state to follow (see Isa. Ix. 19, 20). (2) The phases through which each moon passes will represent corresponding minor changes in the ;Church. She too has her waxings and wanings. Sometimes she is brightened by revivals of purity and zeal, which are followed by seasons of apostacy and degeneration. Sometimes :\he rejoices in seasons of peace and prosperity ; then suffers persecutions and reverses II. THE SEVENTH wAB OlBTINGUISHED AMONG THE MOONS. 1. It was a high sabbath. (1) The new moons were all observed as sabba.ths. No servile work was done ii! any of them (see Amos viii. 5). They were memorials of the believers' rest from ser- vility to Satan. (2) 3ut this moon was the beginning of the civil year, and is believed to be the time of th~_ Creation, when vegetable nature was in perfection. It grate- fully commemorated the old Creation. It joyfully anticipated the new. 2. It was a holy convocatwn. (1) The people assembled for worship. 'fhis is God's order. Those who neglect public worship under the pretext of "worshipping the God of nature in the fields," follow their own order. (2) In company, they heard the Word of God (see OB. JUIII. 6-44.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 361