2 Kings iv. 23; Isa. !xvi. 23; Ezek. xlvi.1; Amos viii. 5). (3) They feasted together upon the sacrifices (Numb. xxviii. 11-15). Thus they anticipated the spiritual festivities of the gospel, and the glorious festivities of heaven, (4) They rejoiced in the light of the moon (Ps. lxxxi. 3 ; lxxxix. 15, 16). If the Psalmist rejoiced in the anticipation of the light of the gospel moon, how much more should we rejoice under that light? 3. 1, was a memorial . olowing of trumpets. (1) The trumpets were blown upon every moon, but on the seventh so signally that it thence became distinguished as the Feast of Trumpets. The trumpeting began at sunrise and continued till sundown. This moon not only ushered in the new month, as the others did, but also the new (civil) year. (2) The trumpets were sounded over the sacrifices. Tbese were in greater number. There were not only the daily sacrifices, which were never superseded, and the ordinary sacrifices of the moons, but burnt_ offerings, meat and dri!1k offerings, and a sin offering, proper to this feast (Numb. xx1x. 2-6). The soundmg of the trumpets over these indicated the preaching of the gospel to be the preaching of the cross of Christ (see Isa. xxvii. 13). (3) The trumpeting was in memorial. If it referred to the givina of the Law, we are reminded of the trumpet that then sounded from Sinai; and the go~el law was sounded out from Sion. If the memorial referred to the Creation, then we are reminded that the Psalmist calls the word by which God made the world, "the voice of his thunder" (P~. civ. 7). We are also reminded of the singing of the morning stars and shouting of the sons of God (Job xxxviii. 6, 7). The shouting and thundering at the Creation and at the giving of the Law and the preaching of the gospel are but the echoes of the voices and trumpeting of the J udgment of the great day, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." When the last trumpet is sounded, it will be, as on the l<'east of Trumpets, at the finishing of the gathering of all the fruits of the earth.-J. A: M. Vere, 26-32.-The Feast of Expiation. This great occasion, the ceremonies of which are more particularly described in eh. xvi., was to be- I. A. HOLY CONVOCATION, IN WHIOH THE PEOPLE WERE TO AFFLICT THEm SOULS. Learn hence: 1. That sin must be mourned. (1) It should be mourned in secret. There are matters which it may be proper to confess to God alone. The confession of these to others would serve no useful purpose. It might even be productive of harm. (2) It should be publicly mourned. Where there are national sins they should be openly confessed. Sins against society should be publicly owned. The general public confossion of sin is useful in calling individual sin to remembrance. (3) Contrition for sin is indispensable. To neglect it is to incur excision (ver, 29). 2. The mourning must be thorough. (1) No secular work must be done on this day in which men were to afflict their souls. Not only were they on this day to rest from " servile work," as on the other annual feasts; the rest must be as strict as upon the weekly sabbaths. If we would have salvation, we must be in earnest. We must not suffer the claims or the world to divert us from this great business. (2) The soul must be afflicted withfasti11g. 'l'he animal soul is here referred to (see eh. xvi. 31; Numb. xxix. 7; Isa. !viii. 5, 6). Tho spirit of a religious fast is abstinence from all kinds of ;;in. 3. The soul is to be affiicted because of the atonement. (l) '!'hey were to bring an" offering by fire unto the Lord" on this do.y. The sin and trespass offering had respect to particular sins, but the burut offering was for sin in the abstract. The sacrifices of this d,iy were of the greo.test importance, and eminently typified the Great Atonement of the gospel. (2) Penitence is never perfect till we get a view of Calvary. Because he is merci1ul we fear God with a gracious fenr. With such a foar is holiness perfected (2 Cor. vii. 1). 11. THIS HOLY CONVOOATION WAS ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH, l. This was to sug_qest the riches of redemption. (1) For the mystery of the number ten is wealth. So the Hebrew word for ten (1Z>JI) is also the word for riches. (2) Hence because of bis riches of merit and wealth of blessings, viz. as the Depository of all the promises, Christ is called a Tenth (see Isa. vi. 13). (3) When Isaiah calls Chri~t the Tenth, he describes the Tenth as of tho nature of bread. Dread is the "staff of life," and Christ is tho "'free of life "-the Dread of immortality. Hence o.11 the holy bread, as prefigurin~ Christ, wag composed of tenth-deals of flour. So the meat, or bread, offering; so the firstfruits; so the shewbread; even the manno. was gathered in orners, or tenths (see Exod. xvi. 36; see also Mai. iii. 10). 2. The association of the tenth day with the seventh month also is suggestive. (1) lt suggests the perfection of 3tl2 THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. [OH, XXIII, 6-44.
riches to be associated with the mysteries of the day. This we find only in connection with the great atonement of Christ. Other wealth is poverty compared with the "riches of Christ." (2) Note elsewhere the association of seven and ten in weeks of decades. 'l'hus the term of human life is a week of decades, e.t the close of which the rich rewards of a faithful life are reaped (Ps. xc. 10). But "the wicked do not live out half their days." They come short of the "durable riches." The week of decades was the term of the Babylonish captivity (Jer. xxiv. 11; xxix. 10). And towards the close of that period the week of weeks of decades was revealed to Daniel as destined to mark the crisis of the ~r<:Lt atonement (~ce Dan. ix. 24). (3) Dr. Lightfoot computes that the Feast of Exp1at10n was the anniversary of that on which Moses came the last time down from the mount, bringing with him the unbroken tables and the assurance of God's reconciliation to Israel, the very glory of the gospel beaming in his face. Moses -~~ this was a simila~ tY1?8 to the high priest on the Day of Atonement (see 2 Cor. m. 12-18). (4) It 1s still more remarkable that Jesus, on the anniversary of these events, actually entered the cloud of the Shechinah, and passed within the vail into the heaven of heavens (see reasoning to this conclusion in the appendix of Guinness's 'Approaching End of the Age'). These coincidences are not accidental. They are "the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes." Such things as these, and in such the Holy Scriptures abound, prove them to be from God, and should encourage our faith and obedience.-J. A. M.